Chapter 17
SEVENTEEN
GLORY
NORA
Standing off in the far northwest corner of the great room in our clubhouse, I’m watching what I’ve called this before when we have something come up that’s out of our control.
Forced Chaos. My eyes swing to where Tink, our club prez, is trying to hold it together, but just by the look on her face I can tell she’s stressing and that right there is the one thing Atlas, her OB/GYN and Raven’s ol’ man, told her to avoid at all costs.
Noodles is hovering around her, pissing the fuck out of her, on top of it all.
Shadow is almost ready to be put on lockdown, which she knows by the cagey looks she keeps giving me.
She’s the biggest wild card, though Dottie is a close second.
I’m trying to understand the intimate dynamics between Dottie and Dani, though I don’t have a twin, and what they went through before they made their way to Timber-Ghost is totally different than what Malcolm and I did.
Then there’s the unexpected one… Halo. I’m getting the feeling he found his way here for a reason, just don’t know what it is yet.
I can tell from what I see, and what Sebastian has shared, he’s been through his own living hell.
My ol’ man can relate because he too had that quick train ride to hell when he was also in the military.
It was comical watching Halo and Sebastian getting to know each other.
Poor Halo was so confused when he offered his hand to my ol’ man and introduced himself, saying something like, “Hi, Sebastian, I’m Halo.
” That’s when he learned that you wait to hear what someone goes by because Sebastian laid hard into Halo, telling him his name is Yoggie and only one person uses his given name and that is me.
Feeling someone come stand next to me, I look up and up to see Halo.
His intense dark emotionless eyes are scanning the entire room before they come to rest on me.
“Glory, you got a plan? I’m just gonna say, Dottie is losing her ever-lovin’ fucking mind, minute by minute.
Not sure anyone will be able to hold her down when she blows.
And that lunatic over there, damn, not sure how any of you can be around her when she’s on a tangent.
Though nothing seems to faze Panther. I mean, look at him while she’s going on about something or another. ”
My eyes scan until I see Shadow throwing her arms in the air, mouth moving, while God only knows how many words a minute she’s spewing.
Panther stands with her at his side, eyes on her face, and seems to be totally absorbed by her.
Actually, besides Tink, he’s the only one who can be around her when her insanity starts.
Shaking my head, I look back up at Halo and lay it on him.
“Halo, get Noodles to the side. We need to watch Tink, I’m thinking the stress is getting to her.
Include Atlas and Rebel in the conversation.
Have Noodles suggest that they head to the hospital to check on Duchess again.
Yeah, she’s out of surgery and that DEA agent hasn’t left since he put eyes on her, but I don’t fucking know him or his story, so don’t trust him with our sister.
When she wakes up, I want to make sure she has a friendly face or two.
Nope, actually I really want her to see her family there.
Once you’re done with Noodles, get Avalanche to drag Shadow out to do something, I don’t care what.
He’ll think of something, he always does.
I’m going to gather the sisters in the back and, with Raven and Freak’s help, try to find the last known location of the SUV that asshole Samson is driving.
Then to top it off, figure out where all these assholes from the brotherhood are or heading to.
Also, included in the search is going to be Dani and Dottie’s father.
To keep Dottie’s mind occupied, I’ll put her in charge with Raven and Freak. Sound good?”
He’s looking at me like I’ve gone crazy and maybe I have, who the hell knows?
We’ve finally reached a place of some kind of normal within the club, where it was sort of quiet, though none of us should have let our guard down.
Son of bitch, poor Duchess, fuck, they have no clear diagnosis regarding if she will ever walk again.
She’s facing a very long road ahead of her.
Though she has picked up a very handsome DEA agent, who hasn’t left her side.
He, in fact, told us he’d take that off our plate and was planning on sticking around so he could keep an eye on Duchess.
Thought Shadow was going to gut him, but once again Panther kept her feet on the ground.
And since we don’t know this DEA agent, or his intentions, it’s another thing for Raven and Freak to look into when they have a free moment.
That should be sometime in the next year or so by the way we keep piling shit on both of them.
“Well, yeah, guess that sounds like somewhat of a plan. Why are ya trusting me with this stuff, Glory?”
“Because both Dottie and Dani trust you, and I will always believe in them and their ability to read a person. They put their faith in you, so I’m going to trust that for now.
Saying that, I already know Shadow warned you, but I’m also gonna put my two cents in.
If you hurt Dottie and, look at me, Halo, I’m speaking the God’s honest truth; you will wish you were back in the military and a prisoner again.
I don’t mean any disrespect but you need to know where I’m coming from.
Now you have your assignment, so get to it, soldier. ”
With that I turn and start the process of gathering all my club sisters, so we can get our heads out of our asses and find our sister. Sooner rather than later, I’m thinking with all the players who are now involved. It’s not looking good for Dani.
We’re all crowding around Raven, who’s got her laptops and tablet open as she’s working on her main screens.
Freak is on the dark net system that Raven keeps in the corner of her office so, if necessary, she can check the dark web, especially when we are in the process of breaking up a human trafficking circuit.
Hearing boots hitting the concrete, we all shift our eyes to the door as it flies open.
It’s Yoggie with his phone to his ear and he’s staring at me, shock all over his face.
Before I can ask what the fuck is going on, I hear my ol’ man tell someone to hang on, he’s handing the phone to the vice president of the Devil’s Handmaidens.
He shoves the phone toward me, telling me to take it.
“This is Glory, who am I speaking with?”
