by L. Ann Marie
VP walks to little Ben and slaps his shoulder. “Good job, son.” People are yelling encouragement to little Ben.
VP steps on the Outlaw’s head when the crowd moves closer. I meet him in the middle and lift the pussy up. “If the kids can beat the fuck out of you I’d watch it with the Brothers, pussy.” He stops trying to pull away and I hand him to the PD. “Fuckin’ pussy trying to beat down a seventeen-year-old kid. There’s got to be a charge for something in there.”
The cop smiles at me. “Already talked to Knight. Domestic violence holds him for three days. Your Little Badasses are leaving in two.” The Outlaw starts yelling and fighting the cuffs another cop is trying to put on him. “Resisting and assaulting an officer is a little more.” Rich laughs, egging the Outlaw on. Danny pulls him away with Jessie and Ricky.
Since VP will kill anyone trying to buy him a beer, we take the Little Badasses out to dinner. Almost the entire restaurant is wearing our cut. Pres is proud talking the Little Brothers’ skills up. Darren and Jessie are in the shoot out tomorrow. I can’t wait until the fuckin’ condescending smile is wiped off some of the Brothers from New York’s faces.
We hang at the restaurant until the meet. Pres pays for the time, knowing we’re hurting the owners bottom line; the guy is ecstatic, making sure everyone’s happy and drinks keep flowing.
We ride in formation with all the Presidents in front. I hang back with Danny, Bob, and the Little Brothers. Because little Ben is an Officer we’re in front of a lot of pissed off members. Little Ben doesn’t back down from any of them. He takes his spot like he’s been there forever. Danny and Bob have shit eating grins on their faces. I throw him chin. If he shows weak now he’ll never get the respect he deserves, so I ride behind him, watching his back.
At the bar we’re using for the meet, Pres and Hammer have HS outside and Security and Brothers inside. The boys follow Danny, me, and VP inside. At the tables set in a horseshoe all the Presidents sit with VPs and SAAs. Danny and the boys stand against the wall behind us. This meeting is worse than fuckin’ Church when we talk about budgets and shit. It’s all about computer info and programming. Pres is the unofficial head of the territory. Because we have Baxter’s working with Geek whenever there’s a problem we’re a little more technologically advanced than the other Clubs. It gets to where it’s all technical and Darren is called to explain one of the programs. By this time I’m ready to stab myself to get out of this fuckin’ meeting. I’m wondering if I can switch with Danny or Bob when Pres says it’s enough. “You need the program. It isn’t going to help you to know how to program without your techs here. Get your techs with Darren and Brantley from our Little Brothers. They’ll get you squared and running right.” He sits, dismissing Darren.
Someone from a wall yells, “What about Geek, he don’t run tech because of your infant-try?” I sit up straight, trying to see who is talking. I want to be pissed, but it’s not going to be boring for a couple of minutes, so I wait to see what will happen here.
Pres is pissed and stands again. “Who am I talking to?” A Brother full of attitude steps from the wall. “Name?” The Brother tells him ‘Hands.’ Pres nods and looks at him for a minute. “We find ourselves with kids that have extraordinary abilities. You’ve seen them fight men outweighing them by sixty pounds. We have smaller boys that I’m not ashamed to say can take me down. We have kids with the ability to get into any agency with programs they built with the help of Mitch and Jess Baxter. We have kids learning about money and investments. Every single one of our kids have mastered the pop ups that we train our Brothers on and they do it with time to spare. They can defend themselves and our Club and they do. They run Ops alongside Security. If they have the ability and are capable; why the fuck do you think I wouldn’t use them? Being a leader you learn to use every fuckin’ advantage you have. Being a leader you train and prepare everyone you can find to keep your family, Club, and Community safe. Geek works with the kids regularly. The program we’re talking about was built by Darren and Brantley. The reason Darren was answering questions is because he can. I’ve got no fuckin’ clue how the program works and being the President, I don’t have to. What I have to know is who and where my experts can be found and how to align them to work to the best of their ability. There is not one fuckin’ question that I know my job from my own fuckin’ Club, Hands. Do you have any more questions about my fuckin’ ability?” Hands puts his hands up in surrender. “Our Club is the model for Clubs all over the fuckin’ country. We train more Clubs with and without our cut than you’ve ever seen, Hands. I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t be doing that if we made stupid fuckin’ decisions and did half assed work. Is there anyone else that has a question about the integrity of my Club or my fuckin’ ability to run it?”
