“Okay everyone, the show is on. Get to your places and stay in hiding. If this works, it will go easy as grain through a goose. If not, you will know and get your asses down here again,” he told everyone and then turned to Terry and Charlene.
“Okay ladies, they are almost here. I have set it up so that these dumbasses are going to screw themselves. You are just a humble shop owner and her loyal employee. Red and I will be in the back and keeping an eye on things. If it looks hairy we will be there, do you trust us?” he finished. She did not have to think about it.
“Yeah I do. I don’t know why, but I do,” Terry said.
“Then so do I,” Charlene chimed in. “I trust Terry so let’s get this over with. If I have to wait to find out what is going on I am going to hurt somebody,” she finished.
“No wonder Mockingbird likes you,” Red commented and he went into the back room with Ajax as the sound of motorcycles come to her ears, and in no time there were about ten motorcycles pulling into her parking lot. Terry looked at Charlene and they both let out a breath.
“Do you have any idea what we are supposed to do?”
Terry answered her by just staring nervously.
“Me either, shit,” Charlene said quietly and Killgood with Officer Jackson came in the door.
“Well little ladies, where are they? I know Ajax and Red are around here somewhere,” Killgood said. He was looking them both over, running his eyes up and down their figures.
“I don’t know,” Terry began. “He said things were taken care of about an hour ago and left. Something about Cheryl…,” Terry lied. It was the first words that came to her mind. She felt energized and every sense was on alert.
“Little Squealer, she is out front. The chick came with me. I like her and I think I am going to keep her. When this is over I may decide to keep both of you too. I promise you I can make you scream better than any Dagger can.”
Terry felt a rush of anger but Charlene beat her to it.
“You a worthless individual, and you…you waste of a badge. Why are you here, letting this creep take my sister?” Charlene said and then launched herself at the cop. He was surprised and she got a good right to the man’s face before he was able to grab her and pin her arms to her sides while she thrashed and yelled at him. Terry sneered at Killgood. There was nothing she could do for Charlene, not yet.
“You think you are going to use me against Ajax and Red. Are you really so stupid to think those guys haven’t got you and this dirty cop figured out. You are going to be lucky to leave this place without more problems than you came with,” she said fiercely.
“Don’t worry your pretty little head about my business with the badge. We do each other favors from time to time. He has no problem helping me get rid of the Daggers, he owes me,” he told Terry.
“You ought to listen to her Killgood. You don’t have much time, but you could leave now and forget the whole thing. Or, you are going down. I’ll do you myself,” Ajax said as he walked out of the bread isle to stand next to Terry. Red came around the corner of the soda and chips lane.
“Last chance man,” Red told the Dragon leader. Killgood smiled.
“How are you going to do that? I know you must have more of your people around, then again, so do I and the Dragons outnumber the Daggers,” Killgood said. Charlene was still struggling against the cop, who was holding her and cursing softly. Terry wanted to do something for her, but couldn’t think of what. It turned out Ajax had a plan for that.
“Before I get into that I thought your buddy there should let our friend go. Otherwise it is about to go wrong for the dirty cop,” Ajax said. Jackson sneered.
“How is that scum,” the cop answered.
Terry saw a shadow behind the counter and to her surprise Mockingbird sprang out and over the counter. He brought his fist down on Jackson’s shoulder from behind and he cried out, letting go of Charlene who immediately kicked him as he dropped to one knee. Jackson started reaching for his gun but Mockingbird was a quicker draw. Charlene backed up and stood next to her protector. He put an arm around her.
“Come near this woman again and I will break you. Now give me your gun,” Mockingbird rumbled at the swearing cop while pointing a hand gun at him. Jackson slid his gun across the floor.
“That’s how dumbass. You hurt a Daggers’ friend you piss us all off. Now, I remember you had a question Killgood,” Ajax looked at Red who raised a handheld radio to his mouth.
“Do it!” he said into the device.
“Suddenly there was a roar of engines and many headlights were pointing down the hills on either side of her store. A rev of engines and the lights moved quickly down until the Dragons in the lot were now surrounded. The new arrivals, more Daggers, got off their bikes and began moving towards the Dragons. Killgood and the injured cop were shocked, and stared for a moment as the fighting began. It was clear that the Dragons were getting beat.
“If you are wondering about your other men, we already took care of them. You are now alone boys,” Ajax told Killgood and launched himself across the room without any sign he was going to move. Killgood had only turned halfway back so he got blindsided. Terry noticed then that Mockingbird had slipped out with Charlene. Good, she thought watching Ajax punch Killgood in the face twice before he was shoved back. The big man’s beard was streaked with blood and he growled, rushing Ajax. The cop was still down on one knee and stayed there, watching the fight.
Ajax blocked his punch and had one of his own stopped. Killgood got one through and Ajax staggered back, but when Killgood rushed to follow up he caught a kick in the gut that doubled him over. Then Ajax brought his fist down and Killgood couldn’t avoid it. The man was already bent over from the kick so when Ajax’s fist came down like a hammer it knocked him to the ground. Ajax stepped forward and kicked him in the ribs and then the thigh before stepping back.
