The men in the room turn to me and Chaz marches over. “Vo-Tec, what the fuck is this?”
“I . . . I don't know.”
Chaz lifts me up by the collar. “Go find out and get rid of them.”
He spits his words through clenched teeth and I see him, as if for the first time, as he is. This is Charity's dad. This is
the same motherfucker who sold off his own daughter to sweeten his meth deal. This is the same fuck who's taken care of Cam, the one my mother asked me to kill. How can I even consider going with him? I don't want to be part of the Front. They are everything I've never wanted. Cameron made me light that fucking fire. And, now, he'll own me and will make me do whatever Chaz wants. Fuck this.
I laugh and Charity's dad lets me go. Like after lighting the fire, something has torn loose. This time, though, it feels like some veil. The world around me is painfully clear. I smooth my shirt while Chaz looks me over. “I got this.” I smack his shoulder and walk to the door, head clear for the first time all night.
Phil, Amir, Coach Dan, Mike, the Blobâthe entire gymâstand between their cars and the trailer, arms folded across their chests. Coach Dan steps forward. “Tony, hey, are you all right?” He touches his own face, indicating my eyes, and then looks at the trailer where, I'm sure, eyes are peering through the blinds. I shrug and tilt my head toward the horizon, where the sky is filled with smoke. Coach follows and his body tenses. “Okay.”
I look through the crowd and find Rob tucked behind the Blob. My insides surge. I am not one of them. Not a murderer. I can do this.
“Tony, we came here to help. After the visit we received, we thought it best.” He looks around the crew, huddled not too unlike the gang inside, and then looks back at me. “Is there anything we can do?”
I swallow because the words are screaming at my throat, but I can't use them. I need to be precise here, and if I've learned nothing else from Coach Dan and this crew, I know that you must read the situation as much as you react to it. I
open my mouth just as the door behind me does.
“Well, well, well. Look what we have here.” Chaz comes down the steps and places a hand along my neck and squeezes.
I watch Coach Dan. His eyes harden and he shifts his weight. He's no fool. But Chaz doesn't seem to give a shit, looks right past him, at Rob.
“Quit being a pussy and get over here, Rob.”
Chaz's words rumble through me. Amir and Phil hold on to him, but Rob says, “I have to.”
He steps forward, pins his shoulders back, and walks to us.
Chaz spits at his feet. “Looks like you got our message. Now let's see if you understood it?”
Rob swallows but doesn't say anything.
“We had a deal. You were part of it, and you chose to abandon us. Am I right?”
Rob nods and looks more scared than I've ever seen him. But I'm feeling all right. About to shit myself, yeah, but the crew's here. We'll be fine.
Chaz squeezes my neck again. “You left your friend as well. And he's proven great things about himself tonight.” Chaz looks over his shoulder, at the smoke rising.
Coach Dan asks, “Tony? Did you?”
“That's none of your fucking business!” Chaz cuts Coach off, and he takes it, nodding once.
The crew is motionless, speechless, and I can only imagine what they are thinking. I
know
what's going on and this is fucked up. For them, shit, I would understand if they just got in their cars and went the fuck home.
“Seems like you've made a choice, Rob. But I didn't let you have that choice, so it wasn't yours to make.” Chaz points at the crew. “You boys would be wise to get a move on. This has nothing to do with you.”
No one moves.
Chaz nods. “Uh, huh, so it's like that.” He sighs. “Well, like I said, Rob, you had no choice, yet you made one. Tony here had a choice and made the right one. So I think the only fair thing to do is ask you both to make a decision.”
My heart jumps like it's trying to crawl through my ribs. I have no idea what this crazy son of a bitch is going to ask.
“Step closer.” Chaz lets go of my neck and waves to Rob.
Rob looks at me, at Coach, and then back. He takes two small steps and is now striking distance away.
“Here it is. You either both come with us, or you both go with these bitches.”
Rob's face darkens and I twitch. Did he really just make
that
offer?
“But it has to be both of you, whatever you decide. I trust you to make the right choice.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck. There he is with that word.
Trust.
