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Terrance “Boomer” Wilder hissed as he sat down on the only chair left at the abandoned garage in Jasper. When he ran from the warehouse, he’d come back here through the back streets and side alleyways. He didn’t know how many men Gunner brought with him but he’d been surprised when they got there so fast.
He should have known Gunner wouldn’t come alone, he thought for sure he had more time to get his trap set up. Damn that man! How had he known where to find them?
Boomer stripped off his jacket and saw the big red stain on his t shirt. He knew a bullet had grazed him when he ran from the warehouse but he couldn’t exactly stop and check it out. The bottom right side of his shirt was soaked with his blood and now an hour after he’d been hit, he checked see the damage.
Some of the blood had dried and when he went to pull off his shirt, he winced as the shirt ripped open the wound. His skin there felt on fire and started bleeding again. Boomer groaned and muttered, “That lousy fucking bastard. I’m gonna enjoy killing him.”
He stumbled to the filthy bathroom and ran the water until it was warm. It came out of the spigot brown and smelly but as it ran, it cleared up a little. It wasn’t real clear when he began bathing his big belly to wash off the blood that stained it. Boomer hissed as the water hit his torn skin but he didn’t stop. He continued to bathe his belly and finally he shut the water off and using his shirt he dried off his belly.
He moved back to the chair and began checking out his wound. The graze was clean but slowly oozing blood. Boomer dug around in his duffel till he found the gauze, ripped the package open and formed a bandage big enough to cover the wound. Pulling the tape out, he taped the gauze to his hairy belly and groaned when the tape pulled at his hair.
He snarled and threw his arm over the table clearing it off of what medical supplies were there. “Damn it to hell.” He swore. Looking around the dirty stained garage, he spoke aloud. “I should be in a clubhouse with my own men around me instead of this dump, alone and on the run. How the hell did my life get so fucked up?” He crawled over to his makeshift bed and laid down. He was tired and sore but he knew he couldn’t leave here yet, he had to wait until it was dark so as not to be seen by too many people. He didn’t want to be remembered if he could help it.
But he knew how. Boomer pursed his lips and thought back to the day his life fell apart. It was the day when he’d called a judgement on Antony Mann. He hated Mann and wanted any excuse to get rid of him. Then his club had been busted by the FBI. While the others were hunting down the traitor in his group he put the blame on Mann right from the get go. He knew deep down he wasn’t the traitor but Boomer just wanted him gone. The man just rubbed him the wrong way.
He then made a production out of his death and he made the man’s family as well as the club watch. This was his way of making sure no one else in the club went against him. He knew it was harsh but Boomer wanted absolute control over his club, so he did what he had to do.
Then the bastard’s oldest kid stabbed him and Boomer slit his throat before he realized the boy was just striking out in his own anger. But it wasn’t the slain child he had to fear now, but the younger brother, the one who’d been caught up in his mother’s arms after everything was said and done.
Ricky Mann, A.K.A. Endo. He was all grown up now and hunting down the men who stood there and let Boomer murder his dad and older brother.
It took Boomer a long time to put things together. With the time he spent recovering from his own attack, he’d had nothing else to think about. He remembered those eyes when the knife sliced him open. The hate and rage he felt pulsing from the kid as it washed over him.
Boomer looked around the garage and curled his lip. He’d tracked that little bastard down and came here to take him out but, instead he found his son and in turn he’d found DeeDee and her daughters. Oh, he knew the girls were hers right off the bat. The one from Moss Bluff looked just like his own mother. Then he heard through the grapevine that Gunner had his son killed for no good reason. He peddled flesh, so what?
What did that Jett say once he woke up? Gunner didn’t even vote in the Tribunal? That didn’t make sense. As President, he should have been the one voice that counted. Unless this club was whack?
Boomer was beginning to drift off to sleep but he shook his head trying to remain awake as his thoughts kept running in his mind. No, what Gunner did was sentence his kid to die, tied in the woods for wild pigs to feast on. His hands curled into fists when he thought about it. There was nothing left of his son to bury as wild pigs never left anything behind. If the wild pigs didn’t get Blacky, the wolves would have. Either way, there was nothing left of his son to say he was even here, to show that he’d ever lived... except for the memories he left behind.
