Cold Vengeance

by K. J. Dahlen

  COLD VENGEANCE

  Hell’s Fire Riders MC

  BOOK FOUR

  K.J. DAHLEN

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system-except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine, newspaper, or on the web -without permission in writing from the author.

  K.J. Dahlen Copyright © 2016

  COLD VENGEANCE

  HELL’S FIRE RIDERS MC

  BOOK FOUR

  Editor: Leanore Elliott

  Book & Cover Design:

  Wicked Muse Productions

  HELL’S FIRE RIDERS MC SERIES;

  Pappy’s Shadow BOOK ONE,

  Betrayed BOOK TWO,

  Trigger The Storm BOOK THREE:

  Cold Vengeance BOOK FOUR

  DEDICATION

  To my friend Leanore, she’s helped me in ways I can’t describe.

  She gave me the courage to step out on my own and helped me through the first frightening steps of being an independent author and I love her for it.

  “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms,

  it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”

  —Abraham Lincoln

  Chapter One

  Judson turned off Highway 35 and followed County Road along River Road. When he’d flown into Minnesota from Washington DC this morning, the trip from Minneapolis to here had only taken a little over an hour and a half. The road he traveled followed around Lake Pepin. When he crossed over into Wisconsin, the midwinter drab coloring made the trip seem really long but the closer he got to his destination, the more life in nature he saw. The tree branches were bare and looked dead but Judson knew that new life would burst through the branches soon. It was early February and in another month, spring would come to this section of the world and the earth would be renewed.

  Now on the last leg of his journey, he was thinking ahead to what Michael’s reaction to his visit would be. The twisted windy road eventually brought him into the town of White Bison. He could hear the crunch of the snow and ice under the wheels of his car and as he traveled the river road, he could see the frozen river and its contributories teaming with life. As he came around another bend in the road, he slowed down to watch an eagle sitting on the ice. He paused for a moment to watch the majestic bird finish its meal. He watched as two more eagles joined the first one. Each had a fish in its beak. Judson shook his head as he realized that even in the wild, life goes on.

  He glanced in the rear view mirror briefly before he pulled back on the road and noticed he looked tired. His brown eyes seemed drawn today, with his short spikey hair sticking straight up. Even the scar above his left eye looked pale today.

  He rounded another couple of corners and found the place he was looking for. The Cove bar and grill was just ahead. He slowed down and turned his vehicle into the parking lot. When he stopped the car, he paused to search the outside of the building. He noted the blue and white décor. He caught sight of the lighthouse in the outer corner of the lot. He smiled and shook his head. Michael always liked boats and now that he had his own place, he chose to decorate in the nautical theme.

  The wraparound porch housed a number of tables and the nearby tree held many bird feeders. One of the feeders had several small birds on it and on the tree a little higher up, a pair of squirrels were chasing each other up and around the bigger branches. Then he noticed the butterfly mobile hiding in the far corner of the porch. Judson’s lips tightened when he remembered what the mobile represented. Michaels’ wife and daughter’s images rose in his mind.

  His gaze turned toward the door. He couldn’t think about the past, not now. He had to concentrate on the future before there wasn’t one left to think about. He got out of his car and shut the door. He hated being here, but Michael Severns was the one man, the only man, who could track down the evil that was coming.

  When he opened the door and stepped inside the Cove, Judson had to pause to adjust to the light difference. When his eyes adjusted, he gazed around. The bar looked clean and neat.

  The few patrons turned to see who had joined them and when they didn’t recognize him, they turned back to what they were doing.

  Judson saw the L- shaped bar lined with black stools. He glanced around and noticed the nautical items in the bar. From where he stood, he saw a huge oar above the side door and everywhere he looked were paintings and photos of the Mississippi River. He glanced back outside and saw the Mississippi River across the street. The swiftly moving current seemed to move slowly but he knew it was just a ruse. The dangerous undercurrent could suck a person down into its depth very quickly. Turning back to the inside, he saw there were four older guys sitting at the bar drinking beers. None of them were who he was looking for.

  The redheaded woman behind the bar was young and very attractive with her wispy bangs and green eyes. Her makeup was a little overdone for this early in the day and her figure-hugging blouse and pants set off her figure.

  Judson smiled and stepped up to the bar.

  The woman came closer to him and asked, “Can I help you?”

  “I hope so. I’m looking for Michael Severns. Is he here?”

  The woman smiled. “Sure, he’s in his office. I’ll get him for you.”

  “Thanks.” Judson nodded and sat down while he waited for Michael. He didn’t have to wait long. A few minutes later, he saw Michael and another man come out of the swinging door that lead to the kitchen. Judson knew the other man very well. He was Melissa’s brother Gage. The tall, lean man coming toward him took another step and Judson could see the last five years hadn’t changed him much. His dark hair was a little longer and for a brief moment, he saw Michael smile at the woman behind him. Then he turned his head and his smile dropped away.

