by KJ Dahlen
He’d left everything behind. Only problem was it wasn’t Levi Silvers who had compromised him. Only Damen didn’t know it yet.
James carefully followed him to his new position. He wasn’t a bit surprised when he saw Damen pulled out a key and unlocked the door to a duplex. He knew Damen would have set this up as soon as he got to town. James found that he appreciated Damen’s abilities more and more as he watched the other man.
Becky snuggled into Patriot’s arms in her sleep. Patriot held her tighter but he wasn’t sleeping. His mind was too full of the events of the day. He knew the MC was on full alert now and had been since the shot was fired.
Someone had compromised the clubhouse. Annie and Harry were working overtime to find out what they could about Levi Silvers. Rigger was right there with them but he was looking into the business side of things.
He glanced over at the window and above the plywood that covered most of the opening, he could see a streak of light, so he knew it was daylight already. He’d been awake all night again, and Patriot was tired.
Becky had fallen into a light sleep but he knew she needed her rest, so he held her. But now her sleep was deep and he felt he could let her go and find out some answers. He untangled himself from her and carefully got out of bed.
He went to the door and let himself out. Walking down the hall, he joined everyone in the main room.
Annie, Harry, and Rigger were still at the laptops.
When he entered, Annie looked up. “Is she finally resting?”
Patriot nodded as he went over to the table and poured himself a cup of coffee. “Yeah, she’s out for at least a little while.”
“What about you?” Harry asked. “How much longer can you go without sleep?”
“As long as I need to. Did you two come up with anything else we should know about?”
Annie and Harry both shook their heads.
“We were able to confirm Becky and Levi have the same blood type and that it's very rare,” Annie explained. “But we already knew that much. I did find out that Randy knew this all this time. He had her blood tested when she was a kid. Blacky’s sample just confirmed it for Levi.”
“He’s known all along hasn’t he?” Patriot wanted to know. “He just never needed her before now did he?”
“Children should be born of love, not need.” Annie growled. “He only had her because he needed a fresh blood supply in case his turned on him. That’s just wrong.” She shook her head.
“I don’t think he ever would have a kid if he hadn’t gotten sick,” Harry added.
“And what happens if I don’t want to share my blood with him?” Becky asked from the doorway. “Is there any law that says I have to?”
Annie turned her head and shook it. “No baby girl there’s no law stating you have to do anything, you don’t want to do.”
Patriot brought Becky into his embrace and whispered, “I left you sleeping, why are you up?”
“Because you weren’t there. I couldn’t hear your heartbeat anymore and I woke up cold and alone.”
He drew her in closer to his body and kissed the top of her head. “The question is can you live with that decision? To not save him with your blood?”
“If you think I can’t, then you would be wrong,” Becky stated. “I very much could live with it.”
“Baby girl, you don’t even know this man,” Annie told her.
“I don’t need to know him,” Becky insisted. “He let my mother be murdered and did nothing about it. He let me be kidnapped right from her womb and he never looked for me for years. He allowed me to live with Randy Sheen until I was twelve then you and me were out there alone for a number of years more. He never found me when I was kidnapped and sold to Blacky, hell he didn’t come for me when he all but knew where I was. If it hadn’t been for you and these men, I would have died in that damn warehouse.” She marched angrily up to Annie. “Now because he needs my blood, he sent two men out after me. One wants to take me back to him and allow him to drain my body dry and the other one wants me dead. Am I really supposed to care whether that bastard lives or dies?”
Annie just stood there and let the tears run down her face.
Becky reached out and took her hand. “From the moment I came to your house, you were the one who took care of me. You were the one who gave me comfort in the middle of the night when their voices were too loud. You were the one who hugged me, kept me safe and kissed my booboos. The one who made sure I had food and clothes growing up. And you were the one who came after me when I was lost. You, not Levi Silvers. He may have donated the sperm but he was never my dad. And he never will be. To me, he will always be nothing more than a stranger I share blood with. You are my family, you and Patriot and these men.”
“Becky—”
“No Annie,” Becky cut her off. “I found my place here and I want to stay right here.” She turned her head and looked at Patriot. “I found love here and I want to stay right where I am.”
Annie looked over at Harry then back at Patriot. At that moment, she knew what she had to do. She had to give Becky her wish. She had to make sure Becky got her happy ever after. If anyone deserved one, she did. She only hoped she could do it.
She had but one hope left. She’d been keeping him a secret until now but now, she would make contact with the legend. She knew of him online, he’d asked her for some information, back when and she gave it to him. At the time, he’d been after someone that she knew was very bad. They called him Ghoster and no one really knew who he was but from what she knew, he was the best of the best. So if anyone could break through the secrecy of the SANG group, it would be him. He’d said at the time, that he would now owe her a favor.
Annie watched her sister for a moment and she noticed something that made the decision even easier... Even while wrapped in the arms of the man she’d come to love ... worry and fear remained in Becky’s eyes. She wasn’t sure anyone else took note of it but she did. Annie knew what she had to do. Becky had gone through too much already. The last anxiety attack had shown them all—that Becky couldn’t take another trauma.