“Um, well, you don’t know me but my name is Noah, and I know where they are holding Dani.
You’ve got to move fast ’cause this shit is about to explode.
Just to put the truth out there, my brother is Samson, the one who kidnapped Dani and shot that other woman.
Also, I’m on the job, though my brothers don’t know it.
I’m working for the other side. The right one.
I can’t stay on this line long, never know if someone will see me.
Right now, Dani is being held about fifty or sixty miles from your town.
Take Interstate 90 past Billings before Bozeman.
After you drive past the Billings exit, keep an eye out for a town, think it’s called Springdale.
Get off, go about two miles, and you’ll see a dirt road and overgrown turnoff.
Take that until the trees separate and you’ll see what looks like an old mine.
Pass it and come quiet up to the old building behind it.
Right now, it’s my brothers Samson, Cain, Omar, and me.
Dani’s father and brother, Matthew, just got here but, as usual, my brother Samson has other ideas at play in his mind.
We didn’t know that as we watched him lock the old man and the brother in with Dani.
Shit, trouble’s startin’, gotta go, be as quiet as possible.
I’ll expect to see you in under a couple of hours.
Oh, damn it, forgot to say that you better move immediately because the Thunder Cloud Knuckle Brotherhood is expected here later tonight.
Their plan, from what I understand, is to make Dani pay for what your club has done to them, then try to ransom her to get some of your president’s money, while trafficking her off with the rest of their current victims on hand.
What the fuck? Hey, gotta go. Something’s up, I can hear my brothers screaming at each other.
Remember, I’m on your side. If you see a really tall dude with sleeves on both arms and auburn hair, that’s me.
Dani’s hanging on for now. Fuck. ‘Coming, Samson, hold your dick, brother.’ Later, Glory, I’ll do my best to keep Dani safe. ”
Staring at the phone in my hand, it takes all but a minute or two.
“I know where Dani is. Load up the vehicles. We don’t have a lot of time.
Lock and load since we are going in hot.
We leave in under five minutes, got to go talk to Tink.
Meet you all out front. Make sure Shadow lets the sheriff know…
no, Sebastian, find Sheriff George, tell him they are holding her at an old mining building in Springdale. Move your asses, sisters.”
Running down the hall to the great room, all eyes are on me, but I’m looking for Tink, who’s sitting in one of the recliners with Noodles and Momma Diane on either side of her.
“Hey, Tink, we got a lead. No, keep your tiny ass right where it is, no disrespect, Maggie. Yeah, sister, going to pull out the big guns using your given name, but you gotta stay back this run and take care of that lil one growing in your belly, Prez. I’ve got this.
Now, where the hell are Shadow and Rebel? Gonna need them and Spirit.”
Out of nowhere Spirit is at my side, which freaks the ever-lovin’ shit out of me.
Those violet eyes are intently watching me so I give her a nod, which has her pulling her phone out, guessing to reach out to Shadow.
I tell Tink and Noodles what I know, which isn’t much, except the dude Noah, who reached out, is the asshole’s brother who took Dani and shot Duchess.
The threat of the brotherhood is enough to have us moving our asses so we can hit the road as fast as possible.
Whoever isn’t with us can find their own way there, we don’t have time to wait. Dani’s life is on the line.
Closing my eyes, I pray that a higher power will be out there to watch over all of us, but especially our lil sister Dani.
She’s still silently suffering, which has made her so very shy and reserved.
How, I still don’t know, hanging around all of us.
Looking behind me in the second-row bench seat is Dottie and Halo.
My sister’s eyes are closed and she’s clinging to Halo’s hand.
When my eyes shift his way, agin the darkest eyes I’ve ever seen are watching me cautiously.
Without words, it seems we have a brief conversation, and what I gather tells me Halo will do whatever it takes to protect Dottie, while—I’m assuming—rescuing her twin sister.
I’m worried as time flies by, which means Dani has been gone for hours in the hands of those savages.
And we know what can happen in that amount of time.
I have no idea why this happened now, but have to put my faith in the stranger, Noah, and hope it’s not a goddamn trap ’cause we’re going in, no matter what.
I’ve warned everyone that we are gonna try and take everyone involved alive, but if it’s between Dani and anyone else, shoot to kill.
That brings a smile to Shadow’s and Spirit’s faces, the sick bitches they are.
“Glory? Hey, VP, I can feel it deep in my soul that Dani is still breathing, though she’s in immense pain.
Damn it, she’s been beat to hell. Sounds strange as shit, but I can feel it on my body.
I’ve tried to let her know we’re on the way, but all I keep getting is her trying to tell me to let it go.
She’s getting deeper into her head, just like she did when we were kids.
Glory, sister, we gotta move our asses. I don’t think she’s much time left. ”
Not sure what to say, I just nod and turn to face the front of the vehicle.
As I watch the beautiful landscape of Montana fly by, this is one of the few times I’m not enjoying the absolute majestic countryside.
As I’m running the different scenarios through my head, I’m not coming up with an endgame.
Feeling a hand grabbing mine, I look left to see Sebastian glancing my way.
“Bae, we’re gonna find Dani, I can promise you that. For fuck’s sake, we found Lilly after how many years? Take a few deep breaths before the shit hits the fan. Okay, please keep your eyes open for that road. Time to kick some major jagoffs’ asses and take names.”
Leave it to Sebastian to bring a small smile to my lips right before we go into a fight that we’re not even close to being prepared for. Then it hits me, we’re the Devil’s Handmaidens and we got this, because we don’t have any other choice.