  Michael saw him sitting there and stopped abruptly. Staring at Judson, he looked like wanted to turn and walk away, instead he moved slowly toward him. He stopped and stared at him for a moment, then turned and headed over to a table in the side room.

  When he and Gage sat down, Judson got up and walked over to the table.

  When he sat down, Michael spoke softly, “Why are you here and what do you want?”

  “I want you...no, I need your help. In fact, the whole world needs you right now.”

  Michael turned his head and glared at him. “No,” was all he said.

  Judson sat back in his chair and exhaled deeply. “You know I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have to be. I remember what happened five years ago, all too well.” His gaze dropped to Michael’s left wrist, to the tattoo. The red color was fading but the dark ink looked the same. Shortly after his wife and daughter were murdered, Michael got a tattoo of the infinity symbol, a number eight set on its side, with his wife’s name in one oval and his daughter’s name in the other.

  Michael shook his head. “I don’t care why you came, the answer is still no.” He motioned to his companion. “Gage has been trying to talk me into going back too. I told him no, same as I’m telling you.”

  Judson nodded at Gage then paused for a moment and told him, “We’re getting chatter about the Bleu Vipers.”

  Michael felt a sharp pain in his heart and his mind went blank for a moment. He had to close his eyes and block out the painful memories the mere mention of the name brought back to him. For a moment,
he couldn’t breathe. Opening his eyes, they went to the tattoo on his wrist. He hardened his heart as he pulled his shirt sleeve down to cover their names. Then he stared at the man sitting next to him. “I know. Gage has info on them too, but I can’t help you. I don’t have the strength to go back and face my past.”

  Judson leaned forward and grabbed his arm. “I know what they did to your family. Remember, I was there. It’s not something easily forgotten, but we need you now.”

  Michael shook his head. “I can’t. I came here to forget. I can’t go back. It’s just too painful.”

  Judson sighed heavily. “Look, I know it’s hard but we’ve verified this intel and we don’t have a lot of time. There is something huge coming and it’s not good.”

  Michael just stared at him. “I’m sure you have qualified people working on the situation.”

  “No one as good as you,” Judson admitted. “No one has your insight or knowledge of these people like you do. You are the best in this field and no one else even comes close.”

  “We have better intel than you guys did even five years ago,” Gage added.

  Michael shook his head. “I haven’t been working in five years.” He paused to think back for a moment then said, “What about Harper Lamb? She’s very knowledgeable.”

  Judson shook his head. “She was the one that told us we needed to get you back. There were some whispers she couldn’t figure out.”

  Michael shook his head. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”

  Judson glared at him for a moment then shook his head. “I do know, but I have to ask anyway.” Then he paused. “I loved her too, you know that. I loved them both too. Melissa was a very sweet woman and Kelly was like my own kid. You aren’t the only one that lost them that day.”

  Michael felt the pain of his words. He couldn’t help it; he allowed the last picture of his wife and daughter to flash in his mind. They were lying in the bed he’d made love to his wife just a few hours before. They were staring at the ceiling, their faces frozen in terror. The bedroom was drenched in their blood and above the bed was the symbol Michael learned to hate—a triangle with a grim reaper shape inside it.

  Michael’s world had crashed that day and he’d been in hibernation ever since. Now someone wanted him to go back and face his past. He didn’t know if he could do that without feeling the loss of his wife and child all over again.

  “Man, I’m begging you to return. I’m afraid if you don’t, we could have a situation ten times worse than 9/11 on our hands. All the signs are there, we just can’t connect the dots. This is going to be huge and its coming sooner than anyone realizes.”

  Michael stared at his old partner for a moment. He knew he didn’t have a choice as much as he hated to admit it. “Gage told me a little bit about the situation. I’ll come back temporarily. But please don’t tell anyone I’m in D. C.”

  Judson nodded. “You can stay with me while you’re there.”

  “I couldn’t stay. There were just too many memories,” Michael explained. “I had to get away from everything.”

  Gage nodded. “I know, but there comes a time, when you just have to let it go. Let go of the pain and the rage inside you. The rage is eating you up and one day, it will consume you. You have to be stronger than that.”

  “I don’t know if I’m ready for that or not,” Michael admitted. “Sometimes, the rage I feel is the only thing I feel and it gives me comfort. That feeling scares me worse than the rage does.”

  “You may not be ready yet to give it up but someday, you will be. When the rage is gone, you’ll be ready for the next step.”

  “What’s the next step?” Michael asked. His voice sounded weary beyond reason.

  “Acceptance. After that the healing process starts,” Gage told him softly. He felt close to his brother in law and it had killed him to see the other man in so much pain after this long. “I had to let go of the pain of losing them too.”

  Michael shook his head. “No, before I can accept their deaths, I have to find the men responsible and send them to Hell. Only then will I accept what happened.”

  Judson stared at his friend. “We have to get back to D.C. quickly. Everything points to something big coming. We just don’t know when and where. That’s what we need you for.”

