by L. Ann Marie
"Kate never made it to work from her break. Anita called, I watched the video. She was taken outside the daycare. Blue Camry Nevada plates. Looked like Tracy with dark hair and glasses. Geeks running the face against recognition, Digs is running video following the car. They're headed to New York right now just into Connecticut." Steve watches me. Fuck! I take a breath.
Danny is watching me. "Need the plan Pres." I nod.
"Tiny call Connecticut HS get them to follow the car until we get there. Stay with Digs, call the Chapters as they move through their areas. VP get the team ready for a long ride. Rich get your head of Security to cover HS work, have him pull Brothers as needed. After that I want you partnered with LP1, suit up and be ready." I look at Steve and Danny. "I want to be with you out there but I need to be here. VP will be on with Digs running your ops. I'll run the backup with Sticks and keep the front covered with the other clubs. Yeah?"
"Yeah Pres." Danny says.
Steve nods. "Thank Fuck you didn't lose it."
"She needs me to keep it together. Danny while you're waiting for Rich call Patches and give him a heads up so the kids are covered. VP, get Security to cover the kids." They each move away making calls.
I call Millie to find out when Brenna last ate and how many bottles she has. Fuck! She doesn't have anything and Brenna is crying now. I call Tess. "Are there any bottles in the fridge for Brenna?"
I can hear her running through the house. "There are two." I thank her and call Doc.
"I need help. Kate was taken. Brenna has two bottles at the house and is hungry at Millie's now. Can you coordinate her feedings and get her some formula or something?" Thank fuck he says he's on it.
When I turn around Danny is standing by me. "Whatever it takes Ben." Fuck he heard. I nod.
"VP what's Team One's roll time?" I look over. He watches his board and talks on his phone.
"Ten minutes Pres. They're filling supply bags now. Team Two is waiting for their replacements; I'm looking at forty five with them." I nod.
Looking at Danny I say, "Whatever it takes Brother, I'll have you covered, just bring her home."
Bob comes in with backpacks. He hands one to Danny. "Rich is ready Brother."
I hug him and slap his back. "Whatever it takes." He nods and walks out. I watch the bikes roll off the loading docks.
I'm getting impatient waiting for them all to be rolled out. Steve signals me, I look over. "It's a long ride Brother. They need them running right for it." I nod.
"Pres Doc and Sally have Brenna at the house with the kids. Her Security is outside." Tiny tells me. I nod. What the fuck can I say?
VP stands in the center of the two computer stations. "Team One roll together. Digs will clear your path." I pace along the wall behind Steve so I can watch.
"Pres New York has eyes on the Camry." Tiny yells. Finally!
Sticks holds up a headset. "You're patched into HS5 New York Chapter. New York Chapter you're on with Ben James, President of the Mass Chapter."
Me: "HS5 this is Pres, thank you for helping out. We want eyes on the car but we don't want you to engage unless the situation gets out of control. Do you have any information right now?"
NY HS5: "Pres. A dark haired woman is driving; a man is holding a gun on her. There is a woman in the back seat that looks to be cuffed. She's not moving around so I can't give you more right now. We have a bike and this truck following. Our ops leader will call into New Jersey for help if we get to that point. We are still deep into Connecticut right now."
Me: "Thank you HS5. Do you have video that's able to follow you?"
NY HS5: "Negative Pres."
"Tiny get me the ops leader for New York." He pulls his phone and starts dialing. I look up and see Team One flying down the highway. VP is watching.
Tiny grabs my attention. "Pres, I have Connecticut ops leader with video on the line and New York due to call in five." I nod.
"Patch me through Sticks."
"Connecticut ops Leader you're being patched through to Ben James, President of the Mass Chapter." I hear him on the headset. "Pres you're patched through to Al, Connecticut ops leader."
Me: "Al glad you're at the screens today. I heard you have video of the Camry."
Al: "Pres we have video following the car now. Something is off about the driver. She's smiling and touching the guy holding the gun an awful lot to be a hostage."
Me: "Our concern is the woman in the back Al."
Al: "She appears to be sleeping, we haven't seen her move." Fuck. I take in a breath. Tiny watches me. Blowing it out I turn back to the screen.
Me: "We have a team that just crossed into Connecticut they're doing 125 on ninety five. Can you keep them clear for us?"
