Kane/Rome
Most of the Feral Steel MC are sitting around the table waiting for Devil to start this meeting. He is off with Tito and Oz going over the photo card pictures. We’ve been waiting about fifteen minutes when the three of them walk in. None look very happy. Devil takes his chair at the end of the table but he doesn’t stay seated. He grabs his gavel and brings the meeting to order.
“Everyone has been updated on the destruction going on in our town. We need to vote on how we are going to proceed. I’m going to let Tito tell you what the memory card held.” Devil sits down but he doesn’t sit back and relax. He’s on the edge of his seat. For some reason, this puts me on edge. Tito stands from his seat and throws a folder of pictures on the table.
“Everyone needs to look at these pictures and see if you recognize anyone. We’ve gotten names on a couple of the men but nothing is coming back on any of them that stands out. The two we identified are young and no rap sheets. Petty shit on their records like speeding tickets. Nothing that would connect them to the Feral Steel MC or give them a reason to want to do us harm. The damage that was done is not some kid’s vandalism and it is very evident that our prospect, Tig, helped them. Tig has been prospecting for us close to nine months and there are absolutely no red flags or history lapses in his background search.” Tito looks frustrated.
“What are the names of the two?” Cowboy asks.
“Brent Lapin age twenty-three and no ties to the community and Gaston Brown age eighteen and has no record. His dad is Phillip Brown, and on the city council. Tig and Gaston attended high school together but Tig is a year older.” Oz reads off his notes. “Gaston and Brent have been associated with Brothers Bonded by Business and Liam Davis.”
“Was Liam Davis in any of the pictures?” Cowboy asks.
“Not that we could tell. All the other photos were out of focus and we couldn’t fix them with computer recognition or the programs we have. The camera was cheap and we were lucky to be able to get anything with the distance and positioning of the camera. The camera wasn’t even a security camera, it was one of those cameras hunters use to get photos of game. It wasn’t meant to get detail but more to get photos in motion. You can get them at any sporting goods store for a hundred bucks.” Tito tells us.
“Bud, the owner of the diner, texted me and his kitchen was destroyed along with his office and the apartment above the kitchen. The fire chief is thinking a gas leak. The front of the diner is still standing but damaged and he won’t know the extent until the investigation is finished so he can get an inspector in there, at the least, there is some fire, water, and smoke damage. The building next to the diner on the kitchen side was damaged also but it was vacant.” Oz tells us.
“If this is all connected, the destruction is escalating. First, there was vandalism and graffiti, the break ins, the fire at the gym, and then an explosion at the diner. Then there was the attack on Tara if that is even related. I hate to ask what is next but I do need to ask what are we going to do about it. The Feral Steel MC will always protect ours so the gym we will find out who did it and why. Then we will put a stop to it even if we need to put people to ground.” Devil is watching how he words everything. “We have worked hard at cleaning this club up but no one or any group of people fuck with the Feral Steel.”
“I agree but are we going to take on the towns problems on as ours? Most of the damn people in this town are still afraid of us and will cross the street to avoid us but they are damn quick to expect us to step in and find out what the hell is going on. I’m not feeling real helpful to people that look at us like we are dirt.” Cowboy states.
“What’s to say if we do find and take care of whoever is doing these things the good people of the community will go right back to hating us after their businesses are safe again?” Creole asks.
“I agree to an extent but how is the town supposed to accept us as business owners doing business in this town if we don’t help the town?” Hacksaw looks at everyone as he asks. I never thought Hacksaw would think this way. He’s not usually so levelheaded. A thought pops in my head.
“Say we only take care of what happened to us. We find them and make them pay by either going to jail or showing them club justice. Who is to say the ones that didn’t have anything to do with what happened at the gym won’t get stronger and then come after us? Then they will have time to plan and hit us when we relax and they have the upper hand. When you are fighting with a snake you find the head and cut it off, not the tail.” I know why we should mind our own business most times but this is not one of those times. My mind keeps going back to seeing Tara in that hospital bed and I want to find and hurt Liam.
“Anyone else have an opinion they want to put in?” Devil asks.
“There is a tie from the THC Hempcan Incorporated and Brothers Bonded by Business. This may be THC coming at us from another angle. If the Feral Steel go bankrupt in our new businesses then that leaves the THC with an upper hand and they can come back at us again. If these new businesses go belly up, then our cash flow will be strained at best. Maybe they are attacking the other businesses and think we will be too ignorant to figure out they are after us. We’re legal now, so maybe they think we will wait for the law to figure this out and that could take forever in our small town.” Tito is right. I know Devil had already thought along these lines.
