Hell Fire Riders MC: The Complete MC Series, page 40
“You may not be ready yet to give it up but someday, you will be. When the rage is gone, you’ll be ready for the next step.”
“What’s the next step?” Michael asked. His voice sounded weary beyond reason.
“Acceptance. After that the healing process starts,” Gage told him softly. He felt close to his brother in law and it had killed him to see the other man in so much pain after this long. “I had to let go of the pain of losing them too.”
Michael shook his head. “No, before I can accept their deaths, I have to find the men responsible and send them to Hell. Only then will I accept what happened.”
Judson stared at his friend. “We have to get back to D.C. quickly. Everything points to something big coming. We just don’t know when and where. That’s what we need you for.”
Michael rubbed his hands over his face and stood up. “I’ll make you some lunch and by the time you eat it, I’ll be ready.”
“I’m going with you,” Gage informed them. “I’ll need to take my bike for transportation once we get there.”
Michael sighed. “Ok, if Jud is in such a hurry, he can fly back and get things set up while you and I drive back. I can load your bike in my truck.”
Judson grinned and nodded. “We can drop off my rental and I’ll ride back with you. I’m not giving you a chance to change your mind and simply drive off into the sunset but I could use something to eat while we wait.”
Michael nodded and walked slowly back to the kitchen. He found his cook and ordered a sandwich for Judson and Gage. Then he walked to his office and called his night manager. While he made arrangements for the bar, he stared at the picture on his desk. He reached out his finger and traced Melissa’s jaw line, like he’d done so many times in the past. He still missed them even after all this time. His hand dropped away and his jaw tightened. He would find the monster that took them away from him and he would make the bastard pay for his crime.
He got up and walked over to the cabinet. Opening the door, he reached for the duffle bag on the top shelf. Having a go bag was a habit he’d gotten into a long time ago. It was a habit that served him well in the past.
He took the bag over to his desk and unzipped it. Inside were a couple of changes of clothes, three pairs of socks and underwear, along with a burner cell phone and a wallet filled with cash and credit cards. A secret pocket, held a passport and more cash. In the bottom of the bag was a thick file containing the original report of his wife and daughter’s deaths, including all the photos taken at the time of their murders. It was there if he ever needed to see it but so far, he never needed to be reminded of what he found waiting for him at home that fateful night. He remembered every detail all too well.
Michael picked up the photo and placed it in the duffle. He locked his desk and pocketed the keys. He didn’t know how long he would be gone but his night manager knew the combination to the safe and would see to everything that came up.
Grabbing the duffle, he left his office to join Judson and Gage in the dining room. When he sat down at the table and saw him about to take a bite of the best sandwich in the world, Michael grinned at Judson.
Judson had just taken his first bite. His mouth watered as the taste of the meat and vegetables burst inside his mouth. He groaned as he chewed. When he finally swallowed, he looked at Michael and said, “Oh my god, man, this sandwich is out of this world!”
Gage nodded. “This reminds me of home. Mom used to make these all the time.”
Michael grinned. “The first time Melissa made it for me, I was blown away. It’s just shredded chicken with jalapeños, tomatoes, onions and mushrooms. I had a feeling you would like it.”
Judson nodded. “I really hate to drag you back into this but we need to stop this attack and we’re running out of time.”
Michael hesitated and said, “We have to make a stop before we go. I have to pick up my dog.”
Judson stared at him. “You have a dog?”
Michael smiled. “Yeah, I have a dog. When I first got here, I found a puppy under the front porch. When no one claimed him, I sort of adopted him. It turned out to be the best idea I had. Snickerdoodles helped me through some very dark times.”
“Snickerdoodles?” Judson chuckled. “What kind of a name is that?”
Michael shook his head. “Just before Kelly died, Melissa and I talked about getting a family dog. Kelly was so excited about it she wanted to pick out the name. She picked Snickerdoodles. I thought it might be a way to keep them close to me, at least for a little while.”
Gage chuckled. “That girl was plain silly at times. I miss that.”
Judson was quiet for a moment then said, “Ok, let’s go get Snickerdoodles. What kind of dog is he anyway?”
“Snicker is a black German shepherd. He’s a beautiful animal considering he was left under the porch. I know, maybe it’s time I faced the past and deal with this once and for all. It isn’t going to go away.”
The two men he sat with remained silent as they gave a slight nod to him.
About twenty minutes later, they were on their way. Gage followed the car on his bike. When they left the Cove, they turned north as Michael directed him to the house he owned. A minute after they arrived, Michael came back out through the front door with a huge black dog.
Judson looked surprised at the size of the animal.
When Gage and Michael loaded the bike in Michael’s truck, they followed Judson as he retraced his route back out to the highway. It’d been decided that Michael and Gage would follow Judson back to the airport, so he could drop off his car then all three would travel to DC. Judson took the highway north through the small towns of Twelve Mile Bluff and Wilson, then he turned left and crossed the river into the town of Eagle Bluff, Minnesota.
