Page 10 of Ariel's Ruin

I take the leaflet from my mom’s hand. “And that’s what you do? Make sure they get fixed?”

“Yes, among other things we also run a Trap-Neuter-Release program,” the woman explains. “Have you ever heard of that?”

I nod. “It’s when you catch them, spay or neuter them, clip their ear and then release them.”

“Precisely,” she says. “We also search for feral cat communities so we can feed them and make sure they live their best life out in the wild.”

“That’s very nice,” my mom says.

“We’re actually running a large-scale trap party this weekend to get as many as we can neutered. We have vets flying in to do the procedures and everything. Would you guys like to help out?”

She hands us a different leaflet that just lists the importance of the TNR program and a date, time and venue of the event.

“I don’t…” my mom starts saying.

“Yes, I’d love to help and I’m sure my mom would too,” I say. “We’ll be there.”

My mom is smiling again, that hopeful light back in her eyes as she looks at me. And I’m excited too.

“It’s going to be so much fun,” Mom says after the shelter lady—Tanya—gives us all the info that I already read off the leaflet.

“It will.”

I know why she’s beaming like this. It’s because I haven’t shown any interest in doing anything except stay home and help around the yard for a very long time.

Fact is, I surprised myself too. But I suddenly really wanted to help those poor abandoned animals that no one wants live their best life. And I haven’t actually wanted anything in a very long time.

5

Ruin

After I dropped Ariel off, I spent the rest of the night just riding. Clear until dawn. Thinking about nothing and everything until the whirlwind just took me under and I couldn’t stand being awake and sentient a moment later.

I should’ve just kissed Ariel instead of getting all philosophical with her. It’s all I’ve wanted to do since I first laid eyes on her. But I missed my chance last night and who knows when I’ll get another. Probably never.

And on top of all that, we were woken for a meeting with our Sarge Rook and intel guy Hawk at barely ten past eight AM. I can hardly keep from yawning, and I’d still rather not be in touch with my thoughts.

It’s just Edge, me and the three suspected of being snitches and we’re sitting in the small meeting room at the clubhouse. Only Edge seems marginally awake, I’m pretty sure Fossil is sleeping even though his eyes are open, and Bane and Archer look catatonic.

“Our last mission to take out the leaders of the war against us was successful,” Rook is saying. “But there’s talk that a guy named Joker, the leader of Lost Sons MC will be taking over the alliance, or whatever you want to call it.”

“What’s that got to do with us?” Bane snaps.

Rook shoots him a dirty look. “We want you five to trail him, report back on what you find out and make sure he’s no threat.”

“Can we put a bullet in the back of his head?” Archer asks. “That way he’s no threat for sure.”

Bane laughs at that and Edge cracks a grin.

Rook shakes his head. “We’re letting this play out. So don’t touch him. Just observe him. We wanna know where he hangs out, who he’s talking to and most importantly where he is at all times.”

“This is bullshit,” Fossil snaps. Clearly, he wasn’t asleep like I thought. “Why ain’t you taking us to with you to Texas?”

I have no idea when Bane, Archer and Fossil reached this level of insubordination. This is the Sarge they’re talking to, and a vein in the side of Rook’s forehead is pulsing wildly, but that’s the only indication that he’s upset. Because our Sarge is the calmest, most collected guy I’ve ever met. Nothing fazes him. Ever. But I guess traitors in our midst might be one of those things that does.

“What gave you the idea you can question orders?” he hisses at Fossil who looks back at him defiantly. Either he’s still drunk from last night or he’s totally derailed. Bane and Archer look a little cowed though.

“What he means is that we’re killers,” Bane says, almost apologetically. “Meaning we’re most useful to the MC as killers. Not stalkers or whatever this is.”

---