Linc's Retribution (13 page)

“He didn’t turn up for work.” 

“Fuck. And you didn’t think to ring me to let me know?”

“Hey boss I thought he was doing club business.” As far as I’m aware there isn’t any club business in need of Trax’s attention. More than likely, he got drunk last night and spent the night with some whore.

When there’s no answer from his phone, I try Inferno, whose cell also goes unanswered. Unable to reach either of them, I decide to ring Tabby. After Tabby informs me that neither of them are at the club. I ask him to call in at Inferno’s place.

“Tabby.”

“Yeah?”

“Check with Dec and Fudge the last time they saw them OK.”

“On it VP.”

My body is on alert. Before ringing Cassie to see if Baby Blu made it for their shopping spree I check my messages, and when I find nothing, I release the breath I was holding. If there was problems there, Cass would have been on the blower by now. This thought calms me down slightly.

“Angel, I’ve got to go. Make sure everything is clean and in order we have a couple of journalists visiting on Monday. If there are any spare slots fill them OK. I want this place heaving come Monday.”

Once in the high Street, I search for signs of the missing Harley. Apart from the heat and people coming out of Little Sammie’s and Open till Late the street is quiet. Unable to shift the queasiness from my stomach I mount my own Harley and head for the club.

Chapter 17

Not bothering with the speed limits, I make it back to the club in record breaking time. Only to be greeted by Twiggy. “Any news”

“Inferno arrived about five minutes ago. There’s still no sign of Trax and he’s still not picking his cell up.” Although I head towards the door, Twiggy remains by the Harley. His posture is upright and stiff, while his hands curl and uncurl. Almost as if he wants to hit something.

“Something wrong Twig.” Twiggy refuses to look at me at first. His glance going round the empty parking lot. As though he is searching for something or someone.

“Tabby’s looking for the whore Trax hooked up with last night.”

“Fuck!” Pain shoots up my arm from the contact of the door jamb and my fist. “Did Inferno ask him too?” There’s no hesitation with Twiggy’s eye contact this time. “Yes.”

“Find Tabby and keep the girl away from Inferno.”

When I enter the club I find Inferno at the bar talking to Fudge, while Dec is on the phone. Crabby and Kent are nowhere to be seen. Fraggle loops over, his body swaying all over the place. “Crabby and Kent are out looking for Trax VP.”

“You know he’s properly neck deep in pussy.” Although Inferno acknowledges my quip with a nod, there is no returning banter. “Fuck Linc if he was, he would be in a room upstairs somewhere. But he’s not.”  Yeah, I know that. Since walking in to the club my eyes have turned to the stairs. Almost as if I was expecting him to show up.

“You know which girl he was with last night.”

“Silver says Amber.” Fudge pipes up. “But Tabby’s been to her place and she swears it wasn’t her.”

“The fucking whore could be lying.”

“Where the fuck are you going?” After his outburst Inferno was striding towards the door. “Prez, we already have four men out looking.” Before I am able to close my mouth, I find my body bent backwards over the bar. A fist at my throat, scrunching up my Cut and T-shirt.

“And when it’s your son that is missing you can say what the fuck you like.” Inferno’s face is in mine. Spittle is gathering at the corners of his lips and each time he opens his mouth, small droplets spray out. “Four fucking men are looking for my son Linc, while I stand here and fucking natter.”

Dec and Fudge help free me of Inferno, keeping hold of his arms. I use his title president on purpose. Now is not the time to be thinking as a father but as the president of a motorcycle club. A club which does not take shit from anyone. Even their own members.

“Prez, focus, they are good men and they will find Trax.”  In need of a beer, I reach behind the bar for one. Meanwhile my cell begins to ring and Twiggy’s ID is flashing.

“This had better be good news Twiggy.” Inferno’s gaze is focused on me and my call, now that he has shaken off Dec and Fudge. Although his demeanor is no calmer.

“We found the girl. Some new whore. Goes by the name Kitty. She says the last time she saw Trax was at around six this morning when he kicked her out of bed.”

“You believe her?” The silence stretches before Twiggy answers. Almost as if he was studying the girl. If I was standing between Tabby and Twiggy and was a weaker person. I would not lie. “Fuck VP. Yeah, we both believe her.”

Even though he is unable to see me, on reflex I nod my head in understanding. As Twiggy continues speaking, the sound of the club’s van rolls into the yard and I hear Crabby’s bike pulling up. Inferno is out of the door before I conclude my call.

Fuck, Baby Blu is going to go ballistic when she finds out something has happened to Trax. With the assistance of Inferno and Kent, Trax is slowly being lowered out of the cab of the van. His face is unrecognizable. He could be the perfect model for a Picasso. The different hues of purple contrasting with the olive tone of his skin and dried blood on his face. One eye is closed, his nose almost fills his face it’s so badly swollen. His lip is also caked in dried blood.

I leave Trax to Inferno and Kent and call Crabby over. “What the fuck happened?”

Crabby’s eyes do not move from the small group, as they make their way inside.

“Don’t know. Found him about two miles down the road and if it hadn’t been for some stupid stray yapping. We would have missed him.”

“And you never thought about leaving the stray behind.” My head is pointing to the sorriest looking dog I have seen in a long time.

