“Yes, Ms. Mercy,” Olivia droned.
“Thank you. You may go back to the gym now.”
Olivia hurried out of the door and down the hall. Mercy stood and wiped moisture from beneath her eyes before returning to her desk.
I waited for the patter of Olivia’s little feet to disappear down the hall before pushing off the wall and approaching Mercy. “What happened to Olivia’s sister?”
“She died right before Olivia enrolled. The West Side Boyz and the High Point Locos were in the middle of some sort of pissing contest. Janisa was shooting hoops with friends at Cascade when she was hit by a stray bullet. Died instantly.”
“Damn,” I said, shaking my head. The neighborhood was rough, and I’d heard about things like drive-bys and stray bullets my whole life, but I’d never thought about how the little siblings of the victims were affected by that kind of senseless violence. Cascade was a middle school. “How old was she?”
“Ten.”
“Jesus. How do you do it?” I asked, stepping closer. I wanted to wrap my arms around her, but we were at work and she’d made it clear that PDA wasn’t allowed here. I was doing my best to respect her wishes and her professionalism. “How do you compartmentalize shit like that and keep going? What stops you from packing up and leaving this neighborhood to go somewhere safer? Somewhere where the kids you help have less of a chance of eating a stray bullet or ending up as a statistic? Somewhere whereyoucould be safe?”
She shrugged, her beautiful blue eyes watering again. “Because they need me, Landon. Most of the world has given up on these children. I won’t.”
Everything about Mercy was beautiful, but her compassion and resolve were heart-stopping. Blue eyes fierce and shining, blonde hair down and curled to frame her face, she looked like a warrior angel in a dress and heels, ready to draw her sword and defend those too young to defend themselves.
If I squinted hard enough, I could see me taking up my sword and standing beside her, helping her cause.
Would it be so bad to put down my M4 and join Mercy on her battlefield permanently?
The thought caught me off guard, forcing me to evaluate my life in a way I hadn’t in years. I’d still be serving. I’d still be paying penance, although I was no longer sure I needed to. And, this thing with Mercy wouldn’t have to end.
I could wake up in her bed every morning for the rest of my life.
The idea definitely had appeal. No longer sure of myself or my future, I drifted back down the hall and into the gym to help preschool kids with their layups.
Hours later, I was still thinking it over when the bikers arrived with designs to put an obstacle course in the gym. I’d spoken to a few of the club members over the past few weeks and they all seemed like good guys. I jumped at the opportunity to help them build the course, and went to work beside Havoc, the black Santa.
“Link said he talked to you about joining us when you get out,” Havoc said. “Said you might have questions?”
I hadn’t even thought about the club, but now that Havoc mentioned it, I was curious. “Link seems like a good man. How is he as a leader?”
“The best. That son-of-a-bitch led my Special Forces unit and wouldn’t shut up about his old man’s club. I got sick of listening to him, so I followed him here to see it for myself, but I never expected to stay. Turns out I kinda like being a Dead President.”
“You were in the Special Forces together?”
“Yep. I met him before that, though. I was doing nighttime PT, putting in training after hours to prepare for the Q-Course when this bossy asshole approached me and said we should train together, push each other, you know? Link had grown up in the club and was used to working as a team, but I grew up with sisters who only ever teamed up to take me down. Working with Link was an adjustment.” Havoc chuckled. “But it was good. We picked up a third… Blade. Did you meet him while he was in town?”
The name didn’t ring a bell. “I don’t think so. He wasn’t there handing out gifts with you guys on Christmas Eve, was he?”
“No. He went back to Texas the weekend before that. He has a woman who was waiting for him at home. He’s back now, though, and this time he brought his wife. He and Link are throwing around ideas to start something like the Dead Presidents to help vets down in Texas.”
“How long were you in the service?” I asked.
“Long enough to know I wasn’t cut out to be a lifer. Link had to come home and take over the club so his old man could retire, and I had other stuff I wanted to do with my life. The service taught me a lot, but it’s messy and loud. I needed to find my calm before I lost my shit, you know?”
Yes, I did. I’d seen plenty of soldiers lose their shit. “Did you? Find your calm, I mean.”
Havoc grinned. “Sure did. Her name’s Julia, and she’s a gorgeous redhead who owns a bookstore downtown.” He held up his hand, showing off his wedding ring. “Got hitched this past Thanksgiving when I took her home to meet my mom and sisters.”
“Congrats. That’s great.”
“Thanks. There sure are benefits to retiring in the service, but I’m glad I didn’t. I served my country, and now I’m right where I belong. Have a stable job, a beautiful, fierce wife, and a club full of brothers who have my back no matter what. I don’t know what I did to deserve it all, but God help the man who tries to take any of it away.”
“That’s beautiful, man,” Wasp said, pretending to wipe a tear from beneath his eye as he joined us. From what I’d gathered, Wasp was the clown of the group, always cracking jokes and pushing the buttons of his brothers. “But I’m gonna need you to quit yapping about your feelings and get back to work so we can finish this obstacle course.”