Annie could give her at least some small form of peace by attempting to have this Ghoster payback that favor now.
She quickly compiled an email explaining everything and with one click, she got the ball started. If the email address was still good, she would hear back from him. Annie let out a huge breath as she gently closed the lid of her laptop and sat there wondering if she’d just made the biggest mistake in her life.
Chapter Thirteen
James settled in for the night and kept an eye on Damen. He was sheltered by a short brick wall across the street from where Damen was staying. Clearly, the man had an agenda and James felt pretty sure he knew what it was. He needed one more piece of evidence.
Then his phone pinged. He looked down and saw he had gotten an email. He almost didn’t look at it but something told him he should. Opening the email, he was stunned to find it belonged to a woman named Annie. From right here in Jasper.
He raised an eyebrow as he read the message on his phone. He sat back and thought about what she asked him to help her with. Then he read the entire message again...And smiled.
This could be their ticket in through the front door. As far as he was concerned, this was an invite in. Looking over at the room Damen was in, he knew this man would be the key to the whole takedown. He forwarded the email to Bastian and Bane along with his own observances and asked them what they wanted to do.
Bastian wrote back to just watch but protect the sisters at all costs. They would be on their way by sunup.
James settled in for a few hours then just before dawn, he noted movement in Damen’s room.
When Damen stepped out, he had a backpack with a rectangular package sticking out.
James followed the man back to the compound and watched as Damen found a tree across from where he thought Jase would set up at. As the sun peeked over the eastern sky, Damen was already up in his tree
.
He watched Jase arrive and climb a tree some 40 yards out from Damen. He went higher than yesterday but James saw the rifle slung across the man’s back. He had a feeling Jase would make his move today and James knew he had to be ready for anything.
He pulled out his own sniper rifle and began to assemble it. The leaves on the tree hid not only him but also his movements. He had claimed his place carefully, almost knowing where the other two would set up. It was instinct as he had been at this game for a while now. He took his time and when he attached the heat vision scope, he carefully lifted it into place.
Looking through the scope, he could see Jase’s face up close and personal. Slowly shifting the direction, he saw Damen’s face. Damen wasn’t looking anywhere but at Jase. James took note that Damen had his own weapon in his hands but it was resting in his lap.
Looking back over at Jase, he saw the other man was watching the clubhouse carefully.
James looked down at the clubhouse and found all the windows covered by shutters or plywood, so seeing inside was damn near impossible.
He could see shadows of people moving around inside from one or two of the shutters but he couldn’t see who it was. He wondered briefly if Jase was stupid enough to begin randomly shooting at the shadows but dismissed the thought almost right away. Not even Jase could be that stupid. He was after one girl, not the entire MC.
Then James took the time to scan the outside of the compound and he swore softly when he found the cameras. They seemed to be well hidden if you didn’t know where to look... you wouldn’t see them. James recognized the kind of cameras they were using and knew then that these men weren’t the fools Jase took them for.
The roof door opened slightly and a man slipped out of the narrow opening. He ducked as he came out and stayed below the wall they had on the roof. He quickly looked back to Jase and knew the man hadn’t seen the door open and close.
James had to wonder if the club had heat seeking cameras out here. The steps this club was taking only told him that they were gearing up to protect not only the club but the girl as well.
The man on the roof was there for a reason.
James watched as he took his position. James could almost see the way his mind worked. He wasn’t surprised when two more men joined the first one on the roof. All three of them, himself, Jase and Damen were in a triangle trajectory but the men on the roof didn’t know which one of the three positions the real danger would come from.
From his position, James knew they had concluded the area he was in but they couldn’t actually see him yet and he was willing to bet they couldn’t actually see the other two as well.
The only problem he could see would be Jase not attempting to hide himself very well. It seemed like he didn’t care if anyone saw him or not.
James shook his head. Did the other man think he wouldn’t take a bullet? Or maybe he thought no one knew he was there? Either way, he was a damn fool.
James wanted the tension gone but he couldn’t just shoot Jase, even if he wanted to. He needed Jase to make the first move. He also didn’t want the bikers to shoot him. Even by mistake. From high up in his tree, he moved his scope slowly to bring Jase in close and personal. James frowned as he found Jase watching the clubhouse with interest. When he saw Jase raise his gun into firing position James grabbed his phone and quickly texted a message to Annie. It read, “Incoming. Duck and cover.”
He only prayed she was at her laptop and would see the message in time. James snapped his weapon up and studied the man in his vision.
Jase was actively searching for a target now.
James could only watch him and wait for his next move. When he’d arrived, he knew the windows were covered but shadows could still be seen moving around in two of the shuttered windows inside the clubhouse.
The first man on the roof popped his head up for just a second but Jase either didn’t see him or didn’t care. He was taking aim at one of the lower shuttered windows.
Jase dispassionately sought out a target. But it seemed he couldn’t get a bead on anyone inside the clubhouse. He sneered and slapped the tree in frustration.
