by K E Osborn
I glance at Sentinel who’s pale and I think shaking slightly. “Why don’t Sentinel and I ride out to take a look and report in, saves you heading out there,” I suggest.
Something is off.
“C’mon boys don’t look so scared, let’s go!” he responds and starts stepping toward the door.
Sentinel looks at me, I shrug and turn walking out the door behind Mad Dog. He’s already halfway toward a cage, and I figure I may as well see what the hell this is all about.
So I walk over to him and raise my eyebrow. “Why the cage?”
He smiles and grins. “We want to keep things on the down low in case those Cartel cunts are there, keep things nice and quiet. Jump in the back of the cage you two, I’ll drive,” he says and I glance at Sentinel and shake my head subtly.
“We’ll ah… take another cage, Prez, and meet you there,” Sentinel suggests.
Mad Dog stiffens his posture as Acid and Blade step up behind us. Acid pops a pill into his mouth then bares his teeth. A chill runs down my back and my heart starts to race.
“Get in the back of the cage, brothers. I won’t ask twice,” he demands and I shake my head puffing out my chest, but Blade grabs me from behind while Acid grabs Sentinel. Mad Dog opens the cage and I kick and thrash about, but it’s no good as Blade throws me into the back of the cage, Sentinel follows soon after and the cage door slams shut.
My breathing is harsh and fast as I turn to Sentinel and shake my head. “This is not good.”
He smashes his fist against the wall as the engine starts and the cage shakes as it starts the drive. “Fuck Adam, we’re made. You know that, right?” he spits his words as his chest rises and falls dramatically.
“We don’t know that for sure. So don’t go saying anything until they confirm it. Okay? Be smart about this, Doug.”
He scoffs. “Yeah right. We’re fucked, we’re sooo fucked.”
Resting my head against the side of the cage, a thought comes to mind. I quickly pull out my phone and type out a text.
Me: Chief, I think we’ve been made. We’re heading to the warehouse in the back of a van now, and I don’t think Doug and I are coming out alive. If you can, come now and come quick! You don’t have time for backup so bring whoever and get here. NOW!
I hit send hoping like fuck he gets the message in time, but knowing he probably won’t.
“Jesus Christ Adam, they’re gonna torture us.”
Looking at him, I clench my jaw. “Hey, calm the fuck down. We don’t even know if they have made us. Sure it doesn’t look good, but I can’t have you going off half-cocked if there’s another explanation to all of this. I’ve messaged the Chief, he’ll help us if we need it.”
He scoffs. “He won’t make it in time, you know that as well as I do. I hope you had fun with Hannah, ‘cause you’re never seeing her again.”
My chest tightens and I feel like I want to punch the cunt, but instead the feeling of being physically sick takes over. The darkness in the back of the cage is eerie and the overwhelming urge to scream is absorbing me. The roar of two bike engines is crushing me as I clench my eyes tightly while trying to imagine Hannah’s face. Her beautiful face. A small smile creeps on me as a calmness washes over my soul, closely followed by overwhelming sadness. If I never see Hannah again, that’s a pain that’s so unbearable to me that it’s worse than the thought of death. Leaving her alone on this earth shatters me in a way I never thought possible.
I just hope like fuck Hudson has the protection unit on her already, the idea of anything happening to her or the kids because of me, is an even worse thought.
Doug is eerily quiet, like he’s either resigned himself to the fact, or he’s about to explode at any second. It’s unnerving as the cage pulls to a stop. We both look at each other and sit up taller. The footsteps on the pebbled gravel make my heart rate spike even further as my breathing is now almost at hyperventilation levels.
The back door opens and the light filters in blinding me temporarily. Blinking a few times, I take a deep breath as Acid hops into the cage and walks up to Sentinel.
“C’mon, out you get, time to investigate,” he says and I raise my eyebrow wondering what that means. “You too, c’mon.” He waves with his hand for us to both get up, and we do so hesitantly and walk with him out of the cage.
We’re at the warehouse like Mad Dog said we would be. Thank God. I had thought for a second he might change where we were going, and then Chief Thomas would be heading to the wrong location.
