Scout: Devil's Rose #11

Chapter 3: Major Owens

"Do you have a name? Right now, you're just some random guy calling me about a dipshit guy. I guess I'm sure there's some sort of Devil's Rose MC rule or something about your name, but anything is better than nothing for this."

I knew the question was coming. By her sweet and soft voice, I can tell that this might be a deal breaker in our meeting. And I understand that.

The call is odd, me knowing her name is odd, and the whole situation is completely fucked. I would be hesitant to meet me too. There's no doubt. The circumstances couldn't be more awful.

"I'm gonna tell you, but you can't speak it other than with me standing right in front of you, alone."

"See, I knew there was gonna be something with the DR. I work at Vellichor with Gabby by the way. But I'm sure you know that already," she sasses, her tone changing again.

I did. She's not wrong.

I scoff into the phone, running my shaking hand over my pants.

She was my last chance, and she worked out. For now at least.

"I'm Major."

"Major?! That's such a name!"

"Yes? It's mine."

"Were your parents in the military or something? Did you get bullied growing up?"

"Yes, to both of those things, Violet."

"Well, fuck. What's your road name?"

"Scout."

"That's not any better!" she laughs loudly, a smile erupting on my face involuntarily.

"I didn't choose either name, so I can't be blamed."

"I still am not a fan."

"Wow. You are fucking bold."

"I'm just honest. And you wanted information from me, so here you go," she retorts.

"Not about how you feel about the names I didn't choose for myself."

"You just want information about a guy who is terrible."

"I'm starting to want more information about you, Violet."

"Look it up on your fucking computer, Scout."

We both laugh into the phone, and I can barely tell that this is real.

She can't be fucking real.

Once we've both gotten a hold of ourselves, Violet announces that she needs to go to bed. If we're really going to meet up tomorrow.

"Thank you, Violet."

"I want to help. That's all I'm doing, Major."

"You're being fucking heroic is what you're doing."

I can tell that she's smiling, and then she hangs up the phone leaving me in a still and brutal silence.

Jesus fuck. Who was that girl? And why am I stunned by her?

I stand up from the warehouse systems room, which is literally just a room with fancy computers and tech that Piper, Carbon, and I use to track people. I guess it needed a name though. And "computer room" wasn't luxurious enough.

When Poison and Bullet see me leave the building, after about three days of not leaving, they send prayer hands into the sky, thanking a God that they both don't believe in a sign of thank you.

I probably shouldn't have been in that room, in that building, for three days straight, but I finally found Violet. I need to do this for Iris. I need to do this for Slasher. I need to do this for their future.

Iris doesn't feel safe enough to go forward with anything until Kai is in custody or hell, I don't think either of them cares which. Though, if it were up to Slasher, I think we all know where he would be.

I walk down three blocks from the warehouse, soaking in the chill night air, to my apartment. I've lived there since I got here from my own stint in the military.

I was in the Air Force for about ten years. The first four years of my active duty were spent mostly out in the field, spending all of my time in Iraq, tracking people through technology and other resources. I was in the midst of the Third Iraq War, and that took up my life.

I think I only went home maybe four times, mostly due to the fact that I was needed and well, there wasn't much at home besides my sister. Who was in college and trying to live her own life.

I was already part of an invasion, I didn't feel like I needed to be part of another.

After the end of those four years, I was back home for a month or two before being deployed to Italy, where I lived for the next four years of my life.

Then, headed back home for another couple of months before being deployed to Dallas, Texas which was a fucking huge change from Italy. I stayed there for two years before my sister got into her car accident.

With no other choice honestly, I was honorably discharged and spent my time taking care of her before she was able to be more independent. Now, she still needs help with certain things, so I could never go back into the military fully.

I can't take the chance of being away from my sister who doesn't really have anybody else. With the Devil's Rose MC, which I was a prospect of two years ago when I moved here for my sister, and now an official member of, there's no reason for me to go back into the military.

I do everything I was doing in the military here anyway.

And I have way more freedom in making choices for myself outside of the military.

As much as the Air Force gave me discipline, adventure, a community, and experiences beyond my wildest imagination, it also brought isolation, separation, violence, and a million other not so good things.

When you're in something like the military, even in Devil's Rose, sometimes you do certain actions you probably wouldn't do if it were completely up to you. It's very much less of that now, but regardless, it happens all the same. There's just way more I benefit from being in Devil's Rose.

I stare outside my window, the lights of Westmoor fading as shops close for the night and people come home from their days of work.

Grove Heights, however, those lights never fade, the party seeming to be never-ending. The time I spend there isn't necessary at night, and from what Iris has told me about the nightlife, I'm not sure I want to go.

Many people do, but I'm not one of those people. I'm thirty, I'm not as young as I once was. All of my former years were dedicated to the Air Force, which I'm glad I did, but that changes a person.

I would much rather spend my time inside and reading or watching a movie.

I'm about to sit down and eat my dinner when my phone starts to ring. I pick it up and see that Violet of all people is calling me.

Fuck, I hope she's not changing her mind. I wasn't lying to her when she said she was my last chance. Everyone else that I've contracted to get more information on this guy hasn't said a word.

I can track a lot of people. I've been doing it for twelve years. I'm good at it, but this guy of all people is getting on my nerves. He knows what to do to evade me. I think I have him and then I don't.

Or it's like he leaves shit just for me to find to play with me. I don't fucking like it, but what's my other choice? If no one talks to me, the only person I have to go off of is him. He knows this. He's fucking playing with me.

A game of cat and mouse.

That's why Violet is fucking important. Because she's an outside source. She has no idea about his moves, and I don't need that. I need personal information. Something besides his childhood home and shit any person can find easily on the dark web.

I need to know the information that he has said from his mouth. And while I understand the sensitivity of the situation, knowing what he's done, I can't do anything else without someone who knows him, talking to me.

Her friend Harper thinks of him as a toxic ex, which is fine, but she doesn't know the fucked up shit. Violet knows it.