Page 2 of Flint

“Fucking hate General,” Casper grumbles, but the fact that he ain’t doing nothing more than inching closer to the monitors as I palm my gun and slide it into the back of my pants has me grinning. Guy has been a royal bitch about being out of commission since he got shot. And since General, a brother, is his primary doctor, Casper hasn’t been allowed to overrule him.

Of course it helps that Prez told him if he injured himself again and delayed the boot coming off anymore—because that has happened, twice—he’d be pulling prospect duties for six months. No one wants to go back to grunt detail. You do it once for a reason.

I head to the bar, nodding at Jumper, Atom, and Domino as I pass so they understand they’re with me on this. I’m making my way to the VP, already knowing what he wants to do. Ain’t surprised when I hear him voice it.

“Need you to go get Princess from the bunk and move her to my room. I’m sure it’s nothing, but I need you both together,” he tells his old lady beside him.

“You go with them,” I say in a firm voice, leaving nothing to be questioned. Not that he listens.

“Like hell.”

Yeah, I knew he wasn’t going to like me telling him what to do. Not sure if it’s because I’m contradicting the VP or doing it in front of his old lady. Too fucking bad.

“I got a debt to pay, and I ain’t about to let anything happen to anyone I owe it to. Me and the boys will check it out. Scans show it’s only one person. Can’t see for shit this late at night, but body heat confirms only one person. If it’s him, then we’ll get him. Either way, not chancing it. Stay with your woman. I got this.”

I hold his glare, but the nod he gives me as he leads his woman away is more relieving than I’ll give credit to. Rarely am I at odds with a brother, especially one in power who can toss me out sooner than I can say “Reaper.” Him taking me for my word holds a lot of water that I might not be entitled to right now, but I’m taking it.

I nod to a few of the other brothers on the way, and each knows what to do. We ain’t expecting trouble like this, but there is a threat against the club that we know of, and there’s always a chance of another threat from a silent enemy. We try to keep our enemies in check, but things can happen. Can’t predict everything.

The boys are waiting for me at the back exit. They’re scanning the surroundings, but they didn’t see what area we need to focus on. As I turn on comms with Casper in the control room, I head to the back door facing the mountain. Okay, it’s a hill. But it’s a hell of one, and the rocky terrain makes it damn impossible to navigate. Especially since we added to that terrain just to increase the difficulty. The rocks and trees are very thick, and anyone who gets down it will be lucky if they don’t break their neck. Of course, that’s half the point as well.

“They’re about forty yards at your two o’clock,” Casper states. “I’ve killed all the lights in the area. I’ll turn the floodlights on from the club once you get close so we can hopefully blind them enough while you assess.”

I say nothing in affirmation. We’re a team, a damn good one. We trust one another and the plan. Our operations run as smoothly as they do because of it. Anyone got a problem with that, they speak up. Otherwise, shit stays quiet.

“In three, two, one,” Casper counts down.

The lights flash behind me, and I see the shadow I’ve been tracking for the past ten seconds stagger back and cover their face. My gun is pulled, as are the other boys’. No one gets the upper hand on the Hounds. No one.

“Hands up.” Atom takes point as the club’s acting enforcer with Casper being out of commission.

“They are, dumbass. Or did the light blind you like it did me?”

I’m super glad she’s blind, ’cause no way do I want to let on that I find that funny as I involuntarily smirk at her words.

We walk closer, and the boys fan out enough for the light to show us our intruder. A runner, if the lack of clothing has anything to say about it. She’s small, but no idea if it’s from being fit or not, as she’s covered in more mud than I thought was possible.

“Check her.” Mud is a good way to cover things up. Done it myself.

Her head snaps to me as I bark the order. “For what?” she asks me, but I ignore her.

Atom says nothing as he hands his Glock to Domino and moves close. It’s professional and quick, but a part of me doesn’t like it. No fucking idea why.

“Clear,” he announces.

“Were you seriously checking me for weapons?”

No one answers as Atom steps back and takes his gun back. No one lowers their gun either.

“Um, okay, so obviously I’m not in the right place here. Can someone point me to the exit, ’cause I would like to get off the crazy train I’ve stumbled onto.”

We continue to say nothing. As a tactic, most of the boys and I learned early in life that silence is the worst for an enemy. The guilty fill the silence. All we got to do is just wait it out.

“Right, okay, how about you tell me what’s going on? Scratch that. I don’t want to know. See, I didn’t see anything. Promise. So I’m just going to go.” She takes a step forward, and our safeties come off.

“Don’t move,” Atom barks.

“Seriously? I promise I have no idea what’s going on. You don’t have to kill me or threaten me or anything. Just let me go, and I swear you’ll never see me again.”

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