~Chapter 2
~Shadow
Seeing the call coming from Preach, I’m not sure what the fuck he might need. I head outside The Dungeon, it’s a quiet night and I got no worries about the crowd inside right now. Pulling the cell back outta my pocket, I answer gruffly, “Preach, what’s up?”
“I need to head out on a run tonight and was told that you might be available to come with.”
“Oh yeah, who the fuck told you that?” I say holding back a laugh, knowing damn well that Prez would be the only fucker to dare send me on a run at this time of the year.
“Prez said you might not mind heading down with me and Gun, we got business.”
Racking a hand over my head, I am quick to ask, “Where we heading to? You know I ain’t got a lot of fucking patience for a run this time of year if we ain’t going somewhere warm. I’m getting to fucking old to be going anywhere during winter in Illinois.”
“Warm is where we are heading, Shadow, don’t worry. I gotta head down to Georgia to pick up a girl.”
Intrigued, I am quick to ask, “A girl, now that is interesting, Preach. I thought that you and Irene had something going on. Maybe, I wasn’t seeing something right though, because if I was, what on Earth would you be heading down to pick up a girl for?”
“Fuck, Shadow. Why do you always gotta be digging further into shit that ain’t got to do with you? I’m picking up the girl for Irene, they go back. Before Irene even moved down here, I guess the girl got herself into some shit and I’m heading down there to bring her home. Prez is letting Gun come along, but I think he will be off taking care of some “business” as we get the girl and her shit packed up to head out.”
“Lucky fucking us, we get to do all the fucking grunt work too. Great, sign me the fuck up.” Seeing a bike pull into the lot, I recognize Tank in a second. “What time are we leaving, brother?” Is all I can get out as Tank moves towards me and cuts me off.
“Now, Shadow. I got this shit and we got your shifts covered for the next few days. Keep Prez in on your progress and when you’re thinking that you’ll be heading out.” And with that the decision is made, I am heading out on a rescue job.
I hear Preach say, “I’m coming to you, brother. Be at your house in fifteen, Gun will meet us there.” With that his phone disconnects and I head back inside toward the security room. Grabbing up my shit, I head to the locker room, changing into my jeans, cut, and ridding boats. Glancing towards the clock, I see that I have less than ten minutes to make it to my house and kick it in gear moving quickly towards my bike.
Reaching the house in eight minutes I head in, packing a bag quickly, resetting the alarm as I make my way back outside. While I am locking up the door behind myself, I hear bikes and know that Gun and Preach are here. Nodding towards them, I throw my leg over the bike, fire it up, and head out without another word. I have ridden with these fucking men long enough that we know each other’s riding styles, even though it is pitch black out as we leave, I have no fear about us being able to make our way with no problems.
After almost two days on the road, we finally make it to our destination and the sight before us is something that I will never forget. None of us thought that what we were walking into would be as bad as it was. We thought we were just going to pick up this girl and get her back to Chicago with us. Thankfully we brought some heat with us, or it might not have ended as it did.
The house that we pulled up outside was rundown and shitty to say the least. In a rural area with no neighbors at least, thank fuck. Getting off our bikes we draw our weapons and come up with a plan. I head straight to the front door, putting my gun back into the waistband of my jeans. Knocking loudly on the door, I am greeted a few moments later by the most gorgeous set of brown eyes. Those eyes, however, are hollow and filled with so much sorrow and pain that it is too much for me to take, and I drop my gaze from hers.
Seeing my cut, this girl knows why we are here and instantly her face flashes a smile before a noise is heard from the other room.
“Who the fuck is it at the door, bitch?” A loud male voice booms from another room making this girl shiver.
As she goes to answer, I reach out with a finger and touch it against her lips hushing her and sending a jolt between the two of us. The shock in that touch making me pause for only a moment, before I’m able to get my thoughts together. Moving forward, I move her behind me swiftly before turning towards the voice.
“Well, fucker. I’m not sure who you were expecting, but I will tell you who you found.”
At my voice the man is up and off the couch quickly, diving towards a gun that is laid out on a side table. With quick steps, I get to the table first, and grab the gun before he has the chance.
“Who the fuck are you man? Why in the ever-living fuck are you here?” Is all the man is able to get out before I crack him upside the fucking head with the butt of his own gun.
A shriek comes from behind me, as I turn to find the girl being restrained by a man that looks slightly like the one I just put out. Taking a few steps towards them, I pause as I see Gun come up quietly behind the couple.
“Let the girl go,” is all I say as the man tightens the arm that is wrapped around the girl’s neck. Seeing the girl’s color fading, I know that there is no time to talk this fucking guy down. Nodding towards Gun, he steps up and knocks the man out with the butt of his gun.
