by Dale Mayer
Then again he was a hell of a long way away from getting married and having kids, so it was a moot point.
For the longest time he hadn’t even looked in that direction, thinking it wouldn’t happen any time soon. And it hadn’t been anything he’d been concerned about. And then he’d watched his friends foray into successful relationships. Then these men were good at damn near everything.
Seeing them with their loving partners he realized there was so much more than he ever thought there could be. He’d never known anyone happily married. He believed it was possible but it wasn’t anything he’d seen yet.
Now he wanted a taste of it himself. But wanting something didn’t mean the same as making it happen.
He did do a lot of volunteer work with the Boys and Girls’ club and often got involved in preparations for holiday celebrations. He’d figured that would be enough.
At least up to now.
His childhood had been horrific, his teen years worse, including being involved with gangs at one point in time. It had been a hard life and an even harder one to get away from. But he’d succeeded. That was all behind him now and that’s where it stayed. He’d had no contact with anyone from that time of his life in over a decade. If he was lucky he’d never see them again.
In his attempt to put the gang lifestyle behind him, he’d tried to get his tattoo removed. The best the artist could do was to ink a new image over top of the old.
Most people would never recognize what he’d done. Although if the gang found out, he’d be in trouble.
Walking away wasn’t allowed. Then to deface what they considered their brother in arms bond was asking for punishment.
But he was no longer the scared kid who’d watched his best friend be gunned down in the middle of the street and was forced to choose sides in a war he’d been able to ignore before then.
He’d gone on to be somebody. Made a few of his own dreams come true. He was now a SEAL, something he’d badly wanted for himself – and that was a damn good place to be.
Kicking off his dirty boots he walked in sand-filled socks to the bathroom. There on the mat, he stripped down to the skin and stepped under hot water. He should be three pounds lighter by the time he got out, he was wearing so much dirt. As the water sluiced down his back he reveled at being clean once again.
Joining the Navy had been the best thing for him. It had called to him since he was a young boy. A dream he’d held dear when the gang life had seemed a life sentence.
But he’d shaken it all off.
When he was finally clean, he shut off the water and opened the glass doors to reach for the towel.
He wiped his face first, and his gaze, now clean of water, slid past the mirror. Then raced back to stare at the fogged up glass in shock.
And froze. Slowly, his eyes never leaving the mirror, he toweled off. All the while his mind churned. Written in something red – a woman’s lipstick maybe – was the same original symbol he’d had inked on his arm under duress. He ran his fingers over the aged tattoo on his own skin as he studied the crude drawing.
Apparently his past had just collided with his present, and one part of his history had tracked him down.
The question was what did this person want? And if it was a gang member – what was he going to do now that he’d found Chase?
Chapter 3
Vanessa knocked on the apartment door and waited. No one opened the door, but there was a sense of being watched. She smiled into the peephole. Immediately the chain on the other side shifted, and she could hear excited voices piping up on the other side.
Amrit’s face slid into view. Then he grinned and the door opened up wide. “Hello, Vanessa.”
“Hi, Amrit, how are you doing today?” She walked into the hallway, her gaze doing a quick sweep, but it looked the same as always. Painfully clean.
“How was school today?” she asked. She had checked the time and planned her visit accordingly. According to his mother and the school, Amrit was doing what he could to avoid showing up. That couldn’t continue. She knew this was a period of transition for the whole family and there would be more upheaval coming, but he’d missed a lot of school already. They’d been here three weeks. It was time for him to get into the normalcy of what life on American soil was going to mean. He’d healed physically but was still caught emotionally by his past.
“Fine, I guess.” Amrit walked to the couch and sat down, picking up the game controller he’d been using before answering the door. He’d certainly picked up those American habits quickly. She studied his blank features, the gaze that wouldn’t quite meet hers and the slouch of his shoulders.
“Is school hard?”
He shook his head. “No. It’s not hard. Lots I already know from home.”
“And the new stuff?” she asked gently, taking a seat on the couch beside him.
Amrit’s mother came racing in from the kitchen. “It’s good to see you again, Vanessa.”
Vanessa smiled at her. Sinja was always very friendly, honest and nervous. It would take months before that instinctive looking over her shoulder stopped. That fear of wondering where the next blow would come from… But hopefully not so many months for them to stop being worried they’d be sent back. She knew this family particularly wanted to assimilate into U.S. society.
She’d do what she could to make that happen.
“How’re the boys doing?” Vanessa asked. She’d spoken to Sinja on the phone earlier and knew there were definitely some issues that Amrit was struggling to overcome. His brother had taken a different route in choosing to toss everything from his homeland behind, even taking on a new name, Peter. Amrit didn’t want to lose his name or his heritage or the memories of his father and that was fine, too. Vanessa was all about them doing what they wanted to do to make the transition easier.
“Amrit isn’t feeling very good today,” Sinja said. “I told him it was okay for him to stay home.”
Vanessa reached over and touched Amrit’s arm. “I’m sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do to make your life a little easier right now?”
