Reprisal (Tidals & Anchors MC 2)

I unscrewed the cap off of my bottle and took a healthy swig. "So it is" seemed to be the favorite saying of the Raders. I put my bottle down and looked at Leon who was glancing out the kitchen window. His bottle was held firmly between both of his hands and he had a sad look on his face.

"We're gonna find him," I promised quietly.

He nodded and used his thumb to wipe away tears that were forming in his eyes.

"Yeah, I know."

"Then what's the matter?" I asked, taking another swig of my beer.

"I know what the MC thinks of me; it's the same thing my boy does. A lot of it isn't true, but I never got the chance to make things right with him, you know? I just let him go on believing that I was this worthless piece of shit that Pardon made me out to be and I never bothered to correct it. That’s eaten away at me for years, Dallas. Now I don't know if I'll ever get the chance to make it right with him," he finished with a heavy sigh.

"I already told you that we're going to find him. Alive. I won't let my best friend die over some setup."

"Hm." Leon's face wore a sad smile and I could tell that he didn't know what to believe. I knew in my heart that I was telling him the truth. Finding Swing alive was our number one priority and we weren't going to stop until we did.

"Nero was always a tough kid, you remember that," I continued. "I don't think I ever saw him cry and we took a lot of bumps as kids. Come to think of it, the only time I've ever seen him show that kind of emotion was when Harold died and that probably lasted about five minutes after he got the phone call telling him."

Leon nodded, but didn't say anything. It didn't surprise him that Swing showed emotion for Harold and not him. It was, after all, like he said; most of what the newest members of the MC knew about Leon was what Pardon told them. Even the existing members who were still in Tidals & Anchors, wouldn't dare step up to the plate and call Pardon out on his lies.

My phone rang in my pocket, taking my attention away from Leon. I reached into my jeans pocket and glanced at it.

“Fuck, I gotta take this. Sorry,” I said to him as I got to my feet and walked outside. I managed to answer the phone on what I felt would’ve been the last ring. “Tell me something good, man.”

“I haven’t found him, but I think I’ve got something just as good,” Red replied.

“Alright.”

“On a hunch, I decided to go by Leon’s old work place. You know, the one that Swing uses for marks and shit? Dallas, it looked like a crime scene. There was blood almost all over the place and some drag marks on the ground, kinda like we saw at his place in Poulsbo. But you remember that creepy home movie that chick with the mask made? That same mask was there with a bullet hole in it,” he said excitedly.

At first I didn’t understand what had him so amped about finding a bloodbath and a mask with a bullet hole in it.

“I don’t get it, Red,” I replied bluntly.

“Swing is still alive. He has to be. Who else knew about that place but us and the MC? And to find that same mask there? No fucking way it’s a coincidence.”

“Take Honest and go back. I’ll meet you guys there in ten minutes,” I said, before I hung up.

I went back into the house to find Leon was still sitting at the table where I left him, staring off into space.

“Think he’ll be happy to see me?” he asked, before I could say anything.

“Swing? Hell yes. We just gotta find him first. I got a good lead just now too. I’m gonna go take a look. I’ll call you if I find anything.”

“Dallas,” Leon said in a voice that stopped me as I reached the door again.

“Yeah?” I asked, turning to glance at him.

“Before this is all over, I’m going to make sure Pardon dies a slow, painful death,” he said giving me a level stare.

“I’m alright with that, old man,” I lied, as I turned and left Leon sitting in his home.

I can’t let them kill my father. I just have to find Swing and talk some sense into him.

Four

Alaska

I was sitting in my office with my hands clasped behind my head. A yawn escaped me and I glanced over at the leather couch that Swing was sleeping on. I didn't want to keep him housed at Femme Fatale, but I had finished trying to fix him a little while ago and decided it would be best for him to get some rest before I moved him again. I wasn't sure where the hell I was going to put him, but I couldn't let him stay here.