Honey looked from Joel, to Elle, and then back again, his anger coming to a boil at his leader’s words.
“No. No way in hell, Joel.”
“What? What is it?” Elle asked, finally noticed that everybody’s eyes kept flicking towards her before quickly looking away again.
“This is bullshit and you know it!” Honey exploded again, not even trying to hold back the glare he shot at Joel but the other man didn’t even flinch, just returned it with a steady look of his own.
“I know It’s not ideal–.”
“Not ideal!” Honey shouted, banging his fist on the table in front of him, “Joel, you’re talking about sending a lamb into a rabid pack of wolves, no offense Sparky.”
“None taken.” Sparkplug said, but there was a growl in his voice that said otherwise.
“You can’t be serious Joel. She won’t do it. You can’t force her to do it.”
“I know I can’t, and I wouldn’t force her to anyways. This is too dangerous not to be all in.”
“She won’t. I know she won’t Joel so just go back to the drawing board and let’s come up with a slightly less psychotic plan–.”
“Why don’t you ask her whether or not she’ll do it.” Elle interrupted, her voice low and edged with an anger that had all the hair on the back of his neck standing on end.
“Look Elle–.”
“She has a right to make her own decision.” It was Carla who interrupted this time and Honey turned his glare to her.
“I know she does but this is–.”
“She’s right, sugar. She’s a big girl and she can think for herself.”
“I know damn it! I’m just trying to–.”
“Just tell me Joel.” Elle didn’t even look over at him as her words intersected his, cutting them off once more and it was all he could do not to growl or rage or smash something. Honey had to clench his fists to keep them still by his side and Sparkplug’s barely concealed look of sympathy sure as shit wasn’t helping any.
“Joel.” Elle said again, this time her tone brooking no nonsense when he stalled on answering her question.
“Okay, okay.” He breathed out a huff of irritation and Honey would have normally taken a perverse satisfaction at seeing someone else on the losing end of a battle of wills with Elle, but now the only thing he could feel was dread sinking like a lead weight in his stomach.
“The only way this plan works is if Damaris believes that the mole really is one of Viper’s lackeys. One of his core group. The only problem with the plan is that Damaris and the Nomads know everyone here. Everyone except you.”
“But yesterday, the attack here. Didn’t those men…” She trailed off, and Honey could see her throat work as she swallowed hard to keep her fear at bay, the same fear that he could see shining plain as day in her big, dark eyes.
“They were all too far away to get a good look at you,” Carla said softly, obviously still unsure of this plan too, but Joel had been right. They didn’t have a better one, and they were out of time.
“What about S–Scorpion?” Elle finally asked. Honey hated how small her voice sounded when she asked about the man who had grabbed her, had threatened her.
“I think I may be able to help with that.” Sparkplug said, “I can draw him away from the warehouse long enough to give you the time you need. No one knows you.”
“And once I’m done with you, no one would recognize you either,” Hot Wheels spoke up, her drawl thick as she directed a small smile towards Elle at the other woman’s look of confusion, “You didn’t think we were gonna send you in there in that ancient dress and a cardigan did you? For Christ’s sake, is that a cat embroidered on the front?” Hot Wheels peered at her, then shook her head, “No, that’s all gonna have to go. You look an extra from ‘Leave It To Beaver”. Don’t worry though, I’ll fix you right up. None of those assholes will ever doubt it.”
Honey noticed that Elle had turned a little green while Hot Wheels had talked, but he thought it had more to do with whatever Wheels had planned than the prospect of walking into a warehouse full of large, angry, rough bikers. There was no way he was going to let her go through with it.
“Excuse me?” Elle said, turning her angry gaze towards him and he groaned, realizing he must have just spoken out loud. But all he could do was continue on.
“I’m not going to let you get yourself killed.”
“I’m sorry, Honey. That’s not your choice to make.” Elle’s voice was hard as she spoke and he should have read the warning signs, should have backed off, but fear had him stepping forward anyways.