New York Pres stands up, apologizing for Hands’ disrespect, telling Security to get him on his bike and point it home where he’ll be dealt with. Pres nods and sits. He’s still pissed.
Hammer clears all but Officers and starts talking Security and the corridor that needs to be protected from the Carolinas up. VP handles some of the questions. Pres is still pissed, but VP is the one in charge of the corridor and the runs dealing with it. This is the only part of the MC that’s illegal. VP looks at little Ben and I’m wondering if he’s concerned that little Ben knows or doesn’t know.
Once the run talk is done we talk about contracts. Again little Ben is here listening, but VP doesn’t look back at him. There are some members with contracts on them that the other Clubs protect. As long as they are in good standing, they’ll stay protected. Pres gets a list. He passes it to me and I see eight names, wondering who the fuck they pissed off and how none of them are ours.
Thank fuck that’s the end. Pres is swarmed by the other Pres and VPs. I step back to little Ben and tell him we are out. Danny catches VP’s eye and throws chin, getting a nod.
Walking out we hear laughing and cheering. We follow it out to the side of the building; Ricky, Jessie, and Darren are in a circle, smiling at a Brother taking a step toward them. It looks like they’re just having fun, so we stand and watch. As soon as the guy is close Darren steps forward as if taking a stroll. The crowd laughs. The guy looks around with a ‘what the hell’ smile and puts his hands up as if to grab Darren’s shoulder. Darren is quick and behind the guy before he can even touch him. The guy moves in one of those Danny moves. Darren smiles and waits. Before anyone registers what’s going on, the Brother has Jessie’s arms pulled behind him. Ricky kicks his calf and swings into his kidneys with his knee. Darren has the guy down, flips him over, and hogties him with wire ties. The crowd cheers and the Little Brothers bow, making us laugh.
Little Ben signs ‘enough’. The boys nod and stand by him. He’s pissed. Danny signs ‘it was in fun’. Little Ben nods but signs back, ‘the last thing we need is everyone knowing what we are able to do. I think it was wrong for Pres to tell everyone. It puts a target on us and more stress on the Club to defend us. Showing everyone isn’t smart, it’s better to let them wonder and underestimate us. We have the shootout then the crotch rockets, they’ll see enough. We don’t need the extra exposure.’
Danny nods and throws him chin, surprising the fuck out of me. I slap Ricky’s back. He hasn’t had the same training as the others, but he can hold his own. He gives me an embarrassed smile. I throw him chin and he looks down, but I see the smile on his face.
‘Is that why you didn’t enter anything?’ Danny signs.
Little Ben nods, signing back, ‘I don’t agree with it, they voted, it was a majority. Jeremy didn’t see it as a problem.’ Danny nods and slaps his shoulder, walking them back to the front of the building. I follow with my hand on Ricky’s shoulder. I’m fuckin’ proud of him and don’t want to let that go just yet. Brothers are walking back with us telling the boys, ‘good job and they’re the shit.’ Every one of them throw chin but don’t say a word. Fuck, it’s like when Pres is pissed. They won’t be happy until they talk it out and little Ben says his piece to them. I
know that will happen behind closed doors.
Finally, VP and Pres come walking out with Security behind them. We’re all leaning on the bikes, waiting to get out of here. VP is watching little Ben. I know he’s doing the freakin’ mind shit. He signs to him to ‘let it go’. Little Ben throws chin and swings his leg over his bike.
The ride back to the hotel is slow but not long enough. We don’t detour with the Brothers that peel off because of the boys. The Officers surround them. None of them ride at night so this is a treat for them but a pain in the ass for us. I wouldn’t mind taking the back roads and coming in from behind the hotel but there’s not many street lights that way.
We ride up in the elevator and watch as they all follow little Ben into his room. Every one of them look like they’re facing a firing squad, shoulders slumped and heads forward. As soon as the door closes Danny laughs. “He’s fuckin’ pissed. He must have said something before we got here.”
VP looks at him. “Yeah, not to show off.”
“Fuck, I’m glad I’m not them. I wonder what he’s going to do,” Pres says.
VP laughs. “Pissed at you too. Didn’t need to oust them. Thinks you put a target on them. Was you that said to keep ‘em hidden.”
