Shadow Chapter 20 #2
I knew what I wanted to do with Truce. I’d decided it long ago.
Reaper and the rest of the guys knew and had no issue with it.
Despite knowing it was unlikely the Carters and their former prizefighter would tell us anything useful, we tried.
We had no choice until those sent to the Carter home returned.
“We know the names of your main players, Oliver. Make it easy on you and your family. Tell us what we want to know, and I promise, your deaths will be swift and as painless as possible,” Reaper calmly told the Carter patriarch.
Oliver sneered as he responded. “I’m not telling you shit.
You think having names will prevent your club from being wiped out.
You’re delusional. Some of the people on that list are without mercy.
Anyone messing with their livelihoods is eliminated.
They’ll kill you, your women, and your kids. My daughter will die, too.”
“I’m afraid you’re wrong. It isn’t just our club they’ll have to contend with,” Reaper informed him.
Truce and the other Carters listened and observed but said nothing.
“What, those supposed friends you mentioned with the hacker gods? I doubt that will be enough.” Oliver smirked.
“Oh, I believe they will. You’re looking at over a hundred bikers and a security company with government ties. And I should mention the security company, and many of the bikers are former military, like I am,” Reaper smirked.
I watched the confidence flicker on Oliver’s face. Before he said more, Maniac chimed in.
“He’s too modest to mention it, but Reaper was a decorated Navy SEAL. Mayhem here was Army Special Forces. Lash was a Navy Corpsman. Plus, we have Crusher with his Army experience. We’re united in more than the brotherhood of bikers.”
It wasn’t Oliver who responded. It was Rome.
“You think that scares us? So what if there are former military guys involved? They can’t protect everyone. Their women and kids will bring them to their knees.”
I burst out laughing. My club brothers chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” Jace asked.
“That you’re stupid enough to believe our women are helpless.
I’d love to see you mess with my old lady, Astrid.
Or go up against Harlow, Sloan, Cassidy, Saylor, Nyssa, Mackenzie, Dayanara, Keeley, and Joli.
Fuck, we’d sell tickets to that show,” Mayhem laughed. The rest of us laughed along with him.
“There ain’t no women out there tough enough to fight a bunch of hardened men,” Rome snorted.
“You’re a fool if you think women can’t be tough,” I remarked.
“Women are the weaker sex. My daughter might think she’s safe, but she’s not. She’s continued to do what I demanded even after I let her move away. Women aren’t smart enough to think for themselves. Something her mama learned,” Oliver growled.
“You’re wrong. What makes you say that about her mom?” I asked.
A satisfied expression spread across his face. “What did Aubrielle tell you about her mama?”
“That she died unexpectedly when she was ten. She was killed in a car accident. She had to have a closed casket,” I answered.
Her dad tossed back his head and laughed darkly. When he was done, he stared at me as he spoke.
“That’s what we told Aubrielle and everyone around Big Stone Gap, but that’s not what happened.
See, her mama thought she was smart and could fight me.
She hated what we did to make a living. She didn’t want our daughter to grow up seeing that, or being treated the way she was.
My wife secretly planned to leave me and take Aubrielle with her.
She was going to turn me in to the authorities.
I taught her the error of her thinking.” Oliver smirked.
Utter revulsion and hatred filled me. Oliver was morally corrupt and had no redeemable qualities.
And based on the way his sons and brother didn’t react, they had known.
Rome and Jace knew their dad had killed their mom, maybe even had a part in it.
Rome would’ve been twenty-one, and Jace eighteen, when Aubrielle was ten.
She’d been an oops baby, from what she told me.
“And did you two have a hand in killing your own mom?” I snarled, moving closer to the cells.
Both refused to meet my gaze, telling me all I needed to know. I spat at them. Then I looked at Jock. A thought came to mind.
“And did your wife really leave you, Jock, or did you use your brother’s method?” I asked low.
Jock’s eyes darted all around, refusing to meet mine. The way his face went pale told me he had. I spat at him, too. Then, I turned to my scowling, furious brothers.
“They fucking deserve what’s coming. If there was ever a doubt, this ends it.”
Their nods and murmured words showed they agreed. We kept asking, and they kept evading the question. It lasted for half an hour until Reaper’s phone buzzed. He took it out and read the text. A slow, merciless smile appeared on his face.
