by K E Osborn
“Foxy.”
She glances up at me. “I heard some shit about going out on a dangerous mission, can you tell me what’s going on?”
“Yeah, the Andrettis are in trouble. We gotta go help ‘em.”
Her nostrils flare as she wraps her arms around herself. “How bad are we talking here, Ace?”
Tilting my head, I exhale. “Extinction-level event.” Her eyes widen, her face turns pale white. “For them, not us,” I quickly add.
She starts tapping her foot on the floor as her eyes water. “Do you think you’ll even be able to help?”
I shrug. “If I know Torque like I think I do, he’ll pull something together. Don’t worry, we’ll be fine… he’ll be fine.”
“You better, I kinda love you all.”
I lean forward wrapping my arms around her. She’s one of the strongest old ladies I know, but right now she’s struggling. So fuck the unspoken rules, I’m comforting my president’s woman. She wraps her arms around me leaning into me as I hold her to me.
She needs this.
I think I do too.
“Don’t worry, Foxy, we all have a reason to come home. Especially Torque.”
I pull back holding her at an arm's length and stare into her eyes.
She sniffs. “Thanks. Does Neve know you’re doing this?”
Dropping my arms to my side, I grunt out more annoyed at myself than anything. “No, I didn’t even tell her I was leaving.”
She reaches out gripping my bicep. “She’s good for you. Think of her out there tonight. Make it back for her, okay?”
“Yeah. Now go to your man. He’s waiting for you,” I tell her.
She seems confused but turns her head toward the chapel to see Torque standing there smiling. She beams with all the love she has for her husband. It’s oozing from her. “You come back for Neve, just like he’s going to come back for me,” she instructs then turns rushing over the other side of the room and leaps into Torque’s arms.
A sense of warmth floods through me as they disappear inside the chapel, and I turn back toward the bar. What I wouldn’t give to see Neve right now. But I have to keep my head clear tonight, or I’ll be going in basically blind.
A tap on my shoulder makes me spin to see Sparx standing behind me. I wonder why she’s here and not with Trax and her babies. The appearance on my face must match the thoughts in my mind as she giggles. “I’m going back to Trax in a second, but I wanted to come over and tell you, I know Neve isn’t here, or Cindi, but I am, and right now you’re not alone. I need you to come home to us too, Ace. So, you get your butt back here unbroken, okay?”
“Yes, ma’am. You make sure those babies are really tired for when Trax gets back, so they misbehave for him.”
Her mouth drops open as she gasps. “You’re bad, Ace! I love it… keep safe.” She leans in kissing my cheek. I can’t help but notice Trax watching us as he plays with his twins.
I hope if I get to this point with Neve that Trax will let it go. Sparx and I are friends, nothing more, never will be. She honestly is nice to everyone. Trax must sense I had a thing for her once upon a time, but that’s over now. It was over the minute Trax made a play for her. I want Neve. I can’t help but wonder if she’s still shooting or if she’s finished on set for today and wondering where the hell I shot off to. I just hope like hell I’m around to explain it to her and the explanation doesn’t scare her away.
Fuck.
“We’re heading to the pizzeria, Enzo’s main stomping ground. Enzo has his other places covered the best he can. We’re needed there. Right, boys, let’s ride,” Torque calls out as Foxy ambles behind him. Her face is somber, much like the atmosphere in the room, but I won’t let it get to me as I glance at Ruby and Hayley behind the bar and dip my head at them while I walk with my brothers as one group to our rides. They’re lined up, glistening in the silver moonlight, a ghostly reflection swirls in the breeze above them. The crisp air sends plumes of steam flowing out of our mouths from the temperature change. A gentle howling whistles through the air from the wind in the trees, like the dead are groaning from their graves at the mess we’re getting ourselves into. A shudder runs down my spine as we all pull on our fingerless leather gloves, my fingers stretching through the stiff fabric. We all have the same pair with the club logo in white on the top of the knuckles. It’s something Torque likes to give us after we join.