“Maybe we should reach out to the Troubled Fathoms MC in Colorado or the BlackPath MC in Texas and find out if they have had any problems or if their contacts have heard anything.” Oz puts in and that is not a bad idea.
“The Rebellions 4 Blood MC has contacts that might help.” Crockett tries to help but I see the look on Devil’s face. Devil may not hate Sarge now but he is not his favorite person, either. I need to get that story one day.
“Before we get off track let’s go over everything we know as facts.” Bowie says.
“Tara told me that Liam was coming after Devil, the Feral Steel, and me. That is a threat but that is all that was straight in her head. She was high on the drugs and close to being out and couldn’t focus. I will talk to her tomorrow to try and get a better account of what happened. Tara also said Sheila and Lena are somehow involved.” I try to give the brothers everything Tara told me.
“I understand the other businesses in town may be tied to everything happening but besides this Tara woman working at the gym before how does what happened to her tie into all this?” Cowboy asks. I look at him and then the other brothers, they all look like they agree except for Devil. He has an amused look on his face.
“Liam attacked Tara. In front of the diner. The day before Hacksaw, Oz, and I had words with Liam at the same diner and then someone threw mud on Hacksaw’s bike.” I try to make Cowboy see the connection.
“I find the little shit that touched my bike and there will be hell to pay.” Hacksaw booms out.
“I get that brother but this Tara woman has nothing to do with us or the businesses in town. She may have information to help us but that don’t mean that we take on her problems. It sounds like a family issue to me with her mom and sister involved.” Cowboy puts in.
“She’s a good girl. I know her brother Joey. He’s away serving in the army. Good kid.” Oz says.
“Still, not our problem.” Creole says this time.
“I think that we should watch our own backs but follow the leads between THC and the Brothers Bonded by Business. If we find concrete evidence, then we nip them in the bud. If we find any evidence in any of the other crimes, then we turn it over to the local PD. Put extra security on all our businesses and our family. There is only so many members and if we try to police the whole town we won’t be able to watch our own. If we are going to stay legit then we have to have income from our businesses.” Crockett states to all of us. I know this makes sense for us but I won’t leave Tara unprotected. That just doesn’t set right with me. Letting this group get a stronger hold on our community is not what we need.
“So, what I am getting from everyone is we take care of our own. Make sure our businesses are protected along with our family. We find and deal with the men that burned the gym on our own. Investigate the tie between THC and this new group. Turn over any information we find on the other crimes to the cops for them to deal with. We don’t help Tara with whatever is going on there. Did I cover everything?” Devil tries to tie everything together we have been going over. I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all.
“I don’t agree with that.” I tell Devil.
“What do you have a problem with, Rome?” Devil asks me.
“Tara and Bud had no problems until the altercation with us and Liam at the diner. I feel responsible. I need to help them.” That’s the best I can explain it.
“Brother, Tara was the one that had the problem with Liam at the diner. He grabbed her and we stepped in. That had nothing to do with us but we tried to help and you see how that turned out. I ended up with mud on my bike for something that had nothing to do with me.” Hacksaw is saying it but I know exactly what to say.
“It didn’t matter what woman Liam would have grabbed we would have stepped in. It was the right thing to do. We may be a motorcycle club but we don’t let a spineless thug manhandle women or mistreat children.” Hacksaw can’t argue with me. Any of us sitting at this table would do the same damn thing every time but Hacksaw has a comeback.
“We did what needed to be done at the time but that doesn’t make Tara one of us. She’s not family, just a woman who needed a helping hand and we gave it to her.” Hacksaw still is not changing my mind.
“Devil wants Tara to work with us at the apartment complex.” I look to Devil for backup.
“Not if she is too much trouble.” Devil tells me with a smile on his face I want to knock off. He may be my brother and my president but those damn shitty smiles are grinding on my nerves. “We need to have a responsible, dependable person with a quiet life living on the premises. That is why I thought Tara would fit but with the things that have happened today I am rethinking that. We can’t have an apartment manager that has trouble hounding her. Think about it, Rome. We want dependable leasers and working people do not like seeing cops around all the time.” Devil is not finished. “If we had a reason to protect Tara, we would, but she is not family and Crockett is right. We only have so many members.”
“I wouldn’t mind having a house mouse for a while, maybe I should claim Tara. She’s easy on the eyes and it has been some time since I had a regular piece around.” Hacksaw is looking straight at me when he says it. It’s not the first time he has mentioned it and it pisses me the fuck off.
