Ten minutes later, they headed down a gravel road in a wooded area, finally pulling up to the Gulf Coast Chapter clubhouse. It consisted of a doublewide trailer on a large wooded lot. The yard, if you could call it that, was dirt. Any grass having long ago been trampled under the tires of dozens of motorcycles.
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“Jesus Christ,” Gator grumbled, looking at the double-wide as he took off his helmet. The siding was green with mold and mildew. The wood of the deck and stairs that led to the door looked like it was rotted.
“What’s the matter, ain’t you happy to be here?” Hammer asked, dismounting.
“Oh, yeah. Just the other night I woke up sobbing, wishing I was here.”
“Where the fuck are we?” Griz asked, dropping his kickstand.
Ghost grinned at him. “We’re in hell.”
“I got a bad feeling about this,” Spider said, his eyes moving around the quiet clubhouse.
“That your spidey-sense?” Ghost asked Spider with a grin.
Case and Brick stepped out the door. Case lifted an arm in greeting.
“Hey, guys. What’s up?” he frowned.
Shades came up the creaky stairs onto the small deck that led into the trailer. His face showed no emotion, and Case’s smile faded.
“The whole crew here?” Shades asked.
“Yeah,” Case responded, his entire body taking on a defensive stance.
“Relax, brother,” Shades reassured him. “You, Brick, Pipe, Coop and Deez back me up on this, and everything’s gonna be fine.”
Case’s eyes moved to the crew Shades had at his back, and then nodded once uncomfortably. “You’re putting me in a spot here, Brother.”
“I’m saving your fucking chapter, Case,” Shades bit back. “Stay smart. Stay cool. Time to prove to your brothers that you’re worth a damn.”
Case sucked in a breath and then nodded, resolving himself to the inevitable. “Okay.”
“Glad we got that cleared up.” Shades opened the door, and they walked inside. There was a pool table set up in the middle of what he assumed was supposed to be a living room. Ratty sofas and chairs lined the walls. Coop, Deez and Pipe were playing a game of pool. Rocker and Moon were lounging in easy chairs, smoking a joint and looking stoned out of their heads. A trashy little blonde sat on Moon’s lap.
Coop turned when they walked in. “Shades, hey man, what are you doing here?”
Shades nodded to him, but didn’t stop to explain. As he moved around the pool table, he noticed Case lean in and whisper something low in Coop’s ear. Shades could only hope that Case and his guys backed him on this. If not, there was gonna be one hell of a fight. Shades determined to take advantage of the surprise and the doped up look on the President and VP’s face. He took control. This was either going to work or not. No sense hesitating.
“Troops, make yourselves at home,” he told his guys who spread out around the room. Then turning back to Moon and Rocker, who’s eyes were now narrowing in confusion, Shades pointed a finger at them. “You and you. Meeting room. The rest of you, outside.”
Everyone froze for a moment at Shades sharply given orders. They looked to their President and VP, not sure what to do.
Shades spun. “This is state business. Outside, fucking now!”
“Come on, guys,” Case backed up Shades, nodding toward the door. “Let’s give them a minute.”
Thankfully, Coop elbowed Deez, and they began herding the men out.
Shades head swung back to Moon, and he jerked his head toward the door, his eyes piercing the blonde’s. “Outside, darlin’.”
Moon stared at Shades with a cold look, and then blinked slowly. Then his hand squeezed the girl’s waist. “Go on, baby doll. Give us a minute.”
Shades waited while the girl scrambled off Moon’s lap and headed outside.
Moon and Rocker rose to their feet, and then led the way into a back room. Shades eyed the place. It had apparently been a bedroom at one time, but now contained a conference table and half a dozen chairs. Moon sat down at the head of the table, Rocker taking the chair next to him. Shades stood at the other end and leaned his palms on the table, his men crowded around him, lining the walls and blocking the entrance.