A New Ride Begins

Chapter 24

ABELS POV:

I can't believe that I'm following Tig and Chibs to the Clubhouse. I'd been there once or twice as a kid, and the image of that place never left my mind. Most people don't remember their lives when they were 5 years old. Lucky me, I couldn't forget it no matter how much I tried.

As soon as my parents told me that Tommy had come to Charming, I knew this would happen. He's always been impulsive, always thinking with his heart instead of his head. I knew one day it would get him into trouble- I just always figured it'd be a different kind of trouble. Like the kind that shits on itself and sucks you dry for the next 18 years of its life.

But as soon as my Mom said he'd gone to Charming, I knew that some bullshit like this wouldn't be far behind.

This town is poison. It will bring down anyone who walks inside its borders and stays a length of time.

I park my car behind their bikes and follow the men into the candy store and up a set of hidden stairs in back. The clubhouse is full of familiar and new faces. I see Ratboy in the corner and smile. He's the one guy in this place that I actually remember fondly. He used to watch my brother and me with his girlfriend all the time, and he was always real cool with us. He walks toward me, a smile on his face spread from ear to ear.

"Shit, Abel Teller," he greets. "Didn't think I'd ever see you again, kid. You probably don't remember me, but..."

"Hey Uncle Rat," I smile, shaking his hand.

The man smiles and pulls me into a brief hug, while Tig and Chibs roll their eyes behind us. If I didn't know any better, I'd say they are a bit miffed that I hadn't greeted them in the same manner.

"Listen up, Men," Chibs says, gathering the attention of the club. "Tommy's in trouble. Cal sold him out to the Messengers and we need to get our shite together and get him the hell out of there."

"That son of a bitch," Alvarez said, running his hands through his hair. "Where's Cal? I'll fucking kill him," he proclaims amongst agreements from the rest of the group.

One thing I can say about these men, they're loyal to a fault. If someone fucks with one brother, they're fucking with them all. It's almost noble.

Almost.

"He's being handled," Happy announces, calming the crew.

"Right now, we've got bigger fish to fry," Tig puts in. "Call whoever's not here. Get them to the warehouse. We're sneaking onto the property, leaving the bikes here and loading the SUV's..."

Tig continues to go over the plan. I stand in the back of the group, my arms crossed over my chest, ready to get my brother and get the hell out of this town. Kenny makes his way through the men to my side.

"You know we got this, right?" he asks lowly, as to not divert anyone's attention from the specifics of our rescue mission.

"We better," I reply gruffly.

"You remind me of him, you know," he says.

"Who?" I ask, my eyes still on Tig and only half listening to Kenny.

"Your father. You remind me of him."

I scoff. The last thing I want to be is my father.

"You don't know me," I reply.

Kenny nods.

"You're right. And that's a damn shame if you ask me. Our fathers were best friends, you know."

"I don't care," I snap back at him, finally looking his way but only briefly.

Kenny laughs and slaps my back.

"You're kind of a dick, you know that?"

I cut my eyes back toward Tig and smirk.

"And now you know me."

*~*~*

"Ever shoot a gun?" T.O asks me as the men gather their weapons.

He's holding a black Heckler & Koch HK45 out to me. I take the gun and grip it in my hand. I check the safety, the chamber, and then shove it in the waistband of my jeans.

"Okay then," he answers, once it's clear I know what I'm doing.

I grew up on a farm with a father who knew his way around a weapon or two. Of course, I know how to shoot a fucking gun.

Shortly after, we file out of the clubhouse and pile into 5 different SUV's. I ride with Kenny, Ratboy, Tig, Happy and a few others I don't know. Fifteen minutes later, we park a little ways down the road from a large warehouse, immediately turning off our headlights and engines. Everyone piles out of the vehicles and gathers around silently, pulling their weapons from their places of safety.

We inch toward the warehouse slowly, even though it seems as if no one is around. It's almost three o'clock in the morning by now. Most people are sleeping instead of rescuing their dimwit brothers from gang activity.

Fuck my life.

We reach the building and the group spreads out, making sure every exit is covered by someone. Tig reaches out and opens the front door, surprised it wasn't locked. Inside the room is a naked man in a chair, beating off to computer porn while he probably should've been keeping watch on what was happening outside these walls, because now- Here we are.

Tig raises his weapon and the man throws his hands up in the air.

"What the..." are the only words the man can get out before his brain is blown out and splattered all over the wall.

I flinch at the noise and force myself to look away.

"Let's go," Tig comments before walking the rest of the way into the building.

I don't agree with murder. I think that 99% of the time there's another way to handle your beefs with people. But in this case, to save my brother, all bets are off.

Tommy is a stupid, arrogant, selfish son of a bitch. But at the end of the day, he's my kid brother. I'll do anything to get him back to Mom and Pop in one piece- Including killing all these bastards if I have to.