AJ

by Jessie Cooke

  “Call them, Eugene. Call the casino and see if anyone has seen your dad today. Call his driver, his bodyguards...”

  “Fuck you!”

  “Call them. I don’t care if you believe me or not, Eugene, but here’s the deal...Your father would have been the only person on this earth that could have kept you alive if you hurt that girl. Even if you kill me and her, the Skulls on both coasts won’t rest until they get you...and deliver you to Hawk.” Lion could see in Eugene’s eyes that he had heard the stories about Hawk. He could see the beginning of fear there and he knew he was starting to believe what Lion was saying. “They’ll deliver you to him...and he’ll make you wish I had killed you. He’ll make you beg for him to kill you.” He couldn’t look at Madison. He kept his eyes locked into Eugene’s as he spoke and hoped what he was about to say didn’t haunt her for the rest of her life if she lived through this. “You know Hawk has a long memory and a penchant for revenge. I could talk until I’m blue in the face, telling you stories about things I’ve actually witnessed. But since we’re limited on time here I’ll tell you one little story that will help you see what you’ll be dealing with...alone, without Daddy or Anthony.

  “This didn’t even happen that long ago. There was this guy who crossed Hawk. I don’t have time to get into the details of what this guy did, but I will tell you that he knew how stupid it was as soon as he did it. He ran...all the way to Texas. By the time Hawk caught up with him, he was in Abilene. Hawk took him out to the country, to an old barn, and he spent three days out there with this guy...torturing him. But Hawk didn’t kill him. When he left that barn, the guy was still alive, maybe barely. He was found much later but the article I read in the paper said the guy was eaten alive by rodents, big, fat rats. Horrible way to die, huh?”

  Eugene looked horrified and Lion felt it, when the little man suddenly gripped Madison tightly again, causing her to gasp, and then he dragged her backwards toward the door of the house. The smaller man kept his gun trained on Lion’s head as the fat man held open the door for Eugene. He and Madison disappeared inside and Lion thought he might have screwed up. Maybe the little bastard was about to panic and use that knife...if that happened Eugene wouldn’t have to worry about Hawk. The dark places that lived inside of him, the ones he fought to keep at bay most days of his life, were about to consume him and he was afraid if they did...nobody would survive the day.

  Finn stopped his bike near the sign for Jefferson Grain. He could see Lion’s bike several feet in front of them, parked near the cyclone fence with the razor wire on top. Gaston and Bubba rolled up next to him with their engines cut. Finn scanned the trucking yard for any signs of life, but he didn’t see anything moving. “Should we each take a side?” Bubba asked. Finn didn’t know. All Lion’s text had said was “Fast!” He didn’t know what was happening, or where they were at. He cursed under his breath and said:

  “No. We should stay together until we know what’s going on.” Finn stepped off his bike and the other two men followed suit. He walked closer to the fence and saw that it was chained closed. He could see the small wooden building marked “Office” near the back of the yard, but it looked dark and there was no movement there either.

  “Finn.” He looked over at Bubba, who had walked a few feet ahead. “There’s a house back there, way in the distance. I think there’s something going on out there.”

  Finn went over next to Bubba and squinted through the fence. It was hard to see through all the crap piled in the yard, but Bubba was right, there was definitely a house there and Finn could see the outline of at least one man on the porch, maybe more. “Okay, go back the way we came,” he told Gaston. “We passed a ditch or something right before we stopped. Maybe we can make our way along the side of that to that cornfield. If we approach from the dirt road, they’ll see us coming. Keep yourselves as out of sight as possible, and stay together, at least until we’re closer and we can see what’s going on.” Gaston and Bubba nodded. The three men all had their guns out as they made their way to the ditch. Finn was relieved to see it was dry as the other two followed him down into it. It wasn’t really deep enough to keep them completely out of sight, but they stayed low until they came to the cornfield and Finn was the first one to climb out. The corn stalks were dry and some of them were crushed on the ground. Finn wanted to go faster but he didn’t want them to hear them coming. He crept along, cringing every time one of them stepped on a downed stalk. The crunch sounded louder to his ears than it probably was...but he wouldn’t forgive himself if his own actions got one of his brothers, or Madison, killed.