He better fucking get here soon.
I look over to Sentinel and furrow my brows as Mad Dog starts to walk off toward the warehouse. “Come on boys, let’s check out inside, make sure those Cartel cunts haven’t fucked up the joint.”
My heart is racing again and I feel off, something isn’t right, but I follow the Prez into the warehouse. It’s dimly lit, and in the middle of the open space is two long rectangle boxes, they look like makeshift coffins. My heart leaps into my throat as I turn to see if there’s a quick way out. Blade is by the exit, and Mad Dog and Acid are walking up to Sentinel and me.
Acid’s clearly smoking a joint.
Swallowing hard, I shake my head. “What is this?”
“The club’s been doing some digging. You know what you get when you dig, Stealth?”
Shrugging, I shake my head.
“Dirt!”
“I don’t know what you m-mean,” Sentinel replies his voice cracking slightly.
“You don’t? Oh, that’s strange... Question. And I want you to answer together seeing as you’re blood brothers. What’s your grandmother’s name on your mother’s side?”
Opening my eyes wide my heart skips a beat. We never covered that in our story. We went through mother and father, but never grandparents.
“Okay on three, answer together. One, two, three…”
“Anna.”
“Maria.” I cringe at the opposing names as Sentinel laughs.
“Oh, I thought you meant Dad’s mum. That’s Anna, Maria is Mum’s mother.”
Mad Dog laughs nodding his head. “Good save Doug, but your last name is Barringer. And Adam, yours is Donovan, right?”
Tensing up, I clench my jaw as my stomach flips in itself. They’ve obviously blown our aliases of brothers, Doug and Adam Malone. My mind instantly goes to Hannah. They better not have hurt her.
“You know we thought something was off with you Doug. Always snooping, trying to find out things, you were suss almost instantly. So we put a bug in the lookout post. It’s amazing the things you hear in there. Things we heard made us want to tail you, Adam. And you? It’s you, Adam, I’m disappointed in. You could’ve been a great asset to this club. But instead, you were off meeting with Detective Hudson Stone and filling him in on everything. We don’t take kindly to traitors. So imagine my surprise when Acid followed you to Amor to see you were there with a cop. Then we dug a little further, only to discover you scum sucking gutter trash are infiltrating us undercover. Isn’t that right… detectives?”
My skin crawls as an icy sweat invades every single inch of me. I turn to Sentinel, who’s clearly shaking and pale white.
This is NOT good!
I have no idea what to say, so I say nothing as my ears begin to ring with the sound of blood pumping through my veins.
“We voted, and the only thing to do with you is to send you to Wreaking Havoc. You’re patched members. We respect that even if you don’t, so you go out on a club rule.”
Time stops still on the two words that I was dreading to hear—Wreaking Havoc—which means death by the club.
Fuck!
My heart races frantically as I look toward the door to see if I can make an escape, but Blade is standing right in front of the door with a gun in hand. I turn back around to see Chops, Penetrator, and the rest of the club step out of the shadows surrounding Sentinel and me. A chill seeps into my bones as I start to shake.
“You can’t do this, we’re officers of the
law,” Sentinel declares making me cringe.
Mad Dog smiles and brings his gun up swiftly pulling the trigger, the bullet flies out penetrating Sentinel’s knee cap. Blood squirts out as he drops to his knees screaming out in pain, as I jump on the spot from the shock. I move to help him, but Chops tuts at me waving his finger through the air, so I stand back up straight breathing harshly and heavily as I look around the room at my brothers all glaring fiercely at me.
“Fuck you, you trash. You treat people like arseholes. When you’re the biggest arsehole of them all—”
“Now, now, Doug. That’s not very nice,” Mad Dog teases.
“Not very nice? Not very nice! You just shot me in the fucking knee cap, you God damned psycho. I don’t know how I put up with you for so fucking long. You and your mob of ingrate bastards, all acting macho and tough like you think your shit don’t stink. Well, I tell you what, I’ve lived with you lot for fucking long enough and I know one thing… you do stink. All of you. Have you ever heard of a thing called a shower? For fuck’s sake guys, use some deodorant or something. Have a little bit of pride in yourself. It’s no wonder us cops only think of you a slovenly scum sucking cunts.”
