Chapter 3 The Club
(Natsu)
It was pure luck those bastards pissed themselves and turned on the man who would have saved them. That's what happens when you trust men like that. I knew my brothers; hand chose them to join my club. I would hand them a gun without question and turn my back.
Phantom, however, didn't see the mutiny coming.
Even riding next to the truck I felt my gaze fall on the man's small brother. He was in clothes three sizes too big for his frail body, his head half under a beanie hat, and yet he had the balls to snap at me while I held a gun to his head.
The boy had guts, but that wouldn't get him shit.
I had to respect the bond he shared with Phantom. He had naturally expressed more concern about his brother than his own life.
I hated to admit that I was jealous. My blood brothers had betrayed me years ago when one seduced and bedded the girl I thought I loved, and my eldest brother left our family and never took me with him.
I laughed remember it. I always had to remind myself that a monster like me never gets a girl or a loving family.
We drove off the road into a private lot. My gang had money we use to buy land out in the country and build a place for us to both enjoy ourselves and work without having to worry about the damn police sniffing at our doorstep. It was also part of the black market where we helped transfer and sell drugs and guns under the feds nose. To us, this club was our home.
The building was miles away from the closest home and farms, the highway was a good twelve miles away, and the trees all but blocked it from view.
From the front, the club looked like any old run down shack, but inside it was a full bar with everything from the most potent beers, to the fatty foods we'd gotten from blackmailing a five star joint. To the side was a separate building, connected by a long hallway. It served as a place for the men to all sleep, while another house attached behind the bar, was used as a brothel.
I let out a sigh. The women there were all nothing more than a means to an end. They were there to give the men what they wanted, and the girl got both their money and their pleasure. They even got to eat and live in the apartments as long as they didn't start up shit.
"Hey boss, Phantom looks like he's almost dead," Black Iron called from the car with no real concern for the man.
"We're almost there; someone send Mirajane a tex a tell her to be ready to stitch the bastard up."
We parked the vehicles in the driveway, and all but carried the two boys into the building, Phantom was passed out, and his brother was fighting us like a wildcat.
The club was filled with my other brothers, all surprisingly sober. The brothel girls were nowhere in sight. Good. I would have to listen to screams if they saw Phantom covered in blood. Blake Iron and Bolt carried the masked man into the infirmary, were the club's twenty-year-old nurse, Mirajane, stood waiting with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.
"By the love of all things holy, why do you damn baboons always drag in half dead men for me to take care of?"
"Can you help him?" Phantom's brother asked. I think his name was Luke? That's what the man who stabbed Phantom said his name was. I never noticed it till now. Without the fear and tremble in his words, he had an unusually soft voice.
Mirajane looked up at the boy. She studied him, oddly, and then nodded. "Damn straight I can. The knife didn't seem hit anything important, just needs a stitch here and there and a good weeks rest."
Luke nodded, looking down at his brother and taking his hand in his.
I found it odd for him to do that, and even more so when he looked nothing more than a lost dog. "When you stitch him up, put him in the empty room next to mine," I said. "I want someone watching it every day, and nothing gets in or out without my saying so."
The men nodded, and I looked at Luke. "You'll be under lock and key till your brother's well enough to spit out the locations to those safe houses."
"I'll stay with my brother."
I laughed at him. "How amusing. Don't worry your brother safe, but you, on the other hand, aren't. We promised not to kill you; we didn't say anything about giving you a few black eyes or a busted lip if you show me any more of this shit. You'll do what I say, and that's the f**ing end of it."
Luke trembled and lowered his eyes.
Good, It been a long day and I was getting pissed every minute I wasn't in bed or drunk off my ass with a girl in my lap.
"Take them both to the spare bedroom," I snapped and walked off, slamming the door behind me.
Damn, I hated this day.
(Lucy)
Two days and six hours. I'd never spend so long in a single room that was more like a large walk-in closet than any damn bedroom, only let out when I needed to relieve myself.
