Part 23. One Less Loose End

It was an hour after they had entered the building that the leader of the SWAT team, Colin Theeman, called Chris over to where he stood, looking over a bank of destroyed security monitors along a wall. The ATF leader was feeling more relaxed by that point, knowing that every moment of stress and planning was paying off all around him.

"Captain Larabee, the information your insider gave you was right on the money..."

Chris gave a slight nod, looking at the destroyed screens

"And it looks like this might be reason they didn't see us coming sooner."

Chris moved around next to the SWAT agent and saw the full extent of the damage. Suddenly a slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips, the first in a long while. Carefully tugging the remnants of a battered cowboy hat from the depths of one of the broken screens he shook his head as he studied it. Tanner. He had no doubt that it was his new agent that had stopped the guards from becoming aware of their attack until it was too late.

"The ATF don't mess around," he said to the team leader with a wink, just as his phone rang.

"Larabee."

"Larabee, Josh here." There was a hint of humour in his voice as he said, "Heard I missed a good barbecue..."

Chris ignored him, he knew he'd have plenty of time to think up snappy comebacks in the next days, if not decades, ahead.

"What's happening out there?"

"We had to move in, we had no choice. They got nervous and tried to move."

Chris respected that if Josh had moved in it had been with good cause. "And?"

He could practically here the beaming smile through the phone. "I don't know what you guys are sitting on out there, but it's like Christmas-fucking-day from where I'm standing."

Chris's own face broke into a grin. He was disappointed that they couldn't trace the truck back to the club, but their effort would be well rewarded. What a night this had been. If Tanner didn't receive a medal for all this, he'd buy one and pin it on him himself.

Buck approached him as he was putting his cell phone away.

"Well?" he asked shortly, still not willing to give Buck an inch after the stunt he'd pulled with JD and the truck.

"Bad news, Mitri's estate has been breached. Looks like there was a scuffle..." he paused, knowing that Chris was going to be truly angry. For a moment he felt sorry for the southerner. If the man got out of whatever trouble he was in, he was going to have to face one hell of a pissed off Larabee.

"And?" Chris said with little patience.

"And, they found Ezra's car parked up the street..."

"Son of a bitch!"

When an officer tapped Buck on the shoulder to get his attention he was happy for the intrusion. He could still hear Chris cursing as he turned away.

..

Nettie Wells heard the roar of incoming bikes long before the tap came at her door. Her hand was on her gun before the sound of the engines had died away. With her other hand she turned her alarm clock toward her and saw that it was 3am. Given that whoever it was was bothering to knock, she knew it wasn't likely thieves.

She went to her door and opened it slowly, leaving the lights off as she pulled on her robe and headed through the house, heading for the door that led through to the diner. She'd been living there so long she knew the way in the dark, which was good because right then she had absolutely no light to guide her.

Moving around the deserted kitchen she reached her security monitor and waited a moment, hearing another knock as she watched the image flicker from the side of the building to the front entrance. It took her a moment to study the lone figure at her door but after a long moment she recognised the long hair, if nothing else, that gave away the fact that the man leaning heavily on her doorstep was the very man that had sent Guy Royal packing; Vin.

For his part, Vin was doing all he could to stay upright, hoping against hope that the old woman was home and that she had meant what she'd said when she had told him to come to her if he needed anything. He'd never thought he'd be taking her up on the offer, but it was the only place he could think of to go to on the way back to the club. He motioned for Sugar to move forward into the light so she wouldn't feel threatened as he saw a shadow approaching the door and waited, relieved when her voice called out.

"You alone?"

"No ma'am. Just got a friend with me."

A moment later there was the sound of the door being unlocked and he looked down to the wisened face peering up at him in the dim light.

"Well ain't you a sight..." was all she said as she ushered him in out of the cold. She gave Ivan a once over before turning her back on them both. "Follow me."

They followed her through the diner, Vin limping even worse now that his leg had stiffened on the ride. He was surprised when she didn't stop, but led him straight through the diner kitchen and on through a door that led into a small room. She kept moving until she reached a surprisingly large, yet homely, kitchen and turned on the light over the big wooden table. It was a big table for one woman, he thought, but the room was warm and inviting, the tones of the natural woods blending with the gleam of copper pans that hung over the large stove. Before he realised it she was boiling water and making coffee, coming back over to him with a small medical kit while the kettle hummed on the stove and guiding him down into one of the comfortable wooden chairs.

