“All right then, we’ll discuss that first and go from there. But no matter what the deal is with your ‘solution’, it needs to be a final one. And, like Sig said, we need to do somethin’ about Red’s siblings,” Trip reminded the enforcer.
“Thinkin’ that’s gonna have to happen right before or at about the same time,” Judge said. “We go in, do what has to be done and grab the kids at the same time. If we take those kids and then have to wait for part two? Gonna have a war on our hands. We’re gonna have to do this shit wham, bam, fuck you ma’am. We need all those roaches on that mountain at the same time when we hit it.”
What the fuck was Judge thinking? Whatever it was, it sounded big.
Truth was, they were at the point where they needed to go big or give the fuck up.
“Say we take those kids, who the fuck’s gonna raise them?” Trip turned to Sig. “You think about that? You, brother? You and Red gonna take in three fuckin’ kids and raise them as your own? Kids we snatched from their damn parents?”
“Won’t have to snatch ‘em if they all disappear,” Sig said. “Like Judge just suggested, hit ‘em hard and take them all at the same time. Chaos is a good cover.”
“Chaos is dangerous,” Trip muttered.
“Organized chaos,” Judge said. “Get the kids and whoever else we think needs to be removed, then…”
Boom.
Judge didn’t actually say it but he didn’t need to. They all heard it in their heads.
“Gonna finally get Red’s revenge by killin’ that crazy bitch and her even crazier fuckin’ husband. If it wasn’t for Red convincin’ me not to, it would’ve happened by now ‘cause I owe them that. For fuck’s sake, do I owe them. They traded Red like a fuckin’ broodmare. Gave her to those inbred goat fuckers against her fuckin’ will. She was treated like a fuckin’ walkin’ womb so she could be bred by those toothless militia wannabes and pop out their spawn.”
“Still her mother,” Trip reminded his brother.
Though, Whip was pretty damn sure the prez wouldn’t shed a damn tear if Sig took revenge on the woman who was supposed to love and protect her own, instead of betray her. Instead of put her in harm’s way. Instead of turning her into a birthing tool, no better than exactly what Sig said… a broodmare.
“That bitch lost that title the second she got in with that Ohio cult and betrayed her own flesh and blood,” Sig shouted.
“Damn right,” Deacon agreed.
They all did. Whip could feel the tension ramping up in himself and his brothers.
He could feel it. The end was coming.
But he sure as fuck hoped it was for the Shirleys and not the Fury.
“Was hopin’ the feds would have ended this war for us, but knew that would be too fuckin’ easy. One thing I’ve learned, war ain’t ever easy.” Trip ripped off his black baseball cap, shook his head and scraped his fingers through his hair again, as was his habit. “Always gotta be another fuckin’ battle. Thought I was done with that shit once I got outta the Marines. Thought I was gonna live a peaceful fuckin’ life surrounded by family of my own makin’. But now my family’s got a threat hangin’ over them. Over all of us.”
Cage spoke up next. “You know how I feel about it. Dyna and Jem are my goddamn life. Don’t wanna risk them again but also don’t wanna let those fuckers just live life free and easy, either, while we’re always lookin’ over our damn shoulders. That ain’t a life and that also ain’t the Fury way. And anyway, they’ll never be done payin’ for snatchin’ my baby girl or hurtin’ Jemma. Never. Not ’til the Shirley name’s extinct.”
“Problem is the Ohio clan ain’t just Shirleys. It wasn’t just one family out there like it was on Hillbilly Hill. It was a much bigger community,” Sig explained, “with multiple families. They could blend into society a lot better than those mountain goat fuckers.”
“Yep, the Guardians of Freedom ain’t just in Pennsylvania and Ohio,” Judge reminded them. “Their reach is farther than we know. It’s like a whole inbred, hillbilly army.”
“Too fuckin’ stupid to know what’s good for them,” Dutch grumbled, out of Whip’s eyesight.
“Shoulda just stopped at ‘too fuckin’ stupid,’ old man,” Rook told his father.
Trip did a single sharp clap. “All right. The committee’s goin’ upstairs, gonna hear Judge out and we’ll go from there. But, promisin’ you now, if his idea ain’t viable then we’ll figure out somethin’ else. ‘Cause I vow to all of you right here, right now, this shit’s gonna end.”
A bunch of fuck yeahs rose up around Whip. One even escaped his mouth, too.
“Still gotta remain vigilant.” Judge was constantly on their asses about that. “Keep the women and kids close. Keep eyes open, ears to the ground. Dodge couldn’t get away from Crazy Pete’s tonight, but he’s also keepin’ his ears open for any talk about those fuckers. So are Dozer, Woody and Scar.”