Hell Fire Riders MC: The Complete MC Series, page 39
“Why would he want a handmade assault weapon?” Gage asked.
“Because there would be no serial number or papers on the weapon,” Stone explained. “Guns sold that are made in a factory are imprinted with a registered serial number. I don’t think Georgia’s weapons would have that distinguishing mark.”
“That would be where you would figure wrong,” Georgia interjected. “Not only do my weapons have a serial number they are also registered for ballistics. I fire and record every weapon I make, just in case someone uses my weapons thinking there is no record. The ballistic reports are on file with the national database, so every law enforcement office that askes will find them.”
Shay frowned. “Why do you do that?”
“Every weapon should be considered a weapon of destruction. It can be used for good or evil. I’m a responsible gun maker. I don’t want the weapons I make to fall into the hands of radicals or idiots.” Georgia shrugged.
“Did you tell him that?” Stone asked.
“There wasn’t any reason to tell him. I wasn’t going to make the weapon any way.”
“Can you make a rapid fire assault weapon?” Shay asked.
“I could but I refuse to.” Georgia shook her head. “The man just couldn’t understand my turning down that much money.”
Shay nodded. “I wish there were more people like you out there.”
“He took a call when he was in my shop.” She frowned. “He spoke Arabic, so I couldn’t follow the conversation.”
Shay frowned. “Did he say anything you could recognize?”
Georgia shrugged. “I heard him say one thing over and over, the words Al Mira. I don’t know what it means but he said it several times.”
Shay slowly turned his head and stared at Stone. “If he told the Vipers about her unique ability she could be in danger.”
“What unique ability?” Georgia asked.
“You make weapons that aren’t registered,” Stone answered.
“And?” Caine asked.
“If they got their hands on her, they could force her to make an arsenal of weapons that couldn’t be traced,” Shay stated. “Did this man ever buy a weapon from you?” he asked Georgia.
“No but he kept coming back to the shop once or twice a week. There was one weapon he was looking at, I was working on a sniper rifle and he was very interested in that.”
“We should take this back to the Hell’s Fire Compound,” Stone suggested. “We can go over the paperwork the SEALS found and see if we can figure out their next move.”
Shay nodded toward Georgia. “She’ll have to come with us.”
“If she goes, I go too,” Caine insisted. “And if I go, my men come with us. We’re a team and we don’t leave a man behind.”
Stone shrugged. “You and your men are welcome to join us.” He turned to her and asked, “Are you going to argue about relocating?”
Georgia shrugged. “I have nothing left here. My shop is in ashes and my last living relative is dead.” She turned to Caine. “Besides, I want to stay with him.”
“Let’s go back and sort through the evidence.” Shay nodded. “I’m sure there’s something in there we can use to stop what’s about to happen.”
“We’ll get her packed up and come over as soon as we get her father settled,” Caine informed them.
Stone nodded. “We need you to come to us no later than tomorrow. The Vipers know by this time what happened to the group they had here, she won’t be safe as long as she stays in this little town. As long as she stays here, they can get to her, snatch her and be long gone before anyone knows she’s even missing.” He turned to Georgia. “If they get you, they will force you to make their weapons. If they get their hands on you, they won’t give you the option of refusing their request. These men are from the Middle East where a woman’s life is valued at less than nothing. If you refuse them, they will kill you without remorse.”
“I would rather they didn’t,” Georgia retorted without batting an eyelash.
“Me too, that’s why I think you’d be safer with the Hell’s Fire MC,” Shay agreed. “Would you mind bringing any of your weapons with you?”
“I gave what guns I had to Mountain’s men the other day. They wanted more than crossbows to face Lyle’s men. I don’t think they used them but they still have them.”
“What about the guns Lyle collected from your shop before it burned down?” Mountain asked.
“Those are still in the parking lot of Gordie’s bar.”
“I’m sure Calico would have collected them and put them under lock and key until they could be returned,” Mountain told them.
Georgia nodded. Then looked over at Stone “You can take them with you if you like. I think they’re safe in your hands. As they are they won’t shoot but sooner or later someone could replace the firing pins and then they would shoot.”
Stone turned to Caine. “You make sure you and your men stay with her every minute until you get her back to Sabine Pass. If there’s only one on her, they might shoot you and take her.”
“The police from Cameron are supposed to be here today to sort out this mess,” Caine informed them. “They will want to speak to Georgia. She did shoot and kill Lyle Boyd.”
“I can take care of that,” Shay interjected. “With what I’ve heard of this guy, death is the least he deserved. He did shoot and kill two people that night. And we do need her to be safe. The Vipers are aware of her now.”
Caine nodded. “We’ll get things wrapped up here as soon as possible.”
“I only have a few days before I have to get back to Washington and I need this to be sorted out before I go,” Shay told them.
Georgia watched as one by one the men left her house. When only Caine, Gage and she were left, she went to her room to pack her clothes. From the front porch of Georgia’s house, they could see most of the town. Caine and Gage were watching the streets as the town was swarmed by police from Cameron and State law enforcement officers escorted the jailed Reapers into secure vans for transport to Cameron and New Orleans.
