Live Free (Lords of Mayhem 3)

“You got it, boss,” Moose stated as Hawk walked off and they followed him.

Tension crept into Rocky’s shoulders as he went on alert, paying attention to every shadow. He had not only his life on the line, but that of his brothers. They were silent as the prospect rushed out to open the gate to allow them through.

Twenty minutes later, they pulled into the spot where the buy would take place. The seedy back alley of the run-down apartment building smelled like piss and garbage. His nose burned and his muscles flexed as they waited in the darkness. The minute he and the boys arrived they had taken out all but one of the lights that lit up the alley. They stood a few feet in front of their bikes.

“Show time,” Hawk announced as a man dressed in black approached. A hood obscured his face.

“Think it’s the client or the dealer?” Shooter whispered.

“Doesn’t matter, both are fucked,” Moose answered. He cracked the knuckles on his massive hands.

Rocky rolled his shoulders and Hawk took the lead, appearing beneath the light in the center of the alley.

“Hey, man…you Ricky? You didn’t say you’d bring any friends.” The antsy man in the black hooded sweatshirt reached for his pocket.

Hawk snatched him up by his hoodie and slammed him into the wall. “No, motherfucker!” Hawk reached inside his pockets. A moment later a gun skittered across the ground, and bags of powder, pills and weed followed close behind. “Look what we have here.” Hawk held up a glass vial. “I’m Mayhem. You know you don’t deal in this territory.”

“Hey, man, I just do what I’m told,” the dealer said.

Hawk laughed. “You make shitty decisions. This one won’t cost you your life, but you shouldn’t press your luck.” Hawk delivered a blow to the man’s cheek that made Rocky wince. Blood spurted from the dealer’s mouth and his head whipped to the side.

“You tell your boss to remember the lines or we’ll pay him a personal visit.” Hawk delivered a punch to the dealer’s middle section, doubling him over. “Give me a name and I might let you skate by with less injuries.”

The dealer coughed. “You know I can’t do that.” He clutched his stomach and stared at the ground.

“Another bad decision,” Hawk muttered. “Boys, work him over.” Hawk stepped back and crossed his arms as they moved forward, raining blows down on the poor fuck who had decided to pollute their space with poison.

Rocky was no stranger to violence, and this gave him a sick sense of vindication. Drugs had stolen much of his life away. Right now, he was making sure in some small way they wouldn’t do the same for others.

They stepped away a few minutes later and the dealer slid to the ground.

“Now tell me what you’re going to tell your boss,” Hawk said with a growl.

“Mayhem ain’t happy.”

“Damn straight. Remember this ass whooping the next time you’re about to come deal in Mayhem territory. These streets are clean and they’re going to stay that way.” Hawk stepped away. “Our job is done here, boys.” He nudged the dealer with the toe of his boots. “Isn’t it?”

“Jesus, yes, yes.”

Hawk nodded. “I’ll be taking your weapons with me. You’ve already proved you don’t know what’s good for you.”

They strolled back to their bikes and Rocky couldn’t help but wonder if they’d just started up a war.

“You think they’re going to go balls to the wall over this?” Shooter asked.

“Don’t know. This is the first time they’ve ever done anything. They could be testing the waters, trying to catch us with our pants down or they’re already soldiered up, ready to attack,” Hawk replied.

“They’ve always been pussies, so this sudden shift doesn’t make sense,” Shooter noted.

“It’s not like we’re on friendly terms. Might be time to look into their leadership. Maybe there was a shift in the hierarchy,” Moose suggested.

“Damn. I’ll get some of the newer prospects on that tomorrow. No one will know their faces, so they can move undetected,” Hawk said. The situation could go sideways fast. They knew the old leader Rip well. Throwing a new person in the mix could very well change the entire set and the way they did things.

“When it rains, it fucking pours,” Shooter commented, his voice grim.

“No shit, brother,” Moose added as they climbed onto their bikes.

“We’ll call a meeting first thing tomorrow. I think it’s time we schedule church on a larger scale. The shit coming our way requires backup. We’ll send a call out to the charters and move the lockdown to the cabins.” Hawk fired up his bike, ending the conversation and they rode out.