A/N: Thank you all so much for the support. I'm glad you're enjoying this! Warning! There is a brief mention of animal abuse at the beginning of this chapter as well as "acts of karmic retribution". Chapter title is from the song of the same name by Judas Priest.

Chapter 4: You've Got Another Thing Comin'

Sleep did wonders for the soul.

Darcy felt almost human again. She even considered skipping grabbing a coffee on her way in. Thankfully, she knew herself better than to trust that thought. If she was going to continue to try to cut down on her smoking, she needed caffeine.

Whoever invented coffee needed to be officially recognized as a saint in her mind. It was a godsend and the bitterness cut through any remnant brain fog. She felt alive as she sipped while she walked. It was late morning and the only ones running around were those who had to work and the surfers. The ocean attracted a fair few tourists to ride the waves. Personally, she didn't see the appeal. The ocean was filled with things that could kill you. She had seen Jaws, thank you. Besides, all people had to do was get swept the wrong way by a riptide and they were gone. Maybe that accounted for a few of the missing people, she mused. She doubted all the bodies washed onshore in the same place they drowned, especially if they were far enough out to surf.

A yelp caught her attention. Darcy slowed to a stop as she found the source of the sound. There was some guy at the side of a building. There was a low growl that echoed down towards her and it cut off with another yelp as she saw him kick something.

"Hey!" She stormed forwards. Nothing good came from that sort of sound. "What the fuck are you doing?"

The guy straightened and turned towards her. She didn't recognize him. His hair was loose, hanging around his ears. Another mullet. God, she was beginning to hate this era.

"What?"

"What the fuck are you doing?" she asked again. She looked down, trying to find the source of the sounds she heard.

"You look deadly, babe. You local? Where's the best joint to eat?" He grinned at her as if he hadn't just been hurting something.

There was a whimper by his feet. She ignored him, moving forward and crouching down to get a closer look. It looked like one of the strays she had seen running around the place.

"You're kicking a dog?" She straightened and turned towards him. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"What?" he said. "It's just a mutt."

Darcy saw red. She swung and dumped her hot coffee on him.

He yelped, jumping back."What the fuck?"

"A mutt? What the hell type of psychopathic shit-? It is too fucking early for this." She pointed her finger at him, glaring. "If I ever see you touch another animal again, I will feed you to the strays in this area, got it?"

"You're a fucking freak!"

"Better than a psychopath!" she snarled back. "I swear to god, I will gut you and leave your body for the seagulls. Get the fuck out of here!"

The guy made a face before giving her the finger and running off. She stormed after him, making note of the red Pontiac he got into. He gave her the finger again as he drove by and she repeated the first bit of his license plate over and over as she turned to check on the dog. What an asshole.

The stray took off as she got closer. She couldn't blame it but she caught the limp it was moving with. It wasn't like she was a big dog person, but you don't just stand on the sidelines and let someone injure an animal if you can stop it. She glanced down at her coffee and sighed. So much for a good morning.

The rest of the day passed with ease but the more she thought about the morning, the more irritated she got. She had tried to call the cops on him. It wasn't like there were many red Pontiacs with that license running around. They proved to be as useless as she expected with the missing people. Since only she saw it, and it wasn't her dog, it was apparently only hearsay.

Of course it was. She didn't know why she even bothered anymore. She should have known. That meant she was going to have to deal with it on her own. If only for her peace of mind. The only challenge was finding that stupid car.

By the time she made it to the Boardwalk after work, it was dark. It worked in her favour. No one would really be paying attention to her. The rides were in full swing and there were more than a few bonfires on the beach. They acted as beacons for the teens and surfers who were looking for something to do that didn't involve riding a rollercoaster. They were just lucky it was warm enough to hang out on the beach at night.

She finally found the stupid thing in the fourth parking lot she checked by the beach. She double-checked the license plate before she started. It wouldn't do to wreck someone else's car, after all.

Darcy had taken the knife that Sampson kept near the register. It was supposed to be for protection, just in case. She had never needed to use it until now. It wasn't the only thing she had brought either.

The beauty of the 80s was that cars were ridiculously easy to break into. Especially if one did not lock their doors.

"Dumbass," she muttered. He was lucky she wasn't planning on pulling a Carrie Underwood on him. She looked around as best she could, pocketing the change and small bills she found in a cup holder. There were a pair of aviators hanging off of the visor. She put them on her head, helping hold back her hair that was starting to fall loose. The glove compartment revealed his registration, she noted his name and address just in case, and a pack of condoms. "Ugh." She left them. God forbid he accidentally bred.

She got out and checked the area before crouching down. Fuck. This would have been easier if she had her phone. At least she had a flashlight. It wasn't as small as she preferred but it would do. She dug the knife out of her pocket, turned the flashlight on and got to work.

