“Yes, though I killed while in the Army, I didn’t since becoming a cop.I was a small town Deputy Sheriff, and I didn’t see any hard core action until I joined the Vulture’s MC.You read that file already.When I retained my entire memory after being shot, that’s when Kessler and Flynn started training me to go undercover with Devil’s Scorpions.”He shook his head, finished his coffee, and settled back in his chair.
“What I’m about to say is probably going to piss you off.”
“Just say it, Psycho.”
“I knew about you.I knew you were undercover ATF, however, I was told not to tell anyone there who I was.”He shook his head when he saw understanding cross her expression.“The only other person that I knew ahead of time that was undercover with them was the guy that took me to the tattoo parlor, and who vouched for me when we got to Tucson.”This time he paused and got up to refill their coffee cups before settling back in his chair.
“It wasn’t until after the arrests of the Scorpions that I knew of the other men there undercover.”
“There were more than just you?”
“Yes, I can’t speak for the others, I can only speak for myself.I was told to intervene on your behalf if you were in grave danger.I was also told that you were an excellent agent and could hold your own, both with your story and fighting to stay alive.This next part is strictly personal on my part.”
“What is?”
“Keep in mind that I knew who you were before I even arrived there with Vulture,” At her look he smiled and nodded.“Yes, there were six of us.Me, Vulture, Snake, Bulldog, Wheels, and Hillbilly.As far as we knew, you were the only female undercover agent.Anyway, the moment I met you, I liked you.Even with all the fucking shit Zeke and the other patch holders put us through, I still liked you.”He sipped his coffee and stared at the table as he spoke again.“Do you remember the night Slim slapped you around at the bar we were in?”
“Yes,” Petra answered quietly as she reached up and touched the tiny scar on the outside of her upper lip where Slim had split her lip after she refused to go in the back alley with him for what he described as a quickie.Thankfully, several of the other women helped her keep safe by yelling at him.In the Devil’s Scorpions motorcycle club, Slim was considered only a prospect and he didn’t have the same power a fully patched member had.
“What about it?”she asked to encourage him to continue his tale.
“Do you remember he didn’t go back to the club house with us that night, then he didn’t show up for a few days?When he did show up, his face was covered in bruises?”
“Oh my god, was that you?”
“Yes.I didn’t have my center patch yet, but I had both my top and bottom rockers.He had nothing, he was only a prospect that had been around for only three or four months at that time.While in that back alley he wanted to take you to, I didn’t have my rag on, and my face was covered, but I let him know in no uncertain terms that you, and all the other women were off limits to a piss ant like him.That he had no right as a prospect to even be looking at you ladies, let alone trying to drag any of you to the back alley for a quickie.I about shit my pants when Zeke asked him what happened to him and he looked at all of us.My knuckles were still raw from the beating I gave him.”
“I know it’s a couple of years too late, but thank you.I had never been so scared in my life when he grabbed my arm and tried to drag me away from the group.”Petra reached out and gripped his hand and tightened her grip when she felt a tingle shoot up her arm.
“You’re welcome, and I was told later by Snake that if I hadn’t beat the asshole up, then one of them would have.Not only because you were undercover, but because you are a woman.We didn’t agree with Zeke’s rules that the women had to be shared, and I’ll never know how you avoided being raped by the members, or hooked up with any of them.”
“I don’t know either, I have a suspicion that Mary had something to do with it, but I don’t know for sure.All I know is that about six weeks after I arrived, Mary said something to Zeke, and no one messed with me.I will be eternally grateful to her for that.Do you know what happened to her?”
Psycho scrubbed his face hard.“I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”
“Holy shit, so it’s above my pay grade?”
“Yes, I’m only repeating what was told to me.I am just as clueless as you as to what happened to you.You wrote the reports, you were told what you needed to know after the arrests.”
“I only have one question.”
“What’s that?”
“I kept hearing and seeing the name Paul Rankin in the reports from the other agents involved.Kessler even talked about him, but I am clueless as to who he is.Do you have any idea?”
Psycho grinned as he leaned up on his hip, withdrew his wallet, and pulled out his driver’s license.He handed it over silently.
“You?”Petra asked in shock.“You’re Paul Rankin?”
“Yes.Now that you know that I knew you were undercover, but didn’t say anything to you, I have something else to confess.”
“What’s that?”
“I like you Petra.I mean, I like you enough that I want to have a relationship with you, however, there’s a reason why I gave you that file to read last night, and why I am here today.My dating you might not happen.”
“Why not?”She demanded.“Since we’re being honest here, I have been sitting in my office for the last few months wondering how much time Psycho would get for his involvement with Devil’s Scorpions.Until you showed up at my door the other night, I had no clue you were one of the good guys.”
Psycho grinned, then quickly sobered.“Okay, a few months back, I came up with a plan.I’ve talked with Snake, Bulldog, Wheels, Vulture, and Hillbilly about it.They are all in agreement with me on this.We are about eighty percent ready to put this plan in motion.The guys I just mentioned have gone to their home states to clean up any unfinished business they have in their personal lives.”
