I jerk myself awake and I feel like someone just walked over my grave. I have an eerie feeling that someone I love is in danger. That only means Charity. I’m tempted to take the chance to call her. I need to find out. I reach for my cheap flip top phone and I put in her number. My hands are shaking so bad that I have difficulty putting in the right numbers. I hold my breath as the phone goes unanswered on the first ring. My heart beats faster as I hear the second ring. I’m on the verge of losing the crackers I ate earlier when I hear Charity’s voice. It’s the sweetest sound I have heard since I left the bunker. I want to have a long talk with her, but I don’t have that luxury. I start to hang up when I hear the pleading in Charity’s voice.

“Faith if this you, please just listen, I miss you like crazy and it isn’t safe for you to be out there alone. The Tyler Demented Revengers clubhouse was hit tonight. They lost some brothers.” I can’t breathe. Con, is Con alright? I started to ask. “Con was injured, but he’s alive. I don’t know what you’re up to but please, please, be careful. I can’t lose you. I love you. If you don’t want to talk to Brody or me then call Rebel, 9039381961. Memorize the number and use it.” Charity sounds desperate.

“I love you and I’m good.” I hang up before she or I can say anything else. I let myself have the luxury of a few tears and then take my bottle of water out and along with some cheese crackers. I eat the crackers in a hurry and take a wash rag out of my backpack and pour a little water on it. I take the diaper wipes that I picked up at the store I went in. It’s not the best rag bath I have had but it will have to do. The diaper wipe cleans me off and the rag rinses me off. I apply deodorant and then use the rest of the water to brush my teeth again, never know when I will get the next chance. I take my hair down from its ponytail and brush it out and put it back in a messy bun. I clean up around me to try and cover up any traces of me being here. I look around one last time. I know I need to change clothes, but I need to make the ones I have last. I could only bring a few things with me. I wash my panties and bras out in bathrooms. I’m not trying to impress anyone but when I get to the people I’m looking for I hope I don’t smell too bad.

I slap myself in the back of my head. What the heck am I thinking? I don’t even know for sure who I’m looking for. I only remember bits and pieces of conversations I heard when I was still with my Ma and Pop. If I had been caught listening to private conversations I would’ve been given lashes. I never was caught doing anything to cause myself to get the lashes, but all the children and teenagers were made to watch when anyone stepped over those lines. Charity had received them one time when I was young. I had witnessed them more than once, but I always scrunched my eyes close and put my hands over my ears. It didn’t stop me from hearing the screams or from seeing the results on the bodies afterwards. The one-time Charity received lashes was my fault. She took the punishment for something that I did. If the elders ever found out that she lied to them, Charity would’ve received more lashes, and I would’ve received mine. I wanted to tell, but Charity begged me not to. The crime Charity was punished for was leaving the gate open to our goats. I loved the small goats and would sneak in and pet them even when I wasn’t supposed to. Pop explained to us that the goats weren’t pets, they were food, and not to be playing with them. I was less than four and I just couldn’t understand Pop’s reasoning. I was almost caught in the pen and in my hurry to hide from Pop and his friends, who were checking on the animals, I left the gate open. I know Pop knew that I was the one that left the gate open, but Charity stuck to her story and when I was asked, I just shook my head yes in agreement with Charity’s story.

The day the punishment was to be administered, my Pop made me sit right up front with Ma sitting beside. This is how I knew Pop knew, I was the one who left the gate open. Ma never sat beside us during anything but church. I expected Charity to scream like the others when they received punishment, but Charity never made a sound. She had tears running down her face, and I knew she was staying silent for me. My Ma wouldn’t let me close my eyes or I would get punishment. My Pop gave Charity four hard lashes across her back. It tore her dress and I could see the blood running from the lashes. I was devastated but when it finally was over Ma handed me the salve and told me to tend to my sister. Pop carried Charity back to our room and I washed her and put the salve on the cuts and then we held each other as we both cried. I knew then that Charity and I would go through everything in life together. Charity has carried her load and mine and it’s time that I carried the load for a while. I will do whatever it takes to protect my sister, and my niece or nephew. That’s the exact reason I’m out here alone looking for people I don’t know.

