Chapter 8
“Idon’t like this. I gotta bad feeling,” Jesse muttered out loud as they sat in their truck, waiting. “There’s been radio silence for the past eight minutes.”
He always hated this part of an op. The waiting, the wondering. He wanted action, move, go in, take over, take control. Not this. Sitting on his ass while Sage and Val were being subjected to whatever was going on in that party with the Krypt.
A waved of uncontrollable possession wracked Jesse’s body as he thought about Val, the virgin, being mauled by those assholes. Then he thought about Sage. Jesse had no idea how Dante stayed cool with his woman in danger.
If Val were my woman…
Do not go there. That’s crazier than this plan.
“For once, I agree with you. They’re not responding. Something’s happened to the comms,” Xander suggested. “We’re going in.”
“What the fuck,” Sonny muttered and shook his head. “Since when are you deviating from the plan?”
“Since I said so. I’m going,” Jesse announced and stepped out of the car before any of his crew could stop him. No one would yell at him outside. He heard another door close and turned to find Xander behind him.
“Let’s go now, before your dad finds out and kills you himself,” Xander suggested.
They made their way in the dark towards the lot across the street. The place was packed with parked cars of every kind. Jesse didn’t see any movement near the fence, just two bikers, probably probies, minding it. The fence was closed. Climb or break time.
“Let’s head around the side of the building and climb over,” Jesse whispered.
Xander followed, quiet as the night, and the only thing Jesse heard was the sound of his heartbeat. The security was pretty lax given the situation. They stopped near the front entrance, which was guarded by four bikers. How were they gonna get past them? They needed to distract them and fast.
“We need a diversion,” Xander whispered, mirroring Jesse’s thoughts exactly.
Jesse turned around to tell him that he agreed but Xander was suddenly gone.
What the fuck?
Then a loud crack echoed in the still air. Jesse glanced around to find the four bikers heading for the source of the sound. Xander crept out of the trees and pointed to the entrance.
Jesse and Xander made a run for it, and thank hell, those stupid fuckers had left the door unlocked. They snuck inside, the smell of cigars, booze, and sweat permeating the air. The place was dimly lit, but no was around. They crept along the hallway, following the chatter of noise. Another door.
Jesse pushed it open gently and spotted the gambling room packed with people. He closed the door again and turned to Xander. “I spotted Sam at one of the tables, but not Val or Sage.”
“We need another diversion. Something that’ll clear the room right quick.”
Xander pulled out his phone and tapped it, holding it up to the door. The sound of police sirens blasted out of the phone and Jesse himself nearly bolted for the exit.
“Hide,” Xander urged, and they snuck into an alcove.
Suddenly, the door burst wide open and they watched as droves of people stampeded through the door like cattle.
No one saw Xander or Jesse. Partygoers were too worried about the potential of being arrested.
The crowd began to thin and only one or two stragglers walked through the doors, drunk as fuck, stumbling over themselves.
“Let’s go,” Jesse whispered.
They snuck back up to the door and opened it slowly.
The room was empty, save the tables with chips, cards, and dice. And glasses of liquor, bottles of beer, and the remains of cigarettes, spliffs, and cocaine that littered the surface like snowflakes.
“Who the fuck are you?” a strange voice called out.
Jesse and Xander turned to find the four guys from out front, guns drawn.
“What the fuck?” A guy with a long beard and tatts all over his face paused and walked up to them. “I know you! You’re from the Hellraiser crew.”
“Grab them!” Another one said.
Jesse and Xander bolted for the rear door but this time, they didn’t make it. They were tackled to the ground, their arms tied behind their back. Their guns were taken from them and Jesse nearly screamed in frustration.
It was only then that Jesse noticed Sage and Val. Both lying in the corner of the room in the dark, being held by another biker with a knife. No sign of Sam, of course.
Then Colt and Golan entered the room. Shit.
“You Hellraisers are so fucking stupid,” Colt hissed. “Take them to the shed out back. I’ll be over in a few.”
Jesse and Xander, along with Sage and Val, were hauled to their feet and shoved to the back exit. Jesse knew that if the bikers got them in that shed, they were done for. They had to do something, and fast.
He turned to Xander, and he saw the same expression in his eyes.
But what were they gonna do?
“Our crew are coming for us,” Xander muttered.
The Krypt crew ignored his statement and kept pushing them down a set of stairs, and into the rear of the property. Save for one dim light on the back of the building, it was pitch dark and difficult to see.
But with their arms tied up, their guns gone, what could they do?
They were led to a shack a few feet away and shoved through the doorway. The place smelled like old piss, cigs, and blood. Jesse fought back a gag.
