by K E Osborn
Shaking my head, I crawl to my knees and look out to see the ute bellowing in a ball of fire. Then it hits me. The cage exploded, that’s why I’m disorientated. I quickly turn to see Flame sheltering Jackson, who I can see is crying, but I can’t hear him over the ringing in my ears. Stumbling to my feet, I watch as Steel grabs Flame and Jackson rushing them away from the smoke and flames. Coughing slightly, I figure I need to get to the gate to see if anyone’s going to storm the joint. I move past the burning wreckage, covering my mouth with my arm as I race past, to stop from inhaling the black smoke as Mooch and Switch run forward with some fire extinguishers. Crash, Jigsaw, Jock, and Lookout are by my side, and we all pull up our guns as we approach the now completely mangled gate. It’s a shame, Gadget had done such a good job on the hi-tech thing, too.
We look down the road but don’t see anything, as we aim our weapons at nothing in particular.
“What the fuck is going on?” Jock asks.
“I have no idea,” I admit and shake my head turning back to look at the mess in the compound. “But someone’s out to hurt the club.”
“Whoever did this is gone doolally,” Jock says using his Scottishisms.
I race over to what’s left of the security panel and tap into it. I run through the last minutes before the hit, and check the footage to see a man wearing a gang vest putting the ute into position and then running off to another waiting van. Zooming in, I take a snapshot of the license plate and log the details into the system. Taking a deep breath, I turn to walk back into the compound to make sure everyone’s okay. Now I’m thanking anyone who’s listening whether it be a type of god or divine intervention that Shay wasn’t here. I don’t know what I would have done if she were.
Marching back around, I notice Steel with Flame and Jackson while Danger is holding Lunar, and everyone else is standing around looking a little lost. Meli is looking around, probably for Gator, and Irina and Marina are standing with her, trying to distract her as Gator is rushing about. I move over toward Gator and grab him as he checks on Trigger and his kids, who were here for the night.
“Gator, I checked the security footage of the perp, I got the license of the cage he hopped into and the gang vest he was wearing.”
He nods and runs his hand through his hair. “Shit, fucking gangs. I don’t know who the fuck did this, but get all the info together ready for church.”
“No worries, and Prez?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m not trying to be a cockhead, but Meli is worried, maybe just tell her you’re okay?”
He exhales and looks over at her then down to his arm where a line of blood is clearly visible. He nods and slaps my arm. “Thanks, brother.”
I walk off toward the clubroom to see Mooch, Jigsaw, Crash, and Switch moving the burnt remains of the ute into the auto shop as Trigger, Lookout, and Jock get to work fixing the gate. Steel, Gadget, Gator, and I help take all the women and children inside the clubhouse, and try to help keep everyone calm. Especially seeing as we have independents in the compound.
I step up to Lunar and shake my head. “You’re back here for an hour and look what happens?” I tease, and she rolls her eyes and shakes her head.
“I see nothing’s changed with you boys then. Still getting yourselves in trouble no doubt. You said this place was different to Virginia, Techie?” Lunar asks.
I huff. “It is, we don’t go looking for trouble here. But for some reason trouble is finding us. I have no idea what this is about, but we need to figure it out before something worse goes down.”
She nods as Danger comes up to us. “Hey babe, I think we should go. These guys need to concentrate on their club, and we’re just a distraction.”
She nods and grabs his hand smiling at me. “I’m so glad I got to see you, Techie, it’s been too long,” she says.
“Well, I have a feeling it’s going to be even longer between visits with you heading off to the states, just remember to keep in touch. You’re family, no matter what.” I lean out wrapping my arms around her body giving her a tight squeeze. She giggles against me and pulls back with a smugness.
“What?”
She chews on her bottom lip.
“Lunar!”
“Okay fine. Word is you’re seeing someone. Is that true?” she asks, and I huff and roll my eyes.
“No. Now go away and be a famous rocker’s girlfriend will you?”
