Choo-Choo

by Amanda Anderson

  “Where are these fuckers?” Jack whispered.

  “Law and I will head down there and scope everything out.” Shad put in. “We need to make sure we can get Mrs. without getting her hurt. Then we can kill them all.”

  Choo-Choo knew the man was ruthless, but he had never seen him kill. The look in Shadow’s eyes sent a chill up Choo-Choo’s spine. He looked so cold and unfeeling that he was terrifying.

  “Cool down Shad. We need to stay clear headed.” Preach spoke as if to a spooked animal.

  Shadow met his eyes and nodded, but the hatred never left his eyes.

  Something was going on between father and son that the others weren’t privy to and that suited Choo-Choo just fine.

  He watched Shadow draw in a deep breath and nod to Lawless. They set out, silently in the night as the others waited. It seemed like forever before they heard a sound, but that sound was not what Choo-Choo had expected.

  Josie sat and played with little Amelia. She adored the child after only about five minutes. She was a delicate little thing and at seven she looked more like a child of four or five, but she had spirit.

  Josie listened as Choo-Choo’s uncle Harry talked about how Amelia had given Choo-Choo his name. She had only been about two when Choo-Choo had moved out and later hooked up with the Defenders after a fight with Valentine. Apparently Granny P. had housed the lot of them and she had liked that just fine.

  Amelia’s mother worked in the office of the repair shop Harry owned in Denver and they lived near the city, but Harry tried to visit his mother as often as he could in case she needed anything.

  Granny P huffed at his fussing, but Josie could see the pride shining in the older woman’s eyes over her son.

  Josie learned that there had been five children in the family. The oldest daughter lived in New York and had been married a few times. Valentine was the product of her first marriage and apparently a bad reminder of that which led him to live with Granny P. from an early age. Another of Granny P’s children, a son, was killed in a car accident only a few years earlier. Then there was Choo-Choo’s mother and Harry.

  Choo-Choo’s mother had apparently been as wild as the wind. She had moved away the day she’d turned eighteen. She had longed for a life with some sparkle to it and had made her way to New York with her sister. She’d fallen in with a bad crowd and found herself neck deep in trouble. She’d come home strung out and pregnant. Choo-Choo had been born a few months later. His mother had loved him to distraction, but she was still a free spirit and hungered for freedom. She spent too many nights out on the town and fell into old habits. She’d been found in a seedy motel in Denver. She’d mixed alcohol with too many pills.

  Choo-Choo had been five years old.

  Harry was the baby and had still lived at home at the time. He helped all he could, but he was too young to father two boys. He eventually went to technical school and bought his own garage where he met his wife.

  It was a happy family, in their own way anyway. Josie envied them. She longed for a family which is probably why she had turned to the club in the first place.

  She laughed at little Amelia when she said something silly and felt her heart settle in her chest for the first time in so many years. She wanted this.

  She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

  There were few things she had allowed herself to want over the years, but she wanted this. She wanted a family and she wanted to be happy.

  Josie looked up when Granny P stepped into the room.

  “Amelia grab your coat. We are going to town to get a few groceries. With all these mouths to feed I’m afraid I’m running low.”

  “Aww Granny, can’t I stay with Miss Josie?”

  Granny chewed her lip for a moment. “That’s up to your dad and Miss Josie.”

  “I wouldn’t mind watching her. Valentine is here too. Oscar too and Sniper should be here in a couple of hours. We will have fun. It has been forever since I’ve had a girl day.”

  Granny P. nodded and Harry shrugged the way fathers do.

  “Can we paint our nails Miss Josie?” Amelia bounced on her toes.

  “I don’t have any polish, but we could do our hair…”

  Granny let out a breath. “There is nail polish in my bathroom under the sink. It’s that stuff you bought last time we went to the store. Don’t make a mess with it.”

  Amelia hopped up and ran to get her things and Josie beamed.

  “Thank you for this.” It wasn’t only the promise of a girl day, but also the trust that Granny P was showing by leaving Amelia in her care.

