L. Ann Marie

by Tailley (MC 6)

  Chase calls me from Clouds house. I go behind the gate so no one hears me. "Get all the kids to the Club room and the old ladies in Danny's house. No one goes outside. I need to get Amanda over there, I'll send someone up for her." I hang up and call her, letting her know I'll have someone pick her up and bring her to Kate's. She tells me she'll bring her laptop and work from there. Fuckin nice. Not a single complaint.

  I look around for HS and spot Bull and Driscoll. "Driscoll, I need you to get Amanda over to Danny's house." He nods and looks around. Tiny pulls up, Driscoll talks to him then takes his truck up for Mandy.

  I go back to Danny at the roof. "We need to lift it off him." Danny tells us. "Lift and move straight toward the water." Brothers and firemen gather around it and bend. I stand back and watch, Tiny stands by me. I would help but I'm not sure I can put that kind of weight on my brace. I wince when they move it off him. He's fuckin squashed. The beams left indents on his body. Stupid fuck.

  I go to my bike and pull my bag. I need to know who my tag is and where the fuck the other guard is. Danny walks toward me. "You need to get to Security. Ben and Rich are waiting." I look at him like he's fuckin nuts. A truck just blew up at the fuckin gate. He leans closer. "Need a show of you leaving." I put my bag back and throw my leg over. "Tiny is your tag." I nod putting my helmet on. Looking around, I see Tiny on Danny's bike. We drive through town fast, making Security in minutes. A Brother takes the bikes, there are no bikes outside. They're getting ready for a fight.

  Tiny points me to the elevator. "I've never taken the elevator. It's nice." I tell him.

  "No sense wearing out your leg on fuckin stairs. This is going to get worse before it gets better." He sounds resigned. I look at him and nod.

  We get out and walk to the meeting room. I notice I'm not limping as much today. Cloud, Pres and Rich are here. "We'll be flying to Foxboro, Baxter's has their Security chopper loaded and waiting. They have bikes with it." I nod. "You, Rich and Cloud will be coming back here. Art will fly me and Tiny up to the meet."

  I have to ask. "Is there a bike I can ride?"

  He looks at me surprised. "Fuck!"

  "We can load his bike in the chopper and take it with us. Your Security bike is here, right?" I nod. "Rich call down have it brought to the chopper at the Club." Rich walks out pulling his phone.

  "The chopper at the Club? Isn't it right here?" I could have sworn it was here.

  Pres smiles. "Cloud had it sent up from the reservation. Christian saw what was going to happen. He didn't give us the gate but we got the rest. We need to leave now. Rich will fill you in on the way back." I nod. Fuck.

  We set down in Foxboro, the second chopper lands on the side of us. Driscoll and Chet climb out and get my bike down. Baxter Security bikes are here. Rich looks at me. "We ride together until we get to the reservation, you go through it to the Club with Driscoll. Take your bikes through the kid’s room to my dad’s." I throw him chin. Tiny and Pres switch choppers and are off. "The reservation chopper will follow them. They have four Baxter Security following and two with them. Pres will be taken but Security and Hammer will get him back." Fuck! "There's nothing we can do but get back to the kids." I throw chin then my leg over.

  We ride in formation until we get to the reservation land on the highway. Me and Driscoll slow, going off road to a path and ride through the reservation roads. It feels like it's taking forever but we get close to the Club and hit the back road moving faster. A Prospect has the gate open for us and we ride to the back. Bull and Geek are waiting, they help get the bikes up the stairs and into the meeting room. Geek hands us ear pieces, as soon as I put it on I hear Rich at Security and Little Ben answering him.

  The elevator opens with me and my bike; Danny's waiting and pushes it through to the stairway for his house. He leaves it in the hallway. The whole fuckin place is busy. I go over to the control section and wait for Little Ben to finish telling Rich about the trucks and cars they tagged in the yard. Brantley tagged them in yellow so they can be picked out easy. Fuckin kids running Ops always makes me smile but they are fuckin smart and professional about it.

  "Fuckin nice, LB. I'm with Digs; I'll run clearing the roads. I need you to keep someone on the highway from the south and run the second HS team. I just sent Darren the lineup."

  "On it, LP2." Little Ben says, making me laugh. Danny's standing on the side of him smiling.

  "Nice fuckin job on the color coding, Brantley." He looks at me. "You ready?"

  "Fuck yeah, but I need ammo."