Amrit’s gaze shifted to the side and then back.
So there was something. “Do you know anybody here? Is there anybody you would like to contact or spend time with? Someone back home?” she asked, not sure where the question was coming from, but as he’d met many U.S. soldiers in his homeland it was possible he thought they would be here, too. Unfortunately, that was often not the case. The U.S. was a huge country and the refugees did not always end up close to the people they had met already.
Amrit didn’t answer. She gave his forearm a squeeze and dropped her hand. She didn’t know what to do. She spent another few minutes with both family members, then got up to leave. As she walked to the front door, she called back, “You have my phone number. Anytime you want to call me, do so.” She walked out to the hallway with Sinja following her. “Do you know what’s wrong?”
Sinja frowned. “I don’t know. I don’t think he wants to go back home, or maybe it’s just been such a shock to move here. It’s so different. He does mention the soldiers a lot.”
“Right. Chances are the ones he met are still over there finishing up their tour of duty. Life for them is very different when they get home.”
Sinja nodded. “He was hoping to see Chase.”
“Chase?”
“He’s the soldier who found Amrit. He spoke with him in the hospital, but that was before we came here.”
Vanessa nodded in understanding. Amrit might need closure. Or maybe he needed to thank the soldier. “You don’t happen to know the soldier’s last name, do you?”
Sinja shook her head. “No.”
With a smile, Vanessa patted her gently on the shoulder and said, “I’ll do my best to see if I can track him down.” Then she turned and walked back to the elevator, her mind already on the problem.
*
Chase walked outside and tilted his face to the sun. There was a bit of bite to the a
ir, the clouds and wind said a storm was coming. He had just come off another training session on new firearms. One always had to keep a step ahead of the enemy. Unfortunately, that seemed to be impossible to do these days.
“Chase, wait up,” Mason called from the end of the hallway.
Chase stopped. When Mason got close enough, he asked, “What’s up?”
Mason smiled. “We have a different assignment for you.”
Chase frowned, not sure he liked the sound of that.
“Do you remember Amrit? The one that helped us take out Kahib?”
Chase’s frown deepened. “The kid?”
Mason nodded. “Yes. He’s here in San Diego. The family moved here over five weeks ago, but he’s struggling. His mom told an employee from the refugee center he hoped to see you again.”
This time Chase smiled. “I don’t have a problem seeing him. It’ll be nice to see how he’s doing.”
Mason smiled. “Glad to hear that.” He handed over a piece of paper. “This is Vanessa’s number. She’s the one who’s been making inquiries to try to get the two of you in touch again. Give her a call and set up a meeting with Amrit. He’s been doing his best to avoid school and holing up inside the apartment instead of going out and being a kid.”
Chase accepted the paper and tucked it into his pocket. “I’ll do that when I get home.”
“Sounds good.” Mason walk away, turned back and said, “Are you okay? Seems like something is bothering you lately.”
“I’m fine.” He hoped that was a gentle door closing. Mason and the rest of his team were good men and they all cared about each other, but he wasn’t sure he was ready to share his past yet. But inside he knew his past had already slammed into his present.
“If you’re sure. Anytime you want to talk, I’m here.” With a slight wave, Mason loped off back down the hallway.
Chase walked out into the parking lot and wondered if he should talk to him. It would be nice to talk to someone. But then he should be talking to Markus or maybe even Brett. He was closer to them. And if members of his old gang were in town they needed to know he wasn’t going to play their games. He was no terrified young boy without friends anymore.
He opened his car door, popped inside and slammed it shut. Times were changing. Look at Levi and his group. Evan had taken a few days off to help them move. Levi was moving into a new house while he went through physio but wanted to be close to Stone who was still recovering from his amputation. Merk was going for another surgery to help rebuild the muscles of his calves. Life had knocked that group on their asses.
He was worried the gang could knock him on his ass. Destroy all he’d worked for.
Back at his apartment, he walked into the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee. As he poured the water into the carafe, his inner senses tingled. He knew he wasn’t alone.
He casually continued to make the coffee, his mind assessing what was different. He pushed the button to start the coffee dripping, turned slowly and studied what he could see. The kitchen area was empty. The glass door to the small porch was open. Right. His gaze searched his living room. He walked toward the glass doors and stepped out on the small patio.
And froze at the sight of the man waiting for him. Ronnie – someone he’d never thought to see again. Ronnie had been pressed into the gang a little before Chase had been. By the time Chase had managed to extricate himself out of the gang, Ronnie had worked his way up the ranks. He had to be a top lieutenant by now.
And Ronnie was alone.
Good.
Curious yet wary, Chase pulled one of the patio chairs toward him and sat down. “Long time no see.” His gaze intent, he studied Ronnie, searching for the angry teen he’d known in the man across the table.
Ronnie nodded, his gaze sober, darker, and more tired than Chase remembered. “It has been at that.”
“Why are you here?” Ronnie had always been a straight shooter, but he didn’t recognize the man beside him right now.
“Gregory sent me.”
“Why?”