My brother was laying on a small bed, half-functional from all the drugs they'd given him to ease the pain. I'd never seen Sting in such a state. He was always calm, protective, smart. Now he was a blabbering pain in the ass.
If the men didn't find out I was a girl, Sting would make sure they did if he didn't snap out of it. Seriously what did they give him?
"Hmmm, hey sis did you say something?" Sting's eyes were half closed, and the grin on his face was so full his lips must have hurt.
"Shh, just go back to sleep." I cooed.
"But I feel great!" He laughed like a crazy man. "Did you know the tooth fairy-"
I slapped his cheek. "Snap out of it you, you…" I could never call him anything besides Sting or brother. "Damn you and my soft heart. Listen to me you've been drugged, so get some rest."
He pouted but did as I said and closed his eyes, just as one of END's men burst through the door and started to drag my brother out of the room, and Sting was acting like a child, smiling, and willingly going along as if it were normal.
"Are we going on a field trip?" Sting laughed.
I tried to follow, but the jerk pushed me back and closed the door on me. I didn't bother to try and open it. I heard the locks click into place. But that didn't mean I wasn't going to give them peace.
I kicked and punched the door, cursing at them. I was acting like an animal, and I didn't care. I was a girl, yes, but I wasn't one right now.
"Damn it shut the hell up!" Someone shouted from behind the door.
"Make me." I taunted. "Open this door and see what happens I dare you." Playing with fire had always been my gift. Might be my father's DNA, but I seem to be able to tick off most people.
The lock clicked, and the handles turned. I braced myself, ready to pounce. I had nothing to hit him with, except the lamp on the nightstand. It'd have to work.
I had the lamp above my head as the door opened, and brought it down when I saw the man's head. The glass shattered, followed by the man's grunt as he fell to the floor with a thump.
I stood frozen. The guy wasn't dead, but my blood was rushing, and sweat fell down my neck.
Come one this is no time to be afraid. I hopped over the man's body and hurried out of the hotel-like building. I couldn't here Sting, with meant he must have been in one of the other buildings.
Great. I might as well jump in front of a car. No way was I getting out of here without a few punches and some split skin...or worse, in a body bag.
The first building I choose was the two-story one that looked like some fancy house with a bunch of rooms. I soon found out it was much more.
Scarcely clad women walked around with sways in their steps and faces covered in dark and seductive makeup. Red lips, dark eyes, loose hair, and in outfits that if I wore, would make Sting shoot me after he's died of shock.
The girls all gave me looks that made me blush. Some even tried to hit on me, but I merely said I was looking for a man and that I already had a girlfriend (I said it with whatever dignity I had left) and the girls left me alone.
It didn't help I had no idea where to look for Sting. I spotted a door slightly ajar and walked into it, spotting a woman with a guy– shit! I slammed the door and ran out of that place like it was on fire.
I can't believe I saw such a thing. I was already so nervous I felt nauseous, but after seeing that, I feel nauseated.
I tried the smaller building this time, sneaking in through the back door surrounded by smelly trash bags and broken glass.
The kitchen was well kept; in fact, the outside of the place looked like it was shit, but inside it was in far better condition. The walls were painted, had decor on small shelves and tables scattered about, and the floor was swept, but not clean enough to eat off of. This place did, however, have a strong smell of tobacco, cigarettes, and roasting meat.
That's when I heard an all too familiar voice coming from outside the door. One I hoped I would never have to listen to again.
"Give me back Phantom and Luke, they're part of my gang, so I own them,"
I peeked out the kitchen door and spotted Sting slumped on the floor, END standing protectively in front of him, and his men aiming guns at Jiemma and seven of his drug dealing junkies who also held guns.
How did the bastards find us?