  He nods walking to the hallway. Chase and Driscoll get my bike up and into the garage. I go through the house with Danny; he talks to Kate while I talk to Amanda.

  "I'm glad you're back." Is the first thing she says.

  I smile. "I need to go to work but I'm glad that's here too."

  "I'll be waiting with bated breath for when you're done." She says flapping her eyelashes at me. Fuckin Mandy. I laugh.

  "Amanda, what kind of wedding do you want?" Fuckin Danny! What the fuck?

  Her head snaps back then she turns toward him. "What?"

  "Wedding, what kind of wedding; big with all the trimmings?" He asks with a fuckin smile. I want to hit him. Fuckin wedding. I just got her to move in.

  "Fuck no. Do I look like a fuckin June wedding cover model for Vogue?" She says with that attitude I love. Jess laughs from the kitchen.

  "So a small wedding?" Fuckin guy, what the fuck is he doing?

  "Yeah." She says looking at me. I shrug, I don't know what the fuck he's getting at.

  "Anything you want big about your wedding?" He isn't letting this go.

  "Brother, what the fuck? She just agreed to move in." I tell him.

  Amanda relaxes her shoulders. "Just the flowers, I like big flowers."

  He nods. "Perfect." He kisses Kate and I look at Amanda.

  "What the fuck was that about?" She asks.

  "Fuck if I know. You ok?" I don't know if we're supposed to talk about this.

  She smiles. "Still got the promise from this morning so yeah."

  I laugh and kiss her. "I gotta go." She nods and slaps my ass. Fuckin woman.

  Danny looks at me. "Jeremy said you don't need the pills except for bed. You good?"

  "Fuckin kids. Yeah, he came over yesterday with my reports. Him, Jacob and Joey, I think he made it better again."

  "Let's roll." I follow him out and fill my pockets with ammo. He closes his safe room and opens the garage door.

  Danny: "LP1 and B3 on."

  Rich: "LP1, we split the town in half, you're on the north. First pussy is behind the Bakery. Green truck sitting half a block away two inside."

  Danny: "Roger, LP2." We come around the back of them and shoot from each side as we go by. That was too fuckin easy. "Clear."

  Rich: "Two blocks up from the Diner at Main Road. Black Lexus."

  Danny: "Roger, that strike you as easy?"

  Rich: "Yeah but we're clearing anyway; it just tells me this is first defense."

  We get to the Diner and head up Main. I hit the tires as the car starts to move. Danny pulls to the driver's door with his gun pointed at the driver's head. I pull to the passenger side. He's alone. I get off my bike and walk around with my gun trained on the pussy. The clicking of my knee is annoying, I didn't realize how much noise it makes when the knee bends. I don't take my eyes off this pussy though.

  "Get out." Danny opens the door. The pussy gets out and Danny laughs. "Brad isn't it? Wrong neighborhood, Brad."

  Me: "Need transport for pussy on Main. You'll want him in holding."

  Rich: "HS7, pick up pussy at LP1."

  Jax: "Roger, LP2."

  "I'm a congressman, I'm just sitting in my car. You have no right to harass me." The pussy says, he's sweating and nervous.

  Danny laughs, "We're not harassing you Brad. We're taking you to Security where you'll wait for VP. He's your friend isn't he?"

  The pussy looks like he swallowed his tongue. His mouth opens and close
s. I pull a wire tie and cuff his hands behind him. "Precaution, pussy. When you see VP you can ask him to take them off."

  Danny: "LP2, I need this car moved."

  Rich: "C1 to LP1"

  Dave: "Roger, LP2." HS picks up the pussy. Danny tells Rich we're clear.

  Rich: "LP1, blue pickup and brown sedan side by side on the power plant road. Behind them are two trucks. Blackhawk will cover you."

  Danny: "Roger, LP2. Fuckin nice." He looks at me, "Fuckin love Cloud's toys." I laugh and follow him up the hill to the power plant road.

  I hear the shots and wonder why he's shooting without us up there yet. A fuckin explosion rocks the ground and we see the cloud of smoke and fire. Holy fuck!

  Rich: "LP1, crest the hill and peel to the sides. Blackhawk took out a truck with more explosives." Shit. I'm glad we weren't up there yet.

  Danny: "Roger, LP2." We hit the top and veer to the sides. Shots greet us, thank fuck for feeds. Firing back, I take out the truck and driver. The car speeds toward Danny, I hit the tires. He flips his bike around and guns it straight at the car, firing twice then jumping on the hood and riding over it. Fuckin guy should do stunts in the fuckin movies. "Clear." I fuckin laugh.

