by Vera Quinn
“Who do we have here?” Cap asks. The man glares at Cap and I think that Cap may recognize him. “You did work on my farm. Did you kill my woman’s animals?’ The man smirks.
“That was a sweet job, especially when she called to get me to help with the clean-up and I got to get the satisfaction of seeing dear Lil’s agony. She was inconsolable. How many times do you think your wife will go through that again, because I can tell it is going to get worse before it gets better? The next time what or who will she be cleaning up; will it be dead loved ones? That Katie is one sweet looking bitch, even when she is knocked up. It’s too bad when she had that little accident on the way back from the doctor that it didn’t take care of the little bastard. Where are Lil, Katie, and Shine today?” The man sounds like he is deranged. Both Con and Cap grab for the man but Chief and I stand between the two men and the man on the ground. Con steps back and starts walking in a circle and takes his phone out and starts texting. Cap is staring the man down. The man tries to stand up but Chief pushes him back down. “Do you think that your family is any safer? What do you have to lose Chief? That young wife at home with your three young sons. Then how many grandkids do you have running around now, is it five or six? That’s right, that daughter of yours has spit out four with another on the way and Tazer has one. It seems you might have a lot to lose. You see when we are finished with the Demented Revengers then your club is next, fair warning. You can’t stop us.” Chief laughs and the man’s attention is on me.
“Brody what do you have to lose? Your mom and dad, your cousin and his family, good old Sheriff Samms. Don’t worry by the end of the day the Sheriff’s office will be history.” He looks at his watch. “This is going to be the worse day in your life today. Unless you count the day your cousin, Jilly died. Too bad Charity and her never had the chance to meet, they could have compared notes in the man that is called Brody, badass Marine and bounty hunter. How big do you feel right now?” I try to control my temper. This man has given us information when he has been spitting his poison at us and it is the only reason he is not dead already.
“We’ll be the ones walking away from this and you will not.” I tell the man through gritted teeth. The man laughs. I look up and Con is still pacing and texting. Then he looks up and stops.
“Done.” Con says, and I have no idea what he is talking about. I look at Chief and Cap and they are giving nothing away.
“We have played enough, time to let this fucker in on some truths instead letting his head play in his own little world. The bombs that were planted by Tango and his sisters were found. Bombs have been disarmed and Tango and his two sisters booked one-way tickets on a non-stop train to hell, after they spilled all the info about the events that your group had planned for today. The bomb at the Sheriff’s office was taken care of too. The President of Hell Keeperz, Hack or Glenn, whatever you call him, is dead in that church along with Richard Denson, one of your leaders. All of our families are protected and in a safe place.” Chief is right. They put all our family except for Kaden in an old armory and they are heavily guarded, and the place was searched for bombs. It’s not owned by any of the clubs. Dad has owned it for years and he is trying to make a war museum out of it. All the insides are still in decent shape, and useable for defense, but no one would know to look there. I am still worried about Kaden who wouldn’t leave his job and then there is Charity and Faith. I’m not sure where Chief has his family, but I know he is not leaving their safety to chance. I need to find Charity and stick to that woman like glue until she is at the armory. I see Rebel and Cue Ball walking towards us.
“How many Hell Keeperz club members are dead?” Cap asks.
“Nine and four without cuts. There was a dead man in the back room that was shot in the chest. I am guessing that is the one Charity took out earlier. He’s not wearing a cut and then there was the President that you found so that brings the total to ten and five.” Rebel answers. “We have two men to take back and question. The Hell Keeperz secretary, Beef, and Stuart Benson.”
“Leave my dad alone. He’s not a well man. If you cowards need a person to threaten and beat, then I am your man, but leave my dad alone.” The man on the ground winces in pain as he talks. If his leg keeps bleeding the way it is, he’ll bleed out sooner rather than later.
“Well, well, well, looks like we are going to have fun finding out if the son talks to save the dad or if the dad talks to save the son. Maybe neither really give a fuck about each other. I am feeling no loyalty in this group of people. You have now given me a real entertaining evening to look forward to.” Chief has an evil look on his face.
“Titan, their Enforcer, is dead close to the wood line back there.” I point towards the heavy clump of trees. I dig his possessions out of my pockets and hand to Cue Ball. I know I should feel regret for killing Titan, but I don’t. His club members are hunting my woman and I would kill every damn one of them to keep her and our child safe. “I’m going to find Charity. I can’t wait any longer.” The three Presidents look at me and then at each other.
“Cue Ball get Phil Benson out of here but keep him separated from the other two.” I don’t know whose head swings faster, mine or Phil’s. It seems I have been kept out of the loop. I wait until Cue Ball has the man out of hearing distance.
“What else are you keeping from me?” Rebel turns to me. He knows I am pissed.
