Page 50 of Maverick

“That seems obvious,” she mumbled.

When they found their way behind the general store, two characters from the park shuffled toward them, running into them. They were acting out an image of taking a photo, and he pushed them aside.

“Get out of our way.”

Two more characters came toward them as the other two just stood there. They danced a circle around them, one of them grabbing Katelyn’s hand and pushing her toward the other.

“What the hell is wrong with you ridiculous cartoons? Isn’t it bad enough you have to spend your life inside a sweat-box costume, entertaining the tourists? Don’t bother me and my girl.”

“She’s my fucking girl,” growled Mav, ripping off the dog head he was wearing.

Bruloni tried to reach for his weapon but felt a piece of timber reach beneath his armpit and wrench his arm backwards. Turning, he was shocked to see it wasn’t a piece of timber.

Leif snapped the arm so hard the sounds of tendons, muscles, and bones cracking even made his teammates wince.

“You whore! You fucking whore!” he yelled at Katelyn.

“Call me what you like, but you will face a judge for your crimes, and you will have to answer for what you did to all of us.”

“Are you fucking with me right now? These men don’t allow people to get to trial. They’ll kill me before that happens,” he sneered.

“Not this time,” said Mav. “This time, you’re going to face the public, your peers, and those children that you abused, used, and manipulated. Then we’ll let the boys on cell block D take it from there.”

“It won’t happen,” he smiled. “There are too many people who don’t want their names mentioned in the news.”

Katelyn looked at Mav then the other men.

“Talk,” said Brax.

“Make me,” laughed Bruloni. JB and Tobias smiled at one another.

“Challenge accepted.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

“You’re back,” said Cam, looking at the group walking toward him. “Some of you are back. Where are the others? What the fuck happened?”

“Everyone is alright,” said Sor. “Mav, Rush, Leif, Pax, Brax, and Garr needed to take Bruloni to D.C. and confront some folks there.”

“What do you mean, confront some folks?” asked Luke. “Is Bruloni alive or dead?”

“He’s alive,” smirked Tobias. “He’s not saying much, but he’s alive. Once he wakes up, he’ll have a lot to say, I’m sure.”

“You guys need to explain,” said Eric. “Katilyn, are you alright, honey?”

“I will be,” she said, nodding. “I need to go and speak with Chelsea, Stephanie, and Marilisa. There are some things they need to hear. I won’t tell the others. Not yet, anyway.”

She walked away with her head down, and Luke looked at the others.

“What the fuck happened? Is she alright?”

“I think we’d do better explaining on television,” said Irish. “We requested a live audience.”

“I’m not getting any younger here,” growled Cam.

“Let’s go.”

Back at the auditorium, everyone had already gathered with the team returned and ready to answer questions. But the television came on much quicker than expected.

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