Hunter's Treasure

by Jill Shannon

  "Listen here, girlie, you can judge me once you've walked in my shoes. Until then, shut the hell up." He turned his attention to Alex. "You got my envelope? I didn't lose three women; that's all on you. My payment should be in full." He extended his arm, flattening out his hand.

  Alex went back into the salon area, returning a few minutes later with a manila envelope containing Ethan's name. "Here's your blood money." He shoved the envelope at Ethan. "And I pray to God, we never meet again."

  "Fine by me," Ethan remarked. "I don't care who brings me my money, just as long as I get it." He tucked the money under his arm and got back on his fishing boat, tossing a set of keys at Alex. "You might need these to separate them before you store them." Alex caught the keys in his hands. "You all have a safe journey," he yelled over his shoulder as he pulled away from the Dark Horse.

  Jax almost vomited. She now understood they were supposed to stick the women in the five by three storage units that were custom installed. Until Ethan tossed the keys, Jax had thought the women would stay chained together in the salon or galley areas of the boat. Looking at Alex, she challenged him, "You aren't going to shove them in those little boxes, are you?"

  Alex didn't know what to do. After guiding the rest of the women into the salon, joining them with the others, he stood for a moment.

  "Answer me?" she shouted at him. Gaining no response, Jax ripped the keys from his hand. "There is no way I will allow you to shove them in a box. That will not be the last thing they see before we hand them over to Zapatero." With shaking hands, she started with the chains then removed the cuffs at their wrist, the whole time apologizing for their involvement. "I'm so sorry. We had no idea what we were getting into." When she was finished, all the women began rubbing their irritated wrists. "Go in the galley and eat anything you want." The women all got up at once, running for the galley.

  "Jax, what are you doing? We can't just let them have the run of the boat. What if they attack us and take over?" Alex began picking the cuffs and chains up from the floor, making his way to the galley.

  But Jax blocked his progress. "If you think I'm letting you put those chains back on those women, you don't know me very well." She stood her ground in front of him. "Now, worry about getting this boat moving. And I'll worry about the women."

  "But, Jax," was all he got out before she talked over him.

  "But nothing, Alex. We need to get the hell out of here."

  Realizing she did have another good point, he dropped the chains. "I still think they should at least be cuffed. It only takes a few to mutiny." Seeing the exasperated look on her face, he dropped the cuffs as well, saying to her as he passed her on his way to the helm, "Don't make me regret it, Jax." When he got there, he started the engine and raised the anchor. He set the Dark Horse on a chart to exit the cove and head toward open water, all the while talking out loud to himself. "How the hell does my life keep getting fucked up? I should have my own salvage company by now. But getting in bed with Carlos Zapatero screwed everything up. All I wanted to do was borrow some money, but I had to agree to his terms. He didn't want the money back. No, he has more than enough of that. He wanted me to move his drugs, and on the first shipment, my entire life fucking blew up."

  Jax had come up behind him without him hearing her. "Who are you talking to?"

  Relaxing a bit, he told her, "Myself, about how stupid I've been." Knowing the seriousness of their situation, he asked, "What the hell are we going to do now, Jax?"

  She heard the desperate cry for help in his voice and tried to reassure him, "I don't know, but whatever it is, we will do it together." She rested her hand on his shoulder.

  "Where are the women?"

  "They are making themselves comfortable." She screwed her face up in confusion and continued speaking. "It's weird; one woman asked if we were the people sent to help them? Others nodded their heads as if they were wondering the same thing. When I asked them what they were talking about, they all shut up and acted as if they hadn't heard the question."

  "Well, we wouldn't want them to be uncomfortable now, would we?" he asked her sarcastically.

  "I told you, Alex. If we can't figure a way out of this and they have to be turned over to Zapatero, they are going to be free from chains to enjoy their last hours of freedom."

  Alex resigned himself to the fact he wasn't going to win this argument, so he didn't even try.

