“I don’t know, I just think that if things like that happen, it happens. I don’t like long term plans.”
“Fair enough.”
From his bedroom, Roman begins to cry. Holly slides off of my lap, I grab her wrist to stop her.
“I’ll go.”
I put his pacifier back in his mouth and cover him with his blanket and he settles down.
“Everything I’m doing is for you. Whether you take my patch or not, you will have everything you want. And though your sister is older than you, it will be your job to protect her. It’s our job to protect our family and after tonight, I’ll make it a little easier for us.”
He murmurs as he drifts off back to sleep. This is all for him, for the future. I head back downstairs and Holly’s on the phone. She hangs up and smiles.
“Rayna’s sleeping over at Zach and Nina’s, so with Roman down, it’s just us.”
She walks toward me and wraps her arms around me.
“Sorry, babe, I’m heading out in a minute.”
“You are?”
“Club business, but I’ll only be over in the bar. I won’t be far.”
“As much as I hate to say it, don’t wake me up when you come in. I need every second of sleep I can get.”
Twelve burner phones are lined in a row on the table in the backroom. With two minutes to go, we wait for the Lost Souls chapters to call, brothers wait, wanting to be in the fight themselves.
With one minute to go, all twelve phones begin to ring. Brothers lean over and answer.
I stand, leaning on the table. “Are you all in position?”
Ayes and yeses come through each line. At dead on 4 a.m. I order, “Blow them sky high. Now.”
Silence hangs in the backroom until the sounds of our enemy’s bases being destroyed fills the room. Brothers over the phone cheer and holler as do the brothers sat around the table.
Once the twins stop pounding the tabletop with their fists, the cheering on the other end descends into roars of panic and gun shots.
“What’s going on?” I demand loud enough they all hear me.
We all listen intently but no one answers. Tank cries out amongst the heavy gun fire but I don’t catch what he says.
It seems to go on and on, but after four minutes, calls start cutting out until every call ends. Nothing but silence lingers. What the hell just happened?
The brothers start to yell but I don’t hear what they say. I need a new fucking plan.
We’ll have to ride out, but to who? There are twelve shit shows.
“Zach. Get rid of the phones,” I order, taking out my own phone as I storm out of the backroom.
I need my brother and his chapter. I’m about to hit call when the sound of motorcycles grows louder. The brothers and I reach for our guns and run outside. We head for the gates, it only takes less than a minute for me to roar, “Fall back!”
Soft orange glows fly over the wall, landing and exploding.
“Petrol bombs!” Dad shouts.
Brothers take cover but more are thrown, and the prospect is targeted. He hits the ground and rolls around trying to put out the flames. His screams pierce the predawn air and echo around us.
A break in attack occurs and I order, “Shoot!”