She squints at me. “She must be special if you’re hiding her from the lads. I’m proud of you, Techie. Out of all the guys, I never thought you’d settle down. I hope you do, being in a relationship, it’s work, but it’s worth it.”
Smiling at her, I turn her around and slap her arse pushing her to walk off. She laughs and heads off toward Ryan, Matt, and Nate.
Glancing at Danger as he watches her walk away, I smile at him. He looks like a love sick puppy. It’s cute. “So you better take care of her. She won’t have us to fall back on in the US,” I say, and he turns to face me.
He nods. “I know, don’t worry, I plan on taking very good care of her. That little minx has worked her way into my heart, she’s crazy, and we have our moments, but she rocks my world.”
“That’s good to hear, thanks for dropping in. Sorry, we kinda blew up the place,” I say.
He laughs and shakes his head. “No, it’s fine. I’m just glad no one was hurt. The life of a biker is never dull, hey Techie?”
“Seems that way.”
He slaps my arm and nods. “See you, my friend.”
“Safe travels.”
He turns and walks off with his band and our ex-club girl in tow.
“Church brothers,” Gator calls out, and I turn and walk toward the assembly room through the swarm of people all huddled trying to recover from the explosion.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Taking my seat, I watch as my brothers all file in one by one. Some have cuts, those that were closer to the ute when it exploded being hit by debris, and others are fine, just rattled like me. Before the door closes the little pig wanders in and up to Steel. He exhales like he’s relieved to see her, and she nuzzles up to him after he picks her up to sit on his lap. I shake my head, not being able to take him seriously when he’s sitting in the VP chair with a tea cup pig, who today, is wearing an aqua unicorn outfit.
“Okay, church is in session,” Gator announces as Jigsaw closes the door and is the last to sit down. “Techie, you found some info on the gate. Can you show it to us, please.”
Nodding, I stand up walking over to the computer system and log in. Switching on the projector, it flickers lighting up the wall with what’s on the screen so my brothers can all see it. I retrieve the security feed that I saved, then play back the video. “So this is from the footage just before the hit. It’s a guy in some type of gang colours as you can see setting the ute up to collide through our gate into the compound. Then here, he gets into this cage…” I zoom in on the number plate, “…and he takes off just as the explosion hits.”
Gator sits back folding his arms over his chest and grunting like he’s overly pissed off as I show the evidence. “Techie, I need you to find out who that guy is? Where we can find him, and how he’s tied to the club? He has a beef with us, but we have no idea why. This shit needs sorting, Techie. ASAP!”
“On it, Prez!”
Gadget huffs puffing out his chest in obvious annoyance that he isn’t assigned the task, but I can’t be bothered with him right now.
“Okay, until we know more, just go be with your loved ones. Let’s get this place cleaned up, and make sure everyone is okay.”
We all nod and stand up. I walk out going to head upstairs to start my digging when Gadget steps in front of me and stops my trek. He frowns at me folding his arms over his chest in a defiant stand.
“You’re stealing my job. If you’re trying to push me out, it won’t work. Stop trying to one-up me all the time, arsehole, because I will always win.”
I huff. “You need to stop bei
ng so defensive. I’m not taking your job, just merely doing mine.”
“You’re just a patched member. You’re not a top dog in this club. You might have been at Virginia, but here, you’re just another brother. You’ll do good to remember that.”
Huffing, I shake my head. I know I’m not part of the leader group here. I was the Secretary at Virginia, but here I’m nothing and that hurts, especially because Gadget is Aldinga’s Secretary.
“Whatever Gadget,” I murmur and push past him to head upstairs. He doesn’t follow which I’m grateful for, but for the first time I feel alone. Steel has Flame, and I feel like even though this place is full of brothers I could talk to, no one really knows me like Steel does. But I know he’d be busy with Flame and Jackson. So I decide to leave him to his family.
Getting to my room, I sit on my bed and pull out my phone. I need to talk to Shay. I miss her, and I feel the need to tell her what happened before she hears it from her brother and she freaks out about me being hurt.