  Viking had gotten the women safely boarded onto the Black Rose and went back to retrieve Hunter, Willow, and Luca. When everyone was back on the boat, Yankee and Viking secured the wave tender. While they had been doing that, Judge had handled the helm, hearing everything that Alex had uttered to himself.

  When Yankee returned to get the Black Rose, prepared to follow the Dark Horse, he found a smiling Judge. "What's up with you?" he questioned his president, hesitantly.

  "I think we may have caught a break with Alex and Jax. From what I just heard, they don't want to deliver the women to Carlos any more than we want them to. I will explain everything when we're all together. Where is everyone?"

  "I think Maggie is waiting for the trio to arrive, and Liam is down with the women."

  "You think Saint is going to be all right seeing his mother for the first time in years?"

  "I don't think he would have asked for her help if he wasn't ready. Let's keep an open mind, okay?" Yankee expressed to Judge.

  "No matter what happens, the club and his brothers will be there for him," Judge stated, yet in the recesses of his mind, he was praying they could resolve their differences for Saint's sake.

  Margret had been eager to see that her son was safe and sound, so she had been waiting in the salon for his return. Hearing his voice before seeing him had her standing from her chair in anticipation. It had been some time since she had laid eyes on him, and their parting had not been a pleasant one. She rubbed her hands together in the hopes of stopping them from shaking. She had been so confident and proud over the phone, but she knew the only reason he had called was that he needed her help. Not her. The trio followed Viking into the salon, so Hunter didn't see her at first. They had all been congratulating one another on a job well done. The celebrating came to a halt as they all heard Margret's heavy Irish brogue. "Hunter, my boy, are you all right?"

  Viking heard her voice and knew it was time for him to leave. He had been on the receiving end of Maggie's anger when he had picked her and Liam up at the pier. Grabbing Luca by the arm, he told him, "Let's go. Trust me; you do not want to be in her line of fire." Luca didn't argue and followed Viking to the upper deck.

  "Yes, Mother, I'm fine. What did you do to scare Viking off?" Hunter teased.

  Hesitantly approaching him, she replied, "He is your club's Sargent of Arms. Isn't one of his jobs to protect his club members? If that was the case, he should have been protecting you like Liam."

  His grin turned to a welcoming smile as he completed the few steps between them. "It's good to see you, Mother." He wrapped her into a bear hug and held her in a warm embrace.

  Willow had stopped dead in her tracks, like a deer in headlights. She was about to meet Hunter's mother. And not your normal Betty Crocker type mom. This woman ran an entire organized crime family. Yet, all Willow could see on the face of the vibrant redhead was the expression of a worried mother. She watched the tender moment between mother and son. Not wanting to break the mood, but wanting to check on the women, she cleared her throat. "If you'll excuse me. I need to go see Hailey." Her comment was directed at Hunter.

  Releasing one arm from around his mother, he moved to her side, not wanting to let go yet. "I'm sorry, Willow. Please forgive my manners. I know you want to see for yourself that she's fine. I'd like an update as well. But before you go, I'd like you to meet my mother." His attention turned to his mother. "Margret 'Maggie' Murphy, I'd like to introduce you to your future daughter-in-law." The expression on both women's faces dropped, and he explained very quickly, "When she's ready." If he wasn't mistaken, he thou
ght he heard a sigh of relief from both of them. Continuing uneasily, he went on, "Willow, this is my mother."

  His mother left his embrace, moving forward, and extending her hand. "It's not easy meeting the mother of your intended on good terms. This must be torturous."

  Willow accepted her hand and smiled a knowing smile. She then replied, "I couldn't have said it any better. It is a pleasure to meet you, but if you don't mind, I need to go see my friend."

  Maggie dropped her hand away, telling her, "Go. I would feel the same way. We will have more than enough time to get to know one another." Pointing in the direction of the stairs, she added, "You can find them in one of the rooms below. I left Liam with them. He's the closest thing we have to a medic on board."

  Willow nodded her acknowledgment. "Thank you. I'm glad he's here. Cindy really needs help. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go reassure them." She walked around his mother, to Hunter. "And thank you for everything you did to get them out."

