MC: LaPonte

by L. Ann Marie

  "She told me the Little Brothers are watching out for her. They stayed with her during morning recess. Darren set it up with Chad and Brandon. I thought it was cute at first. When I started thinking about it I think it's a great idea. With someone always with or watching them they're a whole lot safer." She smiles.

  I smile. "They hashed out the plan last night. I was amazed with the way they figured out how to cover each other. It was a fuckin good plan too."

  She laughs. "It's a good plan, Lily told me just in case so I would know who she is with. I'm glad they have Little Brothers to count on."

  I nod and knock on Jess' door. She looks up with a smile. "Hi my favorite brother."

  "Hi Jess, I know you have a meeting. Do you have a couple of minutes to tell me what you're looking for?"

  "I have about five." It takes her about five to tell me what she wants.

  I grab some paper from the roll and start drawing it out. Asking Mary what her table needs and how big it needs to be, I get the drawing finished. I roll some more paper out and draw another with shelving and rolling racks on the side and the work table shifted over leaving room for Mary's table at the side wall. I tape them to the wall letting Mary know so Jess can look at them. She loves the one with the shelving.

  Casper calls as I'm leaving with a fresh coffee. Walking into Security I notice that while it's not packed like yesterday it's busy. Casper's not in his office so I go to Steve's with no luck. Turning around I decide I'll go to the Brother who can see everything. Digs tells me they're in the second floor meeting room. "Fuck, I need fuckin GPS to find them." He laughs telling me it can be arraigned.

  Walking in I'm not noticed right away. Geek is talking to Ben, Steve and Casper. Bikes and two trucks are moving up 95. There's a van behind them but no one knows if it's with them. "Is it the one percenters?" They look at me.

  "Transport driver thought so. We won't be sure until Bob calls us back. He peeled from his detail to double back and see." Geek tells me.

  "How far out are they?" I look at the time. Schools out in twenty minutes.

  "Fifteen." Ben says. Fuck. He answers his phone and nods to Steve.

  Steve looks at Casper. "Vests and weapons on everyone, open the safe room. Geek, get a text to all Brothers." He looks at me. "Go with Casper get what you need. You're on a bike up to the school; I'll have it waiting outside by loading. Keep the kids in a room until Security gets to you." The power goes out. "Fuck! Move people, the generators will kick in on the MC buildings."

  I run to the safe room undressing enough to get the vest on, I look for my gun. So fuckin happy I left this one here, I load it and I grab a holster and a spare with extra clips. I'm running down to the loading area stuffing clips in my pockets so I can grab them easy. Three bikes are waiting when I hit the door. A military guy hands me a hat and helmet. I jump on the bike and lay it out. Hitting Main Road I see trucks and bikes everywhere. In front of me a biker with the rival cut takes aim. Fuck I slow and pull my gun. He hits the ground, I weave around and aim at the next, he goes down.

  Someone pulls up on my right; I turn my head and gun at the same time seeing Casper. A bike is coming out the cross road on Casper's side. I lean forward and shoot. Casper jumps and looks over at me. Relaxing my gun hand I speed up and turn for the school. Casper stays on my right. Fuckin bikes are heading away from the school Casper takes out the first bike. I hit the next and speed up. The third is shooting every fuckin where. I aim and hit him passing as he slides across the road. Someone's shooting behind me but I don't stop to look.

  I see the school and aim the bike for it laying it flat out. Pulling to the front I jump off running for the door. Alarms are going off, the halls are fuckin dark and pandemonium. Teachers are moving kids to the gym.

  A Little Brother runs to me yelling. I pull him into a room. "Jessie, Darren and the twins got put in a green van, Little Ben climbed in with them. He said to wait for a Big Brother and tell." Fuck!

  "Good Job little Brother. Get to the gym. Cover the rest of the Little Brothers." He runs, I call Steve giving him the information. Running against the kids I get back to the bike. Casper is reading his phone. "Looking for a green van."

  "They're headed for Pres' house." Casper tells me. I get on the bike and fly down the road. Fuckin one percenters are covering the road. I run like I'm hitting balloons. I have no fuckin clue if my aim is right. Casper is keeping me clear on the right.