  Rich: "Blackhawk liked your move LP1. We have one at the donut shop, back of the lot black truck, guns in the bed."

  Danny: "Roger, LP2."

  Rich: "C55, Power plant Road with two wreckers."

  Petey: "Roger, LP2."

  We pass the wrecker and pickup crossing the intersection. Petey throws chin. Going eighty we pick up a cop. What the fuck is this? I've never had PD stop me.

  Danny: "What the fuck, LP2? Fuckin cop better be in a hurry for fuckin donuts."

  Rich: "Fuckin PD. Digs is on with Paul. Pull into the fire station until they're clear."

  Danny: "Roger. LP1 and B3 resting at the fuckin fire station." Fuck, he's pissed. "I'm fuckin starving and these assholes are wasting my fuckin time." We travel south toward the fire station.

  I hear the engine and turn. "Fuck, move left!" Danny jumps to the sidewalk, I veer right.

  Rich: "They're trying to box you in, LP1." I make the sidewalk and spin at the intersection. I gun it toward Danny and the second truck. Jumping the right side curb, I hit the driver then the back tires.

  Danny spins three fuckin feet from the truck heading in the other way. Jumping on a car, he waits for the other truck to come around the corner and hits the driver as he makes the corner. The fuckin truck is coming at me. I laugh and spin the fuck around heading back to the side of the road. Fuckin PD siren is on while the asshole is sitting in the middle of the fuckin street. The truck is headed right for the car. Danny is fuckin laughing.

  Danny: "Tell Casper his fuckin pussy sat and watched the truck total his car." The pussy backs up turning the wheel and gets clipped on the front corner. "Maybe not totaled. Send him the video. Do we still have the Donut Shop?"

  Rich: "Yeah, LP1. Pussy is looking nervous, dialing his phone over and over. Bring him in."

  Danny: "Roger, LP2." We leave the PD car and head east. "Take the west side, I'll come east."

  Me: "Roger, LP1."

  We split, coming around the back of the lot from each side. The truck starts moving. I shoot the tires on my side, Danny shoots the other side. He stops. I slow down with my gun trained on the driver. Danny gets off his bike and pulls the guy out, throwing him on the ground, he makes to get up. "Is this really the day you want to die?" The pussy turns over and lays flat out. I wire tie his hands and pull his wallet and phone. Fuckin Michigan? He's got a bike endorsement.

  Rich: "C1 to LP1, need a wrecker."

  Dave: "Roger, LP2."

  Rich: "LP1, B3, come on in."

  Danny: "Roger, LP2. You want donuts?" I bust out laughing.

  Rich: "What the fuck, LP1. We just cleared the fuckin roads."

  Danny: "I had to deal with a fuckin explosion this morning. I missed breakfast, passed the Bakery, passed the Diner. I’m not passing the fuckin Donut Shop! It's going on lunch. You want fuckin food or not?" He's not fun when he's hungry.

  Rich: "Get a fuckin donut and come in. I'll get your fuckin lunch. LP2 out; Digs is at control." He's pissed. I'm still laughing.

  Digs: "I got you covered, LP1, B3."

  Danny: "You want donuts, Digs?" Fuckin guy. He's walking into the shop. I'm just following.

  Digs: "I sent them an order. They'll give it to you when you're done. I covered your coffees and donuts, throw them a tip and you're set."

  Danny: "Thanks, Brother. LP1 on the side." I walk in behind him smiling. We get donuts and coffee. Eating them fast we grab the box for Digs, thanking the manager.

  Back at Security we walk into Surveillance and give Digs his donuts. "Thanks, Brothers, I missed breakfast too. It's been fuckin nuts in here." Sticks comes over, grabbing two donuts, throwing chin. Digs grabs his and puts the box on the back table.

  Danny opens his phone. "Sam, I got seven needing lunch at Security. Thanks, Brother. Put it on mine. Yeah." He looks at Digs. "Lunch will be here in forty five."

  Digs is all smiles. "Thanks, Danny."

  In the meeting room, Brad is standing at the end of the room; he's got a head set on and I can hear the music blasting from the door. His arms are up and tied to a rope hanging from a pipe on the ceiling. He has duct tape over his mouth. Danny laughs. "What's he listening to?"

  Driscoll smiles, "Nonstop hip hop." I laugh.