Al: "I'll have them once they're eight miles in. I can keep them clear until they reach New York. We can stop the car at any point here Pres."
Fuck no!
Me: "The woman in the back is my old lady. I don't want anyone approaching the car until my partner gets there to make sure she's not harmed."
Al: "Fuck! I understand Pres. We'll clear your Team's path."
Me: "I'm going to get you patched through to our VP. He's running Team One ops. Thank you for your help. Pres out."
"Sticks get Al on with Digs." I look at Steve. "Connecticut VP is on the boards clearing a path for Team One."
"On it Pres." He says turning back to his board talking into the headset.
"New York ops leader I'm patching you through to Ben James, President of the Mass Chapter." He looks back at me. I nod. "Pres you're patched through to Snake, ops leader for the New York Chapter."
Me: "Snake. Didn't realize I'd be talking to you again so soon. Thank you for the Brothers with eyes on the Camry we're following. I'm wondering if you have video going down ninety five?"
Snake: "Pres, glad we can help. We do have video. Unfortunately the bridges and tunnels are not included in that video. We have before and after." Fuck!
Me: "If my team is not in position to take the car before New York we will need video assistance. Can we count on that help from you Snake?"
Snake: "A Little Brother taught our Club what Brotherhood means. We take care of our own. You can count on us Pres."
Me: "Thank you Snake." I release my breath.
Snake: "If you don't mind my asking what's in the car that you want?"
Me: "My old lady was taken from in front of the daycare my daughter was at. My Partner is on his way heading Team One. I don't want the car interfered with until he's there."
Snake: "I'm sorry Pres. I'll be waiting at the boards until your ops leader calls. Good luck Brother.
Me: "Thank you Brother. Pres out."
"Tiny if they don't make it into New York call Snake back and let him know he can go home. He's waiting for the call."
"Got it Pres."
Sticks clicks into my headset. "Pres Team Two is gearing up. They have a truck, an suv and six bikes. The trucks being loaded with supplies now. We have a medic riding from Baxter's. Name's Jake. He was at R&R when the call went out to Team Two."
I look at VP. "Jake from Baxter's is a medic?"
He covers his mic. "Among other things yeah. Fuckin good one too."
"He's riding with Team Two." I tell him. He nods.
Sticks: "Team Two I need a check in."
Chet: "D11 on."
Andy: "D14 on."
Jake: "Jake on."
Doug: "S4 on."
Hyde: "D15 on."
Blake: "D16 on."
Sticks: "Trucks on Team Two you're patched in to Team Two ops. A check in was requested."
Bouncer: "D17 in the pickup on."
Todd: "D18 suv on."
Sticks prints my list.
Me: "This is Pres; I'm running your ops, Sticks is at our controls. Team One is in Connecticut we have help from our Connecticut Brothers clearing your path. D11 is your lead. Jake you're partnered with D11. D14 your D11's second you ride with S4 behind the trucks."
D14: "Rog
er."
S4: "Roger."
Jake: "Roger."
Me: "D11 roll on your one."
D11: "Roger." I watch the lot; four bikes are rolling to the exit. They stop and wait for the trucks. The trucks roll out followed by two bikes. Chet turns back to check then checks the road. "Roll on three, two, one." They roll out.
Me: "You're clear in town and down ninety-five for the first ten."
D11: "Roger. D17&18 let me know if speed is a problem."
D17: "Roger."
D18: "Roger."
I watch them fly through town and up the ramp to ninety-five. Tiny rolls a chair over. I sit leaning over with my elbows on my knees; I put my head in my hands. Kate is in a fuckin car headed toward New York and she's not fuckin moving in the backseat. Brenna has enough milk for one more feeding. Danny is flying down the highway. Fuck, it started out as such a good day then went to fuckin hell.
Two fuckin hours. I look at the clock again. Brenna is out of milk in an hour. Kate is heading straight into New York City still not fuckin moving.
Geek comes running through the door. "Fuckin ransom for five million. Delivered to New York by tomorrow midnight. Driver is Tracy."
I sit hard in the chair. Fuck! How the fuck can I get five million by tomorrow? I look at the screens. Team One is gassing up. Tracy a fuckin again. I was hoping the Outlaw's killed her. Steve is talking into his mic. Tiny watches me. I put my head in my hands and try to think about how the fuck I can pull this off. My phone rings. "Yeah."