Tonight, I am walking into Saltillo and finding a place to hide until morning, and then I will find someone to tell me what I need to know. I know I’m grasping at straws, but that is more than all the bikers have. I feel safe when I’m at the Demented Revengers MC clubhouse, but I never relax. I always feel watched. I know the bikers watch me to keep me safe, but I always have a feeling someone has eyes on me and the one lesson that did stick with me is to rely on my gut feeling. I could’ve shared what I remembered with Charity, Brody, and the Demented Revengers, but they would go charging in and I don’t think this situation calls for guns a blazing.

From the things I have remembered and pieced together is that before I was ever born that the community was in Saltillo, but the people in our community split into two smaller groups, and Pop took his followers and they split the group. Ma and Pop were always talking about the “lost ones” whatever that means, and their old home. Charity remembers living somewhere else and then moving but she was very young. It was something in my Pop’s voice that told me that he was concerned with these people, not necessarily afraid of them, but apprehensive. I did a little digging on my laptop, and what I found out wasn’t much. The things that I learned on the computer when we were in Dallas has become a lifeline for me. I know these people now own the XXX store and tomorrow I am going to walk into that store and try to be discreet. The only name that I could remember was Cooper Dean and the adult store is in Cooper Dean’s name and he owns the land it sits on. In fact, he owns most everything in Saltillo, and other properties in surrounding cities and smaller towns. I know I took a chance on snooping, but I’m hoping that I flew under the radar. I’m not sure what I expected to find, but I have been told to unravel a puzzle to go back to the beginning and follow the leads. This was as far back as I could go and the chances I took eavesdropping may be worth it if it pays off. The Demented Revengers MC, the other clubs that are helping, and Brody, keep coming up with dead ends and people keep getting hurt, my friends, and I don’t want to lose anyone else. In my head, I’m thinking as soon as I get one good lead I will call in the cavalry, but not until then. I won’t be laughed at or mocked by one certain biker who thinks I’m a child. He’s right, in some ways, but I am more afraid for my sister and friends than I am for myself. I don’t see how that can be considered childish. I try to pull my mind away from that drop-dead gorgeous man. The time I was around Con, he kept pushing me away, but he made me feel things I have never felt before. I’m so attracted to Con, that he takes my breath away, but I will chase no man, especially one that keeps pushing me away. Especially one that’s a man whore like Con. When I witnessed with my own eyes the way he hung on the club girls, but he pushed me away, I felt something inside me break. I will not concentrate on Con in a time like this. My mind needs to concentrate on the task at hand because I’m no martyr, I just want to do my part this time. Today I start getting my answers.

I walk out the door of the silo, and let my eyes adjust just a little bit. It’s not like there’s a significant difference. It was dark inside but coming outside only takes a few seconds of adjustment. I have remembered the last few weeks, of the training we did of functioning and moving around in the dark without needing flashlights. That would get me caught, and that can’t happen. I head east towards the woods that I know comes out behind the store. I know if I stay at the tree line right behind XXX that I can climb a tree and observe the comings and goings of everyone. I don’t know what the man looks like that I need to talk to, but I know he’s about the same age as my parents.

