During the time since her arrival in the group, she had come into several valuable pieces of information. The first one being, this group was nowhere near the caliber of her former crew. If it had not been for their numbers, she would have already killed them in their sleep and been done with them.
However, sleeping close quarters as they did, she could not risk such a brash move. She knew she would get her chance as they could not always be together, every minute of every day.
The Dragons had been made entirely of military men. Some had been Special Forces, a few Marines, and Marcus and Paul had been SEALS. All of them were well trained, and they had imparted their wisdom to her as fully as they had been able.
The Scorpions, on the other hand, held only three ex-military. Brett, Buck and Enrique were all former SF. The rest of the guys, at least nine of them, were true street thugs. Not that they couldn’t handle whatever work The Organization handed to them. They were good at following orders, and with Brett and Buck to do their planning, they worked as a functional unit that could be considered acceptable, but no more than that. That left the one, Geek they called him, who she still did not have a clear bead on; but she worked on that when she could.
Looking at them as she ate her dinner, Tori began to think about this fact, as well as the other information she had discovered. She had been with the group for four weeks, and had pretty much secluded herself, only fucking them when she wanted something from them, as this made them much more pliable to her desires. Staring at the one she had determined to have taken Enrique’s place, she decided they were in need of some time together as there were a few things she needed to know.
A quiet, nerdy sort, she had noticed that he had declined taking his turns at her the few times they had been permitted before she earned her rank. Even after, he avoided her, a bit shy of the girl who had shown up and proceeded to shake everything up in their tightknit group.
Moving over next to him, she cooed softly to him, plying him with questions and giving him her best wide-eyed expressions. She had seen him with his little laptop, and come to realize he knew things about computers and other electronic devices. She wanted him to teach her what he knew, to enlighten her about these things, and would be willing to use her womanly charms to convince him to share.
Geek’s reaction startled her. He had never tasted her before when she had been forced, not that kind of man she presumed. Now that she made advances, he didn’t trust her and kept his distance again. This confused her to an extent, and for the first time she considered the possibility that he might be gay.
Hinting at her suspicion, he chuckled at her. Without comment, he had walked away, leaving her to wonder about the odd kid who did not quite mesh with the rough crowd around them.
Watching as the group spread out for the night, Tori thought about what she knew, and decided she would have to find a way to make him trust her. Keeping her clothes on and curling up in her bag, she feigned exhaustion, and pretended to be in deep sleep right away. Waiting patiently, the rest of the crew followed suit and she moved around in the moonlight to set up her plan after they had fallen asleep.
Pulling out a couple of tools, she went over to Geek’s bike and went to work. Loosening a few parts, she made the adjustment. Something small it would take a bit to kick in. Something I can repair easily later, once we’ve set out tomorrow. Done. She grinned slyly as she replaced the tools in their bag and made her way back to her pack.
The next morning, the group rolled out, heading into a small town and locating the diner. Falling about the place, they ate a hearty meal while a few of the guys harassed the waitress. Tori watched coolly, confidence dripping from her as she surveyed them and gave Brett a small smile.
He had become more comfortable with her lately, safe in his role as leader. He still wished he could call her his alone, but he knew she was fucking Enrique regularly, as she made no attempt to hide the fact. Seeing her tiny grin made his heart flutter slightly. At least she seems happy to be a part of us, even if I have to share.
He recalled how he had offered his entire life’s savings to buy her from Eddie, even going so far as to offer to wait for delivery until she had completed her special task and the Dragons were done with her. How did she do this to me, and make it look so easy?
He chuckled as he recalled that Enrique suspected her of witchcraft, and pondered what kind of test they could perform to find out if it were true. I never used the L-word in my life… I’m sure as hell not gonna start, although he could not help but suspect it to be true.
