Chapter 20
TWENTY
HALO
BENJI
The evil in this building and surrounding area has the hair on the back of my neck standing straight up.
Waiting on someone to get here to help Dottie’s family is driving her nuts.
I can see she wants to continue searching for Dani, but she’s torn.
Hearing boots running, I turn just in time to see both Dr. Mal and Yoggie pushing into the room, both carrying huge bags across their shoulders.
Since we had no idea what we were walking into, Dr. Mal wanted to be prepared.
Just as the two men get settled in, Dottie grabs my hand, pulling me out of the room and moving down the hallway to the next closed door.
Before she can even touch the handle, I gently put her behind me and with a swift lift of my boot, I kick in the door.
Carefully entering there are more people in this room, all handcuffed together, and then each end hooked to a circle in the wall low down.
Dottie turns screaming for medical as we move out, heading back down the hall.
We’ve kicked in more doors than I can comprehend when we come to one that is locked and has a padlock on the outside.
I put my ear to the door and can hear some faint talking but can’t make it out as this door has recently been replaced.
I look to Dottie, who is unaware of Avalanche, Panther, and Shadow making their way to where we are.
Leave it to Dottie’s club sister to speak her mind.
“Whatcha waiting for, Halo, lightning to strike? Well, don’t think that’s the case here, so kick the fucking door in already.”
I hear both men mutter under their breaths but I just stare at Shadow, who is doing the same thing to me.
This goes on for who knows how long, until Dottie loudly tells us to both grow up and knock it off.
Then she reaches up, pulling me closer, asking me to please kick the door in.
Not able to refuse her anything, I press her away and kick the door in.
To my utter surprise my eyes are met by three sets of eyes, hands full of sandwiches, surprise written all over two men and, holy Mother of God, Dani.
Dottie pushes me out of the way with such strength I literally tilt to the other side of the doorway.
I can hear screaming, crying, and laughter as I try to right myself, well, with the help of Avalanche grabbing my upper arm I am able to do so.
Shadow and Dottie have Dani in their arms and I’m shocked to see the badass enforcer wipe her eyes, though she is nowhere near crying as hard as the twin sisters.
I take a minute to look around and see Panther speaking to the two men, and that’s when I see an old man crouched down on the floor in the corner.
His eyes are on the two sisters with such hatred in his glare I know, without anyone telling me, this asshole is Dottie and Dani’s father.
Not even thinking about it for a second, I stomp my way to the old bastard, who is now glaring at me.
I reach down for him and my fist connects with his nose first. The second punch hits him square on the jaw, and my third strike is from my boot into his side.
Before I can continue beating his ass, I hear two distinctive voices begging me to stop.
Turning, Dottie and Dani are right behind me.
I look down to the miserable piece of shit and hock up a huge mouthful and spit it at him.
“Old man, you’re lucky they are such good women because I was on the path to beat your ass to a slow death. Don’t say a word, you’re already on thin ice that has some major cracks in it.”
Turning, I move away, grabbing both Dottie and Dani’s arms, pulling them with me.
My eyes are going over Dani, seeing all the bruises and how she is leaning into Dottie, trying to stay off her feet.
Moving quickly, I lean down, lifting Dani into my arms. She looks at me with shock then back at her sister, who is watching the both of us.
My eyes shift to her feet then back to Dottie.
She gets it when she nods and looks around, moving to grab the half-broken chair so I can place Dani on it.
Hearing a man’s voice call for Dorothea, I turn to see a man who is definitely a sibling to Dottie and Dani.
I feel her beside me before she leans into me.
Something about the way she’s looking at her brother has me coming to attention.
That is right before Dani grabs her sister’s hand with her eyes on their brother across the room.
“Dottie, remember Matty? No, don’t be mad at him, he’s working with Noah so they can take down not only our father but the brotherhood too. Swear, tell her, Matty. Noah, can you explain your part to Dottie?”
As both men approach us, I’m watching their every move. When the one named Noah steps toward me, hand out, I look at it for a while before I extend mine.
“Hey, Noah. Take it your ex-military, right? Your stance, man, it’s written all over you.
I’m working with a special unit that’s been after the Thunder Cloud Knuckle Brotherhood for a long period of time.
Quietly they have been trying to infiltrate each smaller compound or section across the United States.
When their father approached Samson with his harebrained idea, I knew it was a way to slowly make my way in deep.
I pulled Matt in with me ’cause I knew he wanted to get out of that cult and start a new life. ”
We hear someone chuckle and it’s the old man.
“None of you are prepared for what is coming. You assholes think that by taking down one small section of the Thunder Cloud Knuckle Brotherhood you’re making progress.