  Taking her in his arms, he told her, "I'd do anything for you, princess." He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "If Cindy is stable, could you send Liam up? I want all the manpower we have ready. We have no idea how Alex and Jax are going to feel about us prying into their business."

  Willow gave him a thumb up and moved quickly to the stairs. When she disappeared from sight, his mother expressed to him, "I can see the attraction. She's charming, Hunter. I'm sure you'll both be very happy. However, I would still like the chance to get to know her?" Maggie had left the question hanging in hopes of a positive result from Hunter.

  "Yes, Mother, providing you keep business out of it. I think she's still a little freaked out that I'm a Celtic Demon."

  "You really think I'm going to scare her away?" Maggie asked innocently. She rested her right hand over her heart then very dramatically teased him. "She might be the only way I ever get a grandchild." She reached up and pinched his cheek. "Have no fear, my son. I will treat her like the princess you have named her."

  Before either of them could say anything further, Liam joined them. "What's up, boss?"

  Hunter gave his mother an exasperated look. "Would you please tell him not to call me that?" They both looked at him like he had two heads, eliciting a, 'Never mind,' from Hunter. Directing his question at Liam, Hunter asked, "Are the women okay?"

  "The one is banged up pretty bad, but she'll survive. The sooner we get her to a hospital, though, the better," Liam updated him.

  "First, we need to settle this little matter with Zapatero. Then we can call the Coast Guard if we need to. Right now, I'm going to get out of this wetsuit, then we need to get upstairs and find out what's happening with Alex and Jax. They are the surprise factor in all of this. They could go either way." Maggie and Liam both nodded their heads in agreement. "Hopefully, Judge has some good news for us when we get there."

  With black jeans covering his legs and his cut covering his black t-shirt, Hunter returned to the salon, where Maggie and Liam had waited for him. "Someday, I'll get you into a suit," his mother nagged at him. Ignoring her comment, he stepped back, allowing her to lead the way.

  They arrived on the upper deck as Judge was explaining what he had overheard from Alex. "So, when do we intercept them?" They all turned toward Yankee's voice. "I think we have a better chance of not being interrupted if we get out of the Sound and into open water."

  "You think he's on the level, Judge? There's no way he could have found the listening device is there?" Viking questioned.

  "There's no way he found the mic," Hunter confirmed.

  "Yeah, I think he's on the level, Viking. There was something in the way he was talking to himself that tells me it was all real."

  "So, if that's the case, we should have no trouble boarding the Dark Horse?" Liam asked.

  "I'm not saying that. We are dealing with two very desperate people. They are not going to realize we're the good guys here without a substantial amount of proof," Judge explained.

  "I think the fact that we scooped up their three missing women should say something," Hunter expressed.

  "You have a point, Saint, but they aren't going to see the women first. They are going to see an unfamiliar boat bearing down on them and may possibly panic," Judge continued.

  "What if we get Willow to talk to them? They at least know her and Luca," Yankee volunteered.

  "That might be our only option. It might keep Alex and Jax from doing something stupid until we have a chance to explain the possibility of a solution to their problem." Judge was laying out a plan as he was speaking. Once they hit open water, the Dark Horse would be looking to put distance between them and the cove. He knew the Black Rose could overtake them, but he didn't want to spook them, either. "We will need to try to contact them before they hit the ocean. This way, we aren't playing a game of cat and mouse." He turned to Hunter. "Do you think Willow can convince them?"

  Before he could answer for her, she spoke up. "Yes, she can. But you might have better luck if Luca contacts them." Learning that the pair might actually have hearts had affected her opinion of them. "They hate me as much as I thought I hated them." Everyone turned at the sound of her voice. Willow stood at the top of the stairs, wearing a dark blue pair of jeans and an off the shoulder black knitted sweater that stretched across her ample chest. Her chestnut hair was bunched into a messy bun at the top of her head, and a pair of black boots covered her feet.

