Chapter 17 #3
Legion glances around the other bikers among us, pretending to search for someone in particular. “ The little Road Captain isn’t among your men,” he says, callous eyes landing on me once again. “Have you not held your official vote on what we discussed?”
“ Time and place .” I glare at him. Legion only brought up Axel to remind me of the leverage he’s holding over us. A warning and reminder that I can’t kill him.
“ Ah … I see. He’s in the dark .”
“Was that another fucking threat?”
Slice clears his throat and interjects again, pulling the focus of the room back to the reason we agreed to meet after the charity run in the first place.
“Gentlemen, hash your shit out on your own time. My primary concern right now, is my county.” He shifts his glare to Legion.
“And you’re the root of the reason there is a problem to begin with. ”
“Which is why I snagged this one.” Legion cocks his head at the guy he brought, then shoots me a glare. “Despite what this one would have you believe, I am making an effort to assist you all in this cleanup. It wasn’t any of you that eradicated the last two cook locations.”
“I’m willing to entertain the idea of you wanting to make amends,” Slice says.
“Before I begin, his fate will determine the methods I proceed with.” Legion grins darkly, waiting for Slice to decide whether this guy is going to survive his interrogation or not. “I noticed there is an old cemetery at the far end of this lot.”
“He leaves here alive.” Slice doesn’t entertain Legion’s not-so-subtle suggestion at all.
Legion looks mildly disappointed. “With all due respect, gentlemen, the only way to end this incessant game of whack-a-mole, at least for a while, is to kill the fucking moles .” They stare each other down before Legion continues, “I get it, Pres… You’re walking the straight and narrow these days…
But there are only so many cook trailers we can blow up , before there’s blowback …
This minion is just that… He may not even know who’s at the top of Mount Meth , but I made a promise to someone.
” He shifts his icy glare to me, though I know I’m not the one he made that promise to. “A promise I intend to keep.”
“Keegan said it best. We can’t save the fuckin’ world . I just want it known… My county is off limits,” Slice says. “ Weed is one thing. Meth. Heroine. We don’t condone the production or distribution of that shit . As long as we’re clean and clear, that’s where my concern begins and ends.”
I’m sure he hates admitting it as much as I do, but he isn’t wrong. There’s only so much we can do to keep our families and civilians safe.
Legion nods, but I recognize defiance in his eyes when I see it. He isn’t content to simply push this operation beyond county borders. He wants the shot-callers at the top of Mount Meth … And I hate the fact I fucking agree with Legion of all people… But one thing at a time.
Slice walks over to the old map of Jocsan County tacked up on a mounted corkboard and rips it down. He walks back to Legion and shoves the map against his chest, forcing Legion to take it. “Find out where the rest of these places are. Where they’re set up to push it. And then, get to work .”
Legion nods curtly.
“Kill the lights, except for the row he’s under,” Slice orders, though to no one in particular.
One of his guys moves to the wall, flicking off a few switches until most of the room is cast in darkness.
One of the remaining lights above the guy hums and flickers.
The Joker steps back to reach up and twist the tubular bulb into place, and the flickering stops.
With another impatient gesture from Slice, the other Sergeant snatches the bandana from the guy’s eyes.
Legion’s offering blinks rapidly, head swiveling in an attempt to regain his bearings.
Most of us are still standing in the shadows, obscured from his view.
We all flipped our cuts inside out before coming down here to play it safe, so he wouldn’t be able to identify our crews right off the cuff.
“You two, stay down here,” Slice orders the two SAs. “Make sure this prick leaves here alive.” He shoots Legion a final warning glare before turning back to me. “Let’s go.”
B efore I can break away and go in search of Vanna, Slice places a hand briefly on my shoulder, halting me when we return to the large main room of the clubhouse. I turn to face him.
“He’s got something on you.” It isn’t so much a question as it is an observation.
“You’re perceptive.” I sigh, adjusting the way my cut rests on my shoulders now that I’m wearing it right-side out again. “In a way, I suppose I’m relieved. I don’t want to think about what message my tolerance of him is sending. But yeah… Anything happens to Legion, even if it isn’t my doing…”
“I get it. It was the only scenario where any of this made sense. And based on his reputation, I figure whatever he’s got is pretty substantial.”
