“I have to hand it to you, Johnson,” Alex said. “You’ve almost made this more trouble than you’re worth. I had intended to push you out and have the Eugene chapter run the race, but that hasn’t gone the way I intended. I can use people like you. Why don’t you let us patch you over and you become the President of our newest chapter? It’ll be a pleasant change to have someone I can trust and you can show these stupid shits in Eugene how to get things done.”

 

Cale, Dix and Thad were meeting with Alex Pye, Ted Helton, President of the Eugene chapter, and Leo. Alex had called and requested another meeting two days after the slaughter of his brothers. Cale was nervous about the meeting, but Alex has assured him it would just be him, Ted and Leo. No threats, just a friendly conversation.

 

Cale shook his head. “Can’t do it, Alex. The cultures of the two clubs are just to different.”

 

Alex nodded. “I figured you would say that. That’s a pretty neat trick, you having the cops in your pocket and doing your work for you.”

 

“They’re trying to protect Douglas, just like we are.”

 

“We’re not going to let this drop, so here’s the deal. Because I don’t want to fight you and the cops, I’m willing to take your deal to end this peaceably, but with some conditions.”

 

“What conditions?”

 

“First, no crotch rockets. We ride Harleys and we’re not going to compete against some squid. The second is, we race against him,” Alex said with a nod at Dix, “because he rides the Harley.”

 

The three Cutthroats looked at each other. Dix may be the only rider in the club that rode a Harley, but he was the king of hardcore racing. “He’s our mechanic and crew chief!” Thad said, trying to seal the deal. The statement was the truth, just not the whole truth.

 

“That’s the conditions.”

 

Cale nodded. “If we win, you agree to leave Douglas alone, leave us alone, and never come back?”

 

“And if I win, you leave behind all the support equipment for the race and walk away.”

 

“That’s almost a hundred grand in timing equipment and displays!”

 

“That’s the deal. Take or leave it. If you leave it, you’re going to be responsible for a lot of people getting hurt. Make no mistake, we will win eventually, but there will be a lot of bloodshed on both sides. Your club will be wiped out as an example, and possibly a lot of cops and innocent people will be killed along the way. It will cost us a lot more time, effort and money, but we will get what we want.”

 

“How do I know you’ll do what you say if you lose?”

 

“Because, I’m giving you my word. Just like I’m giving you my word if you don’t take the deal, you’ll be responsible for what happens next.”

 

Cale paused as he thought about it. He had little doubt Dix could whip the ass of any man they wanted to put up against him, but he worried the Firechrome would play dirty and sabotage him in some way, or even worse, not live up to their end of the agreement.

 

“Who will we be racing against?”

 

“We have a few guys to choose from. Leo’s one. I understand he has been bragging he’s done some street racing.” Alex paused and glared at Leo. “I don’t know if I believe it. He convinced Ted he could handle this operation and he totally fucked that up.”

 

“What do you say, Leo?” Dix taunted, trying to bait him. “The racer versus the mechanic. We can settle this between us.”

 

Leo stared at Dix, unsure of what to do. The entire street racing story was a complete fabrication to explain how he managed to avoid a car that had pulled out in front of him one day. The honest answer was he’d panicked then gotten lucky. But to back down now would further undermine him with not only Ted, but Alex, too. “I would love a chance to fuck you on the track, but it’s Alex’s call.”

 

Alex watched Leo and Dix. There was definitely some bad blood between those two, probably over the pussy Dix was fucking. He couldn’t decide if Dix and Leo wanting to gut each other was an advantage or a disadvantage. “I’ll let you know who I choose,” he finally said, wanting to think on it some more.

 

Cale paused again, not wanting to seem too eager. “I don’t like it, and I’m not sure I trust you, but I agree.”

 

“Cale, no!” Thad said, having to say something to hide the smile that threatened to split his face. He couldn’t believe how stupid the Firechrome were. With just a little research they could have found out Dix was the last person they would want to race against.

 

“I’m sorry, Thad. We don’t have a choice.”

 

Thad turned away and looked at his feet so they wouldn’t see him smile. “Yeah, I know, Goddamnit. I guess we don’t have any choice.”

 

 

 

“Me, Hotdog and Cage were riding with Leo when this car pulled put in front of us. Leo and Cage were leading and I thought for sure they were going to buy it,” Rocket said. Alex and Ted had called him and Hotdog into a private meeting to discuss Leo and his riding ability. “The streets were wet and there was no way they could stop. Hell, Hotdog and I barely managed to get stopped. Anyway, Cage went down, but Leo…Had I not seen it myself, I wouldn’t have believed it. He leaned that bitch over and started sliding it sideways, then punched it at the last second. He didn’t miss the front bumper but by a cunt hair, but he missed it. Then you should have seen that fucker. He gathered that bitch up and drifted it around the front of the car before stopping on the other side.”