Michael watched the scenery as they traveled. When they left Twelve Mile Bluff, he noted a blue car behind them. Then when they turned to cross the Bison River, he saw the same blue car still behind them. Now as they turned on Highway 61 heading north, the blue car still followed them. He glanced over at Gage and was surprised he wasn’t aware of the car. “So tell me more about the case. What brought up the radar this time?”
Gage glanced at him. “In the last few weeks, we have encountered the Vipers on another mission. While investigating that mission, we found they were going to be involved in a more productive attempt. We uncovered a plot to assassinate the President and take out our government in the resulting chaos. We stopped the first attack and were hoping you could help us stop the second and third attacks.”
Michael checked the mirror and found the car behind them still there. He glanced at Gage and saw he was watching the road ahead. “What else did you find?”
Gage shrugged. “The Vipers hired a local MC to disrupt and cause trouble for a week while they set up their first of three attacks. They had plans to blow up every oil rig in the Gulf waters. We stopped them but it cost one of us big time. Her father was murdered and the MC took over a town.”
“Since when does an MC take in women?” Michael frowned. He stared at his brother in law and wondered what he’d been doing all these years. He’d gotten out of the military shortly before Melissa and Kelly’s deaths.
“Women aren’t allowed but she belongs to a brother, so that makes her part of it without the benefits,” Gage explained.
“I see.” Michael didn’t say anymore. The rest of the trip to the airport in Minneapolis was quiet. All the way, he kept track of the blue car that followed them.
Two hours later, they were waiting while Judson turned in his car. Finally, when he joined them, Michael got back on the road leading south. His truck had an extended cab so Gage and Snicker were in the back seat while Michael and Judson were in the front seat.
Michael glanced over at Judson. “Tell me what you know. Gage has told me some on his part but I have no clue what you guys expect me to do, that you can’t.”
“There has been an increase in chatter over the wire and last week Interpol intercepted several packages with US addresses that held chemicals that could be used to make dirty bombs,” Judson explained.
Michael turned to stare at him. He was horrified by what Judson just said. “Is there anything else?”
Judson took a moment to answer, “Yeah, there’s one more thing, your name was mentioned in one of the intercepts.”
Michael raised an eyebrow. “And you’re just telling me this now?” he growled.
Judson shrugged.
Gage leaned forward and informed him, “Yeah, we got that too, they also have a very high price on your head. Good news is they want you brought in alive, bad news is they want to be the ones to spill your blood.”
Before he could say anything the blue car behind them sped up and put his blinker on to pass them. As the car pulled into the opposite lane to pull ahead of them, they heard a loud bang and their car careened out of control. Michael fought for control and when the car slid toward the edge of the highway, he was able to bring the car to a stop.
“Damn,” Judson swore as Michael finally got the car under control. His hands gripped the dash hard. He turned to look at Michael. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay. What the hell happened?” He was rubbing his temple area where it hit the side window. He glanced at the road to see the blue car pull away from them at a high rate of speed.
Judson shrugged. “I’m not sure.” He opened his door and stepped out. When he looked at the blown tire, Judson swore again. “Damn, we got a flat tire,” he muttered as he slammed his hand on the metal of the car.
Michael and Gage got out of the truck and joined him.
“What is it?” Michael asked.
“It’s a flat tire,” Judson replied.
Michael reached through his window and got the keys. He kept close to the car, as the drop on his side was almost straight down. Passing over the keys, he watched as Judson unlocked the spare tire and got out the spare and jack.
Michael waited for him to get the tire off the hub and he reached out to take it from him. He swung the tire into the back of the truck and while Judson was replacing it, he checked the tire. He could see the rip in the rubber but when he looked closer, he found a groove in the rubber.
Reaching out, he tracked the groove and found the initial puncture. It looked to him like a bullet hole. Michael grabbed the tire iron and popped the tire from the rim. Wiggling his hand inside the hole he created, he felt around until he found what he was looking for. Pulling his hand out, he studied the object in his hand.
He glanced up at the empty road and remembered the blue car that had followed them from Twelve Mile Bluff. He slipped the bullet into his pocket and decided to keep the information to himself for now.
After changing the tire, they were back on the road. Michael began scanning the road around him. The scanning was just an old habit of his from his days at Homeland Security. He glanced over to find Snickerdoodles watching him carefully.
They drove for hours. When they got to the Illinois border, Michael continued to drive through Chicago and when they got to South Bend, he kept driving. When they got close to Pittsburg, he pulled over for the night. It had been a long day and all they wanted was a bed for a few hours before they continued their way to DC.
Michael dropped down on one of the beds and Gage dropped down on the other. Judson groaned as he hit the couch. None of them said a word as they settled in for the night, almost asleep when their heads hit the pillows.
Chapter Two
The shadows lengthened and Willow snuggled down deeper into the blanket, she’d wrapped around her. Glancing over at the car that brought them here, she smiled. Phoebe, her best friend since she was nine years old slept in the back seat while she was out under the stars.
Tipping her head back, she watched as the night sky changed around her. She loved the freedom of being outdoors. Even though it was cold, she couldn’t force herself to stay in the car. Up until three days ago, they had been working in a restaurant near Chicago. Then she needed to travel to Boston to get something. She didn’t know why she had to retrieve the item just then, but something told her to get it. Almost as if a voice from her past whispered in her ear, a voice she couldn’t argue with or identify.
