“What was it?”
“It’s Odin. I texted him when I pushed you up in the ceiling again, so he’d know where we were. I didn’t want to take them by surprise and have a brother shoot us by mistake.”
So that’s what had taken him so long to get in the ceiling with me, besides searching out the flashlight.
As soon as he’s finished filling me in, Odin’s head appears around the corner. “You both okay?” he asks, and we nod, our faces quickly turning to watch the scene unfold below.
“Give me the tranq gun.” He holds his hand out to me.
“What, why?” I place it in his palm.
“I’m going to see if I can help my brothers and keep a few of these fuckers alive to torture later.”
I draw in a harsh breath, knowing how true his words are. I know they won’t hesitate to hurt the rival biker club members, but I prefer to pretend to be ignorant to it all. Odin and I watch as Mercenary picks off two more guys before a few turn their heads up, looking for us. It’s enough of a distraction that the Oath Keepers have time to riddle the remaining threats with bullets.
With the cease of weapons, we’re drenched in silence. It’s so stark, it’s nearly louder than the shooting was, it seems. My shoulders drop, the muscles in my back starting to unwind from the tightness leaving my body, knowing we’re finally safe. I’m going to be sore from being strung so damn tight during this whole thing rather than from fighting.
A loud boom rattles everything in the building pulling a harsh curse from me. Mercenary yanks me to his chest, his arms wrapped around me tightly to protect me. Holding onto the railing beside us, I lean over to see a few Oath Keepers had fallen with the blast, but no one looks injured from it.
“We need to get down there.”
“The fuck was that?” Odin sputters. His mouth’s slack with shock from the explosion.
“Bombs,” Mercenary grits. “The motherfuckers have set off three since they showed up.
“Holy shit,” he curses, and we both nod our agreement. “We found the guys out front that you knocked out earlier.”
“Good.” Mercenary reloads the tranquilizer gun and hands it back over to me. I grip it tightly, afraid I may accidently shoot someone and knock them out. I don’t say it aloud, but the thought does bother me. He grabs my hand as we head for the stairs to join the others.
Odin keeps talking as we travel down the steps in a rush that lead to the delivery hall and back entry to The Pit. They take a few stairs two at a time, but my legs are too short, and I nearly have to jog to keep pace. “Torch has them tied up and waiting in the back of the truck.”
“A cop showed up; he was shot dead upon entry.”
I listen idly, concentrating on not falling and busting my ass. With one hand firmly planted to the banister, the other remains secure in Mercenary’s firm grip.
“Son of a bitch. This is going to be a big fucking mess.”
“Prez here?”
“Yeah, he’s down there.” Odin doesn’t even sound winded. What the hell do these guys do to stay in such good shape? Yeah, I can fight, but shit, it’s not like I do cardio or anything.
On the next break between levels, I run my hand through my dusty hair. Using the band around my wrist, I twist my long locks up into a topknot. This seriousness definitely calls for it.
“You okay, Chevelle?” Mercenary flicks his gaze over me as we make our way down the next flight of stairs and my hand shoots out to keep my balance.
“Honestly, I have no idea how to answer that,” I mutter, thinking over the carnage I just witnessed in the middle of my beloved race track. He gives my hand a squeeze, and both of them stay quiet after that until we make it to the main level.
“Is it clear?” Odin calls out and gets a few yesses in return.
We enter in the middle of a heated debate. Nightmare scowls, his voice raised as he drills in his point. “We need to hit these fuckers now! Enough waiting. They were here to kill more of ours, and with a big hit like this, they won’t be able to react to us right now.”
“We have to wait, brother,” Viking argues. His right hand tugs at his beard in frustration.
Nightmare flings his arms out. “Fuck waiting! I’ve been patient enough, we attack now.”
Odin interrupts, “And walk into the unknown? They could end up killing us all.”
Nightmare shakes his head, exasperated. “Man the fuck up, O. You’re the new VP. Time to see just how savage you are, brother.” He lays down the challenge, but rather than jumping on it, Odin just shakes his head.