Page 33 of Avenging Devil: Part 2

At fucking last.

I finish my second beer fast, spy Lost, and follow him, ending up in a room just like ours where we hold church. I take a seat at the end of the table.

Red goes to the head of the table, but instead of sitting down, offers the chair to Drummer. The mother chapter prez pauses, then takes it. When Red sits on his left, Lost takes the seat on his right, and Demon places himself next to him. Snatcher positions himself opposite Red.

Drummer bangs the gavel, and the room goes quiet. “Okay,” he starts, looking around. “Introductions first. Let’s make sure we all know each other. With me, I’ve got Wraith, my VP, Blade my enforcer, Peg, sergeant-at-arms, and Joker, road captain.” He points to each as he introduces his officers, then indicates to Red.

“I’m Red, you all know me.” He grins boyishly. “That’s Crash, there. He’s VP, Indian, my sergeant-at-arms, Shadow my road captain and Twister who doesn’t say no to torturing anybody. For the good of the club,” he belatedly adds.

Lost is next up. “Lost, San Diego. Dart, my VP, Salem, enforcer, Blaze, road captain and Grumbler back there trying to hide is my sergeant-at-arms.”

“I’m Demon,” a long-haired man informs us. “Colorado. My VP’s Beef, Mace my enforcer, Thunder my sergeant-at-arms, and Sparky who gets us where we should be going.”

Then, all eyes fall on the last man. “Snatcher, Utah. Thor’s my VP, Swift is my enforcer, and Preacher, sergeant-at-arms-come-taxi driver.” That’s followed by a dutiful laugh as he names the pilot who flew three chapters here. “And our RC of course, Road.”

When Swift was introduced, I saw a few curious eyes land on her. I was doubtful myself until I’d met her, but now I know she’s worthy of the Satan’s Devils’ patch, and with Drummer’s own endorsement, I doubt any man would say anything against her. When I see the hard-nut Blade salute her, I realise she’s been accepted by the club.

Introductions over, Drummer tugs at his beard. “As if any of you need an update, I’ll sum up fast. Lost here has lost a member and his ol’ lady, and Red’s found out another club is stepping on his territory and in ways he doesn’t like. This has become Satan’s Devils’ business.” He pauses, then uses that steely gaze for which he’s famed. “We’re going to war, Brothers. If any chapter thinks this isn’t their fight, you’re welcome to stand up and get out.”

Demon lazily stretches back on his chair, his long arm reaching out so it rests on the back of the adjacent seat. “Wouldn’t be here if we hadn’t already decided you weren’t going to leave us out. Been far too quiet recently.” Leaning forward and reaching around with his free hand, he bumps fists with Beef.

Snatcher, his posture contradictory and not at all relaxed, sits forward. “We might not have always played nicely with other chapters, but we’re changing that. We’re one hundred percent with you, that’s if you want us.”

“Need you, more fuckin’ like,” Lost states. “I’m kinda hoping that plane of yours has come stocked.”

“Sure has.” Preacher grins widely. “Got a whole bunch of toys you might find useful.” He nods at Drummer. “Got Tucson’s shit here as well. We’ve got enough explosives to blow the fuckin’ Pentagon up.”

“Along with our expertise,” Swift puts in matter-of-factly. “May I, Drummer?”

The mother chapter prez looks a bit flummoxed by the request from the only female at the table, but his mouth quirks, and he raises his chin in permission.

Swift opens her laptop. “The Crazy Wolves compound is housed in an old religious retreat. We were able to find some floor plans of when it was in use. There’s a large central building. The ground floor was used for worship, refectory, recreational area and kitchens which we assume the Crazy Wolves use as their clubroom. The upper floor was a dormitory, and probably used for similar purposes now. It’s laid out in a quadrangle, and has an odd little quirk that was some sort of tower where we think there are more rooms. There are out buildings, but we don’t know…” she pauses, taps at her laptop, stares at the screen, then taps again. Then she chooses to enlighten us. “Got more info coming in. Stormy went straight to the locality and arrived a few minutes ago. He’s already sent up a drone. We’re just trying to analyse the imagery.”

“Want our IT experts in on it?” Drummer offers.

“Yeah, later, perhaps,” Swift says offhandedly. “We’ve got it for now.”

Snatcher leans over to her and says something under his breath. She looks surprised, then shakes her head. “There are several outbuildings in various states of repair. One, looks like their garage. Stormy’s seen wheel tracks. One of the barn-like structures is interesting.” She uses her fingers to enlarge the screen and studies it. “There seems to be a guard standing outside of it.”

I sit up sharply. “Does he think that’s where they’ve got Niran and Saffie?”

Swift looks up and meets my eyes, and there’s a flash of recognition in them, tinged with sympathy. “Could be Niran. But with Saffie being the VP’s property, it’s likely she’d be housed either with or near him.”

“It’s the middle of the fuckin’ night,” Red observes. “How the fuck can you see? Or is this old shit?”

“It’s real time,” she confirms. “Stormy’s using a drone equipped with night vision.”

“So they’re guarding something twenty-four hours,” Peg puts in. “Something they don’t want getting free.”

“My money is on that’s where we’ll find Niran.” Mace shares his view which coincides with mine. I send him a chin lift. “That’s what we should aim to hit.”

“I’m not so sure,” Swift contradicts. “It seems too easy.”

“I prefer multiple points of attack,” Thor offers.

“I agree,” Beef says. “But apart from rescuing Niran, what’s the game plan? We doing an extraction, or taking the bastards out?”

Drummer raises an eyebrow and looks toward Red who’s waggling his fingers indicating he wants to talk.

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