There are so many of them in every single goddamn state.
There aren’t enough of you good-doers to stop their progress.
That’s why I hooked my star to them. Together we can and will rule the world.
Just watch and see. So, keep playing with each other, your time is coming real soon.
That is as soon as the brotherhood arrives. ”
I lean down to Dottie, whispering in her ear though loud enough for Dani to hear too.
“Your ole’ man is crazy, ain’t he? Like this ‘cult’ of bastards will even give two shits if he’s breathin’ or not. They were using him as much as he was tryin’ to use them. Come on, Dani, gonna lift ya and get you down to where Dr. Mal and Yoggie are. Dottie, are you coming too?”
She looks at her sister then me and before I can even figure out what she’s about to do she turns and runs to her father, putting her hands around his neck, getting close in his face. No one goes to stop her, but Dani screams out her name.
“Dottie, he’s not worth it. Karma will get him. We know that’s how this has to work for it to finally end.”
Either Dottie doesn’t hear her sister or is ignoring her because their father is turning blue, trying to shift and move to throw her off of him.
Finally, it’s Panther who gently moves behind Dottie, putting his hands on her arms, whispering in her ear.
Whatever he says she turns to look at him, and it’s like she is seeing something through his touch, I don’t fucking know.
The way she is staring at him is eerie to say the least. Then when her father is starting to foam at the mouth, she releases him as Panther lifts her up onto her feet.
She turns and falls into his chest, sobbing.
I jump up and shove my way to her, pulling her into my chest as Dani limps her way to us.
My arms are around the both of them as I shoot off a prayer that this too will pass.
Then reaching down, I lift Dani and, with Dottie on my heels, I make my way back to the room holding their family and the medical help Dani so desperately needs.
Rubbing my hands through my hair, I’m watching as Dottie paces back and forth watching not only Dr. Mal and Yoggie, but a few of her club sisters working on her mother and siblings.
They are in really bad shape and Glory put a call out to Tink to reach out to Tank to see if he can get some transportation here to get them to a hospital.
So far, the brotherhood hasn’t made an appearance, which is kind of shocking as they were expected.
Unless like Panther stated a bit ago, maybe they have inside information.
A mole somewhere who warned them about coming in hot with all of us here.
Most of the Devil’s Handmaidens women are helping the victims who were found in these rooms. They are starting to realize and comprehend how truly lucky they are.
Because if the brotherhood had gotten here first, all these folks would be transferred into a new living hell.
Freak and Raven, along with their drones, are scouting the general area, trying to see if there is a caravan of the brotherhood, which so far shows nothing of the sort.
As we wait to hear back from Tank, both Dottie and Dani are huddled together softly talking on the outer circle of their mother, sister, and brothers.
Not sure how that is going to go but at least they now have a chance at life without the monster who was supposed to protect them.
I slowly make my way to Dottie, leaning down, hands on her shoulders, placing a kiss on her head then one on her nose.
I reach over and softly squeeze Dani’s upper arm.
Feeling eyes on me, I turn to see their family watching me.
I don’t smile or give any kind of reaction toward them.
I’ll wait to see how the sisters handle the situation with their family.
Hearing engines, we all turn to see a travel bus and one of the trucks from the Devils on Wheels garage following close behind.
At the end of the line is a huge SUV, which pulls up off to the side and out steps Tank.
He makes his way to us, grabbing Dani, lifting her up, and hugging on her.
“Goddamn motherfucker, don’t ever scare me like that again, little one. Momma Diane is losing her mind, so expect some huge hugs from her. You all right?”
As the two talk I walk toward Avalanche, who is standing off to the side watching.
“What are you looking at, dude?”
He looks down at me, his face all serious like.
“Halo, something ain’t right. I don’t know what, but I’m feeling like we’re missing something. Are you getting any weird vibes?”
I take a minute and when my eyes start to look around it dawns on me that some of the guys who were here a bit ago are gone.
“Where did those guys that were hanging with Samson go? I know Samson took off running but they seemed to be hanging around. There were at least two or three more than what’s in that group over there. Maybe they are the leak, Avalanche.”
Looking over my shoulder, I connect with Dottie’s eyes so I motion that I’m going to follow Avalanche.
She nods then turns back to her sister and Tank.
I think the big guy is onto something, so very carefully I move behind him my AUG SAG swung around my side, ready for action at a split second.
Hopefully it’s just the endorphins making Avalanche think he feels something ’cause I’m not wanting a war with all of these innocents around.
All we can do is our best, I guess, as Avalanche makes his way to the forest around the property.
After ten or fifteen minutes, we turn back to where everyone else was ’cause we didn’t find anything or anyone.