Pulling up at the farmhouse, Dark noticed that everyone seemed busy. Jumping off the bike, they approached Darkness. “What’s up?”

“They somehow found out about Elise, and they took her.”

“Tell us everything.”

“She headed out at the crack of dawn to do some crop dusting. I sent Dawg with her. We got a text from his new burner phone a little while later. The landing strip was swarming with Dragonfly when they arrived. Dawg...he’s...I don’t know if he’s going to make it.”

Stalking into the house, Dark sat beside his prospect.

“I did everything I could, I promise.”

“Hush, everything is gonna be alright.”

Standing, he grabbed Margaret. “Darkness and I are going to get a doctor. Stay with Dawg and try to keep him alert and make sure that gunshot wound to his side doesn’t start spouting blood again. Don’t give him anything to eat or drink. We’ll be back soon.”

“What’s your plan?”

“No time, sweetness. Every single second counts.”

“Go. I got this.”

Spinning on his heel, he headed back out the door. One of the brothers was just topping off his gas tank from an old-fashioned pump designed to hold fuel for farming equipment. Darkness grabbed the other bike and joined him.

They only had one play that he was remotely comfortable with. Dark had learned long ago to trust a brother before anyone else, even if they weren’t officially his brother. Rolling up to the front of a chain link fence, he stopped at the gate. Jerking up his sleeve, he flashed his MC tattoo. “American. Need to see your president. Emergency.”

Just like that, the walls of Jericho parted to grant them entrance. Pulling up in front of their clubhouse, a man with Sergeant at Arms patch asked, “You packing?”

“Always.”

“Unload.”

Both men quickly shucked their handguns and knives. They were quickly ushered into the building. A rough looking man with long hair and a facial scar, stepped out to greet them.

“Name’s John, Little John. I hear you got an emergency.”

“One of my men is shot up pretty bad. What would it take to get him a doctor?”

“We got a special forces combat vet that can stabilize him and get you a doc in a couple of hours.”

“We’ll pay whatever you ask.”

“That kind of specialized service will cost you twenty grand at least, mate.”

“We got it in cold hard American cash. Will that work for you?”

“Yes, sir, it will. We’re gonna need lots more information about your situation, why you’re here, what territory you’re trying to carve out and that kind of thing. If we don’t like your answers, well mate, ain’t none of you leaving here.”

Jerking his chin at one of his men the man responded, “Give me a second to get my kit and I’ll be ready to ride.”

“We patch up your man, then we talk.”

“We got a missing local girl to find. Our man got himself shot up trying to keep them from taking her.”

“Anyone, we know?”

“Elsie. Don’t know her last name. She’s a pilot.”

“Fucking hell, we know her. She makes sure we get our goods in and out of the region.”

“She’s good people and we ain’t turning our backs on her.”

“The minute your man is patched up, we talk. I’m coming with you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Mind if I ask what made you decide to come here?”

“I’m an MC president. We got thirty-seven charters spread across several states back home. I don’t trust hospitals or the police. I do trust a brother though. You know as well as I do that we ain’t competitors. I got more than I can handle in the States. We might be allies though.”

Staring at Dark with genuine interest, the man nodded, “That might be handy.”

The medic came back, with two huge duffels and a gigantic knapsack on his back. John grabbed one duffle and slid onto his back like a knapsack. Darkness did the same with the other. Hitting the road, they were back at the farmhouse within forty-five minutes flat.

Pacing outside, they waited for the medic to stabilize Dawg. Margaret returned from upstairs with a thick envelope of cash.

“Twenty grand, like Dark promised. It’s all there. You can count it if you like.”

“Not necessary. We’re building trust, after all.”

Not caring for the appreciative way John looked at his woman, Dark snaked an arm around her midsection and pulled her back against his body.

“So, you two are a thing?”

“Yep, so don’t even think of trying to get in his pants. He’s all mine.”

“You’re a funny little bitch, ain’t ya?”

“Actually, I’m a professional sniper. I don’t care for being called a bitch. You can call me Eagle Eye.”

“Fuckin’ hell. Are you serious?”

“As a heart attack.”

“I was hoping to make Dawg my new protégé, so I hope he comes out of this with his trigger finger intact.”

Dark listened to their interaction with interest. He liked the way she fobbed the other man off so casually and completely. Still, they had bigger problems to worry about at the moment.

“How would your MC like to make some real money?”

“We do like earning. What did you have in mind?”

“We came here to facilitate the transition of part of the Dragonfly corporation.”

“That high-class security firm?”

Margaret broke in, “Yes. I hate those bastards. They snatched me off the street and forced me to snipe for the last year. They might be seen as high-class, but they run a dirty little side operation taking hits all over the world.”

