Page 47 of Riggs
Chapter Nineteen
Riggs
Two and a half hours into my watch my phone vibrates. Retrieving it, I take in the alert glowing on my screen from the security system set around the perimeter of Pop's property. At the same time, Cain bursts out the clubhouse door.
"Alarm was tripped out at Pop's."
"My phone just went off too," I tell him.
"Pop would call if it were serious," Cain states. "Right?" he adds.
My grip tightens on my phone. "He would call regardless of the situation unless for some reason he isn't able to."
Sharing a look, Cain and I rush inside, and up the stairs, banging on the men's doors. One by one, we instruct everyone to get downstairs. Tequila's bedroom door flings open. Fully dressed in combat gear, she steps out. "I heard you barking orders. Tell me what you need me to do."
I don't give a second thought about having her alongside us. "Fall in with the rest of the men downstairs," I instruct her. Within minutes everyone is gathered, standing, and waiting near the front door. "We're riding out to Pop's. Perimeter alarm has been tripped. It could be nothing, but my gut says otherwise."
"He didn't call?" Wick wonders knowing the old man wouldn't let us worry if there wasn't any danger. The fact we haven't heard a word isn't a good sign.
"Total silence, brother." My stomach falls, thinking that my family is in potential danger. "We're thirty minutes out. Once we get on the road, you open those bikes up." I look at my brothers. "Let's ride."
As we mount our bikes, Cain stops me. "My daughter is out there, Abel." He gets choked on his words, visibly swallowing the lump in his throat. I watch his face fall as his emotions start to get the better of him. "If something happens to her," his voice cracks.
"Focus, brother. She needs us clear headed. We have no idea what the situation is and what we are going into, but I can promise you this; I'll give my life for theirs. I won't let anything happen to Piper, Pop, or my woman." I grip his shoulder. "Got it?"
"Yeah. Got it." Pulling from my grip, Cain mounts his bike. Engines rumble, the gate opens, and we roll out onto the street and take off down the road.
Ignoring speed limits, we near Pop's property line along the west side in about twenty minutes. Slowing to a stop, I cut my engine, and my men follow suit. Getting off my bike, I peer off into the distance, and notice lights on in the house, but we are still too far to make out any movement within the home. Wick kneels, pointing to the gravel road.
"Tire marks. Several." He stands and walks a few yards off into the tall grass. "They veer off the road here," he points, and we follow the treads into the tree line where we find bikes. Nine to be exact. All scattered within a few feet of each other, with large pieces of camouflage burlap draped across them. "If I had to guess they've been here for a couple of hours and waited." We all look at each other, knowing what this means. The Savage Outlaw have our family. Rex has my woman.
Weapons drawn we cover the area around the bikes. Before getting any closer, I go back to my bike, open and reach into the survival pack I always carry with me and pull out a pair of night vision binoculars. It's dark as hell out here, with nothing but trees, tall grass, and the bayou surrounding the property. Making my way back to my men, we quietly track our route to the edge of the tree line until we've gotten closer to the house.
Out the corner of my eye, I catch movement. "Everyone, get the fuck down." The seven of us take cover in the tall grass. Belly crawling, I position myself and look through the lens to get a clear view. Scanning I spot a tall, slender man stepping out the front door onto the porch, followed by two more men; all three with weapons. "Three men out front." I look over at Wick, who has his rifle, looking toward the house through the scope. "Can you see inside?" I ask
"A couple of men. I don't see anyone else. Shit. Wait," Wick's voices alert us all. "One of the fuckers just raised his weapon, but I can't see who he is aiming at."
I process the information. "You have a clean shot?"
Wick grips his rifle, pressing the stock firmly against his shoulder. "Affirmative."
It's time they know we're here. "Take it." Wick pulls the trigger.
"Target?" I question.
"Eliminated."
All this happens in a fraction of a second; then all hell breaks loose. The men on the porch fire their weapons blindly into the night, as we stay low to the ground. I keep scanning the property for several minutes, watching the Savage Outlaw regroup. Looking out toward the old boat dock, I catch movement. A small head appears from behind Pop's fishing boat, backed up against the side of the pod shed nearest the water's edge. "Fuck." I adjust my focus to get a clearer image. My heart catches in my throat, and I glance over my shoulder, finding Cain to the left of me. "Piper is out there." Cain begins to bolt, but I yank him down. "There are three men outside with handguns. You go runnin' in blind you'll be risking Piper's life, along with your own. She's hidden at the moment." I look at my men. "Listen up. Piper is near the water. We need a distraction. Someone needs to head toward the tree lines over there." I motion to my left. "Once you get in position, fire off a shot, hopefully, that will give us enough time to get Piper to safety."
"On it," Everest volunteers.
"I'm going with him." Kiwi backs away, hiding amongst the cover of the trees. Pulling his piece from his side and staying low, he follows Everest.
I turn my attention back to where Piper is and find her still hunched behind the boat. I turn to Wick. "You three stay here." I hand him the binoculars. "Keep an eye on her. If they get too close — kill them."
Wick nods.
"Let's move in," I gesture for my brother to follow leaving the others behind. Keeping low, we dash across the gravel road leading up to the house, then duck down again until we reach the waterline. "We have to get wet, brother. It's the only way to reach Piper without getting shot at." Without hesitating, he slips into the water, and I do the same. The growth around parts of the bank becomes too thick to maneuver through, so we have to move further out where the water becomes chest deep. We continue to move forward, trying to control our movements not to create any splashing sounds, which would draw attention to us.
