Chapter Fourteen.
Kendara
T hree days passed since Link was born. Rooster had barely left the hospital, and the kids were champing at the bit to see their new brother. Link was struggling, and we hadn’t been sure whether to tell the boys Link had been born, but Rooster decided to.
Today, I’d brought the children to the hospital, warning them and showing them pictures of what to expect. I don’t think they fully understood, but I’d done my best.
I’d explained Link was having breathing problems as his lungs weren’t properly developed. He was also being fed through a tube. Link was suffering one of the worst cases of jaundice the doctors had even seen, and this was on top of him not being unable to regulate his body temperature. Link seemed to settle with skin-to-skin contact, but we had to keep a blanket over him because he got cold so often.
And if that wasn’t enough, poor Link had anaemia and patent ductus arteriosus, also known as PDA. This was an opening between the aorta and the pulmonary artery, but luckily, it usually closes on its own. But doctors were treating it and keeping a sharp eye on the condition. Rooster and I’d been told to prepare for the worst as Link was struggling so much.
That’s why Rooster had made the decision to let the boys meet their brother. Not meeting Link might be a crueller thing, as they would never know what he looked or felt like. Knowing their sibling was fighting for his life had been hard on them, and they’d been quiet for the past few days. Brax had drawn some pictures for Link, and all three kids had drawn handprints to put on his incubator so Link would know they were there with him.
I showed them where to get changed and waited for them to dress before I swapped my clothes. We knocked, and Sarah, who was on duty, smiled.
“Hello!” she said as she let us in. I looked across to Link’s area and saw Rooster sprawled in a chair with his eyes closed. “The other shifts say he hasn’t left Link’s side apart from a shower, and he even eats outside the window, watching him.”
“Sounds like Dad,” Kit whispered.
Brax curled in close to me.
“Hey, it’s okay, honey,” I said, drawing him in closer.
“Could I see him?” Brax mumbled, looking up at Sarah.
“Would you like to hold him?” Rooster asked, his voice thick from sleep.
“Can I?” Brax replied.
“Come, sit here, and remove your top. Link likes to feel skin-to-skin contact and gets tetchy when he doesn’t get it,” Rooster said, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
Brax seemed unsure, but I gave him a little shove forward, and he walked over and sat in the armchair next to Rooster. He yanked his t-shirt off and peered at Sarah as she picked Link up and placed him on Brax’s chest. Link immediately let out a weak wail before nuzzling in. Brax’s eyes widened before he looked at Link in wonder.
“Holy crap, Dad, he is so tiny,” Brax murmured.
“He’ll grow, he’s a Wilson,” Rooster replied without a hint of doubt.
At that moment, I was certain that Link would make it. Because Rooster wouldn’t allow anything otherwise. Rooster would fight to the death to save his boy. I had total belief in Rooster.
“Look at that; he knows his big brother,” I said as Link settled against Brax and calmed down. Sarah placed a little blue blanket over him to keep him warm, and I smiled at the small beanie he was wearing.
“Link’s put on an ounce,” Sarah announced, and Rooster nodded proudly.
“Wow, that’s my son!” I exclaimed, reaching out and touching his tiny fingers .
Link made a snorting noise, one so soft you had to be listening to hear it.
“How’s he doing?” I asked Sarah as we stepped to the side.
“He is a very sick little boy. We’re doing everything we can, and he’s being closely monitored. I hear there’s talk of flying in a specialist. To be honest? Doctor Wainscott is great and, in my opinion, one of the best. He’ll fight for Link even when Link can’t do it for himself. But he won’t let Link suffer needlessly. If he thinks it’s time, Doctor Wainscott will inform you.
“But all that aside, we’re all surprised at how he’s fighting. Link is poorly, but he isn’t giving up. And I think Rooster is holding him here by sheer willpower. He’s been a hit with the nurses,” Sarah teased.
“Rooster, or the food his brothers bring, is the hit?” I asked.
