“That I ride with you. It's been way too fucking long since I had any action. I dare you to say I'm too fucking old.”
I take the diplomatic route out. “I'm leaving that up to Viking. It's his crew.”
“I'd be honored, pres. We ride to Valhalla if we must.”
Eagle-eye shakes his head. “Well, here's hoping that won't be needed.”
“Why not all of us?” someone asks, echoed by most of the club.
“Because you fuckers have to lock down the club house and keep it protected. If Hawthorne shows up with his squad while we're out, you guys are the last line. Put watch on the cannons. Keep the gates locked and the electricity on. It might not happen while we're out, but it's going to happen soon. We're taking a chance here, but something tells me that Hawthorne's little girl is the one who can get us out of this mess. Until then, we fight until we're no longer standing. Read me?”
Eagle-eye's met with a “Fuck yeah!” that raises the roof.
Then he turns to me. “When do we ride?”
I glance at my watch. It's getting late, but this has to happen in the dead of night. Just like the first time we visited Hawthorne's estate and made off with Emily.
“In about three hours.”
We're coming for you, Emily.
36
WILD CHILD
Two in the morning. No moon. There were streetlights, but some drunk teens happily took some fifties to take out some of them with rocks. Kids after my own heart. Didn't ask any questions, just went and did it. And now the street around the entrance to Hawthorne's is dark as fuck, other than a couple of lights right by the gate.
They'll have those lights fixed by tomorrow night in this neighborhood, as opposed to never around the club house, but that's more than enough time to make this happen, or royally fuck it up.
We're not going to fuck it up.
Hero gives me a thumbs up from down the street. Our bikes are there, under a tarp. Rolling them the last bit so no one would hear us is about as fucking humiliating as it gets when your mantra is to ride free, but we'll do anything for Emily.
He comes over and we make our way up the dark street towards where King is watching.
“I'd expected guards out here.” I'm fucking wired, looking around. So on fucking edge. More than I've been since before I met Emily. She's my fucking relaxant and stimulant at the same time. More than anything, she makes me feel stable. I'm so fucking ready to make trouble. Hell, we all are.
“Emily's mom said they'd all be inside the fence,” says Hero. “Property values or some such shit. The neighbors don't want cops all up and down their street. And new cameras have been put up.”
“I'll have to make sure I smile pretty, then.”
“Shut up. Someone's going to fucking hear you,” hisses King.
A rumbling sounds down the street, loud and raucous. Viking switched out the muffler with a real rumbler, just for tonight. Quick work, but he was fucking motivated. Emily's earned a lot of respect in her short time at the club. And most people would be amazed at what we'll do for people we respect.
As the bikes approach, the rumble turns to a growl that echoes off the walls around the gated estate. Lights are turning on and shapes coming out on balconies. Hopefully, their noise will distract from what we're doing.
At least long enough for us to get Emily out.
The light in one of the upstairs rooms flickers twice. The signal. King nods. “Cameras should be out, at least for a while. Give it another minute and see if Mama Hawthorne lives up to her promise.”
“Aye, capitan!” I whisper as I make him a salute.
“Fuck off.”
I laugh softly. He's been telling me to fuck off for about as long as I can remember, and I keep giving him reason to.
Hero cradles his fingers to give me a foothold. Still grinning at King, I put my foot in it and wait. Nothing before the signal. Unless the signal doesn't come and we have to fight our way in.
But then, on the dot one minute after the signal, a horrible scream is yelled on the opposite end of the estate, followed by what sounds like gunshots. Holy shit, that was more dramatic than I expected. I just gained some respect for Emily’s mom.
“Ready?” hisses Hero.
“Go!” I hiss back, then I jump. Hardly needed to. With that ridiculous strength of his, Hero nearly flings me over the wall, rather than just to the top of it. I land quietly, wobble a sec, then peer into the massive yard for signs of guards or guard dogs. If there are any, they're all over investigating the noise.
King's boosted next. He's a heavy motherfucker, but Hero gets him high enough to grab the top of the wall. With a little help, we get him up. Then Hero jumps and we both catch his hands. Somehow we manage to pull him over while he walks up the wall, rather than him pulling us off.