  When they reached the end of the corn Finn knelt and peered out between the stalks. He could see Lion’s profile and he still had his gun pointed at the men on the porch. They hadn’t lowered theirs either. It looked like some kind of odd standoff. “I could take one out from here,” Bubba said, “if you can take the other.”

  “We don’t know where Madison is. What if there’s someone else inside with her?”

  “So what’s the plan?” Bubba asked.

  “Make sure the ringer is off on your phone and wait here,” Finn said. He made his way deeper into the cornfield, past the house. When he came to the back of it, he crouched again and scanned his surroundings. There were three cement steps leading up to a back door and a metal handrail. Finn couldn’t see any people, but there was as much junk and debris behind the house as there was in front and alongside it. They could be hiding anywhere although Finn realized that wouldn’t make much sense, unless they had an army with them. He took a deep breath and then with his knees bent so his body was low to the ground, he ran toward the house. He stopped when he reached the back of it and again looked around. He still didn’t see anything moving. Cautiously he moved to where the steps were and slowly made his way to the top. He peeked inside the window. He could see what looked like a laundry room with an old sink and water heater but no washer and dryer. Further inside the house he saw what looked like it might be a kitchen. The linoleum was teal-colored and scarred up and that room opened up to another in front of it. He couldn’t see any movement and it didn’t look like there was even any furniture in the house...but there was a reason Lion hadn’t just killed those two bozos out front.

  Finn put his hand on the rusted doorknob and he was surprised when it turned. Holding his breath he pushed the door inward, cringing when he heard it creak slightly. He waited, thinking that he could hear a voice coming from one of the rooms inside. When the door was open wide enough he took a giant step and turned so that his back was against the wall. He could definitely hear a voice; it was a man’s voice and he sounded agitated. Finn listened, but he couldn’t make out what the man was saying...but in the background he could also hear the soft sounds of a woman crying. Madison was in the house and from the sounds of the man’s voice, she was in trouble. Finn slid his phone out slowly and texted Bubba:

  “Send Gaston to the back. Tell him to come in quietly. You go cover Lion and make a lot of noise.”

  Bubba didn’t text back, but Finn hadn’t expected him to. It was a matter of seconds before Gaston was sneaking in the same door Finn had just come through. Suddenly Finn heard the commotion out front. He tossed his head at Gaston and they moved through the kitchen and dining room and when they got to the front room a man with a phone pressed to his ear was looking out the front window just as the gunshots began to ring out.

  “What the fuck is going on?” the man yelled. Finn cleared his throat and the man turned around. It was Eugene Garibaldi; Finn recognized him from the bar in Lake Havasu. “Jesus fuck.” He dropped the phone and put his hands up. “I’m not armed.”

  “Gaston, go check on Madison.” Finn could hear her calling out from the other room, and crying. To Eugene he said, “You, get on your belly on the floor, hands out in front of you.”

  “Look...”

  “Do it! Now!” He was shocked that the arrogant son of a bitch actually thought he was going to talk his way out of this. Eugene dr
opped to his knees with his hands up and then slowly lowered himself to the floor and lay on his belly with his arms stretched out. As soon as he was down, the front door burst open and Lion barreled inside.

  “Where is she?”

  Finn tossed his head toward the bedroom. Lion was gripping his gun tightly and he looked like he was tempted to use it on Eugene. Instead, he let his boot connect with Eugene’s side, hard, and then he stepped over him on his way to Madison. Finn kept his gun on Eugene and breathed a sigh of relief that it was over, at least for Madison, and them. He had a feeling that Eugene’s horror was only beginning, but Finn was a firm believer in consequences. He’d been in his fair share of trouble. He’d given up his own identity because of things he’d done. He’d seen the inside of a jail cell more times than he liked to admit and he’d had to come to terms with the fact that his father wasn’t the man he thought he was. He’d fucked up, a lot...but he also felt like he’d paid for what he’d done in his past. He looked down at the man who was now curled into a fetal position on the floor, holding his side and whining. Judging from the look on Lion’s face when he came in the door, Finn had a feeling that kick would feel like ecstasy, by the time Eugene’s “consequences” were over.

