SAVAGE ROAD - Layne & Shelby (10 page)

15.

(Layne)

Metal to the pavement, the sick
sound of crashing. Engines were rumbling, dying out. My right leg and shoulder were
torn apart by the ground. I rolled and rolled, seeing the same sight over and
over. Motorcycles crashed, black cars controlling the entire scene.

It all happened so fast.

I put my hands to the ground and
started to push, determined to fight through the pain and get to my gun. The
time to kill
…
was now
…

The back door to the car opened.

Then the trunk.

I sat a black shoe, black pants.

Then something hit the back of my
head, smashing my face into the pavement.

Good-fucking-night.

*PART
TWO*

1.

(Layne)

I heard my breathing, which meant I
was alive. Everything else around me, dark and cold, left me wondering how long
I would remain alive. Good news was that I didn
’
t
think I was buried alive. That was relief. That was a real shit way to go, alone
with your thoughts, air running out, then death.

I moved my neck. Yeah, it fucking
hurt, but at least I could move my neck.

“
Hey,
hey, look. He
’
s moving
again.
”

The voice was rich, thick, deep.

I turned my head in the direction
of the voice.

“
Wait
a second,
”
a second voice
said. This one a little more high pitched.
“
It
’
s my turn. Remember? We
’
re keeping score, boss. We
’
re keeping score.
”

Keeping score?

A second later there was a thud,
pain, and I started to fall.

Without being able to see, the
intense sensation of falling off a cliff rippled through my body. I shook,
tried to scream, but then hit cold concrete a moment later.

I heard laughing.

Then I heard nothing.

Back to fucking nothing.

2.

(Shelby)

There was a dead body on the pool
table and bar full of guys. I stood in limbo, my eyes half looking and waiting
to see Layne come through the door. But he hadn
’
t
come through the door and there was no sign of him.

Someone had ambushed the MC on
their ride back from meeting with the Mountain Killers. Black cars (like the
one that rolled up and killed Jack) sped at the guys, making them all drop
their rides. Then they took Layne.

Just thinking it made me shiver
with fear.

They took Layne.

Who?

Finn came barreling at the bar with
a map in his hand. He opened it and spread it across the bar, knocking drinks
over and out of the way. Alcohol seeped into the corners of the map, actually
making it stick to the bar.

“
We
don
’
t fucking need this
right now,
”
Finn growled.
“
There
’
s too much shit all around Oakville. This is a
goddamn message to the rest of us.
”

“
What
do we do?
”
Brett asked.
“
Just sit around and wait?
”

“
Maybe
doing nothing is the best,
”
Ax said, his deep voice almost shaking the bar. 
“
If
they want us to come fight for our new President
…”

“
But
who?
”
Hawke asked.

“
Where
’
s Mack?
”
Rylan asked.
“
Still
on the gate?
”

“
Yeah,
”
Finn said.
“
That
’
s where he belongs.
”

“
Jesus,
”
Ransom said.
“
That
’
s risky. He
’
ll
be trigger happy.
”

“
He
doesn
’
t have a gun,
”
Finn said. He ran his finger
along the map.

“
Wait
a second,
”
Brett said.
“
You have a prospect guarding the
compound without a gun? After his best friend was just killed?
”

Finn made a fist and slammed it to
the bar. It ripped the map at the top center fold.

That
’
s
when Finn set his eyes on me.
“
And
where were you.
”

“
I
took a break,
”
I said.
“
I went to check on the dogs.
”

“
Who
told you to do that?
”

“
Nobody.
I just wanted to see them.
”

Finn shook his head.
“
What else?
”

“
A
black car pulled up and started to turn. Then it stopped. There was a gun,
shots, and I dropped down to protect myself. By the time I got up, the car was
speeding away.
”

“
You
didn
’
t get the plates? You
didn
’
t see anything?
”

“
No.
I wasn
’
t
…
I
…”

“
Fucking
hell,
”
Finn growled.
“
What good is anyone around here?
That
’
s the President of
this MC out there. Fucking missing. Fucking taken.
”

“
Why
didn
’
t you shoot at whoever
stole him?
”
I asked,
instantly regretting it.

“
Jesus,
”
Hawke whispered. He reached for
Finn but then pulled back.

“
Easy
now,
”
Ax said and put a
hand to Finn
’
s shoulder.

Finn just stared at me. His
nostrils flared.
“
You think
just because you suck his cock you can talk to me like that? Remember who the
fuck you are. Remember your fucking position in this clubhouse.
”
Finn took out his gun and
placed it on the bar.
“
I
feel like making you swallow this. I
’
ll
fucking fill your mouth, Shelby.
”

“
Okay,
”
Brett said.
“
Let
’
s all just take a second here. Take a breath, okay?
Just
…”

“
Shut
up, Brett,
”
Finn said. He
took his gun back. His eyes were still locked to mine.
“
How are we going to find him?
”

“
You
’
re asking me?
”
I asked.
“
I don
’
t know. I don
’
t
know how to do any of this.
”

“
Then
your opinion means shit.
”

I backed away from the bar.

