Chapter 30
There were two sentries standing guard at the base of the house’s porch, with rifles held at the ready.
As Sean approached, they stepped together, barring his entrance from the building he had once lived in. “I need to see him,” he said, trying to sound strong and confident in the face of what could be his ultimate undoing.
The two guards didn’t move, but there was movement behind them. Raising his chin, Sean watched as the porch door swung open and the massive six-hundred-pound Legion squeezed through to glower down at him.
Legion, as was customary at this point, didn’t speak.
He simply looked down the bridge of his nose and through the curtain of cascading brown hair that fell to his back, trying to bully and intimidate Sean with his stare.
Sean, however, wasn’t backing down. He might have feared Chainz, but he wasn’t afraid of his lackeys.
“I need to see him,” Sean repeated, this time to Legion.
There was a moment of tension between them as Legion sized up Sean.
What was likely only about ten seconds felt like an hour to Sean as his words silently settled between the two men.
Legion grunted, which must have been some form of approval because the two men barring Sean’s entrance separated and granted him entry.
Sean quickly hurried past them, climbing up onto the porch and dodging around Legion as he walked through the open door.
Whenever he entered his former home now, he always marveled at how different it felt. Most of the furniture was broken, and a rotten smell hung in the air.
It was lit by a series of kerosene lanterns which gave the interior a dim, dark feeling, like that of a dungeon. He walked inside and made a beeline for the living room, passing various members of the Chain Gang as he moved toward Chainz and potential danger.
The living room was set up like some kind of harem or audience chamber.
Chainz sat against the back wall on a huge couch, surrounded by Maverick on one side and Jessie on the other.
There were a series of drugged-up, scantily clad women hanging around the space at all times, and their drug paraphernalia littered the floor that Jimmy once played on.
Chainz looked up to see him enter the space. He lounged on the couch, leaning on one arm while one leg was up, a heavy boot pressing into the cushion. “Sean,” he said, a smile spreading across his face. “Good thing you’re here. I was about to send for you. You saved me some trouble.”
Sean’s eyes moved to Jessie, who gave him a coy smile. He kept his face stoic, but a bead of nervous sweat started to make its way down his temple. “You were?” Sean asked, confused by the statement.
Had Jessie given him an earful about Deb and what went down in the stable? Was his goose already cooked before ever walking through that door?
“Yeah,” Chainz said, drawing out the word. “We got some business to discuss.”
Sean held his breath. If Jessie had told Chainz about the altercation with Deb before Sean had a chance to tell his side of it, it was possible the big man had already made up his mind.
“Business?” Sean said, preventing his voice from cracking but just barely.
“Yeah,” Chainz said again, never one to mince words unnecessarily. He snapped his fingers, and a Chan Gang member held up a map showing the surrounding area. “The reservation,” he said, pointing to a large area of land. “It’s time.”
Sean let out a long slow breath. He actually was talking about business. He locked eyes with Jessie once again, and she couldn’t contain a smirk and a giggle at his obvious plight.
“Are you sure?” Sean asked, looking at the map, all thoughts of bringing up Deb and the situation from before now totally vanishing from his mind. “We’ve discussed it in the past, and you didn’t think it was advisable at the time.”
“Things change,” Chainz said. “I know the government remnant is gonna come sniffing around again, trying to topple everything I’ve built.”
“It’s definitely possible,” Sean agreed, nodding at what Chainz said. “I can’t imagine they’re just going to let you take the state.”
“And we’ve been building our numbers,” he said. “I think we have enough people now where we can expand even more.”
“But why the reservation?” Sean asked. “The Natives don’t pose a threat to us. They’re peaceful; they keep to themselves.”
“It’s land, and it’s in my area. It could be strategically useful,” Chainz said with finality, showing Sean there was to be no further conversation on the matter.
He nodded in agreement. “So, what’s the plan then?” Sean asked, looking the map over. “We gonna tell them they’re now under our protection?”
“Nah,” Chainz replied, waving that idea away. “I just need the land. I don’t need the people.”
“What?” Sean asked, a pit forming in his stomach. “Why not?”
“Because they got chiefs and shit that lead their community,” Chainz replied, sitting up in his chair, seemingly annoyed that he needed to explain himself to Sean. “I’m the only chief in these parts, and I’m not gonna have people under my protection who are answering to anyone else.”
Sean realized that from a certain point of view that made sense. The Chain Gang territory was growing, and with no instant communication, it was harder to coordinate messages over distance.
“So, what are you suggesting?” Sean asked, hoping Chainz wasn’t after a slaughter.
“I don’t suggest anything, Sean,” Chainz said, his eyes narrowing threateningly. “I give orders, and people follow them. Or they die.”
“Of course,” Sean replied quickly. “Sorry about that.”
“Mmhmm,” Chainz said, looking Sean up and down as if deciding whether or not to shoot him in the head right there in the living room.
“Anyway, I wanna send an envoy to the Natives and let them know they have a certain amount of time to clear off my land. If they’re still there when we arrive, then things are gonna get messy. ”
“I see,” Sean said, nodding. “That’s…very kind of you.”
“Kind, nothin’,” he replied with a dismissive wave. “Bullets don’t grow on trees. I’d rather they just leave so I don’t have to waste ammo on them.”
Sean nodded in understanding. That made a lot more sense. “I think that’s a solid plan, then,” he said.
“I wasn’t asking your opinion, Sean,” Chainz said, once more making Sean feel anxious and embarrassed. “You’re gonna lead the envoy.”
“Me?” Sean asked, pointing to himself, before realizing this could be seen as questioning one of Chainz’s orders. “That makes sense,” he said, quickly following up on that statement.
“So glad you approve,” Chainz said sarcastically. “You and Maverick are gonna go. Pick like ten guys to go with ya. I don’t care who you take. Be ready to move out first thing in the morning.”
“Understood,” Sean said, turning to leave, almost completely forgetting the reason he had come here in the first place.
“Oh, and Sean?” Chainz called after him, causing Sean to turn back around to face him. “If your wife ever steps up to my woman again, I’ll kill her in front of you. I don’t care what kinda deal we had.”
Sean stared wide-eyed at Chainz and nodded in understanding. Jessie was smiling contently beside him and reached down to rub a hand along the crime lord’s massive bicep. Sean turned around and rushed out of the house, moving down the stairs of the porch and behind a nearby tree.
He immediately vomited up his lunch as tears stung his eyes.