Me: Hey Peach, I don’t want you to freak out, but there’s been an incident at the clubhouse. A cage was used as a bomb. It got through the gates into the compound, but no one was hurt. We’re all okay. Just thought you should know we’re safe. I’m safe, Gadget is safe, and we’re cleaning the mess up now. We don’t know who it was, so please just keep an eye out, okay?
I hit send and take a deep breath as I wait for a message to come, but moments later my phone rings. I half-smile and answer it.
“Hey—”
“Oh my God, Techie. You can’t text message me something like that. Are you an idiot?” she berates, and I smile. I should frown for her calling me an idiot, but the panic in her voice is what has me smiling.
“Hey, I’m fine, I promise. Everyone’s okay.”
She exhales and is quiet for a moment like she’s taking that in. “Jesus Christ, you know how to scare a girl,” she murmurs, and my mood is somber.
Someone is out to hurt the club. That could mean they’re out to hurt the people we care about. I’m feeling mixed emotions right now. I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to Shay.
“Peach, someone is after the club, which means they can come after the people we care about—”
“So are you going back into lockdown?” she interrupts.
Huffing, I fall back onto the bed as my chest starts to ache with the thought of what I’m about to say, “No, I don’t think it’s coming to that yet, but… I don’t think I can risk someone coming after you.”
She scoffs. “No one is coming after me, Techie.”
Clenching my eyes tight, the ache in my chest intensifies. “Shay, I think we need to cool things for a bit, so you don’t get dragged into anything nasty.”
“That’s bullshit and a cop out.”
It’s getting hard to breathe, as my heart races so fast I think it might explode. “I think this is for the best, Shay. I need to stop seeing you. I can’t be around you right now.”
There’s a deathly silence, and all I can hear is the blood pumping through my ears and my rushed breathing.
“Techie you don’t mean that,” she whispers with a sniff.
Through gritted teeth, I let out a long breath. “I do, Peach… we’re done.” Wincing as I say it my chest tightens so tight, I literally gasp for air.
“Fine!” she yells down the line followed by the beeping tone of her hanging up the phone.
Clenching my eyes tight as they sting, I breathe harshly through my nose. The thought of not seeing her again does my head in, but the thought of her being alive is much better than the thought of her being hurt because of me. Sitting up with clenched fists, I storm toward my desk, but my anger is burning an insatiable heat inside me. The thought of never seeing her face again scares the shit out of me, and my clenched fist comes up and smashes into the plaster board wall. It splinters and disintegrates against the force of the punch as I groan out in frustration. Pain radiates through my knuckles as I pull my fist out of the hole in the wall to see them scuffed and bleeding slightly. But I don’t care. The pain in my knuckles is nothing compared to the pain in my chest.
Flexing my fingers to try to relieve some of the pressure as I continue to walk to my desk, numbness sweeps over me. Doing what I've done might protect Shay from whatever’s coming the club’s way, but have I now fucked up any chance of us being together again in the future? I really fucking hope not. Because once this is all over, and I know who this gang member is, what he wants with us, and that the club is safe—I want Shay back. I just hope she wants me back.
The quicker I can find out who this fucker is, the quicker I get my girl back. Sitting down, I open my computer to go in search of the mystery man. Running a facial recognition program over his image comes up with a quick match, and soon I’m finding out plenty of information on him. He really didn’t hide his tracks very well, it’s almost like he wanted to be found.
Taking a deep breath as I print out all the info, I stand up stretching my tired muscles. Grabbing the info, I walk out of my room downstairs toward the assembly room. I’m pretty sure Gator will be in there with Steel talking about their options. Using my good hand, I knock on the door lightly and wait for the customary ‘come in.’ When Gator’s voice sounds, I walk through the door to see him, Steel, and Gadget all sitting at the table talking. Strolling in, I close the door behind me and sit down next to Gadget. Steel looks over at me as I place the information on the table, and he assesses my bloody knuckles.
“Who pissed you off?” he asks.
