by Brook Wilder
Aiden nodded and made his way for the door. He knew he had a lot of thinking to do. “Alright, I think I’m going to head out, too,” he said. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
Aiden was going crazy on the ride back home. His mind was buzzing with all those thoughts, all those attempts to reconcile an eminent victory with the possibility of death. He knew he couldn’t agree to a plot like that if it involved such a massive loss of life. But, then again, how could he predict the future? He knew Tom was brilliant, but that didn’t mean there was zero room for error. The man was a perfectionist, and he cared a lot about his men. He just didn’t think he was capable of making a mistake, and that scared Aiden. He tapped his thumbs against the steering wheel, his eyes following the road as it seemed to stretch out indefinitely. When he finally pulled over in the driveway, he spotted a plate, a bowl of some sort, on his doorstep. He walked over cautiously, his mind buzzing with the different possibilities, they were all disastrous. Did the Mercenaries leave him a little present, perhaps? He squatted down and pulled out a note from under the bowl, and it was only then that he realized someone had left him a Tupperware on his doorstep.
This is to thank you for your concern about Matty, I really appreciate it. Have a good night.
Junie.
Aiden smiled to himself and picked up the blue-lidded Tupperware and stepped inside. He opened it up and it was a bowl of warm lasagna, the creamy aroma almost making his mouth water. “I really needed that,” he whispered to himself. A part of him wondered why Junie was doing this, and if she had any motives.
All his life Aiden was taught never to trust anyone, especially after he joined the Rebel Disciples. He wondered if he was being stupid by letting this girl into his life, he wondered if she was some kind of spy. Suddenly his mind was buzzing again, but then he remembered the look of fear in Junie’s eyes when she told him about the daycare incident, how utterly terrified she was for her son. That wasn’t the look of a professional spy, that was the look of a mother. He didn’t know what it was about her that made him want to protect her, to make sure what both she and her boy stayed safe, and then he started to contemplate if he had feelings for her.
“No, don't do this to yourself,” he mumbled, shaking his head violently. This was no time to think about such things, and he knew that. Developing feelings for someone was just going to distract him. And what basis did he have to grow a connection with this woman, anyway? Just the fact that he was feeding her information, and that she was cooking him food as a thank you? It didn’t make any sense. He had to get her out of his head. He took the fork out and started playing around the lasagna, regardless, taking in its meaty scent.
“Why can’t I stop thinking about her?” he asked himself, but he knew the answer. He cared about Junie, for some strange reason that was completely foreign to him. He didn’t know if he liked her for her, or if he just wanted to protect her and her son… and weren’t they both the same thing?
CHAPTER 6
Aiden woke up determined. He was up all night thinking about his meeting with Tom, and his little encounter with that Tupperware at his doorstep. He recognized that this woman depended on him, and a part of why she did was because she knew he could take out the Mercenaries. But what she didn’t know was that he couldn’t do that alone, and he definitely couldn’t do it knowing that the lives of many men would be put out on the line. Aiden got up and walked to the kitchen. He picked up the small plastic container that had, to his surprise, held a generous amount of pasta, and he walked to the sink. As he scrubbed the Tupperware, he looked up and the first thing he saw was Matt. He was playing around in the backyard, kicking the ball to Junie and then bouncing around when she failed to catch it. Aiden thought about going out there, but then he decided against it. Suddenly he heard a loud cry, and when he looked up, his gaze went straight back to the mother-son duo.
Aiden dropped the bowl back into the sink and rushed to the door. “Is he okay?” he yelled as he marched across his patchy yard. He could see that Matt was crying, and that Junie was squatted down in front of him, trying to get him to look at her.
“Matty, Matty, why won’t you look at me?” Junie asked, her voice shaking. In the distance Aiden could hear the sound of a motorcycle, and when the driver gunned the engine, Matt jumped at the sound, and then went back to blubbering again. His intermittent cries were interrupted by airy gasps, and he wouldn’t stop until Aiden crouched down right in front of him, trying to get him to look at him.
“Hey, there, buddy,” he said, gently grabbing his tiny hands. “What’s wrong? Why won’t you look at me?” Instantly, Matt’s arms fell limp to his side, and he stared back at Aiden, his eyes swelling up with tears. “Hey, buddy,” he said again, his voice even softer this time. “Do you wanna tell me what’s bothering you?”
“The, the motorcycle sounds,” Matt pouted. “They were coming after me.”
Junie felt her heart drop to her knees. She couldn’t stand to see her son like this anymore. “He does this every time he hears a motorcycle pass by,” she said, sighing. “My heart is breaking over him, Aiden, he’s been like this since the daycare incident.”
Aiden wrapped his arms around Matt gently and pulled him close. “There, there,” he said, cradling the boy in his arms. “It’s going to be okay.” Soon enough, Matt’s cries died out, and Aiden could feel Junie’s eyes on him as he brushed a hand through the boy’s hair. “He’s going to be okay,” he mouthed to Junie. She nodded and rose to her feet, reaching her hand out to Matt.
