Kraken
The Miami compound gates slam shut behind us with a heavy metallic clang that echoes through the lot.
Engines rumble low around the perimeter as brothers move with purpose under the floodlights.
The air smells like motor oil, gunpowder, and the thick salt breeze rolling off the water.
I kill the Harley and help Tia off. Her legs shake slightly after the long ride but she stays steady.
Her hand lingers on my arm like she needs the contact.
I pull her close for a moment and press a kiss to the top of her head.
Mace meets us near the main building. His face looks carved from stone.
Ghost stands a step behind him. Both men carry the same dark tension I feel in my own blood.
"Prez," Mace says. "Gunny’s still alive.
We got confirmation from one of our street contacts.
They have him in a warehouse near the port. Cartel is using him as leverage."
I nod once. Rage burns low and steady in my gut. "Finn?"
"Spotted twice. He’s running with them. Feeding them everything he knows about our routes and our structure." Mace spits on the ground. "Rat bastard."
I clench my jaw so hard it aches. Finn. A brother who rode beside us. Who shared meals and blood and loyalty. Now he sells us out for Cartel money. I’ll peel his skin off slow when I find him. "We go to war. Full force. Tonight we get Gunny back. Then we burn every Cartel connection in this state."
Ghost steps forward. His eyes stay cold. "Teams are ready. Weapons checked. Vehicles loaded. We hit them hard before they expect it."
I glance at Tia. She stands beside me but her eyes show the worry eating at her. I pull her against my chest again. Her heart beats fast against mine. "I need you safe while we do this. You stay here with a prospect. No leaving the compound."
She looks up at me. Those big eyes shine with fear for her father but also trust in me. "Bring him home Kraken. Please. He’s all I have left besides you."
I cup her face with both hands. My thumbs brush her cheeks. "He’s coming home. I give you my word. You wait for me. I’ll walk through hell to get back to you with your father."
She nods and rises on her toes to kiss me. Soft at first then deeper. I taste her worry and her love in that kiss. I claim her mouth hard. Pouring every promise into it. When I pull back I rest my forehead against hers. "Stay safe, baby. I need you whole when I return."
I signal one of the younger prospects. The kid steps up quickly. Smart eyes. Steady hands. "Watch her with your life," I order. "She doesn’t leave this building. Anyone gets near her you put them down first and ask questions later. Understand?"
"Yes, Prez. I got her."
I hand Tia over to him but keep my eyes on her. "I’ll bring him home. Then I’m coming back for you. Stay inside. Keep Kevin company if you need to talk to someone."
She gives me a small smile that hits me straight in the chest. "Come back to me Kraken. In one piece."
I kiss her one last time. Then I turn and walk toward the armory with Mace and Ghost. Brothers fall in behind me. The compound buzzes with controlled violence. Guns click as magazines load. Blades get sharpened. Vests get strapped on. The air crackles with the energy of men ready to spill blood.
Mace hands me a pistol and extra magazines. "We’ve got three teams. Main assault on the warehouse. Two distraction crews to pull their attention. Ghost leads the second team."
I check the weapon. The weight feels familiar. Comforting. "I want Finn alive if possible. I want to look him in the eyes when I end him."
Ghost nods. No words needed. He understands the kind of death I have planned for that traitor.
We roll out twenty minutes later. Engines roar through the night.
The caravan moves fast and quiet. I ride at the front.
The wind whips against my face. My mind stays locked on two things.
Getting Gunny back alive. And getting back to Tia.
She waits for me in that compound. Scared but trusting. I won’t fail her.
The port area looms dark ahead. Warehouses squat low under sodium lights. We kill the engines a mile out and move in on foot. Shadows swallow us. Boots stay silent on the pavement. My heart beats steady. Rage fuels every step. These Cartel bastards took from me. They’ll pay in blood.
Gunny’s in there somewhere. Breathing. Waiting. I grip my pistol tighter. I made a promise to his daughter. I intend to keep it. The war starts now. And I don’t stop until every enemy lies broken and Gunny’s back where he belongs. With his family. With us.