Willow sighed and watched the stars overhead. It didn’t matter where in the nation she was, she loved watching the stars. All the stress of the day seemed to disappear when she watched the universe move. No matter what trauma or drama the day brought, it all went away when she watched the stars.
Growing up in foster care hadn’t been easy or right but when you’re eight and your last relatives are gunned down, it kind of puts what happens next as all you can focus on. But that wasn’t the first time her life had been shattered beyond control. The first time it happened, she was six.
She closed her eyes and tried not to think about the past. Her throat swelled and she had a hard time swallowing for a moment. Hanging her head on her knees, she pushed back the past. She refused to allow herself to remember.
Lifting her head, she stared at the stars again. Hot tears ran down her face as she fixed her gaze on one star and refused to look away for the longest time. She finally tore her gaze away and focused on her surroundings again.
That’s when she saw the big black truck in the parking lot again. She first noticed it a while ago but hadn’t paid attention to it, not until her eyes narrowed and the item in the back of the truck came in focus. She gasped and got to her feet. Stumbling, she rushed forward until she stood close to the truck. She gazed over the chrome and leather of the bike in the back. She traced every line of the bike just like she had sixteen years ago when she’d last seen it.
The bike was old but very well cared for. The chrome still shone after twenty years. Without a thought, she crawled in the back of the truck and ran her hands over the seat in a loving manner. She half smiled when her fingers found the slight tear in the leather. She remembered well the day the leather tore.
Then she just had to know if this was the bike she thought it might be. She laid down on the floor of the truck and searched the underneath of the leather seat. The parking lot lights lent just enough light to make out the words written there sixteen years ago.
Willow closed her eyes as bits and pieces of the past came rushing forward. She reached out to touch the pieces of her past but before she could, she heard footsteps coming toward the truck. Moving to the shadows of the pickup bed, she hardly dared to breathe as three sets of footsteps loitered near the back of the truck. Then she heard whispered words spoken. She couldn’t understand the language but she did understand the tone they spoke in.
One set of footsteps moved away while she waited. Then she heard a strange sound. Something moved under the truck. She heard sounds of someone swearing and mumbling under the vehicle. Looking down, she saw a small rust hole in the bottom of the truck bed. Peeking through the hole, she could see a light wavering under the truck and she heard the tinkling of something striking the metal. Then she saw a wrist.
Instantly, her mind flashed back to sixteen years ago. The wrist she saw was decorated with the same images that haunted her dreams. She couldn’t breathe for a moment as she stared at the emblem. The wrist moved and the man could be heard crawling out from under the truck.
Willow didn’t dare move, lest she alerted the three men of her presence. It took like what seemed like forever for the three men to move away. She still didn’t move for the longest time. Finally, she peeked her head over the side of the truck. Her eyes swept the area but didn’t see anything out there.
Scrambling over the side of the vehicle, she raced over to the car and began pounding on the window.
Phoebe’s head popped up and she looked around to see what had disturbed her sleep. When she saw the terror on Willow’s face, she pushed herself up and opened the door. “What’s wrong Willie?” Phoebe asked reaching out for her.
Willow grabbed her arm and began to drag her toward the motel.
“What are you doing?” Phoebe asked as she stumbled along.
When they came to a door, Willow began to pound on it. She turned to her friend and tried to sign but it didn’t work one handed. The other hand was still pounding on the wooden door.
After a minute, they heard a dog barking and someone swearing on the other side, then the door was ripped open and an angry man stood there in just his boxers. He was tall and well muscled, his dark hair looked a little disheveled as he blinked with a sleepy yet annoyed expression on his face. “What the fuck is going on here?” he yelled. “Who the fuck are you and why are you waking us up?”
A light went on behind the man but Willow didn’t wait. She pushed her way into the room and began signing.
The three men simply looked confused while Phoebe frowned. She looked from Willow to the three men standing there in various stages of undress. Phoebe ran her hands through her hair and sighed. “She says someone put something under the truck. Three men came, one stood guard while another slid under the truck. She saw him or at least part of him.”
“Where was she that she saw this? Another man with deep brown eyes asked.
“She was in the back of the truck,” Phoebe told them with a shrug. Then she saw a huge dog peeking around the corner of one of the beds. Lying down, he just watched as the drama around him unfolded.
“What the hell was she doing in the back of my truck?” tall good looking annoyed man asked.
Phoebe signed to Willow and Willow interrupted the question. When she signed, Phoebe gasped. Turning to the men she asked, “Does it make a difference what she was doing in the truck?” At Willow’s continued signing, Phoebe went on with her translation, “She says she didn’t recognize the words they spoke but she did know the tone. They were angry and kept repeating one word, Al Mira.”
Two of the men exchanged a look while tall dark haired muscle man grabbed his pants and pulled them on. Then he disappeared out to the parking lot.
One of the other men ran his fingers through his hair. Turning to Phoebe, he held out his hand. “My name is Gage Torbin.” He turned to the other man and said, “This is Judson Markey. The man who ran out of here is Michael Severns. And you two are?”
