Page 64 of Tav

We reach the main doors at the same time Rider and Tank come crouch-running toward us, guns drawn.

“Marx sent us. I say we smoke the fuckers out and pick them off,” Rider says, waving a smoke bomb canister in his hand.

The Landry brothers look at each other before shrugging.

“You gonna be OK with this? I’m guessing you’ll know some people in there,” Tank, ever the voice of reason asks, his head tipping toward the door.

“They’re traffickers. Fuck em,” Dom answers darkly.

“Grab whatever cover you can. Rider, you’re it,” Tank’s deep voice commands and we scatter.

“Fire in the hole!” Rider grins, then pulls the pin off the gas canister with his teeth, kicks the door in and throws it, running to stand with his back pressed against the wall at the front ofthe hall. Dom is crouched behind a tree, Vic is across from me behind some type of outbuilding, Tank behind what looks like a kids’ playhouse. A quick sweep of our surroundings shows Nitro on the left of the hall, Fox on the right, with me sheltered behind a small shed. I have no fucking clue what is inside, but I’m hoping it doesn’t house some well-armed women willing to take me out.

Within moments smoke billows out of the hall doors, and with it men come flooding out. They may be coughing their guts out but they are also pulling weapons, holding them at the ready for a gunfight. We don’t have the luxury of counting how many men we have to face off with, or talking them down in the hopes of a peaceful resolution. The first shot rings out from one of the Keep members, who has spied Tank’s giant body in the playhouse. That single shot is exactly what we need to get this party started.

With the men surrounded, we start picking them off, one by one. Rider is proving lethal with his rear attack, confusing the dumb fucks. They fire wildly, no rhyme or reason. Some even take down their own brethren in a clusterfuck of bullets. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel, and if I was a better man I’d feel bad about that. But I’m not, so I shoot at anything in white sneakers. I have kids to get home to.

The crowd starts to thin. Fewer men come charging through the doors, and I don’t want to get too complacent thinking we have them all. There is only one door into the hall. There is an entrance into the meeting room where Marx and Pixie are, and the outside door to the meeting room, meaning there could well be men out the back of the hall if they’ve managed to make their way through Marx, which let’s face it, he’s a massive, feral fucker so their chances are pretty low.

Rider waves his hands around, first pointing to his eyes, then making a karate chop movement toward the door of the hall.Tank answers back in kind. It’s easy to forget that these men are trained for missions like this with long histories in the military. To me, they’re good men, family men, men who want to protect those they love. Remembering that I have these men at my back makes me want to call my sister and thank her again for stumbling into their compound that day.

Tank waves at me and the Landrys to stay put and watch their backs, Rider staying low and entering the hall, Tank going high, following in behind him, Fox and Nitro flanking the sides. I watch and wait, although I can’t help the prickling feeling that I’m being watched myself. Turning from my place I’m met with a group of women huddled together, children clutched to them.

A tall woman pushes her way to the front of the group, holding her arms out to the side, as if to stop me from rushing them, or taking an interest in the children behind her.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” I say in a gentle voice, trying hard not to scare anyone. Although I’m guessing with the gunfire, it’s probably too late.

“Save it, we’ve heard it all before,” she scoffs, before looking me up and down. “Did Blanche send you?”

“Blanche is my woman.” She narrows her eyes at my words and takes a step back, pushing the other back with her movements. “Shit, I mean, I belong to her. I’m here to help her achieve her vision.”

“To get rid of the council and her father?”

I nod, slightly afraid I’ll say something and fuck up again. She smiles, her stance relaxing slightly. “What of the men?”

Looking behind me, I watch for a moment as Tank and Rider exit the hall, giving us the thumbs up. “Looks like they’re gone.”

A brilliant smile crosses her face and murmuring behind her sounds more excited than afraid. Her smile falters when she looks over my shoulder, before she steps to the side, to get a better look behind me.

“Vic?”

“Loyal? Holy shit, I haven’t seen you in years!” Vic steps forward in a rush, as if to hug her, but stops as soon as she flinches. “Sorry, just, I didn’t know you were still -” He waves around before rubbing the back of his neck.

“Well, someone had to help your sister get these women out,” she says with sass. Well, OK then.

“You’ve been her contact all along?”

She grins up at him before it falters slightly, “I, um, with everyone gone, I’m not sure where we should go,” she points to the group behind her.

“We have networks, people and places that can help. Let me take care of it?”

She nods in reply and Vic looks toward me, and then his brother, before finding Loyal again. “Can you still remember what I taught you?”

She rolls her eyes, “Of course.”

“Good, grab all you need, get in the Keep van and drive to the nearest town. We’ll meet you there.” They share a look, then Loyal rushes away, urging her group to follow her.

“Right boys, let’s find my woman, get rid of Royal and Mercy and burn this fucking place to the ground.”

---