I shrug and swallow hard. “The wall,” I murmur and start handing out the pieces of paper as Steel furrows his brows at me.
“You okay, brother?” he asks tilting his head toward me.
Stiffening, I rub my chin and exhale thinking of Shay and how hurt she must be right now. Then I see Gadget right next to me and wish he’d just punch me for hurting his sister.
“Techie?” Steel breaks me from my thoughts.
“Sorry, so the guy is Daniel Demarco from the Risen Demon Crew, they’re based not far from here in Sellicks. But they don’t live at the hangout, they just go there for crew business, they all live in general housing. I have his address, and the license plate of the car is registered to the address he lives at.”
Gator nods and Gadget grunts slightly as Steel furrows his brows and studies me intently. It’s unnerving.
“Okay, good. At least we know where this fucker is. We send in a crew to get him, bring him back here and get some answers,” Gator says, and I nod.
“Sure, who do you want to go for collection?” I ask.
“Well, there’s break and entering, so obviously you and Gadget. You two have the hi-tech tools for that. Then we need the muscle, so Jigsaw and maybe take Crash as a lookout. Take Trigger too, it can be his first official mission as a patched member,” Gator says, and I nod as Gadget huffs.
“Okay, go get him. It’s late, the darkness will help with your cover,” Gator advises.
I nod standing up alongside Gadget. He walks out quickly and I huff.
“Techie,” Steel calls out.
I turn to look at him. “Yeah?”
“You doin’ okay?” Gator looks from Steel to me.
Exhaling, I swallow hard and plaster on a fake smile. “The definition of okay is to be all right, proceeding normally, satisfactory, or under control. I do believe I have everything under control, Steel.”
He shakes his head and rolls his eyes. “Everythin’ is facts with you, isn’t it?”
“Yes, now let me go. I have a Risen Demon to catch.”
He chuckles and nods moving his hands in a shooing manner. “Off you go then, just keep your ears open.”
“With Gadget by my side, nothing could go wrong… right?” I quip, and they both groan as I walk out of the assembly room.
I wander outside to see Gadget standing with Crash, Trigger, and Jigsaw, and I nod at them walking over. “You guys ready?” I ask and they all nod.
“Yea
h, do you need anything for the break and enter?” Crash asks.
Fuck, I almost forgot.
“Shit, thanks, brother.” I rush past him toward the auto shop, pulling open the roller door, running to my cabinet of tech tools and grab my trusty pick gun, the one I’ve had since I was a young brat breaking into businesses as a lad.
Making my way back to the cage, everyone’s already inside, so I jump in the passenger seat and Gadget starts up the van. He reverses and we head off to Daniel’s house in Sellicks Beach. The drive is quiet. It’s late, we’ve all been drinking from the party, and we’re all exhausted from the explosion. It’s been a hectic night. That, plus I just broke up with my non-girlfriend seeing as we hadn’t labelled our relationship yet. It’s hard to break up when you’re not officially together, but still this hurts like a bitch. My mind isn’t on the job, and that’s not a good thing. I’m just glad Gadget is driving and not me.
He pulls up down the road and he signals for us all to jump out. I climb out and quietly close my door. We stay silent, not even having to go through a plan, having all done this in one form or another before. We know how to break and enter. We file in a single line down the street. Jigsaw in the lead, he spots the house and heads down the back. We stay out the front hiding in the bushes waiting for the signal. A cough alerts us that it’s safe to head down the back, so we continue our line and file around the back of the house. We all move toward the door, and Crash looks through the window to see if he can see anything. He shakes his head, and so I move forward with Gadget right next to me—God knows why—and I pull out my pick gun from my pocket as I kneel on the ground and insert it into the lock. Let’s just hope like fuck this guy doesn’t have an alarm.
I start to click the gun and for some reason it’s an eerily silent night. It’s got to be close to two in the morning, and there’s just no noise around here what-so-ever. So every single click of the gun is like a fucking train running through the backyard of this guy’s house.