Page 13 of The Queen's Joker

Letha shifts the cameras slightly in our favor and we get the text that it is go time. We move fluidly with no stumbles or hiccups. The building is an old furniture building warehouse. The bottom floor is all storage, including old machinery and utility storage. There are several ways to get to the main floor as we move the old metal framed window in the basement, trying to make as little noise as possible. There are several that have broken over time and the years of neglect show from being abandoned. This part of the country used to be booming, but several large companies went belly up and the old buildings became virtually useless.

The window lets out a creek and a small pop fills the air. The window gives way and folds inward. We slowly lower it inside, setting it on the ground. One by one, we ease inside; the place smells like mildew and musty dampness. Cobwebs line abandoned wood chair frames and every corner of this place. Queen and I move to the center and motion the men to climb the old machine that transported materials down from the top floor. This was where they would insert the puck bombs along the walls before going under the two rooms. Whatever is in there will fall through when it’s all said and done. Queen and I move to the far end of the building. “Queenie and Joker,” Letha says through our earpieces. “There are five people. Two are sitting, three are standing, all watching out the window currently. One man is in the bathroom. When he gets back, I will signal.”

Queen locks eyes with me and nods. We moved and located the small staircase from the maintenance room that goes to the basement. We should be safe from the blast there. After all, it used to be a tornado shelter zone for employees. Queen and I stand in the closet amongst the leftover cleaning supplies and a random assortment of tools; we are both rigid and alert, waiting for the signal. My mind goes to Ace, King, and Jack. Not knowing what is happening on that end makes me slightly twitchy, wanting to know how things are shaping up. Letha is our eyes in the sky, so we trust her and focus on keeping our mouths shut and not making noise. I trust her to keep us updated on anything we need to know. The anticipation is mounting along with my adrenaline.

“Everyone, get in position for detonation. 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1.” The blast is almost deafening, and it feels like the building is about to collapse. I brace myself against the wall, not wanting to fall from the movement of the building. We have little ear protection from needing to hear Letha, so our hands are the only protection. It’s so loud between the explosion and the destruction that follows of everything falling onto itself. Queenie moves forward to throw open the door, but I pull her back and cut in front of her, determined that she will be the one watching my back. I’ll gladly pay for it later, then get to enjoy the perks of make-up sex. That’s never been on the table before, and I look forward to that experience.

Chapter nineteen

Joker is an asshole. Even if we weren’t together, I know he would pull the same shit. He’s always been overprotective, but it seems worse now that we are together. I hate feeling like I need someone to take care of me. It makes me feel like I am a liability. Yet, my heart still flip-flops in my chest at the gesture. Maybe I could get used to having someone looking out for me. Joker is the one I always want beside me in any situation. It’s a feeling I could get used to, and now that I think about it, I see that there have been so many signs of Joker doing that for me over the years. I always chalked it up to him treating me like a sister. I cannot help feeling a little foolish since my brothers didn’t pull half the shit he did.

Suddenly, Joker pushes me out of the way and pulls me away from my thoughts. Rookie move, Queenie. We take cover as bullets fly, and I assess the building or what’s left. Where the pucks were placed, the building practically fell into itself. The support from the built-in tornado shelter has left this side intact, but cracks along the floor and ceiling have made me question where we should step. Joker and I huddle behind a support pillar, thankful for its protection as more bullets fly by. They open fire, shooting into the dark abyss where the building used to be. I don’t even think they saw us coming from the side. They are just blindly firing in our general direction. Joker curses before returning fire and I focus on the targets. Two out of three falls, not seeing us. The third flips over a random office desk and hides behind it. “Keep him shooting. I will tell you when he needs to reload,” Letha says over the line.

Joker and I hide behind support pillars on this side of the building. More explosions come from outside, and I know that my brothers have their hands full. Joker sweats as he leans against the support pillar. I lean over and return fire. “Queenie, Joker, we are on the way up. Everything is clean down here,” Gregory, who is leading our small team below us, states over the com system. I am relieved that everyone is in one piece.

