Rebel's Cut

by Addison Kline

  "Where's Trey?" Ryan asked as he gave a suspicious gaze back at his brother, Levi.

  Levi, smirking wildly at his brother's question, motioned his thumb over his shoulder towards the garage. "Inside," he said between swigs of his beer. "Told him to sweep up..."

  "And he listened?" Ryan asked, looking absolutely stunned that his brother had managed to get out of cleaning the garage again.

  "Ain't that your job?" Samantha asked her brother, knowing damn well it was his job, because she signed his paychecks every week. She cast him a grilling gaze, as the arch of her eyebrow intensified by the second.

  Levi, giving his sister a most charming smirk, winked at her and replied, "I outsourced it."

  "Shouldn't someone be keepin' an eye on him?" Ryan asked.

  "Eh," Levi replied. "He's harmless." He waved off Ryan's suggestion with a quick sweep of his left hand.

  "Ok. Forgive me for being a complete and total fuckin' dumbass..." Walker began as he tossed an empty beer can over his shoulder. It hit the can with a metallic clunk. "But who in the monkey fuck is Trey?!"

  Sam laughed at Walker. He sure had a way with words.

  "Prospect," Ryan admitted.

  "One of Cedro's fine new recruits..." Levi added. "I think he's hoping to replace us with him."

  Ryan had an incredulous look on his face. "Replace! I can't be replaced. Often imitated, never duplicated."

  "Ok. Color me confused. What the fuck's the kid doing here?" Walker asked. "You tryin' to flip him?"

  "Damn right we're gonna flip him!" Ryan insisted passionately. "We need a man on the inside."

  "The inside of what?" Jake asked as he took a seat and a cold beer from the cooler. "I have it on good authority that the MC's days in Clayton are numbered."

  "That may be," Levi chimed in. "But it wouldn't hurt to gather some intel."

  Samantha rolled her eyes at her brothers. "Actually, the kid is here because Cedro's car is all kinds of jacked up... Meanwhile Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Duh over here are paying good cop, bad cop with a kid that's barely out of puberty."

  "We got all the intel we need..." Walker said firmly. "Tug's blood is on Cedro and Aldo's hands. Pretty sure that fuck Viper had a share in that, too."

  "But I will admit," Samantha added. "It wouldn't hurt to fill this kid in on a lil history... if you get my drift."

  ***

  Trey finished sweeping up the garage and placed the broom against the wall. Being one of a curious nature, he began looking at all of the framed pictures on the wall of the garage. Some were of the original owner and his crew members. Others were more recent, showing Sam, Levi, Ryan gathered by their friends in the lot behind the garage. Trey recognized one of the guys in the photo as Rebel Reed. He recalled seeing pictures of him in Cedro's office at the Renegade Riders clubhouse. While he had heard stories about him, he hadn't met him personally. What he did understand about the President's son was that he was a wanted man, and there was bad blood between him and the rest of the charter. Trey wondered how well the folks at the garage knew him, and what their relationship was. From what Trey gathered, Rebel was a bad seed... But then again, the rest of the Renegade Riders were no boy scouts either. He had always sensed that there was a feeling of fear and hatred that bubbled up amongst the men whenever Rebel's name was mentioned. Maybe, if men like them hated and feared Rebel, it was for good reason. As a prospect of the Renegades club, Trey witnessed and heard a lot of information, and one thing he learned early on, is that with the Renegades, their loyalty only went so far. They were opportunists. You could count on their complete and total loyalty to a cause, as long as it was beneficial to their bottom line. The very moment that a project or situation wasn't lining their pockets or earning them some sort of advantage, you were dead in the water. Don't bother screaming for help, your pleas will fall on deaf ears.

  He heard the way the men dogged each other, telling lies and manipulating others to get their way. But one thing all the Renegades seemed to agree with was that Rebel Reed was a dangerous and calculating man. He also happened to be the club's Public Enemy #1 - their own Vice President. Trey shook his head. He couldn't understand how family and friends could turn on each other like that. While Trey had expressed interest in joining the MC for the fellowship and brotherhood the charter could provide, he was soon realizing that perhaps he was in the market for a high caliber of company.

