Shiver's ol’ lady. MC through and through. She can do this.
"Grace got a call first," she says, her voice steadying. "From Venom—Flint's father. He said the debt wasn't paid. That it wouldn't end tonight. Said it was just beginning. It was like... like a warning. Or a distraction. We didn't know which."
"What time?" I need the timeline. Need to know exactly when things went wrong.
"A little after 9. Maybe 9:05, 9:10, something like that. Right after you guys would've gotten to the meet."
Perfect timing. While we were sitting in that lot, waiting like idiots, Venom was calling Grace. Setting up the next move.
They played us. Perfectly.
"Then what?"
"A couple minutes later, we heard bikes." Siren's voice is shaking now, reliving it. "A group of them. Coming fast. Loud. They didn't try to hide the fact they were coming here. Just rolled in with guns out, cuts visible. Copperhead Kings. Flint was leading them."
"Where was Grace?"
"Inside the clubhouse with me and Sakura. We heard the bikes, looked out the window, and saw what was happening. I hollered for the other ol’ ladies to take the kids and get them into the safe rooms. We were the only ones left out here. I pulled my gun. I wanted Sakura to get Grace to the back room, lock the door, and hide. But there wasn't time. It all happened so fucking fast."
Phantom arrives on his bike, Thunder, Blaze, and Blight right behind him.
The Shotgun Saints brothers dismount in unison, moving with purpose toward us.
Phantom's face is a mask—no expression, no emotion showing. But his eyes are blazing with fury.
"What happened?" he demands, his Prez voice cutting through the lingering chaos. "Everything. Now."
Siren repeats the story for him, and I listen again, cataloging every detail.
The phone call from Venom at 9:11.
The bikes arriving at 9:15.
Ten Copperhead Kings, all armed.
Pope trying to radio for help.
The gunshot that took him down—shoulder wound, not fatal, but a message. Cooperate or die.
Siren confronting them with her gun drawn.
Flint putting his gun to Grace's head.
The impossible choice—lower the weapon or watch Grace die.
"Grace tried to run," Siren says, and despite everything, there's pride in her voice. Fierce, protective pride. "Didn't just give up. Didn't just surrender. She saw an opening and she ran. Fast. Made it maybe a few feet before one of them grabbed her."
That's my girl. Fighting until the last second.
"Flint caught up to her," Siren continues, her voice breaking again. "Put his hand around her throat. Not choking, just... holding. Told her she could come quietly or they'd kill everyone here. Starting with me."
I'm going to throw up. The image of Flint's hand on Grace's throat?—
"What did she do?" Phantom's voice is tight.
"She spit in his face." Siren's almost laughing through her tears. "Right in his face. Called him a coward. Told him Shadow would kill him."
Pride and terror war in my chest.
