Chapter 19
“Ye need me to come with ye to talk with Jacko? I know he left in the middle of the conversation to set some things in motion.” Highlander offered as he and Viper left the HTTF task force HQ the next day.
Viper looked out around the parking lot, watching the daily hustle and bustle of the outside world as his mind spun on what needed to be done. “Yeah, that way if I miss something you can add to it. I don’t see Jacko having a problem with what we need to do, though. We still need to come up with plan b and c.”
Viper looked over when Highlander laughed and shook his head. “Ye don’t think that’s what those lasses are doing? Granted, I know ye are relatively knew with this group here, but I can assure ye, ye wife, my wife and the rest of this crew in that building, including their captain are coming up with plans b through z and then some. I can also guarantee they are coming up with some plans to taunt that arse without us around, and possibly with us right there. That’s what they are good at.”
“How are you so calm with all this? Your wife is going into the lion’s den, even with us as back up?” Viper asked, his hands and feet itching to run back inside the building to grab Diesel and run far.
“Dean, I get where ye are going. Ye feet, ye hands, even ye damn head and heart are screaming to go in there and grab ye lass up and run as fucking far as ye can and consequences be damned. Trust me, I have had, and still have that same itch every damn day since the day I’ve met my lass. I fight that fucking itch every damn second she’s out of my sight. The only time I can breathe is when I hear her voice on the other end, she walks in the door, or I come home and she’s at home with our wee ones. If I’m deployed, I can only breathe if I see her when we Facetime. I’ve even gone as far as putting cameras in our home that way I can check the damn feed when I’m thousands of miles away and I can look to see her and can thank God for one more day with my wife. How can I be calm with all this? Who the hell says I am? I don’t want her anywhere near this. But and I can say this with absolute conviction, she knows what she’s doing. So does Cheryl. I’ve been with my lass going on five, almost six years now. I’ve seen this team train. I’ve seen this team go through absolute hell and only come out stronger. They may make me want to turn my lass over my knee and redden that arse of hers something good at times, but they are damn good at what they do. They are stronger together than when they are alone. And knowing we are going in with them, while I hate it as much as ye do, seeing them work is a thing of beauty in all honesty.”
Viper watched Highlander’s expressions play on his face as he talked about Pratt and the rest of the team. “It doesn’t scare you that you could wind up raising your children alone?”
“It scares me more that if I tell my lass she can’t do this, or try to stifle her, as others have tried in the past, that I’ll lose her regardless. Ye tell Diesel that she can’t do this if she wants to stay with ye, ye will lose her no matter what. These women…” Highlander pointed towards the building, “are the strongest group of women, besides those we’ve served in the battlefield with, that I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. Ye tell either one of those lasses that they need to find a normal job, they will gut ye with just a glare. Ye will feel the ice of their anger when they cut ye out of anything and everything. If ye truly want something with Diesel once this is over, a real chance to make ye marriage of convenience work, ye will get that thought out of ye mind.”
Viper stared at the building for several moments before he nodded. “Let’s go round up the guys. Bring your guys in. I think Marcus and his team got shipped out this morning so we can’t use them for back up. Have everyone meet at the clubhouse.”
Once Viper and Highlander arrived back at the clubhouse, they went in search of Jacko who was in his makeshift office looking at his computer screen with a dark look in his eyes. Knocking on the door, Viper watched as Jacko schooled his expression when he realized it was him.
“Everything ok?”
“I’m more concerned for that computer right now. Am I going to have to replace a monitor anytime soon?” Viper smirked at Jacko, nodding at the computer screen he had just been staring daggers at.
“No, was looking at some information on our targets. Sent out some feelers once we got the names of some of the other players, especially in NY, and wasn’t liking what I was seeing. Highlander. “Jacko nodded at Highlander when he saw the man standing against the opposite wall outside his door. “What’s going on?”
“Let’s go in my office while we wait for the rest of our guys and Highlander’s team to get in. Need your assistance and not sure how you’re going to like what we need.”
“Whose ass am I kicking?” Jacko asked, getting up to follow the two men out of the room.
“Ack, lad, it’s way more painful than that.” Highlander said, slapping Jacko on the back as they walked down the hallway towards Viper’s office.
“Fuck me running!” Jacko mumbled as he walked into the office behind Viper, who had a device out checking for bugs.
Checking the conference room, both offices and a few other spots for bugs has become second nature for them. They knew they still had enemies inside the club and who they were. They kept them around to see how far the other MCs would go to take them out.
Once they were satisfied the room was cleared and no bugs or cameras could be found in the office, near the door or hallway, the three men settled in their seats.
“What the hell did you sign me up for now?” Jack asked, getting straight to the point.
