Page 30 of Venom's Sting

“Look,” Siege says. “Vehicles don’t just disappear. This van that Ven lost track of earlier had to go somewhere. We just need to find it.”

We all break apart on foot, cutting through the trees and literally walking a grid formation. While it doesn’t have to be as precise as cops looking for evidence, we want to make sure we don’t miss anything. Rage and I are walking together, but there’s no banter like we normally have, because we need to be alert to anything.

Being quiet pays off when we hear people laughing and a glass breaking in the distance. I use hand gestures to orient Rage in the direction I think the sound is coming from. Reaching for my cell phone, I send a message to my club brothers alerting them that we’ve found something and sending a location pin.

As we draw closer, we see dim lights. Dropping down onto our bellies, we crawl forward. There’s a cave ahead with a camouflage mesh covering the opening. I realize that’s how it escaped my drone. From the height it was flying it would have blended in, and I hadn’t wanted to risk a low-level swoop in case I got spotted. I might have picked it up if I’d been using the thermal imaging function, but as it was daylight the heat signatures aren’t always so good.

“I’ll be damned,” Rage whispers.

I glance over at his astonished expression. “Finally found them.”

Before long, my club brothers join us from every direction.

Rigs points out what we’re all thinking. “It smells like they’re cooking meth.”

We all recognize the cat piss stench. We can also see the outline of the van parked inside the cave. I assume it’s deep, because the van barely fits into the mouth, and we can hear multiple people laughing and the noise of metal clanking echoing off the walls.

Rigs comes to his feet and nods his head towards the cave, indicating that he’s going to do recon.

“Let me do it,” I hiss.

He shrugs and steps back.

I get all the way without being noticed and pry back the netting to peer inside. I can see several men moving about. I quietly move to the other side and look in, trying to see if Amy’s mother is in there. But it’s just a bunch of men shifting boxes around as far as I can see.

I go back to my club brothers and make a report. “The van I saw earlier is parked there, along with at least a half a dozen men. Looks like they’re stacking boxes, I suspect Rigs was right about them cooking meth. The stench was almost unbearable.”

“Good job,” Siege whispers. “Now, here’s the plan. Rigs will lead one team, and I’ll lead the other. Tank, you, Ven, and Rage are on my team. We’ll squeeze past the right side of the van. Rigs, you, Dutch, and Talon enter on the left side, we’ll strike atthe same time and take them by surprise. The rest of you wait here and grab anyone who makes a run for it. I’d rather have them alive than dead, if at all possible, but if it comes down to you or them, do what you have to do.”

Everyone nods their agreement and pulls out their weapons of choice. We take our places on each side of the van at the cave entrance. Siege and Rigs quietly cut through the mesh, and we surge forward just like Siege planned. Each of us tackles the first person we get to, and even though they fight back hard, we manage to overwhelm them.

When they’re all sitting on the ground with their hands and feet secured by cable ties, Rigs and Tank pull open the van to find it half-packed with meth. We’re busy talking about what do about the situation when one man speaks up.

“Alright, this doesn’t have to go sideways for your club.”

Siege frowns at the stranger. “What the hell are you talking about? I think you mean this is going sideways for you and your idiot friends.”

“Look, it’s pretty clear you don’t know who I am, but rest assured, this is my operation and I’m the one you need to talk to if you want to cut a deal.”

Siege walks over to him and gestures at him and all of his cronies. “In case you didn’t notice, we fought a little battle here and you lost. Exactly what reason would I have to cut any kind of deal with you, when I can set this shithole on fire and give each one of you a dirt nap?”

“Kind of extreme, don’t ya think? This is a good money-making business, really well organized. Why throw away easy money? You’re a biker. Bikers like to earn, right?”

Siege turns his head to the side slightly as if trying to figure this man out. “We’re not a one percent club, dickhead.”

“Oh, I’d be willing to offer more than one percent for your protection. Some locals have been spying on us with drones and they’ve spooked my drivers. I need them eliminated, and I’m willing to pay handsomely if you and your boys want to take on the job.”

Siege moves forward and squats down in front of the guy. “What’s your name?”

“Edmund Grayson. My father owns this land,” the man says.

I come closer taking a look at the elusive fourth brother and ask, “Where are the three stooges? I’ve met your other brothers.”

Edmund’s expression turns smug. “I’m the smart one, they’re just hired muscle.”

“I suppose that makes you his favorite, right?”

“Yeah, he said I had promise. Trust me, the others are useful idiots.”

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