We’re a brotherhood, and tonight we’re going to help those who have helped us numerous times. Enzo needs us, so we’re going to be there for him. No matter the carnage. No matter the cost. Because we are Defiance, and we stand in the face of adversity.
Striding to my bike, I grab my helmet, pulling it on. The same level of discomfort I always have when I put my helmet on over my hair is there, but I don’t even care about that right now as I slide my leg over my ride. I glance over to the old ladies and club girls standing at the door watching us leave. It must be difficult to watch us all ride off, not knowing whether we’re going to be coming back or not.
Freckles stands with Surge. It’s the first time he’s not coming with us to a fight. He’s getting too old for this shit, and while he’s still fit as all hell, we need some men here in case shit hits the club while we’re gone. I know Torque will have men to guard the club while we’re fighting. It’s just what he does. He’ll want all the ladies safe even though Surge and Gatekeeper are here, and they’re within the sanctity and security of the club grounds.
Turning my engine over, I watch as Scratch takes off first. Being the Road Captain, he’s always the lead rider in a procession. Torque and Trax drive off after him. I pull out along with my other brothers with Chains designated to run at the backdoor now that Surge has semi-retired.
Normally, feeling the wind on my face, the vibration beneath me, and the call of the open road would ease me. Usually, I feel my body relax, wind down, and all my muscles loosen from whatever stressors are plaguing me but not right now. Now, we’re heading to a war we have no idea how big it will be, who the hell we’re fighting, or if we have any chance of winning. This could change everything. The face of Defiance—the state of Chicago. How tonight pans out, no one knows, the only thing I do know is we will band together and fight like fury to make sure we all come out alive. Because it’s all of us, a brotherhood, and if one of us falls, we all feel the loss, and I don’t want anyone of us to feel that loss. Not tonight. Not for a hell of a long time.
I glance at my watch to see it’s five to ten. We’re cutting it fucking close. It’s almost like everyone else senses the time constraint as we hammer down, speeding way faster than the legal limit to get there on time. My heart thrashes in my chest. We have no idea what we’re in for as we all pull into the parking lot. Nothing seems out of place, but we jump off our rides quickly.
I yank my helmet off checking around, pulling out my Glock from the back of my pants straight away. My brothers do the same as Torque signals for us to head inside. I get to the door, open it slowly, and as I do, an automatic rifle is shoved in my face. I aim my gun into the blackened pizzeria as my brothers all draw their weapons and aim at the same spot.
“Gesù Cristo! Ace, you fuckhead, announce yourself next time, will you?” Franky, Enzo’s underboss, grunts lowering the rifle, then moving to the side to let us walk on through.
I exhale, shaking my head. “So some asshole can shoot me! Not likely, Franky,” I grumble back while walking in, my eyes trying to adjust to the darkness. The only light is the faint moonlit glow from the open kitchen window.
Torque walks in glancing briefly at Franky. “Where’s Enzo? And why aren’t the fuckin’ lights on? If there’s gonna be an attack, might be helpful to see where it’s coming from.”
Franky curls up his lip. “Enzo’s out back on his cell talking to his wife, making sure the capos are guarding his family. I made the call to shut down the lights. Thought it’d seem like we’re not here.”
“They know you’re here, Franky, your damn cars ar
e in the lot.”
He grinds his teeth together then signals to his men, and they go about turning the lights back on.
Torque signals for us all to enter and shut the door. “You have a lot to learn about warfare, Franky. You should get Enzo to teach you.”
Franky rolls his shoulders. “Yeah, we’re workin’ on it.”
The back door swings open, so we all turn to aim our guns high ready to pull the trigger without hesitation.
Enzo walks through his arms up in surrender. “Thanks for coming, boys. I appreciate you helping us with whatever this is.” He waves his hands through the air. “Though, I have no fucking clue who or what the fuck it’s about.”
Torque strolls to Enzo squeezing his shoulder. “We got you, Enzo, your family is my family.” The two men coming together at this time is good to watch, not as the heads of men but as friends.
