MC: LaPonte

by L. Ann Marie

  “Says he’s got information on the Pres and VP. Hasn’t shown anyone dick. Unofficial – Chief says to be helpful in a way that doesn’t fuck with the MC. I was being helpful.” He gets up and reaches to throw money.

  I stop him. “On me.” I throw a twenty. “Thanks Peter.” He nods and walks out. Rob gives me back my twenty and tells me VP is in the back with Pres. I head that way. “Pres, VP, did you get what Peter said?” VP looks at Pres.

  “We did, thanks Brother. You did good with the asswipe, thanks.” He heard.

  “If I’m done here, I need to check the lumber delivery at shelter house.” I want to ask about a Security but it doesn’t seem like it’s the right time. If they didn’t want me before they probably don’t want me with one eye anyway.

  They look at each other; Ben turns to me, “Go ahead Brother. Steve has the information and will deal with the tags, let me know if you find anymore." I nod. "I’ll be at the Bakery when you finish.” I lift my chin walking out the back. I don't want to know about the tags and Steve dealing with them. If I’m not part of it I should just keep out of it.

  I check the delivery and make sure the Brothers are ready to start outside tomorrow. The surveillance team is set for inside. Thank fuck. Kate is pushing to get this one open. They've had to turn people away. I walk into the Bakery and my stomach starts making feed me noises. Peg gets me a coffee and slice of meat pie. I let her know I’m waiting for Ben. He’s meeting with Jess right now. I tell her I can wait and make calls to the Brothers for the houses I inspected. They’re both happy, the price should drop with the inspection report. I promise to fax it over later today.

  With a minute to think, I wonder where my beautiful K is today. I walk outside and call her so I don’t have to wonder. “Hi honey. Perfect timing, I have a few minutes. How is your day?” She's happy to hear from me.

  She makes me smile. “Good, busy but good. How about you?”

  “I have a new client going in a house in about thirty minutes. I just finished a class for the city PD.”

  “Sounds like you’ve been busy too. Hope my boy’s been treating you right. Want to do take out tonight?”

  “She’s been a perfect angel all day. We could go to the diner?” She asks. I can hear her smile.

  “I like that better. Love you baby.”

  “Love you too.”

  I go back in the Bakery as Ben is walking out of the back, perfect timing. “Brother, thanks for meeting me here.” He sits down. Peg brings two coffees taking my old one. "We're looking for two officers. One to fill Dave's seat and the new position. Brothers voted on adding the new position while you took your week. We asked for names and yours is number one. Jared is number two and Rob is three. Jared doesn't want it. Leaves you and Rob." He waits for my reaction. I'm stunned but I keep my face blank. Brothers gave my name? After the shit I pulled. Fuck. "The positions are straight officers, not designated. With the way things are growing we need the help. You've already stepped into the position, handling shit before it even gets to me. Taking meetings with the PD, even the asswipe from today. They tagged you as the 'boy scout', it works in our favor. You pay attention to what's going on and move people where they need to be. The younger Brothers look up to you. Are you willing to make it official?"

  "I'm surprised Brothers would give my name. I'm honored to even be asked. How much time will I need to dedicate to being an officer?" My first concern is Kate being pregnant.

  "You are the first person to ask that question. We have officer's church, a closed meeting, usually thirty minutes before church. If something is going on, you'll be expected to be at the club for planning and execution. You work for the club so we can meet like this during the day. It doesn't have to interfere with your daily home life. We have kids of our own; we work it out so we get to see them grow. We wouldn't expect anything different from anyone else."

  I wonder about the ‘boy scout,’ the club officers should know the shit I did with Axe. Maybe with Steve and Casper they don’t need me in Security. If the Club needs me I should stop with the fuckin Security and stand where I’m needed. "Ok, I'm in. What do I need to do?"

