Page 120 of Break Out

Torque grinned. “They’ll get more than a dance, if I’m reading you right.”

“Call the other chapters facing the same issue. If they have Corrupt Chrome members in their titty bars, implement the same set-up – but reinforce those dancers have to be girls who can be trusted.”

Tie frowned. “Someone’s going to report them missing.”

I smiled. “Prospects will wear their colors, get on their bikes and take them to where the CCMC does their dirty work. Pretty sure all the CCMC chapters have places outside of town. Prospects leave the bikes there, and have the prospects get a ride back with a stripper.”

Torque’s face lit with his smile. “That’s what I’m talking about. Thought you’d lost your touch, brother.”

“No, but this shit is getting old.”

Tie’s eyes widened. “Are you stepping down?”

“No, but I wouldn’t mind downsizing our involvement in the business that got Circles in trouble.”

Torque shook his head. “Dancing can only bring in so much money. The bars tend to feed that operation.”

“And maybe it shouldn’t any more.”

“Maybe you should step down,” Torque muttered.

“Maybe. But not right now.”

Tie swallowed some soda. “Are you gonna make Jackhammer or Warden a president down here?”

“No. Neither one of them wants that and neither of them has real leadership potential.”

Tie shrugged a shoulder. “They got a decent hang-around somehow.”

I chuckled. “They didn’t do that, I did.”

Torque nodded. “And a hang-around isn’t the same as a prospect.”

“Right, so the next six to nine months, I’m gonna be here. A couple of members are down this week from Raleigh. They aren’t sure if they want to make the move.”

“Can’t blame ‘em,” Tie said. “It’s not cheap to move and we’ve only had bad shit happen here.”

I put my fork on my plate. “We get enough local interest we should be able to build a decent chapter.”

“And you’re here until it happens?” Torque asked. To anyone else, he had hidden his dissatisfaction, but I’d known him for eighteen years. He was very unhappy about this.

“Until December. Do you expect that to be a problem?”

Torque kept quiet for a long moment. “It will be a problem if Knuckles leaves to follow you down here. You don’t have as many of us here to help you – and even if you did, none of us would know where the hell Knuckles is staying or even where to begin to look for him. Until he’s dealt with, it’d be better if you were in Augusta.”

Tie leaned in and lowered his voice. “Or if he gives the order, we eliminate him outright. Gives Steel an airtight alibi since it’s over four hours back to Augusta.”

Torque’s eyes slid to Tie. “He’s gonna want that for himself.”

I gave a small head shake. “Not if it means I watch my kid grow up from the wrong side of a Plexiglass prison window.”

Ever the pragmatist, Tie asked, “Do you have a timeframe in mind? The way these assholes are fucking with us, I don’t think we can put this off very long.”

“I’m thinking another three weeks or so.”

Torque stared off to the side. Then he turned back to me. “Why three? We go with two, everything goes down during the Masters.”

I shook my head. “In Augusta it does, but that doesn’t help the other chapters with what they’re facing. Besides, along with the extra tourists comes extra police presence. We don’t need to do this shit when that’s happening, Torque.”

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