"You keep running into trouble like this son and you're not going to make it out of this town alive."

Vin didn't reply, he was too cold and weary to deny it.

"I can patch you up as best I can, but that bullet's cut close," she nodded at the graze across his temple. "You're damn lucky."

He didn't bother to ask how she knew it was a bullet wound, he'd bet she'd seen her share of action through her long life. He didn't have time to mince words. "I need your help."

She glanced at his intense blue eyes a moment before leaning forward to start cleaning up the blood at his temple.

"I can see that."

He leaned back away from her, dodging her well meaning hand. "No..." he used as few words as he could, growing more and more tired by the second. The warmth of the room was pulling him towards wanting to rest. "We ain't here fer yer doctorin'... do ya have a computer?"

She frowned at that. "My niece has one. Why?"

Vin glanced at Sugar who was uncharacteristically quiet. In fact, Vin thought he looked like he was in a degree of shock. He stood and stretched, digging his hand into the tight coin pocked of his jeans and pulling out the MP3 player, showing it to her.

"I need to see what's on this."

Nettie looked at the silver device, having no idea what it was, then back to the intense eyes that showed her

for a moment just how weary and desperate the man was. Whatever had happened was his business, but she knew he wouldn't have come to her lightly. She owed him, but that wasn't the only reason she decided to help him. There was something about him that brought out the maternal in her and she thought he could do with a little mothering, even if he would never admit that to himself. First things first though, if he wanted her help, he had to take it as she saw willing to give it.

"You can play with that thing in a minute, first I'm going to make sure you don't pass out at my table lookin' the way you do and scarin' the hell out of my niece when she wakes up."

Vin began to protest but Ivan finally spoke, although glancing at him again Vin could see the man's eyes were dull, as if they had lost the spark of life.

"Listen to her lad. Ye need help."

Vin frowned as Nettie held a firm hand to his head and resumed dabbing at the wound with determined motions, biting back his arguments as he gave in to her ministration for the moment.

Nettie smiled despite the situation. She could almost feel the tension in Vin's jaw as he bit back his impatience.

"That guy cause ya any more trouble?" Vin asked, partly to try and diffuse his own impatience.

"Not yet." But he will.

"Ow."

She avoided his accusing glare for stinging him with the cream she had applied to the cleaned wound. "You could use a stitch or two here."

"It'll mend," he said a little gruffly.

"You know, you came to me for help."

He had the manners to look down at her admonishment.

"Looks like you got a world'a trouble waitin' for ya out there, so you may as well relax some while you're here. You wanna unload some'a that cloud that's hangin' over that handsome head of yours, I got big shoulders for sharin' the load..."

Vin rose a brow at her tiny frame sceptically and she silently dared him to comment. He eyed her carefully neutral face, knowing she was sincere and without realising it he let out a breath, knowing he owed her some sort of explanation.

She prodded him along. "This got somethin' ta do with the rest of those friends of yours..?"

Ivan gave a small noise that was part grief, part anger and Nettie's eyes sharpened as they glanced his way. She stopped for a moment and went off to a high cupboard, grabbing down a low glass and a bottle of scotch. Coming back to the table she poured a hefty glass and pushed it into Ivan's hands.

The big man looked up and finally met her eyes and she saw then the full extent of the man's grief.

"Drink," she ordered. He didn't have to be told twice and nodded to her in silent thanks before taking a large gulp.

"What about me?" Vin asked and she could have sworn there was a fleeting pout there.

"You have a head wound. You're pushin' it with me givin' you coffee, but you look like you need somethin' to stand you up again."

He scowled but took the coffee she offered, appreciating the heat of the liquid as it scolded his throat. She hadn't bothered with milk either, it was just how he liked it.

"What happened?" she asked him softly.