  “You are thanking me now, but that girl will wear you out.”

  Josie hugged Granny P and then Harry before she could stop herself.

  “I will enjoy every second of it.”

  They waved their goodbyes as Harry drove away with Granny. Josie turned to find Amelia with her hands on her hips standing in front of Valentine and Oscar.

  “There is no rule that boys can’t have their nails done too.” She said in her very serious seven year old voice.

  Josie covered her grin with her hand as Valentine scowled and Oscar looked uncomfortable. She wondered just how long it would take the little spitfire to get her way.

  Fourteen

  As it turned out Oscar was a stronger man than Josie had given him credit for.

  Amelia hadn’t been able to convince him to let her do his nails, but he’d submitted to her hairstyling with little complaint. His red hair stood on end and he looked like a ginger porcupine, but he didn’t say a word as Amelia tugged and gelled until her heart was content.

  “Now then. You look like a badass.” Amelia said with a definite nod.

  Josie’s eyes widened.

  “Hush that up sprite or I’ll have to tan your backside.” Valentine grumbled and Amelia’s face fell.

  “He does though.” Amelia insisted. “Now since you don’t have hair…”

  “Back off Sprite.”

  Josie saw the exact moment when Amelia turned determined and she honestly didn’t know how to stop the train wreck that was bound to happen.

  “I don’t think it is too much to ask for you to let me do your nails. You have been gone forever after all and if Granny didn’t talk about you all the time, I wouldn’t even know you…”

  “Oh for shit’s sake.” Valentine gave in with a sigh of defeat. “I think you will owe me one after this.”

  “What do you want?” Amelia said with narrowed eyes.

  “If I let you mess with my hands, you gotta get Miss Josie to give me a kiss.”

  Valentine looked up at Josie and sent her a wink.

  Amelia plopped her fists on her hips and frowned. “No deal. She is Choo-Choo’s girl and I’ll not have you causing trouble with them cause I like her.”

  A smile tugged at Valentine’s lips. “Fair enough little firecracker. Do your worst.

  It was almost two hours before Amelia tired out. She drooped against Valentine as they finished watching a cartoon on TV.

  The house was quiet when Valentine tucked Amelia into bed in Granny P’s room. Oscar snored on the couch and Josie felt very uncomfortable being left alone with Valentine.

  “We could go up to my room and have a nap too you know. Nobody would ever know. I promise you’ll like it.”

  It seemed as if all the air was sucked out of the room as Valentine closed in on Josie.

  “I...I think not.” She said quietly.

  “I’ll never tell a soul. We could go right up there and strip off our clothes and nap. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

  “No Valentine. I’m not interested in you.”

  “Come on now baby…” His words were cut off with a grunt as blood seeped through his t-shirt. She fell to her knees to see what was happening, but he grabbed her hand. His were slick with blood and he was growing pale.

  “Get upstairs. Lock….the door...move the dresser… bathroom…call...help.”

  His words trailed off as h
e slumped to the floor.

  Josie looked up at the window and saw a hole. It took her mind a few too many seconds to realize what had happened. Valentine had been shot! She heard the front door splinter and Oscar cry out in pain. She rushed to the bedroom door and looked out. Poole stood in the doorway wearing a grin that could have frozen the sun.

  Josie backed up before he could see her. She heard voices outside the window just before it shattered. Her mind snapped and everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

  She grabbed Amelia and ran. She knew she couldn’t think or she would lose her nerve. She ran with all her might to the stairs. She felt a searing pain in her thigh, but she refused to slow. She had almost made it to the top when something grabbed her leg. She fell to her side to shield Amelia.

  “Run baby. Hide in Choo-Choo’s room. I’ll be right there.”