“Come on, let’s get you to bed,” she said, already making her way back to the house. She turned around and flashed Aiden a brief glance, mouthing the words “thank you” to him as she walked away. He watched Junie as she disappeared behind closed doors, and then it dawned on him how much he cared about her and her son. He cared about them so much that he felt a sudden urge to call Tom and seal the deal, but first, he had an idea. He followed Junie to her house, and when she caught a glimpse of him on her doorstep, she walked over to the door and swung it open.
“Hey, sorry I left without saying goodbye, I just needed to tuck Matt in,” she said, seemingly distracted.
“Listen,” Aiden started. “Can I come inside?” He knew better than to talk to her about this out in the open.
“What’s up?” Junie asked, staring at him.
“We have an opportunity to take out the Mercenaries,” Aiden said after a long pause. Letting a complete outsider in on an operation like this was like playing with fire. “And I think I’m going to need your help.”
Junie didn’t say anything. She just looked at Aiden and then looked sideways, as if waiting for an explanation, and when she never got one, she folded her arms across her chest and shifted her weight to one leg. “What do you need me to do?” she asked, her head cocked to the side.
“This mission,” Aiden started, leaning forward in his seat. “It’s dangerous for our men… but it’s the only way we can come close to taking out those bastards so they never have to terrify anyone ever again.” He could feel himself getting all worked up, but he figured he had to get it together if he wanted to convince Junie with his plan. “The point is, we’re going to need a health professional, someone who could help us when or if someone gets hurt.”
“And you want that medical professional to be me?” Junie asked, almost jokingly.
“Yes.”
There was silence. “Do you realize how big of a responsibility this is for me? Aiden, I haven’t even passed my nurse exam yet,” she said, her eyes darting back and forth frantically. “And now you want me to take care of an entire group of gang members going on a mission? Do you hear yourself?”
“Hey, you’re doubting yourself, don’t doubt yourself,” Aiden said, his eyes boring into hers. “You’ve got this.”
“I wish it was that easy convincing me,” she said, her eyes dropping to the floor. “But I’m not as qualified as you think.”
Aiden let out a sigh. He knew Junie was h
is last hope; if anything were to happen to those men, there was no way they were going to get rushed to the hospital. And what would happen then? The cops would catch them right then and there. Aiden had to think of another solution, and his solution was sitting right there in front of him. She was cross-legged, and she was staring straight back at him. “Junie, you have no idea how well you handled what happened to me out there,” he said. “You’re way more talented than you think.”
“Listen, I know you need my help… but I don’t think I can handle that kind of pressure,” she said, shrugging.
“So why are you doing all of this? Why are you studying, why are you out looking for babysitters to stay with your son while you skim through thousands of pages worth of books?”
Junie froze. Deep down, she knew he was right. She knew she didn’t have nearly as enough confidence to do what Aiden wanted her to. When she thought about it, like really thought about it, she realized it was a challenge, a challenge she’d better take. Not only will she have contributed to the death of an aggressive biker gang, but she will have practiced her own craft, the thing she’s been wanting the do her whole life. But the thought intimidated her; what if they were to get caught? What if she were to get into trouble? “You’re pressuring me,” she said finally. “Why are you pressuring me?”
“I’m not,” Aiden said coldly. “I just don’t understand why you wouldn’t want to be a part of this?”
“Because they’re a fucking biker gang, Aiden! They killed my husband.”
A silence washed over the two of them like a tide.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Aiden said. His head was spinning. Not only were the gangs responsible for terrorizing Junie’s son, but they were the ones behind her husband’s death. “I really don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to be sorry,” Junie said, looking away. Suddenly she heard a thumping sound on her stairs, and when she turned around, it was Matt. “Hey, buddy,” she said, spreading her arms out to her sides. “What’s wrong?”
Matt’s eyes swelled up with tears. His face slowly shifted to a rosy red, and he let his head hang low, the beady tears dropping from his eyes like dew. “I heard a motorcycle outside,” he squealed. Instantly, Junie could feel a flame rise up inside of her. It dawned on her that she needed to do something, something to stop this. Right now was her chance, and she needed to stop being so reluctant about it.
“You know what,” she said, brushing her fingers through her son’s disheveled hair. “I’m not going to let those hooligans mess with my, or anyone else’s kid ever again.”
Aiden’s eyes lit up. “I knew you would make the right decision,” he said, his lips curving to a smile. “I really didn’t mean to pressure you… and you can take your time before you get back to me.”
“I’ve already made my decision,” Junie said, clenching her jaw. She couldn’t take any more of this. First her husband, now her son? She wasn’t having it. “Just let me in on your plan, and I’ll be there straight away.”
Aiden nodded and stared at her. He couldn’t believe how brave she was. “You know, I really admire your strength,” he said, his voice boiling down to a whisper. “You’re a single mom, and you’re facing the world all by yourself… you should be proud.”
“I am proud,” Junie said without thinking. “I just don’t want to put my son’s life at risk, God only knows what I would do to protect him.”
