Runner

by Evie Mitchell

  "I'm sorry, baby. I didn't think they'd try it with you. Not after we all swore at Church."

  "What does that even mean?" She asked, the gun still pointing at me.

  "Church, the meeting you went to. We promised you'd be safe. Fuck, Prez promised in front of the devil and his brothers." I ran a hand through my hair. "This is complicated."

  "Then uncomplicate it, ‘cause I am not leaving this goddamned bathroom until you tell me exactly what I've walked me and my friends into."

  A gun cocked behind me and I twisted, Ava leaned against a wall, her weapon trained on me, another on Texas. She offered a narrow-eyed glare.

  "Talk."

  "Prez is dirty. We can't prove it, but we've got our suspicions. Problem is, boys are loyal as fuck. Mama keeps the sweet butt, orders them around like she's a fucking madam. Boys don't mind so long as they get their dick wet. She says it's to keep the girls safe but it's bullshit. It's to control who gets into the inner sanctum. It's fucking exploitative and dirty as shit."

  "You said we were safe. You fucking promised me." Ellie's voice waivered.

  "You are. Safer than in that fucking College with The Purge running down on you."

  "And safer here than being a sitting duck for the Prez," Texas added, immediately holding up his hands in surrender when Ava jerked the gun his way. "Peace, woman. I ain't the one you need to be worried about."

  "We shouldn't be fucking worried about any of you," Ava retorted. "Ellie, what you wanna do."

  Her one eye watched me from the crack in the door. "Runner, speak."

  "We needed bait," I admitted. "When Kate came home, we thought they'd target her. Ice has been on her since she got her."

  "Ice?" Ava asked.

  "One of the good guys, though the Prez don't know it. Kid's been in love with her since he was thirteen," Texas replied, arms still raised. "Sorry fucking sap."

  "Explain the bait," Ellie said, drawing attention back to her.

  "We needed proof. Women who turned up here were going missing. Only one or two. A few ended up as Property, and we protected them, hiding them away from Mama and the Prez."

  "But we didn't have proof," Texas added. "And to get excommunicated from this club? We need solid proof of wrong doing."

  "So, you hung a bunch of women out to dry?" Ava asked.

  "I'm sorry," I replied, staring at Ellie. "Sorrier than you'd ever fucking know. We thought it would be Kate. I never thought they'd try it on you. Never. I claimed you."

  "You don't touch another man's property," Texas added. "It's law."

  Ellie's gun steadied, "but you'd let them take any of the other girls. Left them at risk?"

  "Never," I growled; angry she'd even think that. "Every single one of your friends has had a man on her since she arrived.

  Surprisingly, it was Ava who lowered her weapons, switching the safety on. "Well that's true. Couldn't drop that tail no matter how hard I tried."

  "Ghost. He's ex-special ops. Fucking ninja if you ask –"

  "Texas, you mind?"

  Ellie's weapon waivered for a moment then dropped. The door opened slowly and she stared at me, her big eyes filled with hurt.

  My stomach clenched. I reached for her but she darted away, my hand grasping air.

  "Ellie…"

  "Ava, can I stay with you?" Ellie asked, ignoring me.

  "Of course, Honey." Ava glanced my way, offering me a sympathetic smile. "You wanna go now?"

  "Yeah," she brushed passed me, and I let her. Though it fucking killed me not to touch her.

  This is too fucking important. This is about more than me and her. This is about lives.

  "We need to brief the others," Ava muttered.

  I shook my head, "can't let you do that."

  Ava raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

  "He's right," Texas said, running a hand through his hair. "We actually need you ladies here."

  "As bait?" Ava stated, her expression making it pretty fucking clear that wasn't gonna happen.

  "Yeah," Texas replied, leaning against a wall. "You women represent hope. Hope for fuel, hope for good fucking food, hope for maybe one of you becoming our property someday."

  " Fuel, food and fucking. It's what every girl aspires to have in a relationship. " Ava drawled, looping an arm around Ellie. " No way in hell am I risking any one of my girls."

  "We've got you." Texas insisted.

