Page 9 of Matrix

Chapter 3: Matrix

As soon as we return to the clubhouse, Reaper takes Daisy to the basement, so Scar and the others can interrogate her. I take Scar aside and tell him that beating the shit out of her isn’t a good idea. We need her in one piece because she may be an asset to the club. He's skeptical but agrees not to torture her. Not yet. However, if she doesn’t give him useful information, there won’t be any reason to keep her around. Reaper will be digging her grave in no time. I can’t let that happen. I head straight to my room to change into something warm and dry so I can join everyone in the basement.

I throw on a jacket over my snow pants and hoodie. The basement’s always freezing, even in the middle of summer. During the winter, it’s positively frigid. I’m not looking forward to going down there, but then again, none of us ever are. The basement reminds us of Blackstone’s dungeon, a hell we never want to revisit. If I weren’t concerned about Daisy, I wouldn’t bother joining the others. But for some reason, I’ve got a gut feeling that we need to keep her alive.

After heading outside, I open the door to the shed. The steps leading to the basement are concealed behind a huge shelf that looks solid but was built on a swivel. If you know how to move it, then it’s lighter than a milk carton. I swing it open, descend several steps, then close the entrance behind me.

Cold gray concrete walls enclose the space. It’s claustrophobic, especially when more than a few guys are down here. Right now, everyone’s standing around while Scar fires questions at our prisoner. I still can’t believe sweet little Daisy is a fucking FBI agent. How did she manage to slip under our radar? I’m worried we’re getting too soft. No one should have been able to infiltrate the club like that. I’ll give her one thing; she’s a damn good actress.

“Tell me again exactly how the failed op went down.” Scar towers over her seated form. It’s his favorite, low-key intimidation tactic.

“We already went over this several times.” Her gaze snaps to me. “Ask Matrix. He was there.”

“What were you doing in the woods in the middle of the night?” Scar asks, directing his furious gaze at me.

“I was about to go for a run when I saw Daisy sneaking out of the clubhouse.”

“We found an unopened beer on the kitchen countertop,” Nitro says.

“Yeah, that was mine.”

“A beer before a run?” Talon raises a brow.

“Is that really the most important issue right now?” I snap.

“Okay, so you followed her. Then what?” Scar asks.

After relaying my version of the events leading up to and after the ambush, I tell him about how we escaped to the club’s secret cabin. I hit the distress signal right after punching the code to get into the building. That’s how they knew to come and get me.

“Did she tell you about her sister and Blackstone?” I ask.

“Her sister?” Scar returns his attention to her. “Talk.”

Daisy sighs and glances at me with a look of betrayal. I didn’t know her sister’s case was supposed to be a secret. In our club, we don’t keep things from each other. Whatever I know, they know. It’s how it’s always been. That’s why we all trust each other implicitly.

“My thirteen-year-old sister was kidnapped from the mall almost a year ago. I’ve been trying to find her ever since.” As Daisy explains the connection between her sister and Blackstone, defeat enters her voice. She’s exhausted, broken down by her failure at the campground, and now, she’s ready to give up everything. A small part of me hates seeing her so dejected, but she lied to us. She lied to me. I can’t forget that, and I’ll never be able to forgive her for it.

“What else do you know about our club?” Scar asks.

“Not much. You guys are good at covering your tracks and hiding evidence.” She smirks. “We were starting to wonder if the undercover operation was worth it anymore. They were talking about pulling me out, but then I managed to hack Matrix’s computer when he was in the hospital—”

“I knew it. I suspected my laptop had been compromised, but I couldn’t figure out how you did it.” I cross my arms over my chest.

“It wasn’t that hard. I mean, for a normal person, maybe, but not for me.” The hint of a smile tugs at her lips but dies before it can fully form.

“Get the Feds out of our shit,” Scar tells me.

“I’ll double-check everything.”

“Today!”

“Yes, pres.” I press my lips together and glare at Daisy. Because of her, Scar doesn’t trust my capabilities completely anymore. She fucked that up for me. It’s just one more reason I shouldn’t want her around. However, there might be merit in keeping her. I need to talk to Scar about it privately. “Pres, I need a word.”

“Church in ten. Matrix, you’re with me. Reaper, make sure she’s locked up nice and tight.”

“Gladly.” When Reaper’s black eyes land on her, she jolts. She should be afraid. One word from Scar and Reaper will kill her without hesitation.

As everyone except for Reaper files out of the basement, Scar motions for me to go with him. The sun’s up when we step outside, but the air is just as chilly as last night. I zip my jacket to my chin and shove my hands in my pockets.

---