  We make the turn and a truck is across the road. They open fire, fuck. I turn into an alley and lay it out until I get to the end turning I stop behind a building and reload. Casper comes up behind me. He reloads and checks his phone. I look at mine. Little Ben texts me they are safe. I show Casper and call Steve. "Little Ben texted they're safe. Where the fuck are they?"

  "Geek shows Pres' house. We can't get through. The generator is on, cameras show the van but we didn't see the kids. There are three bikes with them. Clear the way, I got two bikes a truck and Tiny headed your way."

  I tell Casper and turn around. Keeping my spare gun in my hand I lay it out again. Coming around the corner we turn right for the truck shooting like it’s a fuckin video game. We hit everything in our way. Bikes are coming up on us from the back Casper yells at me to keep going. I switch guns then lay it out.

  Fuckin Pres lives on an island looking peninsula. I drop the bike at the tree line and run down the property line to the back. Crossing over I get to the side of the garage. The van and two bikes are here. I can hear bikes and gun shots in the distance. Poking my head around I pull back and take a breath. Gun ready I step out and shoot. Ducking behind Pres' old truck I wait. They'll be out fuckin quick now. My whole body is firing on adrenaline I breathe deep. Letting it out I hear footsteps moving fast coming toward the driveway from the front. When the guy pulls his gun I move causing him to look back as his hand raises I shoot. I hear the guys in the house. I turn toward the door and feel the bullet hit my arm. I raise and shoot. The bikes are moving closer. Fuck. There still one here and a bike. Shooting at the drive draws my attention when I look I hear the house door close and I duck. Fuck. I run to the side of the house and wait. The guy is yelling for his VP. No one answers. I know as soon as I move the fuckin guy is going to tag me. Bikes are moving on the driveway. I hear the van door and step out aiming for the tires. I get the two front and see Casper closing in on the back. I'm hit in the back and fall forward my breath whooshes out, my face hits the cement. Fuck. I fuckin knew it. Casper is still shooting. Someone falls behind me. I try pulling in breath, getting on my knees my fuckin back feels like a solid piece of wood. I can't seem to bend or bow it. I can't get up and can't go back down.

  Bob pulls me up. "You ok Brother?" I nod trying to move my back to stop the pain. "Geek said that was the last here. He's not finding the kids though. The safe room hasn't been opened. They show here on the GPS." He looks around.

  Safe room. Fuckin smart kids. "I know where they are." I walk to Jessie's shed holding my arm that's burning like hell and stepping gently so my back doesn't give out. Pulling the roll door my fucking back radiates pain. I can see enough to pull the block on the right. The wall opens and my fuckin kids, Little Ben and Jessie are there with smiles. I fall on my knees and thank them while hugging them all together. "You did perfect. Thank you for keeping your heads and staying safe."

  Casper comes up and stands with Bob. Jessie looks at him, "I knew the safe room would come in handy. Little Ben untied us and when they got out he opened the door quiet for us. Darren helped with the twins, they were so scared so he gave them strong to get them safe."

  I don't want them to see guys on the ground out there and I don't know who still has guns. I hear the Brothers out there working. I hug them again. "Thank you Little Brothers. You all did a fuckin fine job of looking out for each other and staying safe." When I can let them go I look at Bob and Casper. I put my hands out, they pull me up from under my arms. Ally signs I need to see Doc. I laugh. I ruffle Little Ben's hair thanking him agai
n. The little fucker throws me chin. Casper and Bob crack up.

  Tiny comes over and says we can get them to the truck he'll take them to Security. "Fuckin nice safe room Jessie. I didn't know this was here."

  Jessie smiles, "You weren't supposed to. Only Little Ben and Uncle Danny knew. If everyone knew we wouldn't have been safe." He looks at me and throws chin, were all fuckin laughing. I pick up Ally and hug her tight. My knees buckle and Casper grabs her carrying her in front of me. Tiny gets Alex. Darren, Jessie and Little Ben walk in front of us to Tiny's truck.

  "You want me in front of you or behind?" I ask him.

  "Steve's got the front covered. Take the back." He tells me sliding in.

  I nod sitting on the tailgate. "I need a ride to the bike." He drives out the driveway and I feel every fuckin bump. I know I wouldn’t have been able to walk it. The Brothers cleared it. Thank Fuck! He stops at the tree line. I slide my spare in my pocket and climb on the bike. With my back screaming I follow them out. Two Military escort us to Security.

