Chapter 34
The next morning found Pratt, Diesel, York, and Showalter cooking a large buffet style breakfast to accommodate everyone that would show up. Once everyone had left the night before, the four women, with Viper, Highlander and Jacko as escorts, borrowed one of the cars from the others to go grocery shopping to make sure they had enough food and drinks for the horde when they descended.
Once everything had been laid out on the bar for everyone to grab their own plates, they made their way to get their own and settle in while they waited for the others. The ball had started rolling last night, despite the recon that needed or had been done so far.
Once the seven had settled around the table, everyone started showing up, including Toi, Angel, Dom and the rest of Highlander’s team, minus Joker. Viper could see it when Diesel visibly deflated.
“Joker requested vacation, didn’t he?” Diesel asked, not looking up from her plate.
“Actually, that’s what we needed to talk to Lt. about,” Tony “Doc” McDonald said, nodding to the side for Highlander to follow him.
“Please, Doc, just say it in front of me. I know he’s upset with me.” Diesel deflated, pushing her plate away.
“That’s not it, Diez. The Commander wanted us to let Lt. know that they are declaring him AWOL, but we don’t think he is. They found his motorcycle at a local bar in Riverside. We’re waiting for Riverside PD to look at the video footage, but we think something happened to him. Because his vehicle was in Riverside, we’ve filed a missing report with the PD there, SDPD thanks to Dom and with the MPs on base.”
“Wait, Dom, can you contact Riverside PD and request access to it?” Pratt asked, sitting up straighter.
“I have. The problem is the bar owner wants a court order because of people’s privacy. He says Joker probably changed his mind about serving a thankless country and blah blah blah. The base and SDPD are trying to see what we can do about getting a court order, since the owner is being a dick.” Dom sighed heavily, scratching his head after hugging his sister, York, Showalter and Diesel quickly.
“Oz?” Pratt and Diesel said simultaneously.
“On it. What was the name of the bar?” Oz asked, grabbing his trusty laptop out of his bag.
“Rusty Anchorage.” Matthew ‘Mac’ Johnston advised Oz.
“Wait, the Rusty Anchorage? Isn’t that a biker bar on the outskirts of Riverdale? It’s got several shady things that’s had it on the popo’s watch list.” Showalter advised the men.
“Yeah. It’s a known biker bar for both the Black Moon Riders and Red Dragons.” Viper confirmed, looking towards Highlander with concern in his eyes.
“I didn’t know the lad knew about that bar. I’m more of the thinking he stopped there cuz it was a bar and one that we wouldn’t find him at.” Highlander looked over at his men, who all nodded.
“I’m with Lt. on this. Joker has always been a creature of habit. He would only go to the bars we knew about and even if he went somewhere else, he would let us know about it. Lt. Commander Larons is going through the after-action reports on that mission that has Joker fucked in the head. He wants you to call him when you have a moment to discuss something with him about it.” Doc advised his team leader.
“Highlander, Joker needs you and your team. You guys go back and find him. Pratt, you go with them. I know it will split Highlander if you stay and go into the lion’s den with us,” Diesel decided, looking at Pratt, her decision made.
“No. There isn’t anything we can do the cops aren’t already doing. Ye need us right now. If something comes up, then we will head back to San Diego unless Oz can tell us something when he gets into the feed.” Highlander officially declared, staring Diesel down. “Ye are our family needs us too. We are here for ye and will handle both. We are SEALs and we can multitask!”
“We are SEALs and can multitask.” Diesel mimicked, picking on Highlander’s statement.
“Watch it, lass.” Highlander mock growled, causing Diesel to laugh and roll her eyes.
“Yeah, yeah, squidward. You know we have your back as well. Once this is dealt with, we’ll be there for you to help you find him. Diesel vowed, standing up as she walked over to Highlander to give him a hug.
“Aye, lass. I know. Let’s find ye daughter and then we can focus on Joker. His arse better just have gone home with a lass, and he’s gotten too knickered to realize what day of the week it is because he’s crying in his beer as ye Americans are fond of saying.” Highlander said sternly, worry clearly in his voice.
“Ok! Now that’s out of the way. What information do we have on this case? The sooner we can get this solved, and the devils sent back to hell, the sooner we can find Joker.” Diesel clapped her hands, looking at everyone in the room.
“Well, the guys that were at the house this Nadia woman was at were neither the Red Dragons nor Golden Fangs. Their patches were Blue Devils MC which is not from Los Angeles.” Kermit informed everyone.
“Wait, Blue Devils MC? Isn’t that a Las Vegas MC?” Showalter asked, looking between Viper and Jacko, who both nodded.
“Oz?” Viper looked over at Oz waiting to see if he could find out anything.