That’s why he trusted Jacko as much as he did. Viper knew that no matter what, Jacko was there for him, all he needed to know was the details and when he needed to be ready. Jacko was also the one who was blunt with him and gave no shits if he upset Viper. Jacko kept him grounded.
“I need you to be paired up with Renee York.” Viper said, leaning forward, his elbows going on his desk, hands folded. “Highlander and I refuse to allow our wives to go into the snake’s pit alone without us. York and Showalter, another officer they are friends with, are all going in. This is their thing. They are damn good at what they do, but this is a whole new ballgame and neither of us can just let them go in alone.”
“I’m going in with my lass, Viper is going in with Diesel. Showalter is the bait, so we need ye to go in as York’s man.” Highlander laid out for Jacko.
“Not only that, but I have a feeling those women are going to be sneaky as hell and try to place themselves in harms way, to get these assholes to make a move when we’re not around.” Viper admitted, rubbing his hands up and down his face as he sighed deeply.
“Aye. I don’t know the full details of how they worked in the past, but I know these four are as successful in their past exploits as they are now. From what I’ve gathered, these four were the go-to lasses for some of the crazy assignments when they were needed.” Highlander advised both men, his right ankle resting on his left knee as he tapped his fingers on right leg.
“Wait, Pratt, Diesel, York and Showalter?” Jacko asked, leaning forward in his seat, eyes going wide. “Son-of-a-bitch! Highlander, Dom can’t find out. Those four get into some serious crazy trouble. Crazy is this groups first, middle and last name. These four do some damn good work. They have no fucks to give when they go under. I didn’t put two and two together until just now;”
“You’ve worked with them before?” Viper asked, his eyes widened at that information.
“Not directly. I was SWAT and assisted in a few of the call outs in regard to a few cases they were on when they all went patrol. Dom and I went through the academy together and still keep in touch. These four have skills that many wish they had and rare to find. They work better together than some Special Forces teams that have been together for years, according to Dom.”
“They worked cases together before they became a task force?” Highlander asked, dumbfounded at the news.
“Yeah. I know the four of them started out in the jails together. From what I remember back in the day, the four of them went through both academies together. They started out in the detention side of the field, were there for three or four years then to the deputy side of the academy and basically were inseparable. They were the dream team the sheriff’s department raved about.”
“How so?” Viper asked, knowing Highlander would want to know too.
“They worked the same shift, albeit different housing units and stuff like that, but if a radio call went out from either one of them, the other three were running faster than the rest of the building. They had the respect of the inmates, both male and female. One didn’t move without the others. Even when they went patrol. They worked the same shift, same thing, radio call goes out for backup, it’s guaranteed that the others would be their lights and sirens, knocking anyone else out of the way. Even in their personal lives. When Showalter’s ex beat the shit out of her, the other three were there. Hell, if I remember correctly, Pratt was the one that had to be held back by York and Diesel when she went after Showalter’s ex. She got two weeks suspension, so the other two went and beat his brother’s ass when they found out the brother was stalking Showalter, harassing her. Those four are a force to be reckoned with. Especially once they added Raso to the mix, now I’m surprised she’s not involved. That one is almost as scary as those four when she joined that group.”
Viper couldn’t help but look over at Highlander in shock at the information both men were just told. Leaning back in his seat, he had to think back to some of the conversations he and Diesel had in the short time they’ve known each other. She was the easiest person, aside from his close friends, that he’d ever been able to open up to.
“Raso isn’t joining in because they need her skills from further away.” Highlander’s statement broke through his thoughts.
“Her skills?” Viper asked, staring at Highlander in confusion.
“She’s a trained sniper. Was going for SWAT several years ago when she wound up pregnant with her son. It kicked her out of the program since she was a single mum at the time.”
“And she’s damn good at it.” Jacko confirmed. “Raso would have been the first female SWAT member the department had before she got sidelined. These women are damn good at what they do, boss. I’ve seen them in action several times before I left the department and joined the Scorpions. If York needs a side partner, I’d be more than happy to assist.”
“I’m bringing in the others to assist from afar. I don’t want to tip anyone’s hands. We don’t have the manpower to take on both the Dragons or the Fangs. I especially don’t want the Dragons to team up with the Fangs because we’d definitely lose that battle.” Viper agreed with venom in his voice.
“What’s to say they aren’t already joined?” Highlander pointed out, dropping his leg as he leaned forward. “You said earlier they are getting the upper hand when they took out three of your men. They were rag tag until recently. Aren’t they in the process of trying to build their own club, like the one in Los Angeles, here?”
“Son-of-a-bitch! I didn’t make the connections until just now, when you mentioned it.” Viper’s fist hit the desk. “Get the guys together. Let’s do some recon on the area they are trying to bid on. I think we need to have a bidding war.”