15. Powertrain
We arrived in New Orleans at midnight. We”d been riding since sunrise and Whisper still wasn’t fully recuperated. She was having night terrors, and we decided to leave early since she couldn’t sleep. She wore my jacket as I sped through sixty-six; cutting across the hidden path that led to the clubhouse. The lights were all on and the brothers were gathered at the bar. Their motorcycles were lined up one after the other. Some of the prospects were hanging around on the porch, the smell of weed drifted off one of them. They all looked at Whisper and I quickly planted my hand on her back and gave them the look. A look that said, touch her and you die. I didn”t care who the fuck you were. They all got the message as they quickly turned their heads and went about their business.
As soon as we walked in, shit got really quiet. You could barely hear a pin drop as we stepped inside. “Whisper!” Macabre practically flew out of his chair and came at us. I was expecting him to knock me out, instead he grabbed his sister by the arm yanking her to him.
“Goddamnit!” He hugged her tight. “You gave me a fucking heart attack.”
“I”m okay, Macabre,” she said weakly, her voice muffled by his jacket.
“Hey brother, lay off the girl, she”s still not a hundred percent man.” I quickly let him know.
“You”re still getting fevers?” He cradled her face as he gave her a once over.
“Dreams,” she whispered.
“Are they bad?”
“I”m not sure. But they scare me. I’m not able to see dad anymore.”
“Wait, you see things in your dreams?” I asked, wondering what the hell that was about.
Macabre answered or her. “The raven shows her things. Premonitions. She still hasn’t homed in on those powers though. They tend to drive her a little crazy and she has nightmares.”
She hid herself away from me and I wanted to hold her and reassure her that I accepted her the way she was. But I couldn’t, not without paying the consequences, and until I knew what they were I’d have to stay away from her.
“Spectre is fine, Whisper,” Jameson stepped out of the shadows, and I stiffened. If he didn”t rip me of my colors, I was sure as fuck getting a beating. Well, deserved, of course.
“He”s out doing some reconnaissance work for me, but he”ll be home soon.”
“You don”t understand,” she gripped Jameson”s hand, “I can always see my father in my dreams.”
“TikTok!” Jameson yelled out to our Road Captain who was hunched over the bar counter trying to grab a beer.
“Yeah, Prez.”
“Call Spectre.”
“But…”
“Just do it.”
Tik Tok gave me a quick nod as a greeting while handing his phone over to Jameson. No one knew where Spectre was except for a chosen few. Reaching him was nearly impossible unless it was Jameson.
“Yes, Prez.” His voice came through clear and crisp.
“Brother, I think you may want to take this call.”
“Dad!”
“Baby girl! Shit! It”s good to hear your voice. Are you safe?”
“She”s with us, brother,” Jameson chimed in.
“Daddy I couldn”t see you. The raven couldn”t see you.”
He chuckled. “Then I”m doing my job. Don”t get scared, little bird. I”m alright. But I gotta go now. Can”t be on this phone long.”
“I love you daddy.”
Her voice cracked and it nearly made my heart break. She was truly a daddy”s girl.
“You”re my heart and soul, little bird. Take care of that knucklehead you call a brother.” Macabre looked away, seeming hurt by the interaction.
“Bye daddy,” she whispered as the call ended.
I expected her to turn to Macabre but instead she turned to me, hiding her face in my chest as I held her. Both her brother and I were stunned by her reaction.
“Go get some rest, Whisper. You need it. It”s safe here, you”ll be comfortable.” I whispered to her.
She tugged at my vest and pulled me down, her words only meant for me. “Will I see you later?”
I looked up at Macabre who was giving me a questioning look. He hadn”t heard what she”d ask, and I wasn”t about to get my ass kicked.
“We”ll see,” I whispered to her, forcing her to let go of me and pushing her toward her brother who slid his hand protectively over her shoulders and dragged her away.
She looked over her shoulder at me and I winked at her, reassuring her that I wasn”t going anywhere. The moment broke when Jameson stepped into my view. His dark gaze said it all.
“You and I need to talk.”
“Yes, Sir.”
We went to the back office where Jameson liked to hold church. It used to be a ballroom at some point, with its large floor to ceiling windows and hardwood floors, all modernized to fit the RBMC standards.
“Sit,” he ordered as he refused to sit and began to pace around the room.
“I”m going to let you speak first.” He then leaned in, to glare at me. “If you lie to me, there will be hell to pay.”
“I”m sure Hoax has probably told you half the story.”
“He”s more loyal than you think,” Jameson responded. “Start from the beginning.”
“Ronald Hargrave and I had a run-in about sixteen years ago. I slept with his girlfriend, and he came after us. He snapped, and like a madman he wanted revenge. But he never got it back then and he was put in jail for carrying an unlicensed weapon and for assault.”
“And he escaped recently?” Jameson asked.
I nodded, knowing he knew more details than he let on.
“What happened, Lee?”
His voice changed as he said my name. He”d never said it before, but I could see in his features, that although he was pissed, he was still empathetic to the fact I had just lost someone I once loved.
I looked at him and couldn”t help it. I broke. “He killed her. He stalked her, raped her, and sliced her throat as she begged for mercy.”
I dropped my head, sadness and rage enveloping me. I felt him place his heavy hand on my shoulder. “He”s a fucking sociopathic killer.”
“I”m sorry, brother.”
I pushed back any resentment, swallowed the tears that threatened and raised my head, looking blankly up ahead.
“He wants Whisper.”
Jameson”s hand tightened on my shoulder. “Does Macabre know?”
I shook my head. “I”ve kept it to myself, until I was able to speak to you.”
“Where is he?”
“I have no idea. According to the news reports, the killer is nowhere to be found. Hoax hasn”t been able to locate him either.”
Jameson nodded, going back to his pacing. “We”ve got enough crazy psychos batting for us, then he ever will for himself. We”ll find him.” There was deadly intent in that statement.
“I”m calling Church in the morning. Be there.”
I stared up at him. “That”s it?”
“Yeah, that”s it.” He started to walk away but I stopped him.
“No punishment, no pay back for your plane?”
He took a step back and arched his brow. “First off, you weren”t manning that plane, Bandit was. Now that fucker, on the other hand, owes me a fucking plane. You”ve just lost someone that I understand meant a lot to you, and you did right by bringing Macabre”s sister back. She”ll be safe here. So as far as I’m concerned, no punishment needed…for now.”
He took a step closer, eyes darkening, voice lowering. “But if you break code again, I”ll not only strip you of your colors, but I will also have every one of your brothers beat the living shit out of you. Understood?”
“Yes, Prez.”
“Now go fucking take a shower cause you smell like shit, Powertrain.”
As he disappeared out the door, I released a breath I didn”t realize I was holding. I knew what Jameson was capable of and I never wanted to be at the other end of his wrath. I”d seen his work, torture was something he loved to implement on his enemies, I could only imagine what he”d do to those he loved when they betrayed him.
I”d gotten lucky, so I kept my mouth and wandered up to the rooms upstairs. I lived off the grounds in town but tonight I needed to stay close. I went past one bedroom, then the next, knowing that Whisper would be in the last one down the hall, right across from where I”d be. Because there was no way I was leaving her alone now. She was stuck with me, like it or not. And as I stood there, staring at the light under her door, I vowed to die for my pretty lunatic.