“That’s one of the things I wanted to let you all know. So, they are good guys. They are an MC that is mainly law enforcement and military retired slash veterans. Raven’s adoptive father is former Army Ranger, 75th Ranger Battalion, to be exact. Raven’s mother, until four years ago, was a nurse. Nadia and Raven’s adoptive mother are sisters.”
“Ok, that doesn’t explain why she seemed weird on the phone. Could it be because it will be the first time I will meet the family?” Diesel asked, trying to see the good side of the situation.
“More than likely. And it could be the fact that the father is part of an MC and is afraid you’ll judge them. Hard to say. But from what I can see so far, nothing is raising a red flag.”
“Ok, introductions to be done now, since it wasn’t done yet. Everyone, this is Viper’s men…everyone knows everyone because popo and squid shit. Now, the two latest sexy bitches to join the group is Toi O’Roark and Angel Moretti. Sexy bitches, everyone!” Pratt waved around the room. “Now that’s out of the way. Dom, you’re now in the hot seat with Oz. What have you found out about this Jetson fucker and Sampson?”
“Actually, I can take that one. The captain and I went in for the interrogation, instead of the Sheriff, because he was livid and afraid he’d take a chair and bash her. I voted for it, but I just got the glare.” Angel Morretti shrugged, causing both Alpha and Bravo squad to laugh. “Sampson wouldn’t talk at first with me, but when the captain came in and told her she was making sure they threw the book at her unless she squawked like the twat, she really was she would have no protection and would make sure her paperwork was lost so she went into GP. Once she was in GP, she would make sure word got out she was a cop and that she was really there to rat several inmates out.”
“God, I love that woman!” Diesel laughed, high-fiving Pratt and York.
“Remind me never to piss your boss off!” Viper told Diesel, visibly shivering at the thought.
“Aye, I don’t recommend it. The woman is scary as hell.” Highlander agreed, shaking his head at his memories with Captain Irby.
“Sampson fought it at first, but then sang like a bitch in heat. So they aren’t with the Blue Moons. They aren’t with the Red Dragons, either. Apparently, they are with an MC trying to make their move into San Diego, called the Red Satans…” Angel told the group which called several of Viper’s men to murmur unhappily.
“What the fuck is it with you guys using red, blue, green and golden in your damn names? Like, is there a rule that says, ‘hey we want to be an mc so we got to figure out a color and a scary name after that’.” Pratt asked, deepening her voice like a man’s, causing the men to look at her funny and the women to nod their heads.
“Sorry, lass. Would ye like a mc name to be unicorn rainbow farts or something like that?” Highlander asked, smirking at his wife.
“He’s making fun of it me, isn’t he?” Pratt asked, looking over at her teammates.
“Yep! I mean, he is a squishy squidward. Not like they can come up with manly names for their mcs, unless it’s octopus pussy or something like that. Wait, do octopuses have a pussy?” Raso answered her sister-in-law, taking a bite of crunchy bacon and giving Highlander the glare.
“Only if you’re a bond girl.” Showalter said, taking a sip of her drink.
“Anyway…” Dom interjected, glaring at his sister, who stuck her tongue out at him. “What is known about the Red Satan MC?”
“They aren’t good. That’s for sure. Sampson informed the captain they are bloodthirsty. They have no fucks to give and are not afraid to take others out. They are supposedly into hitman for hire. They also run guns, drugs and the flesh trade. They have no respect for the women in their gang unless she is useful, which is why Sampson isn’t trashed like some others. They pass their women around. They don’t care who uses them or abuses them. The woman’s only use is to bring in money as a hooker, service the others in the club and recruit new pussy.”
“Please fucking tell me she wasn’t telling these guys about some girls they rescued.” Sgt. Brocard growled, which had the men looking at the women in confusion.
“Let’s just say the captain is having new charges of human trafficking added to both Jetson and Sampson. Her entire team is being turned upside down and placed under IA investigation. So far, there is the belief of one other officer on the team to be a part of Sampson’s crew. The other four couldn’t stand her ass and kept their information of the girls away from her. I think they suspected but didn’t know what to do. Latest report is that IA had three complaints filed with them from those four about Sampson and Collier.” Angel admitted to Sgt. Brocard.
“Yeah, I knew Baskins, Swatfield and Jenkins had filed a complaint about Sampson and their suspicion. The IA officer they originally talked to told them they should be ashamed of themselves for what they did. I went to Blevins in IA and handed him the copies of the complaints and the recordings. That guy was fired from IA and blacklisted. I think they were trying to come up with enough evidence to inform the captain about it.” Sgt. Brocard admitted to her team.