  27

  Tempe, Arizona - Three Days Later

  AJ sat in the little bar, marveling at how different his life was only two months after he’d sat there before. He sipped his beer and waited for the men he was meeting to arrive, and he thought about all that had happened. He was in love, and that was the biggest thing. He’d never felt about anyone the way he did about Jolene. Saying goodbye in Vegas hadn’t been easy, but it had been easier than saying goodbye two days before in Phoenix had. In that two days he’d made some major life decisions and now that he’d signed the paperwork that would give Simone the green light to sell the business, he felt freer than he had since he was a boy. He still had a lot to do, but he was well on his way.

  “Hey, Atsa!” He looked up and saw Rock and his son coming into the bar. He smiled and waved them over. He had called Rock to ask if he and Tommy could meet with him in a few days when he got back to Phoenix and Rock had told him they’d be in Tempe that evening. AJ thought it was fitting that his life should start over from the spot where he’d formerly sat thinking it was ending. Standing up when the father and son got to the table, AJ shook their hands and invited them to sit. Once Rock and Tommy had ordered their drinks Rock said, “So, have you decided to stay in Tempe?”

  “Actually, no. I took your advice, Rock. I found my passion.”

  Rock smiled. “Mind if I ask where you found it?”

  AJ tapped his chest and said, “It was here the whole time. My passion is life. I want to experience it. I bought a motorcycle, I hung out with some guys that were worlds apart from the people I normally socialize with, and I learned a hell of a lot. I reconciled with my sister and I learned that my people, where I came from, is nothing to be ashamed of. And...I fell in love.”

  Rock chuckled and said, “If I had to guess, that last part probably fueled a lot of the rest of it.”

  “You would be guessing right. Today I did something I should have done a long time ago. I sold the business that has felt like a chain around my neck for years. I realized that although it had been my father’s passion, he would understand that it’s not mine. But I also realized that I didn’t want all his hard work to be for naught. I didn’t want what he worked for his whole life to pay for fancy cars and apartments and all the other nonsense that means little to nothing to me. I want to leave a legacy with what he started. I want to leave something that will last forever and make an impact on thousands of people.” Tommy cocked an eyebrow at him and AJ could tell the younger man was wondering why his father had brought him to this meeting. Rock looked curious too but he stayed silent and let AJ go on. AJ looked at Tommy and said, “I’d like to build more museums, like the one you built. I’d like to put them on all four corners of the Navajo Nation and if you’re up for it, I’d like for you to be in charge of setting them all up, the CEO so to speak.”

  Tommy’s jaw dropped and almost hit the table. When he was able to close his mouth, he looked at Rock, who was smiling at his son. Tommy looked back at AJ and said, “You do realize that would cost...millions...”

  AJ nodded. “I do. The money I make from selling my business combined with the money I’m ready to pull out of investments I’ve made...investments in things I don’t really believe in, but was just looking to make money off...well, let’s just say it’ll be more than enough. But I don’t know anything about starting up a museum, and I don’t want to run them. I’d love to be a part of it, to help where I can, design the buildings and hire the contractors...and learn more about where I came from along the way. But that would be the extent of my involvement. The rest would be up to you. I’m impressed with what you’ve done with your little museum in such a short time and on such a tight budget. Just imagine what you can do with four of them.”

  Tommy was grinning from ear to ear. He looked like he might bust wide open. “I don’t even know what to say.”

  “Say yes, son,” Rock said with a laugh.

  “Yes! Hell yes! Thank you.”

  “Thank you,” AJ told him. He looked at Rock then and said, “And thank you. If I hadn’t met you here that night, who knows where I’d be now?”

  “I’m sure you would have done just fine. You’re a smart kid,” Rock said. AJ chuckled at being called a “kid,” and Rock went on. “You just needed a little push in the right direction.”