"Ben the money is in the house. Send someone you trust. The safe room in the babies’ room opens by the fiber light tree. The tree has to be on, when you’re standing in front of it, the baseboard right under is a kick plate. Put a towel on it and gently kick it, the wall swings out so move when you do. There's a steamer trunk, there's seven point two in it. Take what you need. The key code on the trunk is Kate's birthday." He's fuckin kidding. "Ben are you there?"
"Yeah. You're serious?"
"Our fuckin wife is in a car heading for New York. Our daughter needs to eat right about now. I would gladly give my life to get that fixed. They don't want that, they want money. Get the fuckin money to them if what I do doesn't work. Make sure Kate gets home to feed Brenna. Whatever it takes Brother. Just make sure it happens. Yeah?" Fuck he's going to go off.
"Danny you have to follow VP. I'll get the money there but you have to follow VP."
"You fuckin know they’re not going to let her go if they get the fuckin money! I'll do whatever it takes to get her home." He's not going to back down.
"I'll tell Steve to do whatever it takes Brother. He'll have your back."
"Thanks Brother. I'm going to need it." Fuck.
"Where the fuck did you get all the fuckin money?"
"Axe was my father. When he died he left it to me. I never opened the trunk until Devan was born. I didn't even know I had a father. It was sitting in my garage all those years." I can hear his smile.
"Fuckin Brothers never tell me fuck!" I take a breath. "Good luck Brother."
"Yeah." He hangs up.
Steve and Tiny are looking at me. "He's going off. Whatever it takes Brother. Just keep him covered so he makes it back." Steve nods.
"Where'd he get the money?" Tiny asks.
I laugh. "Axe was his father. He didn't know or even open the trunk until Devan was born. It sat in his garage for years."
"Fuck, it explains a lot. It's in their fuckin blood." Tiny says.
Steve moves his chair back and starts talking. I check my screen. Team One is moving and Two is getting close to New York.
Steve looks around. "Geek, track Kate. I need location now." Geek pulls his laptop and starts typing.
"Necklace at Millie's, purse in Connecticut, Kate's in Manhattan." He stands and brings his computer over to Digs. How the fuck did she get more tracking on her?
Me: "Team two gas up outside the city. Kate's in Manhattan."
D11: "Roger."
Geek has the geeks pull a console over they have him wired in minutes. He's got the tracking up and the screen on the side of him is snow. He's typing like a fuckin maniac, his fingers skate across the keyboard. I pull my eyes away.
I hear a helicopter. What the fuck? "Baxter's here to deliver money." Steve says.
I look at Tiny. He shrugs. I pull him aside and tell him how to get into the safe room and the code for the trunk. Kevin Baxter comes in and opens his laptop by Geek. Another fuckin console is stationed there. I feel like I'm losing my fuckin mind. When the fuck did they do that? An Indian comes in. "Cloud." Steve says.
The Indian nods. "Knight." They fist bump. They look alike. Long black hair and green eyes. What the hell?
"Tiny take Cloud to help with the money. Prospect is waiting outside with a bag to transport it." Steve says. He's monotone, he's in red. Fuck.
Tiny shakes hands with Cloud. They walk out. Sticks is watching me. I look at my screen. Team Two is gassing up. I look over to Steve's screens they're pulling video from the streets. They're canvassing. Fuck that's impressive. Steve is scanning all the boards. He's like a fuckin machine when he's red. I fuckin hate seeing him like this, it's like there's no life in him, just the machine with a job.
Team One is in Central Park waiting. Steve looks at me. "Need to get Team Two on with me. Need you watching perimeter." I nod.
"Sticks get us on with VP."
"On it Pres." He types and looks at Digs. "Team Two you're being patched into Team One with VP. Pres is still on. Digs I'm patching Team Two with Pres on with Team One."
D11: "Team Two Lead Roger."
LP1: "Team One Roger."
VP: "Team Two follow directions from Digs to Central Park. You'll meet up with Team One.
D11: "Roger VP."
VP: "D17&18 follow directions from Sticks."
D17: "Trucks following Sticks, Roger." Sticks moves back and gives them directions from the screen. Someone is controlling the directions he's giving.