"Sure I'll give them back. Once I'm through getting every last detail, I want from him. Or you can simply give me the Phoenix's ruby you stole from my partner. By the way, I still owe you for putting a bullet through his brain." If I had thought END was frightening when we first met this was a whole new level of evil. With the glare he was giving him I was surprised he hadn't shot Jiemma dead yet.
"Shoot me, and you'll cause a war. I didn't kill the man. It was my orders to steal the ruby, but I never ordered my men to kill your partner," I couldn't remember the time I ever saw that man look sorry about anything, but he did when he said that. But I didn't buy it. I knew him too well to be fooled by his tricks.
"Phantom was nearly killed by your men. I saw the whole thing. This man's under our protection now."
"Protection?" Jiemma laughed. "Protection my f**ing ass, you just said you wanted information."
"That I did, but I didn't say I would kill him. The fact you came to get him yourself proves to me he's valuable, and since you'd stolen the ruby, I will take something of yours."
Jiemma let out a tsk sound, before looking at my brother, passed out cold on the floor. He took out his gun and aimed it at him.
END stepped in the way.
"I can kill him or you, and right now I don't care about war. We've got a truce END, don't make me break it, it cost money to start shit with another gang."
"Then leave. I will not be ordered around in my club."
Someone's gun went off, and I cupped my mouth to keep from screaming as I backed away from the door and waited as more shot echoed.
I heard a scream, and I thought it sounded like Sting.
Sting!
I forced my ass off the floor and ran out from the kitchen and saw bloody chaos, Sting still on the floor, was being kicked and walked on like an old rug. I ran past the fighting men and threw myself over my brother's limp body, and I closed my eyes tight as the guns went off, people stomped on my fingers and crashed into me. I hugged my brother so tight he stirred uncomfortably in his sleep.
I wouldn't move. I would stay with him.
One of Jiemma's men came up and use the handle of his gun to hit my already bruised ribs. Like someone possessed, I jumped at him and sank my teeth into his arm. A metallic taste filled my mouth as the man tumbled back. He was able to land a hit on my cheek.
END suddenly rushed up from behind and punched the bastard in the stomach, and then kicked him in the face when he was on the ground gasping for breath.
"You f**ing idiot just had to protect your brother!" He scorned while grabbing my shirt color, shaking me. "Are you trying to get killed you-" Jiemm was coming up from behind him, and I pushed END away. He still held my shirt, so I slipped out of it and jumped onto the brute who'd I wanted to kill since the moment I first met him. I clawed and punched, I bit, I thrashed around till Jiemma let out an enraged cry and threw me back, pinning me between his body and a wall.
"Why you-" He ripped off my hat and my golden blonde hair fell loose around my shoulders. He gaped at me.
"Lucy!" Sting was trying to get up from the floor. When did he wake up? He was suddenly surrounded and fighting off Jiemma's men as he stared at me, fear in his eyes.
Jiemma suddenly groaned as END stabbed a knife in his shoulder and threw him to his battered and bloody men, and shouted. 'Get the f**k out, or all hell will break loose. If I see your faces in my territory ever again, I'll make sure to do more than kill you!" He spat on Jiemma's face, and the brute was dragged out.
I hoped the spit cause his cuts to get infected.
Dark eyes met my brown, and for a moment I felt safe with him, but then END breath hitched. His eyes scanned my face then lingered on my breast.
Shit. Then I remembered that I was exposed. My shirt was gon, and I was left in, nothing but my skin-tight camisole, and baggy pants. My hair was hanging out in a mess, but I still couldn't be mistaken for a boy.
"F***ing hell," He cursed, and I tried to cover myself with my arms.
"Lucy!" Sting rushed to my side (Or limped), and I threw my arms around him.
"Your hurt," I said looking at his bloody face, and that's when I noticed his mask was gone, his scars in full view. "Are you alright?"
"Takes more than a few beating to take your old bro down." He pounded his chest triumphantly, but flinched and let out a gasp of pain. "Damn, maybe I need a few painkillers and a nurse." He half-joked, before passing out again.