“Thanks, brother, but speaking of family, my Bianca and principessa are at home. I have guards on them, but I can’t leave them in this war.”
Torque tilts his head looking toward the door. “Enzo, I understand your need to protect your family, but you leaving right now will only put yourself in danger. They could take you out on your way, you could lead more to them, you’re better off staying here to fight.”
He turns up his nose. “Torque, you don’t understand… Bianca, she’s—”
Suddenly the screeching of tires alerts us all.
I turn, along with every other man in the place as we raise our guns at the ready. Adrenaline surges as we all dart off not having another second to think this through, hiding behind walls or crouching in between booths while waiting for the door to open and for whoever these assholes are to enter. My heart pounds in my chest as I think of Neve. I’ve let her think the club isn’t about this life. Thank God she doesn’t know about this right now.
Something ricochets through the front window shattering the glass. We duck as something clicks. My heart leaps into my throat as I stare at the canister on the floor at the front of the room. Everyone looks at each other wondering what the fuck it is when suddenly it lets out a hissing sound. My entire body tenses as it spins around and starts puffing out plumes of smoke.
“Shit! Smoke bomb,” I call out.
Everyone near the front of the room stands and races toward the rear when a roar of bullets pummel through the nighttime air. We all drop to the floor while smoke fills the pizzeria which covers as Enzo’s main business. I throw my arm over my mouth as I watch some of Enzo’s men running toward us but are hammered in the back with bullets.
My brothers know to keep low as they crawl along the carpet waiting for the shooting to stop.
The smoke stings my eyes as Lift moves in beside me, covering his face with a cough and splutter. The bullets blast into the building, the wooden tables splintering apart through the haze of the smoke. The glass shatters as the candles fall from the tables. Flowers burst apart littering the floor with their petals and greenery, while all we can do is huddle in the back of the restaurant and wait for the opportunity to open a can of whoop ass on whoever these fucking assholes are.
Enzo’s face turns redder and redder as he watches his prized restaurant be ripped apart by bullets.
Suddenly, it all stops.
I hold my breath as the smoke wafts through the air as if it’s dancing to a slow song. The rivulets of opaque swirl merrily along as if nothing major has just happened. The echo of silence is almost deafening after the harrowing intensity of the gunfire. We crouch, we wait, guns drawn—for what, we don’t fucking know.
Without warning, the front door creeks slightly, then the entire door is pulled off its hinges. The doorway now open for intruders to enter.
It’s party time.
We all stand, guns at the ready as the smoke filters through the air, but then it clears now that the door is open and the windows are broken. Through the silence, another click sounds then music blasts so fucking loud it shakes the very foundation the building. I glance around at Torque, who tenses. He knows just as I do what they’re doing—taking away our hearing so we don’t know where they’re coming from. Undead by Hollywood Undead screams through the restaurant, and instantly I remember the heavy metal song. The song’s basically about two crews hating each other and them getting out their guns and fucking each other up.
What’s left of the glasses on the tables rattle and shake with the noise as we all stand in wait. Enzo’s men begin to creep toward the door, guns drawn as we hang back guarding the rear. We’re sick of waiting, if these fuckers want to fight, then let’s fucking get to it!
The back door swings open as the side windows smash. We turn to see men dressed in black, rushing through the pizzeria. We start shooting as we surge for cover. The music continues to blare making this bullshit like something from a fucking video game as I run for the edge of the kitchen. I duck behind the door while the gunfire assaults the room again. My breathing quickens as my senses are alert, but all over the place, I can only just hear the gunfire over the fucking loud music. There’s no way I can hear any of my brothers if they said anything to me—each of us is on our own.
Keeping low, I duck my head out and notice Torque taking on fire as he crouches inside a booth. I aim at the man shooting at him, letting off a round straight into the guy’s back. He falls face first onto the table Torque’s under. Torque glances at me bobbing his head in thanks as Chains rushes in beside me panting for breath. A man chases him so I aim my gun, but Chains is on it before I get a chance. He unloads two bullets straight into the man’s forehead, his body lurches to the side as blood splatters all over the door while I turn up my lip. He falls to the ground in a heap.
