Page 30 of Last One Standing
“Pay attention! The longer we fuck around, the more Brick could be hurting those boys.”
That sobered up the room, and everyone got to work brainstorming and researching.
“I got it!” Mason held up his cell phone like a sword. “Two months ago, they bought that abandoned bread factory or whatever it was.”
“I’m on the edge of my seat.” Gabe smirked, but Mason ignored him.
“That factory was empty for, like, over five years. I called this guy I know at the utilities company, asking about it like I was interested in purchasing it and wanted to know what electricity would run me. Obviously, playing dumb like I didn’t know it was bought. He gave me an estimate but then told me the new owners had a deal with the company, so it likely would be higher.”
We all stared unblinkingly at Mason. “Am I the only one not understanding this?” Phoenix asked.
Mason huffed. “They aren’t using that factory for anything legal, I guarantee it. I think we maybe get a drone up, take a peek. If it’s anything big, we can sabotage it. They’d all come running for sure, leaving the clubhouse with a skeleton crew.”
I guessed Mason was right—they weren’t making bread, no way. They might be storing guns or drugs in there, and fucking with it would for sure get them there, but if we destroyed their livelihood, they’d come at us guns blazing.
“You know if there’s illegal shit in there and we destroy it, they’ll not only come at us for Kona and Pika, but for retribution also.” Shep said what I was thinking.
“That MC has to go. That’s the plan here. Save Kona and Pika, and get rid of them. How do you think we do that, by askingthem nicely to leave?” Nick snorted. “It was always going to end in a ‘them or us’ scenario, and this is our territory.”
“We’re not the mafia.” JJ laughed.
“No, but Nick’s right, as much as I’m loath to admit it.” Nick gasped, but I powered on. “If we weren’t going in there for the guys, it would be something else, someone’s hire, or us realizing we had to end it. I know us, we’ve dealt with the unimaginable. We can do this. And if it comes down to Brick or me, I will be the last one standing.”
“Let’s get to work, then.” Noel clapped his hands together, and we built our plan to get Kona and Pika out and end the Dead Kings.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
KONA
I wasn’tpositive if today was better than the day before, but it was better than the day before that. Lips had made sure I was healing; he’d stayed to help me wash and eat. Honestly, he’d never been so kind to me, and I wondered if I’d made an ally in him, that Brick had just gone too far when he’d done this to me.
I kept my thoughts to myself, offering thank-yous every time he assisted me. I wanted to see Pika, but Lips kept updating me that he was okay. No one had hurt him.
Brick hadn’t come to me since the day he’d practically broken me into pieces, and Lips had let me know he’d avoided Pika. That helped me rest easier, but I needed to come up with a plan for after I was better. If I had to run for the rest of my life peering over my shoulder with Pika, I would. But if I could get Pika to go on his own, Brick might be satisfied if I was still here.
My internal planning was interrupted by a flurry of shouts, and movement outside my door had me sitting up slowly. The walls were pretty thin, so I could hear what one of them was yelling.
“It’s in smoke, the whole factory. Jimmy said he saw people running. If we hurry, we can catch them!” It sounded like one of the prospects.
“Fuck!” I knew that roar; that was Brick. “Tick and Robby, stay at the clubhouse and keep an eye out here. Call if anything comes up. Everyone else, let’s fuckin’ ride!”
Tick and Robby were two of the prospects.
The sound of footsteps racing out of the clubhouse was quickly followed by the rumbling of a shit-ton of motorcycles. I’d laugh if it didn’t hurt. What moron would attack the Dead Kings’ property?
Once I couldn’t hear them anymore, I reveled in the silence. I lay my head on the pillow and closed my swollen eyes. Hopefully they’d all burn up in that building…and wouldn’t that be sweet?
It couldn’t have been more than ten minutes when I heard something above me—on the roof, maybe. Could’ve been a squirrel. A loud crack sounded, and Tick and Robby started shouting. Shots were fired and with whatever strength I had, I rolled onto the floor for cover. I hoped Pika was smart enough to do the same.
Surprisingly, it didn’t last long, and then I heard the craziest thing.
“Kona, Pika, it’s Angel. Where are you?”
Angel? What the hell?
“Angel, third door on the left is me. Kona’s at the end of the hallway on the right,” Pika yelled.
I got off the floor and sat on the bed. There wasn’t anything I could do to fight them off, but in my heart I knew they weren’t here to hurt us. They’d come to help us.