Smiling in relief, I ran a hand through his hair, till my brother's tiny snores filled my ears.
A set of hands grabbed my arm and forced me to stand. I turned my face to see Black Iron. "So what do we do with her," He asked.
END grabbed my chin and made me look at him. He was glaring so intensely that I flinched away.
"Please," I said, "Don't rape me." I hated to beg, but I was also a regular human who felt fear. Yes, they did technically save us, but that doesn't mean these bikers were going to treat us with respect.
END's hold on me tightened, and I whimpered.
"Let the girl go, Black; she's still the only reason Phantom hasn't tried to do anything, though I think you two owe me more than just Phantom's life now."
My eyes widened with both shock and outrage. "How can you say that?" I snapped jerking my hand away from Black's hold. "I saved your ass back there; I owe you nothing."
END smiled. "I just got you out of that shitty group, saved your brother, and you owe me because your former boss just wrecked my club because of you two." He looked away. "Take her back to the room with her brother, and bring me the bastards who let her out."
Black grumbled his protest, but one look from his salmon-haired leader, he obeyed and started to drag me back to the small room.
I ripped my arm away from Black and slapped him. "I can go there without you trying to rip my arm off," I spat and walked the rest of the way to the spare bedroom. I smiled when Black saw the man I knocked out, still passed out cold on the floor with a bump the size of a fist on his head.
"Damn," He cursed and lifted his friend off the ground and locked the door behind him.
At least I had one satisfying thing to dwell on.
(Natsu)
"Shit, shit, shit," I cursed myself for not noticing sooner. I can't believe I didn't see it. That damn Luke was a damn girl. And worst I thought she was cute. No not cute, beautiful. Breathtaking.
Those eyes of hers were like cinnamon, and her hair, though wild and unkempt, was the most beautiful shade of blonde I'd ever seen on a woman.
Black came in the bar moments later dragging behind him, Cobra, the man I'd sent to guard Luke or 'Lucy' as her brother had called her.
"He better not have passed out because he's been doing drugs again," I said, too annoyed right now to care.
"We might not want to put another lamp in that room with the brat, or anything else she could use against us," He laid Cobra on the couch and sat down in one of the booths. "So what now. Jiemma knows we're going to us Phantom, he'll try and move everything around, and those safe houses will be empty.
I signed. "Gajeel you have no brain. There's more to a plane then one idea. The skulls will be too busy with their safe house they'll leave little protection for their precious drug trade, and supply houses."
My brother nodded understanding the plane. "So it was all just a hoax, you knew Jiemma would get word about Phantom, and this fight was to scar him and lose his edge?"
"Exactly."
"Sometimes brother you amaze me, but what about Luk—I mean Phantom's sister? and also I told you to stop calling me Gajeel."
I sighed. "She was something I wasn't planning on happening." I pushed the thought of the girl away. "Let's focus on the plane. The phoenix ruby will not be our priority yet. First, we need to weaken Jiemma's income before we go all out."
Gajeel looked a bit angry. "You should have just killed him. Avenge our brother."
I shook my head. "Black no one was more devastating than I was when Gildarts died. But if we kill Jiemma then what? The Black Dragons would take all the profit and leave. We wouldn't get shit."
"We would get revenge."
"Something revenge is better served cold," I said calmly.
"Damn it Natsu, why don't you see revenge is sometimes a better option. Who cared about money, because it won't bring our brother back!"
"And revenge will?" I snapped.
"It makes Gildarts's death easier to handle!"
I slammed my hands down on the table, and Gajeel winced. He knew he'd crossed the line, and anyone knew to cross my line was a death sentence waiting to happen.
"Enough, I am president, and I will not show mercy to the men who took one of my men. I will let you all have your way with the Skulls when we kick their asses to the dirt and blow holes in a few of their brains. We will stick to plan B."
Gajeel grunted and shot out of his seat, then slammed the door as he stormed out of the bar.