  "No, you don't." Ellie replied, squaring her shoulders, and glaring at him. She transferred that glare to me. "I walked into that… that… that viper’s nest alone. She sized me up and expected me to just fall in line like I had no other choice. She was selecting a man for me. She had a book with names. She tried to drug me." Ellie shook her head. "Nope, I'm done. We're done. We're leaving."

  The women turned, both moving to the door.

  "You leave, you sentence other women to the fate you just avoided."

  They froze, shoulders tightening.

  "I'm serious," I stated, watching them closely. "You think we haven't tried to stop him? A brother died when we tried to mount a fucking coup. We didn't have the evidence to sway those loyal to the Prez. But nine months on and they can't ignore shit now. It's gonna take one little spark to blow this shit right up."

  After a long moment Ava finally turned, but Ellie remained facing the door, her head twisted away from me.

  "What are you proposing exactly?" Ava asked, crossing her arms over her chest, her face impassive.

  "They tried to drug the woman that can give my brothers the one thing they desire more than anything – the freedom to ride."

  "Holy fuck," Ava breathed, her eyes bugging out. "Holy fucking shit."

  "She's quick," Texas muttered.

  Ellie still hadn't moved.

  Ava began to pace. "And if I let this happen?"

  "One, it's not up to you, it's up to Ellie. Two, if Ellie agrees to it, then we'd make sure she's safe. Three, we'd give you whatever the fuck you wanted."

  Ava paused, eyebrow raising. "Anything?"

  "Yes," I wanted the Prez gone that fucking badly that I was willing to sell my soul to the devil.

  "Ellie?" Ava asked.

  "You want to drug me and then show me off." Ellie asked, though it wasn't a question.

  "Yeah."

  The room watched as she slowly turned towards me, her face pale but wiped clean of emotion.

  "If I do this, I get to choose our reward?"

  "I swear baby, anything."

  She stared at me for a long moment, the temperature in the room dropping, her gaze was so cold.

  "I'll do it."

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ellie

  I watched Texas pull a small lockbox from behind a false back in his bookshelf. He dialled the combination and it opened, pulling free a small baggy with two pills inside.

  Ava stood beside me, her face blank as we watched him shake the bag, dropping one of the pills into a glass of alcohol.

  "You still sure you want to do this?" Runner asked, his voice low.

  "You haven't given me a choice," I replied watching Texas swirl the glass, mixing the drug. "You want your dickhead of a President gone. I want to make sure no women are ever hurt again."

  Texas held out the glass to me. "It's ready, just drink it straight down."

  "What is it?"

  "Rohypnol."

  Loss of muscle control, confusion, drowsiness, and temporary amnesia.

  The downside to being a biochemist – I had an unholy fascination with understanding side effects. "You're sure this is what they use?"

  "Yeah, Mouse stole the pills."

  Fuck.

  Hands settled on my shoulders giving me a squeeze.

  "You don't have to do this," Ava whispered. "We can work out something else."

  I sucked in a breath then took the glass from Texas.

  "You've got my back," I told her. "I trust you."

  And as hard as it was to admit, I somehow trusted these men around me. Perhap
s it was the fact they hadn't tried to take the weapons from Ava or I. Or maybe it was the way they looked so… remorseful? Ashamed?

  No, desperate. That's what it was. Desperation.

  I tipped the glass back, downing the mix, shuddering as the alcohol hit my throat, burning as it slid down to pool in my stomach.

  "What now?" Ava asked.

  "We wait," I replied, coughing at the burn. I leaned forward placing the now empty glass on Texas's coffee table. "Shouldn't take long."

  I stayed seated for all of thirty-seconds, then got up to pace, muttering, "could you all just… do something please? I can't deal with you staring at me."

  They moved, Texas busying himself with the lockbox and Ava tidying up the kitchen.

  The only one who remained watching me was Runner.

  "What?" I asked, continuing to pace.

  "Gotta get our story straight." He jerked his head at Texas, who was pretending to dust his book shelf. "He found you and sent for me. Got it?"

  I nodded, the movement sending my head spinning.

  "Shit," I muttered, stopping to raise a hand to my head. "Looks like it's working."

  "Won't be long now," Runner muttered, crossing the room to lay hands on my shoulders. "Sit, Baby Girl."

  My butt hit the couch as my stomach rolled in protest, my world beginning to spin.