  Ben and Steve come out and hug their boys telling them what a great job they did. I get my kids and follow everyone in, barely lifting my feet on the stairs. Patches has the other kids from the school in a meeting room, he comes running to us, falls to his knees and hugs all of them. Jessie and Little Ben throw chin. Ben and Steve smile. I watch and Darren throws chin to Little Ben. I crack up. "Badass Little Brothers." Everyone laughs. Patches carries Ally and ushers the kids into the meeting room so their brothers can see they're safe.

  Ben looks at me. "Doc is two doors down, get your arm checked and get that vest off. You're fuckin back must be killing you Brother."

  I nod and head toward Doc. "Can someone tell me about Kate and Millie's?"

  "All safe Brother." Tiny says walking behind me. I pull my guns and the extra clips handing them to Tiny he nods. He'll take care of them.

  Doc helps me get my coat, holster and shirt off. He pulls the Velcro on the vest and my fuckin back is screaming in protest. "Fuck." Tiny holds my coat so I can see the fuckin hole going through it. "Shit, I need a new coat. If Kate sees that she'll fuckin rip me a new one." They fuckin laugh like it’s a joke.

  "I need to get your shirt off. It's going to hurt." Doc says. I nod and clench my jaw as I raise my arms. Fuck he's right. He looks at my arm and shoulder.

  "I didn't even feel the shoulder." I tell him.

  "I need to get the bullet out." I nod. "Let me check the rest, I'll come back to that." He looks at the graze, my back, and then takes my patch off. "The cold must affect the skin around your eye. When you fell you cut your face right above your scar." He cleans my face up and cuts new gauze for my eye. "Nothing to worry about but I want to see it tomorrow." I nod. My face still feels frozen but my fuckin back is killing me sitting like this. He finishes with my face and stitches up my arm.

  "I can't sit any more Doc. It's killing my fuckin back." I tell him before he starts digging in my shoulder. He looks around, I'm surprised to see Tiny is still here. "I'm good Tiny." He nods. I don't know why he's still here. Doc tells me to sit in the upholstered chair. He rolled a blanket for my back. I sit and put my arm up on the arm of the chair. "Better and I can see the room." He nods.

  He digs in my fuckin arm likes he's digging for fuckin gold. My jaw is clenched so tight I feel it on the whole right side of my fuckin face. I swear it's going to explode if he doesn't quit soon. Tiny hands me a glass, I sniff it's Jack, I throw it back.

  Jake from Baxter's comes in. "Fuck man. Glad to see you're ok. You know how to fuckin party. It was me following you and Casper keeping the bikes away from you at the truck."

  "Thanks Jake, appreciate it." I tell him through clenched teeth.

  "When I got to Ben's house I saw you fall but Tiny had me clearing bodies. You're a fuckin lunatic with a gun. Glad you sling a hammer for a living." He laughs.

  I look at him then at Tiny. What the fuck is he talking about? "Brother VP had me going around clearing the bodies you left behind."

  "VP told me to clear the way. I did." I tell them. Fuckin Doc finally pulls the fuckin bullet out.

  They laugh hysterically. "Fuckin Digs got a new hero Brother. You hit everything you aimed at. Lucky for us you didn't kill them all." Tiny says. Fuck does that mean I killed some. I didn't think, I just fired.

  I just look at him. Steve walks in, he's pissed. "Get the fuck out!" He growls at Tiny. Jake just looks at him, nods and walks out behind Tiny. Steve lifts his chin and looks at Doc. "When Doc's done shredding you're shoulder come to my office." I nod and hold my breath waiting for whatever the fuck Doc is doing to stop.

  "Sorry. I needed to see if you have bleeders." He says putting pressure on the hole.

  "Why's it so big?" I ask him, the hole the last time was small and smooth.

  "My guess the guy was looking to blow your head off your shoulders. This was from a rifle." He lifts the bullet. Fuck.

  "Must have been the truck, that's the only rifle I saw." I say watching him stitch together inside the hole. Fuck that's fuckin gory. I look away putting my head back.

  "It was head on, you're lucky you didn't get knocked off your bike." He says.

