Page 54 of Tank

We share a look and then both run out the door, down the hall into chaos.

Chapter 16

Tank

The common room is controlled chaos. Switch is yelling orders, steamrolling past Mira and I at the mouth of the hall and heading toward his clinic. Grabbing Mira I pull her further into the room as Fox and Nitro carry Jimmy down the hall, Dex holding his balled up shirt to the prospect’s abdomen.

Mira gasps, her hands flying to her mouth. I pull her tight into me, burying her face into my shoulder as I stand back and take in the scene. No one needs me wading in and asking what the fuck is happening, taking the attention away from the people who know and are formulating a plan. I’ll know all the details sooner or later.

“Wire! I need footage of what the fuck just happened here!” Marx bellows, gripping the back of a dining chair in his big fists, his knuckles white.

Chewy flicks on the projector, her and Remy at the main table, laptops open, eyes scanning for everything and anything.

“What are they looking for?” Mira asks, eyes wide watching the scene. The girls and Wire madly tapping away, the brothersall vibrating with anger, the Tombs checking all security systems.

“Got him!” He watches for a moment, flicking between screens, “That fucker Big D chased the prospect down,” he growls, jaw clenching.

“Anyone with him?” Rhodie asks.

“Three of those bullshit Japanese Fast and Furious cars.” Wire clicks his mouse and casts his laptop to the big screen, grim look on his face.

“The kid hardly stood a fucking chance,” Savage says in a low voice.

“By the looks of it, they never caught up to him until he reached Rose Grove’s outer limits. He seems like he’s keeping them at bay here,” Wire freezes the screen for a moment to brothers muttering “good kid.” “Then we hit a blind spot. By the time he hits CCTV again he’s slumped over and then it’s only two minutes before he wipes out in the compound.”

Marx lets out a feral growl, picking up the chair he’s been white knuckling and tossing it against the wall. “I want everything on this Big D motherfucker. I want his address, his bank accounts, everything. I. Want. It. All.”

Wire nods, looking at his team who all agree.

Marx takes a breath and lets it out slowly. “Are all the women and children accounted for?”

I take a quick head count, noting all the Ol Ladies are here, safe and sound. “Ol Ladies accounted for,” I inform Marx.

“The kids are all accounted for as well, they’re in the safe room with Mama Debs,” Remy adds, flicking to the safe room/movie room camera. The Bigs and Littles being watched over by Takoda.

“What’s going to happen?” Mira whispers into my neck.

“Not sure yet, Doll,” I murmur, dropping a kiss to her head. Having her in my arms is keeping me calm, and I have a feeling it’s doing the same for her.

“Rhodie, Rider, Savage, Dex and Tombs’s, I want you to lock this place down. Code Black security protocol.” He holds eye contact with Gus who nods then tips his head at his brothers and Pops, my MC brothers splitting off to follow Pres’s orders.

“We’re gonna get fuck all done with Jimmy in the back room, so I suggest everyone chills out until we have word from Switch. The outcome will determine which play we use.”

“If it’s not good?” Mira asks, her face damp with tears as she looks toward Marx.

“We burn them all down,” Marx says quietly, turning toward his office, his slow, steady steps thumping down the hall.

“You all heard the man,” Rhodie rasps, as he enters the common room having finished his task. “We chill out and wait for word. If you’re the praying kind it wouldn’t hurt the kid none.” I tip my chin at my VP and take a seat at one of the long tables, tugging Mira down into my lap. I need her touch to keep me from raging at the world.

Jimmy is a good fucking kid and a good fucking brother. He pours his heart and soul into the DRMC and I can’t stand the thought that he’s not going to make it.

I bury my nose in Mira’s hair and take a deep breath, letting her spicy vanilla scent invade my senses. A gentle hand lands on my shoulder and I turn to find Lovely, holding a tray loaded with hot chocolate.

“Sorry it’s not something harder. I want to keep you guys sober in case you need to ride out.” she says in her gentle voice, giving my shoulder a little squeeze before placing one cup on the table, then a second. “Everything will work out, you’ll see.”

Mira tips her head at Lovely, murmuring a soft thanks. She takes a sip and then looks at the gentle woman who looks sodifferent in her new clothes from the woman who landed here mere months ago. “Is it your faith in God that makes you so sure everything will be OK?”

“I have faith, but it’s in the men and women we’re surrounded by.” She smiles and moves on to the next brother, going through the same motions, a comforting touch, a kind word, leaving cups of hot chocolate in her wake.

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