A rage fills my whole body. No, fuck that. I am not losing anyone in this fight. I don’t want anyone walking into the line of fire when I don’t care if there are survivors. This isn’t a snatch-and-grab mission. This mission is a mission to put everyone in the ground, dead, then buried. Well, I plan for a cremation, and I am ready to arrange that. “No, hang back for a second, take cover, and brace yourselves.” Joker’s eyes connect with mine as I quickly grab a grenade and launch it over to the desk. I love any excuse to throw grenades, and I am always enjoying a good explosion. Then, I launch a second one because I am not taking any chances.

Joker’s right arm snags me by the waist and his back slides down the pillar with me pulled tightly to his chest as we prepare for the explosion. BOOM, followed by a second BOOM, fills the air. Smoke, dust, and debris are thrown into the air, causing us to become visually impaired. Soon enough, the smoke clears, and the ceiling cracks and falls where the man hides. The floor cracks as I move and signal Joker, but I feel something wet on my left arm when I stand. When I pull to look down at Joker, his face is pale as he smiles up at me. “You’re hit?”

“Yeah, right outside of the vest,” he says, but stands up, blood staining the previously white pillar. “Let’s get this done.”

I shake my head for a second and reach out to touch his arm, and he is right. Thankfully, nothing major has been hit, and he glares at me before rolling his eyes. “Told you it’s fine. Let’s get shit done.” I quickly rip part of my shirt and tie off the wound at his shoulder. After I tie the knot, I nod, satisfied that there is at least a little pressure on the wound. My body relaxes, and I kiss him hard before pulling back quickly and getting my focus back.

We turn the corner, and it looks like part of the building will collapse again. We move slowly because the floor shifts as we walk, and pieces fall with each step. Some groans push us forward. It’s the man who was caught in the blast, and part of his body is burnt and bloody. He can barely look up at us when Joker pulls out his pistol and shoots him twice in the head before we continue forward. That should be the last of the two guards who were probably with her. We got close to the windows where they all were looking out to watch our teams’ demise. The glass is gone from the blast and glitters on the floor.

That’s when I hear laughter. I walk toward it. The blast must have knocked her out of her wheelchair. Blood runs down her chin, which makes her gaunt face that much more pathetic. The cover she wore over her head has come loose. Almost like peach fuzz, about half an inch of new gray growth is coming in. She moves her bony fingers around her, searching, trying to locate her gun. “Should have known it would have been you. Out of all my children… the one I hate most. The one that is most like me.” She continues to laugh, throwing her head back like the situation is humorous. Her bloody teeth are on full display. I may look like her, but I am not like her.

My hand jerks to my gun, and I hold it up, pointing it at her face. “I am nothing like you.” My hand is sweaty, the metal of the gun heavy in my grip, and I struggle not to shake. Not wanting her to mistake it for fear because that’s not what this is. This is the woman who tortured me and made my life hell. She is also the woman I fought so hard for most of my life to get her to notice me and make her proud. I always thought if I could, maybe we could have a relationship worth having. Yet, it was a foolish childhood dream how much I wanted her to be happy I was her daughter for once. Nothing I ever did was good enough for her. Now, I am supposed to kill this pathetic version of herself, this haggard woman who looks like she is weeks away from dying. The common cold could probably kill her. It feels wrong and like the coward’s way. I always thought it would be her and me meeting, guns blazing at each other—equal ground. My teeth grind together, disgusted because it doesn’t feel like revenge. It feels like a mercy kill. At this moment, I feel angry with her for taking that away from me as well.