  "We'll take you to Church and call Butcher and your sister. They'll be able to verify the drug in your system."

  "Butcher?" Ava asked, having given up cleaning.

  "Doctor," Texas answered.

  "Two verifications, smart," she muttered.

  "What about Mouse?" I asked. Or at least, I tried to. The words came out wrong, mangled, and slurred, my mouth no longer responding to my directions.

  "Mouse?" Runner asked, somehow clarifying my question.

  I tried to nod but found my head slumping to the side instead, my body slowly relaxing into the cushions.

  "She's good. She knows what to do," Texas answered.

  "You sure?"

  "Positive."

  "Mouse?" Ava asked.

  "Tell you later," Texas replied as Runner squatted before me, his hand reaching to lift my head a fraction.

  "I'm gonna pick you and take you to Church. You cool with that?"

  I raised my head a fraction, "Okay."

  Runner nodded, squeezed my knee then stood, bending to shift me around and lift me. He held me close to his chest, as one would a bride.

  "Ava, guns up, look fierce. Texas, same. Get Pope to raise the alarm. I want Beast to find Butcher and Ellie's sister. Ghost'll be out there if Ava's here. Get him round to my place. See if we can't intercept Gus trying to find Ellie. If we're lucky he'll have broken into my apartment and Ghost can really fuck him up. We'll meet everyone at Church."

  He pulled me closer, tucking my head against his shoulder.

  "Let's go."

  Chapter Fourteen

  Runner

  I sat in my designated spot at the long table, Ellie cradled against my chest. My brothers trickled in, each staring at the drooling, barely conscious woman in my arms as they took their seats or stood, backs pressed against the concrete wall of the club house

  It took a while for them all to arrive, one-by-one summoned by Pope.

  The silence in the room was deafening.

  On one side of me stood Ava, guns on either hip, arms crossed, glaring at every man who walked through the door. On my other stood Texas, casually cleaning his pistol. This put my brother's on edge – weapons, except in anything but the most exceptional of circumstances, were a clear violation of the sanctity of Church.

  "Where is she!" A feminine voice demanded.

  "The sister's here," Texas muttered.

  Blair burst into the sanctuary, her hair wild, her eyes wide, Butcher hot on her heels. She spotted Ellie and immediately came to us, her hands going to Ellie's cheeks, gently tilting her head back to examine her. She pulled a small torch from her pocket, shining it in Ellie's eyes.

  "Muscle control loss, dilated pupils," Blair murmured, feeling for Ellie's pulse. "Sluggish."

  "Drugged," Butcher said crossing his arms and lifting an eyebrow at me. "Your girl’s been drugged, Runner."

  Blair shot to standing, a hand coming up to slap me. "You fucking bastard!"

  Texas stepped in, catching her hand mid-swipe. "No, babe. He didn't do it."

  Blair paused, looking to Ava for confirmation. Ava nodded once, then jerked her head at the door.

  "Hold tight, the main attraction's here."

  Pope and Beast entered, followed closely by the Prez and Mama, their cheeks flushed and angry. Ghost trailed guns pointed to their backs, Mouse bringing up the rear, closing the door behind her.

  "What the fuck are ye thinkin'?" Prez demanded, looking around the room. "Who the fuck do ye pissants think ye are?"

  "Sit down," I ordered, shifting Ellie closer. Pope and Beast came to stand behind me, guns trained on Mama and Prez. Ghost moved to Ava's side on the other end of the table, ignoring this seat, choosing to remain standing. She raised an eyebrow at him but his focus was solely on the Prez

  Gus hesitated, gaging the atmosphere in the room. Finally, stiffly, he sat, taking up his position at the top of the round table.

  Not for long.

  "Explain," he said stiffly.

  "Church is in session, and hold, Gus," I told him, my tone filled with icy rage. "A reckoning is upon us."

  He glared at me; his mouth pressed into thin, furious line.

  "Texas?" I prompted, watching the Prez.

  "Stumbled across Mouse leading Ellie here back to Runner's apartment. Only, Ellie wasn't moving so good. Ain't that, right Mouse?"

  Mouse nodded, her shoulder hunched, her face turned away from the group. She clutched a battered notebook in her arms. "Ellie kept falling and I wasn't strong enough to pick her up."