There was a spark in Aiden’s eyes when she said that. In his life, he had never encountered a woman so brave, so strong that she was do all of this to keep her home afloat. He admitted to himself that he admired her, and that he would never let anything bad happen to her or to Matt. He thought that, if he were to ever feel like he was putting their lives in danger, then he would back out immediately. But mostly, he knew her participation in the plan was the smart thing to do; once the Rebels take out the Mercenaries for good, this nightmare will be over, and she would never have to worry about her son again. “Alright, well, I’ll update you as soon as possible,” he said, smiling weakly. “And again, thank you so much for doing this… you’ve made the right decision.”
Junie nodded and looked away. She didn’t ask him to stay for coffee like she always did, but he didn’t mind. He knew she had a lot to think about, a lot to consider. He thought he should just give her the space she needed, but deep down, he was hoping she would get on board with their plan.
CHAPTER 7
“Hey, did I wake you?” Junie asked, peering into Aiden’s house. It was seven AM and, by the looks of it, Aiden was asleep when she rang the doorbell.
“No, no,” he said, sniffing. He rubbed his eyes and let her in, and as she passed by in front of him, he caught a whiff of her perfume, which was almost mesmerizing. “I’m awake,” he said in a groggy voice. “How are you?”
“I’m going to go along with your plan,” she said, flipping her hair to the side. She sounded awfully confident about it.
“That’s exactly the attitude I’m looking for,” Aiden said, raising an eyebrow at her. “Well, let’s not waste any time… we should probably get started.”
“Get started how?” Junie asked. “Sorry, I’m still new to this game… I still don’t know how you set up for those things.”
“That’s alright, let me just call Jon-Boy, he’s going to have to meet you first.”
“Jon-Boy?”
“He’s one of us… he’s going to sit with you, give you some pointers on what you’ll be doing,” Aiden said, taking his phone out of his pocket. He was still in his bathrobe, and it made Junie feel weird. “Hello, Jon-Boy, I’m going to need you to come right away… Junie’s here, she’s on board with our plan.”
Around thirty minutes later there was a knock at the door. A large man stood in the driveway, his arms to his sides like two poufy pastries.
“Hey, Johnny-Boy!” Aiden said. “Come on in.”
“Hello,” the man said, nodding at the two of them as he marched inside. He was so tall, Junie didn’t think he would fit in through the door. “You’re Junie?” he asked, reaching his hand out to her. She nodded and looked around for Aiden, who was standing right behind her.
“Let’s all have a seat, shall we?” he asked, gesturing to the round table in the middle of the kitchen. “But first, would you like anything to eat?” The two of them shook their heads, and Jon-Boy flashed Aiden a smirk, as if to congratulate him.
“I think we need to get a head start on this,” he said, positioning himself on the chair. It creaked under his weight, and Junie wondered if it would crack under the pressure. “Now, Junie, me and Aiden have located the place where the Mercenaries are hanging out these days… it’s a bar called The Cave, and it’s nested on top of a hill in Rosenberg forest, do you know it?”
Junie shook her head.
What have I gotten myself into? she thought to herself. She could feel herself shrinking away, shying away from all that she had promised. But it was too late. She couldn’t let herself do that. She knew she had to push through this, and if she wasn’t going to do it for her, then she had to do it for Matt. “Do we have it on maps?” she asked, taking her phone out.
“I doubt it,” Job-Boy said. “Places like these are usually unreachable by satellite… but I know exactly where it is,” he continued, leaning back in his seat. He stretched his legs out on the table, and for a second Junie could feel the chair legs crack underneath him. She ignored them and looked back at him, and she could feel the pressure building as the two of them just stared at her, as if waiting for a reaction.
“Well, what am I required to do exactly?” she asked, folding both arms across her chest.
“You’re going to have to bring your equipment with you; gauze, plaster, tweezers, suture kit,” Jon-Boy said, his bloodshot eyes fixated on hers. Junie nodded, averting her gaze to Aiden for reassurance. He gave her a thumbs up and raised his eyebrows at her, and when she nodded back at him, he flashed her a coy smirk.
“I’m prett
y sure Junie knows her shit when it comes to first aid,” he said, smiling.
“It’s not just the first aid we should be worrying about,” Jon-Boy said, his voice serious. “These men are going to get hit by stray bullets… we need to take that into account before anything,” he continued. “Junie, do you know how to take out bullets?” he asked, his forehead wrinkled.
Junie could feel the intimidation oozing from his eyes. She pursed her lips and nodded, trying to sound more sure of herself. But the truth was, she wasn’t sure of herself, not one bit. “I do,” she breathed. “I’m training to get my nurse license.”
“You’ve got a girl with ambition,” Jon-Boy said, turning to Aiden, who just smiled at him. Junie rolled her eyes in frustration. She didn’t like that guy very much, but if she was going to go through with this, she needed to put all her prejudices aside and roll with it.
“Thanks,” she said. “Now, what else do I need?”
“Have you ever pulled out a bullet before?” Jon-Boy asked. Junie shook her head.