Enzo rushes in behind us, he’s panting like he’s been in a hand to hand. He has blood on his suit, so I mouth to him ‘are you hit?’ He shakes his head as he ducks behind the half-open window.
With the odd shape of the pizzeria, it’s hard to know what’s going on out there. All I know is there’s a lot of them and not a whole lot of us.
Another man appears in the doorway, I don’t hesitate at the same time Chains and Enzo unload a round each into his stomach. He staggers back three steps, falling backward. His stomach’s ripped to shreds by bullets as I risk a glance out into the room.
There are fucking men everywhere.
Who the fuck are these guys?
ACE
A bullet flies straight past my face, slamming into the cornice of the wooden doorframe. I swing back around inside the kitchen wondering what the fuck to do. We need to protect Enzo, so I figure I’ll stay here in the kitchen to keep a guard on him while his men are out defending the surroundings.
But then the idea these men are merely after Enzo seems a little off to me. This is a large-scale attack, anyone who knows Enzo knows we would be here too. Maybe this attack is aimed at the both of us. Maybe they’re not just after Enzo, maybe they’re after Defiance as well. Particularly Torque as our leader?
My thoughts go to my president huddled under the table. Maybe they were counting on this. Shit! That we would put all our efforts into protecting Enzo leaving Torque wide open.
“Fuck,” I murmur to myself as suddenly four men storm toward us. I’m too distracted by my thoughts as a man gets to me first, his hard fist smacking me straight in my eye socket.
I stumble backward, surprised he’s going for hand to hand rather than guns, and in my shock, I somehow drop my gun.
Good one, dickhead.
He pushes me back into the kitchen, my feet stumbling to gather their footing as he shoves me back against the burner. I feel the knobs turn behind me, but I can’t do anything about it as I bring my hand up to punch the side of his head. He doesn’t fucking budge as he reaches over me for a knife from the knife rack. I lift my leg up kneeing him between the legs forcing him to drop the knife and hunch over. I grab his shoulders, yanking his face down onto my knee. His nose shatters against my knee cap, but I can’t hear it over the damn music that’s still play
ing. He falls to the tiled floor of the kitchen.
I glance over at Chains to see him punching the shit out of a guy as Enzo rolls around the floor with another while I lean over the top of this guy to snap his neck. Suddenly, I’m bulldozed from behind. My body flies to the floor leaving me completely winded as I smack face first onto the tiles, a punch landing straight into my ribcage. I groan as I roll over to see another guy, the fourth one I’d forgotten about, as his fist flies at my face. I turn my head just enough so his fist connects with my cheek as searing pain radiates through my face. I groan as I watch the other guy stand up rushing to the burner to turn the gas on full. He then makes his way over to Enzo, who’s just finished off the guy he was wrestling, but my guy goes to punch me again.
I’ve had just about enough of this shit.
I lurch my body, making my guy fall to the side as he slams his head on the edge of the cupboard. I reach for a frying pan and smack him straight across the face with the edge. Blood spurts out of his nose and mouth as he falls to the floor. I lean down to pick up my gun, but then I smell it, the gas, there’s too much in here.
Gritting my teeth, I attempt to shut it off, but the guy grabs my leg pulling me to the floor.
Fuck.
Unexpectedly the music shuts off, making me glance up, but I’m too far back in the kitchen to see anything. I roll over trying to fight off this prick when someone else wearing all black but is completely different in appearance runs in. He’s Asian, and I know who he belongs to instantly.
The Ikigai Syndicate.
This is Torque’s reinforcements. He always has a damn backup plan, I should have known. The member of the Ikigai rushes over, yanks the guy off me then runs a swift blade across his throat. Blood oozes out as he gargles.
Now I can hear there are similar noises around the rest of the restaurant, but he’s the only Ikigai in here. I glance at Chains, he’s doing fine on his own.
But then I see it.
Enzo.
One of the intruders pushes a knife straight down into Enzo’s torso.