  Trey's eyes lingered upon another photograph that caused him great pause. Rebel Reed stood before the original Renegade Rider's clubhouse in his cut. He was flanked by Levi and Ryan, also in their black leather cuts. Samantha sat on a vintage Indian motorcycle in the background smiling, dressed all in black. They used to be part of the charter, too, Trey thought. I wonder what happened?

  “Hey kid…” Levi called out from behind him.

  Trey, startled by Levi’s sudden presence, jumped a little.

  “Sorry,” Levi added. “Didn’t mean to scare you, kid.”

  “It’s cool. I mean – I wasn’t scared or nothin’…” Trey said, stammering over his own words.

  “Find anything interesting there?” Levi asked, giving the kid a knowing look.

  “I – uh… I guess… Well…”

  “Spit it out, kid…” Levi pressed.

  “I didn’t realized y’all were part of the Renegades…”

  “Oh yeah… Til just recently.”

  “What happened?” Trey asked, looking up at Levi with an innocent expression on his face.

  Jesus, thought Levi. This kid is in way over his head.

  “Well… some of my friends got hurt… and sometimes you have to make a tough decision and walk away.”

  “Who got hurt?” the kid asked, his eyes growing wide with fear.

  “What do you know about Tug Hanson?”

  Trey gulped.

  “They told me not to tell.”

  “You can tell me.”

  “I probably shouldn’t…” Trey said worriedly.

  “Don’t worry ‘bout it, kid… I know it was Aldo who pulled the trigger.”

  Trey’s eyes went wide with shock. “How… How do you know….”

  Levi shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not as dumb as I look, kid. Tug expressed some concerns with me the day before it happened.”

  Trey looked genuinely surprised by Levi’s admission.

  “You’re Rebel’s friend?” Trey asked.

  “I am. We all are. He’s part of the reason I left in the first place,” Levi replied, giving the kid an honest answer. “We’re like family ‘round here. We protect each other accordingly.”

  “They talk about him a lot…” Trey admitted.

  “That don’t surprise me one bit…” Levi added. “Rebel is something of a legend around here.”

  “How come?”

  Seeing the expression on Trey’s face and the honesty in his eyes, Levi thought, Jesus. This kid really doesn’t know.

  “Do you remember hearing about the fire at the old clubhouse?” Levi asked.

  “Oh yeah…” Trey admitted. “They were pretty pissed about that.”

  “Well it was Rebel that firebombed it…”

  “Why’d he do that?!”

  Levi smirked. He remembered Rebel’s reaction to Cedro’s betrayal all too well.

  “Well, he was a little pissed off… You see, his father, Cedro betrayed him. As did most of our brothers in the club. Aldo, Viper, Snake… the list goes on and on. And anyone that didn’t side with Cedro in the fall out, we were told leave or die. Eventually, me, Ryan, Walker, Jake… all of us… we cut ties. We were considered deserters. One who didn’t, one who tried to stick it out… that was Tug. He was murdered for his loyalty to Rebel.”

  “What the hell have I gotten myself into…” the kid said out loud as he slumped back against the wall.

  Levi slapped the kid on his shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. You’re not patched in yet… and if you run into any trouble, you have friends that have your back. First, though, I’m go
nna need you to fill me in.”

  Trey looked genuinely relieved by Levi’s words. “What do you need to know?”

  “Everything. Tell me what we’re up against,” Levi pleaded.

  “I can do that…” Trey said. “I won’t know everything though. I’m just a prospect.”

  “That’s ok, kid. Just tell me what you know… We’ll keep an eye out for you… I just ask, if the time comes that we need an ally, that you’ll do the same for us.”

  The two locked eyes and exchanged a heavy glance. After a moment of reflection, Trey nodded his head, and held his hand out for Levi to shake. Without further ado, Levi shook it firmly giving the kid a kind smile. Their exchange was a promise, an agreement of loyalty, and Levi didn’t intend upon breaking his promise. He knew all too well how it felt to be crushed under the weight of Cedro Reed’s insurmountable control and inevitable rage. When the shit hit the fan, this time they would be ready.