The Reapers all looked hung over and beaten up. They were subdued and barely grumbled as they were loaded up and carted off.
From where they were, they could also see a line of Mountain’s men waiting and watching as well.
Caine turned to Gage and grinned. He saw Gage grinning back. “So, what are you going to do about this Viper thing?” Caine asked his friend.
Gage shrugged. “I suppose I’ll have the track down Michael and see what he has to say. It’s been five years since I’ve spoken to him by his choice but now, I don’t care. I’ll go after these men myself if I have to.”
“Good luck with that.” Caine scoffed.
Gage nodded. “Yeah, this is not going to be fun. Michael might kick my ass for even showing my face again.”
“Why?” Caine frowned.
“Because the last time I saw, him I knocked him out. I was pissed when I forced him to take a nap. He hadn’t slept in four days and was about to lose his mind. Between no sleep and the amount of whiskey he’d been drinking, I was seriously worried about him. I crushed a sleeping agent in his whiskey. When he woke up two days later, he blackened both my eyes and broke my nose.”
“Do you know where he is?”
“Yeah…” Gage took a sip of his coffee. “He owns a bar in western Wisconsin called the Cove. It’s right on the Mississippi River and it serves awesome Bloody Marys’.”
“When are you leaving?”
“Probably as soon as we go to Sabine Pass,” Gage reasoned.
“Good luck with that. I wouldn’t want to be the one to bring this man back into the scene.”
COLD VENGEANCE
Hell Fire Riders MC
BOOK FOUR
K.J. DAHLEN
DEDICATION
To my friend Leanore, she’s helped me in ways I can’t describe.
She gave me the courage to step out on my own and helped me through the first frightening steps of being an independent author and I love her for it.
“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”
—Abraham Lincoln
Chapter One
Judson turned off Highway 35 and followed County Road along River Road. When he’d flown into Minnesota from Washington DC this morning, the trip from Minneapolis to here had only taken a little over an hour and a half. The road he traveled followed around Lake Pepin. When he crossed over into Wisconsin, the midwinter drab coloring made the trip seem really long but the closer he got to his destination, the more life in nature he saw. The tree branches were bare and looked dead but Judson knew that new life would burst through the branches soon. It was early February and in another month, spring would come to this section of the world and the earth would be renewed.
Now on the last leg of his journey, he was thinking ahead to what Michael’s reaction to his visit would be. The twisted windy road eventually brought him into the town of White Bison. He could hear the crunch of the snow and ice under the wheels of his car and as he traveled the river road, he could see the frozen river and its contributories teaming with life. As he came around another bend in the road, he slowed down to watch an eagle sitting on the ice. He paused for a moment to watch the majestic bird finish its meal. He watched as two more eagles joined the first one. Each had a fish in its beak. Judson shook his head as he realized that even in the wild, life goes on.
He glanced in the rear view mirror briefly before he pulled back on the road and noticed he looked tired. His brown eyes seemed drawn today, with his short spikey hair sticking straight up. Even the scar above his left eye looked pale today.
He rounded another couple of corners and found the place he was looking for. The Cove bar and grill was just ahead. He slowed down and turned his vehicle into the parking lot. When he stopped the car, he paused to search the outside of the building. He noted the blue and white décor. He caught sight of the lighthouse in the outer corner of the lot. He smiled and shook his head. Michael always liked boats and now that he had his own place, he chose to decorate in the nautical theme.
The wraparound porch housed a number of tables and the nearby tree held many bird feeders. One of the feeders had several small birds on it and on the tree a little higher up, a pair of squirrels were chasing each other up and around the bigger branches. Then he noticed the butterfly mobile hiding in the far corner of the porch. Judson’s lips tightened when he remembered what the mobile represented. Michaels’ wife and daughter’s images rose in his mind.
His gaze turned toward the door. He couldn’t think about the past, not now. He had to concentrate on the future before there wasn’t one left to think about. He got out of his car and shut the door. He hated being here, but Michael Severns was the one man, the only man, who could track down the evil that was coming.
When he opened the door and stepped inside the Cove, Judson had to pause to adjust to the light difference. When his eyes adjusted, he gazed around. The bar looked clean and neat.
The few patrons turned to see who had joined them and when they didn’t recognize him, they turned back to what they were doing.
Judson saw the L- shaped bar lined with black stools. He glanced around and noticed the nautical items in the bar. From where he stood, he saw a huge oar above the side door and everywhere he looked were paintings and photos of the Mississippi River. He glanced back outside and saw the Mississippi River across the street. The swiftly moving current seemed to move slowly but he knew it was just a ruse. The dangerous undercurrent could suck a person down into its depth very quickly. Turning back to the inside, he saw there were four older guys sitting at the bar drinking beers. None of them were who he was looking for.
The redheaded woman behind the bar was young and very attractive with her wispy bangs and green eyes. Her makeup was a little overdone for this early in the day and her figure-hugging blouse and pants set off her figure.