Just what the fuck does that mean in his world? It feels more like
Obey.
Well, I'm sick of obeying this bastard and I'm sure Rob feels the same. So fuck him. I go to answer but Chaz smacks my chest.
“No, Rob answers first.”
Rob takes a deep breath and clears his throat. “I choose them, not you.”
His words are crisp and strong and I smile.
“I agree with Rob.” I step away from Chaz, and he looks between the two of us.
He's still for a moment, watching, thinking. Then he nods and speaks. “Boys you know our motto. We express it, not because we're trying to be amusing, but because it's how the world works. You gain trust and you lose trust. With some that is fine, they don't matter, they aren't made of anything
strong. There is no retribution.” He pauses and my neck tingles. “However, that is not the case with us. There is always a price to pay, and here it is.”
Before I realize what he's doing, before I can react in any way, Chaz has lifted his arm and his fist looks like a hammer. And then I understand and move, but am stopped by the backswing of the ball peen.
It strikes Rob in the temple, and a sickening wet crack follows. A spray of blood arcs across my face as Rob falls to a heap. I freeze in place and stare. Where Chaz struck him is now a gaping hole. Blood and brains pour out. Without question, Rob is dead.
The moment freezes, and I see Chaz's face, smiling and disturbed. I'm four years old again, and there is my father with the same pleasure. He's just punched my mother and is about to backhand me. But I am no longer that boy. And now all that matters in my world is gone, and I won't let that shit happen again.
I charge Chaz like a linebacker, burying a shoulder into his stomach and driving him to the ground. Air pops out of his lungs on impact and he wheezes. I reach down, pull the hammer from him, and raise it over my head.
“Tony, no!”
Coach's voice calls from just behind me and it stops me, but only for a second, because when I look down I can still see my father's face, and I don't owe him anything but what he and Chaz have coming. I arch my back and squeeze my chest and swing.
The impact sends me sprawling on my back, and when I manage to look up, Cameron is on top of me.
25
I
n an instant Cameron disappears, is lifted off by Coach Dan, who punches Cameron so hard his neck snaps all the way back. I reach for the hammer, to finish the job, but it's gone, and Chaz is being pulled to his feet by the Front, who is now spilling out of the trailer, and is being met by my crew.
Fists fly, legs kick, and heads get bashed. I can barely tell who's who, but I remember what's in my pocket, slip the brass knuckles over my hand, and enter the fray.
One of the bikers sees me and hesitates and it's all I need. I step into his legs and crack him an uppercut that splits his chin in two. The blood sprays, and he grabs his face. I kick him in the stomach and he falls to the ground. Legs trample and kick him. Ahead of me Phil and Amir are holding their own. Phil takes on a biker twice his size and gets punched square in the nose. Blood gushes like a water balloon's been popped, but he manages to move away from the second punch and uses the leverage gained to toss the guy to the ground.
I charge over and kick as hard as I can, catching the fucker in the ear. My heel rips off the cartilage and the guy screams. Amir looks over and Phil looks up. I jut my chin, indicating the next asshole coming toward us. He hurls himself
and I roll, taking out his legs. I hop up and see Amir send a knee into his ribs. The guy shudders like he's had a stake driven through. Someone grabs my ankle and rips me to the ground. By the time I look up for help, Phil and Amir each have another biker to contend with.
I'm being dragged across the gravel and around me boots lift and kick and it's all I can do to avoid them. I catch a glimpse of Coach Dan now tangling with Chaz. Coach's face is bleeding, but Chaz is just breathing heavy. I hope Coach kills him because this is all about revenge, and whoever the fuck is pulling me is about to find that out.
I'm whipped and crash into the side of the trailer. The impact forces the air from my lungs, but I know I can't stay down. I get up just as whoever's tossed me lunges. I throw an elbow into his face, knocking him back. He stumbles and I see that it's Cameron. Every muscle within me dances with the opportunity, and all the pain I feel dissolves, replaced by my hate.