  ***

  As the bonfire raged on, and the conversation around it continued, an uninvited group of visitors approached the front gate of the lot. Letting themselves in, several Renegade Riders crossed onto Sam Braun’s private property with their President Cedro Reed right on their tails. Just behind him, was none other than Kayla Jordan.

  “A little birdie tells me that my son is in town!” Cedro calls out in a raspy voice. He did his best to sound happy, but that was not an emotion that was very familiar to his heart.

  Cedro glared at the group of people that surrounded the bonfire heatedly, but they did not respond. In fact, no one even looked his way. They all just kept talking and minding their own business. His eyes became shrewd as he glared at the back of Ryan Braun’s head.

  “Where can I find Rebel Reed!” Cedro’s voice called out in a booming voice. But again, no one responded.

  The individuals he was addressing had made a pact. Do not engage, and do not respond to invitations that would only provoke violence. They did not want to play into his hand. They did not want to be enticed by him into a drama of his own creating. And in Cedro Reed’s sagas, he played for keepings – collecting souls and wealth, as one would collect stamps and coins.

  When still no one responded, Cedro stepped forward, approaching the open door of the garage.

  “Where can I find Rebel-“ he began to say, but he wouldn’t have the opportunity to finish.

  Racking her shot gun, Samantha pointed her Winchester 1873 rifle in between Cedro’s eyes.

  “Get the fuck off my property…” Samantha barked.

  “I’m only looking for my son…” Cedro explained calmly.

  “You’re lookin for a death wish coming onto my property at night! Now get gone!”

  “Where is Rebel?”

  “Damned if I know! If you see that son of a bitch, you tell him he could at least answer my letters!”

  It was a bluff, but it was a good one, because Cedro bought it. She wasn’t about to let him go unscathed though. Not after what he did.

  Shooting a round just over his left shoulder, Samantha effectively scared him off, the loud blast of the gun echoing in his ears.

  “Don’t come ‘round here again. Next time you trespass on me, I’ll be burying you in my back yard.”

  “We’ll see about that…” Cedro said as he skulked off. “You ain’t seen the last of me.”

  Rebel Reed parked his bike behind Sam’s Garage and he crossed through the gravel yard on foot. He could hear familiar voices from the opposite side of the building, and despite his efforts to keep a straight face, a smile began growing from the corners of his mouth.

  “Well say it ain’t so! Rebel fuckin’ Reed!” Ryan called out.

  Levi and Walker peered up at the sound of Ryan’s voice and gave Rebel a pair of broad smiles.

  “Holy shit, am I seeing a ghost?!” Walker cried out.

  Levi walked up to Rebel and greeted him with a hard slap on the shoulder. “God damn, it’s good to see you.”

  “Likewise, brother,” Rebel replied. “Been too fuckin’ long.”

  Rebel continued to greet all of his friends as the weight that had been on his shoulders for the past year subsided. He went Nomad to send a message to the charter, not to his friends. As much as he loved the open road, Rebel loved his friends more.

  I’m just here for a visit, Rebel reminded himself. But try as he might to convince himself, he knew that when he saw her face, there would be no turning back.

  After months and months of phone calls, texts, and letters, he was finally ready to see Samantha, face to face. He needed time to heal. He needed time to get his mind right. Through it all, Samantha was there to support him. Through it all, Samantha listened to his troubles, spared him the advice when he didn’t want it, and kept every last one of his secrets.

  I know a good woman when I see one, Rebel thought. Look for the woman who treats you like a king without the promise of money, gifts or even time. Samantha Braun was not the type of woman that chased any man… but for Rebel Reed? Now that’s another story entirely. For Rebel, she’d take a bullet. For Rebel, she’d lay down her mortality. Rebel Reed wasn’t just any man, though. Not to her, at least. She was loyal. She was fervent in her dedication. Samantha Braun was the living, breathing definition of a ride or die. She was more than willing to live up to her role.

  As the guys talked Rebel’s ear off, his eyes wandered around the yard. Cutting off Walker mid-sentence, Rebel asked a question in a most urgent voice.

  “Where is Samantha?”