  "So, she's sick," Prez rolled his eyes. "Big deal."

  "No," Blair interrupted, throwing an arm out to point at her sister. "Anyone with half a fucking brain can see my sister has been drugged. She can't even raise her fucking head."

  Prez rubbed his chin, his eyes narrowing. "And ye think this has something to do with me?"

  "I think it has everything to do with you," I replied easily. "My woman walked off with you. She went straight to visit with Mama. Next time I see her she's in this state."

  "Bullshit," Prez barked. "Coulda been anything."

  "But it wasn't, was it?" I asked coldly. "Mama?"

  The woman stood behind the Prez, her arms crossed, her expression stubborn. "Ain't got nothing to do with me."

  "Liar."

  All heads twisted to see Mouse staring at the woman, her expression mutinous. "Ellie is the fifteenth woman you've drugged." She slapped the notebook down on the table. "I've recorded them. I know where you store your little stash of drugs. You drug these women then decide what you want to do with them. Some are kept here, like Wendy. Convinced they just drank too much, or threatened so they'll fall in line. But the others are sent to God knows where." She sucked in a breath. "You're a monster."

  The brothers moved at this revelation, some yelling protests, some making threats. The men at my back remained still, all their concentration on the Prez.

  He slapped a gavel down, calling the rabble to order. It took a few tried before the gathered men quietened, watching through narrowed eyes.

  Prez considered me. "Never took ye for a mutineer, Runner."

  "Never took you for a fucking liar." I returned.

  "You're gonna take the word of a fucking woman over your brother?" Gus asked the table.

  "Ghost, where did you pick them up?" I asked, not breaking eye contact with Gus. His gaze flickered, his confidence diming for a split second.

  "Your apartment." Ghost rumbled, his voice like gravel. "They had this with 'em." He pulled a back from his shoulder tossing it on the table. Chief, our Vice President, reached for it, pulling out rope, a blindfold, cable ties
and a rag that could be used to gag a person.

  The table fell silent. Divine judgement was about to be visited upon the Prez.

  Gus read the room, his body stiffening. He leaned back in this chair, knitting his fingers together, considering each of us in turn. Perhaps he was looking for loyalty. Perhaps he thought he would find mercy or forgiveness.

  The man would find nothing but retribution in this room. He'd broken faith with his brotherhood.

  "What do ye want?" Prez finally asked.

  "You gone. Your woman gone. You ever show your fucking faces here again and I'll kill you myself."

  Prez raised an eyebrow. "Ye'd do that over some gash?"

  Rage roared through me, fury igniting my veins, setting my body aflame.

  "This woman is mine. But she's also the clubs. Ellie knows how to make fuel so we can ride free. Her knowledge will help our brothers in other chapters. When our nomad brothers come, she can teach them and they can take it back to others. She is our fucking salvation and you wanted to do… what? Sell her to The Purge? Hand her over to someone for some fucking cash?" I spat on the table. "You're a fucking disgrace. A traitor. You don't deserve to wear the kutte on your back or occupy the seat of the great presidents who came before you."

  "Ye have no idea what the fuck ye're talking about!" Gus broke, slamming both fists on the table and surging to his feet. "Everything I fucking do is for this club! Ye think we live here by the fucking grace of God? Ye're a goddamned fool."

  He spun looking at the brothers around him. "The girls I send to The Purge and the goddamned Rival's? That’s what keeps ye here. Ye and ye offspring and ye fucking women. Not ye brawn and ye fucking guns. Me!" He stabbed a finger into his chest. "I'm ye fucking saviour. Not some bitch who can conjure a fucking thimble fuel."

  "So, you admit it?" Chief asked. "You've sold women before?"

  "Oh, get off ye fucking high horse," Prez scoffed. "Ye'd all be long dead if not for me."

  "Why did they want this girl though?" Chief asked, getting to his feet, and crossing his arms over his chest. "Was it her knowledge? And how did they even know about her?"

  "Cause I fucking told them. They want fuel. And pussy. Two in one deal. Were gonna give us a reprieve for twelve months if I provided her to them. Any other woman we could keep." He glanced at Ellie, his lips pulling into a sneer. "Just me luck she had to go get herself fucked by the first randy boyo to throw her a look."