Page 37 of Gunner

“Rick, you gotta tell me.”

“I don’t know who he was, Gunner. He stabbed me and grabbed her,” Rick mumbles as he winces in pain.

“What kind of car? What can you tell me?” I push, needing something. Anything. Someone took her. The world around me seems to spin as I try to wrap my head around that. Who the hell would take her? Why would they take her?

“He was smaller than you. Da- dark hair,” he cries as he lies there in pain.

“Okay. Just take it easy,” I tell him. Who do we have issues with right now? Who could have done this? Why? There are too many questions in my head, and I can’t get them all straight. I close my eyes and take a deep breath when someone rests a hand on my shoulder. I open my eyes to see Locke standing next to me.

“We’ll figure this out, Gunner. Then we’ll go all in and get your girl back.”

“We don’t have beef right now, Locke. Nothin’ brewin’ either.”

“I know. It doesn’t make any sense, but we’re gonna figure it out, brother.”

“She’s pregnant, for fuck’s sake! Who the hell kidnaps a pregnant woman!” I yell this time.

Everything else happens in slow motion. The cops, the ambulance, going to the hospital. It’s all too much. The next thing I know, I’m sitting in the damn waiting room while they work on Rick. If anything happens to him, Nat will lose it.

“You need to calm down,” Hodge tells me. I sit with my fists balled on my knees, ready to pounce at a moment’s notice.

“Really, Hodge? That’s what you’re gonna say to me right now?”

“You’re not doin’ her any good if you lose your shit, Dad.”

“I’m not doin’ any good sittin’ here either,” I remind him.

“Let Remy see what he can pull up off the feeds. The cops didn’t wanna do it because they figured Rick was just some homeless guy,” Hodge sounds pissed off when he tells me.

“He isn’t just some homeless guy.”

“I know that. That’s why Remy is lookin’ at the cameras in the neighborhood. There aren’t many, though.”

“Someone saw somethin’.”

“I’m sure they did. We’ll find out what they saw.”

“You got someone over there checkin’ with people?” I ask.

“Whip is. He’s talkin’ to anyone he can find.” I nod my head. Good. That’s good. I scrub my hand over my face before balling my fist back up. I can’t take this. If anything happens to her, I will fucking lose it. I will kill everyone in my path.

“It’s gonna be okay, Prez.” I look up at Locke as he stands in front of me.

“You remember when Kiki was in danger? The fear you felt? The anger?” I ask him. He sighs and nods his head.

“I wanted to gut anyone who gets in my path.”

“That’s exactly what I’m feelin’ right now, Locke. I will fuckin’ murder anyone who gets in my way of findin’ her.”

“I know you will, and we’ll be right there behind you,” he assures me. I nod my head and close my eyes, trying to think. Think of anyone or anything that’s happened recently. Anything that might have triggered this. Did I fucking do something to someone? Is this payback? Who though? Why?

“You’re not gonna find the answer, Dad. None of us know why.” I look over at Hodge and nod my head once more. That doesn’t stop me from thinking. I know he’s right. We don’t have any reason to believe this is a rival MC doing this. We haven’t had any issues with anyone lately or anyone that would do this.

The Doc finally comes out to tell us that Rick’s okay, and I immediately follow him down to his room. When I step inside, I’m not sure what I’ll find, but Rick is sitting up and awake.

“You okay?”

“No. You need to find her, Gunner. You need to find Nat.”

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