Chapter 5
Charity
I make my way around the right side of the yard. I see why Rebel sent me on this side, there is brush and fallen trees to get behind if we are under attack. He’s still trying to protect me, and I will let him have that play, at least his heart is in the right place, even if he doesn’t trust me. I can’t say I completely trust him but for some reason I trust Brody. Rebel is an explosive kind of man. He lets his feelings be known loud. Brody is more a calming force and he is more of a mystery, keeping his feelings closer to the vest. Lord knows, I will not say vest in front of Rebel again. The thought makes me smile. I move slowly and keep my eyes and ears open. I make my way up the right side of the barn. Rebel is at the front of the barn by the double door entrance and Brody on the left side. Rebel motions for us to go around to the back of the barn. I make my way close to the back and I see a side entrance. I go to the very back and I see Brody waiting on me by the back doors. I sign that there is a side door and I will enter there, Brody nods his head in agreement. I see him reach for the door and I hurry back to the side door and step inside. I let my eyes adjust to the dimmer light. Rebel makes his way to the car and Brody and I make our way over to it. “Would you two have a look around the barn and make sure there is no one hiding in here while I look at the undercarriage of the car to make sure there is no explosive?” Brody and Rebel both look at me skeptically.
“Are you sure about doing that? I have experience with car bombs from my time in the Marines.” Brody keeps surprising me.
“Maybe Brody should do it.” Rebel says but this time he has no hostility towards me, so I know he is just trying to be cautious.
“There’s not much space between the ground and the bottom of the car. I thought I would fit better. You can check out the motorcycles. They are more accessible to you. Can we open the back doors to get light under this car?” It all makes sense in my head. I am the smallest of us all, so I go in the tightest spots.
“You do understand we could all die here if there is a bomb attached to this car and you make a mistake.” I just look at Rebel like he must be kidding me right now. I guess he thinks he is just going to mansplain everything to me.
“Yes, pop. I understand, and I will be careful. I don’t want any big booms today.” I glare at Rebel and say in the most sarcastic voice I can.
“Just be careful smartass.” Rebel tells me. I look at Brody and he has opened the back door and is already looking at one of the bikes. I walk around the car and look for anything out of place or hanging down. I see nothing unusual. I get on my back beside the car and carefully edge my way under the car. No way would Brody have fit under here. I look at as much of the undercarriage that I can. I am seeing nothing out of the ordinary, no wires hanging down or explosives, not even a tracker. I scoot myself out and make my way to the back of the car and scoot myself under again. Nothing. I do the other side the same way and there is nothing. I make my way to the front doors and inspect it closely then do the same with the other three. Nothing. I go to the front of the car and look around the hood and then to the back by the trunk. Nothing. Brody has walked over by me and Rebel is beside him.
“There’s no explosives and no tracker that I can find so far. I still need to open the trunk and hood of the car. There is still the possibility of a pressure bomb under the front seat. Need to check the radiator and motor also. They may be tracking the car through GPS.” I update the two on my progress.
“One of the motorcycles has a tracker on it. The other one is clear. I am going to push the bike outside and try to start it. Rebel, do you have the other key? I don’t know if the keys I have fit it.” Rebel hands Brody the other set of keys.
“I need the ones for the car.” Rebel hands me the keys. “Rebel go outside with Brody. Safety first.” I smile at the two, but they say nothing and head outside. I carefully make my way through the car, including the trunk and the motor. I check under both front seats and just as I am about to shut the front door I hear the motorcycle start outside. I shut the door on the car and walk out front and Rebel is gone on the motorcycle. Brody is standing there looking down the drive. Rebel is nowhere in sight. I walk over to Brody.
“Did the car check out?” Brody asks me, but he doesn’t look at me in the face.
“Brody, where did Rebel go?” I ask Brody, but his eyes never come up to me.
“He’s going to try to find the main road and then he is going to the clubhouse to get his brothers out here to go over this place.” Brody says but then he looks me in the eyes and I see the truth. They still don’t trust me. No matter how much I have tried to help them both, they don’t trust me. I thought if I was ever out in the real world and away from the community I grew up in that I could have a normal life, but it seems no matter where I go I am not accepted for just being me. I know my thoughts are irrational. Brody and Rebel do not know me. This is a life or death situation, not normal circumstances, but still I have been honest with them both. I guess I have been lost in my thoughts for a while because Brody continues. “You and I are going to take the car if possible, and if not the other motorcycle, and go into town from a different direction. Rebel is taking the main road and we are going to find back roads to take. We just want to make it back to our people, that way we can get some help and come back. Splitting up makes sense so even if they can track us they have two targets to follow in opposite directions. It gives us a better chance.” Brody is rattling on. I know what the underlining problem is, no matter what Brody says.
“Whatever. I need to start the car to check it out. I thought I would warn you two. There was no explosives or trackers. They can track it through GPS if the car has GPS. It’s an early two thousand model, so it may be too old unless it has been modified. We need to be ready to move when the car is started.” I tell Brody.
“I want a look at that motor first.” Brody’s eyes go back to the ground. No trust there at all. I hand the keys back to Brody and go and stand inside the barn and wait for Brody to look over the car. When Brody is finally satisfied with the car being safe we are on the road. I have decided to just stay quiet. There’s nothing I can do to make Brody trust me, so I refuse to try anymore. I know my plan and I won’t be deterred. I need as far away from Brody as I can get. My physical attraction to him is making me want more and I know that is not possible. I am also losing focus. I know I can’t go back to our community or my pop would just send me back to the Hell Keeperz MC and that would mean my death, surely. Pop always says ‘A man is only as good as his word. In the scheme of life, it is the defining trait that tells what kind of man you are.’ I wonder, what the defining line that defines a woman. I don’t even want to know the answer to that. I know I just need to be close enough to keep an eye on Faith. I will get Faith away from Pop, Ma, and the life we both disliked growing up. I know we were loved when we were young, but things changed as we got older. Faith and I will start over somewhere far from there.