It takes me a couple of hours before I can hear vehicles on the interstate, so I know I’m

getting close. I am watching my surroundings for animals as well as humans. I’m not afraid of the woods, but I would be an idiot not to watch for a coyote or a bobcat, but wild hogs are the worst. I see the lights from the back of XXX in front of me, but I stop by a tree and take out my binoculars to have a look around. There are some motorcycles sitting out front but the man that is left watching them has a vest on with no patches or name on it. Every biker I have ever met had something on their cut, that what it’s called. Rebel said they are called cuts. Even prospects have the club name on it. The Hell Keeperz did too. These cuts are different, they aren’t leather, they are made of blue jean material. I wish I had taken the time to listen more closely when Gracie and Katie were talking about bikers. The sound of more bikes driving in the drive has me turning my binoculars in that direction, so I can get a better view of who has arrived. They pull around to the side of XXX. There are three more riders, but what has my attention is the man in the middle when he removes his helmet. I focus my binoculars clearer to make sure of what I am seeing. The man is taller, and in better physical shape, but his facial features is what has me confused. The man looks just like my Pop right down to the dimples. Are my eyes playing tricks on me? I can’t move my eyes away. He dismounts his bike and walks towards the back door of XXX. That walk is my Pop’s walk. I know I should wait and watch longer, but my body isn’t in sync with my brain. It moves of its own volition down the tree. I haven’t lost my entire mind. I watch my surroundings and cover my back but before I know it I have made my way across the field, and I’m standing in front of the back door. I think about stashing my backpack somewhere, but I don’t want to let it out of my sight. It has everything I brought with me in it. I don’t even think I decided, I just turn and walk around the building, and in the front door. It must be two in the morning but XXX is still open. I walk in the door and a bell over the door rings. I jump and then I realize all eyes are on me. I clear my dry throat and try to talk. “Are you still open?” My voice breaks, and I can barely recognize my own voice. I hear laughter from a few, but the man that drew me inside this place steps forward and before I know it he’s standing right in front of me.

“Are you lost sweetness? This is a sex store and you don’t look the type to be looking for a new vibrator. How old are you? The sign says eighteen and older and we follow that rule, so we aren’t closed down by the law, do you have identification?” The man stops talking and looks closer at me. I am watching him and looking closely at his face. “Do I know you, sweetness?” I consider his question. I can either lie through my teeth, and hope he accepts what I say, or I can lay it all out for him and hope he doesn’t still have ties to the community or worse the Hell Keeperz MC. “I don’t have much patience, so either answer my questions or leave my place of business.” I look around and I see everyone is watching us. I swallow again.

“Could we have a private conversation?” I ask the man in front of me. “Please.” The man cocks his head to the side and narrows his eyes at me.

“Answer my questions first.” He tells me without a smile.

“My name is Faith and I came here because I need some answers. I’m seventeen, and I have identification in my backpack and it says I am eighteen, but it’s fake. Someone had it made for me, I know this is unneeded information, but I am trying to show you I am telling the complete truth” I tell the man honestly. I’m not sure of the man, but for some reason I feel safe here. I just hope my instincts are on spot this time.

“D-N-A, boss. You put a bun in someone’s oven and the bun is coming to visit now. Deny, deny, deny. This isn’t some daytime talk show.” The man laughs. He looks about the same age as the man I am talking to. I see that he’s just joking.

“You have a last name or are you one of those one-name people?” Another asks. He’s younger and has a big smile on his face. They’re all having a fun time at my expense, but I hold my tongue. I am the one that needs answers and I don’t want to piss anyone off, so they kick me out of here.

“My last name is Connors, but that isn’t what it says on my identification, it says Jones. I came to talk to Cooper Dean. I am in trouble, and I thought he might be able to give me some answers to help me out.” I watch the man as he takes a step closer and reaches over and touches my face. He takes hold of my face and moves it one direction and then the other and then lets it go without explanation. I now have a feeling in the bottom of my stomach and I take a step back.

“Is she one of them?” The young man steps closer and looks at me. I feel like I need to get out of here. I pick up my backpack and put it on my shoulder. I look around the room, but someone stands between me and the front door and me and the back door. I feel the fight or flight feeling, but I don’t think I have much of a chance with all these men. It’s then that I realize that there are no women here. In the Demented Revengers MC there are always women around. That might have been my first hint that these people were different from a motorcycle club, or at least the ones I have been around.

