Page 64 of Sweet Pea

“What do you need?” Clutch asked, calmly.

“We need intel, which is why I want the doc here. If there’s any data to be collected from Doozer’s kutte and heart I want to make sure it’s as preserved and uncontaminated as possible, okay?”

“I’ll ride out with Hacksaw in one of the work vans and pick her up from the clinic,” he said.

“Thank you,” Minus said, before addressing the room once again, “This is war, gentlemen. Doozer is our first casualty and we need to do everything within our power to make sure he’s the last.”

“Does that include fire power?” Clutch asked.

“We’ve worked so hard to become the club Cutter envisioned,” Minus said, his voice filled with sorrow, before whispering, “God damn you, Wolf,” and nodding to Clutch.

“Listen up,” Clutch said, addressing the room as if he’d rehearsed this moment. “Every Saint is to carry a pistol at all times, and no one rides without body armor. For those of you that don’t already have a pistol stashed away, or are comfortable with carrying something a little heavier, talk to me or Kitty.”

“The rules still apply, gentlemen. These weapons are to be used for self-defense only. No retaliation and no first blood. Do you understand?”

The room responded in nods and grunts.

My phone buzzed. It was a message from Spike.

Trouble got out. She left her bike and hopped the fence.

“Shit,” I said, jumping to my feet.

“What is it?” Minus asked.

“Trouble, she’s gone. I have to find her.”

“Hold on,” he said.

“Goddammit, Minus. She’s out there and she’s gonna get herself killed. I’m not gonna lose another Saint tonight. I fucking can’t.”

Minus nodded and I was out the door.

“Take someone with you,” I heard Minus through the closed door, but paid no mind. I worked better alone and didn’t need anyone slowing me down. Trouble couldn’t have gotten too far without her bike so this shouldn’t take long anyway.

I rolled through the Sanctuary gates and off into the night in search of our lost lamb. The sound of my bike my only comfort as I rode.

I’d combed the Sanctuary’s surrounding area for five minutes and saw no sign of Trouble. Tracking a street-smart kid like her was going to be next to impossible, but I had to try.

Come on baby girl, where are you?

I had no idea what Trouble had with her when she left the Sanctuary. Did she take a laptop? Did she have a gun? My heart knotted up at the thought of what the Spiders would do to her if they caught her, or what I would do to them if they laid a finger on her. The whole situation was made worse by the fact that as stupid as Trouble was for running off half-cocked like this, I related to her one hundred percent. I knew exactly how helpless and angry she felt, and I wanted nothing more than to tear Wolf’s throat out for killing Doozer. In fact, I wasn’t at all sure that I wouldn’t try the moment I saw him. All I knew was, I couldn’t let Trouble become the next victim of the Spiders’ endless cycle of violence and death.

What if she found out the location of the Spiders’ Clubhouse and managed to hotwire a car?

I spun my bike around and headed toward the freeway. If Trouble was on her way to Gresham, I still had a chance to head her off at the pass. I flew down Forrester, crossing over Pine when I was nearly deafened by the sound of metal impacting metal and blinded by an intense white light.

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