Finishing their meal, they made their way outside to fill their tanks and prepare for a long day’s ride as they had a job in Vegas and would be hard put to get there if they delayed any longer. Preparing to climb on behind Brett, Tori worked him, boosting his confidence in her commitment to him and the Scorpions further. However, a small commotion had begun, and it became apparent there was a problem: Geek’s bike wouldn’t start.
Making their way over, Brett inspected the engine in a cursory manner, swearing loudly at the machine. Apparently a common occurrence for it to give them problems, having the delay had been nothing out of the ordinary. Except on this particular day, they had no time for it.
Kneeling down next to her companion, Tori offered in a sweet voice, “I could stay behind with him. Make the repairs and the two of us catch up to you.”
Brett eyed her for a moment, not sure he trusted her that completely yet. Standing slowly, he swung his gaze around the group. Anyone else staying behind would mean losing two of their rides for the time being. That, or two of the men having to double up.
Growling, he kicked a small rock across the blacktop. Looking back at her squarely, he could see she waited patiently beside him. Waiting for me to choose. Staring into her clear blue eyes, he knew he would to have to trust her some time. Damn it.
“Alright, grab th’ tool bag and fix it up. Enrique, give ‘er yur cell.” He paused long enough to ensure she held the tiny device. Pointing at it, he continued, “My number is saved inside. Call when ya hit the road so we know you’re on yur way. And don’t forget to charge it.”
“I won’t,” she tucked the small cord into Geek’s saddlebag.
Surprised by the look in Brett’s eyes as he watched her, is he worried about me, or about losing me? She knew there was a difference. Taking the time to give him a long, sensual kiss, she cemented his faith that he had made the right choice. Later, love, she mentally taunted him. Overjoyed by her apparent success, she nuzzled his cheek for affect.
Swinging onto their bikes, the rowdiest members of the group made their exit, leaving Tori and her new friend standing next to his gimped motorcycle. He looked at her dubiously, a bit surprised she would know how to fix it.
“Here,” she commanded when they were gone, “Let’s push it over out of the way.”
Lining the wheels up along the sidewalk that ran down the side of the café, they would have some protection from the wind and sun as the day wore on. Kneeling down next to the machine, she began to make her inspection, using some of the tools to remove a few bolts and poke around.
Geek knelt down next to her, his eyes wide as he watched her nimble fingers. “You actually know about bikes?” he truly felt in awe of her at that moment.
“Of course. I lived with the Dragons my whole life.” She gave him a small smile, as if he should have known that fact.
Shaking his head, he countered lightly, “Naw, I don’t know any Dragons. All I know are these guys… and the Spiders.”
The mention of the third group startled her, but she did not want to let on it had been a surprise. She knew about them, but had never met any of the other teams that worked for The Organization.
He remained silent for a while, watching her work. Finally, his curiosity got the better of him and he began to ply her with questions. “You’re not like the other girls. The ones the group takes, dumpin’ their bodies when they’re done with them.” He made the observation slowly,
then pushed on with a furrowed brow, “Why do you stay with them?”
Without meeting his gaze, she bantered evenly, “Why do you stay with them?”
Geek looked struck, realizing that she knew his situation. “I can’t leave.” He faltered a bit, unhappy at the admission, and she only nodded in reply.
“I thought it would be cool, ya know? Join up with a biker gang, ride aroun’ bein’ tough. They seemed really interested in havin’ me, but after I helped them get that other guy back,” he shrugged, “They lost interest. I can’t leave though; not allowed.” His shoulders drooped as he stared inside the tool bag.
“Yep,” she replied in a calm voice, “That’s the way it works. Once you’re in, you’re in for life.” She could feel him opening up to her, “Unless you kill them.” She cut her eyes over to catch his surprised expression, and his face popped up to glare at her. Finished with the repairs, she dropped the wrench into the satchel, swinging her leg over the machine and cranking it with ease.
Standing slowly, Geek stared at her, mesmerized by the sight before him. “Who’re the Dragons?” he posed the question anxiously.