  "Bet he's happy; now he can learn the words to all the songs he doesn't know. It will keep him in touch with his constituents." Danny has everyone laughing. He looks at Rich. "Where's Ben?" He's not smiling anymore.

  Rich looks over. "Just getting ready to leave the meet. Blackhawk will be there in fifteen." We sit. Rich goes to the computer and gets the Ops on the room speakers. "Baxter's has chopper command and a second Ops leader running their Security teams. Little Ben is just finishing cleanup on the south side. Geek has Tiny and VP wired in the meeting with Pres, he's hooked to Hammers Ops."

  Little Ben: "LB to LP2, we're clear." Everyone smiles.

  Rich: "LB, good fuckin job. Keep watch on the highway both ways. Stay on the side until Pres is clear."

  Little Ben: "Roger, LP2. LB on the side."

  "Fuckin kids did another good fuckin job. He's a natural." Rich says to the table.

  We all agree and turn when a Prospect carries in a box of food. He sees Brad and turns away fast. What the fuck? I watch him. Rich shuts the speakers down. We hear Brad’s music playing. "You know something, Prospect?" Danny asks. I guess everyone noticed his reaction.

  The Prospect puts the box on the table and shakes his head no. He's shaking as he unpacks the takeout containers. "Where did this come from?" I ask him.

  He looks at me and I can see the fear in his eyes. Danny stands behind him. "I got it on my way in."

  I wait for him to tell me where. He keeps taking the containers out. I stand up. "I think you should sit right there and eat with us." He pales, fuckin pussy. "Now." He looks at me, he's fuckin scared. Danny puts his hand on the kids shoulder and pulls a fork from the box.

  "Motherfucker!" Rich pulls his gun. "Sit." Brad starts moving around. Driscoll aims at him and he stops. "Bob, get Doc over here."

  I go out and call Doc, letting him know what's going on. He tells me to put a barrel by the kid and let him eat. I go back in and get the barrel, putting it on the side of him. Rich still has his gun aimed at the kid. Tears are running down his face. He looks up and tries to say something, Danny slaps the back of his head. "Swallow it, Prospect."

  The kid gulps what was in his mouth down. Brad is moving again. Danny looks over at him. "You have something to say about the food, Congressman?" Brad nods, moving around making noises. He pulls his gun and shoots Brad's foot. "Wait your turn." Turning back to the Prospect he watches him take another bite. Brad is bouncing around trying to talk through the tape.

  Rich looks at me. "I need to get to control. Shits going down up north." I nod and hold my
gun on the kid. "Five bites in, ask him again." I throw him chin. He walks out talking on his headset.

  The kid got the food from a truck he met two streets from the PD. He took the calls this morning from my tag and the guard, both with flats, both asking for cover. He starts puking in the barrel. When he stops, Danny has Doc and Driscoll take him down to holding. I call a Prospect and have him take the barrel out.

  Carrying a container over to Brad, I take the headphones off him and shut the fuckin music down. “You hungry, Congressman?” His eyes go wide and he shakes his head no. I put the container on the table in front of him and look at Danny. “Control first?” He throws chin. I gather the containers back in the box and write poisoned on it with my name, putting it under the table near Brad. I get his headphones back on him and we walk out.

  I get a Prospect to stand outside the meeting room telling him only Doc and Driscoll are allowed in there. I meet Danny and Rich in the Surveillance room. Pres is in the Outlaw’s Clubhouse. Fuck. Cloud dropped VP while he was shooting the second floor off the building. Eagle Feather is shooting the bikes in front of the house. It looks like a fuckin war you’d see on TV. I’ve never watched an Op go down from the feeds. VP is in the building; Cloud hovers close to the ground and Baxter Security jump out shooting. I see Jake on the rail shooting a huge mounted gun. He’s fuckin good; no one gets a shot at the chopper. Cloud lifts and shoots into the yard, covering Security. VP has Pres over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold. Fuck. We all take a breath. Cloud hovers and Jake pulls Pres in. VP jumps on and mans the gun, Security runs for the chopper. Once everyone is in, Cloud lifts and shoots a missile into the building blowing it sky high.

  “Love the fuckin chopper!” Danny yells. “Get us on with Jake, get a status on Ben.”

  Digs goes to hit his keyboard but stops and looks at Rich. He hits keys and we hear VP.

  VP: “VP on. Patch me to MC Ops, LP1 or 2.”