Page 122 of Praying for Thunder

He simply shrugged. “He killed a man.”

The three of us froze.

Now here we were, in our room, Chubs no longer sleeping. Without my knowing, he had left the clubhouse to retrieve something—someone.

Roam read his phone, wincing, “Clean out our closet? What for?”

After being patched and gaining an Old Lady, I could have asked for Roam to move out of our room, but that would have left him exposed to hungry Titans. Since he shared a room with me and Tabi, no one asked why he wasn’t always taking club girls to his room. I would protect his secret like I would his life.

Tabi was moving so fast, getting dressed. “He wants us to hide someone.”

Blood raced throughout my body. “He found them.”

Tabi reverted to agent mode in the blink of an eye. “Stay calm. We can’t spook Onus.”

Dressed and slipping on boots, I told Roam, “Come on. Let’s help him.”

Tabi went to follow but I wouldn’t allow it. I held up a hand. “Stay.”

That little bulldog wanted to stab me. Whispering her temper, she demanded, “I’m a fucking agent—”

I leaned down and got personal. “What you are is my Old Lady. Get in that damn bed in case this blows up in my face.” I had no time for her bullshit. If Onus caught us sneaking someone in, I wasn’t having Tabi used against me.

Sneaking into the Mess Hall, the clubhouse was quiet and dark. Only a light under the microwave made it possible to see. Those who didn’t live there had gone home. No bodies were on the couches or chairs or the floor using their clothing as pillows.

Giving Roam a nod, we slipped out the front door and down the wooden steps, as quietly as possible. I kept looking over my shoulder, praying no one was following.

Under the house was Chub’s bike, and his cut, further confusing me. I whispered, “Where the fuck is he?”

Thump-thump-thump… noises came from the street. Chubs racing down the road, his boots pounding. He was shirtless, again splattered with blood, and carrying a small bundle in his arms.

Oh, shit! Fear rocketed through me.

We both rushed down the driveway, our guns drawn.

I ran toward him, whispering, “My dude! What is this?” When he didn’t answer, or stop running, his face frozen in horror, I stopped, bent my legs, and pointed my gun to cover his back. I wasn’t sure if he was being chased.

Roam was right next to me, gun drawn and searching for a target.

I lifted mine into the air as Chubs headed straight for me, his eyes deranged. As all the energy faded from him, he crashed into me, claiming, “Found her.”

Trying to steady him, I put an arm around him while attempting to examine what was between us. It was a black ball of material, but it was also solid.

“W-What is it?” Roam asked, as he helped catch the bundle falling from Chubs’ now limp arms.

Chubs’ gasping lungs told me he had been running for some time. Now he begged, “Help her,” before his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

I caught Chubs over my shoulder. “Brother.” I held his legs, slowly turning to Roam. The revulsion on his face had me whispering, “Now what?” until I saw what he was holding.

A little girl, no more than eleven, bloody, unconscious, gagged, wrists tied to her ankles.

Awkwardly wearing a black t-shirt many sizes too big, I felt the blood drain from my face. Reaching up, I placed my hand on Chubs’ back, just in case my mind had played a trick on me. Sure enough, his skin was bare and drenched in sweat. He had literally offered the shirt off his back and ran with this girl until he passed out.

What had he seen? What had happened? He would never tell, but he didn’t need to. Her little naked behind was sticking out from under the shirt that had been placed over her tied body. There was blood dripping from her innocent…

I cringed, “God, no,” instantly remembering Ani telling Dio of her young, bloodied thighs…

Roam’s gentle heart was causing him to hyperventilate. “C-Cover her. Cover her little—”