Ghost
We had pulled into the Salem Motel, just south of town over three hours ago, with no word from Gadget. He was supposed to meet us here and go over what he found. Instead, all we saw was his small pack laying on the bed in his rented room.
He was just supposed to recon the area, that’s all. Pictures, video, and a location on Aariaani. Without that information, we’d be going in blind, and that was not what I wanted.
“How much longer do you want to wait?” Massacre asked, looking out the window of Gadget’s room.
Six of us made the trip up north to Salem, Oregon, Massacre, Viper, Bayou, Hammer, Grimm, and myself. It was an easy trip, nothing remarkable, but the drive was nice. I couldn’t remember the last time I rode next to Grimm. It had been too long. Though I wish it were under different circumstances, I knew there was no way Grimm would stay home while I killed these fuckers.
“Let’s give him another hour. In the meantime, Viper, call Phantom and see if she knows anything. As for the rest of you, make yourselves comfortable.”
Though Viper called, he was told that Gadget would check in when he was able and for us not to worry. Yeah right. Gadget was just a kid. He barely looked eighteen if that, not that I knew his actual age. He was scrawny and could scarcely lift a paperweight, but the kid was sly and easy on his feet. He could get into places where men like my brothers couldn’t. The kid was that good. How Phantom hooked up with him, I didn’t know, but I was sure as hell going to ask when I got back to California.
I hated waiting.
Patience was never one of my strong suits. The longer I waited, the more agitated I became. I could feel something wrong, more than I knew it. Getting up, I started pacing the room. I needed to do something while I waited for the kids' return. Maybe I shouldn’t have sent him in? He didn’t know these fuckers as I did. They wouldn’t care that he belonged to someone. If they spotted him or worse snatched him, Gadget could be in some serious trouble.
Looking at my watch, I noted the time, 8:32pm, and whispered, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Just then, the motel door was kicked open, and there stood Gadget, covered in blood, with Aariaani in his arms. “Help me?” He said before falling to his knees before any of us could reach him. Grabbing Aariaani from him, I moved aside so Massacre and Bayou could grab the kid and lay him on the bed. Grimm quickly closed the door behind us.
Placing Aariaani on the bed next to him, Massacre and I went to work, removing their clothes to find the damage.
“Gunshot, right shoulder,” Massacre said as Viper went to grab the medical bag. “Another in his left forearm.”
“She’s got a gunshot wound to her left arm. Looks like it knicked her.” I said, continuing my search noting all the bruising over her torso. Anger fueled my core seeing her in this state. I was going to kill every one of those mother fuckers.
“Kids got a gunshot to his left thigh, threw and threw. He’s exhausted and probably a bit dehydrated, but he will live.”
“Holy fuck,” Bayou said. “How the fuck did he carry her?”
“Kids definitely got golden blood running through his veins, that’s for sure,” Hammer whispered.
“Shit!” I roared. “She’s got a gunshot to her abdomen, right side.”
“Fuck,” Massacre cursed, moving over to my side of the bed to check her wound. “Kids gonna be okay, hurt, but he’ll live. As for her, I don’t know. I wish Healer were here. I’m good with patchwork, but I don't know, man unless we get that bullet out. I’m not a doctor.”
“Hammer, get Healer on the phone now!” I shouted, helping Massacre try to stem the blood.
Instantly I heard Healer’s voice, “Tell me Mass, what’s the damage?”
“Gunshot to the right lower abdomen. The female looks to be about twenty years of age. I say about a hundred and ten pounds. She’s got bruising all over her torso as if someone recently beat the crap out of her. Hang on, I’m rolling her now.” Helping him, I was relieved to see an exit wound.
“Bullet is a threw and threw, but she’s bleeding heavily, man. I think she knicked something.”
“Shit,” Healer cursed. “You guys are over eight hours away. She won’t make it here. You are going to have to take her to a hospital.”
“Can’t,” Gadget moaned, delirious from his exertions. “Know I took her. Looking.”
“Fuck,” I shouted, grabbing the phone from Hammer. “Look, man, I can’t do this again. It’s like the same wound. It’s fucking DeJa’Vu. I can’t lose another one. I won’t, you hear me. Help me. Tell me what to do.”
“Fine, okay,” Healer sighed, then cursed several times into the phone. I could hear him shouting orders and then chaos around him. “I will meet you, boys, halfway. Get your asses to the state line fast and tell Massacre to keep packing her wound. Have him hook one of the boys up for a direct line transfer, and get your asses moving fast. You hear me, brother. Fuck everything on the road. Just get to the state line. I’ll be waiting.”
With that, the line went dead.
Within the hour, I was sitting in the back of an SUV with a needle in my arm, giving Aariaani the much-needed blood her body desired. She was lying flat next to me while Massacre kept packing her wound. Gadget was lying down in the middle seats while Grimm pushed the SUV to its limits. Our other brothers stayed behind to haul the bikes home.
She looked so pale, lying next to me. I worried that Grimm wouldn’t drive fast enough before her body gave out. I couldn’t lose her. Not like Mia. Not again. This was too much, too soon. I didn’t know what Gadget was thinking, but for him to take her as he did, I knew he didn’t have a choice. But the boy never carried. Not even a fucking knife. It was like sending a sheep into the lion’s den, and I ordered it. This was all my fault.