Grinning at him, Tori silenced the purring engine. “Were the Dragons,” she corrected him, “They were another group, like these guys, only better. They raised me, taught me everything they knew.” She busied her hands while she spoke, kneeling down and cleaning up their mess to give a brief pause, “And when I had had enough of them, I killed them.” She punctuated the comment by rising next to him to stare him in the eye.
Drawing a deep breath, his cheeks puffed out as he pointed at her, “You… you sabotaged my bike. You broke it on purpose!”
“Of course I did,” she sneered at him. “You’re a smart man, Geek.” She lifted her chin towards him, as if in a challenge. “How else was I gonna get you away from them long enough for us to talk?”
“We’re not gonna run away?” he stared at her, open mouthed in his confusion as he realized they were really going to rejoin the group.
“No. Running has no point as long as they can follow. What we need to do is find a way to clear them out. Break them. For good.” She exuded confidence, and it drew him to her cause.
“All right. I’m in. So what’s the plan?”
“There is no plan. Not yet, anyways. First, I need to know what you know. Why they chose you, what you brought to the table. I assume you meant Enrique, that’s the guy you helped them find?” She waited for his nod before continuing. “Good. Then I need to know how you did that.”
Geek looked around nervously, “Won’t they be waiting for us?”
“Don’t worry, we have time,” she reassured, shifting to give him a pose, “We’ll catch up to them, and if things are tense, I’ll smooth them over. You know I’m rather good at that; smoothing things over.” She smiled coyly at him, her offer clear to any man with a real set between his legs.
Geek grinned at her, awkwardly leaning forward to kiss her. Tori relaxed at the taste of him, her hand moving up to catch him behind the neck for a moment, before visions of Max sprang into her mind. Oh my God, the thought made her heart leap out of control, what if he’s a virgin? Pulling back after they shared the brief exchange of lips and tongues, she realized she would never touch him.
“You know,” she laid her hand flat against his chest, “When you get home, you’re gonna find some nice girl who deserves you. You hold out for that, ummk?” giving him a pat.
He looked angry, confused by her on and off behavior, so with a nod she elaborated in a gentle tone.
“You’re a nice kid. You don’t wanna waste what you got on a girl like me.” She slid the hand up, catching the back of his neck again and tousling his hair a bit as she grinned at him. “Besides, you’re more like my kid brother. That would just be gross!” Her joviality brought a smile to his face, one he hadn’t worn in quite a while. “Now, how about you show me how you found Enrique, ok?”
It turned out, Geek did, in fact, know a great deal about computers and other electronic devices. Taking her inside the café, they set up his machine, and he demonstrated how he could use his laptop to locate anyone who carried a cellphone; all he needed was the number.
The thought of this scared her a little, as she thought about the tiny go-phone she still carried in her pocket, not to mention the phone Enrique had carried for over a year that she now possessed.
The implications of this technology were dumbfounding. Explaining to him that they would have to work quietly when they got back to the group, she would want him to teach her more. She could see there was a whole other world her simple way of life had left her unaware of, and she felt eager to take it all in. She also explained that she would need his help when the time came to make their move against the group.
Nodding his understanding, Geek agreed to both conditions. He despised the Scorpions, having witnessed their atrocious acts and been powerless to stop them. “Besides, it wasn’t right. It was like a trap they set for me, gettin’ me to come with them and makin’ it all sound so great.”
Tori could see the anguish in his eyes. She could tell he carried quite a grudge, having been lured in and then prevented from leaving. He’s lucky that’s all they did to him. “No worries. When this is over, you can go home and pick up where you left off. Maybe even be a little happier than you were before.” She smiled, pulling her spiral out of her bag to take a few notes as he took the time to show her more details about using the different features.
Noticing she sometimes wrote in French and German, he made an offhand comment about her linguistic abilities. “I never met anyone who spoke so many. I mean, I think Brett speaks four, and Buck three. Anyone else only does Spanish and English, like Enrique.”