“Why didn’t they just go to the captain about it?” Raso asked, leaning forward.
“If I’m not mistaken, at the time, the situation that caused them to question what was really going on, the captain was on vacation, a much needed one and Lt. Heil was at the hospital with another situation that was going on. They came to me, and I directed them to IA. They were originally supposed to go to Blevins, but he was at the hospital along with Heil.”
“Wait, was that when that female officer got shot when a girl screamed out help?” York asked, sitting straighter.
“Yep. Apparently, one of Swatfield’s girls was being kidnapped by her original trafficker. No one could figure out how she was found when Swatfield had put her in a safe house. The female officer was the one who was assigned to watch it. Swatfield already had her suspicions, but when she saw the after-action report, she knew what had happened. It was stated that Sampson pressured her to tell her where the girl was, claiming that as the team leader she had every right to all the information and that if she didn’t give it to her, she was filing a report with the Lt. that she was up to something.”
“That bitch!” Pratt grumbled, hitting the table. “That officer nearly died from the assault that was thrown at her and that girl was traumatized. It took us forever to get that girl to talk to us.”
“Ok, so they are part of the Red Satan’s. Do they have any connections to the Red Dragons or the Golden Fangs?” Diesel asked, ready to get the job started.
“Yes, and no. No, on the Golden Fangs, but they have a rivalry with the Red Dragons. Something to do with a chick. Story is that one of the Satan’s fucked a Dragon’s sister, knocked her around and knocked her up and then dumped her after they got her hooked on drugs.” Houston advised the group, leaning his chair back on two legs.
“Ok, so what’s the issue? My understanding is the Dragons treat their women no better than what I’m hearing the Satan’s do.” Pratt questioned, looking over at Viper and Houston.
“True, but they had planned on, supposedly, forcing this sister to marry into another mc to strengthen their numbers and because of what happened with the Satan’s, the other mc said ‘nope’ flipped them the bird and took out three messengers and sent their ears and hands with the middle finger extended back as a message.” Houston told Pratt with a wink and a smirk.
“My kind of message. Might need their number later!” Pratt nodded at Houston.
“What for lass?” Highlander asked, almost fearful.
“For when you piss me off and I decide the dick isn’t worth it.” Pratt replied without looking at her husband as she bit into a piece of bacon.
“Ah, so ye are saying ye don’t need the sausage tonight, then?” Highlander looked over at his wife with a quirked eyebrow.
“Eh, never mind Houston, I guess I won’t need that number right now. But keep it handy in case we need them as backup for other cases.” Pratt shrugged, winking at Angel, who laughed at Pratt’s look.
“Ok, so now that we know they aren’t linked to the Fangs and really don’t need to worry about them with the Dragons…what’s on the agenda for tonight?” Raso asked, clapping her hands as she looked around.
“Meeting with Raven’s parents tomorrow. Sgt Brocard, Pratt and I will go do that. Toi, Angel and Raso, I want you two to go talk with the group home director. We’ll send you texts to ask when you go there to find out about Katrina Barlow. Highlander, you, Viper and Snake go check out the club from the safe spot they have been doing recon at. I want your opinion on the club from the outside. Once we all meet back here, we’ll decide on who to send in tonight for recon on the inside. I’m thinking Toi, Angel, Duong, Gigi and Peaches should go in together. They can cover more ground with the five of them. Toi and Angel, did you two bring what we advised you to bring?” Diesel asked, taking over the show.
“Aye, I did.” Toi’s Irish lilt wafted through the room, making Highlander turn his head quickly towards her.
“Where are ye from, lass?” Highlander asked, studying the woman closely.
“I’m from Dublin, Ireland. My mum and da are still there. I wanted something different.” Toi answered, narrowing her eyes at Highlander.
“Your accent. That’s all. Welcome to the group.” Highlander shook his head and looked over at his wife, who had a look in her eyes. He knew that look. “Lass, can ye come with me for a moment? I can’t seem to find a shirt I thought I had packed. Ye didn’t steal it to wear, did ye?”
“How could I? Other than when I’m around these guys or at work, you keep me naked!” Pratt answered, her voice not as boisterous as it usually is. “You probably left it at home.”
“Come help me find it.” Highlander asked again, pulling on Pratt’s hand.
Before she could leave the room, Diesel and Toi pulled her aside and had a few words with her, knowing exactly where her head was at. When they let her go, she rolled her eyes and followed her husband up the stairs.
“Let’s finish eating. They will be a few moments. Toi, you good?”
“Aye. I know she’s not upset with me. And I know a man. He wasn’t looking at me as if he wanted something with me. It was like he recognized me from somewhere. But if he’s Scottish, he doesn’t know me. Now, my ma, that would be different.”