Once they’d known Link had been born, Hellfire had descended, not realising how sick Link was. Once she understood, Clio had drawn up a rota with either one couple or a brother to attend two hours, so Rooster wasn’t alone. I’d clawed four hours this morning to bring the boys upsetting Tiny and Chatter, who bitched at missing their turn.
Clio had waded in and simply set the rota back so Tiny would arrive as we left. Despite the seriousness of the situation, it had made me smile. It was even worse because Rooster had forbidden anyone from purchasing anything, yet apart from a teddy bear from the boys. Also, a soft blue blanket from me and him .
I understood Rooster’s thinking. We did not want stuff being bought, and then Link died. It would be awful to live with the reminder. No. Rooster had done right, despite Clio and Phoenix arguing with him. Link did not have a high survival rate, but every minute that passed, he grew stronger, and that mattered.
Brax sat dead still for forty-five minutes, telling Link his plans for them both. Then Kit and Finn had their turn before I did. I promised Rooster to return tonight once I’d settled the kids before I took them to the park to let off some steam. Their emotions were all over the place, and I knew they needed to release them.
As I drove home, I noticed a grey vehicle following us.
A frisson of fear hit my stomach, and I glanced at the boys. They were squabbling, which was a good thing, and I grabbed my phone. Just as I punched the button to call for help, the car lost all power. Puzzled, I squealed and steered the motor to the side of the road, where it was safer.
“What happened?” Kit demanded.
“Stay in the car and lock the windows. Do you have your phones?” I asked.
“Kenny, what’s wrong?” Finn questioned.
In the mirror, I saw the grey car pull up behind me, and a guy got out.
“Shit!” I cursed and tried starting the engine. It ticked over but didn’t start. A knock at the window made me peer up .
A guy, about fiftyish, with a receding hairline, peered down at me and smiled.
“Hello, Kendara, may I be of assistance?” he asked.
What the fuck?
Rooster
He gazed at the clock, puzzled. It was ten, and Kendara was supposed to be here an hour ago. Kenny hadn’t answered any of his texts since she’d said she was at the park. At first, Rooster thought the boys had played up, and she’d been kept busy. But now he was growing concerned. For the past sixty minutes, he’d also texted the kids and got nothing back. Leaving Link for a few minutes, Rooster left the room and walked outside to the corridor.
“Shotgun? Sorry to call so late, but can you run over to my house and see if everything is alright with Kenny and the children? They are not answering their phones,” Rooster asked.
“Sure, give me five mins,” Shotgun replied and hung up.
Eight minutes later, Shotgun called back. “They’re not here. Did Kendara say she was taking them somewhere?”
“No, she said they were at the park and then going home, and she was gonna order a takeaway and a movie to calm them down. Fuck!” Rooster cried.
“Don’t panic yet. Let me phone around,” Shotgun replied. “Stay with Link, and I will update you in fifteen.”
“You better, brother. I’ll be waiting,” Rooster groaned and disconnected and walked inside to Link.
◆◆◆
Fifteen minutes later, he was back outside and expecting Shotgun’s call. His phone rang, and he grabbed it.
“Nobody has seen Kendara or the boys since she left the hospital. Chance is alerting all brothers that they are missing, and we are sending patrols out. He’s calling Lio to get the SPD to look out for her car.”
“Get someone up here with Link, I need to be out there searching for them,” Rooster ordered, his gut seizing on him.
“We’re looking, Roo,” Shotgun said.
“Those are my sons and my woman brother; I need to be there.”
“Rooster!” Sarah called with alarm.
Rooster spun around. “It’s Link, come now!”
“Shit!” Rooster shouted, feeling helpless.
“Stay with your baby. We’ll handle the boys and Kendara. Trust us, we’re calling allies and everyone,” Shotgun said and hung up.
Rooster stared at his phone in despair. He was being torn.
“Rooster!” Sarah cried, and his feet began moving. He could help one of his children. He barrelled through the doors to see Doctor Wainscott racing away, with Link’s incubator being pushed behind by two nurses.
