by KJ Dahlen
She tried to smile back but she had to stop shaking first.
Falcon went into the bedroom.
“It’ll be all right,” Condor’s rough voice went soft.
Asia raised her head to look at him. “Can you promise me that Falcon will come back, alive?”
He stared back at her. “I can’t. But Falcon told me something once. It was one of his poetry things....” He paused as if he needed to remember the words. “Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul.” He shook his head. “He says this before he goes into a fight. All the men know it by heart.”
“I-it’s beautiful.”
Condor squared his large shoulders as his deep green eyes blazed at her. “It’s not meant to be. It describes the life we live. The death we face. It’s become like a prayer we send up, so we’ll come out alive.”
Chapter Eleven
FALCON
Man, he didn’t want to leave Asia. Not even with his brothers. He’d never had this problem before. Having someone waiting for him to return. Or, having anyone, he was afraid to leave without his protection. After the two hour ride and they arrived at the compound, Falcon plucked her off his bike and kissed her hard.
Asia clung to him. She hadn’t said a word since Condor came to the door.
“Listen...I trust these men here with my life, so that is the only reason I am trusting them with yours.”
Asia tried hard to keep any tears from falling as she nodded.
“We have to end Devon. He’s a threat to us and ours. There’s no other way.”
Again, she remained silent.
Falcon knew this meant she was afraid and was trying not to cry. He was learning the little quirks that were hers. He looked forward to learning them all. To having all of her for as long as they had.
He nodded to Hawk who came over and handed him another two guns and a bag.
“There’s ammo and a few other goodies in the camo bag.’
“Thanks Hawk. I don’t know if you met her but this is Asia...” he paused. “My woman,” Falcon stated as he met the other man’s eyes.
Hawk showed no expression. “I get it man. She will be like my sister and my sainted mother. Safe.” He nodded his head then looked at Asia. “Come on. Rogue’s woman is here. She’s cool and will stay with you.”
Falcon watched Hawk walk away with her. She didn’t even look back. She was so different from most women, he noted yet again. Then he let out a heavy breath as he stashed the camo into his saddlebag.
“Man, she will be ok here. She’s your woman and here is where she will be from now on, right?” Condor asked.
“Mind your own, Condor.” Falcon growled.
“Sure man, okay. Let’s go.” Condor nodded.
Getting on his cycle, Falcon looked over at him. “So where at?”
“I had him followed. Cobra was on his tail and he’s good, but I bet Talon knows that too already. It’s close by and we’d better hurry. I got a text from Rogue as he just arrived there. He said Talon was fucking furious to see him. Man, that is Talon’s only weakness. He needs to rely on his men.”
Falcon shook his head. “They’re Eagle’s men.”
“Whatever man. We follow Talon.”
Falcon said nothing as they took off.
After a ten minute ride, they drove up to a side street.
Rogue a sat on his bike with Cobra and Crow on theirs.
Talon stepped out from the back of the men, that cold expression on his face. It was his eyes that gave him away. He was furious.
Falcon kicked his stand, got off and made his way over. He could see that they had ten men altogether. 4 were prospects but ones about to get their patch, so they were more experienced. Hearing more roaring, they all turned to see more Prince’s showing up.
They all powered down and sat around the back end of the street. 15 more. Good thing they were just constructing new house here on this particular cul-de-sac. Just shells of houses with frames lined the block.
“Why the fuck are you here?” Talon seethed at no one in particular but everyone who was present.
Rogue stepped up. “Man, you are the future of this fucking club, Talon. Your war is our war.”
Talon narrowed his eyes and looked around meeting the same determined look in each man’s eyes. “The future huh?”
“Fuck, yes,” Crow chimed it. “I’ve been with the Princes since the start. I backed Eagle for all this time but he ain’t worth a shit anymore. If we lose you, we are fucked.”
Talon shook his head. “I don’t like mutiny talk, man. We haven’t made anything official.”
“Well fuck all that. Let’s get this mother fucker,” Cobra added his wisdom.
The men all stared at him and then snickered.
“He’s so simple but so wise,” Falcon commented on a chuckle.
They all stood together and formed the battle plan. For the next twenty minutes, all the talk was of place, time, ambush, mayhem and the end result. Take him alive if you could. Kill him if you couldn’t.
Crow would be the watchman. Giving the signal when Devon surfaced in a window or outside.
If it were a window, Cobra or Rogue would snipe him.
If he got outside, Talon would go over the fence after him. Flagged by Falcon and Condor. Their best men hand to hand, with a gun, knives or any weapon.
Then a few other of the brothers would hang high in a tree or wherever they could get to lay cover fire at the back. A few more would be covering the front.
Rogue offered to be Talon’s shield.
Talon shot that shit down instantly.
Rogue was his best friend, but damn, could they argue. Rogue bumped him, chest to chest saying how he had a kid and all.
Talon countered with you got a woman and probably a kid on the way.
Falcon had to break them up with the time they were wasting.
The group then smoothed out the wrinkles in the plan.
“We need to flush him out,” Rogue added.
Crow nodded. “It’s like huntin’ flush the bird, take your shot.”