“Doug, shut up!” I berate through grated teeth.
“I’ll shut him up,” Mad Dog grunts pointing his gun right at Doug’s head. I open my eyes wide as time stands still and Mad Dog pulls the trigger. The gun rebounds as the trigger is pulled, and I don’t even have time to register before blood and brain matter splash all over my jeans. I cry out as Doug’s body slumps down lifelessly to the ground, a gaping bullet wound in his head.
“Ah, fuck, Doug…” I murmur as my heart pummels in my chest, and my stomach knots on itself so forcibly I feel like I want to be sick.
I stutter out a staggered breath as anger surges through me, and I look up glaring at Mad Dog and grit my teeth. “You’re an arsehole, Mad Dog. I can’t believe for a time I actually enjoyed being a brother. I stood up for you. I told my handler you weren’t all bad… I was wrong!”
“Be careful, Adam. We haven’t gone after that beautiful wife Hannah and your three kids… yet—”
My jaw clenches and I grit my teeth. “Touch them and my ghost will slaughter you all!” My fists ball at my sides as my chest heaves frantically.
“Empty threats, Adam, believe it or not I liked you. So I will spare them. They’re safe. You on the other hand… well, I’m afraid ratting us out is a problem. A problem with only one solution.”
I nod sniffing and standing taller. “A bullet?”
He nods and exhales. “I really wish you weren’t the heat, Adam. You had so much potential. But you’ve fucking made me angry, and I hate being angry. Prepare for Wreaking Havoc. Any last words?”
Closing my eyes, my heart is pounding ferociously. I think of Molly and how beautiful she already is and how stunning she will grow up to be. I think of my boys and how capable they are, how strapping and strong—they will help their mum through this.
Hannah. Her beautiful face fills my mind and a smile crosses my face. She’s the love of my life, and every ounce of love I have is for her. She is my light in this darkness.
The cold metal of the barrel of a gun is placed against the left side of my forehead and I hear it being wracked, which sends a shiver down my spine as I swallow hard.
“I love you, Hannah.”
A soft click is followed by a monstrous blast. A sharp pain radiates through my head and everything goes black…
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
MAD DOG’S POV
I look down to Doug and Adam’s bodies lifeless on the floor and I exhale. Such a waste, fucking traitors! “Take off their cuts, I have an idea for them!” I call out to no one in particular as Blade walks over and starts to pull off Doug’s cut that he had no fucking right in wearing.
Turning around, I notice Acid walking in with the generator and the jigsaw. I’m really fucking pissed that Jigsaw isn’t here to fix up this mess, but he chose his path. He’s a fucking traitor too, as far as I’m concerned. Him, Techie, Lookout, Behemoth, and Crash, can all go and get fucking fucked, the cunts.
Chops walks up, handing me the two cuts from the traitors and smiles wide. “I’ve always watched Jigsaw do this and wanted to try it myself.”
Chuckling, I shake my head. “You’re a sick fuck,” I say as my phone rings. He raises an eyebrow as I look down to see it’s Rover. Furrowing my brows, I swipe the phone. “Rover, I only said to call if something was wrong.”
“It is Prez, José is here. He said if you don’t get back here now to talk, then he’s gonna burn the clubhouse down. He told me you have fifteen minutes.”
My jaw clenches and I shake my head. “Fucking motherfucker. Okay, tell the fuckhead we’ll be there soon.” I hang up the phone as Chops looks at me furrowing his brows.
“Trouble?”
“Yeah, fucking Cartel are at our doorstep. We gotta leave.”
Chops huffs and tilts his head. “But I wanna be Jigsaw for a day.”
“Stiff, I need my VP with me when dealing with José! I’ll leave Acid here to do the dismantling, everyone else is coming back with us. Tell Acid to start dismantling. Once we’re done with the fucking scumbags, we’ll come back to set up the cameras for the fireworks for tonight.”
“Righto,” Chops replies walking off with the Jigsaw.
