Shay chuckled.“Yes James, I know who you live with and I know exactly what kind of people they are.Bane was a lot worse a few years ago.The man he was back then?I wouldn’t want to ever meet him, but since he got his redo?There isn’t a better man I would trust my life with.”He looked over at Stone.
Stone agreed, “Nor would I trust my sister to the man he once was but I think she’s just the type of person to make him become a better person.When you told me she was taken, I almost felt sorry for the man who took her,almost.I just hope he learned his lesson.You never take anything away from a man like Bane.That will get you a one-way ticket to hell.”
James nodded, then he shuddered.“When he caught the guy, it scared us all.I mean we never would have been hurt by him, but...DAYUM.”
Stone nodded.“That sounds about right.”
“Then there’s this current Bane,” James murmured.“When he came and got me from that barn of imminent death.I was never so glad to see him.Then after he got me out, he went back and...”James closed his eyes briefly.“He made them all pay.”
“I see that he is fond of you,” Stone commented.
“Yeah,” Shay agreed.“How the hell did that happen?”
James slowly shook his head.“It took a couple of years of...well, being an idiot, making jokes, and stupidly poking the bear as it were.Then I just hung in there even though I was the steak hanging on a rope and he was the wolf on the ground below.He would pop me but I was like one of those blowup clowns as in I would rock right back up and start all over again.”
“So, you wore him down?”Shay asked as he blurted out with a snort-laugh.
Stone shook his head at James as he chuckled too.“That was dangerous as all hell, boy.”
James looked up at them both and spoke softly, “It was...but it was worth it.”
Twenty minutes later...
Bane drove right up to Owens’ doorstep.
They all got out and entered the house.Their guns were raised as they didn’t know who they might meet inside the house.
When they went through every room and found no one there, Sam sat down on the sofa and told everyone else, “You guys can look and I’ll watch the front door.”
Bane nodded and went into one of the bedrooms.He tore the room apart but found very little in the way of paperwork.Then he walked out into the living room and stared at the open doorway to the underground rooms.
Sam just shook his head.“You need to turn the air back on to go down there.There's no air, remember?”
Bane turned his head to look at Sam.“I remember but we might not have time to do all that.”
“Can you hold your breath that long?”Sam wanted to know.
“Won’t have to,” Bane stated then he walked out to his vehicle and grabbed a small box from his trunk.He went back inside and carefully set the box down on the coffee table in front of Sam.
Sam peeked into the box and began chuckling.He leaned back on the sofa and shook his head.“Only you Bane, only you.”
“Only him what?”Deke walked into the living room holding a stack of paperwork in his hands.
Sam rubbed his jaw and looked at his son.“Only Bane would bring an oxygen mask with him.Almost like it was regular car maintenance stuff.”
Bane looked at Deke then back at Sam.“You mean, it isn’t?”He smirked then donned the mask and disappeared down the rabbit hole.
Deke just looked at his dad and shook his head.“You gotta keep pushing, don’t ya dad?”
Sam snorted then turned to look at the doorway. “I’ve lived longer than you, son.I have learned where the traps are.I push then I will jump outta the way just in time.”He looked smug.“Did you find something?”
Deke shrugged.“Not sure yet but maybe when we look at all the evidence we can get a clearer picture of everything those boys have been up to.”
Sam shook his head. “God damn boy I hope so.Some men are just born with a bad seed in them and those two have that in spades.”
Deke snorted.“Let’s not forget Mama Dearest or sweet sister either.Bane thinks they all have mama’s bad blood in them and right now I’m a believer.”
“Yeah you and me both,” Sam agreed.“Now all we need is the proof.”