“I know a bomb threat isn’t gonna work this time,” Talon mentioned.
“Nah, man used that up, already,” Falcon replied.
“Well, how many hired fucks does he have?” Rogue asked.
“Maybe five?” Talon replied.
“Ok well,” Crow interjected. “I gotta plan that I think you will all agree on.” The older man nodded. Crow had been around with Talon’s dad, Hammer, Bullseye and Digger in the formative years. They all knew he was sharp as could be and it never hurt to see what the elders had to input.
He explained it and they all nodded.
Falcon was impressed. “It might just work.”
“Hell’s yeah,” Cobra agreed. “The green always wins in the end.”
Crow grinned his gold front teeth sparkling. “Or if greed don’t do it?”
They all nodded.
“So we wait for how long?” Rogue asked.
“Not too dammed long.” Talon looked tense. “I can’t handle him getting away a third fucking time!”
Rogue patted him on the back. “He isn’t getting away this time. You got your brothers backing you and anyone one of us can and will take him down.”
Talon looked disgusted. “He’s mine to kill.”
“Maybe,” Falcon interjected. “But we all want him dead. You need to allow the pack to take him out however we fucking can.”
Talon stared him in the eyes. “He’s a danger to your girl too.”
“I fucking know that! But I wanted his slimy ass dead even before that shit.”
Talon nodded. “I want to be the one, but you guys are right.”
“What!?” Condor teased. “You agreeing? Well shit, where’s the fucking pink unicorn flying across the sky?”
The men all chuckled.
Talon raised a brow at him. “You know if you weren’t so fucking
good with a knife I’d take you down, right?”
Condor raised his fists. “We ain’t got time for me to show you how it’s done but you almost broke my fucking nose this morning! I’m too pretty for you to be doing that shit!”
“Ok...Ok!” Rogue shushed them. “It’s time to move. Then as soon as it’s done, we all head five different ways. Cause the cops are gonna be on us like fucking flies. I’m gonna be sniping in the trees VP, I will be protecting your back.’
Talon met his eyes then looked around with his steely gaze taking in each man and finally landing on Falcon.
Falcon looked right back at him and gave a short nod.
Talon spoke, “Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul.”
The men all recited it silently.
Then they all touched the top of their heads. It symbolized the crown for the Princes.
“Ok. Let’s set it.” Cobra took stuff from his saddlebags, as did all the other men.
They had a lot to do in the next two hours. Men had to run to town. They need extra props and such as Crow had described.
Chapter Twelve
At just about dark, they were all in place. All were dressed in black t-shirts and jeans. They’d all stashed their bikes in various places, placing their cuts in their saddlebags, so their club would be protected. Then they passed around the bandanas. No one wanted to have their faces picked up on any camera feeds.
They had the signals worked out. One whistle for sighting any guards. Two repeated for sighting the target.
Crow volunteered to be the call man. He even made up a sign. Pulling up to the gatehouse, he pressed the buzzer and held up a sign to the camera. Then he passed it from that camera to the overhead camera. He saluted the man in the gatehouse and turned his bike around, barreling out of there.
Then they all sat tight and waited.
After about ten minutes went by, three men came out of the house and jumped into an SUV.
Whistles came from all directions and the men running from the house all looked around fearfully as they got in. They gunned the SUV toward the gates. One was hanging out and shouting to the gateman, “Open it!”
The gateman refused as he shook his head.
Then the SUV mowed on through, the metal gate crashing to the sides. The metal went through the window and nailed the guard taking off his head. Blood splattered up against the walls.
They finally stopped with screeching tires at the end of the street.
Then six huge bikers slowly approached it while protecting Crow. He raised the sign.
10K FOR EACH MAN WHO WALKS AWAY> OR YOU DON’T WALK AWAY.
Then Crow dropped it to the asphalt and grabbed his gun from his chest holster. He walked up bright as could be, the gun in one hand and a satchel in the other.
The window rolled down.
Crow grinned and handed the satchel over. “That’s mighty smart of you boys.”
The driver nodded, as he looked scared.
“So two left?” Crow asked him with a raised brow.
“Yeah, hardcore man,” the driver replied. “Like Mexican shits. Ex-cartel maybe?” The driver then took off, his tires squealing down the road.
Crow turned his head and nodded at Talon.
Talon nodded back.
Falcon turned his head to his VP. “We wait? Or storm the fuckers under cover?” he asked from beneath the bandana.
“I’m fucking sick of waiting,” the reply came from Talon.
Falcon felt the same way. “Storm it is then. Backyard?”
Talon nodded. “The open gate is a fucking death trap waiting to happen.”
They both had double guns. Falcon wore grenades on his vest. Condor had his favorite Uzi and his knives. Then the other two brothers were the flanks. More men would snipe at the windows if there were any movement from them.
They waited till it was pitch then wearing the night goggles, Crow had supplied, they all slipped over. They’d already made sure they wore nothing light colored or anything shiny. Besides their weapons, as that couldn’t be helped.