  "Brother." Casper is talking to me. Fuck. I open my eyes; Casper is standing in the doorway. "One percenters robbed the bank, had fuckin PD busy on the other side of town. Paul is on his way. Principal's call just got picked up. They're only three and a half hours late. Steve needs to see you." I nod. Looking around I don't see Doc. My arm is bandaged. My shirt is full of blood my coat has fuckin holes in the back, shoulder and arm and blood all over it. Fuck it. I walk out going to Steve as I am.

  He's behind his desk talking to Ben. He turns when he sees me. He lifts his chin; Ben turns as Steve gets up. "Brother Paul is on his way. We have video on three guys you hit. You were clearly defending yourself. At the truck that was blocking the road, going to the school the last bike you hit there, and at my garage. You good with that?"

  "Yeah, truck, last to the school and guy raising at your garage." I tell him through clenched teeth.

  "Your back?" Steve asks handing me a shirt.

  "Yeah and my face, right side. Must have hit the ground harder than I thought."

  Paul comes in. "What the fuck Danny? What the fuck happened?" I turn around to look at him.

  "Fuck Brother. I can't believe your fuckin standing, how the fuck did you ride the bike back?" Ben says.

  I just look at them. I don't know what the fuck their talking about, I look at my arm it's all bandaged up. I look at Steve. "Knot size of a small football on your back. Bruised bad almost black."

  I nod. "The impact on the vest breaks blood vessels it always looks bad. The knot I don't know, guess just the way the bullet hit." Steve nods at me.

  "Fuck. Sit the fuck down Danny." Paul says.

  "I can't sit right now. I need to stand." I tell him through clenched teeth.

  Ben dials his phone, "Doc I need something for Danny. Pain on his right side face and back." He looks at me. "He's sending it up." I nod.

  "So what the fuck happened here?" Paul asks.

  "Danny will go first." Ben says handing him a laptop and flash drive. "The bodies are at the morgue."

  Paul watches the video. "You don't move the fuckin bodies until the scene is recorded. Fuck, he shot you from six feet away, right in the fuckin back." He looks at me. "You got anything to add?"

  "Would have been nice to have police protection for my kids when they were fuckin kidnapped. Since you were all too busy playing cops and robbers to check your fuckin messages we had to transport the fuckin bodies. You want us to leave them for recording get someone the fuck over here when we call. I have nothing to add to that. If you have questions ask them now or I'm taking my fuckin kids that are no longer with the kidnappers and going home for dinner." I say through clenched teeth. My fuckin face is pounding.

  He looks at me then at Ben and Steve who are smiling. "The power went out. We didn't know anything was wrong until just a few
minutes ago. The call came in before the generators kicked in. You know I would have been here."

  I nod. "Questions?" I ask. Thank fuck he shakes his head no. A Prospect comes in with a bottle of water and pills. I take them and try to pull the shirt on. Steve pulls the back down. I thank him.

  Ben puts three more flash drives on the desk. "Got three more Brothers you need to talk to. Bodies are at the morgue."

  Steve walks me out. In the hall he calls Patches over and tells him to get me home. "Did good Brother." I throw him chin and leave with Patches.

  Patches has to help me into the truck. The adrenaline has run its course, my body isn't cooperating with my brain. He tells me he took the kids home with Kate. I just nod. At the house I need help up the steps. Fuck. Kate is going to be pissed. She comes to the door. I see the tears in her eyes. "Fuck baby, I'm ok. The kids are safe."

  She nods. "Thanks to you they are. Doc said we should put you in the recliner. Prospects moved it into the living room for you." I nod.

  Getting to the living room is slow going. I sit in the chair but I'm afraid to lean back. Patches puts a pillow at my lower back and tells me to lean. He pushes the chair back so I'm at an angle. "Thanks Patches." I say clenching my teeth through a wave of pain. Kate brings a bottle of water and puts it on the table they have by the chair. "Where are the kids." I ask either of them.

  Kate sits on the arm of the chair. "Tiny and Jake took them to the mall for dinner and to play in the arcade."

  "Jake?" Why the fuck is Jake with my kids.

  "Baxter's International Security guy. He was here today. You took out a guy saving him from being shot. He decided to give you some time to rest as a thanks. He said he won't let anything happen to them. Tiny and a Prospect are with them." Patches tells me.