 

Alex looked at Hotdog. “That what you saw?”

 

“Pretty much. I remember he had his foot down when he was sliding the bike sideway, but shit, props to him saving it no matter what he did. If I had that shit on video, it would be on YouTube because it was fucking awesome!”

 

Alex watched the two men as they spoke. “You think Leo is the fastest guy in the Eugene chapter?”

 

Hotdog and Rocket looked at each other. “Don’t know,” Rocket shrugged. “I don’t care for the guy much myself. He’s a little too full of himself for my taste, but he can sure handle a bike.”

 

“I don’t have a problem with him. But I agree with Rocket. I can’t see anyone else not going down like Cage did.”

 

“Thanks,” Alex said. “What do you think?” he asked Ted after Rocket and Hotdog stepped out of the room.

 

Ted shrugged. “Leo brags a lot, that’s for sure. And obviously he fucked up this whole Douglas thing. But on the other hand, these guys aren’t the pushovers we thought they were.”

 

Alex nodded. He and Ted had come up with the plan to send in the last assault together, so he shared in the guilt for that one, though when he got back to Portland the fiasco would become all Ted’s fault. One of the privileges of being the big dog.

 

“You think Leo’s our guy?”

 

Ted sensed the trap. “In this chapter, yeah. I don’t if you know of someone better in one of the other chapters.”

 

Alex nodded. “Okay. If you think he’s the guy. He may not be able to run an operation worth a shit, but if he can ride as well as Rocket and Hotdog think, he may be able to redeem himself a little.”

 

Ted nodded, noticing how Alex conveniently made him the scapegoat if this were to go tits up.

 

***

 

Leo paced his apartment. He was fucked! He knew he was an average rider and if Dix had any skills at all, it was no sure thing he could beat him. Yes, he might just be the wrench, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t still ride.

 

Riley coughed in the other room so hard he retched, then began to cry. “Daddy!”

 

“What?” he roared. As if I don’t have enough shit to deal with!

 

“My throat hurts!” Riley wailed, then coughed hard again. “I want Mommy!”

 

“Your mother isn’t here!” Leo bellowed. “You’re just going to have to tough it out, Riley! I’ll take you to the doctor in a few days! Daddy’s busy right now!”

 

Riley began to wail, his crying making his cough worse until he coughed so hard he threw up.

 

“Goddamnit!” Leo raged. “Why didn’t you get to the bathroom!”

 

“I want Mommy!” Riley begged between fits of coughing.

 

Leo wanted to hit something. He didn’t know how to deal with Riley. He’d bought some cough syrup and given it to him, but it didn’t help much. He was hot to the touch, his little face red, and he wasn’t eating. He’d also given him some liquid Tylenol, and it made him sleep, but as soon as he woke up, he needed more medicine. He had things to do, and he couldn’t spend all day and night sitting around with a sick kid!

 

“Here! Take this!” Leo ordered, giving Riley a double shot of Tylenol and cough syrup. If nothing else, it would put him to sleep so he could have some peace to think.

 

***

 

Riley had finally dropped off to sleep. He was exhausted from all the crying, and so was Leo. Leo sat on the couch, drinking shots straight from the bottle. He couldn’t catch a fucking break. All he needed was a break and he could make everything better.

 

He picked up his phone and looked up the number for McGhee Recycling then dialed.

 

“McGhee Recycling.”

 

“Let me speak to Daisy.”

 

“Who is this?” James asked.

 

“It’s her fucking husband! Let me talk to her!”

 

“No! She doesn’t want to talk to you!”

 

“Listen to me, you asshole! You tell her son is dying! If she wants him to live, she better get her ass to Eugene right now! Tonight! I haven’t got time to deal with him right now! So if you don’t tell her, and he dies, it’s your fault! Now tell her!”

 

“I hope you burn in hell,” James muttered.

 

“Tell her to meet me at the Italian restaurant we liked. She’ll know which one I mean. It’s ten minutes after five. I’ll be there at eight, and if she’s not there by eight, Riley’s going to have to take care of himself because I have business to take care of. Tell her to come alone.” Leo hung up the phone and tossed it onto the table as he smiled. Maybe this will work out okay. I take her away from that shit, Dix, just like I said I would. I’ll let him think she’s come back to me, then I’ll tell him how I’m fucking her, how once she got a taste of me again, she forgot all about him. Maybe get inside his head a little and get him pissed off.

 

Leo kicked back in his recliner and tried to work out the best way to turn this to his advantage.

 

***

 

“Daisy?” James asked, as he rapped on the door to Dix’s trailer.

 

She opened it. “James?”

 

“May I come in?”

 

She stepped aside. “Dix is at Dunes with the Cutthroats. He said he’d be back in about an hour. They’re talking about the race, I think.”