“I would kill you now but there are some other folks who have an even better claim to your sorry ass’s,” he told them both with a growl. She could see the rage in Ajax’s face as he stared at the both of them.
“What the hell are you talking about Ajax?” Killgood asked. Terry noticed the cop was looking nervous on top of his pain. Mockingbird must have really hit him hard. Or Charlene was a hell of a kicker.
“I understand getting by however you can. It is a tough old world man. Except for those middle eastern arms dealers. That is going a little far,” Ajax said softly. Jackson paled and suddenly bent forward to begin throwing up. For some reason that got Ajax to start laughing and to Terry’s surprise she heard Charlene and Mockingbird from the shadows of the stock room where they had apparently been watching.
“He gets it. That is bigger than a little dealing, or even local arms sales. The FBI gets pissed over that sort of international thing coming to America. So do I, boy. What the hell were you thinking?”
Jackson just shook his head, not looking up. Killgood snarled through the blood coming out of his broken nose, holding his ribs. He was tough, Terry would give him that, if nothing else.
“You don’t know what you are talking about,” he began.
“Sure I do. I thought it weird that right after I kicked those strangers off the Heights you were suddenly interested in those caves. I didn’t think much about it, but put the word out just in case something would come of it. The reason I was not pushing you back that hard is that I have a rule. If you want to keep someone from getting something, you have to know why they want it. It is much easier that way. Imagine my surprise when I found where those two gentlemen from the Heights were from. I was even more surprised when Chainsaw got the information out of them so fast. How do you think your boys are going to react when they find out you are going to prison for that?”
Killgood snarled at him.
“It’s no big deal. People sell weapons all the time. This was just a place for them to do it and a lot of money for space rental, that’s all. What the hell are you so bent about Ajax?” he asked.
Ajax laughed again.
“You threatened my woman, you threatened the Daggers, and you were bringing people into my territory. That is more heat than I like. I found a way around it though. Especially since you admitted your stupidity boy,” Ajax said. There was a rustling in the storage room and out walked a man in a blue blazer with yellow lettering that read F.B.I. Terry felt her eyes widen in surprise. Suddenly there were sirens all around them and flashing lights coming into her parking lot. She saw the Daggers had backed off already. The fight with the Dragons had not taken long and they were being arrested.
“You know to leave my people be right?” Ajax said to the man in the windbreaker.
“Yeah I know. I got your paper work too. Not much of a patriot if you want payment,” he commented while putting cuffs on Killgood then moving over to Jackson who was crying now. Charlene began taunting the dirty cop as more F.B.I. agents began coming into the store. It was over so fast Terry was surprised and yet glad. Maybe she could have her store back now.
*****
Terry was watching the sunrise an hour after the feds had left with the Dragons. She still was not sure what all had gone on. She turned to Ajax on the bench next to her.
“I know I have not slept in twenty-four hours, so maybe I am just slow. Can you explain things to me again?” she asked her lover, or one of them anyway. Red was not there right then. Ajax laughed softly and hugged her.
“Nope you’re not slow. I just didn’t have time to explain. I asked you and Charlene to change clothes as a sort of confusion to the enemy. I wanted Killgood to think you were just straights, clean and modest civilians. I wanted to make him wonder why we were here. Anything to make him wonder about something other than what we were actually doing,” he explained.
“Then I had my people spotted throughout the hills. They took out the Dragons as they tried to sneak up on us. That way we would have the upper hand. They really are not that organized of a club. Killgood is a more bulldoze ahead kind of guy. No subtlety at all. Anyway, I found out about the arms dealers this afternoon and sent someone to talk to them. Once I learned their relationship with Killgood and Jackson it was easy. Those two dealers were on the terrorist watch list. Normally I would not make deals with cops, even for an ass like Killgood. This though is a different situation, so I had someone put in a call and…ta da. It was a done deal. I just wanted Killgood to give me enough time to kick his ass before the feds got him. He did and I am happy. How about you?” he asked with a grin. Terry smiled for him, and then ruined it with a yawn.
“I am great. Just tired. So things should be back to normal then right?” she asked.
“Yep, well as normal as it gets with Daggers around. You know you are going to have more of us around now. Yellow Girl and Kay really like you, and Mockingbird is stuck on that little bird Charlene. Too bad about her sister. That part I did not know about,” he said softer. Terry sighed.
Cheryl had been talking too, and secretly dating Killgood for several weeks and knew all about the deal he wanted to make with the arms guys. It made her an accessory so she was going to do some time in prison. Charlene was a little upset about it, but Mockingbird was helping her stay positive.
“She will be alright. She is tough,” Terry told him.
He nodded.
“So are you Tumble Darlin’. I can’t wait to see how you handle whatever is next,” he said humorously.
“What do you mean? What’s next?” she asked startled.
“We are the Daggers Tumble. There is always something next.”
THE END
Bonus Story 20/40
The Fireman’s Flame
Curtis
Curtis was dripping sweat and smeared with soot and grime. At least once a week he and his fellow firefighters looked like this. It was June in Santa Ana. Essentially, this end of the state of California was a phosphorous coated match stick. Curtis pulled off his helmet, exhaling loudly as the fire truck squealed into the station.