And for that alone, Gunner would die by his hands and Boomer would destroy his MC. Dammit, if it was the last thing in this life he ever did he’d make sure Gunner died by his own hand. For now, he was stuck here but he wouldn’t be here for long. As soon as it was dark, he would be free to move around the city as the shadows of the night hide a lot of sins.
He didn’t try getting up to check things out, as he knew he would be safe. No one knew where he was and therefore, they would not be looking for him, so he allowed himself to sleep some. He was safe for now anyway, how long that lasted was up to him.
Gunner, Cobra and Boone watched and waited while two separate teams left the compound to search the two sites Dana had told them about. The men wore trackers, so they could be seen on Rigger’s monitors.
DeeDee spent the morning telling them all of what she could remember about her uncle including what he was like as an MC leader. His road name was Boomer and from all accounts, he was a real bastard.
Dana remembered other things about the old man and told them Boomer’s bike was always hidden about a block or so away from where he stayed at the garage, as he didn’t want anyone to know he was there. He always parked it in the same place which was under a raised deck at the back of a house a block away from the old garage.
Gypsy and Tramper rode past the abandoned house Dana pointed out and sure enough, when they drove through the overgrown driveway to the back of the house, they saw a bike under the deck.
Tramper grabbed his phone and called it in to Gunner.
“Yeah, what did you find?”
“The bike is where Dana said it would,” Tramper told him. When he described it to Gunner, Dana confirmed it belonged to the old man.
“I want you to disable it, so if he gets past us he can’t use it,” Gunner instructed. “Then I want you and Gypsy to find a place to watch the garage without being seen. I’ll send a few more brothers over there to help you.”
“You got it,” Tramper replied.
It didn’t take him long to disable Boomer’s ride and find an out of the way spot to watch the garage and the bike. The Texas sun was hot that afternoon but nothing they weren’t used too. Tramper noted he wasn’t alone, although no one from the team had checked in with him. Gunner had texted him to let him know everyone was in place. They just needed Boomer to make the first move.
It was late afternoon when they saw movement in the garage. Everyone was alerted as they saw the back door open and Boomer stood there in the doorway, bold as brass.
Gunner himself watched from where he was hidden as the other man stepped out into the fading sunlight.
Boomer walked slowly, not seeming to be in any kind of a hurry.
Gunner sneered at the man, as he got closer to where he was standing.
Boomer passed him and walked down the alley to where his bike was parked. He dragged the bike out from under the deck and tried to start it.
Gunner grinned when the engine didn’t start. He watched, as the other man got angry and began looking over his bike to find the reason it wouldn’t start. But Gunner knew Tramper well enough to know he wouldn’t find the reason anytime soon. Tramper was a whiz as a mechanic.
Gunner’s grin widened as he read the anger growing when Boomer couldn’t find out why his bike wouldn’t start. He gave the signal for the men to stay back, he knew they had to be careful. Boomer was more than likely armed and when you trap a monster with nowhere to run, he’ll fight to the death every time. They all knew this and Gunner didn’t want any of his men to get hurt.
Then Boomer seemed to figure out what was wrong, and he then looked around the area carefully. Fixing the problem, he got on his bike and took off down the main street of town.
Gunner signaled his men to follow him.
Their men would follow and set up the capture of Boomer.
He got into a truck with Cobra driving and they made their way to the road leading toward the warehouse.
After Cobra parked the truck, the wait began.
A short time later, bikes began rolling in along with another truck.
Gunner looked over at Cobra and smiled. “Showtime.”
Cobra rubbed his hands together. “Good, cause I owe that bastard for Jett.”
They both watched as several men dragged Boomer’s unconscious bloody body into the warehouse. They had done to him what he’d done to Jett. Ran him off the road. Boomer looked a little worse for wear but he was still alive.
He and Cobra watched as his men zip tied his wrists together and hung him from the same hook he’d hung Jett on.
Then Gunner’s phone pinged and he dug it out of his pocket. When he read the message, he swore and looked over at Cobra. “My men just found Scorpion. They circled by the shack and they found him inside, tied up and unconscious.”
“What the hell? He’s been a busy boy, huh? But what does he want with Scorpion?” Cobra asked.
Both men looked over at Boomer.