There were rare moments in her life where she was glad she had known her ex. This was one of them. The guy was an asshole, but youtube and boxed wine taught her a lot about brake lines. As far as she knew, he never cheated again. Or drove.

She scooted back out from under the car, satisfied enough with the damage when a voice called out.

"What are you doing?"

Her heart leaped into her throat. Getting caught was not part of the plan. Shit. She thought quickly of an excuse until she sat up and actually saw who had asked.

The dark-haired biker was leaning against the car, staring down at her. Dwayne , her mind supplied.

"Jesus fucking christ, don't do that!" She said. She closed the knife as subtly as she could and turned off the flashlight before standing. She waved a hand towards him while trying to slip both items back into her back pocket. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough."

She stared at him for a moment, trying to gauge his reaction. "I dropped something."

"The knife?" he asked. "Or the brake line?"

Shit. "You going to rat me out?" She crossed her arms, glaring at him. The man knew where she was staying. Getting another room at another place would be a bitch now that summer had fully hit.

"This about your wrist?"

"No." If she was honest, she forgot about that.

"You done?" he asked.

"No," she repeated. Might as well be honest since he knew what she was here for. He didn't seem too concerned with it. She took the opportunity to actually look at him. It wasn't that she didn't register that the guys were good-looking, but she had generally been too irritated to think about it. None of them had reminded her of any of her exes, aside from pissing her off and not listening, but she assumed that was due to the style. Really, they all just had a steadfast sort of confidence that seemed to radiate from them. Even when they were being assholes.

If she let him stay, she was possibly opening herself up to let this be used against her. Then again, she already had something to hold against them, considering he and his friends were the last to see Frankie alive.

"Hurry," he said. "I'll watch."

She took the advantage. Shit like this was easier when you had a lookout. Darcy nodded and moved quickly over to where the gas tank was. She opened it and ran quickly to scoop up some sand. It was going to wreck the car but considering the asshole had been torturing a dog, she couldn't be bothered to care. She made two trips before she sealed up the tank and tried to brush off the sand from the area on the car. She didn't want to be too obvious.

Dwayne was where she left him, still watching though in the time she had taken to destroy the gas tank, he lit a cigarette.

She headed over. "Thanks," she said. He nodded back before reaching down and brushing his hand over her side and hip. She raised an eyebrow.

"Sand," he said, smirking slightly before pulling back.

"Uh-huh," she said dryly. She didn't believe that for a second. "You gonna share?" she nodded towards the cigarette. It wasn't that she didn't have her own. She just knew that smoking was damn expensive and if she could bum one off of these boys who seemed intent on following her around, well she'd save some money.

She watched him inhale before he leaned in close. She looked up, curious. For a moment she thought he was actually going to kiss her, which would be bold considering she was armed, but instead, he breathed out slowly. She inhaled, feeling the warmth of his breath and the smoke surround her. Jesus Christ.

She stepped back, ignoring the way her heart just decided to skyrocket. He took another drag before offering her the cigarette. She took it automatically. Hell, she needed it more now after that. She glanced down. He wasn't wearing a shirt. The man had abs and wasn't wearing a shirt under the jacket he wore. To be fair, she probably would be tempted to also not wear one if she had abs.

"Thanks." She took a drag before offering it back but he motioned for her to keep it. "How'd you find me?"

"Saw you breaking in."

"It's not breaking in if the dumbass didn't lock his doors. It's just...entering." He looked amused. "I caught him this morning kicking a dog for shits and giggles," she admitted. She wasn't entirely sure why she did, but he had yet to bother her like the others had. Maybe because he was quieter. "Called the cops but they're fucking useless, no surprise. Figured I'd deal with it myself….more than dumping my coffee on him. Burns didn't seem to go deep enough. Where's McDonald's when you need them?" She glanced around. "Thought you travelled in packs."

"Miss them?" he asked. His voice wasn't exactly deeper than she expected, but it was smooth.

"Like cancer. Which," she dropped the cigarette and stomped it out. It was already finished. "I need to stop smoking. Be a terrible way to die." That seemed to entertain him even more. "Alright, thanks for...acting lookout. I'm going to go before he shows up and we're caught here."

"Want a ride?"

She didn't see his bike close by which meant he was probably parked with the others. With her luck, she'd run right into them and they'd be trying to convince her to party with them again. She was tempted though. Especially after that smoke trick. That should not be as hot as it was. They didn't even use weed.

"I'm good," she gave him a smile. "Thanks though."

"You sure?"

She glanced up and met his eyes. The night seemed to mute around them. She could no longer really hear the sounds of the rides or the noise from the bonfires. Come for a ride. What harm would it really do? He could drive her home and she'd be there that much faster, right? Except she didn't actually know that. She bit down on the inside of her cheek again, trying to focus. It was a bad habit she picked up from listening to the lectures she got. Blood pooled in her mouth and suddenly sounds came rushing back.