  Hailey had followed Willow to the upper deck. Besides being a little underweight and dehydrated, she was holding up pretty well. Willow had given her one of Hunter's clean sweat suits. She had also explained what had led them to finding her and the other women. But Hailey hadn't really cared that they had started out not knowing what they would find. She was safe, and that was all that mattered to her. Now that she knew the rest of the women would be freed as well, it made her heart explode with joy. "I can't thank all of you enough for coming and finding us." Hailey held back the tears of relief that wanted to flow.

  "We'll get to the thank you later. Right now, we need to prepare for the unexpected," Judge interjected. Each person on the deck of the Black Rose except for Hailey, Willow, and Luca pulled a gun out and made sure it was loaded and ready to use.

  The crew of the Black Rose waited patiently for the Dark Horse to exit the cove, each one impatient to get the confrontation over with. The unknown made them a little jumpy but alert and prepared for anything. When the Dark Horse pulled out of the cove, the crew of the Black Rose was ready. It didn't take long to get to the outlet of the Sound that led to the open water of the Atlantic Ocean. Yankee kept his distance until they were in the open sea, waiting for Judge to make the call to overtake the Dark Horse. Approximately a mile from the outlet, Judge gave the command, "Now!"

  Yankee hit the throttle, and the engines of the Black Rose came alive. The distance between the two boats shortened as they gained ground on the Dark Horse.

  As they approached at a rapid speed, they heard Alex's voice question their appearance. "Jax, we might have a problem. There's a boat coming up behind very quickly."

  "Do you think it's Carlos?" They heard the fear in Jax's voice.

  "I don't know, but we can't take a chance. Get the women below."

  "Alex, I'm not putting them in those storage boxes."

  "I know, Jax, just get them out of sight."

  By the time the Black Rose pulled next to the Dark Horse, all the women had been moved below. Judge moved with Luca to the railing of the Black Rose. When they were close enough, Luca yelled over to them, "Alex, Jax, stop the boat. We know what you have on board, and we want to help." He figured he'd be as direct with them as possible.

  "Who the hell are these people?" they heard Jax ask.

  "I don't know," Alex replied, unsure what to do.

  Judge decided to sweeten the pot a little more. "We have the three women you lost in the cove."

  Alex and Jax didn't know if they should feel relieved that the women were alive or terrified becaus
e these people could ruin everything. Alex looked to Jax for advice. "What do we do?"

  "They say they want to help, and they have the other women. So, they know what we are doing. We were looking for help to get out of this. I think God just answered our prayers."

  "But what if they take all the women, leaving us nothing to deliver to Carlos?"

  "I don't care. These people want to help." She paused a moment, waiting for him to agree. "Let's at least hear what they have to say." Then she added, "You didn't listen to me about this whole fiasco. Would you please listen to me now?"

  Alex cut the engines of the Dark Horse. As the two boats aligned themselves, Viking threw a line over for Alex. Once the two boats were locked together, Viking and Liam boarded the Dark Horse. Alex held a gun in his hand as he approached them. "I would suggest you put that away," Liam informed him as he showed Alex the hardware he had strapped to his body. "We are here to help not start a war." Complying with Liam's request, Alex placed the gun on the table next to him.

  Once Viking and Liam were sure all was safe, they gave the signal. Judge and Maggie joined them on the Dark Horse. Judge approached Alex, while Maggie walked over to Viking and Liam. Once they were face to face, Judge told Alex, "As much as I want to beat the shit out of you for what you were going to do, I know you felt like you had no choice. I know you didn't know what you were picking up. I also know you're trying to get out from under Zapatero's thumb. It's a shame you didn't ask for help before doing something this stupid."

  Alex looked at Judge, totally confused. Finding his voice, he asked, "Who are you, and how do you know all this?"

  That was when Willow, Hunter, Luca, and Yankee joined the party on the Dark Horse. "Because we knew something was very wrong when you blackmailed Charlie and Julie."

  When Willow spoke up, Alex and Jax both whipped their heads around, hearing her voice. "What the fuck are you doing here?" Alex snipped at her.