“What Connors clan are you from sweetness? Don’t be afraid. We mean you no harm. You look weary, come and sit so we can talk.” My stress goes down just a notch, but every horror movie that Charity and I binged on in Dallas comes forefront in my thoughts. I mean really, do people that mean you harm ever come out and say it. “Lachlan get our guest something to drink. She looks like she might pass out. Ewan find her a bite to eat.” I see two of the younger men going in different directions. The man in front of me takes hold of my elbow and guides me to a chair behind the counter. I don’t fight it, but I keep my bag with me. I sit in the chair and it looks like an office chair but when I sit down, it’s very comfortable. With the air conditioning in here I could easily go to sleep. I better answer the man.

“My pop was Darren Connors and my ma, Alice Connors, if that’s what you’re asking. I don’t have a clan.” The man pulls a chair up beside me and turns it around and straddles it.

“I see. What answers do you need?” The two younger men come back in where we are. The one the man called Lachlan hands me a water and Ewan hands me one of those pre-made sandwiches. It looks delicious. Since I left the army bunker all I have eaten is something fast like peanut butter and crackers, so I could devour this sandwich. I look around the store and every eye is still on me. I notice that I don’t see anything too shocking on the shelves. I see oils and candles, but this is nothing like I imagined a sex shop to look like. I see some things that may raise an eyebrow, but I relax a little.

“Don’t worry Faith, nothing is going to fly off the shelves at you. All the hardcore stuff is in the back rooms.” The man half laughs. “Open your sandwich and eat something before you disappear before my very eyes.” I open my bottle of water and take a drink and then open the sandwich. I feel the man watching me. I feel safe, but I can’t let these people get caught up in my situation, so I know I need to let them know about the people following me. The man still hasn’t told me his name.

“I’ve been honest with you, so can you tell me your name?” I ask the man and he seems to contemplate my request.

“I am Cooper Dean, and you, sweetness, are either my niece or my daughter.” I choke on the bite of sandwich I just took. I try to take a drink, but I see Ewan stepping up and patting my back with a smile on his face.

“That would make me either your cousin or brother and Lachlan the same. He’s my older brother.” I finally get the food to go down. I look closely at the three, but I am still confused. My Pop was my Pop and how could this be his brother without the same last name. Cooper sees my confusion.

“I’ll give you a story of three brothers while you eat, just slow down so you don’t choke yourself to death.” Now I know I need to tell these people about my trouble following me. Even if what they’re saying isn’t true or it’s a misunderstanding, my conscious will not let me fool anyone. I want answers to help me and my family out, not to put them in harm’s way.

“I need to let you know, I have trouble following me, and I don’t want any of you caught up in it. I just need answers and then I will be on my way. Pop always said if you are going to look for answers then” I don’t get the rest out because he finishes it for me.

“Start from the beginning. That is very good advice and it came from a very smart woman, your nanna.” We both smile and then Cooper looks at Lachlan. “I want six men covering the field and woods and the rest around the building. You and Ewan inside.” Cooper looks at the rest of the men and they start to move. “Get back-up on the way. Sean, you stay too so you can help give this young lady her answers. Lock the whole town up. No one in or out. If anyone finds anyone around that isn’t supposed to be then take them to the woodshed until morning and then we will deal with them.” Cooper never raises his voice, but I see he has the respect of every man here. Men are leaving from both the front and the back door. Cooper looks at Ewan. “Lock this place up and get the cameras on.” Cooper acts like this is an everyday occurrence. I’m not sure I like that. Then he sets his eyes back on me. “Tell me about this trouble following you. No, start from the beginning. I need to know it all.” I drink my water and eat my sandwich as I let Cooper know of everything that I can remember from my earliest years and how the community started going downhill and how the things changed for everyone living there. I also let him know about my sisters and immediate family. Cooper, Sean, Ewan, or Lachlan never interrupted me talking. Sean and Cooper would just shake their heads every now and then. I went on to tell them the story of how Charity and I escaped and met the Demented Revengers MC and all the rest of the people that have come into our lives since we left the community. I didn’t give personal names and none of the secrets about the different clubs. It’s not like I knew any secrets except what I had witnessed with my own eyes, but I still left them out. I wouldn’t betray my new-found family and friends. By the time I was finished with the happenings of the last few months, I was finished with my sandwich and water. I was also getting sleepy, but now I needed some answers and I wouldn’t be leaving until I get them.