  He laughs. "Brother, I see your brain working. You will be an asset to our team. See HR sometime this week. Casper will take you through the back rooms at security tomorrow. He'll show you the surveillance feeds so you know where it is safe to talk club business. I'll have Tiny get Prospects to move your room upstairs at the clubhouse. We have a crib, I'll have them set it up, you should leave it there until the baby is in a regular bed. We never know when it will be needed and there is no time to be building shit when we're locked down. I can get Geek to send you the bylaws via email if that works for you. Tiny says the computer is easier than trying to read a book. The other officers will meet up with you for lunch or for a beer. They'll tell you what they do and how they do it. You'll hear some things you may not want to know but you need to be aware of. That information doesn't get shared with the Brothers. We will keep you in clean. We have very little dirty going on anymore, you'll be aware of it but not participate in it. HR will explain the parking, insurance, keys, pay, benefits and security card to you. I don't even know all the shit they'll talk to you about. Jess has all kinds of shit going on over there." He stops and looks at me. "Do you have any questions?"

  I hold my face and laugh. "Pres you just listed like twenty five different things so fast my fuckin head is spinning. What I did get is, I see HR, officers will meet up with me this week, Casper will take me through the back of security tomorrow, I'm staying clean but will have knowledge of all, Geek is going to email me bylaws. Easy is, keeping my mouth shut and moving rooms. I think I got it all. If I have questions I'll read the bylaws then ask."

  "Thank fuck! All that shit makes my head spin too. I got Jess to do the HR shit for me." He stands so I do too.

  "Jess has been taking care of my money since she finished school. I'm not going to stress about all that."

  He nods, "I have to meet with Keith in ten minutes. Once the dust settles we'll meet. I'm glad to have you with us Danny." He slaps my back, lifts his chin and walks out.

  I sit back down and finish my coffee thinking about all he said. Holy shit, I can't believe I just became an officer. It feels good being accepted by the Brothers. Why the fuck are they so concerned about me being clean though? Maybe that’s just where they need me. Fuck! I didn't talk to Kate about it. This isn't something I need help with. I don't know the rules here. I pay Peg asking if Jess is still in. She sends me back.

  I look in her office, "Jess, you got a minute?" She looks up.

  "Always for my favorite brother." She smiles. I go around and kiss her cheek.

  "I have two things I need help with. The first, I just agreed to be an officer then I thought maybe I should have talked to Kate. I never had anyone that it mattered what I do except Rich. Was I supposed to talk to her?"

  She laughs, "Kate knows this is new to you. She'll forgive just about anything while you're learning. I'm not sure you needed to talk to her about being an officer though. If you tell her you were unsure what to do about it, she'll be able to answer, so you’ll know the next time. What's the other thing?"

  "You're too much, I like that it's easy with you. Kate is like that too. You're right, I'll just ask. The other is at HR. Officers get other benefits. I don't know what they are yet, but you always take care of that stuff for me. Do you have time this week to deal with that?" I hate asking her.

  She smiles, "I'll take care of it. I have a meeting there on Wednesday; I'll get it straight and put it in folders. Come see me on Thursday, I'm making malasadas. You can pick up your folders and get a couple for you and Kate."

  "Love you Jess, thanks. I'm working on the shed Saturday with Little Ben. I got him and Jessie new tool belts and knee pads. They'll fit them better than the old ones. You think it'd be ok if I asked them to give the old ones to Natalie's boys? They've taken good care of them; the belts are just too small."

  She l
aughs, "It’d be perfect. They gave up a bike each for the boys. They want them to fit in and be happy."

  "Fuckin unbelievable. Those two always amaze me. Did Kate tell you about the patches?"

  Nodding her head, "Yeah, they are too cute."

  "Rich was standing there with his mouth open. Said they were little men, they were unfuckinbelievable. You know, they never were scared of my scar or patch. I didn't know why until they explained about scars making people stronger." I smile remembering their little hands on my face.

  I see her tears and hug her, "Steve will be pissed I made you cry. He never found the damn book." She laughs. I kiss her cheek and tell her I'll see her Thursday.