“Brothers, Spawn and the guys are back. And they brought the surprises. Let’s take these pieces of shit outside so they can see.”
And just like that, the Carters and Truce were removed from the cells. They tried to fight us, but they weren’t a match against two-to-one odds. I made sure I was one of the ones who muscled Truce out of the bunker and the storage building. We took them to the back side of the building.
Built there was a fenced-in area. It had been added years ago in case we ever needed it for animals. At the time, we weren’t sure what kind they’d be, so the fencing was designed to keep even a small dog or chicken from squeezing through. It was karma that we had it to use for this next part.
A truck was parked next to the fenced-in area. Spawn, Crusher, Pax, Romulus, and Remus stood stoically waiting. We paused with the prisoners.
“Are you still refusing to tell us what we want to know?” Pres asked.
“Fuck you,” Oliver said. The rest remained silent.
“Okay, then I suggest we start with the weakest link… Jace,” Mayhem remarked.
“What does that mean?” Jace asked, I heard the quiver in his voice.
“You’ll see. Are they ready?” Reaper asked Pax.
“They’re almost there. Gives us time to get them placed,” the prospect said.
“Good. Put Jace in there, then position them,” our president ordered.
As Jace was dragged into the enclosure, the truck’s tailgate was lowered. The installed ramp slid down to the ground. Then, two large crates were slid out. Immediately, it was clear what they contained. Inside were two groggy dogs.
“No! You can’t do this,” Jace screamed in horror.
“You tortured these poor animals and others. You made them into killers. It’s only poetic justice that they end the lives of their tormentors,” Tinker stated.
Screams continued as he was forced into the enclosure.
The two crates were carried inside and placed next to the fence.
There was a rope tied to each one. When everyone exited and the gate was closed, Pax tugged both ropes, sliding the front doors on the crates open.
Two dogs came slinking out. They were covered in scars.
It was sickening to see how much abuse they’d survived.
“I gave them only enough meat to put the sedative in. Based on how they ate, they’re starving. Without weapons, those bastards are no match against them. They starve them to make them aggressive,” Pax explained.
Pax had gone along after it was discovered he had experience with dogs, especially those abused.
Rome and Jock were yelling to let Jace out.
Oliver never said a word, although his face was as white as paper.
I saw the fear in his eyes. Aubrielle mentioned that if we wanted any information from her family, we should let them face her brothers’ dogs.
They feared them as much as they loved them for what they did.
And Oliver was the one truly terrified of them.
He might use dog fights for money, but he hated the dogs, was scared of them, and refused to go anywhere near the ones his sons kept.
According to Aubrielle, he constantly told her brothers that the dogs were to be kept locked up and that if one got out, he’d kill his sons.
“Stop! You can’t do this,” Jace shouted.
When the dogs growled, he lowered his voice. Then he began negotiating with them. He spoke softly, trying to make them see him as a harmless master. But the problem was, they had long memories and knew he was one to inflict pain on them.
I won’t lie, it was gruesome when the two dogs let loose.
They stalked him and then systematically tore him to shreds before issuing the killing bite to his throat.
I had no doubt they’d eat Jace’s body if left in there, but Pax’s high whistle drew their attention to him.
He had lifted the rear doors of their cages and inserted fresh pieces of meat.
The dogs hesitated, then took off for their cages.
Once they entered, the front doors were closed, trapping them inside.
While my brothers entered to remove the body, Reaper questioned the remaining Carters. Jock pleaded, and yes, he told us what he knew, but the reality was, he didn’t know much. Oliver had kept him and Jace on the periphery of the businesses.
“Oliver, Rome, tell us what we want to know, and no one else has to face that kind of death,” Reaper told them.
Jock flicked panicked looks toward his brother and oldest nephew.
Their faces remained impassive, and neither spoke a word to save Jock.
His terrified screams as he was led into the enclosure were hysterical.
Lucky for us, we were far enough away from anyone who could hear and call the cops on us.
Once inside the enclosure, the same steps were taken.
Jock shouted threats and tried to find a weapon, but there wasn’t even a stray limb in there. Since he wasn’t their master, the dogs waited less time before attacking. It was the same savage death as Jace’s had been. And Pax lured them back to the cages the same way.