“Link started throwing up blood. Doctor Wainscott thinks he has a bowel blockage as he was crying in pain and scrunching his legs up,” Sarah explained as he stared after Link.
“Will he make it? Link’s too tiny for surgery,” Rooster gritted out.
“Doctor Wainscott is the best, Link is stronger than he was three days ago,” Sarah said.
“Is my son gonna pull through?”
“I honestly don’t know.”
Chance
“Thanks, brother, she was driving Rooster’s truck, you need the plates?” Chance asked Inglorious.
“Nope, we got them. My club is riding. We’ll cover our land and move towards Spearfish,” Inglorious stated, and hung up.
Clio snatched his phone. “Chance Michaelson, get your ass on your bike and start looking. Our nephews are out there, and they need their uncles. Stop ringing people and search for them. Big Al and I can handle the communication,” Clio snapped.
“We can’t lose those boys…” Chance whispered, allowing himself a weak moment. Then his shoulders went back, and he nodded.
“Unwanted Bastards is riding, Rage is coming from their direction, Devils Damned Disciples is also on the road,” Chance explained.
“And I can phone the others. Has SPD been alerted yet? Right. I’ll call them, and the old ladies will call the other allies. Go baby and bring our nephews home,” Clio said, shoving him.
Chance grabbed her and kissed her hard before striding off with Tiny at his shoulder. Banshee was covering Bear. Neither the President nor VP was allowed to ride alone.
Clio
“Alice, phone Onyx, Thalia, call Tiger. Bunny, you’ve got Scythe. Madisen, alert Lance, I am calling 911 and reporting it. Chey, contact Lio direct and tell him I’m making a missing person’s report and get him on board,” Clio ordered.
“Thank fuck you’re back,” Tati said as she slipped into the room.
Clio offered an abrupt nod. She knew Tati referred to her breakdown, but now wasn’t the time. Three little boys and an old lady needed them.
“Tati, gather everyone else up and make sandwiches and snacks. Get coffee brewing because eventually, every fucker on a Harley will come,” Clio said.
Tati nodded, grabbing Sallie-Anne and headed to the large communal kitchen that Chance had ordered building. It came in handy for gatherings and family meals.
Clio made her report and told the officer she spoke to contact Emilo Hawthorne and warned him that bikers were out looking for the missing children and Kenny. The cop got snooty with her, and Clio read him the riot act before hanging up.
“It’s Lio, I’ll go help Tati,” Chey announced, handing her a phone.
“Lio, I made the report, but Officer Samson didn’t think it was serious enough to alert the force. Could you do something?”
“Give me ten minutes to update the chief, and I can guarantee we’ll have BOLO out asap,” Lio replied. “Chey said Kendara was driving Rooster’s truck and had the three boys with her?”
“Yes.”
“Hang in, SPD will mobilise,” Lio replied and hung up.
Clio hoped so. Her phone rang, and she answered.
“Clio, we just heard. The hospital phoned me, Link’s been rushed into emergency surgery. Drake is coming straight to Spearfish, dropping me off and then heading out to search. I have told Artemis, and she’s alerting the Juno group, and I’ve also called Hawthorne’s. He is sending people your way,” Phoe babbled down the phone.
“Thanks, I can’t leave here, can you stay with Roo? He’s got to be climbing the walls by now.”
“Not a problem. Speak soon.”
“Shit,” Clio muttered; when it rained, it poured. Her heart went out to Rooster. He had to be torn. She couldn’t imagine having to pick between one of her children.
Rooster
He paced the corridor back and forth as he waited on news. Running footsteps made him look up, and he reached for Phoe as she ran in. Phoe wrapped her arms around him and squeezed.
“I can’t do shit for any of my kids,” Rooster murmured.
“You can for Link, and that’s by being here. As soon as he is out of theatre, he’s gonna need his daddy,” Phoe replied.
“I don’t know if I’m better here or out there searching, Phoe,” Rooster admitted.
