Chapter 27
Wizard
I ’m sitting in a corner booth at the River Road Rest Stop, keeping an eye on my woman. It took a few hours for us to get Pops to cool down. Nitro took Pops with him to La Poule Rouge, our burlesque club. Regina had two more bourbons before retreating to the house to cook and clean. Charlie assured me it would calm her nerves.
The bell above the door rings as more people come in. I fight to stay relaxed as Marcus, Caleb, Victor, and Reynard saunter in taking a booth in the back. I shoot Gambit a quick text to give him a heads up and nudge Cobra, who’s sitting across from me with his nose in his phone.
He looks up and I move my head in their direction. He glances in the direction I indicated before looking back at me and nodding. Our server comes back, refills our coffee and takes our order.
I activate the Bluetooth earpiece and open the app to the bug I installed under the table our suspects are sitting at. Seconds later, I tune into their conversation. While they pass the time talking bullshit, I begin to recognize them by voice.
“Where’s our sexy as fuck waitress?” Brooks says.
“You need to leave her the fuck alone,” Robillard says.
“You ain’t my boss, Cal,” Brooks sneers.
“You’re grave, idiot. Petrov has the hots for her.”
That Russian bastard won’t get anywhere near my Spitfire. I’ll gut the motherfucker myself and feed him to the gators. I feel a boot nudge mine and look up at Cobra. He points to my face. I school my features and continue to listen to their conversation.
When our food arrives, they’re ordering theirs. I take a few bites and mostly move my food around for the next twenty minutes while I listen to their conversation. A few minutes after their food arrives, they start talking about shipments. The next one is less than ten days from now. Fuck. I pull up Gambit’s number and shoot off a quick text.
Church 911
Swapping out
ETA 30
??
While I wait for his reply. I call in the calvary. I pull money out of my wallet and stand up. Without a word Cobra follows suit. The door jingles. Three of five back up members stroll in.
My phone pings as we walk out the door.
CHURCH NOW
??
Devil’s phone pings a second later and we hurry to his cage. We’re all driving them tonight. Devil’s is a royal blue and white 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca.
As we’re leaving the diner Havoc, Hurl, and Honda had come in to replace us. They would wait with Charlie until she finished her shift a couple hours from now. Mayhem, and Hustle were somewhere in the parking lot.
“How fast can you drive this thing?” I ask.
Cobra smiles.
“Buckle up, let’s find out.”
Cobra peels out of the parking lot like a shot and races down the street. I activate my scanner app and connect my phone into the car’s Bluetooth.
“This will let us know if there are police nearby.”
“I fucking love your big ass brain, bro.”
I laugh. “Thanks, brother.”
He floors it when we come to an open expanse of road.
“I love being a King, man. Doing what I love, making bank, booze, women. It’s the fucking life, man.”
Cobra is only two years younger than me, but he’s more of a wild child, whereas I’ve always been a geek. My old room back home still has action figures on the shelves. A few are probably worth a mint.
I’m saving them until I have kids, then I’ll sell a few and start college funds. The rest they can play with should they like that kind of thing. Of course, I have every Star Trek and Star Wars movie, TV special, and book. I still grab new action figures I think will have value. I buy two, one to keep and one for my future children.
I wonder if I can convert the triplets to the dark side. I open my notes app and make a quick reminder to do a search correlation for their age group. I’ll also do a general age group search to find more things in common with the girls. Valentina is having a hard time with me dating their mom. The other girls are thrilled. As are Regina and Pops.