Finn went right back to work. He
was mean, an asshole, but he was smart. Within a minute, he had a search perimeter.
The location where they had been attacked had no surrounding area for Layne to
be taken. Going ten or so miles east was a part of Oakville that had been
abandoned. A large logging company had shut its doors during the last economic
collapse. The factories, equipment, everything had just been left as-is. The
mayor of Oakville, along with the PD, let it rot as a dirty little secret of
the town. The so-called officials in town were more focused on the southern
part of Oakville. Where they were - and could continue - developing residential
living, along with commercial and retail locations. It was more lucrative
because of the location to the highways that could take residents down into
California for business travel and leisure.

It was all business and politics.

Hell, even right here at the bar
with the MC was the same damn things. Except instead of using handshakes and
fake smiles, Devil Call MC used handguns and hard punches.

“
If
we go too far north or too far east,
”
Finn said,
“
we
’
ll bump into the Mountain
Killers. They
’
re definitely
upset right now. Probably planning a way to come after us.
”

“
Fuck,
”
Hawke said.
“
If we run into them without
Layne
…”

“
Not
going to happen,
”
Finn
said.

“
What
’
s the plan then?
”
Ax said.
“
We
’
re
wasting time.
”

“
Says
the guy who wants to leave Layne hanging,
”
Brett said.

Ax lifted a left fist and swung
forward. The
smack
off Brett
’
s
face sent him flying to the floor.

“
Whoa!
”
Hawke yelled. He grabbed a beer
bottle and smashed it off the edge of the bar. He faced Ax and nodded.
“
Come on, you big fuck. Come on.
”

Ax went after Hawke. Hawke swiped
the broken bottle left to right, slashing the air.

“
Are
you going to stop this?
”
I
asked Finn.

He shook his head.
“
Not my problem. I
’
m not the President.
”
He looked up from the map at
me.
“
He still hasn
’
t picked a VP. So I
’
m just a patched in member.
”

“
Finn,
”
I said.
“
We all need him. Alive. Well.
”

“
Why?
You need a cock, baby? I
’
ve
got one. We
’
ve had our fun
…
right?
”

Hence my one rule to not fuck a
biker
…
even
though I broke it for you, Finn. And for Layne.

“
The
last President was taken and killed,
”
I said.
“
And now Layne is
missing. What do you think is going to happen next?
”

“
You
’
re talking like a member,
Shelby.
”

“
I
’
ve been around long enough. I
’
ve seen enough.
”
I leaned closer to Finn.
“
I know enough.
”

“
Is
that a threat? Going to run to Daddy on us?
”
Finn then grinned.
“
Hey,
does Layne know
…”

“
Stop,
”
I said.
“
Stop.
”

“
No,
no. He doesn
’
t know, does
he? About your Daddy
…”

“
Shut
up.
”

Finn
’
s
hand came flying across the bar at me. I don
’
t
know what he was going for but I jumped back. Not far enough though; Finn
grabbed my wrist and twisted.

“
First,
you don
’
t talk to me that
way,
”
Finn growled.
“
You want to earn that privilege,
get on your knees and make your mouth of use. Second, you have to tell Layne
about who you are. You don
’
t
want me to do it first. And third
…”
Finn stood up.
“
I
’
ll fucking find him. I
’
ll bring him back here safely. I
’
ll make sure he can bend you
over and fill you with whatever you need.
”

Finn then pushed my wrist away. I
jumped back and grabbed my wrist. I watched as Finn took the map and tossed it
aside. He looked at the pool table, where Jack lay, dead.

“
Ax,
”
Finn yelled.

Ax had Hawke on the ground, holding
him by his shirt. Hawke was slicing up Ax
’
s
arm pretty good with the broken beer bottle.

The fight ended with Finn
’
s words. Ax stood up. I leaned
over the bar to see what Hawke looked like. A little blood on his face but
nothing too bad. He got lucky. Ax could have easily killed him.

“
Take
Jack
’
s body somewhere,
”
Finn said.
“
Then everyone gear up for a
ride. We
’
re just going to
hit the streets and go. We don
’
t
stop until we find Layne.
”

“
Hey,
”
Ransom said.
“
We keep talking about black
cars, right? You don
’
t
think
…
I mean, they usually
stay away. Right?
”

The clubhouse started to fall
silent.

Finn looked around. He looked back
at me. Then he was lost in thought.
“
Christ.
Anyone here have debts that need to be paid?
”

Everyone started to glare at each
other, waiting to see who was going to admit something.

“
Why
would that matter?
”
I
asked.

Finn
’
s
eyes locked with mine again.
“
Because,
Shelby, if it
’
s who I think
it is
…
we
’
re in big trouble. This isn
’
t some fucking group of bikers.
This isn
’
t even the fucking
authorities. It
’
s deeper.
It
’
s connected. It
’
s the goddamn mafia
…”