“You’re right. You are nothing like me. Even now, I can see you thirsting for Mommy’s love and affection. I never would have been so pathetic.” Her eyes narrowed. She has accepted that she is going to die today. “Even now, after all I have done, you hesitate. I would have already put a bullet in my brain.” Her eyes brightened briefly, as if she had just thought of something. “Did you carve a special one for me? Like I did for you?” Joker comes up behind me, his right arm resting against my right arm. His hand rests over mine that’s holding the pistol. “Oh, every mother’s dream come true. Seeing the worthless gutter rat that she saved with her daughter. You had such potential, Joker. The Berserker himself was the one that put fear into his handlers even at 12 years old. My daughter ended up being your weakness.” She rolls her eyes like the whole thing is more sad than anything. “Without that weakness, you could have been my best assassin and risen the ranks. I could have built you to be so much more.” She spits it out of her mouth like the words are vile, which lets more blood leak from her vicious mouth.

“Shut up, Regina.” I feel more powerful than before with Joker at my back. “The only reason I hesitate isn’t because of who you are or what you were supposed to be to me—mother. No, the reason is that of how fucking pathetic you look. It’s not the same taking out someone who is washed up and not even half the person she used to be. This feels like I am about to squish a tiny insect under my shoe. More of a nuisance than anything else.” I pause and tilt my head before smiling at her as she glares. “The years haven’t been kind to you, have they? Do me a favor, will you? When you get to hell, say hello to Father for me.”

She opens her mouth to speak again, but with Joker’s help, I pull the trigger once, twice, and thrice. I feel nothing as I look down at her body. I expect to feel elated, relieved, or even glad for it, but I feel nothing. When I drop my arm, Joker’s arm goes with me. I switch my channel to my brother’s. “How’s things on your end?” Part of me is nervous that something went haywire on their end since it was smooth over here.

“No issues on our end. Maybe a few singed eyebrows,” Jack jokes, as always. “She dead? Are we officially orphans?”

“Yes. Let’s get some gas up here and have her cremated.” I walk around, looking for an exit that isn’t about to crumble. “Let’s go get your girls, Ace.”

As we drive back to the Fortress, I look out my window and feel present but not at the same time. Mother had taken up so much room in my mind, and now that she is gone, I am glad, but part of me thought it would feel different. I no longer have to worry and look in my life’s rearview mirror to see if she is coming to get me. Joker lets me stew in my thoughts, and I am glad because I need a second to process this feeling. When we reach the gates, he reaches over, takes my hand, and squeezes me. I give him a weak smile but groan slightly when I see Ash and Letha waiting for us. My eyes close, and I take a deep breath, preparing to be social.

When we park and watch, it looks like a small army is returning from battle. The vehicles drive by and go to the garage. Ash holds champagne flutes and paper cups under her arm. Letha has a bottle of champagne that she pops the cork off when we stop the car. “You guys kicked so much ass!” Letha practically screams at the top of her lungs, her hair now tangerine orange.

Ash hands me a flute and hugs me. “I am so glad you’re all okay.” Her eyes go wide when she sees blood dripping down Joker’s arm. “Well.. mostly?”

Joker shakes his head and steals the bottle from Letha, pulling it up to his lips and taking a drink. He salutes her while she glares at him before going to the cooler at her feet and getting another one. “I talked to Bear. He is escorting the girls to the halfway point. They should be here within the hour.” She smiles and does a happy clap. “I’m glad my brother can be useful. I wish he were coming all the way here.” She pouts slightly.

Ash nods in agreement. I imagine moving away from their biker family must be hard, which has kept Tess and Winnie so safe. I haven’t had time to meet them formally, but I have heard much about them. From how the guys have been described, I think my brothers intentionally left me out of the meetings. The rest of our teams arrive and Letha radios that breakfast sandwiches and mimosas are waiting for everyone in the cafeteria.

“When did you manage all of this?” I ask because Letha had just told us where to shoot and when to reload.

Ash raises her tattooed hand and purses her lips slightly. “Umm… well, I had to do something. I helped organize the kitchens. Felt pretty useless, so wanted to keep busy doing something for afterward.”

I hug her and drink the bubbly drink. “Is it okay if I take mine on the road?” I notice Joker already walking toward the medic, probably to get that arm taken care of.

Letha hands me an unopened bottle with a wink, and I head out. Jack and King bring up the rear of the group. A bubble bath and champagne sound right up my alley.

Chapter twenty

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