by Carol Dawn
It’s only a matter of time.
Chapter Twenty
Hawk
“Hawk, Oh God, it’s him. It the Hulk. He’s Bill. And Bill means William. He’s here…”
“I have your security code, remember? And your phone. I’ve turned off all cameras and already called the office letting them know everything was fine. That I just need to reset the system.”
“I love you, Logan. I love you with everything I am. Please, don’t let this eat you alive. Please, love again. I love you,”
The last whispered, love you, has me grabbing my kitchen chair and throwing it across the room.
He called. He fucking called and I didn’t have signal on my phone.
“What have we got?” Bear asks, rushing into the cabin.
“When we got here, the door was open and there appears to have been a struggle in the living room,” Trigger answers. “For some reason, Hawk can’t get the app to work for the cameras.”
“That’s because they’re turned off,” Rose moves from behind Bear. “Slim showed me how to access them in case of emergencies. Not a single security camera is on.”
“Can we get access to any previously recorded video?” Trigger asks.
“You can, but Slim never showed me how.”
“I know who took him,” I say. “It was the man who installed all these fucking cameras. The man who was alone with him for hours. The man who has access to all the passcodes.”
“Hulk?” Rose whispers.
“Call the security company and find out how to access old footage,” Bear orders. “I want to know what this fucker looks like.”
I dial the number and hit the speaker.
“Meadow Security.”
“I’m Logan Allington and I want to know who the fuck Bill is.”
“Uhm, o…one minute, please.”
“Brother, let me deal with this,” Bear says. “As soon as we get those videos, we’re going to find that mother fucker and show him what happens when he messes with one of ours.”
“Mr. Allington, this is Maverick Grey. What seems to be the problem?”
“I need access to previously recorded videos before the system was turned off,” Bear says. “And I need information on the man who installed them.”
“It says here that your system was shut down for a reboot. That would mean any data previously stored will have been deleted. And, I’m sorry, but I can’t give out personal information about my employees.”
“Even if your employee kidnapped someone with the intention of killing him?” Bear asks, angrily.
“He did what?” Maverick asks, surprised.
“This man has been after my brother for years now,” Bear growls. “I want to know what the fuck he looks like.”
“I knew I shouldn’t have hired him,” Maverick says. “He gave me a bad feeling. I should have trusted my gut.”
“Indeed,” Trigger says. “We need his picture.”
“Alright. But, if the police ask, you didn’t get it from me.”
“Fair enough,” Trigger grunts.
“Send all the information you have to this number,” I give him my cell number and hang up. A minute later, we have a hell of a lot more than what we started with.
“Holy fuck, he’s huge,” Ink says.
“Looks like we have an address,” Bear says. “Let’s ride, brothers. Rose, I want you to stay here in case he calls or comes back. Brick, stay with her.”
“You got it, Prez,” Brick says. “Looks like it’s you and me gorgeous.”
“And Bella,” Chains adds, him and Bella rushing into the room. “Sorry, I’m late, Prez. Had to drop Sophia off at my sisters'.” Chains turns to me. “We’re going to find him, Hawk. We’re going to find Slim and then send that fucker to hell wrapped in chains.”
I find enough manners in me to kiss Bella and Rose on the head before heading out.
“Keep them safe, Brick,” I say, heading toward the door.
“With my life, man. Not a hair will be harmed on their heads.”
“I sent the address to everyone. Let’s hit the road, brothers.”
Without another word said, I hop on my bike alongside Bear, Ink, Trigger, and Chains.
I’m coming, sweet boy.
Hold on.
Chapter Twenty-One
Slim
I’m not sure how long I’ve been in the trunk when the car finally stops. I grip my weapon tight and prepare myself. The very moment he pops the trunk, I make my move. I jump up and blindly swing my weapon.
I hear William grunt once before the metal handle is jerked from my hands and I’m tossed over his shoulder.
Again.
“I have a special place to store you while your uncle works his magic,” William says.
“Is this about that damn money?” I shout from my upside-down position. “I don’t have it anymore,” I lie.
“We’ll see about that.”
I’m thrown to the ground and instantly pinned down when William crawls on top of me.
“Be still, Rabbit,” he sneers. “This will only sting a little.”
I feel a needle pierce my neck.
“What did you just give me?” I scream.
“Just a little something to help you sleep, Rabbit.”
“Ffkk yyuu. Hwk zz gunno kill ooo.”
“I’m sure he’s going to give it his best shot. But I don’t think I’m going to be on his mind when he receives a special message later. He’s going to have other things to worry about.”
I try as hard as I can to keep my eyes open, but the force to close them is too great. I give in and lose myself to the darkness.
***
I can’t breathe. Why am I having such a hard time breathing? Feeling a panic attack coming, I go to sit up only to hit my head on something hard.
What the heck?
I reach up and feel a smooth wooden surface just inches above my face. And on either side of my body.