Taking a deep breath, I walk outside to the cage and shake my head. I was hoping it wasn’t true, that Steel wasn’t stupid enough to recruit two fucking cops. But I guess he always was reckless—he gets that from me.
Some of my favourite men are dead. My kid is gone, five others deserted and went Nomad, the Cartel is killing off my lackeys and the cops infiltrated my club.
What the fucking fuck am I doing wrong?
Lighting up a durry, I open up the back of the cage and throw in the two cuts. Looking in the back, I see two big arrangements of flowers. Grabbing one, I walk back inside the warehouse to the sound of the jigsaw cutting through Doug’s bone as it squeals through the open expanse. I place the flowers down next to the first rectangular makeshift coffin, as a sense of betrayal runs over me. I trusted Stealth and finding out he was the heat really stung. I’m not sure I can move past this. Shaking my head, I walk back out to grab the other bunch to take in.
You’d think I’d feel a slight sense of remorse or regret, something for the two lives lost today, but there’s nothing like that. Just pure unadulterated anger. Those two fucking cops could have destroyed everything I’ve worked so hard to build. I won’t let them or anyone else bring down my club, the only person who can destroy Virginia is me. And I’m not going down without a fucking fight.
Chops walks back to me with everyone else except for Acid, who’s busy doing his job. “Right let’s go get this fucking Cartel shit sorted.”
Nodding, I turn and walk out with my brothers—my loyal brothers—toward the cage.
CHIEF’S POV
I know I’m the Chief of Police, and breaking the law shouldn’t be part of my daily ritual, but when one of your undercover detectives sends you a message like that, you break the fucking speed limit!
I have no idea what I’m going to be driving into. A warehouse surrounded by the Savages, or an empty lot with just a lot of carnage. Either way, I’m taking too fucking long, and my heart is racing so fast I feel sick.
Donovan and Barringer are some of the best, and they’ve been struggling with this sting. It was all coming to a head tonight, and now it’s all fallen to shit. I better get there in time!
“Jones, what’s the ETA?” I ask the only cop I could find on short notice, who isn’t affected by this club, and who doesn’t really know Hudson that well. Last thing I need is Hudson knowing about this right now. His best friend’s in danger, I need Stone out of this!
“We’re coming up to it now, sir. Should be just around this bend,” he responds and I pull to the left to see the giant red warehouse coming into view. The thing that scares me the most thou
gh is the fact that there’s only one motorbike in sight.
“Jones, do you see what I see?”
“Yes, sir. You should park out by that tree. Not too close, so whoever is inside won’t hear us.”
“Agreed.” I park the car and we get out, pulling our weapons. The sound of a power tool sends a chill down my spine and I glance at Jones, who clenches his jaw tightly as we approach the front of the building.
Suddenly the power tool stops, and the sound of a ringing phone takes over. We both stand up against the wall of the building and listen in.
“Yo, Prez,” a young man’s voice chimes.
“Acid, José is being a cunt and wants us all here. He thinks we’re doing something behind his back. Stop what you’re doing and get back to the clubhouse. You can finish when we all go back to set up the cameras later, when the heat shows up to find the bodies.”
Thank fuck, he has his phone on speaker so we can hear the conversation clearly. My posture stiffens at the word ‘bodies.’
We’re too late!
“Sure thing, boss man.” Hiccup.
Furrowing my brows, I clench my jaw.
“Acid did you just hiccup?”
“I don’t know man. I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing. I’m just cruising along, doing some shit. I’m fucking high as and it’s awesome.”
“For fuck’s sake, Acid. I told you not to take those pills and smoke joints today, you fucking little shit. Fuck! Just get your ass back here. Can you at least do that?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming now. Over and out.”
Jones looks at me and I point toward the back of the warehouse. We run making it just in time for the runty looking man to stumble out and jump on his bike. He takes off, not thinking about his helmet which flies off his handlebars onto the dirt. A storm of dirt and pebbles fly up and around in a swirl as he skids off down the road fishtailing his bike. Once he’s safely out of sight, I gesture toward the warehouse.
