Chapter Eleven
Phantom lights up a cigarette as he stands outside the pool hall, his bike parked silently next to him like it’s waiting to be stroked to life. Bigfoot and two of the triplets, Frankie and Chupie, stand nearby, waiting for a signal from Gremlin.
They got word that some of the Raging Misfits had returned to town and were now hanging around a local pool hall. Gremlin and Wolfie are supposed to go in and blend in with the crowd, but something tells me this shit isn’t going to go as they plan.
“How’s things going with the ghost talker?” Bigfoot questions, his voice, a low hum in the silence of the night.
“Depends on what you’re asking. If you mean helping me eradicate my ghost problem. Not well. If you mean that I can’t stop fucking thinking about her. Then it’s fucking fantastic.”
Bigfoot grins. “So, you’re starting to like her?”
A plume of smoke rushes out of the side of Phantom’s mouth, unable to hide his smile. “I’ve honestly never felt like this about someone before, Biggie. It was like the second I saw her, part of me felt completed.”
“You have no idea what you’re saying, Blake. Just shut up before they get the wrong idea.”
Bigfoot frowns. “You’re falling in love with her, aren’t you?”
“Um, no, big man, he loves me. Only me. Not her.”
Phantom shrugs. “All I know is that I’d do anything to protect her.”
“Have you guys kissed yet?”
Phantom’s cheeks darken as he scrubs the back of his neck. “Nah, not yet. But I want to. I’m just afraid of Eve lashing out if I do.”
“You’ll lose your goddamn tongue and dick if you do,” I threaten, though without Autumn, neither of them can hear me.
Bigfoot’s laugh reminds me of a grizzly bear.
But everything about him is big. He fucking towers over anyone near him.
I once heard him say he’s close to 6’8, and with all the fur on him, you’d think he was part bear already.
His salt and pepper hair covers not only his face and head, but his arms as well, making him look like a big fluffy polar bear.
“You gotta stop fearing your ex, Phantom. She ran your life when she was living, and she’s still doing it dead. It’s not healthy. You’re going to make yourself go fucking crazy if you keep feeding her energy like this.”
“I know,” he says, sounding defeated.
Gremlin and Wolfie walk into the pool hall, neither of them giving away the other's location. This is the one time I wish I could move freely without Phantom, because I want to know what’s happening inside.
“We should get closer,” Phantom suggests.
“Yes, please get closer.”
“If we all move in, it’ll look suspicious,” Bigfoot states. “I’ll stay here. Move closer if you need to, but keep out of sight.”
Phantom nods, making sure to slip into the shadows as he crosses the street, his cut left at his bike just in case. He stops just outside the window, giving him a good spying location as he presses his head against the brick, and lights up another cigarette.
He's close enough that I can slip inside and do what ghosts do best… eavesdrop. Or in my case… Eve’s drop.
Gremlin and Wolfie are stationed up at the farthest table.
Gremlin looks calm as fuck, but it’s Wolfie who's giving them away. The poor kid looks terrified as his eyes dart around the room, taking in the big burly bikers a few tables away, and the cloud of smoke that lingers just below the ceiling. It’s enough nerves to get them noticed, and a few guys in Raging Misfits cuts approach.
“Aren’t you two a little lost?” one rasps out, staring at the two prospects like they’re lunch meat.
“Um, sorry, we just came to play a few rounds of p—pool,” Wolfie stutters.
Gremlin leans over the table and takes a shot, sinking a few of the striped balls into pockets. When he snaps back up, he’s way too confident. “Is it a fucking crime to play pool?”
The lead Misfit spits on the ground. “Only when you’re bothering me with your existence.” He moves so Gremlin can’t get by.
Gremlin rolls his eyes. “Do you mind? You’re kinda blocking my next shot.”
Wolfie trembles in fear, especially when the big bad biker looms over Gremlin’s back, a knife appearing in his hand.
“You’re messing with the wrong person, Kid.”
Fuck, they’re going to hurt him! I need to let Phantom know now.
I flit back outside, doing my best to drag Phantom’s attention to the window. When he doesn’t look, I do the only thing I can, and rip that damn cigarette dangling from his mouth from his lips and throw it on the ground, the butt still lit up red and angry.
“What the fuck do you want now, woman?” he growls, looking angry.
“Look in the window, asshole!”
But he doesn’t. He’s already fishing out another cigarette, ready to light up round three.
I’m ten seconds away from doing something drastic when Wolfie comes sprinting out the front door, landing on his hands and knees before he takes off running down the street.
“Yo, Wolfie, where’s the fire?”
He finally looks inside, seeing the group of bikers crowding around poor Gremlin, who holds his cue stick like a weapon.