Something splatters the wood above me. It does it again and again and again.
My mind is spinning out of control until I land on the only plausible explanation.
I’m being buried alive.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Hawk
He’s not here.
“It doesn’t look like anyone has been here in years,” Bear says. “Look around, anyway. We might find something.”
He’s not here.
We search the whole house. But the only trace of life here is a handful of animal nests.
“We need to head to his uncles next,” Ink says. “I don’t think he ever mentioned where the bastard lived but it can’t be that hard to find.”
He’s not here.
“Brother, your phone just went off,” Bear tells me.
I pull my phone out of my pocket and see one unread message. Clicking it, I read through the message before handing the phone to Bear and screaming as loud as possible with everything in me.
“If you want your little rabbit back, transfer all the money in his account to the one listed here. Once I have confirmation that the transfer has been made, I’ll give you the coordinates to find him. But I would hurry if I were you. His air runs out in five hours,” Bear reads the text on my phone.
“It came from Slim’s phone,” Bear says.
“What does it mean, he runs out of air in five hours?” I ask, knowing that no one will really have an answer.
“How the fuck are we going to find him?” Ink asks.
“If only we gave him that watch back that he let Bella use,” Chains says.
Why the fuck is he talking about a…
“Chains, you’re a genius,” I say, grabbing the man and squeezing him to death.
The bracelet. Why didn’t I think of it before?
“Phoenix made himself a new GPS bracelet,” I tell the group. “He never takes it off.”
Bear tosses me my phone and I open the app that Phoenix had us all download.
Fuck, yes.
&n
bsp; “His signal is coming through,” I breathe, relieved.
I know that William could have made him toss it, but this is the best lead we have.
“Open your apps, everyone,” Bear orders. “Get a good look at where Slim is.”
“Bella and Rose are still at Hawk’s house,” Ink says. “Damn, when I get an ol’lady, she’s getting tagged, too.”
I walked past him and smack him upside the head.
“And saying shit like that is exactly why you’ll never get yourself an ol’lady,” I say. “Now, get your ass on your bike and let’s go get my man before I burn this fucking city to the ground looking for him.”
“It looks like he’s about two hours away,” Trigger says. “If we’re wrong and this is a trick to get us away from Slim, then we won’t have enough time to race back here to save him. Five hours man. That’s all we have.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Bear agrees. “Ink and Chains, I want you to head back to Hawk’s place and wait with Brick. If it turns out that this is the wrong move, then you will already be here and ready.”
“Gotta go, brother,” I say to my twin. “We need to make a two-hour trip a hell of a lot shorter.”
We straddle our bikes and head in our designated directions.
An hour and a half later, we arrive in Greenwood Indianapolis. Phoenix’s dot hasn’t moved from its spot. It has me concerned. Just because the dot is a bright blue on my phone doesn’t mean that I’m going to find him alive.
We pull over at a gas station to fill our tanks.
“It’s not much further,” Trigger grunts down at his phone. “According to this, it’s another ten miles.”
I grab my phone from my pocket and notice I have another message from Phoenix’s phone.
“Less than three hours of air remaining, and I still haven’t gotten confirmation of any transfers. Tick tock. Time is running out.”
“MOTHER FUCKER,” I grip my phone, trying to restrain myself from tossing it far away.
“Let’s go,” Bear says after reading the message. “Ten miles. We can make it there in fifteen minutes.”
I move to ride just behind my brother. No matter how bad the situation is, I would never disrespect my President by pushing myself to the front.
“This is your run, Hawk,” Bear says, eyes filled with anger. “Take point and lead us to our boy.”
I reach out and grab his forearm. I don’t need to say words. Even if he wasn’t my twin, he would understand my anger. My guilt.
My fear.
I release my brother and start my bike.
Almost there, baby. Hang on.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Slim
I remember once in high school, this bully named Mac locked me inside the gym locker. I wasn’t found for four hours.
I remember screaming so loud that I lost my voice. I had bloody knuckles from where I tried to punch my way out.
I couldn’t breathe even though there were slits in the door inches from my face.
This is so much worse.
I know not to panic. That will only cause the oxygen to go by faster. There’s no point in screaming. There’s no point in trying to claw my way out.
Even if I was able to break enough of the wooden lid to squeeze myself out of, there’s no way I could crawl through all that dirt.
Even Houdini wasn’t able to pull that one off.
So, I do my best to slow my breathing and relax as much as I can. I’m really regretting not taking those yoga classes now.
The absolute worst part isn’t the lack of oxygen or the darkness. It’s the silence. I have never heard a silence so absolute. To be honest, it’s deafening.
I’ve always wanted to try one of those Sensory Deprovision takes.
I’ve changed my mind.
The air is getting thick. I’m having the hardest time staying awake. Maybe if I just close my eyes and sleep, I will use even less oxygen. Giving Hawk and the Sons just a few extra minutes to save me.
Or, I could close my eyes… And never wake up.