“You did say that, keep them out of the spotlight and all that shit. Guess you changed your mind tonight,” Danny says with a smile.
Pres wipes his hand through his hair. “Fuck! With Darren answering questions, Jessie and Ricky in the bike, and Jessie and Darren in shootout they’re already out. Little Ben putting the Outlaw down isn’t going to be forgotten either.”
Danny smiles, looking at him. “You probably could have left out all the details of them and the little ones’ abilities, though. I think it’s the details that he’s pissed about.”
“I was fuckin’ pissed! Who the fuck is a member, not even an Officer, to question my fuckin’ ability?”
VP snorts. “Got a little Badass President that’s got questions for you, soon as he’s done with his Brothers. Got a problem answerin’ him?”
Pres looks miserable. He blows out a breath. “No, he’s fuckin’ earned an explanation.” He pushes his door hard, slamming it against the wall and walks into his room.
Little Ben comes out of his room, wringing his hand out. I hold my laugh. He fuckin’ hit them. Danny looks at me and VP. “Getting beer and sitting on the balcony; you game?” We both follow him into his room, ignoring little Ben knocking on Pres’ door. He calls room service and walks onto the balcony. “I’d love to be a fly on the wall in there.” Danny laughs.
VP grunts. “Damn good President, doesn’t need to prove it. No one else could’ve done it. Wanted to hit Hands my fuckin’ self.”
“Once he got started, it would have been worse disrespecting him to interrupt,” Danny says.
“Fuckin’ A.” Nothing good would have come out of that. Pres would be expected to deal with that fallout.
We watch the bikes crawl the main road at a snail’s pace. I’m fuckin’ glad we got in when we did. Being jammed on the road, shots being fired, music and women yelling just doesn’t hold any appeal to me. I must be getting fuckin’ old.
Rich and Bob come in with more beer and sit. “Miss the fuckin’ patio,” Rich says, making me smile. He’s getting old too.
Chapter Sixteen
We ride to the shoot out early. Danny, VP, Bob, Jessie, and Darren are entered. We even have a Prospect entered in the Prospect’s game. The boys are excited. They had no problem showing their black eyes this morning. I fuckin’ laughed when I saw them. They just shrugged it off. Good Brothers taking responsibility.
Bob takes them around. They won’t be in the ride and shoot, but they’re in everything else. Darren watches intently the first round, then Jessie signs what the announcer says for him. He watches the next round then he’s up. The crowd starts talking shit until he hits his first shot. He runs through then Jessie goes. He’s smaller than the rest, but the kid has got a dead eye. The crowd doesn’t know what to make of the kids. Clearly they’re kids, but they are on the leader board. Bob follows, dropping Jessie off the board. Rich goes next, taking number one. Danny takes number two, and VP is under Bob. Fuckin’ Darren is fifth. All but Jessie is on the board for us. He fixes that with the pop ups he pulls in front of Darren and gets man hugged from everyone. Rich stays in the lead, then Danny, Bob, VP, Jessie, and Darren. A group of military drop Darren down. Hammer’s Brothers drop Jessie, but they’re still in the top fifteen. They run moving targets and pull back up to nine and ten. The crowd is rooting for them now. Ricky and little Ben are cheering loudest for them.
Once the last round ends the crowd starts chanting for the Little Brothers. The announcer tells everyone they had three under eighteen enter and were prepared for them. The boys get a patch. The crowd cheers, making all of us cheer along and whistle. Fuckin’ Little Badasses. The other kid, who I thought was an adult, placed before Jessie at eight. The boys shake his hand with smiles. Good Brothers. Little Ben man hugs them, making a show of respect, then takes them to Pres; VP throws him chin.
Ride and shoot has Danny, Rich, VP, and Bob taking first through fourth. No one comes close, but the announcer asks if we have a wonder boy that could ride and shoot. VP looks at little Ben, who shrugs. Pres tells them, “Yeah.” Little Ben goes to the kid that placed earlier. He nods and they go to the track. Working on both sides, they run the course, hitting everything. They’re not as fast as our Officers, but they’re faster than eleven and fourteen. I had no idea little Ben could ride and shoot. He took eleven. The announcer and crowd love it! Our MC and other Brothers are surrounding the boys, making me nervous. VP must be thinking the same thing because he moves to the boys, then moves them out of the crowd and onto the bleachers with our Brothers around them. Jessie is having trouble controlling himself. I see Ricky keep putting his hand on Jessie’s shoulder, pulling him down. He makes me laugh out loud, drawing attention. Our Prospect places a decent sixth and we all show him respect. He’s only been with us a couple of months. VP tells him he’ll keep an eye on him for HS if he keeps improving. I swear the guy grows an inch taller with a smile that won’t quit.