 

“I’m actually here to see you.”

 

“Oh? Why?”

 

He swallowed. He didn’t want to do this, but Riley was her son. She deserved to know. “Leo just called me. He said Riley was sick, dying even. He wants you to come to Eugene.” He paused as she turned pale. “He said to meet him at some Italian place you and he liked. He said if you weren’t there by eight he was leaving Riley on his own while he took care of business.”

 

She stared at him. “I have to go.”

 

“Daisy! Remember what happened the last time!”

 

“I know. But I can’t take that chance. He will leave Riley alone. He’s done it before. Riley’s only five. He can’t stay by himself! And for how long! An hour? A day? A week?” She stood up and moved to the bedroom to pack her few things.

 

“Daisy, I’m begging you! Don’t go! It’s a trap and you know it!” he argued as he followed. “What if he beats you again?”

 

“Then he beats me. I won’t give him a reason to this time. Maybe he’ll start to trust me then I can sneak away,” she said as she threw her meager belongings into her bag. She still had a change of clothes at the laundry, but there was nothing to be done about those.

 

He felt sick. He knew when he told her this was what she would. It’s what any mother would do. “I’ll follow you! He hasn’t seen me. He’ll never know!”

 

Daisy thought it over. It was a good idea, but she ultimately rejected it. “He’s not stupid. He’ll be watching. If he sees you pull out right after you arrive, then the jig will be up.”

 

“What’s the name of the place? I can get there first!”

 

“Little Italy. But no, thank you. I can’t risk it.”

 

“Daisy, I can’t let you go by yourself!”

 

She zipped her bag shut. “I know you want to help, and I appreciate, I really do. But I can’t take the chance.”

 

He pressed his cell into her hand. “Take this. Call as soon as you can and tell us where you are. Dix and I’ll come get you and Riley.” He pulled her into a hug as she picked up her bag. “Good luck, Daisy.”

 

She dropped the bag back to the bed and wrapped her arms around him and held him tight. “Thank you, James, for all you have done for me. I hope to see you again, soon. And tell Dix…tell him I said thank you and that I…will be thinking of him.”

 

Fighting her tears, she picked up her small bag and grabbed her purse on the way out to her car. She didn’t want to go, but she couldn’t stay, and she hoped one day she’d be able to repay these kind men for all they had done for her.

 

***

 

“Riley?” Daisy asked as she burst into the apartment. “Where are you, baby?” The apartment was a sty and smelled of takeout, beer and something else unidentifiable. She hurried to the bedrooms, looking in the first, then the second, rushing in to hold Riley.

 

He was clammy, but not as feverish as he was in Douglas a few days before, but his wheeze was much worse. “Leo, we have to get him to the doctor. You hear that wheeze? That’s not good.”

 

“We’re not taking him to the doctor tonight. Besides, I have things to do. I have stuff there,” Leo said motioning at the bottles sitting on the dresser. “Where are your keys?”

 

“My what?”

 

“Your car keys. Where are they?”

 

“In my purse, why?”

 

“If you think I’m leaving you here with a car, you’re crazy.” He picked up her purse and dumped the contents into Riley’s bed. “Pretty nice phone,” he said picking up the phone James had given her. “You won’t be needing that,” he said as he pocketed it, along with her keys. “I’m going out, but I won’t be gone long. If you and Riley aren’t here when I get back, you better pray I never find you. But first…”

 

“What?” she asked as she took his phone from his hand.

 

“Call lover boy and tell him you’ve decided to stay and you don’t want him to come for you or to contact you again. Put it on speaker so I can hear.”

 

She dialed Dix’s number.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Dix, it’s me,” she said.

 

“So you went to him?”

 

“I had to. I’ve…decided to stay. I don’t want you to come for me and I don’t want you trying to contact me, okay?”

 

“Are you sure that’s what you want?”

 

“Yes,” she whispered.

 

“Fine. You got it,” he said, then was gone.

 

She blubbered once, then handed the phone back to Leo. “Tomorrow, we’ll take Riley to the doctor? Promise me.”

 

He smiled. “If I have time. I’ll be back in a bit. And clean this place up while I’m out.”

 

She lay back on the bed, pulling Riley in close when she heard the door shut. “Mommy?”

 

“I’m right here, baby,” she whispered.

 

He coughed. “I don’t feel good.”

 

“I know, baby. But Mommy is here and we’re going to make you feel better, okay?”

 

“Okay. Are you going to stay?”

 

“Yes, baby. Mommy going to stay this time.”

 

He nodded. “I’m glad. I love you, Mommy,” he said as he began to cough again.

 

She held him tight, her little angel, and was never going to lose him again. “I love you, too, Riley. Go back to sleep now, okay? Mommy’s going to stay right here.”

 

***