  Chapter Twenty Two

  I'm just leaving Security and have a shit ton of information floating around in my head. Every fuckin main road is covered by surveillance. They don't monitor them all the time but have them on one month loops in case they need to go back for information. Every building that the MC owns is surrounded by cameras. After what happened to Jess a couple years back they added cameras to get the sides and backs of buildings. A few of the MC buildings are completely covered with audio and video. I even recognized the Police stations' detectives’ room on one feed, Digs didn't comment on it so I kept my mouth shut. All I can think is how the fuck did they pay for all the equipment and get it into the fuckin Police station? I drive out of town and head over to the Dunkin in the next town with everything still playing in my head.

  Casper showed me the Security Company’s client surveillance stations that they monitor. I didn't realize they installed so many systems all over the fuckin place besides supplying security details for some big time clients. He told me Steve would go into more detail about the clients that are on and off the books. They are actually a big fuckin company that employ people outside the club as well as the Brothers. I was so fuckin busy playing pussy I had no idea what Steve and Casper had built up. At least now I know to keep my mouth shut every fuckin where. Aside from dorm rooms, offices and meeting rooms at the club, basically nowhere is safe. They have a blanket around town. I realized they watch the common room at the club and the bars with some embarrassment. No wonder the fuckin Brothers were pissed at me. After seeing everything, I see how they’re always so organized. It’s nothing like the security I did with Axe.

  I pull into the Dunkin, Steve is meeting up with me away from town. I see him across the lot at a picnic table. He has two coffees sitting in front of him. He throws chin as I approach. I throw it back and sit nodding thanks when he pushes a coffee in front of me. I'm not at all surprised he knows how I take it.

  "Security and salvage are the only two places that still run dirty. Salvage takes cars, pulls the Vin's and crushes without a trace. If they have time they strip what they can." He nods like that's the end for that department so I nod back. In the back of my mind I'm thinking it's not the end of that story or that simple but I keep it to myself not really feeling like I need details.

  "Security is runnin for bosses between Providence and Boston. Runnin protection for trucks or high profile people that belong to higher families from New York and Chicago." I nod. I never thought they stopped illegal runs and it was confirmed with the shootout at the shipyard. "No drugs pass through us. We have a couple Brothers dealin out on the Bay but nothin around or in our yard."

  "How does that sit with you?" I hope he says it doesn't.

  He looks at me for a minute. "Not well. Can't tell Brothers how to live or how to make money. Not my call. Our yard is clean. Every fuckin week we're drivin some asswipe out with them thinkin it's a virgin yard they can deal in. That jobs never done. It's not a job that is done by legal means. Some are put down as a message. Some we hand off to PD." I nod.

  "Protection runs can't be sure what we're protectin, we're workin for fuckin criminals. We don't inspect every container, at a guess, bosses lied at least twice over four years. They knew we found out, we have ways of trackin and video of the movements. Ben thinks it stopped, not fuckin sure myself." I nod again, bosses don't play around and aren't intimidated by an MC.

  "Do other jobs alone. Those jobs we don't talk about, high dollar cash transactions. Nothin to trace and no trace left behind." It hits me, Harris said an assassin.

  "Harris knows about them?"

  "Speculates. Have bikes, boats, vehicles and gear not traceable. Can't get a lock on my movements. Would have video to back me up anyways. He's tryin though." He smiles not at all worried. All kinds of shit falls into place. People dead behind security, the Ducati, gang members missing. That's the kind of security Axe taught me.

  "Military Security goes through BUDS like training. Have a few that are good. Jobs we take are handed from Baxter. They keep pretty high profile. We don't have to. Guys are trained to do special ops like missions not condoned by the government. They sometimes contract us through channels. These jobs are not talked about. So we're clear, no job that I work on is talked about." His eyes bore into me. I nod. Dave told me to forget I saw the Ducati. Fuck, I want to forget this whole fuckin conversation. I would never fit in with the Security Brothers.

  "How did you get into all this?"

  "MC took me and Ben when we were seventeen as Prospects. Groomed us to be soldiers, me physically Ben mentally. Sent us off to get trained by the best. Got back and we worked the family business until the old Pres died. Ben started fighting to get clean. No honor in what the fuckin drugs were doin to our Brothers and their families. The drug wars tore the club apart. Less Brothers meant a bigger cut. Had some Brothers get greedy and turn, that's when Ben started cleaning it up. That's where all the money came from to build clean here. Brothers couldn't spend the money that they got off their own fuckin Brothers deaths until we moved here." My head is spinning.