Once the door closed, and he, Xander, and Val and Sage were alone, he wasted no time.
He turned around and leaned up against Xander.
“Untie my wrists,” he hissed.
“This isn’t the kind of kinky foreplay I was hoping for,” Xander replied.
“Will you shut it for once and do as I say?” Jesse snapped.
“Sage, reach into my front pocket. I got an army knife in there. Stupid fucks didn’t search me properly.”
Sage hobbled over, and turned around, managing to reach in and grab the knife. “I don’t know if I can open the damn thing.”
“Pass it over,” Xander demanded.
Jesse felt the seconds ticking by, and knew that it was only a short matter of time before Colt and Golan arrived. They needed to escape and now.
“Hurry the fuck up,” Jesse urged.
“I can cut through these plastic ties, but there’s a danger I might cut you,” Xander explained.
“Just do it. I can handle it.”
“Here goes.”
Jesse felt the blade of the knife against his wrists but willed himself to stay calm. This was his club brother after all. He trusted Xander.
The knife went back and forth and kissed his skin. Jesse felt the sharp pain of a cut but ignored it.
“Got it,” Xander whispered.
The coolness of the blade disappeared and Jesse pulled his hands apart, the cracking sound of plastic breaking. It was a sound that brought immense relief.
Jesse whirled around, his arms now free, and grabbed the knife from Xander, cutting everyone else loose.
“Everyone all right?” Jesse asked as he looked at Val’s tear-stained face. Sage nodded.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” Sage urged.
“What she said,” Xander seconded as he headed for the door.
“Hold on.” Jesse put a hand out to stop him. “They’ve got guards out there with guns. We can’t just walk out of here.”
“Wanna bet?” Xander replied. “Val, Sage, I want you to scream as loud as you can. You hear me? Jesse, you and me hide behind the door, when the guys enter, we attack.”
Jesse looked around the room. There were a couple of wooden chairs in the corner.
“Grab a chair, it’s the only weapon we got.”
He and Xander grabbed one, so too did Sage and Val.
“You guys ready?” Jesse asked and everyone nodded. “On the count of one, two, three, go!”
Val and Sage let out the most blood curdling screams that Jesse had ever heard. Sure enough, the bikers came charging into the room not thirty seconds later, and it was on.
Jesse swung the chair as hard as he could, knocking the first biker to his back. Xander did the same with the second guy, knocking him out cold. Jesse scrambled to pick up their guns and then took out the next two guys who entered the shed.
With no one left, Jesse passed one of the guns to Xander and they guided Sage and Val out into the darkness of the night.
“Into the woods,” Jesse ordered.
“But shouldn’t we head for the main road? The guys are waiting for us,” Sage asked.
Jesse shook his head. “Too risky right now. They have too many crew here. We gotta stay hidden for a bit. Xander, any service on your cell?”
Xander pulled out his phone. “Nope. Nothing. Must have a jammer out here.”
“We were telling you guys what was happening, but no one responded,” Val insisted.
Xander nodded. “That confirms it. Let’s move. Colt and Golan are probably on their way.”
Jesse led them into the woods, using his cell flashlight to guide them. They were heading northeast. There was a back road he remembered seeing on the map. If they could make it that far, they might have service by then.
Walking as quickly, but quietly as they could, they headed deep into the forest, the pitch-black darkness suffocating. The occasional call of an owl and the crunch of the leaves and branches under their feet were the only sounds heard. The farther they walked, the quieter it became.
Jesse felt pretty sure that they’d gotten a decent head start on their escape. But they wouldn’t have forever. As soon as the Krypt realized they were gone, they’d be sending out members to search.
“I hope to fuck you know where you’re going,” Xander whispered as he walked up behind him.
He was so close Jesse could feel his body heat. And at night, in the country, the temperature was dropping fast. He figured they’d have maybe five or six hours in the dark until sunrise.
“I’m doing my best. Remember the unmarked road on the map? That’s what I’m aiming for.”
“Lead the way. I trust you,” Xander replied and Jesse nearly tripped.
Jesse stopped and turned to Sage and Val, holding up the cell again so he could see their faces. “You okay to keep walking?”
Sage gave him the finger and Val a glare that could cut glass.
“The further we get away from that place, the better,” Val whispered. “I’m cold but I’ll survive.”
Jesse took off his leather jacket and handed it to Val. “Put this on, then. Let’s keep going.”
Xander did the same and gave his jacket to Sage. Then, Jesse whirled around and got his bearings again.
It wasn’t the first time he’d been lost in the woods. And he always found his way out.