Digs gives the bikes directions. They fly through the city. The trucks are sent to a different location. I watch them park and wait.
Tiny comes in with Cloud and a bag. Steve turns. "Tiny ride with Cloud. The money isn't leavin your hands, just goin for a ride in case we need it."
"Got it VP." He turns and follows Cloud out.
Me: I look at Steve then the screen. "Bikes collectin at the other end of the park." Fuck! "What's the plan?" I ask him.
"Get Kate bring her and Danny home." He's not smiling. "Don't have one yet. Just objective." Fuck we have no plan. He's in machine mode. He's scanning the screens. He won't even talk to me like this. I could use some fuckin good news right about now.
VP: "LP1 we have seventeen bikes gathered. Team Two is coming up to you in three."
LP1: " Roger. Where's Kate?"
VP: "Stuck in traffic twenty two blocks away. The bikes flew by."
LP1: "Roger."
VP: "LP1, your call for first; bikes or Kate?"
LP1: "Need to get their backup before they get us. Need a way to take the phones out in the car." Steve talks to Geek and Kevin.
VP: "We lose trackin while you strike."
LP1: "I got no fuckin choice here VP."
VP: "I know Brother. Need to take the bikes, then get Kate. They'll wait for the money. Hit hard and fast. We'll pull them back up long enough to get location then jam them. Yeah?"
LP1: "Roger VP."
VP: "Team Two your Lead is LP1. You're hittin hard and fast. Good luck Brothers. LP1, Digs and Geek will run your controls let's roll."
We watch the screens. The bikes split and run through on both sides single file. Rich is on one side, Danny on the other. They veer off crowds but run pretty close to straight. When they get closer Steve stands straighter.
VP: "In two LP1. At the ready Brothers."
The pussies are waiting around, they turn but don't pull weapons until shots are fired at them. As the HS Team comes up on them they shoot. It’s too fuckin late. Danny and Rich
ride toward each other shooting from the front but the other Brothers keep going, shooting one after the other then turn and circle back.
VP: "LP2 on you're right. D10 on LP1's right." I watch them both shoot and drop the pussies. No one moves around the bikes. The Team circles, Danny tells Steve they're wearing fuckin Nevada cuts, then moves out.
VP: "LP1 she's moving toward the park. Move north two blocks, east one, looks like a wide alley.
LP1: "Roger."
Me: "VP four bikes are on the car." He watches. Four bikes are moving in traffic, they ride behind a block away.
VP: "LP1 four bikes trailing the car one block back. I'm putting you behind them follow directions from Dig's."
LP1: "Roger." Fuck he's so fuckin close to her and they turn going around a long block.
Team One rides through, the last two bikes spin around and stop traffic.
VP: "Pussies are half a block in, at the back of a line of traffic, move in now."
They fly in between cars, the two stopping traffic move forward stopping traffic at the next block.
VP: "They got nowhere to go but forward." A pussy pulls into an alley with no way out. Bob follows him in. When the pussy realizes he's trapped he spins back firing. Bob takes one shot and he's down. Looking at the second screen Danny comes around the side of a car and hits a pussy trying to move to the left. People are fuckin everywhere. Two pussies are running.
VP: "LP2, Right, quick left, hit him quick PD is bearing down. D11, you got one block until the car, hit him now. LP1 straight run, block and a half take the passenger, holding gun."
We watch the Team follow Danny. They're running all over the fuckin road however they can get through. Danny jumps a hood and keeps going. Fuckin crazy ass Brother. Driscoll keeps his right trying to veer around people and traffic.
VP: "Jump it LP1." Danny rides up a car and jumps the crowd at the crosswalk. People are fuckin clapping, Driscoll follows through a break in people, he catches up and rides to the left of the car hitting the tires. Danny rides along the passenger door and hits the passenger. Driscoll holds his gun on the driver. The Team surrounds the car Danny pulls Kate out. I fuckin breathe again. I watch him try to stand her up. Fuck, she starts to fold he catches her and says something to Driscoll. He lifts Kate while Danny gets on his bike; Driscoll puts Kate on in front of him. She puts her arms around him and slumps forward. Fuck. He moves slowly down the road. Driscoll rides with him. I look back and see the Team move the car with Tracy slumped on the seat to the side. I didn’t see who hit her but I know it happened.