“Sarge gave us a dossier this morning. He sent it to just us three, no one else knew but us three and him. We are playing it close to the vest, so our families are protected, and that includes your family. We have names of most of the community members and the Hell Keeperz MC. We all know that the community members all moved in the middle of the night. What we didn’t know is that they are in Hopes Landing with the biggest part of the Hell Keeperz MC. They are reorganizing their community with one that already exists on a hundred acres that has the Hell Keeperz MC clubhouse on it. This is the original Hell Keeperz, not some watered-down version. The community that was already established along with the Hell Keeperz comes to about a hundred and twenty members. Now most of those are workers but they are trained as well as Charity and Faith are. After we get todays situations taken care of then we are going to reach out to every Demented Revengers club and our friendly clubs that help us out and we are going to take them out. We’ll see how they like bombs planted in their homes.” Rebel looks at Cap and I know there is more.
“Just spit the rest of the shit out.” I tell Rebel. Chief moves closer to me.
“Either Shane or Tyler one is on their payroll. Since they are your partners we thought you would know the two of them better than anyone. The information we got came from your office computer. You were on the road looking for Charity and running leads on the Hell Keeperz, so we know it is not you, but without taking the two in for questioning them one on one then we have no way of knowing which one. We confiscated your computers this morning.” Rebel stops talking waiting for my response.
“You investigated me? I want to find Charity and bring her home and I want to keep my family safe, is there something wrong with that?” I know we are being extra careful and the thought of one of my men betraying me is overwhelming, but I can’t help to let my frustration be known.
“Everyone of us was checked out, even Gracie and Ma. We were also making sure that there was no false evidence that they planted so one of us could be caught with our pants down. That’s one way we found out about Tango and his sisters. Tango has false identification. He paid someone for it before he ever joined the club. Our regular background checks didn’t catch it. Sarge has connections with the military and had all the backgrounds redone and they dug deeper. Tango was born in a place like Charity and so were his two sisters. His two sisters were not smart enough or didn’t have enough money to get the better prepared papers for their identification. When we confronted the women, they turned on Tango and when we showed Tango we had his sisters tied to chairs he tried to bargain for their lives by giving us informatio
n on everyone they had ties to.” Rebel looks at Cap again. “Kaden was confronted by a gang of boys at the middle school this morning. He is in the hospital, but he is going to be fine. We have guards on him and as soon as he is released they will update us.”
“They Hell Keeperz’s pushers were at the school selling again and the school called the Sheriff’s department and Kaden was the one that caught the call out. They think he has a concussion, but they are running test.” Rebel stops talking like he is trying to find a way to tell me the next part.
“When we were in the church we were informed that Charity and Faith were taken by the Hell Keeperz and Brain is dead. Shot through the back of his head and left to bleed out on Interstate 30, ZMan went down hard but he was able to get Brain’s bike going and he is on their tails.” I see the pain in Rebel’s eyes and hear the hurt in his voice. Brain was Chief’s tech guy, but he was here doing work for the Demented Revengers MC when needed. I am filled with hate. I hate the Hell Keeperz MC and Charity’s family. I am going to save my family and I head for my truck, but Con grabs my hand.
“They’re not finished yet. Just hear them out and then I will go with you to look for your woman. This is important.” I look at the man and I don’t know much about him, but he seems sincere and if there is more I need to hear I will listen.
“What else?” I look at Rebel. I know he will be the one to tell me.
“Tyler was killed inside. I don’t think they would have shot him if he was the insider, so beware of Shane. I guess Faith was able to write a note and she put under her seat. Sarge said that the only thing it said was Nic, Pop and SAA. I think she might be trying to tell us who took them. Stealth texted that two of the prospects were killed and their bodies are in Mt. Vernon. The other one laid his bike down and he is in surgery right now. He wasn’t wearing a helmet and when he slid across the Interstate it took his skin off his head. They are trying to repair that, and his leg and collar bone are both broken. The hospital is giving Sarge and Stealth updates. Sarge said he was his brother. The three bodies are being taken to the morgue a little later. There were deaths on the other side also but Sarge told them he wasn’t concerned about them and just burn the bodies. Another car of people said that the two women were taken in a black SUV.” Chief finishes. “I am sending you both, Sarge and Stealth’s numbers. Meet them and get your woman back.”
“Rebel go with him. We have this. Con you go too and keep us updated.” I know I should be mourning Tyler and I will, but right now my woman needs me.
“Let’s go. I am in my truck.” We all turn to leave but Rebel stops.
“My bike is in the woods behind the church, but it would take too long to get to. Make sure my boys get it home.” Rebel is looking at Cap. Cap shakes his head affirmatively but him and Chief are already in a deep discussion.