“Please, Elle. You don’t have to do this. We can figure out another way. There has to be another way.”
“There isn’t.” She shot back, still glaring at him but then she looked towards Joel, “This is our best shot, right? To stop what Damaris is planning? To save the farm? To save Carla?”
Joel flicked his gaze towards Honey as if asking for forgiveness but that was the furthest thing from his mind as his leader spoke. He could have murdered the man then and there if it would stop him from talking.
“It is, Elle. It’s the best chance to get out of this without anyone getting hurt.”
“What about Elle?!” Honey shouted, throwing his hand out, unable to keep his temper bottled up any longer, “She can’t do this, Joel. What if she gives herself away, what if she says something that tips him off? Do you really think Damaris is just gonna let her walk out of there once he figures it out? No. Absolutely not. I’m not letting this happen. You’ll just have to find another way.”
Honey was shaking by the time he’d finished his impassioned speech and he had to cross his hands over his chest to keep from reaching out and strangling someone. Preferably Joel for bringing up the dumb ass plan in the first place.
“I’ll do it.”
“What did you say?” Honey burst out, the words firing into the air and Elle flinched back but she didn’t look away as she spoke.
“I said, I’ll do it.” Her words were soft and full of a confidence that he knew was misplaced and that fear inside him grew, reaching out, turning his blood to ice.
“Elle, no. Please, don’t do this. You could get hurt, you could–.”
“And if I don’t, the people I love will get hurt. Don’t you understand?” Elle glanced around the table, shaking her head and Honey was sure she wasn’t even aware that she’d used the word love. For a second he wondered cynically if he was included in that group but shove the thought away. It hurt too much.
“I have to do this Honey.”
“No, you don’t. It’s real easy. You just say, ‘sorry, Joel. I’ve just realized how completely idiotic it would be to put myself in the hands of a power hunger leader of a notorious biker gang. I think I’ll just go home and have a nice cup of tea instead.” Honey sighed as frustration filled him but he fought to moderate his tone, “So how easy that was?”
“You are…You are an asshole, Honey.” Elle finally shot back and Honey was shocked, more at her use of profanity than the anger gleaming at him from the depths of her dark eyes. He didn’t think he’d ever heard her swear before and it took him aback. But before he could respond, she was already talking again.
“You really think that I would just leave my friends when they needed me most? Is that what you really think of me? That I’m weak? That I’m a coward?” She took a step forward, driving her finger into his chest so hard that he knew it would leave a bruise, “I don’t desert the people I care about, and sure as heck don’t go back on my word.”
“Well, you’re word is going to get you killed.”
“Fine then! At least it will be my choice!” With a growl of anger she spun on her heal, barely stopping to throw the words at Joel. “I’ll do it.” And then she was shoving open the office door and moment later had disappeared outside.
Honey looked hopelessly around the small room but only silence greeted him before he to turned to follow after her but he’d taken barely a step before a slight but strong hand pressed to his chest stopped him.
“Sugar, just give her a minute, okay?” Hot Wheels looked at him, understanding and sympathy shining in her pale green eyes and it was almost his undoing but he took a deep breath, and then leaned back a little. Maybe Hot Wheels was right. Maybe he should calm down a little before storming after her. The others were huddled together, hashing out the details of the plan, he assumed. The knowledge was a bitter pill to swallow and he looked away quickly.
“You really care about this girl, don’t you?” Hot Wheels asked, drawing his attention back down towards her. She was looking at him with her head tilted to one side, a sharp look in her eyes now. Honey shrugged.
“I love her.” He answered simply and those pale green eyes widened before nodding slowly.
“I thought so.” Hot Wheels grinned up at him, “I knew from the very first time that I saw you two together that that girl had you wrapped around her little finger. And damned if she didn’t want you there, despite all her protests. She’s different, Honey,” She said, her voice suddenly growing serious, “But that doesn’t make her weak. She’s about as strong a woman as I’ve ever met, and I’ve met my fair share. You didn’t see, but when she went up against Scorpion, she didn’t even flinch.”