"Yeah," she shook her head slightly. "It's not that far. I'll be fine." She thought she saw his jaw clench.

"I'll walk you. Let's go." He turned and headed off in the right direction, leaving her to chase after him. She was tempted to just go take the long way, but he had been chill enough so far.

"You don't have to do that," she said once she caught up. "I can handle myself."

He gave her a look that somehow said he knew that, but kept walking. She tried not to roll her eyes. She could still taste the blood. "Hold on," she stopped walking. "I'm going to grab a drink before we get off the boardwalk." Dwayne looked at her and she thought she caught a flash of something in his eyes. "Feel free to leave," she offered.

He just turned and headed back towards the Boardwalk. As much as she made fun of the fashion, there were definitely perks. Especially to the tight pants. The man had a great ass.

It was interesting the way the crowd seemed to part for them. Some people didn't even seem aware they were doing it. They just moved as if that had been their intention all along. It was a novel experience for Darcy. She was used to either dodging or forcing her way through crowds.

She stopped at the nearest spot and grabbed a coke. Dwayne paid for it before she could even dig out the money she took from the car. She scowled automatically before considering it. If he wanted to pay, he was welcome to. It would save her money in the long run. She wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"So what's your deal?" she asked, taking a sip. Coca-cola was weird here. It wasn't as sweet as she was used to. Then again, nothing really tasted like she remembered. "You spend all your time stalking women?"

That got a smirk out of him.

"Aren't gangs supposed to have rivalries or some shit? Stuff to do? Dance-offs with the Jets? I don't know, something instead of being a shadow."

"We do what we want."

Well, that made sense. It wasn't like she knew a lot of gangs. She got herself into some trouble but never that much trouble. "Is it just you and those other guys?"

He nodded.

"Well, tell the others that they're assholes. You can say I told you to. At least you're helpful." She shot herself in the foot. Not that she realized, but she had been so focused on trying to get some more information out of the tall one next to her, and getting the taste of blood out of her mouth, that it took longer than it should have to clue into the fact that he wasn't leading her off of the boardwalk.

"You found her!"

"Aw fuck," she muttered. She glared up at the man next to her. "I take back every nice thing I thought of you."

He looked down at her and grinned. "Thought of me often?"

"Not anymore, treacherous demon-spawn."

That made them all laugh. She glared over at the other bikers. How she had missed the fact he led her closer to the ocean instead of the actual edge of town, she didn't know.

She took a step away from Dwayne. "Why did you bring me here?" she asked, taking another sip.

"We're going for a ride," David called out. "Join us."

She rolled her eyes. "I thought we've been over this. I'm not interested in your party." They all laughed and she felt her hackles rise.

"She was wrecking a car," Dwayne said, moving over to his bike.

They all suddenly seemed to perk up, looking far more interested than before.

"Oh yeah?" Paul called out. "Whose car?"

"You a little violent, Darcy?" David asked, leaning forward.

"What'd they do?" Marko asked.

"He was an asshole who liked to kick animals," she said. She didn't feel guilty about what he had coming to him. "I just sped karma up."

"She cut his brake line," Dwayne said.

"You tell them everything?" she snapped. He gave a half shrug, not seeming to be bothered by her anger.

Marko got off of his bike and moved towards her. "Come on, Darce, we're just trying to invite you to join us."

"I said no."

"You don't even know what for," David said.

"We're going to a concert," Marko chimed in. "What are they called again?"

"Who wants to know?" Paul called out.

"If you're going to play games," she cut in, "I'm going home."

"They're called Guns and Roses," Marko said, moving in front of her before she could leave. She paused. Guns N Roses? They must have been just starting out. How often would she actually get the chance to see them in a small venue? God damn it.

"Are you serious?" She narrowed her eyes. "Where?"

"Hour drive...more or less." The men all grinned at each other again. Marko held out a hand. "We'll be back before sunrise," he teased.

She shouldn't, but she really wanted to see the band. "You're not going to murder me on the way, are you? Because I will be pissed and come back to haunt your asses."

"There and back," he held up his hand. "Promise."

"I don't believe you...but alright."

They all cheered. Marko turned to his friends. "Told you I'd get her to come!" He grinned. "Hop on babe, you can ride with me."

"Just for that, I'm not," she walked over to a trash can and dropped the drink in. She turned and looked over at the men who were all seated on their bikes, waiting for her expectantly. She didn't see a helmet in sight. Fucking eighties and their lack of safety. At least her hair was braided up in a crown from when she planned her revenge on the car.

Marko was out and there was no way she was going to ride with Dwayne after the stunt he pulled, even if she was excited about the show. That left David or Paul...who was grinning widely and looking like he was ready to take off.

She walked over to David and climbed on the back of his bike. "Don't make me regret this," she told him.

He looked back with a grin. "Let's go boys."

[tbc]