“I have been honest with you, so it’s your turn.” I look at Cooper and then Sean in the eyes.

“Direct and to the point. I like her Cooper, a lot better than our brother, may he rest in no peace at all. I hope Satan has him by the short curlies right now.” I’m surprised by what Sean has said. He’s my uncle too. I was always told that we had no extended family. One of the clubs had an extensive government background done on our family, and nothing like this came up. I look at Sean and he looks nothing like Cooper or Pop.

“Did you mean you are my uncle too? None of this is making sense to me at all. Friends of ours had a background search done on my family and none of this came up.” Sean and Cooper look at each other.

“Oh sweetness, you have a lot to learn about your heritage. You see, Sean, Darren and I had the same mam, or ma, but not the same pops. None of us had the same pop. You see our mam was a bit of a scrubber, and worked in a pub. Her family was part of the Irish mob. Mam may have had low morals, but she loved each of us something fierce and she didn’t want anything to do with her family and they had disowned her. If they had known that she had sons, then we would’ve been taken from her and trained as we got older to be just like they were. Filled with nothing but hate and the taste of blood in our mouths. She kept us in hiding with some of her friends. She saved her money and when she had the right amount she planned to send us back one at a time to the states, so we would live many years without hate and war in our hearts, or that was her original plan. Darren was the oldest, so he was the first sent here.” Cooper looks at Sean and he jumps in and takes over the story.

“The older that we became the harder it was for her to hide us. That was the reason it was the oldest first. We missed Darren and it was a couple of years before Mam was able to send the both of us here to the people she had set up for us.” Sean looks at Cooper. “A man friend gave her some hush money and that’s when we both came stateside. The people that brought us here were given Darren’s address and the name of the people that had him. The couple that brought us here had paperwork saying they were our parents. That is who your friends had history on. We all had different last names, so we were not connected through any paper trail. All the forged documents came from Ireland and done thoroughly because Mam’s family had a long reach and still do. After all these years they are still very dangerous. Sean and I came here as cousins, but we are half-brothers as was Darren. How did that son of a bitch meet his maker?” I can see there is bad blood between these two brothers and Pop.

“Is everything I grew up believing a lie and why do you think I could be your child?” I look at Cooper. No, I didn’t forget that little tidbit he dropped on me earlier.

“Do you really want to hear that part tonight? It may take a while to explain it, since we need to start when we all met back up as adults. You look like you could use a good night sleep and a big breakfast before we start on that part of the story and I have more questions for you too, sweetness.” I guess I will be walking back to that silo tonight if I can’t find a place in this small town to hide and sleep. I look at Cooper and then Sean.

“Is there someplace here, I can sleep for a few hours? I don’t mind the floor. I just need to feel safe, so I can sleep soundly and try to process some of the information you gave me.” I am past being tactful. I need sleep.

“You are coming home with us. There are six strapping young men and the two of us to keep you safe.” Sean says.

“Are you sure there is room at your compound?” I don’t want to seem too anxious and this decision may be my demise, but I need sleep and the idea of a hot shower sounds like heaven. Both men smile, and I see a big grin on Lachlan’s face.

“What made you think we live in a damn compound? We live in a two-story farmhouse about three miles from here. Do you live in a compound? If you are our family, then you need to move here, and get away from compounds. Compounds are no place for young girls, are you married or betrothed?” Ewan is looking pissed.