Decisions, decisions.
With my choice taken away from me, my eyes are forced shut and I’m pulled under. I guess this is the best path really. Dying in my sleep doesn’t seem all that bad.
Right?
Hello? Hawk?
Right?
Chapter Twenty-Four
Steven
“What do you mean they still haven’t responded?” I yell. “It’s been three hours. I thought for sure they cared about his perverted ass.”
“I’m not really sure they have access to that information, Steven,” William says. “Maybe we should dig him up and torture him until he gives us what we want.”
“You would like that, wouldn’t you, William? No, he stays buried. And when they transfer the money, give them the location of that man from the security place you killed.”
“I only killed him so that I could take his place,” Williams says. “We needed to get close to Phoenix and this was our best way. It worked, didn’t it?”
I look down at the loose dirt. Yes, it did work. It worked perfectly. I jump up in the back of my truck and wait for my money.
“When I get the money, you’ll get your five-hundred thousand, William,” I tell my old friend. “Then maybe we should go our separate ways until things calm down.”
“I think you’re right,” he agrees. “Now, if those damn bikers would hurry up. I’m getting hungry.”
I pick up my can of beer and finish it off. Giving it a good crunch, I toss it onto the dirt pile currently housing my nephew.
He thought he was smart. I knew he was tracking my phone’s GPS. Once I had everything in place and was positive where he was staying, I plugged my phone in to charge and left it at home.
Can’t track me if I have nothing to track, stupid boy.
It won’t be much longer, now. That man will either have the money transferred or Phoenix dies. Either way, the money is mine. It just might take a little longer to get it if he dies. So many fucking steps to go through.
My brother should have left it to me to begin with. Stupid idiots. I deserve that money for having to take care of their son.
“Hey, Steven, we got a message.”
I grab the phone and read it.
“You better fucking run. Because when I see you, I’m not holding back. I will kill you and that mother fucking uncle of his. Tell me where my man is at right the fuck now, and I’ll make your very painful death a quick one.”
“Man, I don’t think he’s bluffing,” William says. “I may be big Steven, but that man has something to fight for.”
“What exactly does he have to fight for? You’ve seen my nephew. He dresses like a whore. He probably sucks cock like one, too.”
I’m done playing games. I want my fucking money.
I hit dial on the phone and wait while it rings.
“WHERE THE FUCK IS HE?” is yelled.
“Now, now. Is that the way you should be talking to the person who holds your lover’s life in his hands?”
Silence greets me. I smile.
“He has just over an hour of air left, you know?” I say. “Maybe less than that if he’s been panicking. And we both know how he is with panic attacks.”
I wait a few seconds and am answered with silence.
“You better hurry, biker boy. Your whore is almost out of time. Transfer the money and I’ll give you his location. Better decide quickly.”
Without waiting for a response, I hang up the phone.
My nephew dies either way.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Hawk
“Do you think he suspects anything?” I ask.
“Nah,” Trigger responds. “I think he’s a stupid fuck who is about to get his hand dealt to him.”
I look around trying to spot Phoenix. Steven and William and sitting in the bed of a truck. There isn’t anything else out here.
“Do you see anything that they might have Phoenix lo
cked in?”
“I see nothing,” Bear says, quietly. “We are quite literally in the middle of Nowhere, Indianapolis.”
I’m straining my eyes trying to see if there’s an old refrigerator that they might have him in. Something airtight.
“Oh fuck,” Trigger says with more emotion than I’ve ever heard coming from him.
I look over at him and can see his face has contorted from rage to worry and back to rage before he gets himself under control and forces that shield back in place.
“What, Trig?” I ask, almost afraid of his answer.
He looks to Bear and then to me. He shakes his head.
“Man, take a look at the ground by the bed of the truck,” he says, looking back toward the two soon to be dead men.
With my heart beating in overtime, I do as he says.
Oh no!
“Please, tell me that dirt isn’t loose,” I beg. “One of you had best fucking tell me that my man isn’t buried under that pile of dirt.”
Bear rushes me and shoves my face into his neck, before tightly embracing me.
“We have time, brother,” he whispers in my ear. “Slim is so smart, Logan. He’s so fucking smart. He’ll know that we’d be looking for him. He knows about the bracelet. He’ll know what to do to give us the time we need to save him. I need you fucking straight, man. I need your head clear. I don’t see that those two are much of a threat, but a bullet doesn’t take much to end a life.”
I take a few minutes to compose myself in my brother’s arms. Call me a pussy if you want, I don’t give a fuck.
“There’s isn’t a single thing straight about me, brother,” I say, pulling myself together.
“I’ve decided that we kill them,” Trig says. “No cops and cuffs on this one, Prez. They literally buried one of ours alive. I want to watch the last of their hearts beating… In my hands.”
“You are one sick fuck, Trig,” Bear grins. “I love it. Let’s do this, men. Let’s surround them and attack from all sides.