“Scorpion thinks Boomer is related to him and he wants his due,” explained him.
“Is he still alive?” Cobra wanted to know.
“Yeah but apparently, Boomer beat the hell out of him and left him to die,” Gunner stated.
Cobra turned his head slowly to look at the unconscious man hanging from the hook. “This fucker has a lot to answer for doesn’t he?”
“And we’re just the men to ask the questions.” Gunner growled.
Jett slept most of the afternoon with Dana sitting beside him.
When DeeDee brought her lunch, Dana smiled at her mom but couldn’t meet her eyes as she muttered, “Thank you.” She still had a lot to make up for and she wasn’t quite sure how to do it.
When she looked back up at Jett, she noticed his eyes were open. He held out his hand.
When she took, it he pulled her closer. “Lay with me,” he whispered.
She sat her plate down, got up, and moved onto the bed. He moved over to the very edge of the bed and let her crawl in beside him. She snuggled in and laid her head on his chest but didn’t move around too much as she knew he was injured. As soon as his arms wrapped around her, she felt the calm envelope her.
She turned her face into him and breathed deeply. Inhaling his scent, she closed her eyes. Her heart beat a little faster and his heartbeat was echoing in her ear.
“Settle down girl,” he whispered in her ear. “This isn’t the time or the place, we can’t act on that yet.”
Dana groaned, but she tried to calm herself down.
He brushed his lips on her temple. “Soon, but not just yet.”
“You’re driving me crazy. I hope you know that,” she whispered back.”
“Good, because I’m hanging here by a thread. Why should I be the only one suffering?” He chuckled in her ear.
His hot breath and the deep sound of his low laughter brought goosebumps to her arms. Soon, his breathing evened out and she knew he was sleeping again. She leaned up on her elbow and looked at him closely. His skin felt warm under her fingertips as she ran them down his chest to his belly. She didn’t dare go any further but she wanted to. Oh, she really wanted to but like he said....they didn’t dare, not here, not yet.
She didn’t know why he believed in her but she was so very glad he did. He had given her the strength to do what she had to do. She knew she had some work to do yet to redeem herself in the club but now she had the power and the will to make the amends she needed to make. Maybe someday, she would earn back her place, but she was more than willing to share it with her sister and her mother. She hoped she would get the chance to know them both.
She closed her eyes for what seemed like just moments then felt the cold steel of a blade press down on her neck. Her eyes snapped open but she couldn’t turn her head as the blade pressed deeper.
“You stupid little bitch,” a voice whispered in her ear. “I should end everyone’s pain and just slit your throat. You would deserve nothing less for betraying me.”
She turned her head slowly and felt a drop of blood run down her throat as the blade cut her skin. Her eye met the blazing hatred in his gaze as she recognized his face. It looked the same except for the insanity in his eyes. “How are you still alive?” she whispered.
“I had to fight for the right to live and now... so will you.” Blacky snarled at her as he spoke in a hushed tone. “They tied me to a fucking tree and cut me, hoping the smell of my blood would draw the beasts. Only problem they made was not sticking around to make sure the beasts came. I managed to break free when the first animal showed up. He bit through the rope and I fought it off. I survived by sheer guts and my own will but you won’t. I’ll make sure of that.”
“What are you going to do?” she whispered fearfully.
“You are coming with me,” Blacky said in a low whisper. “You wake him up and I’ll kill him.” He motioned his head to Jett. “You alert anyone else that I’m here, and I’ll make sure to slit your throat before they even get near us. So you will die first. You and me are going for a walk. Get up.”
Dana got up quietly and carefully without waking Jett. She didn’t dare look at him, instead she kept her eyes on Blacky. She noted his clothes were drenched in dried and fresh blood and he now walked with a limp.
He grabbed her wrist and pulled it up high behind her back till she whimpered in pain. Blacky quickly put his hand over her mouth and whispered at her to shut the hell up.
He pushed her down the hall and out the back door. They kept to the shadows until they reached the fence line.
She noted Blacky had already cut a hole in the chain link just big enough to slither through. They disappeared into the trees just beyond the compound.
Dana looked back one last time and was saddened to think she might not make it back this time. She would never get to redeem herself, never have the man she loved, never see her family again.