“Kendara and the boys have everyone hunting for them. Link has you. You have to be here for him.”
“All my kids need me,” Rooster said bitterly.
“And they have you, honey. Your brothers and allies are searching for them. That’s because of you. Few missing children would attract such a large search effort. Trust them, and they’ll find your family. But you need to give your strength to Link.”
Kit
“Do you think he’s gonna hurt us?” Finn asked .
“No,” Kit responded as he started peering around.
“I’m scared,” Brax said, lifting his tear-stained face.
“Everything is going to be fine,” Kit replied, distracted.
“He stabbed her with a needle,” Brax snapped.
“He sedated her. It was a syringe.” Kit began looking at the basement they’d been locked in.
He’d no idea who the guy was, but he had looked surprised to see them. Kenny hadn’t opened the car door until the man produced a gun and aimed it at them. On seeing that, Kenny had nearly fallen out of the motor in her haste to protect them. Kit had watched as the fella stabbed Kenny in the neck and then made them get into his vehicle. He had tried to get Brax away, but his youngest brother had clung to him.
The stranger had taken their phones and then pushed their car down a hill. He’d then picked Kenny up and carried her to his boot before driving them all away. He’d drove down a lot of the back roads, so Kit had no idea where they were when they pulled up outside a house.
Their kidnapper had been muttering under his breath the entire drive, and Kit’s gut told him to keep his brothers quiet. He didn’t think the man would hurt them, but Kit somehow guessed they weren’t a part of the plan either.
“My name is Eugene,” he’d said to them on arriving at the place. “Come on, boys, follow me. Don’t run away, people get injured doing that.”
The boys understood a threat when one was uttered. They’d followed Eugene down some stairs, and Kit kept his eye open for an escape. He was surprised when he was led into a furnished room, and the Eugene locked them in.
For an hour, Kit guessed they had been sitting there waiting for Eugene to return, but he hadn’t. Kit finally got to his feet and began searching.
“What are you doing?” Brax asked, wiping tears from his face.
“Looking for a way out,” Kit said. The room was strange. It had a small fridge and microwave in one corner. It had a single bed and, an armchair and a couch. A door that opened to a tiny shower and toilet.
“There’s a fridge,” Finn declared and pulled it open.
“I’m hungry,” Brax complained.
Kit peered inside. There were water bottles and food. He took out the water and ensured the lids hadn’t been opened, and then shook them upside down to check if they leaked.
“What are you doing?” Finn asked.
“Making sure there’re no drugs in them. Look, see, the seal of the bottle hasn’t been opened, and nothing’s been injected inside it, or the water would drip out. These are safe to drink,” Kit said, handing his brothers one each.
“How the hell do you know that?” Finn demanded, looking at Kit like he’d grown another head.
“MeTube,” Kit replied.
Finn stared at him. “You’re scary sometimes, brother.”
“Dude, we gotta get out of here and save Kenny. Then call Dad. Here, these chips are sealed. Give them to Brax,” Kit said, discovering a cupboard of food. Finn watched how Kit kept checking everything to see if it had been tampered with.
Once Brax was eating, Kit got back to searching. There were two windows, but he could see they didn’t open. They could break them, but Eugene would find them before they escaped. No phones or other means to communicate were available. But Kit refused to give up. He opened a cupboard and mumbled bingo as his eyes lit on the contents inside.
“What you got? Nice, now we can make those work!” Finn exclaimed.
“Eugene’s an idiot to leave these here,” Kit stated.
“He’s probably not met anyone like us before,” Brax muttered around a mouthful of chips.
“Empty some of those bottles. We’ll make some cocktails.” Kit grinned.
“Dad said not to play with fire!” Brax tattled.
“I don’t think Dad would want us to stay locked up down here. Dad would want us to do everything to escape. We gotta find Kenny and get out of here,” Kit stated with a determined glint.
Finn nodded in agreement, and a few moments later, Brax nodded, too. They were going to get out and take their Kenny with them.