  She pushed Amelia further up the stairs as Poole tugged at her. Josie exploded with all the pent up anger that had built up inside her for so long. She used her free foot to kick out. It met Poole’s nose. He roared in pain and his grip loosened. That was all she needed. She bolted up the stairs. Something was wrong with her leg, but she didn’t stop to look. Something crashed behind her, but she didn’t look back. She slammed Choo-Choo’s door and turned the simple lock, but she knew it wouldn’t keep anyone out for long. She lunged for the bed where she had stored the knife Lawless had given her under her pillow, but she barely made it three steps before Poole was on her. He threw her to the bed and slapped her with a force that made her head swim. She fought the inky darkness that threatened to pull her under and forced her hands up to fight him.

  “You stupid bitch! You broke my fucking nose. If I didn’t have to keep you alive I’d break your stupid neck.”

  He forced one of her hands above her head and tied it with something coarse that bit into her skin. She fought it. The burning only made her more determined to get away. He tried to capture her other hand, but she forced it under her pillow. Her hand closed around the cool handle of the knife and she tugged it out of its sheath. With one arch the blade slid across Poole’s throat as easily as a knife through hot butter. He gasped and grabbed his throat. Blood poured over his hand and squirted into Josie’s eyes. She kicked and wiggled until he fell to his side. It took only one whack of the blade to free her hand its bindings and she struggled out of bed. She grabbed the phone, but her hands were covered in hot, sticky blood and it slipped from her hands. She heard shouts from downstairs and rushed to the door. She slammed it again and shoved the heavy dresser in front of it the way Valentine had told her to.

  She tried to keep her voice calm, but it shook with fear. “Amelia? Honey are you in here?” She had to protect that child.

  “I’m here Miss Josie.” The girl spoke from inside the bathroom.

  Josie rushed to her.

  “Baby I need you to climb into the tub and stay really quiet, no matter what, ok?”

  Amelia looked pale and scared, but she nodded and did as she was told. Josie pressed the lock and closed the door. She stood outside the bathroom door with the knife in her hands. She might die, but she would kill to keep that child safe.

  There was a pounding at the door. The dresser crashed to the floor.

  This was it.

  Fifteen

  “Oh thank God.” Preach said as Mrs. limped into view. He rushed to her and pulled her into his arms. “Are you alright? Did they hurt you?”

  “Not really. They just tied me up and tried to scare me.” She let out a shaky breath. “It worked.”

  “Nobody’s here.” Shadow spoke low. “We took out the half dozen prospects that were left to watch the place and left the women alone.”

  “Where the fuck are they?” Jack spat.

  “I don’t like this shit.” Law frowned. “Found some papers on your girl in there Choo-Choo. Looks like she gets some money in a couple weeks when she turns twenty-one. Looks like Poole plans to cash in.”

  “Fuck. This was just a diversion.” Choo- Choo felt it in his gut. “We need to get the fuck back there.”

  Law nodded once and pulled out his phone.

  Mrs. was bundled up and carried back to the waiting vans. Preach wouldn’t let her out of his sight and he had vengeance in his eyes.

  “They die.” He spoke to Shadow. “All of them. They fucking die for this shit. I know what you can fucking do. You do it. You do it for your family.”

  Choo-Choo watched Shadow close his eyes and clench his jaw. They had all watched the man sipping slowly into madness with each new kill. It was eating at him. Law stepped up beside the dark-haired man that so many feared and spoke low. He motioned for Gator to join them and they spoke in hushed voices for a few beats. When Shadow lifted his tortured eyes they were filled with gratitude. He nodded.

  Choo-Choo felt pride in that moment. They were brothers. They helped each other, shouldered each other’s burdens. That was what he had been looking for when he’d signed on with the Defenders. They would hold each other together and they would protect their own.

  It was time for him to protect what was his too. Time to become a man that his brothers would trust.

  Frog stepped into the room with Eddie. They looked to the bed and hate rolled off of them when they saw their fallen brother.

  “You bitch. Poole wanted to keep you alive. Said he had a way to make a pile of money off you, but I think you’re too much trouble.” Eddie took a step toward her and Frog matched it.

  Josie kept the knife gripped tightly. She held it tight behind her back so they would think she was harmless. She hoped it would buy her time. Sniper should be there anytime. She just had to wait.