  Michael rubbed his hands over his face and stood up. “I’ll make you some lunch and by the time you eat it, I’ll be ready.”

  “I’m going with you,” Gage informed them. “I’ll need to take my bike for transportation once we get there.”

  Michael sighed. “Ok, if Jud is in such a hurry, he can fly back and get things set up while you and I drive back. I can load your bike in my truck.”

  Judson grinned and nodded. “We can drop off my rental and I’ll ride back with you. I’m not giving you a chance to change your mind and simply drive off into the sunset but I could use something to eat while we wait.”

  Michael nodded and walked slowly back to the kitchen. He found his cook and ordered a sandwich for Judson and Gage. Then he walked to his office and called his night manager. While he made arrangements for the bar, he stared at the picture on his desk. He reached out his finger and traced Melissa’s jaw line, like he’d done so many times in the past. He still missed them even after all this time. His hand dropped away and his jaw tightened. He would find the monster that took them away from him and he would make the bastard pay for his crime.

  He got up and walked over to the cabinet. Opening the door, he reached for the duffle bag on the top shelf. Having a go bag was a habit he’d gotten into a long time ago. It was a habit that served him well in the past.

  He took the bag over to his desk and unzipped it. Inside were a couple of changes of clothes, three pairs of socks and underwear, along with a burner cell phone and a wallet filled with cash and credit cards. A secret pocket, held a passport and more cash. In the bottom of the bag was a thick file containing the original report of his wife and daughter’s deaths, including all the photos taken at the time of their murders. It was there if he ever needed to see it but so far, he never needed to be reminded of what he found waiting for him at home that fateful night. He remembered every detail all too well.

  Michael picked up the photo and placed it in the duffle. He locked his desk and pocketed the keys. He didn’t know how long he would be gone but his night manager knew the combination to the safe and would see to everything that came up.

  Grabbing the duffle, he left his office to join Judson and Gage in the dining room. When he sat down at the table and saw him about to take a bite of the best sandwich in the world, Michael grinned at Judson.

  Judson had just taken his first bite. His mouth watered as the taste of the meat and vegetables burst inside his mouth. He groaned as he chewed. When he finally swallowed, he looked at Michael and said, “Oh my god, man, this sandwich is out of this world!”

  Gage nodded. “This reminds me of home. Mom used to make these all the time.”

  Michael grinned. “The first time Melissa made it for me, I was blown away. It’s just shredded chicken with jalapeños, tomatoes, onions and mushrooms. I had a feeling you would like it.”

  Judson nodded. “I really hate to drag you back into this but we need to stop this attack and we’re running out of time.”

  Michael hesitated and said, “We have to make a stop before we go. I have to pick up my dog.”

  Judson stared at him. “You have a dog?”

  Michael smiled. “Yeah, I have a dog. When I first got here, I found a puppy under the front porch. When no one claimed him, I sort of adopted him. It turned out to be the best idea I had. Snickerdoodles helped me through some very dark times.”

  “Snickerdoodles?” Judson chuckled. “What kind of a name is that?”

  Michael shook his head. “Just before Kelly died, Melissa and I talked about getting a family dog. Kelly was so excited about it she wanted to pick out the name. She picked Snickerdoodles. I thought it might be a way to keep them close to me
, at least for a little while.”

  Gage chuckled. “That girl was plain silly at times. I miss that.”

  Judson was quiet for a moment then said, “Ok, let’s go get Snickerdoodles. What kind of dog is he anyway?”

  “Snicker is a black German shepherd. He’s a beautiful animal considering he was left under the porch. I know, maybe it’s time I faced the past and deal with this once and for all. It isn’t going to go away.”

  The two men he sat with remained silent as they gave a slight nod to him.

  About twenty minutes later, they were on their way. Gage followed the car on his bike. When they left the Cove, they turned north as Michael directed him to the house he owned. A minute after they arrived, Michael came back out through the front door with a huge black dog.

  Judson looked surprised at the size of the animal.

  When Gage and Michael loaded the bike in Michael’s truck, they followed Judson as he retraced his route back out to the highway. It’d been decided that Michael and Gage would follow Judson back to the airport, so he could drop off his car then all three would travel to DC. Judson took the highway north through the small towns of Twelve Mile Bluff and Wilson, then he turned left and crossed the river into the town of Eagle Bluff, Minnesota.

  Michael watched the scenery as they traveled. When they left Twelve Mile Bluff, he noted a blue car behind them. Then when they turned to cross the Bison River, he saw the same blue car still behind them. Now as they turned on Highway 61 heading north, the blue car still followed them. He glanced over at Gage and was surprised he wasn’t aware of the car. “So tell me more about the case. What brought up the radar this time?”

  Gage glanced at him. “In the last few weeks, we have encountered the Vipers on another mission. While investigating that mission, we found they were going to be involved in a more productive attempt. We uncovered a plot to assassinate the President and take out our government in the resulting chaos. We stopped the first attack and were hoping you could help us stop the second and third attacks.”