Page 60 of Tempest

I fixed him with a hard stare. “You got a better idea?”

He held my gaze for a moment, then shook his head. “No. I’m with you.”

Wire cleared his throat, drawing our attention. He’d been unusually quiet, his fingers dancing across his tablet. “I’ve got updates on our surveillance,” he said, his voice steady despite the gravity of the situation.

I nodded, giving him the floor. Wire’s tech skills had saved our asses more times than I could count. Hell, he’d saved men in other clubs as well. When their own tech people couldn’t handle shit, they came to him.

He tapped his screen, and a map materialized on the wall above the table. “I’ve set up a network of cameras and motion sensors around the perimeter,” he explained, zooming in on key points. “We’ll have real-time intel on any movement within a two-mile radius.”

Sticks leaned in, his eyes narrowing. “What about blind spots?”

Wire’s lips quirked in a smile. “There aren’t any. I’ve even got drones patrolling the air space. You can thank Livvy for that one. She insisted on helping, even if she couldn’t be here with us. Nothing gets in or out without us knowing.”

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. This was exactly what we needed. “Good work, Wire,” I said, clapping him on the shoulder. “How long before it’s fully operational?”

“It already is,” he replied, a hint of pride in his voice. “I’ve synced it with our comms. Everyone will have access to the feed through their phones and we’ll all be connected through earpieces.”

The tension in the room eased slightly. Having eyes everywhere gave us an edge we desperately needed.

“All right,” I said, straightening up. “We’ve got our plan. We’ve got our tech. Now let’s make sure we’re ready for whatever comes our way.”

As the others nodded and began to disperse, I caught Wire’s eye. “Keep monitoring those feeds,” I ordered. “Anything looks off, I want to know immediately.”

He gave a curt nod. “You got it.”

I turned away, my mind already racing to the next steps. We were as prepared as we could be. Now, we just had to wait for the storm to hit.

The door burst open, and Caden strode in, clipboard clutched tight in his hand. His eyes were bright with nervous energy. Had he gone over the inventory again?

“Found some additional medical supplies. Everything’s accounted for,” he said.

I nodded, feeling a mix of pride and unease. The kid was stepping up, but the fact we needed all this… it didn’t sit well.

“What about sleeping arrangements?” I asked, trying to keep the edge out of my voice. We had too many people here and needed beds. The rest of us could sleep in our homes, but not our guests. I knew a few had already claimed the townhomes near the clubhouse.

Caden straightened, puffing out his chest. “Each bedroom can sleep four now. I’ve set up bunk beds. It’s tight, but we can house everyone who came to help.”

“Good work.” I turned to find Viking bent over the map, casting a shadow across the table. His finger traced a line, brow furrowed in concentration.

“Viking,” I called, moving to join him. “Problem?”

“No, just making sure I didn’t miss anything. I think we’re good, or as good as it’s going to get.”

Now that I’d done what I could, I couldn’t help but search for Kasen. I needed to see her. My eyes scanned the crowded clubhouse until I spotted her across the room. She was with Dessa, Savior’s old lady, herding kids and organizing the women. My chest tightened.

I made my way over, dodging Prospects and patched members alike. Kasen looked up as I approached, her eyes widening slightly.

“Tempest,” she said, voice soft but steady. “Everything okay?”

“Just checking in.” I grunted, fighting the urge to reach out and touch her. “You good here?”

Kasen nodded, a determined set to her jaw. “We’ve got it under control. The kids are scared, but we’re keeping them calm. Most are already grouped together in various houses toward the back of the compound.”

Dessa chimed in, “We’re packing go-bags for everyone, just in case.”

“Smart,” I said, my gaze locked on Kasen. There was so much I wanted to say, but the words jammed in my throat. Instead, I growled, “You stay close to the exit, you hear me? First sign of trouble, you get these people out.”

I’d need to go over the specifics with her, and make sure she knew about the separate vehicle taking her, her mom, and her sisters to safety. There was still too much shit to do.

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