“He wants to see you.”
Chase shook his head. “Not happening.”
“That’s not going to make him happy.”
“What are you guys doing in California? It’s a long way away from Chicago.”
“Gregory’s up for some jail time. Trial is coming up next week. They got no case. No evidence.” Ronnie didn’t take that gaze off of Chase’s face. “We want to keep it that way.”
Chase leaned back. “And he’s afraid I’m going to be part of the evidence? I haven’t heard anything about his arrest or trial.”
“Doesn’t mean the cops aren’t looking for somebody to turn evidence on Gregory.”
Chase shook his head. “I left all that a long, long time ago.”
“Doesn’t matter. The police are doing everything they can to dig up some dirt. Gregory wants to make sure there’s none to find.”
So this was where the crux was. “And if there is?” He kept his voice low, hard.
“There is only one side.” Ronnie reached inside his shirt, pulled out a gun and laid it on the table.
Chase looked at it and smiled. “Police issue Glock. You kill the cop that came off of?”
Ronnie shook his head. “He handed it over voluntarily.”
“Like hell.” Nobody ever handed over a gun voluntarily.
“Honest.” Ronnie gave him a slow smile. “Of course, we also gave him cash in return.”
“Right. Crooked cop. That’s nothing new.” And it wasn’t, unfortunately. The gangs had agreements, deals, arrangements, whatever you wanted to call them, with most of the cops. That kept them safe to a certain extent. And also gave them a very distorted view of the law.
Ronnie stood up. “Saturday.” He gave the name of one of the local parks. “We’ll find you.” He shot Chase a hard look. “It’s time to pick a side.”
Chase stood up and shook his head. “I picked a side when I walked away.”
Ronnie smiled. “Gregory asked me to talk to you. I agreed. You know what the outcome is going to be if you make the wrong choice. You’ll never see it coming.” And with a nonchalance that showed the security of a man, no longer the fear of a boy, he got up and walked through the apartment to the front door. Chase walked behind him. As Ronnie reached for the door, it opened in front of him.
Markus leaned against the doorframe. He was as bad ass looking as any in the biker gangs Chase had ever seen.
Ronnie looked back at Chase and raised an eyebrow.
“Good-bye, Ronnie,” Chase said quietly, seeing the closing of a door he’d thought he’d slammed a long time ago.
Without saying a word, Ronnie walked out.
Markus walked in, his gaze hard as he studied Chase. “Who is that?” Markus was always blunt. He never worried about niceties, and when he wanted the answer to questions he was direct.
Chase hesitated, on the edge of what to say, and decided on the truth. Brett was out of town and that left only Markus to talk to. “His name is Ronnie. He’s a bit of my history. Unfortunately, a history that will no longer stay in the past.”
Chase turned and walked back into the kitchen where he poured two cups of coffee. He slid one across the counter toward Markus.
Markus picked it up and waited. When Chase didn’t offer more information he said, “Explain.”
Chase smiled. “You don’t beat around the bush, do you?”
“Never. Stop procrastinating.” Markus walked out onto the patio, took the exact same chair Ronnie had sat in. He placed the coffee on the table and waited.
Chase sat down. “It’s a bit of an ugly story. But that’s the thing about secrets. They always show up eventually.”
“So true.”
Chase wondered where to start and then slowly led Markus through the rough childhood then teen years until he walked away, ending with, “And if Ronnie hadn’t shown up today there would’ve been no need to go down this path. But with Gregory being arrested and t
he DA looking to put him away for serious time, well now there’s trouble and I can’t walk away this time.”
Silence.
“So this guy Gregory’s been arrested but is out on bail. The police are looking for evidence to put him away for much more. What are we talking – drugs? Murder?”
Chase shrugged. “Both.”
“So they now want to know that you’re still loyal to them – does that sound about right?”
“Yeah, that sounds about right.” Chase nodded. “And if I’m not, then there is a bullet with my name on it and I won’t see it coming.”
“Damn it. You’re in a heap of trouble and didn’t even know.” Markus laughed. “On another note I just heard from Mason that Amrit wants to see you. He’s a good kid.”
Chase smiled. He pulled the address for the phone number out of his pocket and tossed it on the table. “I’m supposed to call this woman and set up a meeting. I planned to do that today but as soon as I walked in Ronnie was already inside my apartment. Maybe give her a call yourself if you’d like to see Amrit, too.”
“Inside?” Markus asked in alarm.
Chase nodded. “And I’m not sure what to do about it. This is the first I’ve seen Ronnie in over a decade.”
“What evidence do you have that worries them?”
“Physical evidence they know about? What I saw with my own eyes and wrote in a journal, some at the time and some as soon as I left – if I gave my testimony in a court of law – yeah, that could put Gregory and several of his officers away for life.” At Markus’s questioning gaze, Chase added, “When I was fourteen I saw Gregory gun down several men and my best friend. That’s how I was forced into the gang – it was join or die. And my mom’s life was held over my head to gain compliance ever after…”
“And since you left? When was that?”