Chapter Two
Arielle swallowed hard and went on, “Then a few years later my father got the attention of Todd Lawler. Not because he wanted it but because Todd wanted something my father had. He had knowledge that Todd needed. My dad was a lawyer and Todd needed his services. He dragged my dad into a deal that would destroy him and it wasn’t until the deal was almost done when he realized just what Todd was doing.
When he found out what the real deal was, my dad knew Todd would throw him under the bus the first chance he got.
That knowledge destroyed whatever Dad had left.
My father had always been an honorable man, always fought for the underdog, but if this deal ever came forward, he would be destroyed.
Everything he fought for, everything he believed in would be gone.
He saw the police walking up to our door that day and before they could even ring the bell to open a conversation my dad cried and reached for his gun.
Just as the bell rang he put that gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.
He’d been shattered since my mom died and I think he just couldn’t take another hit.
He’d always been proud of his name and he knew Todd had offered him up as a sacrifice.
He had written me a letter before all of that, explaining everything.
I was fourteen when he died and after his funeral I went into foster care.
I had to wait my time but the day I aged out of the system, I got ready for the showdown between me and Todd.
I found papers in my dad’s desk that explained everything he had done for Todd.
It would have been enough to clear him of any wrongdoing but my dad never got to use it.
He just couldn’t take the blow of losing what Todd was willing to let happen.
My dad was weak in that one moment and it cost him his life and mine.
That’s why I wanted to be the one to take Todd out. ” Tears ran down her face.
The men and their women were silent. Ursula and Reno had tears in their eyes.
Finally Boomer growled, “Then let’s finish this and not leave a man standing on their side.”
Bouncer agreed, “Let’s get justice and stop this insanity once and for all.” He narrowed his eyes at her and asked, “Do you still have those papers that will clear your dad’s name?”
“I’m not sure they’ll work anymore since Todd is dead but yeah, I still got them.”
Bouncer nodded. “Good, maybe we’ll use them to clean up Todd’s mess and catch Ricco with his pants down, so to speak.”
Jep looked up and said quietly, “The new men are reaching the first bend, boss.”
“Are your new gadgets working?” Titus asked him.
“Yep, I just finished wiring them and I think they're ready.”
“Bring up the strips, then,” Titus ordered quietly.
Jep grabbed a remote control and flipped a switch.
Everyone watched as the first car to roll over the strips of metal prongs had blown tires and were swinging all over the road.
When the second car hit the hidden strips it too began to fish in the road.
Unfortunately for them, the second car slammed into the first, so it pushed it off the road and over the bank.
It fell fifty feet into the deep ravine and burst into flames.
The other cars slowed to a slam of brakes and most fishtailing but they all stopped short.
They were uneasy about going any further.
Men slipped out of the vehicle and some peeked over the edge of the ravine.
Everyone milled around almost like they were waiting for orders from someone who couldn’t see their predicament.
Titus then looked over at Jep. “Raise the first gate.”
Jep hit another button.
Now, they all watched as an iron gate began to go up around the corner.
The gate fit tightly across the road and when it clicked into place, there was no way around it.
The road had been completely blocked from anyone coming up or going down.
The bikers had planned this gate section especially for something like this.
They just hadn't wired it until yesterday.
Boomer looked over at them and asked in confusion, “Why didn’t ya do that before?”
“It wasn’t finished yet,” his brother Bouncer replied.
Jep nodded. “I had to find a good remote to use. It had to be long distance for the signal. So, Ironman set up a signal post for me right before these men got here yesterday.”
The brothers couldn’t leave their clubhouse now but no one could come up either. The real battle would be against the men now hiding in the woods around the clubhouse.
The day Boomer and his men arrived he and his men had left enough traps to cut down the numbers waiting in the trees to make the fight fair.
Boomer rubbed his hand together. “Now we wait for those losers to find the other surprises we left for them. I can’t wait.”
It didn’t take long for the first surprises to go off.
Men screamed loud enough that the brothers could hear them in the clubhouse even.
Boomer smiled. “There we go. They ain’t gonna be so eager now.”
“What did you do now?” Jep kept staring at the screens for then he burst out laughing. He raised his head to look at Boomer. “You had more paint bombs?”
Boomer smiled. “They work great, don’t they? When we got the call that you all were gonna be attacked, we brought plenty. So for round two, they will work just as well.”
Titus rushed over to the screen and watched as paint dazed men were stumbling around the woods. He then laughed. “Where did you get so many of them?”
“From the actual swamps of Louisiana, nephew. It’s a trick Miss Maudie taught us and it works. Last time we were there, she sent us home with a trunkload of them. We just spread the bombs around the woods last night.”
Another paint bomb went off and again there were screams. They all watched the screens and they could see the men stumbling around while covered in different colors.
Jep just shook his head and commented, “Those bombs must pack a hard punch.”
Boomer nodded. “Hell yeah, they do. You don’t forget the punch if you ever felt it. But it ultimately isn’t gonna kill them, just rattle their brains a bit. Oh and it gives them a little bit more color and that shit sticks to your skin really bad.”
“But we got more than just paint bombs out there.” Tracker smiled. “Those woods and the men in them aren’t gonna smell so good when they find the next surprise.”
“Holy shit, brother.” Ironman shook his head. “What kind of traps did you put out there anyway?”
Tracker smiled as he explained, “We put out a dozen more paint bombs and four stink bombs.”
He just shook his head and looked at Pyrite. “Better get your case and bandages ready, Pie. You might be busy if they step on any more. I have a feeling this is gonna ring enough bells to make ‘em fall down.”
Bouncer snorted but didn’t say a word.
They all watched the screens.
By the time darkness fell completely, two more paint bombs went off.
They settled down for a long night of waiting until the men outside had enough.