It was finally happening. Today was the day I take down the Dark Steel Motorcycle Club.
All those years of long nights, fighting my superiors, and working in horrible conditions was finally about to pay off.
Getting the leader of the Los Diablos to give up Dark Steel was what blew the case wide open. My bosses got me warrants to raid the Dark Steel headquarters and two of their off-site locations given to us by Miguel.
My two teams had already reported finding drugs and illegal guns in the off-site buildings. I had everything I needed to prosecute them. Now all that was left was to arrest all of them and claim my commendation.
“Wait for my signal,” I announced into the walkie-talkie.
The men were jumpy and so was I. We had no idea what to expect when we burst through the doors. The Burger Joint was in full swing, a huge crowd inside and a line out the door. This was a tricky situation. There couldn't be any collateral damage—no excuses. We knew every member of the MC was inside because we had been casing the place all day long. I hoped that they weren't stupid enough to draw their weapons and start a gunfight. Not with so many innocents around.
I had Bravo team at the back and Charlie on the roof. My team—Alpha—was to go through the front. My heart raced as I drew my nine millimeter. I checked if it was loaded and switched the safety off. Malarkey kneeled down next to me, checking his bulletproof vest. We stayed low to the ground as we crawled from car to car. We were only feet away from the entrance.
“Are you ready, partner?” I asked, breathing heavily.
Malarkey nodded. “Let's get these fuckers.”
I spat into the walkie-talkie, “All teams are a go. I repeat, all teams are a go.”
I rushed the front of the restaurant, catching a glimpse of my roof team rappelling down the sides of the building and smashing through the windows.
“This is the FBI! Everyone down on the ground!” I held my professional-looking badge up with my left hand and kept my gun raised with my right. The crowd of eaters fell to the floor with their hands on their head. My eyes scanned the crowd and preceded to the kitchen and back room.
My walkie-talkie screeched as team members shouted, “Clear!”
I stood up against the wall right before the entry to the kitchen. “This is the FBI. I want to see your hands!” I turned the corner, my gun leading first, and entered the kitchen. The chef and his workers were laying flat on the ground.
I arrived to the door leading to the back room with Malarkey right on my heels. I tested the door knob and it was locked. I nodded to Malarkey and stepped out of the way as his foot pummeled through the door, breaking it off it's hinges. Sometimes it was nice having a male around.
I rushed into the room and found that Bravo team already had all the suspects on the ground and in cuffs. One of the club members spat at my feet as I walked by.
“You can't do this without a warrant,” one of the members yelled. I strolled over to him and holstered my weapon. I looked at the older man's face and identified him as the leader.
“Well Hammer, I wonder what these are?” I shoved the paper warrants in his face, making sure that he could taste them. “Sit this guy up,” I ordered. Two raid members picked up Hammer and sat him against the wall.
“This won't matter, lady. We'll beat whatever bogus charge you stick on us.”
I crouched down in front of the leader. “I've been hunting you guys for a long time. I wanted to make damn sure this would stick. You could thank Miguel and the Los Diablos for that.”
“You're a lying bitch,” he screamed at me.
I stood up and walked away. “Oh yeah, one more thing. We raided your 'secret' stashes and found all the guns and drugs. You guys will be rotting in prison until the day you die.” Hammer's face turned to horror. He knew I had him by the balls.
I glanced over the other members on the ground and marveled at my success.
Malarkey came to my side. “Feels good, doesn't it?”
“It will feel even better when the bosses give me a promotion and get us out of that damn closet.”
Malarkey chuckled.
Something wasn't sitting right with me though. I scanned around the room but couldn't put my finger on the sudden doubt in the pit of my stomach. I looked at the Dark Steel members and counted.
“Charlie team, did you clear every room upstairs?”
Charlie leader answered in the affirmative. I looked back down at all the faces of the club members. Damn! “Where's Axe?” I asked with bubbling rage.
Malarkey looked down at a list in his hands. “He's the number three, right?”
Double Damn!
I ordered the teams to do another sweep of the building. “He must be hiding here somewhere. We have to find him!”