When we get back to the hotel, everyone is keyed up so we take an uneventful stroll through the thoroughfare where Pres is stopped every five minutes with someone wanting to talk to him. Cloud flies into the field behind the main drag, dropping Amanda and Jess.
VP and Bob take off and we head back to the hotel for dinner and an early night. Tomorrow Rich, Jessie, Bob, and Ricky have a competition. Me, Pres, Rich, and Danny sit on the balcony. Little Ben and Darren come sit for a while, then Jessie and Ricky come a little while later. I’m wondering why they’re taking shifts but figure it’s a politic thing, so I leave it alone.
Before he leaves, Rich says we might want to check on the boys before we turn in. He does it with a fuckin’ smile. Fuck! I’m thinking they got someone to buy them beer until I get close to the door and hear a woman’s laugh. Danny laughs. “Ain’t no fuckin’ way I’m checking them right now. Now I get the visiting in shifts, though.”
I nod and look at my watch. “I’ll check the boys at twelve,” I say loud enough that they can hear me. They have an hour and a half to get the woman out. Danny smiles, holding his door open for me. Might as well have another beer.
Chapter Seventeen
We’re in the restaurant when the boys show, not one of them embarrassed, so we play it cool, talking about the competition. Fuckin’ Rich asks if they got a good night’s rest and are ready for the ride with the biggest fuckin’ smile. I want to hit him; they all nod but don’t say a word and don’t give anything away with their expressions. Makes me wonder if this wasn’t the first time for them. I shake my head. I don’t want to know that shit.
Rich and Bob take the boys up to change. They bought them leathers with Kevlar and padding with matching helmets. Everything has our logo on it and looks sharp. Danny asks me to help him get the bikes ready. We pull to the trailer
at the track and I’m already nervous. “You sure Ricky can do this?” This is fuckin’ professional. Nancy will kill me if he gets hurt out here.
He goes to the back and unlocks it, opening the door. “He’s better than you think. He was with Evelyn before. She’s all about the MC. Ricky’s been riding since he first got to us. He’s fuckin’ good Brother. Don’t worry.” I nod. Rich and Bob wouldn’t let him ride if they didn’t think so.
We set the bikes and I’m wondering whose is who. The only one I know is Bob’s because it has the web pedal on one side. We guard the bikes until they show with Pres and VP. They put their bikes in the trailer with ours and we lock them up, walking to the bleachers by the finish line. We can see most of the track from here and it looks fuckin’ hard. Was it this hard the year before last? I can’t remember. Rich won that year, but I can’t remember what it looked like.
The first riders run through the track and my heart is in my throat. I’ve seen two falls. I can’t remember when Ricky got to the first house and how much riding he’s done. My imagination is going wild. What the fuck is up with this? Bob runs through without a problem. The announcer calls him Bionic Spider-Man because of his leg, making people laugh. I don’t know why. You can’t see it with the pants he’s wearing. He moves into first place. A few more go through, then Rich. He moves into first, bumping Bob. Jessie runs through, hitting eighth and the Brothers show him respect.
The waiting is going to kill me. When I hear his name I stand. People start yelling at me to sit, so I yell back, “My fuckin’ kid is next. Shut the fuck up!” Danny’s laughing, but I don’t give a shit. I’m ready to have a heart attack here. I see him come around the bend up on a ramp. He jumps to the next ramp and lifts his wheel to turn, rolling down another ramp. I don’t see him again until he goes up the last ramp and jumps across. I swear to God he flies through the air at slow speed, making my heart pound so loud in my head I don’t hear the people around me. He lands and races around the last ramps, hitting the finish line to a cheer. I sit down fuckin’ glad he made it. My heart stops pounding in my ears and I hear the crowd and announcer again, but another rider is starting and I don’t see Ricky. Danny slaps my arm and points to the board. Ricky is fourth. Holy shit! He can ride. No wonder they were okay on the road when I took them out. Fuckin’ kids are going to kill me. If I wasn’t pissed at him, I’d go see Doc for a checkup.