“Hey VP, you cannot expect me to leave behind Trax’s savior now.” The pounding in my head is becoming unbearable and I need something to kill the pain. The tension from the disappearance of Trax has drained away. Only to be replace with a new concern.

Whoever did Trax over, retaliation was not going to be pretty. To attack a member was on par of attacking the club. And I knew just who has done this. I may not know who the individuals are. But I know which club. Black County fucking Stewards.

The sight which greets me inside is not any prettier than the one outside. Someone has removed Trax’s Cut and T-Shirt and his body is another mass of purple shades. Fraggle is strapping the body with white tape. This situation calls for keeping the local law enforcement officers out of our business. And therefore, we are unable to take Trax to the hospital to get him checked out.

“Let’s go back to the main room and leave Kent and Fraggle to look after Trax, lads. Inferno, come on we need to get out of their way.”

“Are we going to get the bastards now?”

“No.”

“What the fuck do you mean no!” The main room has become packed with members of Comfort Springs’ bikers. The low rumbles and mummers of the disgruntled bikers fill the room. However when I spoke. Silence descended, and all eyes turned on my. Eyes full of expectancy, accusations and questions.

One of their own has being hurt, and the need for retaliation is strong. None more so than Inferno’s I am holding court and my argument has to sway. The man who is pacing frantically, and constantly looking towards the back of the building. Where his son is hurt, is in no condition to make a reasonable decision.

“Prez you have to forget about your relationship to Trax. At this moment he is a brother to us all. Black County have attacked him knowing he is your weak point. Think about it first.”

Inferno stops his pacing to come face to face, toe to toe with me. It hurts me to see the pain in the eyes of this strong brutal man. Inside my body is crying for vengeance. A vengeance Devil’s Comfort MC will be dishing. When we do deliver our punishment, it will be neither swift nor will it be rashly applied.

When Trax is able to tell us his story. Then we track and take down each man responsible.

“Are you saying we let the bastards get away with hurting Devil’s Comfort? For nearly killing my son.” I am the vice president of Devil’s Comfort Motorcycle Club and now is not the time for me to either step down or step back from a decision I have made. All eyes are on us. Waiting.

“No we fucking do not. But neither do we just walk in. That’s what they will be expecting. We find out who did this. Then and only then do we attack.”

“Prez, VP, we have Trax bandaged, and we gave him something to knock him out. He will be out for a couple of hours, then we can find out what happened.” Kent Winters stood at the bottom of the stairs, our newest recruit and prospect. His words confirming he agrees with me. Not many prospects go against their President.

Admiration dawns in Inferno’s eyes. This man who is more of a boy is showing what he will be worth to the club. When Inferno nods his head and makes for Trax’s room, I have won this round. With Trax out, I have a couple of hours to formulate a plan.

“Twiggy, Crabby, ride over to Black County territory. Find out what you can then report back to Dec.” While Inferno sits with Trax, I and the other members of Devil’s Comfort plan our strategy. 

“Hey VP, Trax is awake, and the Prez wants you and the other officers present while he tells his tale.”

“Thanks Fraggle.”

“Oh, Fraggle.”

“Yeah.”

“When Cassie and Baby Blu get here, try to keep them away from Trax until I come and collect them. OK.”

The expression on Fraggle’s face is asking if I doubt my own sanity at the request I have just given. Yeah, keeping Baby Blu away from Trax is going to be a problem.

When we enter Trax’s room, we find Inferno gazing out of the window. His body is still tight with tension. “Hi Handsome, you going to tell us what happened?”

Trax’s story is not a pretty one. And at first it’s hard to tell what he is saying. 

“Fuck VP, I left to go to the studio and on the highway, there was an underfed dog chained to a post.” Yeah that figures. Trax is an animal lover, and hates to see them being mistreated. “Anyway, I got off the bike to free the dog. When suddenly I’m attacked from behind. I have no idea what hit me. The next thing I know. I come round in some abandon building, Tied to a chair and four fuckers from Black County beat the crap out of me with a baseball bat. The next thing I see is Crabby and the prospect’s face.” Fuck that sounds about right for them fucking cowards.

“Any ideas who the fuckers are son?”  Trax is slow to answer. “Yeah….. Prez?”

“Yeah?”

“I want to be there when we take them out.” Inferno’s gaze moves from his son’s, to mine and I give a slight nod of agreement. What Trax wants is what Inferno would want.

Now that we have the names of the attackers I reach for my cell to pass the information on to Twiggy and Crabby.

Meanwhile a commotion coming from the hall draws our attention and before either Inferno or I can act. Trax’s bedroom door is flung open as a harassed Baby Blu comes marching in followed by Cassie and Rayven.

“Shit Inferno what the hell happened? Trax are you OK baby? Can I get you anything?” Baby Blu is firing question after question at Inferno without giving him time to answer. Meanwhile she continues to gently rub a cloth over Trax’s face, checking out the injuries to his chest and abdomen.

Cassie came to stand beside me, her hand snaking into mine. Here is another reason why I cannot lose Cassie. Whenever I need her, she’s always here for me. My support. Over the last three years I have come to rely on Cassie far too much. With this knowledge, I lay a gentle kiss on the top of her head.