  "Rich Prospected early, is he coming back to be a soldier?" I already know the answer and I'm fuckin pissed.

  "Yes." He doesn't take his eyes off me. I take a deep breath. "Was his decision." He says with hardness in his voice.

  "He left at eighteen; he wasn't old enough to make that decision as a Prospect." I throw at him.

  "What do you think he's doin over there? He's bein trained to do everythin, they have him in classes on his down time to learn every-fuckin-thing so he can be an assassin for the US government. You're so fuckin proud of him for fightin for his country but not for him fightin for his family, community or the Brotherhood?"

  "I'm fuckin pissed he made that decision so young. How do you know that is what he truly wants or if he was in fuckin hero worship and will regret it the first job he's sent to do? I fought for the Brotherhood but I was old enough to understand the consequences. He was a fuckin kid!" My fuckin son out there with his head being fucked with?

  He nods, "he's already been on jobs, he's already done what you're hopin he won't. He's a satellite for a team, learnin and workin alone, travelin with a group. More adjusted than I was, happy with what he's doin. You fuckin saw for yourself he's happy with the decision he made. You're pissed he didn't talk to you first. I get that, but it was not a decision anyone but Rich made. Smart enough he could have gone to college and been an officer. He didn't want that."

  "Is he going to come back like you? Love you Brother but you're fucked up." He may kill me, my boy needs to be better than that when he gets back. It will crush me if I didn't protect him like I should have.

  He laughs. Fuckin laughs, I want to hit him. "Sorry. It's not even close to what you're thinkin. Everyone is tested to get to the trainin that will make them SEALS and satellites. If this is ever repeated I'll fuckin kill you in your sleep." I nod. "I was labeled with high functionin autism then later on with Asperger’s. Fuckin government couldn't decide what's in my fuckin brain just that I'm fucked up. Somethin is fucked in my head that allows me to function doin the shit that I do. I'm not proud nor sorry for what I do. I keep my family, my club and my community safe and happy." Holy fuck. That is fucked up. The government trained him knowing this. "I can tell you Rich is hig
hly focused, has a high IQ and is determined to learn everythin the government is willin to teach him. I have contacts and keep track of his progress." I let out a breath.

  "I love my son. I don't want him miserable living with PTSD and eating a bullet because I didn't have his back when he was making a decision, he was too fuckin young to be making." I turn my head blinking my eye. My son.

  "Danny, he made the decision, if he couldn't cope he wouldn't have made it to BUDS. Sure as fuck wouldn't have made satellite so fuckin young. He can't tell you, his job it's classified. It wouldn't stop him if you objected now. Would put worry in his head that could fuck with him while he's on the job." He has a blank expression. How many times have I seen that look.

  I take a couple of deep breaths. "I get it. This is what he wants; make sure he's trained for fuckin everything. When he comes back here I don't want him taken out by a fuckin strung out junkie."

  He laughs. "He will be. He's a smart boy Danny. He's part of my family. I wouldn't do anythin different with him than with my own boy."

  "Fuckin kids." I rub my hand down my face. "Tell me we’re done here."

  He stands so I do. He puts his hand out surprising me, I take it and he pulls me into a man hug. "Love Rich, wouldn't let him get hurt on my watch."

  I nod and walk back to my truck. Fuckin Steve. I need to get in touch with Rich. Just to see he's ok. How fuckin nuts is that. I can't tell him I know but I can let him know I love him.

  This was the illegal side. I hope the next fuckin meetings are easier to handle. Fuckin Brothers.

  Chapter Twenty Three

  Two days

  "What do you mean we have to move?" I'm a little lost here. Sitting at my first meeting after missing the last because of my honeymoon I feel like I'm in the twilight zone.

  Len looks at me strange, "the lease is up for renewal, landlord is doubling the rent. There's nothing we can do but move. If we stay, we have to decide what we're going to cut out. Our fearless leader isn't taking calls right now. He's too busy."