He collects himself and I drop into my stance. He stares at the knuckles. I look down at them as well, hoping he realizes they aren't a random pair, but his, and that I'm about to pummel him with them. But then the bridge of my nose cracks and everything goes black.
Blood courses down my face, and I grab my busted nose. I can see images close to me, enough so that Cameron is visible, coming at me with a jab. I'm too slow to weave but tuck my chin and he cracks me off the top of the head. “Fuck!” he screams and shakes his hand.
I let go of my nose and catch him with a cross to the ribs. The brass connects and the bone cracks. Air rushes from him. Blood covers my chest and is dripping down my throat, but I watch his body. He's flat on his feet, rubbing his side.
The space around us is a blur, so all I can see clearly is him, but that's all I need. I charge.
He goes to kick, but I'm faster and we fall. I'm on him without thinking and pin my knees into his chest. I punch him once in the throat with my bare fist and he grabs at me, legs flailing. I drop my weight as he chokes and then let him catch his breath. I don't want this over quickly. But he spits and says, “That all you got, cunt?” I punch his forehead with the knuckles, and it splits open, blood gushing forth.
The hit doesn't stop him though. He just bucks and tries to throw me off. Blood pours from his head and I realize that this is what he did to my mother: slow, methodical torture. I'm in his place now, doing the same to him. But I don't care. Rob is dead. Nothing else matters.
I pop off Cameron and he rolls to get up. I kick him in the side. He curls but keeps scrambling. I kick again, catching his mouth, and feel teeth break. He pulls his head in between his arms, but still tries to rise. Around me all I can hear are men screaming and bones breaking. I only hope the majority of the pain is the Front's. This is one battle I'm not losing.
I turn back and Cameron's crouched, face oozing blood, a pocket where his front teeth should be, and a knife in his hand. He lunges and I step back but knock into someone and fall. On the ground is the last place I want to be. Just like in the ring.
Cameron tries to pin me with one arm, while aiming the knife. His arms are coated in blood and slide across, but his eyes are haunted, like someone possessed. If I don't find a way right now, I'm dead.
He stabs at my side, but catches my elbow. It stings but I pop my hips to roll him off. He doesn't budge, just locks his boots beneath my back, removing all of my leverage. He
stabs at my face and I grab his wrist, but it's with the knuckled hand and they keep me from getting a solid grip. I slip on the blood, and he's free again.
He tucks into himself and slides down onto my thighs, but keeps his feet wedged into my spine. If he moved just a little more I could sit up, but he doesn't and I feel like I'm being snapped in half. Cameron wipes the blood from his face and grips the knife in both hands. “Should have done this sooner.” Every part of my body flexes and I try with all I have to roll him, but I can't. I look behind me, to see if anyone can help, but all that's visible are legs and fists.
Cameron laughs and I turn back. He's holding the knife over his head and he smiles.
No! This is not how I want to die. Not like Rob. I cannot be another victim. I clasp my hands together and lock my arms prepared to block. Maybe he'll miss, or catch me in the ribs and I'll be able to get the knife. I just can't let him get to my neck.
“Ready?” Cameron plunges.
But a blur flashes across my eyes and I come up with the impact. I'm thrown free and when I get up I see Marcus on top of Cameron, the knife in Cam's shoulder. He's got Cam pinned though, and is squeezing his neck with the other arm, choking him out. He looks at me and neither of us speak. I want to stay and watch, but this isn't just about Cam anymore.
Chaz and Coach are locked in a hold on the ground. I step to the side, get a clean line to Chaz and kick. My toe sinks into his temple, but it's not a hammer and doesn't puncture. Coach looks up and I smile, thanking him for the opportunity. I reel back and kick again, but Coach rolls and I kick him in the back.
“The fuck, Coach? What are you doing?”
He doesn't answer, just squeezes around Chaz's neck for a moment, then slides off him. The biker is out cold and I understand. Might as well let me finish the job. I take two steps back and then charge, but Coach wraps me up, takes me to the ground.
“No, Tony. You can't.”
“Fuck you, I can't.” I try every move I know and don't give a fuck how much the ground eats at my face and chest. I want up and I want that man dead.