The Dragons pulled up to the Dead Horsemen clubhouse unchallenged. Shouts and curses filled the air as the enemy club members ran in and out of the house in total chaos. One member made an attempt to threaten the Dragons.

“Ride the fuck on, assholes! You’re trespass—”

A single punch from Mute had the young biker laid out flat on the ground, knocked out cold.

A topless woman awkwardly ran in heels out of the clubhouse, screaming and crying hysterically.

“Oh, my God! Oh, my God!” she kept crying, even as she blindly ran into Cutter’s arms. She didn’t even acknowledge it was a rival club member she was clutching. “He shot him! Oh, my God!”

Brick snapped at her. “Who was shot? What the hell is going on?”

She turned to him, her eyes streaming black mascara down her blotchy face.

“It was Joker! He… he…. Oh, my God! He done shot Prez!”

Mute went still as a statue; icy rage rolled from him in waves.

Brick’s jaw clenched. “Where is Joker?” he growled.

The woman stared at Mute, frozen in place. “You’re him, ain’t you?” she asked, her voice low and breathy with fear.

Brick grabbed her by her upper arms, shook her twice, and barked in her face. “I ain’t got time to be nice, bitch. WHERE IS JOKER?”

“He… he… I…. He took off. Up that way to the Tail, I think. I know it’s a back way to get on the main run.”

“Did he take anyone with him? A woman?”

“I… he… I don’t know! Maybe the one he brung this afternoon. I ain’t seen her here before… oh, my God!”

Brick pushed her away in disgust and boldly entered the enemy clubhouse, along with Mute and Cutter. Taz and Stud followed, but stood at the open door. Two of the Horsemen were hovering over another, who was bleeding out on the floor. The other few were wandering around the room, not sure what to do. The coppery scent of blood floated in the air. One of the Horsemen spotted the invading Dragons and made a half-hearted attempt at bravado. He picked up one of the random guns on the floor and tried to threaten Brick.

“What the fuck you doing in here? Get the fuck out!”

One of the hunched over men stood up and smacked the gun out of his hand. “Put that thing down, ya dumb shit! It’s over.”

He was shorter than Brick and Mute, but no less commanding. Brick greeted him by name and a nod. “Bagman. I see you’re left holding it again.”

Bagman grunted a laugh and shook his head. His dark hair was tightly braided to his scalp, pulling his face tight, but he still looked worn out. “I’ve been left holding the bag for years, Brick. Looks like I gotta do it again. Prez is gone. Joker got him. I was out back and didn’t see them shots but I heard ‘em and saw Joker run out the house pulling the girl with him.” He ran a hand over his craggy face. “I know he wears your club colors, but he was antsy to patch in here. Prez said he could if he helped push the Dragons out. Since you got out of the drug-running business, Prez had been wantin’ it back bad. ‘Make lotsa money,’ he said. ‘Just run the Tail,’ he said. Dumb fuck!”

He kicked at the dead man’s boot. “I told him it was a bad idea to trust a man who would betray his own brothers.”

He heaved a sigh and squared his broad shoulders. Looking up at Mute, he spoke again. “Joker has your woman, and he took a back way we got hidden to the Tail in a cage. Old black Saturn Vue. He’s gotta head start, but the Vue’s wheels got some alignment problems. Transmission is bad too. He’s gonna hafta fight it, and it’ll slow him down some. He’s probably high. He’s a dangerous motherfucker sober, but you already know that. He’s gonna be worse now. Good luck getting your woman back. I hope she stays in one piece.”

Brick started shouting orders. “Taz, gather their guns. Bagman, get your boys to find a tarp or something to cover Mike up. Spike, call Blue and get his ass over here. He knows the sheriff on this side of the border and we gotta do this legal, but nothing about drug runs. As far as Blue knows, Joker shot your prez over the kidnapping. Let’s move.”

He turned to face Mute and Cutter. “Mute, I know you’re itching to get up the Tail. Take Cutter. Stud, find a cage and follow. This may not end well, so best have a backup. Best of luck finding Kat. If you find Joker, it’s time for him to go up the mountain and not come down.”

Mute nodded once, his body shaking with the need to exact revenge on Joker. He strode out the door followed by Cutter and Stud. Mute’s bike roared like an animal as he took off.