“Stay the fuck away from Tara. She is too good for a biker. She’s trying to get her life together, so just stay away.” I warn Hacksaw but he doesn’t back down.
“Rome, now brother, would you rather Liam get to her again? I can offer Tara protection and she can keep my cock satisfied until I get tired of her.” I see red. I stand up and have my fist balled up. I want to take Hacksaw’s head off.
“Stay the fuck away from Tara. I will protect her. SHE IS MINE!” I yell at Hacksaw. I hear Devil laughing. I take my eyes off Hacksaw and look at Devil. “What the fuck is so funny?”
“Are saying that you are claiming Tara? You better be sure of this, Rome.” I give Devil a glare.
“Yes, Tara is mine. She has my protection.” I know I can put Tara under my protection but if I want her protected by the club if anything happens to me I need to claim her as my ol’ lady. I don’t know how she is going to react to this but at least then she will have a place to live and she can continue her education. I don’t know what I will do with an ol’ lady. I know I don’t deserve any more than Hacksaw does but there is something calming about the idea of claiming Tara. It’s like I have been battling myself and now it is settled and a load has been taken off my shoulders. “I’m claiming Tara as my ol’ lady.” I hear the disbelief of my brothers and the whispers among them.
“Are you sure Tara is going to be on board with that? You have such a winning personality when it comes to the women.” Hacksaw is trying to be funny but he is right. I don’t know how to interact with women. My voice is too sharp and I don’t think of how things sound before I say them. I am brash most of the time but Tara and I have had some good conversations. Maybe she can overlook my harsh personality so I can keep her safe.
“I’m not giving her a choice. She needs my protection.” I answer Hacksaw.
“Well shit, this should be fun to watch. We haven’t had a good show since Callie came to Oklahoma.” Tito is laughing.
“Fuck you, Tito.” Devil tells him. I have heard the stories of when Devil and Callie were first together. Callie gave Devil hell. “Everyone has heard Rome. Tara is now part of the Feral Steel. Since she is Rome’s she has our complete protection just like Callie and Gertie. Good luck with getting Tara on board with that, Rome. Now, let’s get on with the rest of it. Do I have a motion?”
“I motion we find out exactly how THC and this Brothers Bonded is linked. Call in some markers to get the dirt. We take care of the men that hit the gym with club justice. If we get the evidence on any other crimes, turn it over to the authorities to take care of. Put extra security on all our businesses and family, and since Tara is family now, we deal with the asshole who hurt her.” Hacksaw covers each point.
“If the councilman’s son is involved do you think we can count on the local police?” Tex raises a good question. “We might better check with our friend inside the PD and see what the politics are like. I second the motion with the amendment.”
“I accept the amendment.” Hacksaw agrees.
“Anyone for? I agree, so my vote is yes.” Everyone has the same answer for Devil. “Anyone against?” There are no replies. “Alright then, Tito you are on the THC and Brothers Bonded connection. I also want you to follow up with any connection from this town to THC. We don’t have many markers left out there but use whatever we have. Contact Chief, Krill, and even Sarge to find out anything they may know. I want you to give this your full attention.”
“I will be on it as soon as we finish.” Tito
“I have something else I want a vote on. I know we voted to take care of our business first but I think we should help the local business people by putting up security cameras. We could donate the cameras but charge them for maintaining and observing the feed. I think this could turn into a lucrative business since there is a need. The initial purchase of equipment can be a tax deduction. We install, maintain, and watch the feed for any security breaches but at a reasonable price. It’s a win-win, situation. I think we can come up with the funds. If we need more capital we can find investors. I have been thinking about this since Bud told Hacksaw that no one in town had security cameras plus the men doing these break-ins may not be as careful on businesses that are not linked to the club so it may help us.” Devil has a good point. This could help the small businesses in town.
“Won’t that bring the town troubles right back on our laps and do we even have the manpower for something like that?” Tex ask.
“Security companies only observe the feed from the cameras and contact the authorities. If we find it is a job that is too big for us, then after this situation is taken care of we can contact another security business and either partner with them or let them buy us out at a profit or partially buy us out and we get a percentage. I can run it past our attorney. I think this is an opportunity that dropped into our laps and if we don’t take advantage of it someone else will. We have to keep branching out if we are going to grow.” Devil has a Midas touch when it comes to business. “I think this is something Rome would be good at with his military background.” That surprises the hell out of me. Devil must have really been thinking about this if he has already thought of me in the position. I think this might be something I can do.
“I’d like to run some numbers on it. I can price the cameras and equipment we will need. Where would the monitoring room be set up?” Tex is warming to the idea.