“It is.” I scan the room and spot Axel shooting pool with a couple of the younger Jokers, blissfully unaware of the axe Legion has dangling over his head, or the chains he’s got the rest of us bound in.
“The kid?” Slice asks, a rare tone of sympathy in his words. He knows what Axel means to me. “I’ll make sure my crew knows the Demon is off limits.”
I nod. “I need to find my wife.”
“She’s probably getting ready for the last fundraiser.” Slice nods toward the back doors. “That’ll take place on the stage after the band wraps up.”
Fuck. I forgot all about the Ol’ Lady Auction . I hope whatever Legion is up to in the cellar keeps him busy at least long enough for the bidding portion of this event to conclude.
“I’ll catch you later,” I say, patting Slice on the back before I head for the doors.
I find Vanna with Cherry, talking at the far end of the checker stone patio, and slip my arm around her waist. Pulling her to me, I lower my mouth to her ear.
“Legion’s here,” I say softly.
“ What?”
“ Legion is here.”
“Huh… Maybe that’s what that biker woman was talking about,” Vanna says to Cherry, then looks up at me. “She came up to me earlier. Before she could get to the point about anything, she mentioned someone without an invitation showed up, like it might be an issue or something. Where is he?”
“Working on a puzzle downstairs,” I mutter.
She stares at me for a moment. “Yeah, I can’t picture that, and I don’t think you meant that literally anyway.”
“Never mind. No pun intended, but I say we blow this joint and head back.”
“Well… I already signed up for the auction…won’t that look bad?”
I really don’t care at the moment. However, before I can say anything else about it, the song the band is playing ends, and a Joker’s Ol’ Lady takes the stage to go over the rules of the auction.
“I think it’s too late to bail now,” Vanna says.
The woman on stage calls to rally everyone participating and begins to announce the rules. All bids must be cash in hand , being one of those rules. After the Poker Run portion of the charity ride, I’m damn near tapped out. A measly buck-fifty and some change, maybe , left in my wallet.
Vanna places her hand against my chest. “For charity, my love.” She smiles, giving my chest a little pat before she steps away.
I watch her walk up onto the makeshift stage with Cherry, where the bands have been playing live music until recently.
A DJ has taken over the musical entertainment for the remainder of the party.
She takes her place at the end of the considerable line of women, already waiting to be auctioned off for a dance to a song of the highest bidder’s choosing.
“ Don’t bid to win ,” she mouths to me with a knowing little smirk. Part of me wishes she wasn’t aware of my financial concerns. It’s not that we’re in dire straits, not by a long shot. And I was mostly content with this whole idea, that is, before Legion showed up.
“ Right,” I grit out. It’s just a dance.
We do something similar with the men in participating MCs at our fundraisers, where women enter a raffle for a chance at a ride on the back of our bikes.
It takes place every year, and it really rakes in the cash.
This is the same principle. It means nothing beyond raising money for charity.
Vanna is fine with it. If she can tolerate another chick on the back of my bike for one ride once a year, I need to be fine with this as well.
One by one, our girls are bid on, bringing in between two hundred and three hundred each.
I can’t stop glancing down at my watch as time drags on, wishing Vanna had gotten on stage a little sooner.
Of course, she’d go last. Finally, Vanna timidly steps forward, and I can feel a few sets of eyes familiar with my crazy land on me.
I force a smile, uncrossing my arms to clap for her in an attempt to convince those watching I’ve truly given my blessing, at least for the sake of charity. If nobody bids for fear of my reaction, she’ll think it’s her. I will not allow my territorial urges to undermine her fragile confidence.
The bidding starts at one hundred dollars, and the crowd remains silent… Fuck my life!
She shifts in her boots, painfully uncomfortable now, her gaze avoiding the crowd as she turns to look at Cherry standing next to her. I know it took every ounce of courage she has to even put herself out there like this.
I’m about to offer everything I’ve got left in my fucking wallet, when a raspy voice somewhere in the crowd calls out, “ Three grand! And an additional two for a second dance!”
My heart sinks when Vanna’s eyes widen in a surprise we all collectively share, and she scans the crowd for her fuckin’ hero...
Jealousy sets my blood to boil, and I scour the crowd until my sight locks in on a proudly grinning Legion. That fucking prick ... I can’t swing six Gs to outbid him! I’m about to hit up Viking to hurry up and spot me some cash, when I hear Vanna’s anxious voice ring out…