Judson smiled and stepped up to the bar.
The woman came closer to him and asked, “Can I help you?”
“I hope so. I’m looking for Michael Severns. Is he here?”
The woman smiled. “Sure, he’s in his office. I’ll get him for you.”
“Thanks.” Judson nodded and sat down while he waited for Michael. He didn’t have to wait long. A few minutes later, he saw Michael and another man come out of the swinging door that lead to the kitchen. Judson knew the other man very well. He was Melissa’s brother Gage. The tall, lean man coming toward him took another step and Judson could see the last five years hadn’t changed him much. His dark hair was a little longer and for a brief moment, he saw Michael smile at the woman behind him. Then he turned his head and his smile dropped away.
Michael saw him sitting there and stopped abruptly. Staring at Judson, he looked like wanted to turn and walk away, instead he moved slowly toward him. He stopped and stared at him for a moment, then turned and headed over to a table in the side room.
When he and Gage sat down, Judson got up and walked over to the table.
When he sat down, Michael spoke softly, “Why are you here and what do you want?”
“I want you...no, I need your help. In fact, the whole world needs you right now.”
Michael turned his head and glared at him. “No,” was all he said.
Judson sat back in his chair and exhaled deeply. “You know I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have to be. I remember what happened five years ago, all too well.” His gaze dropped to Michael’s left wrist, to the tattoo. The red color was fading but the dark ink looked the same. Shortly after his wife and daughter were murdered, Michael got a tattoo of the infinity symbol, a number eight set on its side, with his wife’s name in one oval and his daughter’s name in the other.
Michael shook his head. “I don’t care why you came, the answer is still no.” He motioned to his companion. “Gage has been trying to talk me into going back too. I told him no, same as I’m telling you.”
Judson nodded at Gage then paused for a moment and told him, “We’re getting chatter about the Bleu Vipers.”
Michael felt a sharp pain in his heart and his mind went blank for a moment. He had to close his eyes and block out the painful memories the mere mention of the name brought back to him. For a moment, he couldn’t breathe. Opening his eyes, they went to the tattoo on his wrist. He hardened his heart as he pulled his shirt sleeve down to cover their names. Then he stared at the man sitting next to him. “I know. Gage has info on them too, but I can’t help you. I don’t have the strength to go back and face my past.”
Judson leaned forward and grabbed his arm. “I know what they did to your family. Remember, I was there. It’s not something easily forgotten, but we need you now.”
Michael shook his head. “I can’t. I came here to forget. I can’t go back. It’s just too painful.”
Judson sighed heavily. “Look, I know it’s hard but we’ve verified this intel and we don’t have a lot of time. There is something huge coming and it’s not good.”
Michael just stared at him. “I’m sure you have qualified people working on the situation.”
“No one as good as you,” Judson admitted. “No one has your insight or knowledge of these people like you do. You are the best in this field and no one else even comes close.”
“We have better intel than you guys did even five years ago,” Gage added.
Michael shook his head. “I haven’t been working in five years.” He paused to think back for a moment then said, “What about Harper Lamb? She’s very knowledgeable.”
Judson shook his head. “She was the one that told us we needed to get you back. There were some whispers she couldn’t figure out.”
Michael shook his head. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”
Judson glared at him for a moment then shook his head. “I do know, but I have to ask anyway.” Then he paused. “I loved her too, you know that. I loved them both too. Melissa was a very sweet woman and Kelly was like my own kid. You aren’t the only one that lost them that day.”
Michael felt the pain of his words. He couldn’t help it; he allowed the last picture of his wife and daughter to flash in his mind. They were lying in the bed he’d made love to his wife just a few hours before. They were staring at the ceiling, their faces frozen in terror. The bedroom was drenched in their blood and above the bed was the symbol Michael learned to hate—a triangle with a grim reaper shape inside it.
Michael’s world had crashed that day and he’d been in hibernation ever since. Now someone wanted him to go back and face his past. He didn’t know if he could do that without feeling the loss of his wife and child all over again.
“Man, I’m begging you to return. I’m afraid if you don’t, we could have a situation ten times worse than 9/11 on our hands. All the signs are there, we just can’t connect the dots. This is going to be huge and its coming sooner than anyone realizes.”
Michael stared at his old partner for a moment. He knew he didn’t have a choice as much as he hated to admit it. “Gage told me a little bit about the situation. I’ll come back temporarily. But please don’t tell anyone I’m in D. C.”
Judson nodded. “You can stay with me while you’re there.”
“I couldn’t stay. There were just too many memories,” Michael explained. “I had to get away from everything.”
Gage nodded. “I know, but there comes a time, when you just have to let it go. Let go of the pain and the rage inside you. The rage is eating you up and one day, it will consume you. You have to be stronger than that.”
“I don’t know if I’m ready for that or not,” Michael admitted. “Sometimes, the rage I feel is the only thing I feel and it gives me comfort. That feeling scares me worse than the rage does.”
