Mute pushed the skinny man up against the rough wall of the alley and tried hard not to breathe in the toxic fumes he was panting. His eyes were wild, pupils dilated from the poison he’d put in his body. It was easy to tell his preference by the nasty color of his gums and blackening teeth. Brick and Dodge, a newly patched-in member, watched as Mute held the panicked meth head.

“Where did you get it and who sold it to you?” Brick intoned, his voice going wintery.

The man squeaked. “I ain’t got nothing! Lemme go!”

Brick got even colder. “I asked you a question. Where did you get it and who sold it to you?”

“I don’t got it now! You guys testing me? I paid!”

Brick went to below freezing. “I’ll ask one last time and I better have an answer. Where did you get it and who sold it to you?”

“I don’t know his name, man! It was the one with the green hair! If you guys got stiffed it was him! Not me!”

Brick blinked, his hard face getting harder. “What do you mean, green hair?”

The guy with the green mohawk, man! He’s the one with the shit! I gave the money to him.”

All three Dragon Runners froze as the temperature dropped suddenly. Mute’s eyes all but glittered with barely contained rage. Dodge looked to Brick, his mouth tight.

Brick stared at the junkie, his voice went low and icy. “Are you telling me you bought that crap from a guy wearing a Dragon Runner cut?”

“Yeah, man!” The addict’s eyes darted around dizzyingly. “The dude with the green hair. He was with some other guy. Different logo, you know, but they was hangin’ out. I heard’em talk about blowin’ up a building an’ they was laughin’ bout it. Said they had a plan. I paid ‘em what they asked for! I didn’t stiff ya!”

Dodge spoke in shock. “Joker’s a traitor.”

Brick’s voice went arctic. “What did the other sign look like?”

“Huh?”

Brick lost all patience and roared. “What did the sign look like!”

The junkie squeaked and tried to shrink into the wall. “It was kinda like yours but had a weird-lookin’ horse’s head.”

Dodge inhaled sharply. “It’s the Dead Horsemen, all right. I understand they been wantin’ to take over the Tail for decades. This is them trying again and getting dirty about it by putting drugs in our town. That’s the one thing they know would start a war. Leaves one club in charge and one club dead.”

His phone rang, and he paused to answer it.

Mute ground his teeth, itching to smash something. It was mind shattering. Despite the differences he had with Joker, the thought of the smiling, laughing man, always sure of his welcome into the Lair, coming among those he called brothers only to betray them in the worst possible way, was more than he could stand. His hand clenched around the junkie’s throat, wanting desperately to crush it. The man squeaked again at the sudden pressure, and clawed at the thick fingers surrounding his thin neck.

“Ease back, brother. I think we got other business to take care of, mainly finding that motherfucker,” Dodge said on a growl. He turned to Brick. “We gotta get to the clubhouse, boss. Tambre’s been trying to reach us but your phone’s either dead or on silent. Mackie’s been hurt and Kat’s missing. Mackie got walloped good but he’s awake and able to talk. Says it was Joker and his buddy Box that done it.”

Mute felt the rage build in him. His beautiful Kat. His old lady. Someone touched her. Someone hurt her. Someone hurt Mackie. He couldn’t contain it. He jerked the struggling man from the wall and hurled him to the ground. He stood, his head back, fists raised and clenched tight. His mouth opened and a blast roared from his mangled throat, inhuman and demonic in its power.

Dodge took several steps back, his eyes wide with sudden fear.

Brick was silent as Mute let loose, the terrible cry echoing around them. The stillness of the club president’s stance was even more terrifying than Mute’s white-hot rage. Something was uncoiling, readying to strike. The laughing man who played Santa Claus for children not too long ago was gone. When he spoke, icicles formed from his words. “We know who did it and why. Only one choice now since they came into our house like that. Rules say we gotta take a vote, but we already know what it’s gonna be. Lockdown’s back on. Find the boys. All of them. Tell them the Dragon’s awake and going hunting.”