  AJ nodded. “I’m grateful for the push then.” He drained his glass and looked at the clock over the bar. “I’m headed for Utah early in the morning so I’m going to get some sleep. Tommy, I’ll call you this week and we’ll set up a time to sit down and go over the details.”

  Tommy looked giddy and it made AJ feel good to know he’d made him that happy. He was sure that the museums would make a lot of people happy. They’d provide much-needed jobs to people on the reservations and much-needed education to the communities that surrounded them. He shook Rock’s and Tommy’s hands again and made his way out of the bar. He hadn’t told Jolene about his plans, but he hoped when he did that she would realize what he did. They didn’t have to always be in the same place to share a life. They could have separate passions and he firmly believed that although those things might sometimes put miles between them, in the long run, they’d be a big part of what kept them together.

  Jolene snapped pictures of the beautiful, smiling children as they danced. They were dressed in handmade costumes, garments that their female family members had spent hours creating. Some of the costumes were made out of the furs and feathers and skins of animals and some from the fibers of the indigenous plants. They were all bright and colorful and some of them had precious stones hand-stitched into the fibers. The Navajo believe that the creator gave everyone a spirit and even the earth itself is alive. These celebrations were to honor the spirits of the earth and the animals, and to give thanks for all they had done for the Navajo people.

  One child of about twelve had a headdress made from eagle feathers. Jolene’s new “Ama” had told her that since the eagle was a bird of great strength and eyesight, the prayers they offered upon those feathers would be lifted up as high as the magnificent bird could fly and they would bring strength and protection to their people.

  Another child was dressed in deerskin and one had the pelt of a buffalo draped around his shoulders. Those were to honor the animals that had given the native peoples food for generations. There was a bear skin as well, and a coyote and wolf...all with their own significance. Jolene loved learning about these amazing people and strangely enough, as she learned more about them, she felt even closer to Atsa. She’d tried not to dwell on how much she missed him since she left Las Vegas, but it was impossible for her not to. She thought about him at least a dozen times a day and although they’d parted with the talk of meeting up again soon...not knowing when was eating
at her. It made her question whether or not she was doing the right thing, passing on the chance at a meaningful relationship to follow her dreams. She’d called her mother with the intention of talking to her about it, but she’d chickened out. She knew exactly what her mother would say. Jolene had heard it hundreds of times before.

  “Jolene, do you know I could have been a professional model? I’d just gotten an offer to go to one of the best modeling schools in New York before I met your father. I put it on hold and before I knew it, we were married and I had responsibilities as a wife. Your father was gone so much of the time on the boat that it was up to me to stay here and maintain the household. Then you came along and you became my priority. Our priorities change as we mature, Jolene. You have to understand that life is not all fun and games forever.”

  The thing that Jolene had never been able to convince her mother was that she didn’t look at what she was doing with her life as fun and games. She loved her job, and she was having fun. But she was also learning and growing and meeting people who would impact her life forever...and she hoped vice versa. Her only regret was her fear that Atsa would get tired of waiting for her to be ready to settle down, and he’d move on without her. He had offered to travel with her, but she knew his brilliant mind would grow restless after a while, chasing her dreams and not her own. She just hoped she’d made the right decision and he really meant it when he said they’d be together...someday.

  She finished taking her photographs and was breaking down her camera and cleaning her lenses when she heard a familiar voice. She thought she was imagining it until she looked up and saw him. Atsa was kneeling down, talking to one of the children. He was smiling and she could hear him asking the little girl about her blue feathers. As the little girl talked, his eyes remained on her face and he looked so interested in what she was saying. It warmed her heart. Jolene always believed that people who were good to children and animals, when they didn’t think anyone else was watching, were the best kind of people. He waited until the little girl finished her explanation and then he thanked her and shook her hand before he stood up. As soon as he did, their eyes met and Jolene dropped what she was holding and ran to him. Atsa wrapped his big arms around her and picked her up off the ground as she hugged him. She knew it was ridiculous, it had only been three days...but she felt like it had been so much longer.