Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
HALO
BENJI
Listening to the men and women around me whining and bitching about how much pain they are in I can feel a grin on my face.
How long has it been since I’ve felt this feeling of being a part of a group or team?
I’m on Tink’s property with Noodles, Triple T, Pitfall, and Spirit from the sanctuary; along with Yoggie, Omen, and Malice from the Intruders.
We’re building a couple more cabins for the Devil’s Handmaidens.
Currently we have two going up, one small and one pretty big.
It’s a sunny day and I know that Dottie left really early and is at The Wooden Spirits Bar he’s said it like a million times when we’ve talked.
No one is saying anything and as we get closer to town, I start to take deep breaths.
Dottie is going to need me at my full capacity, so I can’t or won’t let her down.
When Avalanche takes the corner hard, I can already see Heartbreaker behind the wheel of one of the club’s vans with Dottie on the sidewalk screaming at Kon.
Before the SUV even stops, I’m screaming for the guys to move and let me out.
By the time I get out and run to Dottie, my heart breaks when I see tears running down her face.
Heartbreaker is out of the van pushing Kon toward the restaurant.
“Goddamn, kiddo, I said no. Now listen, we ain’t got time for a temper tantrum. Act like the adult you’re always bragging to be, help out here or go home, but get the fuck back.”
By the look of shock on Kon’s face, I’m guessin’ Heartbreaker has never spoken to him like that. Head down, he starts to walk back toward the folks now standing in front of The Wooden Spirits Bar when I was in the military. Burned flesh. I see Avalanche and Panther trying to push past the sheriff, but he puts a hand up.
“No, wait. Before anyone goes in, it’s a crime scene. We’ve got two dead and one critically injured. I already called Tank; the helicopter should be here in less than four minutes. Yoggie, go in, you might be able to give a hand. Prepare, girls, it’s one of your own.”
Dottie’s body goes on alert. I see Raven and Rebel making their way to their sister’s side just as a huge SUV pulls right up.
Out jumps Tink, Taz, and Glory along with Enforcer and Dr. Mal.
Behind them is the rest of the club, along with some of the survivors wanting to help out.
This is about to become a gigantic clusterfuck.
“Who? Dad, who is it, Dani or Duchess?”
We all watch as the sheriff runs his hands through his hair before looking at Dottie.
“It’s Duchess. She’s been shot multiple times. Once in the foot and twice in the back. She’s in really bad shape. Here’s the helicopter, let’s load her up.”
I feel it before it erupts.
“Sheriff, where is Dani? Hey, where the fuck is my twin sister?”
He turns while walking toward her.
“Dottie, I’m not sure to be honest. Duchess has been in and out of consciousness but she did say a man took Dani, and we think she said his name was Samson.”
Dottie’s body instantly goes limp and if I wasn’t holding her, she would have dropped to the ground. Glory starts shouting orders while Raven and Rebel move in to help hold up Dottie. Everything is moving in slow motion, but I need to know so I lean down to the woman at my side.
“Dottie, who is Samson?”
When she looks up at me, the extreme fear across her face has me sucking in air. I know a bit about their past, but not all of it. Each sister has confided in me, but we’ve not had the time to share everything we’ve all gone through.
“Benji, he’s the devil reincarnated. One of our father’s people. If he has Dani, oh God no. Please, we have to find her before he…”
She’s now sobbing so I kiss the top of her head and let her sisters console her. I need to find out what the hell is going on. I walk toward the shop where the smell is much stronger. One of the Intruders’ prospects is coming out, hands to his mouth, face green. Then I hear the arguing.
“Sir, we know what we are doing. Move aside, she needs to be assessed.”
Hearing Yoggie, I pick up my pace.
“No, motherfucker, do not move her at all. She’s been shot in the back. There could be severe spinal damage, so don’t touch her. I said, get your goddamn hands off of her, you fuckhead.”
Glory rushes past me going for Yoggie. He’s beyond pissed and when I see Duchess, it makes sense.
She’s been beaten to shit, her motorcycle boot has a hole in it, and it’s leaking blood.
But it’s the way her body is lying that tells me Yoggie is right.
Dr. Mal rushes by, sliding in next to Duchess, throwing a bag down next to the huge one Yoggie brought.
Between the two of them they start to ready Duchess for flight.
Two women come running from the helicopter with a gurney and all kinds of equipment.
Watching as if it’s some kind of morbid dance, the four of them carefully put a neck brace first on Duchess’s neck, then a board against her back.
Slowly they take each leg and place it in a stabilizer, then strap her legs to the board before moving it so she’s lying stomach first on the board.
Seeing the amount of blood and fluid on her clothing and the ground, I feel the fear moving through my body.
When she is secure, six people, three on each side, pick up the board and start to walk her to the helicopter.
Just as they are passing me, I hear my name and everyone stops, shocked.
“Halo, tell Storm that Samson is from her and Dani’s past. He torched his two men he brought with.
Think I heard him telling Dani that their father sent him to bring the sisters home, as they embarrassed him in front of his flock.
Before I blacked out, he rambled on about a new partnership with some like-minded men who our club pushed out of town.
It can only mean one thing, Halo. Tell my club sisters that the Thunder Cloud Knuckle Brotherhood is back, looking to make trouble in our town again. ”
Before anyone can question her, she passes out.
I move to get back to Dottie to see her standing about two or so feet away, hand to her mouth.
I’ve heard about the problems this racist cult has had with the Devil’s Handmaidens, The Intruders, and a club called the Grimm Wolves MC.
A hate group that is trying to take us back in time, which none of these clubs will ever let happen.
I rush to Dottie, who wraps her arms around my waist, hanging on tightly.
“Hold on, Dottie, we’ll get her back. Promise, we will get her back.”
“Benji, don’t make promises you can’t keep. We have no idea where they are or who is helping Samson.”
“Dottie, look at me. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it. I promise, we will get her back.”
“Listen to your ol’ man, Storm. Now that Duchess is being taken care of, we need to figure what the fuck is goin’ on. Come on, let’s get to the clubhouse. Raven and Freak can go through traffic cameras and maybe we’ll catch a break. Don’t give up, sister, I’m not.”
With that Shadow grabs Dottie’s one hand off my waist and I pick up the other, and the three of us head toward Panther’s vehicle.
Shadow jumps in the driver’s seat, and once the two of us are in, she takes off, heading toward the clubhouse.
I haven’t prayed in a very long time but as we make our way to the heart of the Devil’s Handmaidens club, the words running through my head are that whatever or whoever is up above watches over Dani until we can find her so we can bring her home.