Moving quickly, I grab up the girl before she falls flat on her face. Hoisting her up into my arms, I notice that she is all skin and bones, the weight in my arms is nothing and I wonder how this girl has been surviving. When she greeted me at the door, I was surprised that she stood almost as tall as me at six foot four. But feeling her now in my arms she cannot weight more than a hundred pounds.
Heading towards the couch with her, I try to settle her down on the couch, but her arms have locked themselves around me. The whimper that leaves her lips as I try again to drop her onto the couch again has my heart fucking pained, so I settle myself onto the couch with her on top of my lap.
Looking around the room, I see both Gun and Preach moving the men together. Finding a length of rope, Gun binds the men together and I know this retrieval will continue to be anything but easy as we need to deal with the situation that we have now walked into.
As I glance down at the girl that finds herself fighting sleep in my lap, I notice things that were not apparent at first glance. She is in a bad fucking way, and I have no doubt that is owed to the men that we found with her. From the bruises that I can see on her exposed skin I know that these men have been beating on her, and using her as a pin cushion, I would guess to keep her fucking compliant. I wonder if they have also been using her body as they saw fit in other ways as well.
The rage that I feel, seeing this girl so weak, so used, so desperate makes me want to tear those men limb from fucking limb. Looking down I find the girl in my lap asleep, and move slowly to extract myself from below her. Moving towards Gun and Preach I nod towards the door and we make our way outside past the two men who are still knocked out cold.
“I am not sure what the fuck we have walked into here, brothers, but I know that those dumb fucks have been using that girl in any way they see fit. She has bruises covering her body, as well as tracks in her arms. The tracks look like they have started to heal, so there is no way to tell how long ago someone had her hooked. Her eyes tell a tale that no women should ever tell though, and that is something that I for one need to get revenge for.” Looking from one of my brothers to the other, I go on, “What the fuck will we do about this?” I say gruffly, grabbing out a smoke and lighting it up taking a long drag before looking towards my brothers for answers.
“Fuck if I know what’s going on here. Irene just told me she called and wanted to come home, that she was in need of some help getting outta the situation she was in. I’m sure that Irene didn’t know that this girl was staying at a fucking meth house with two fucking dealers that were probably keeping her high to keep her compliant.” Preach says lighting his own smoke.
“By the looks of the bruises on her body, her compliance might have been an issue with these fucks.” Taking another drag, I blow the smoke out on a long breath before going on. “We need to get the girl somewhere safe and get rid of this fucking house, and these men. We will let the girl rest for a few days so she can heal up before we head out. She is in no condition to ride back, and her comfort needs to be something that we consider here brothers.”
Looking from one to the other I see them both nodding in agreement. Gun is the first to answer, and he doesn’t hesitate in his reply. “Let’s get this shit sorted, cause I wanna make my way over to the Master’s compound for a few days since I am this close to Florida, before we gotta head out.”
“Gun, could you ever think with something other than your fucking dick?” I say shaking my head at the man before grinning wide. “It’s like if you are within five hundred miles of that fucking place, you gotta get yourself some pussy. Can’t you just keep it in your fucking pants for a moment so we can get this shit sorted?”
“Fuck you man. I volunteered to come this way with you two just for that purpose, so I ain’t gonna miss my chance.” Nodding towards the two men still knocked out on the floor of the house, he goes on, “Let’s get this shit sorted so I can head out. I will be back in a few days, when you let me know the girl is ready to travel and then we can head out.”
Drawing out the phone that is buried in my pocket, I call Prez to check in and let him know the situation that we have found ourselves in. He okay’s our plans and gives us the go ahead to burn this fucking house to the ground. He told me to not spare any of our hatred for the way that we have found this girl on the men who are still inside.
We decide to get the men under wraps before we take this girl somewhere safe. Securing them tight, we take the girl and head towards our bikes. She doesn’t leave my side, and clings to me as we move her to what will be her home for the next few nights. The thoughts running through me seeing this slip of a girl so battered is only adding to the fury that I have.
After taking care of Peach and making sure that she is settled in safe and sound, we leave Preach with the girl. Heading back with Gun to take care of the fucking douche bags that we found her with is the only thing keeping me somewhat calm. Knowing that neither Gun nor I have any problem dishing out pain, I know that these men are about to get exactly what they have been doing to that slip of a girl tenfold.
We waste no time on talking with the men as we walk through the door. Knowing that we have been given the green light to torch the place after, lets us know that we won’t have to be any too careful with the blood that is about to flow. That thought alone pushes me on to do what I have done since my first assignment overseas. Take the fucking enemy out, and none to nicely if I might add.