Tori nodded at his observation, happy he had so readily volunteered the information that might come in handy later. “The Dragons were all polyglots. That’s people who speak three or more languages.”
“Yeah, I know what that is,” he teased her with a toothy reply.
“Meh, just wasn’t sure that you did. I never knew it was so unusual until I was in the hospital after the Dragons died. That’s when I found out that speaking five languages was extremely rare, and they tested me on them. They tested me a lot actually.” Her face grew grim at the memory of her time in Chicago.
“What were they testing you for?” he had grown curious about her now that he felt he could trust her.
“Who knows,” she lied flatly. In hindsight, she was well aware of what the Feds wanted, and still refused to comply with their desires.
The couple remained at the diner, playing the role of teacher and student until dark, and then decided to get a room for the night. After a meal, they exited the building, and on the way by, Tori dropped her tiny go-phone in the trash can next to the door.
Arriving at the hotel room, they took turns getting a shower and dressing for bed. They had gotten a room with two, so they could each sprawl out and get a good night’s sleep. Taking Geek in, as they settled into their covers, she told him about small parts of her story, trying to work herself further into his confidence.
“It was quite a shock learning who my family was,” she mentioned to him absently in the dark. “The Dragons were the only one I had ever known. Except for Michael, of course.” Her admission stung her, as she had been keeping his memory pushed to the back of her mind most of the time, afraid the distraction would cause her to lose her focus, and she hoped he would ignore the slip.
“Who’s that?” his question seemed innocent enough, even with the name etched on her chest.
Shit. Tori lay staring at the ceiling for a moment, guilt creeping in on her. “A guy,” she didn’t really want to elaborate, especially since she had spent the last three or four weeks or so openly having sex with the group she rode with, and would continue to do so. “Just a guy.” She hated the thought of his judging her. Fuck me, now he thinks I’m a slut… largely because I am. She pouted into the darkness.
Geek could tell there was
more to the story, but wasn’t about to pry. Instead, he remained silent, breathing deeply and thinking about home. He wasn’t completely convinced the girl could help him get there, but worth a shot. He fell asleep easily, having more hope than he had felt since he had joined the group of misfits a few short months ago.
Listening to him, Tori could tell when Geek’s breathing changed its pattern. Turning on her side, she stared at the door and allowed herself to think about who waited for her back in Texas. Not only Michael, Brian would be waiting for her. She knew he didn’t want anything to do with her, or at least she felt confident that he didn’t. Michael was her real family, and as she drifted off to sleep, she swore to herself she would keep it that way.
The next morning, the pair switched roles, allowing Tori to repeat everything she had learned back to him. She went through the steps of using the computer to follow people, performing searches on the internet, and technical parts to the device and their functions. Geek grinned in surprise at how quickly she had learned, seeming to remember everything he had told her down to the detail after only one try.
Satisfied she could run the laptop herself if the need arose, the pair packed up their things and checked out of the motel. Riding behind her new friend, Tori felt tense about rejoining the group. She knew things were going to need adjusting if she were actually going to be in a position to put her plans into action. She would need an edge and how she would get it wasn’t clear.
Getting close to Vegas, the pair stopped at an old-fashioned gas station to fill up. Tori gazed around with wide eyes, wow, this place feels familiar. Wandering over to peer inside the roll-up door, the smell of grease tickled her nose. She felt homesick for a moment, and continued to explore the space, a wistful expression on her features. Spying a box of junk sitting inside the entryway, she peered down into it and noticed an axe handle sticking out.
Reaching, she lifted the piece of wood, gauging it to be about a foot and a half long. She bounced it between her hands a few times, good weight, too. Her mind still sifting through thoughts and memories, she knew the item would make a good weapon. Calling to the kid in grime coated coveralls, “Hey, can I buy this from you?”
A New Life Series - Finisher Set Page 11