Four against two? In my mood, Suds could have a cup of tea, and I’d take them all on without breaking a sweat.
Stepping out on the gravel, I approach the bikers, unclench my jaw, and glare at Kade. “Where is she?”
“No idea.” At his nonchalant, arrogant shrug, my fist’s clench and I jab his midsection, three times.
When one of his mate’s pulls a knife from a boot, my friend shoots a round in the dirt. “Y’all put your hands up high, real slow-like.”
The blokes ignore him and stride forward, so he points his automatic at the oldest one’s groin. “Move another inch and I’ll use your dicks for target practice.”
Lanita’s crazy ex must have a death wish because he comes at me swinging. Ready, I block his blow with my right forearm and simultaneously uppercut his jaw using my left. He’s woozy, but after one downward punch to the solar plexus, he crumples like a sack of shit. On his chest, I press my knee to his throat.
“Where the fuck did you send her?” I release enough weight for him to talk to me, but he turns his head toward my pal.
“Don’t look at him. Sebastian is not going to save you.” While we chit-chat, a bloomin’ audience circles us, brandishing baseball bats and crowbars.
“I hope you know what you’re doin’, Montclair.” Suds steps back and sweeps his barrel at the small militia of armed men approaching us.
“Me, too.” Praying the research Hackzilla provided was up to date, I turn to the gangster, commanding the most respect from the others.
At first, I think he’s Chinese, but the Cyrillic text on his tats tell me he’s a bloody Russian. Will he follow the biker club rules? If he doesn’t, me and my southern commando are about to become fruit tree fertilizer.
I turn toward the grizzly, gray-bearded man in his fifties. “Are you going to let an outsider, dictate to you all? How about a vote?”
He frowns, but as the majority lower their weapons, I’m encouraged to speak up louder. “Landy was Kade’s old lady. My job is to make damn sure she’s safe. Does anyone here object?”
“Me.” As the foreigner raises his gun, a blond with dark skin chops his arm down.
Turning, the older bloke addresses the crowd. “Who wants them dead?”
Before the tide turns against me, I butt in. “How about you let me fight for the privilege of saving her? I promise not to hurt Putin’s boyfriend here, too badly.”
While the bikers laugh and circle around, my wary mate lowers his weapon and steps back, joining the ever-enlarging crowd. “You sure about this?”
“Piece of cake.” Using my right hand, I verify the switchblade in my boot and crouch at the ready.
Sebastian shakes his head. “It’s your neck, pal. Have at it.”
Surrounded, I focus on the red-faced Russian. No doubt trained by the KGB, he’ll use Systema, a combination of skills dating back to the Cossacks. I remain unconcerned. My gung-fu is passed down by Chinese-Indonesian masters, and no other training on earth can compare.
His first lunge clumsy, I swivel on the ball of my foot and snap-kick his patella. The kneecap slips sideways, he screams in agony, and his forward motion causes him to stumble. As he falls, I whip my palm behind his head, swivel my hips, and slam his face onto the pavement.
With blood dripping out of the side of his mouth, I roll him over and get in his face. “Where. Is. She?”
“Reynosa. You’re too late.”
“Wrong answer.” Lightning fast, I punch his temple and kick his ribs.
After some debate, the bikers grant me permission to drag the unconscious man to the back of the SUV.
When done stuffing him inside, I point at Kade. “I want her blasted phone, as well as her landing coordinates. If I ever detect your voice again, you better be on another continent. You copy me?”
Brows furrowed, he curses under his breath. A first-class tosser, I’ll let someone else beat him to a bloody pulp. I have more important things to do.
“If anyone else has a problem, the FBI can be here in a matter of minutes.” They can all bugger off.
Suds spits on the ground, his weapon raised, and backs away. “What the fuck y’all doin’ lettin’ a dirty, rotten Russian run your damn club? Are you Americans or what?”
Giving him a thumbs up, I hop in the SUV. “Let’s roll.”
