Page 51 of Lucifer's Hounds

“There’s so much, but I can’t cover it all with you. Just be on the lookout for any patches coming in, especially red and green.”

“What’s red and green? Or, more so, who? Do their patches look like y’alls?”

“Red and Green are the Moccasins, properly known as Moccasins MC. Their patches don’t exactly look like ours. Theirs has a two-headed moccasin in the center, with Moccasin MC as their top rocker and Louisiana as their bottom rocker.” I listen intently, letting his words sink in. I want to be fully aware of what I need to look for.

“Okay. Red and Green. Moccasins MC. Got it. They’re the bad guys,” I chirp.

“Well, they aren’t exactly the bad guys, as you put it. They just don’t like Lucifer’s Hounds much. We have a different lifestyle than they do and a different view for the future of not only our club, but others as well. It’s Cass’s view and they can’t stand him because of it. Which is why he wanted me to keep an eye on you. They think they own the area that the bar is in.”

I cock my head to the side in question. “What do you mean different views?

Scott lets out an exasperated sigh.

“They want to sell drugs and guns and women. We want to do away with that altogether, in all of the clubs around us. Cass got the Hounds away from it and that started a movement among our brother clubs to follow suit. The Moccasins are one of the few left in this area that still take part in that shit.”

“Okay. Cass wants to modernize and civilize life in and around the clubs and these guys don’t. Why?”

“There’s good money in it. Money is power to them. There’s also good product in it; they’re the kind of people that use the drugs they get instead of selling majority of it.”

“But it isn’t money power to y’all too?”

“It is but it isn’t. We have actual businesses that bring in revenue for us, legally, but we don’t have to have a high income to be powerful. We’re one of the oldest and largest clubs in the state. Another reason the Moccasins aren’t so happy that we’ve been showing up around their town lately.”

“In their mind, you’re trying to fuck up their livelihood.”

“Their livelihoodandtheir high.”

I turn into the long driveway to the bar. Once the parking lot comes into view, I notice Mindy and Carrie’s cars and the two bikes are all still here.

“Damn, Carrie and Leo are still here?”

“Leo can’t leave without me.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s my Prospect and he can’t leave me, especially around here. Our guys don’t ride alone out this way because the Moccasins are always around this area.”

“Wait, why would Cass buy a bar out here if this is where your rivals hangout?”

“Good question,” Scott says.

I park next to Mindy’s car and Scott clambers out of the car unceremoniously. He waits patiently for me to exit my car. He always stands with such a presence anywhere he goes. Almost soldier-like. Always quiet, watching every move going on around him, and always ready and waiting for anything that comes his way. I lean down and put my shoes on. It’s nearly impossible for me to drive with them on and it is such a habit to kick them off as soon as I get in the car that I don’t even realize that I do it anymore until I have to exit the car. Even if I’m only going five minutes down the street.

I step out of the car and walk around to where Scott waits.

“Let’s go see how drunk everyone is.”

Inside, we find Carrie, Leo, and Mindy sitting at the end of the bar playing cards with a stack of quarters in front of them. I walk up to the bar quietly.

“Having fun?” I ask, looking at Mindy.

“Always!” she says with a cheery smile.

“Yeah, she’s having fun. How could she not have fun with us?” Leo asks.

“Good point.”

Scott sets quarters down on the pool table, waiting patiently for me to notice.

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