Everyone knew the drill—tight structure, no chatter unless it mattered. They were hunting now. Every man in his crew could feel it. This wasn't a show of force. This was vengeance.
No one took the life of a Royalla member without justice being served.
They hit the edge of town. He said, "Water tower."
His men obeyed without question. They'd follow him wherever he led them.
"Take it slow," barked Kodiak into the mic.
The riders slowed in formation as he led them up the winding road. This was where the Deception Motorcycle Club scout hadridden off to after Cruz spotted him. They had enough men that there was no way he could have gotten away. He had to be hiding.
He eased off the throttle and signaled for them to fan out as they reached the clearing. The world quieted except for the ticking of cooling engines. The air felt wrong. Tense. Thick. Like the forest held its breath.
Kodiak dismounted, took off his helmet, and drew his sidearm, motioning for the others to do the same. His gut told him they weren't far from where Duke witnessed the guy running.
He moved up the incline, scanning every shadow, expecting a flash of movement any moment between the evergreens around the tower.
Then he saw it—a shimmer of motion behind a tree line to the north.
"Eleven o'clock," he hissed, hoping Vein relayed the message to the others.
Three of his men flanked wide, weapons raised. But when they closed in, the space behind the trees was empty.
Kodiak crouched, squinting at the dirt. Fresh tracks. Boot prints.
"Not a ghost," he muttered. "Someone was here."
Cruz joined him. "Could've pulled back. Trying to bait us?"
"Maybe." Kodiak straightened, looking around. "But he didn't run far. He wants us to follow."
Every muscle tightened. His pulse thrummed deep in his ears. The adrenaline had been steady since he left the clubhouse, but now it surged.
If it were him—if the man who killed Chopper was ahead, hiding behind some tree with a loaded gun and a death wish—he'd end this. Right here. Right now.
Kodiak turned to his crew. "Sweep north. Quarter-mile radius. Stay sharp, stay quiet. No one moves alone."
Every man there knew who they were looking for. The motherfucker who'd shot Chopper in the back of the head like a coward, then vanished like smoke.
Kodiak jogged to his motorcycle, ignoring his helmet, and moved faster. His mind was already two steps ahead of his body.
It wasn't only justice he wanted served. He wanted to give Roma her life back. He couldn't bring Chopper back, but he could make it possible for her to live a life she deserved.
And if he had to spill blood to do it, he'd do it.
"Found him," said a voice over the earpiece.
Kodiak's hands tightened on the handlebars. "Where?"
In the rush of adrenaline, he couldn't recognize the messenger. He scanned ahead of him, looking for any sign of where the fucker was located.
"It's Vein. I'm east of you on the back road behind the tower. The D-member is on foot," said Vein over the intercom system rigged in everyone's helmets.
"Don't fucking lose him." He turned, cutting across the grassy area and riding back onto the road in the opposite direction as he made his way to his MC brother. "Hunter. Cruz. Follow me." He motioned with his hand, making sure Hunter understood. "The rest of you sweep around and surround Vein."
The others spread out behind him—Cash, Rusty, Cannon, Flash, and Ring were already out of sight. He shifted down, accelerating around the corner. Every breath was a countdown. After two years, he was close. The closest he'd been to finding Chopper's killer.
Then, he saw Vein, on the ground, subduing the Deception Motorcycle Club member. He pressed his right foot down on the rear brake pedal, and at the same time, he clamped down on the right-hand front brake, locking the tires on the Harleyand skidding to a stop. Cruz made it to them first, tackling the suspect to relieve Vein.