James gave a slight smile but continued to watch. He could see beads of sweat gather on Jase’s forehead and had to wonder what the other man was thinking. He appeared to be growing impatient and for a man like this, his actions could become his last and final. A man like Jase didn’t have the right to grow impatient.
James couldn’t take his eyes off Jase to check on Damen. He knew enough about human nature to know who to watch and who to leave alone. He chose to glance down at the roof and saw all three men were watching the trees. He didn’t think they had a bead on the players yet, but he knew as soon as any shot was fired, one of them would make theirs.
James slowly moved his scope over to where he knew Damen was and the man was fairly easy to find.
He too, was watching Jase but his weapon wasn’t raised. He was merely watching his adversary.
James’s movements were slow and easy as he turned back to Jase. Only to find this player had moved slightly. All three men were dressed in dark woodsy camo, so as to blend in with the environment. They carried no shiny equipment and had blackened their faces, so no one would find them unless they knew what to look for. James got a feeling however, that these bikers knew what to look for.
Jase had moved to a position to fire from.
James knew this man intended to shoot someone this morning. James slowly raised his own weapon and settled in for the duration. He had done this many times and had a special fitted silencer on his rifle knowing there would be no flash when he fired. Never give away your position.
His lips turned up slightly when he saw Jase didn’t have a silencer on his weapon of choice. Apparently, the other man thought he could shoot and scoot.
Jase settled in and took aim at one of the lower windows.
James also took aim at Jase. And for the first time in a number of years, he said a short prayer. He watched through the scope.
Jase’s finger tapped the outside of the trigger shield then as his finger curled around the trigger itself. He closed one eye and peered through the scope. Even if he had lined up the exact shot he wanted, he couldn’t tell who was on the other side of the shutter covering the window. Jase would be shooting random shadows and that was never a good thing. If he missed, he risked letting everyone know he was there. If his shot was true and he hit someone he couldn’t be sure it would be the one he wanted. Apparently, he didn’t care if he hit his actual mark or not.
James shook his head at the other man’s idiocy.
A shot rang out and someone inside the clubhouse screamed.
James’s shot rang out almost as an echo to the first shot. He watched it hit.
Jase’s rifle slid from his grip and dropped to the ground. Almost in slow motion, blood and bits of brain matter flew from behind what was left of Jase’s head. He flew back against the tree with a stunned look on his face as his body crumbled and fell through the branches, landing with a thud on the ground. Dust flew up and covered the bloody body.
The three men on the roof scrambled to find their targets but James knew he was safe. There had been no flashback from his rifle and his bullet had been true.
For the longest time, no one moved and no sound could be heard.
James carefully lowered his weapon and noticed movement on the roof. He didn’t move fast or recklessly. Slowly, he moved his head in Damen’s direction and found the other man searching for James’ position. He wasn’t worried about Damen though, he was worried the men on the roof would throw out a line of fire at the trees, hoping to catch the shooter unaware.
When they didn’t, James breathed a little easier.
Then the front door opened and three men walked out of the club.
Annie hadn’t slept much the night before. She was still waiting for Ghoster to get back to her but she didn’t know when or where he would do it. Hell, she didn’t even know if he’d even
gotten her message.
As the early morning hours arrived, she was back at her laptop searching for anything that could be used to save her sister.
When the others began joining her in the main room the tension inside the clubhouse kept growing.
Gunner rubbed the back of his neck and growled out loud several times.
Cobra walked over and was the only one bold enough to ask him, “What the fuck are you growling about old man?”
”Oh, fuck you and the horse you rode in on, you old bastard,” Gunner growled the words out.
Cobra chuckled under his breath, seeming unafraid of the leader for the Savaged Souls. “Kind of touchy today, aren’t you?”
Gunner rubbed the back of his neck again until it was damn near rubbed raw. “Can’t you feel it?” he muttered softly. “Someone is out there watching us. I can almost feel his eyes looking through the walls, glaring at me.”
Cobra looked around the room and grew very still as he closed his eyes and lifted his head as if to sniff the air. He took in a deep breath and shivered. “Yeah now, that you mention it, I can feel it.”
Gunner looked over at Gypsy and a couple of other brothers. “Gypsy, go up top and see if you can see anything out there.”
“Hold up Gypsy,” Rigger told him as he walked into the room with his laptop. He set it down on the table and waited for everyone to join him. “When I put out extra cameras two weeks ago, I added heat infrared. When I checked them this morning, I found three hotspots in the trees. I don’t know which is which and I don’t care but we have three men out there watching.”
Annie took a deep breath and exhaled, “You might as well know something else too,” she announced.
Gunner, Cobra and the others turned to look at her.
She got to her feet and admitted, “I contacted someone last night. I don’t know this man but I asked him for help with busting up the SANG group. We can’t do this on our own and I thought someone should know about it. I haven’t heard anything back yet but that could be a good thing.” She shook her head. “At least, I haven’t heard a flat out no, either.”