  “I think I’ll Just fuck you one more time and then let Frog have you before we cut you up.”

  He took another step and Josie’s heart sped up. Blood was oozing into her eyes along with sweat, but she didn’t dare wipe it.

  “That little piece of ass you’re protecting will take your place just fine.”

  Josie clenched her jaw. She wouldn’t be baited into attacking too soon.

  “Tight little pussy all for me. She won’t know anything but my cock from now on. Might keep you alive long enough to watch.” He reached down and rubbed at the bulge in his pants.

  He was a disgusting creature. She had no idea how she’d stood to ever let him touch her.

  “I’ll get to watch her tits grow in all for me. I’ll get to pop that young little cherry and have her full of my seed and popping out my babies before she’s old enough to drive.”

  She could see by the light in his eyes that he was getting excited, the sick animal. She felt bile rising in the throat. She had been sixteen when he had taken her to his bed. He had watched her grow the way he talked about Amelia. She had given him his sick fantasy.

  He took another step closer and lunged. Her disgust had distracted her, but she managed to pull the knife from behind her and slice his chest. He cursed and slapped out at her catching her in the chest. She fell to the side with a cry of anguish as she landed heavily on her. She scrambled to try to regain her grip on the knife but her hands were slick with sweat and blood. She used the flat of her hand to hit him in the nose. He cursed, but unlike Poole, he didn’t loosen his hold on her. He lifted her up and slammed her head against the floor. Then again and again until her head swam. Then he stood and kicked her until the pain was too much to bear.

  He stepped away and kicked open the bathroom door.

  Frog pulled her legs until she was lying flat on the floor. She heard the rip of his zipper, but couldn’t force her eyes to open. She felt his hands on her body, but nothing could penetrate the darkness that had swallowed her.

  Nothing until she heard Amelia scream.

  Sixteen

  Choo-Choo felt real fear when the pulled up to the house a few hours later. Spec had gotten them on a plane which had saved time, but not enough. He had spoken to Sniper and knew the mess they would walk into, the terror and heartbreak.

  He
stepped through the ruined door of his childhood home and heard Granny P’s strong voice. Her strength gave him strength enough to move.

  There was a blood soaked sheet draped over the couch. He could see Oscar’s red hair sticking out of the top and knew the prospect was dead. There was blood splattered on the wall and a man he didn’t know stared up at him with empty eyes. There was another man lying near the stairs and blood splatters over the carpet that led upstairs.

  Choo-Choo wondered if any of it belonged to Josie. He turned when he heard a groan and stepped into his Granny’s bedroom. Valentine lay sprawled on the bed, his face pinched with pain as Granny pressed a towel to his chest.

  “Stop being such a baby. It’s not that bad.”

  She said the words, but Choo-Choo could see the fear painted on her face.

  “Hey Choo-Choo, up here man.” Gator spoke from the top of the stairs.

  He ran up the stairs and skidded to a stop at his door. His dresser lay on the floor and his door hung at an odd angle, but that’s not what stopped his heart. There were three men lying on the floor of his bedroom, all dead and Josie stood, covered in blood guarding the bathroom door with glassy eyes.

  “Baby, God, baby are you hurt?” He started to rush to her, but Sniper stopped him.

  “Careful man. She will gut you. She hacked these fuckers to pieces. Careful.”

  “Shit.” This was his fault, he never should have left her. “Baby, look at me now. You know I won’t hurt you. Let me make sure you’re alright.”

  “No. I’m fine. Stay back.” Josie sounded strange.

  “What’s she protecting?” He asked Sniper who shrugged.

  Then he heard a little voice and he choked.

  “It’s ok now Miss Josie. We are safe now. See Choo-Choo will keep us safe.” Her little voice cracked. “I want my daddy.”

  Harry charged into the room and fell to his knees. “Oh thank God you’re alright. I thought you’d run out to the playhouse to hide. I’ve searched everywhere for you. Are you alright baby?”