Page 14 of Crusher

I’d never been so scared in my life. Not whenI was in the desert and bullets flew by me and my unit. Not when Iwas alone and laid on a roof surrounded by the enemy while I waitedfor my target to step out from their cover so I could take the killshot. I’d done and seen a lot in my time in the military, butwatching the blood pump out of Carly’s thigh at an alarming rate,had made every other incident I was involved in seeminsignificant.

One minute we had been standing there as agroup, talking, joking, and then the pickup moving a little tooslow on the road caught our attention and when the window went downon the passenger side, I knew it wasn’t just someone wanting tofeel the wind blowing in. Everything happened in seconds, the firstbullet fired from the gun sticking out of the window hit the poleseparating the pumps. I knocked Carly to the ground but heard twomore pops, then someone yelled about getting away from the pumps. Igrabbed her up and started to move before the sound of return fireentered the mix, shortly followed by the squealing of tires. When Iraised up, I had made it to our bikes that had been parked to theside and I looked around to see Speed, Coast, Reed, and the manthey called Moose had weapons out. Then I looked down at the womanI held and Carly’s eyes were closed and as I ran my eyes over herbody, they stopped on her right thigh and the blood that wassoaking through her jeans at an alarming rate. I yelled for Deviland he raised from his squatted position and headed my way.

When we talked about making this trip, I hadfirst thought that not everyone needed to come, however, Devilbeing there, had been the one thing the paramedics said that hadkept Carly from bleeding out there in the parking lot. LanceCummings, Devil, had spent his army career as a 68W, his trainingas a medic had saved countless lives, and today he could add onemore to his tally. He’d acted swiftly and proficiently in tying offCarly’s thigh with a makeshift tourniquet to stop the bleeding.

Coast, Flirt, Reed, and Crank pulled out ofthe parking lot after the fuckers while Speed and I were tornbetween Carly and wanting to go on the hunt but only for a minute.The others would find them if we were lucky and family meant moreat the time than vengeance. That could always be done later.

“Sir, like the last time you asked. They willcome out and inform the family after they evaluate Ms. Monroe. Areyou related to the victim?” She looked up from her computer screenat me.

“I’m her brother,” Speed said as he walked upbeside me. “She was unconscious when they brought her in, can youat least tell me if she woke up for them?”

“No, sir. They are evaluating her in theback, they will let you know when they are done. I’m sorry.” Thenurse turned back to her computer as if to dismiss us.

“This is bullshit.” I paced back to theseating area where Wild Bill, Jag, Moose, and Devil sat, dealingwith the local cops.

“Mr. Borelli, our town here is relativelyquiet, though you have been more than cooperative, I have my doubtsabout this being a random drive-by.” The officer said to Wild Bill,then looked at each of us then continued, “By the vest yougentlemen—”

“Cuts, they’re called cuts, Officer Comer.And though we appreciate your dedication to your job, yourassumptions we can do without. We told you what happened. You gotto ask your questions and we answered those. We even supplied youwith concealed pistol licenses for our weapons. We went as far toexplain we met at the gas station so Ms. Monroe didn’t have to ridethe roads alone from visiting her hometown. Which considering shewas randomly attacked at one of your so called quiet town gasstations, we are glad her brother asked us to come on the trip. Sounless you have more questions, I think you have all you need.Maybe you and your partner could hunt down the shooter since theyare running loose, while we are here and will continue to be hereuntil Ms. Monroe is released.” Damn, I’d never seen Jag in attorneymode, it was fucking impressive. Officer Comer was determined toget in the last word.

“You didn’t explain were the other four ofyour ga...crew went? Why are they not here?” Yeah, we all caughtthe he wanted to call us a gang and his sneer just made him abigger dick than I thought before.

“They went to pick up some clothing for thesetwo,” he pointed to me and Devil who wore Carly’s blood on ourclothing, “members, Officer Comer. Just members, not gang-members,nor part of a crew. We are members of MCs. It stands for MotorcycleClub, officer, in case you don’t understand the term.” Wild Billwas even impressed with Jag if the smirk on his face was anindication.

“It took four to purchase clothing?” theofficer asked.

“Considering we were shot at a gas station inthis town, a couple more of us should have went with them.” Later Iwould recall this and laugh at the look on the officer’s face, butnow I just wanted answers on Carly.

“Hope Ms. Monroe recovers quickly. We’llleave you men for now. And I will be sure to call the sheriffstation in each county to check on those licenses you showed.” Theofficer stood and his partner stood.

“Go ahead and give the sheriffs a call,they’ve both been notified that you would be calling. They haveyour name, shouldn’t be too hard to get a hold of them. Oh, did wenot inform that Ms. Monroe was one of our sheriff’s deputies. Thatmust have slip my mind. Have a good day, officers.”

We all watched as Officer Comer and hispartner stopped at the nurse’s desk and said something beforewalking out.

“Goddamn, son, we could use you at Haven.Nothing like pissing off the cops and being correct in doing it,”Wild Bill said and shook his head.

“I’ll stick with Black Hawk, I like myrelaxation time and I don’t think I would get much at Haven.”

Wild Bill slapped Jag on the back, “You areprobably right.”

The doors swung open from the back and a manin a white coat walked toward us. “Who is Ms. Monroe’s family?” Thedoctor clarified more when we all answered that we were. “Herimmediatefamily?”

“That would be me. Kane Weston.” At thedoctor’s questioning look, Speed elaborated, “I’m her half-brother,same mother, different dads.” The doctor nodded okay.

“Well, do you know your blood type, Mr.Weston? Ms. Monroe has lost a lot. She is currently being preppedfor surgery to repair the artery and with her blood type we onlyhave a few pints in our bank, it may not be necessary but we coulduse a little extra in case she needs it. She’s type A-.”

“Not a problem, doc. I have the same bloodtype, A-. Where do you need me?” A nurse walked out from the backwhile the doctor was talking to us.

“Just follow the nurse here, she’ll take youback to donate.”

“Doc, how is she doing? She going to beokay?” I needed validation on her being okay and thank God Speedwaited to follow the nurse because I didn’t think they would talkwith me otherwise.

“We aren’t expecting any issues to occur, butsince we can’t know what is going to happening when someone is putunder, we take all precautions. Barring nothing going wrong, sheshould come through just fine. Depending on her progress aftersurgery, that will dictate how long she has to stay in thehospital. We will let Mr. Weston know how everything went after thesurgery. Now I need to get up there, they probably have herprepped. Mr. Weston, if you will follow the nurse, we will be set.Gentlemen.” The doctor turned and went back through the swingingdoors with Speed and the nurse following.

Devil stood and pulled his cell out and waswalking toward the doors to outside. “Something wrong, brother?” Iasked.

“Going to call my dad. Need him to checksomething for me. I’ll let you know, it might not be anything, I’mjust curious.” He walked out before I could question himfurther.

I sat down by Wild Bill and he looked over atme, “What’s up with you and Carly?”

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