Chapter 19
Faith
We stopped somewhere off Interstate 30, but when I was dragged out of the SUV we were in, I could still see the interstate. I think we are in an old cattle sale barn right on the service road. I was pushed inside the doors and the inside of the building looks like a house or office. I keep trying to keep my eyes on Charity. She was shot in her shoulder trying to protect Brain after he was down from a gunshot to the back of his head. Charity was trying to drag Brain back to the jeep for protection when Nic shot her in the shoulder. Then our Pop walked right up to her and hit her in the head with the stock of his rifle. Charity hasn’t woken up since then. I bandaged her with some bandanas I had packed but they won’t let me touch her now. I am pushed into a chair and they lay Charity on the couch. Pop walks up to me and looks at me. The man from the Hell Keeperz walks out of this room through a door to the right side. He shuts the door behind him.
“Faith, Nic still wants to take you as his bride. He thinks he can train you to be an abiding wife. I think he is wrong, but money has changed hands and agreements have been made, so the task is his to break you, but your sister is another case all together. We have always known that her will was too strong and that she is not a suitable candidate for a wife, too much trouble. Therefore, like we used you for years to control Charity, we are going to use her to keep you in line. So be a good girl and dig that bullet out of your sister and then your good behavior will be rewarded by Charity getting to live another day.” Pop is talking to me as if nothing is wrong. I think he has lost his mind.
“I can’t dig the bullet out of her shoulder. She needs a hospital and a doctor to care for her. Charity is caring a child and it is too risky for me to try and dig a bullet out of her. She’s unconscious. You hit her too damn hard.” Pop’s backhand is swift, and I taste blood, but I am not prepared for the punch to the side of my face from Nic.
“Do not bring shame to your future husband by speaking the vulgarities that your heathen sister has taught you. I am going to have my hands full correcting the unsavory habits you have picked up while you have been with Charity.” Nic is talking like some older man like we read in our school work. He’s full of shit. I know the real Nic, or I think I do.
“How are you going to correct the part where I gave my virginity to a biker that I barely knew so you could never get it?” The second blow is to my stomach and I feel like I am going to throw up the little bit of food I have in my stomach. I will not let Nic break me. I have never had sex but Nic would not be taking my virginity. I will die first.
“Enough!” My father yells at Nic. “She is not yours until the marriage license is signed as it says in the agreement, but you have been given reason to withdraw your interest to marry my daughter since she will no longer be coming to you untouched. You may need to confer with your father.”
“I confer with no one on my business, and I am still willing to take Faith. I look forward to cleansing the filth from her and taming that crude mouth. I want this wedding done this week, not next month. That is the only amendment to our agreement.” My Pop looks at me and then to Charity. I get it now, Nic is trying to get my Pop’s approval by talking like him. It’s a cruel joke. Nic is no gentleman, but then neither is my pop.
“So be it. I have never been so disappointed in two people in my life, but that is normal in our family, at least Hope has brought some sunshine to us. The paperwork will show the amendment and be ready to be signed as soon as I can get them drawn up when we arrive in Hopes Landing.” I will not marry Nic! “As for Charity as soon as she gives birth she will be dealt with. The baby will bring a good sum of money on the black market, if it is a female, but if it is a male then I will raise it as my own child. I will finally have the son I have wanted, at least Charity still has some use for us. If this is a lucrative enough of a deal this may a knew means of income. We can mule out the girls that will not make acceptable wives for our members by either selling the offspring on the black market or if there are men among our members that do not have sons they can pay a compensation to us for male offspring. Nic do you think you would be interested in this business proposition, for a startup fee of course?” Nic looks at me and then to Pop.
“I think we should write up a proposal first with the details of where to keep the women, medical that personnel we will need, and the price of each child, but it sounds profitable with only a small risk.” I cannot believe my Pop, the man who I have looked up to my whole life is standing there talking about selling babies and holding women against their will. I look at Nic and he has an evil grin on his face. I once thought of Nic as my best friend except for Charity. I have been so naïve. I feel betrayed by these two men and repulsion is the feeling that comes to mind.
“I think since Faith has soiled her body, that I should be able to sample what she has to offer me. I will need to pick my second wife with much more scrutiny. I feel as if I was stolen from, but I still wish for her to be my first wife. Can you accommodate me with that? We still have time before we are escorted back to Hopes Landing.” Nic sounds pathetic.
“I need to tend to Charity,” I look at my Pop. “Please.”
&nb
sp; “That is much better Faith. Nic, your request is not one I will even consider, after the wedding as agreed.” Nic flops down in a chair and pouts like the child he is. Pop gets up and walks down the hall.
“You will do good to mind your manners around me Faith. The nicer you are to me, the easier I will be on you. Piss me off and there is nothing anyone can do to stop me from taking care of my property, in any way I see fit. I may wed a second wife quickly then have you servicing her in every way or share you with men in the community.” Nic will not intimidate me. I am not the innocent girl I once was. “Couldn’t you have done something with that face of yours. You will learn to listen to me and follow my orders.” I look right at Nic and my anger takes over.