“Mark, easy on the brakes, man,” Curtis said, pulling down his suspenders.
Mark shrugged, chewing on the tip of a toothpick. His lips were barely visible behind the layer of soot painting his face.
“You have to fix it, man. It’s not the freaking Fast and Furious. We basically skidded past the last house,” Curtis said, shaking his head.
“But we made it, right?” Mark said, shaking debris from his thick, wavy hair.
His hair looked like it was smeared with tar. That was one reason Curtis kept his blonde hair buzzed short.
“Alright, shower and food. If Manny is late with lunch again, I’m messing with his brakes,” Mark said, slamming the door.
Curtis laughed, knowing Mark was joking, and followed him into the firehouse. Curtis had been partnered with Mark for the last eight years and they were not only partners but best friends. When they weren’t living together for forty-eight hour shifts at the Santa Ana Fire Station, they lived the bachelor life downtown.
“Yo, Curt, I got a story for you, man,” Mark said with a wicked twinkle in his eyes.
Curtis sighed, knowing the story starts with a woman and ends with said woman attempting to put a curse on Mark. Mark was not only a womanizer, he was the king of womanizers and he milked the whole I’m—a—caring—fireman angle to essentially sleep with all of the American southwest.
“What’s her name?” Curtis asked, taking off his boots, and hanging up his gear.
“Her coffee just said, ‘J’,” Mark said, staring off like he was thinking of something.
“Wait, what? Please tell me you’re joking.”
“Nope. We had a chat ‘cause she was making eyes at me. Cool girl. Really hot. She’s one of those yoga girls, but she’s sharp, man.”
“So what happened?”
“We’re going to have coffee again tomorrow.”
“You mean like a date? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you date anyone.”
Curtis laughed at the mental image of Mark holding flowers and chocolates.
“I have to. She won’t give me her number. She said she was flattered, but she didn’t know me so no dice. I mean she was sweet about it, which ‘sweet’ is rare for Cali, but she was pretty clear I wasn’t getting her number—or in her panties.”
“Wow, and you said yes? Either you are desperate or crazy.”
“Neither, man. I can’t explain it. She just has this thing about her.”
“Thing, huh? Well, the fact that you just used a complete sentence to describe her already has me interested. You usually talk about women in grunts and hand symbols.”
Mark shoved Curtis playfully and then jerked his chin towards the kitchen. Curtis nodded in agreement. Nothing like a five alarm fire to make you feel like you could die of starvation.
All of the other guys were already sitting around the tables with massive hoagie sandwiches overflowing off of plastic plates. They were all black with soot too, but the mood was clearly much lighter than it had been when they were tackling a fire. This had been Curtis’s band of brothers since he graduated high school.
In high school and even during the years after, Curtis was no different from Mark, plowing through women like the water from the fire hoses attack fires. It was just too empty and after his dad died he needed an income to take care of his mother. She took his death the hardest and if Curtis had not buckled down he was sure his mother would have just wasted away.
Thankfully, even though Curtis barely graduated high school due to his frequent absences, he passed the firefighter exam and he passed the physicals with flying colors. Curtis only wanted to do it for a few years to help his mother out with the mortgage but after he and Mark became best friends it just seemed like a perfect fit.
“Did you knuckleheads leave any food for us?” Mark yelled, patting Manny the cook on his shoulders.
“Hell no. You should have come earlier, man,” said Donte, a fellow fireman, as he shoved his sandwich in his mouth.
Curtis laughed, knowing
there was always more than enough food to go around. Manny waved at both of them as he put out fresh hot hoagie rolls on the buffet table.
“Yeah? Well if my partner here would fix the damn brakes maybe we could get to places on time,” Curtis said, popping an olive in his mouth.
“Hey, no hands on the platter,” Manny said, glaring at Curtis.
“Easy, Manny. No harm meant,” Mark teased.
Mark made two mountainous sandwiches, grabbed some chips and made a B-line to their regular table next to Donte and Brent. Curtis patted his abs, knowing he probably should not copy Mark, but his stomach rippled with hunger. He piled up his plate and plopped down at the table.
“You guys hear Mark is in love?” Curtis asked, biting into his sandwich.
“Shut up, asshole,” Mark said.
“Wait, what?” Brent asked, leaning forward on the table.
Mark rolled his eyes and dropped his sandwich on the plastic plate.
“She’s just cute. No big deal,” Mark said, stealing Brent’s bag of chips.
Mark rolled through the story, trying to look nonchalant. Curtis was not buying it. Mark did not talk about women in details. He probably talked about politics more than women, and Curtis was sure Mark did not even vote.
“So, she won’t even give you her number and you’re going out for coffee anyway? What if she’s not even there?” Donte asked.
“I’m getting coffee anyway. Plus, she’s cute. She’s smart too, man. I mean we actually had a conversation and she was funny. Girls aren’t funny,” Mark said with a little too much certainty.
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