“I think it would be better to have one set of monitors and the office in town and then set up another monitor room here at the clubhouse. That way if we decide to sell, an office will already be established. I’m sure we will need to be bonded so the paperwork will take a few weeks but we could get it started.” Devil has thought this through. “Tex, run the numbers. We need the best equipment we can get for the best price. We can start recruiting for prospects to grow our numbers. Rix is ready to be voted in. He left us for a little over a year but he’s been back and showed us he is dedicated this time. Cricket is ready, too.” Even though we have had setbacks this week Devil never stops pushing us forward. He’s a damn good president. He has gained the confidence of all the brothers and from some of the stories I have heard this was not always the case. “Is there anything else we need to go over before we close and get some damn beer to drink?”
“Sounds like we have gone over everything or at least we have a plan to start. We just need to know what the rest of us are going to be responsible for.” Hacksaw puts in.
“Hacksaw, you and Bowie are to take a couple of prospects and keep an eye on our businesses. Since Tito and Oz just finished putting in cameras it shouldn’t be too hard. Our companies will be the first ones to get the security camera linked if we go that direction. Oz, I want you on this Bonded Brothers group. I want to know all the members and I mean everything on them, even what they eat for breakfast. We get new prospects then you will be doing background checks. Don’t let our security slide. Crockett, you take the rest of the prospects except the one that works in the clubhouse and do security for the family. That means Callie, the kids, her trio of friends, and Gertie. The prospect left at the clubhouse will watch over the club girls and make sure they keep the clubhouse in order. That means Terrance and Honey Girl are going to need to pull their weight. Rome, I want you to go to the diner and nose around. Find out when the last time Bud was inspected by the city. You also need to get Tara with the program. She’s yours so make sure she knows what is expected of her when she gets out of the hospital. I’m guessing until you find a place to live you’ll be staying at the clubhouse. She’s not used to club life so give her a heads up on the ins and out of it. If you need help get with Gertie or Callie and get your property patch on her, in case we need to call other clubs in to help with anything. Everyone else fill in where you are needed. We’ll meet again as soon as Tex gets us our numbers and I want a vote on Rix and Cricket then. Anyone have recruit ideas then be ready to give them. Anything else? Damn, I’m tired of talking.” Devil looks around and no one says anything. I think everyone is ready to get to the bar and get a drink.
“I’m going back to the hospital and as soon as Tara remembers more I will let you know.” I tell the table of brothers.
“Alright. Let’s get a drink.” Devil no more gets that out of his mouth than Creole is at the door. “Rome, I need a word.” Everyone leaves so it is just Devil and myself. I walk over by where Devil is sitting. “Are you sure about claiming Tara?” He is smiling that shit eating grin again but I am not in a playing mood. This is a serious situation for me.
“If I told you I didn’t have my reservation about claiming a woman, any woman, I’d be lying. I am still having the dreams and I don’t think anyone should have to deal with that kind of situation but Tara needs protecting. I will not let Hacksaw use her up and then throw her aside. Tara is better than that. I can’t give her the life she deserves but I will give her the protection she needs until she is safe and then I will set her free.” I am making peace with this idea. This I can do for Tara.
“Rome, I have never seen you react to any woman the way you do Tara. Oz says she watches you, too. Maybe you should let Tara decide for herself what kind of life she wants. When I tried making decisions for Callie it never worked.” I can hear the truth in what Devil is saying.
“I can’t even have a drink of alcohol with her. What kind of man can’t have a drink with their woman?” I know that isn’t the most important thing in the world but I don’t like having to restrict myself and I would never want to keep Tara from doing something.
“There are some women who would say that is a blessing not a hindrance. That way they always have a designated driver. Rome, do you really think a woman would choose her man over the fact if he can drink or not? I would bet you are not that big of a drinker even if you weren’t on medicine.” Devil is right.
“You are right but the nightmares. No one should witness me waking up in a cold sweat. I wouldn’t even know how to explain it to Tara.” I don’t even like discussing this with Devil.
“If you care about Tara the way I think you do then you are selling her short not sharing and giving her the choice. Just think about it. You never know what you might get if you don’t try. Now, we need to get the fuck out of here before we turn into crying tit whines.” I smile at that. Devil isn’t any more at ease talking about feelings and relationships than I am. He’s just being a good brother.
“I’ll think about it and thank you. You tell Hacksaw about this and I will deny the hell out of it.” We both laugh at that and I back up and Devil stands up. We walk out together. He goes towards the bar and I go to my room to grab a quick shower so I can get back to the hospital.