“Fuck!” he grumbles, nodding for Bigfoot, who’s already marching over.
“What’s up?” he asks, his voice gruff and bothered. “Why did Wolfie just take off like that?”
“Our little Gremlin is about to get murdered if we don’t step in.”
Frankie and Chupie are by his side, but the two of them don’t look as afraid as Wolfie.
“Then I guess it’s time for the big guy to step in and even the playing field.”
There are four of them inside. If I had to guess, they’re all lower members, but they seem ready for a fight.
Bigfoot slams open the pool hall door, takes one look at Gremlin, who’s barely affected by the drawn weapons and the four bikers backing him into the corner, and fucking loses his shit.
“Yo!” Bigfoot growls. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
One of the bikers snaps his head to look Bigfoot’s way and waves him off. “This doesn’t concern you, Old Timer.”
“Oh no, you boys are in for it now. You just poked the bear!” I taunt, wishing I had popcorn and a recliner chair. This is the kind of shit people pay to see.
Bigfoot moves across the room in two strides, grabbing the guy with the knife by the scruff of his neck, and slamming him up against the wall. “Who the fuck are you calling Old Timer?”
“Hmm, not so tough when the odds stack up against you, are ya, asshole?”
The young biker squirms, but he’s no match for Bigfoot’s size or strength. “Jesus, dude, what the fuck?”
Bigfoot smirks. “I’m just evening the fucking odds,” he growls, taking out his gun and pointing into the kid’s ribcage. “He’s with me.”
The other three bikers take a step back. Eyes wide. Visible fear resonating in their eyes.
“You don’t know who you’re dealing with, old man.”
Bigfoot’s gaze rakes down him, enjoying how his face smashes against the wall and puckers. “No, you don’t know who you’re fucking with.” He pulls the hammer back, the gun making a satisfying click when it’s locked into place. “You shouldn’t bring a knife to a gunfight.”
The knife clatters to the ground, the kid sniveling like a child as he begs for Bigfoot to lay off him.
It’s enough of a distraction to get Gremlin out of there, because Bigfoot nods his head, indicating for Gremlin to head toward the door.
Gremlin happily lays the pool stick down on the table, and smoothly slides between the bikers with nothing but smiles and confidence. “Thanks for the fun, boys.”
He slinks out the door just as Bigfoot shoves the gun under the guy’s jaw.
“Do me a favor. Next time you pick on someone just wanting to have some fun and play pool, know who you’re fucking with.
Because if I ever see you go after my brother again, I’ll fucking shoot your ass and not think twice about it.
” He slams him against the wall one final time, making the kid whimper.
“Oh, yeah, give Warden our regards. We’ll be seeing him soon. ”
The kid gulps, watching with wide eyes as Bigfoot backs out of the building, holding the gun where everyone can see it.
Nobody even dared to intervene. The girl working at the poolhall just scrubbed the countertop, pretending not to see them.
The few patrons of the bar, kept drinking from their glasses, pretending to be deep in conversation.
The only ones on edge are the Misfits, because Phantom smiles, toying with the gun in his hand for a few seconds before bowing and saying, “As you were.” Sealing the door between them.
God, he’s so fucking hot when he plays big bad biker.
The second we’re outside, Bigfoot smacks Gremlin upside the head. “What the fuck were you thinking?”
Gremlin rubs the back of his head and grins. “I was thinking I had the upper hand until your big ass stepped through the door.”
Phantom’s jaw clenches. “You almost got yourself killed. And what the fuck happened to Wolfie?”
Gremlin shrugs. “The kid couldn’t take the heat. I should’ve taken one of these two with me.”
Frankie and Chupie both exchange a look, making Phantom roll his eyes. “Alright, go find him.”
They both take off in the direction Wolfie ran.
“I’m not sure those three are gonna make it,” Phantom exclaims. “They’re young, and with the way things are going lately, things are only going to get worse.
Gremlin grins as we cross the street, heading towards their bikes. “You know, I probably could’ve handled them all. I took karate when I was eleven.”
“And let me guess, you wore that white belt with pride,” Phantom jokes.
Gremlin’s eyes narrow. “I’ll have you know, Phantom, I got all the way up to blue belt.”
Bigfoot snickers right before his body stiffens, his eyes scanning the street as his shoulders square back.
“We better get the fuck out of here,” Bigfoot exclaims, his eyes darting to look up the road.
“Why?” Gremlin questions.
“Because that kid was bait.” Bigfoot nods toward the sudden influx of headlights that turn on in a parking lot a few blocks up the road, the sound of multiple motorcycles roaring to life.
“Fuck,” Phantom growls. “It’s an ambush.”