Hot Wheels shook her head, looking inward for a moment before glancing up at him again, “Just, let me talk to her, okay? You stay in here and make sure they’re not planning anything too crazy for her, alright?”
After a long moment, Honey finally nodded, that weight still crushing him but he knew he could do more good for Elle in here than he could running all over the farm chasing after her. He had a feeling she wouldn’t exactly welcome him with open arms just then anyways.
“Just…Just tell her to be careful, okay?” He forced out the words and they sounded hoarse even to his own ears, but Hot Wheels just nodded solemnly before turning and leaving in the direction that Elle had went. He stared at the spot for a long time, lost in his own thoughts before finally jerking himself back to the present and walking over to where Joel and Carla, Tucker and Sparkplug were make the plan.
***
Elle didn’t know where she was going, she only knew that she had to get as far away from that office as she could. It had felt like the walls had been closing in on her. She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t think. Claustrophobia had hit her like a baseball bat to the solar plexus and all she’d been able to was run away. Escape.
The moment she was out the doors she already regretted her decision to go through with Joel’s insane plan. And it was insane, there was no doubt about that. Did he really think that she could pull this off? Make them believe that she’s some hardcore biker? She’d never even ridden on a motorcycle in her life.
She shook her head as she leaned against the side of the greenhouse, well out of sight of the office and slowly slid down to sit on the cooler that they used as a bench when it wasn’t in use elsewhere. Sometimes the farm seemed so peaceful, so quiet. Even after what had happened there yesterday with that thug Scorpion, it still had the power to calm her. Elle didn’t know if it was the open air or the acres of land that stretched for miles out ahead of her but it did.
Elle chuckled to herself. Who would have thought that Elle Watson would ever feel at peace at a marijuana farm? It was proof, to her at least, of just how far she’d come in the past year, and it made the mission ahead of her seem just a little bit less terrifying. A very little bit.
That’s where Hot Wheels found her a few minutes later. Elle was still sitting there, her eyes closed as she just breathed in the fresh air, marveling at the wonder of the moment, trying desperately not to think about what she’d just gotten herself into.
“Hey, sugar. That seat taken?” She asked, pointing to the right side of the cooler and Elle shook her head, scooting over a little bit to make room for the other woman.
“Are you here to talk me out of it too?” Elle asked after Hot Wheels was silent for too long. But she just shook her head, her white blond bob shaking with the movement.
“Hell no. I’m not going tell you what to do. I meant what I said. This is your choice and you have the right to make it. But I did want to tell you something.”
“What?” Elle looked over at her curiously.
“Just that, well, just don’t be too hard on Honey.” Hot Wheels shrugged as she spoke, “He’s scared out of what little wits he had to begin with because the woman he loves is putting herself in danger. He’s wrong, but he’s doing it because…well, because he loves you too much not to say anything. He wants to keep you safe. That’s all.”
“How do you know?”
“How do I know what?”
“How do you know,” Elle swallowed hard, “that he loves me? Did he tell you?”
“Oh that?” Hot Wheels snorted, waving her hand in the air as if to wave away a ridiculous question, “Yes, he did. But I knew long before he said the words. I told you, remember? That you have the power to hurt him. Well, when you love someone, that power goes both ways. Just try to remember that he’s only doing it because he cares about you, he’s not just trying to be a complete asshole.”
“Oh.” Elle said, knowing that her reply wasn’t particularly loquacious, but also not knowing what else in the world to say to Hot Wheels insights.
“Come on,” Hot Wheels said, rising to her feet and holding out a hand for Elle to take. “They’re figuring out the details of the plan, and we’ve got other work to do. Let’s go turn you into a bad ass biker chic.”
Elle snorted out a laugh, the first humor she’d felt since the attack yesterday and shaking her head, followed the other woman, trying to not to think too hard about what, exactly, Hot Wheels had planned for her.