"This is the same," I say. "We control the environment. Brotherhood takes inner perimeter at the Forge, Shelby coordinates ATF backup as outer perimeter. Federal presence gives us legal cover if this goes sideways."
Will's jaw tightens, but he nods slowly. "Gemma stays secured. She's never actually at risk."
"Never," I confirm. "That's the whole point of the setup."
"Then we vote," Will says. "All in favor of using the Forge as trap location?"
Hands go up around the table. Motion passes.
"Motion passes." Will's tone carries presidential weight. "Cole, you've got operational authority. Plan it, execute it, end this. What do you need?"
I pull out the building schematics, spread them across the table. "Shaw, you're primary on interior defense with whoever's not on guard rotation. Nash and Tate stay with Gemma at Will's place—they're already positioned and know her security needs. Danny and Mike, you coordinate exterior approach monitoring once Mike's relieved from perimeter duty."
"What about the decoy?" Shaw asks.
"Keep it simple. I'll wire timed lights on the second floor—office and storage areas where Gemma would actually be. Create shadows, suggest movement without requiring anyone inside. Kline's people will be watching from a distance before they commit. Basic setup, but effective enough to draw them in."
"You can get that done by tonight?" Danny asks.
"I'll have it ready." I tap the schematics. "The Forge already has security cameras. I'll position them to cover approaches, monitor from my truck."
Will stands, moves to the corner where our kuttes hang when we're in Church. He lifts his carefully, runs his hand over the patches and colors with deliberate reverence. "Before we adjourn, I want to remind everyone what we're protecting here."
He holds up his kutte. "These colors represent everything we built together. Every operation we survived, every Brother we lost, every choice we made to stay clean and legitimate. We wear these with pride because we earned them."
Will hangs his kutte back carefully. One by one, other Brothers stand and do the same—Shaw touching his Sergeant-at-Arms patch, Danny the Iron Brotherhood insignia. Each Brother takes a moment before hanging their colors with the respect they've earned.
I'm last. I lift my kutte, feel the weight of the VP patch. Years of keeping this club operational and legitimate, responsibility that comes with authority, trust these men place in my decisions.
I hang it carefully beside Will's.
Shaw breaks the silence. "After we hang colors, we check weapons. Make sure everyone's got the right loadout for close quarters."
"Yeah. We do that before positioning tonight."
When we're all seated again, I continue. "Questions?"
Danny raises his hand. "What happens if this goes sideways?"
"Then we adapt and eliminate the threat anyway." I hold his gaze. "But it won't go sideways. We control the environment, we've got training, and we're protecting our own."
Silence settles over the table. Brothers process the plan, run through their own mental assessments. Nobody else raises concerns.
"Church is adjourned." Will's voice carries authority. "Brothers, prepare for operations. Cole has command. Follow his orders, watch each other's backs, bring everyone home safe."
Brothers stand, moving with purpose. I catch Will's arm before he leaves.
"Gemma's secured with Nash and Tate until this is over. They're solid."
"I know." Will's expression is grim. "End this today, Cole. However it needs to end."
Riding back to my place gives me time to run through the setup in my head—timer switches, camera positions, fields of fire. Mechanics are straightforward. Variables are what keep operatives awake at night.
Shelby's waiting on the porch with Mike when I pull into the driveway, tension clear in her posture.
"Well?" she asks.
"The Brotherhood voted to authorize the operation. We're using the Forge as bait, setting a trap for Kline." I motion her inside, away from Mike's hearing. "You need to coordinate ATF backup as outer perimeter. Federal presence gives us legal cover if this goes sideways."