Falcon’s adrenaline soared and he saw the look in Talon’s eyes above his dark bandana. His blood was pumping too, as he coulda sworn he saw him wink at him just before they sprinted across the grass.
Then small metallic pings rang out from all over as the princes laid into the windows with silencers... shattering them all. The only noise had been glass dropping to the ground. This would give them cover.
They knew they only had maybe 20 minutes to get in and out, as someone was going to notice the activity.
They sprinted up to the doors.
A prospect that had helped flanked them knelt down and jimmied at the lock, he was breathing heavily through his bandana after the run they just made.
The door clicked open.
Then alarms went off in the house.
“Shit,” Talon swore.
He had that right. Someone would be calling the law now for sure.
A ping sounded and the prospect dropped back, a bullet to his forehead.
Talon and Falcon stepped to the sides against the brick.
Condor crouched down a little way from them.
“Fuck,” Talon seethed as he stared at the downed man.
Falcon knew it was bad, losing any man but he couldn’t care just now. “Okay, we can’t go in, well unless—”
“—unless we use my dear friend Hector,” Condor stated from beneath his scarf as he stepped out and let it go with his Uzi, spraying the entire room with lead.
Talon raised his brows.
Falcon smirked as the noise blasted his ears, then a soon as Condor stepped back to the wall, Falcon took off inside with Talon following after him.
They spotted what had been one of the men, the one that took out the prospect.
Dead... in a pool of blood.
“Never failed me yet.” Condor patted his Uzi .
They then looked around before gazing up at the stairs.
“So one to go,” Talon whispered.
“Two you mean? You know rat ass will have a weapon. So, cover me and I will light this bitch up.” Falcon made his way up the stairs.
Gunfire erupted from below and above as a man stepped out and fired downward at the stairs, while Talon and Condor fired up at him.
Falcon dodged the best he could but one hit his thigh and another pelted off his shoulder. He got to the top just as the man slid back from the gunfire below. Falcon then pulled two grenades out. He simultaneously pulled the pins then whispered from beneath his bandana, “Fire in the hole.” Just to be a smartass while tossing one right then the other left, he turned and ran down the stairs as fast as his powerful legs could carry him. He was at 4 steps from the bottom when the explosion tossed him down to the floor.
Condor pulled him up and out of the way.
He looked around.
“He went out to waylay Devon,” Condor answered him before he even asked.
“Fuck!” Falcon swore.... damn the man.
Suddenly, bullets rained down on them.
“Fuck yooouuu!” a man yelled as he came from the broken landing. He was on fire.
Ducking bullets, Falcon and Condor crouched down.
The man then stepped right off the broken splintered landing and hit the marbled floor with a SPLAT!
Falcon winced at the sound of his bones and flesh crunching and squishing.
“Fucking moron,” Condor grumbled.
They both got up and headed out front where Condor pointed signaling that was where Talon had gone.
Talon was pinned down behind a lion statue and bullets were pinging off of it.
Falcon crouched by the door in a puddle of glass as he looked out to the front.
Devon was ducked down behind a limo in the driveway.
Falcon then looked around and waved his arm in a circle at the brothers in the trees.
Bullets from three diffe
rent directions laid into the car.
Devon scurried as the metal of the limo pinged, he tore a door open and dove into the car.
The bullets all bounced off and none of the windows shattered.
“Fucking bullet proof,” Condor grumbled from across the doorway.
“Well, that’s okay.” Talon stood. “He can’t shoot us either unless he rolls a window down. Then he’s mine you hear me?”
Falcon and Condor looked at each other then stood.
“So what do we do now boss?” Falcon asked Talon.
Sirens sounded in the distance.
“FUCK!” Talon yelled as he clenched his fists. “He is not getting taken into custody. He dies here. He dies now!” He stepped forward.
Suddenly, a brother came through the area where the gates used to be.
Talon squinted his eyes. Then he raised his hands in the air above his head with his palms out. The signal for no fire.
Falcon stared at the man who actually had a missile launcher on his shoulder.
“It’s fucking Crow!” Condor yelled.
“Hit the deck!” Crow shouted as he ran like a twenty year old man would towards the limo, despite the fact he was nearing fifty.
“Oh, shit!” Falcon dropped as did his brothers.
Falcon raised his gaze from the puddle of glass his cheek had landed in, not even feeling the stings as he watched the missile launch and Crow being thrown five feet back. Then he saw Devon opening the door.
Talon stood up.
“Fuck Talon, NO!” Falcon yelled as he stood and dove for him.
Talon yanked his bandana down, looked right into the panicked eyes of Devon Brooks, and saluted him as he grinned.
Devon saw it just before he and the limo was blown apart.
Falcon landed on top of his VP protecting him with his body.
The boom sounded all over. Metal flew and car parts landed everywhere.
Condor actually giggled like a little boy when a tire rolled by his face.
Talon pushed at Falcon. “The fuck off me!”
Falcon rose up. He felt a stinging on his back and then he fell onto his knee, as he couldn’t seem to get any air suddenly.
Men scrambled down from the trees.
Falcon then stood and tugged on Talon’s arm. “Party’s over.”