  Ryan, with a knowing look on his face, allowed his smirk to grow into a full smile.

  “She’s inside working on your old man’s car.”

  Was the old man getting soft in his old age? Cedro knew all too well where Samantha’s allegiances lay. But then again, you couldn’t find a better mechanic in a one hundred mile radius.

  Breaking himself from his thoughts, Rebel excused himself from the company of his friends, and went into the garage to find Samantha. He recognized his father’s car immediately, as well as the beat-up pair of Doc Martens that stuck out from underneath it.

  Rebel didn’t say anything as he approached the car. Slowly, he reached down and placed a hand on each of her ankles. Gently he caressed the little patch of exposed skin between Samantha’s boot and her pant leg.

  Rebel

  She knew exactly who it was before she even saw his face. Laying on her dolly, under Cedro’s car, covered in grease, Samantha had never felt more alive before. Her breath hitched as he pulled her out from underneath the car.

  “Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes, Lucky…” Rebel said as he admired the view from up top. He called her by her old nickname.

  She smiled broadly at him, so happy to see that he had returned. Rebel gave her an expectant gaze, as he bit gently on his lower lip.

  “What are you waiting for… Get down here…” Samantha urged as she reached up for his t-shirt.

  Taking Rebel off guard, he laughed a little as Samantha pulled him down to his knees. He straddled her legs as Samantha pulled him closer to her. Hardly caring about the grease and oil that covered her face and hands, Samantha pulled him in for a kiss, throwing all caution to the wind. As their tongues swept across one another, they were both reminded of what they were working towards. Suddenly, a year’s worth of troubles fell at their feet. Suddenly, all that they had been worrying about became minute. Rebel thought he had a plan figured out. In a moment flat, Samantha changed his plans to a “We’ll see,” instead of a definitive, “I’ve gotta go.”

  “I’m so glad you’re here,” Samantha said in a whisper.

  “I’m here, Samantha,” Rebel whispered back as he stroked her back with a gentle rub of his coarse hand.

  “C’mon. Let’s go join the others around the fire. His car can wait.”

  ***

  The noise level in the yard of Sam’s Garage intensified as the sky become dark. Creating a circle around the bonfire, Walker, Levi, Trey, Ryan, Jake, Sam and Rebel caught
up. Walker had fired up the grill and served up some mean barbecue chicken and ribs, while Levi passed out cold beers to everyone. Even Trey had one, even though no one was one hundred percent sure if he was old enough to drink legally. At first, when Rebel had spotted the kid, he was unsure whether or not he could trust Trey, but then when Levi filled him in on their agreement, Rebel relaxed. Rebel recognized that the kid looked scared and out of place, he hadn’t realized that Levi had already taken him under his wing.

  Rebel had caught everyone up on what had occurred while he was on the road. Then everyone caught Rebel up on what had gone down in the Renegade Riders MC since he had left. Rebel learned that there was a huge reorganization going on in the charter, because they were losing members left and right. Some abandoned the MC, others were killed from within.

  “So what’s your plan?” Ryan asked as he cast his long time friend a shrewd glance from over the bonfire.

  A spark of excitement grew in Rebel’s eyes as he glanced back, a smile tugging at his mouth.

  “I’ll lay it all out for you tomorrow morning. Is everyone on board?” Rebel asked as he looked into the faces of each of the individuals he called family. As they all nodded, Rebel then looked into the face of Trey, too.

  “I may need to ask a favor of you… and I need to know you’re with me.”

  “What is it?” Trey asked.

  “I can’t tell you, but I’ll show you. But first, I need to know that you’ll help if we need you to.”

  Trey gave a nervous look over at Levi, but after a reassuring nod from his new friend, Trey agreed to assist Rebel in any way that he could.

  ***

  After the fire went out, and all the other guys went home, Sam and Rebel remained together outside of the garage as the remaining flames of the bonfire raged on.

  “Stay with me,” Samantha urged as she tugged on Rebel’s jacket. “You don’t have to go on the road. We’re family, Rebel. You don’t have to go anywhere. You don’t need the Renegades. We’re your club. We’re your people.”