“Bollocks.”

Dark backed her up, “It’s true. A stable mafia family from New York is assuming control of their operation, and you might call it an extremely unfriendly takeover. Dragonfly had millions squirreled away in several offshore accounts.”

“What would our cut be?”

“At least five million.”

“Now you’re talking. Any chance we might get future jobs when you’re guys take over?”

“If you’re looking for legitimate security jobs and office work for friends of your MC, it might turn out to be a perfect fit. The London office is heavy with jobs like that. We plan to keep the side business as well.”

The man answered back eagerly, “This might be a new income stream for our club. We’ve been looking to expand.”

“There’s good opportunity here for all of us.”

“I like that Dragonfly has been around, this situation could have some longevity. The club will stand firm and do what needs doing to get you folks in the driver’s seat.”

“It’s a relief to find an ally when we need one the most. I think this might be your doctor.”

“She’s a trauma surgeon from one of the big medical centers. Her kid’s got cancer and she does odd jobs like this to pay for experimental treatment that National Health Service doesn’t provide.”

“Jesus.”

“Don’t worry, she’s very good at what she does.”

Walking over, Dark watched her jump out of her car and run around to the trunk. She opened it and began unloading hard cases of medical supplies. Dark, John, and Margaret all grabbed cases and showed her into the house.

“Twig, what are we looking at?”

“Gunshot wound to the right side, with an upward trajectory. I think it nicked the lung. There is an exit wound, so that’s good. He’s got secondary injuries to his extremities, retained shrapnel at a couple of those sites but the secondary wounds do not appear to be life-threatening.”

Watching them work on Dawg, reminded him once again how fragile a human life could be. His mind reeled back to the time he found Joy. She was lethargic and barely breathing. He’d stood helplessly by while Emergency Medical Services worked to stabilize her for transport.

“Snap out of it, baby. He’s strong and chances are he’ll pull through.”

Looking down into Margaret’s face, he pulled her to him. “I just hope no one else catches a bullet on this little adventure. We also need to find your friend.”

“I’m really worried about her. When I found her all those months ago. the sick bastard had her tied up and she’d lost hope of making out of there alive. I can still remember the vacant look in her eyes when I found her and I hate to see her in that kind of shape again.”

“Why is it always the least deserving innocents who get pull into the darkest shit?”

“Sweetie, none of us are innocent. You’re a biker, I’m a sniper and Ms. Elsie is a smuggler. Get your head screwed on straight.”

Dark had to smile. “Snipers and smugglers are people too.”

“So are big sexy bikers. Now, that we got that all settled, let’s stop obsessing and start planning how we’re going to get my friend back.”

“It beats standing around here annoying the good doctor with our petty self-recriminations.”

“Your friend’s injuries are very serious but I have every confidence he’ll pull through.”

“Shit, that’s good news.”

They walked back outside and were swarmed by their new allies. The men were rough-looking; Dark would have to give them that. Proudly sporting their MC Logo, which appeared to be some version of the Loch Ness Monster, they all began talking at once. It was weird, but Dark wasn’t judgmental about things like that.

Whistling for them to quiet, Little John spoke. We got a lead on our girl. The pricks are using an abandoned underground WWII bunker for a hideout. Moldy places will give a person the croup.”

Another voice chimed in, “He’s right. They are just talking openly about it in Donovan’s office. We heard every single word, plain as day.”

Little John’s head came up, “You got his office bugged? That’ll make things easier.”

“How far from here are they?”

“About a hundred and fifty kilometers.”

Margaret murmured, “That’s around a hundred miles.”

“I want to see for myself and get the lay of the land,” Dark said.

“Saddle up, Yank. We got a long ride ahead of us.”

Dark walked to his loaner of a motorcycle and climbed on board. Margaret slipped on behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Something was eating at his son. Dark could see it stamped on his stubborn face.

Sighing, Dark tore a wrapper off one his candies and sucked it into his mouth. “You couldn’t have prevented this, son.”

“The fuck I couldn’t have. We both know that’s a fuckin’ lie. I should have gone with her myself.”

“Then you’d be the one all shot up, instead of Dawg and she’d still be missing.”

“Let’s just do this thing. I want her back.”

Margaret’s voice sounded off behind him, “She’s not yours. You know that, right? She doesn’t even like you.”

Starting his motor, Darkness shoved his kickstand back. “I fucking know that. I don’t need some dumb bitch telling me my business.”

Dark growled at his disrespectful tone towards his new love interest, but he held his temper. There would be time to settle up with his mouthy son when the job was done.