I paused for a second. Was this really the right approach? I had always been the cautious guy, the organizer, the planner. Had the pendulum not so much settled as it had swung past the optimal point?
Doesn’t matter. Ask that question to yourself later.
“My brother and I just had a very productive conversation about what we can do to end this, and we’ve come to an agreement. We’re going to split into two units. One unit is going to launch a massive attack on the headquarters of the Fallen Saints. The other, a much smaller and veteran unit, is going to target Lucius at his home.”
“Nice, nice,” members muttered.
“So, with that in mind, tonight, yes,tonight, we are striking the Fallen Saints’ headquarters. Everyone in this building will take part. And a select special unit will ensure the downfall of Lucius himself.”
I paused, looked over the room, and smiled.
“We are going to end this here and now!”
The crowd roared.
“Phoenix and Butch, get everyone organized! Be ready in two hours!”
The crowd of bikers slowly made their way out of the room, the small doorway doing no favors for the mass of men eager to ride, kill, and celebrate. They were ready to do whatever we commanded, ready to die to avenge Father Marcellus and everyone else who had fallen. It seemed perfect.
“Are you absolutely, positively sure we’re doing this right?”
It seemed to Lane that was not so much the case.
I turned to my bigger brother and saw him look like... like I once did.The roles have reversed. He used to be the cocksure one, the one to charge ahead.
Now I’m the leader.
“Remember, we just laid Father Marcellus to rest,” Lane said. “It’s an emotional day. Do you really think the guys are ready for combat now?”
As if to answer Lane’s question, someone screamed, “Let’s fucking go!” just outside church.
“OK, they’re hyped now,” Lane admitted. “And I know maybe this is my bad side about being passive coming across, but we gotta make the right fucking choice, Cole. We’re not retaliating with this strike. We’re going into the mouth of the wolf. And if we do this wrong…”
We all die.
“You heard what I said in there,” I said.
I didn’t say anything else as I brushed past my brother.
Harsh? Maybe.
But the right move?
I didn’t have any doubts about that.
I couldn’t have any doubts about that.
I grabbed Phoenix and Patriot and told them to hang back with me when the rest of the club rolled out. Lane would lead the frontal assault, while the three of us would head over to Lucius’ mansion. We’d park our bikes about half a mile outside his place, sneak up to his home, and finish the job by whatever means necessary. If all went well, the hit would be undiscovered until the morning after.
Finally. The end has come.
* * *
An hour later, with everyone on their bikes and waiting for the final command, Lane came up to me and put a hand on my shoulder.
“I know I’ve been an ass to you most of my life,” he said. “I know that I push you and you push me, though usually I’m the one pushing harder. But let’s do things the right way. We’ve got a genuine chance with both of us under one banner to end this. Let’s not fuck it up. Let’s do it how Dad wanted. With honor and respect for the innocent. Got it?”
In other words, protecting the innocent is more important than prosecuting the evil.It really came down to what we were doing with Lucius’ daughter, but to me, it seemed like an inconsequential argument. If she was smart and had any instinct of self-preservation, she’d stay the hell out of our way. If she grabbed a weapon or tried to stop us... well, then she had lost the innocence she had right now.