“I’m seventeen, no I don’t have a man, nor do I need one. I just thought you were in a motorcycle club. Don’t they all have compounds?” All four of the men laugh.

“I promise you, on my word as an honorable man, that you will be safe at our home. I will answer all your questions tomorrow with the whole family there and you can answer mine. When Darren and Alice left here they had two daughters, Charity and Hope. Do you stay in touch with them?” That makes me see red. No one has the right to ask me questions about my sisters without answering my questions first. I stand up from my chair and grab my backpack.

“No one questions me about my sisters. I may take risks with myself, but I will not endanger Charity.” I catch Cooper off guard. Until right now, I have been compliant, but rehashing all the old stories and my thoughts wandering today brings me back to the reason I’m here, and I won’t be sidetracked another minute. “I will go back to your house with all of you, but I want answers before I sleep. I won’t let Charity down and to help keep us both safe then I need the answers.”

Cooper steps closer to me, I start to step back, but I know he will see it as a weakness or concession to him, so I stop myself. “Child you are safe with us. Your blood is our blood if what you say is true. A simple blood test will tell and if it comes back a match, we will not only help you, but your sisters also. I only wonder why you only speak of Charity, and not your other sister, Hope. Are you not close?” I feel the tears come to my eyes. I loved Hope, but if I think of her too much then all I see is red. Before Hope was turned into a wife of our community we were close, but Hope lost herself along the way and became all about the community. I lost her long before her disappearance. I don’t hesitate to give Cooper the answer.

“Hope was killed by her husband in our community and buried without a grave. I hate those people and it’s time they are stopped. That’s one reason I need answers. The community traded my sister Charity to a motorcycle club, the Hell Keeperz MC, to use as they saw fit. She escaped with some help and she came back to help me escape from the community. They wanted me to marry a son of one of our founders, but we escaped before they could make it happen. They’ve been on our trail since we left the community behind, but some friends we made in the Dallas / Ft. Worth area, and the Demented Revengers MC protected us, along with some other clubs they are friendly with.” Sean and Cooper grunt, but I see the look Ewan and Lachlan have on their faces and it looks close to the anger I feel down to my soul.

“That is a sad tale, sweetness. Please, just come home with us and get a shower and some sleep and then we can talk over coffee in the morning. Just like you, we need to process what you have told us. I have a lock box full of papers that I need to go over, and I will show you those as well, if you want to see them. I will also answer why I think you may be my child. Can you give me until morning? That one small compromise is all I will ask of you and you will have a room to yourself with a lock on it. If it will make you feel better, I can provide you with a gun for self-protection.” I smile at that. I know I have no reason to trust these people, but they also have no reason to trust me. I need to take this chance.

“Can I call a friend to join us in the morning, so he can go over everything you tell me? I may miss something.” Cooper smiles.

“You drive a hard bargain, sweetness. I will allow three people and no more. We discuss everything, and then we will see where we go from there” I was only thinking of Brody. I know the call I make will be a hard one, but I can’t take a chance of missing critical information that will help the Demented Revengers MC and Brody end this war with the community and the Hell Keeperz MC. I want everyone safe. I know the Hell Keeperz are around this area looking for me with some of the community members with them. This is the right choice.

“Don’t underestimate how bad the Hell Keeperz MC and the community want me back. They will do whatever they need to do and that includes murder. I just don’t understand why they’re so insistent. I was never important to our community and the man that chose me is dead.” I say the last part to myself more than the men in the room with me. It’s the same question that keeps running through my head. I just don’t have an answer for it.

“Make your call. I want you locked up tight behind our locked doors as soon as possible. The answers will come tomorrow, and I may have a few answers to why they are after you and your sister.” I look at Sean who just insinuated they may know more than they/r they’re saying tonight. I dig my phone out of my back pocket and dial the number that is connected to the only person that I truly trust, Charity.