Vin couldn't believe it, there was a lump in his throat, but since he couldn't remember having shed a tear since the day his mother had died, he dealt with it swiftly with a quick glance at Ivan, relieved to see him staring absently into the depths of his whiskey. He pushed the images of Bruce, shot down before he could stop him, of Cheese and Rizzo, lying dead out of his head, shaking it slightly so that even that small movement caused his head to pound. He just couldn't tell her, he couldn't think about it let alone try and describe or explain it. Instead, he indicated the player again.

"I don't know," he told her honestly. "But this here could hold the key."

She didn't push him again, his silence had told her much. These boys had been through hell and she didn't want to cause Vin more pain by making him dredge it up when he wasn't ready. She would do whatever he needed until he was ready to deal with it.

"You know, you don't fit the stereotype of a biker."

Vin's eyes crinkled at her assessing gaze, knowing she had given him a reprieve and taking it said, "no?"

"No."

She continued patching him up and he was surprised when she spoke a moment later. "You look too honest."

Vin laughed but he was uncomfortable with the fact that Ivan's gaze had found his at that moment. The man was staring at him and for a moment his eyes were very clear. What he was thinking though, Vin had no idea.

"I wouldn't go makin' that assumption too soon," he warned her. He was lying to just about everybody he knew. Hell, he was even lying to himself and he knew it. After a moment he realised she had paused and looked up at her, surprised at her earnest expression.

"You got old fashioned integrity, an' that's rare these days. I told you before an' I'll tell you again, you're a gentlemen, an' that's a fact."

He couldn't meet her eye and she sighed at his reluctance to accept her statement as truth. 'He doesn't know his worth, and that's a fact'.

She did what she could for him, patching him up and bandaging his knee as best she could, knowing that it was that injury more than any other that was hurting him. He shouldn't be walking on it, but she kept that to herself for she knew chastising him about it wasn't going to make any difference. Finally, shoving a fresh coffee in his hand she led them to the computer, leaving them to turn it on while she went to warm some food for them. She would bet they hadn't eaten since the breakfast she'd made them.

He sat at the lone chair, Ivan peering over his shoulder as the computer finally booted up and Vin found the file. It didn't take long to forward through the recorded footage of the corridor where they had found Cheese before they saw movement. They watched guards coming and going and then after another minute forwarding Rizzo came into the frame. He was being shoved out the door by two guards and Vin could see the man wasn't completely sure what he was doing as they pushed him out and shut the door behind him. He frowned, forwarding the recording again until he saw the door open again and this time Ivan came back in, dragging Rizzo, who was not moving. He left him and took off again, coming back shortly carrying Cheese and leaving again a moment later. Cheese remained on the floor and Vin wondered if he was dead until he saw him try and sit up when guards approached him.

Vin's chest grew tight and he heard Ivan swear as they watched both guards aim their rifles at him point blank and open fire. Cheese's body jerked with the impact of the storm of bullets until the firing stopped and he lay back, completely still.

"Sweet Jesus."

Both men turned swiftly at the sound of the shocked voice behind them. The old woman was holding a plate in one hand and had her other hand to her heart, her expression distraught, but she said nothing more as she placed the food down on the table before them, somehow sensing that it wasn't a good time to try and get him them to eat after all.

Vin turned back to the screen, stopping the forward motion when he saw the door open for the final time and this time he saw himself being carried through by Ivan. The rest he knew and so he closed the video program and disconnected the device, putting it back in his pocket without a word. He nodded his gratitude to Nettie and got to his feet, Ivan giving him a hand up. When he started heading for the door she realised they were going to leave.

"I don't suppose I can convince you to eat somethin' before you head out again."

Vin stopped, remembering his manners as he once again tried to deal with the rage and shock of losing three men in the one night and seeing Cheese gunned down in cold blood. He looked at the old woman gratefully. "I appreciate yer help, ma'am. I gotta leave or I'll jist be bringin' trouble to yer door if someone see's us here." He touched the small bandage at his temple. "Thank you," he said and his eyes told her he meant it.

"You're welcome. You take care now. Both of you."

Vin nodded, giving her that grin again as he left, but this time, she could see that it didn't meet his eyes. Ivan too grunted his thanks but seemed incapable of anything more.

As soon as they left the warmth of the building Vin shivered, hugging his arms around himself in a futile attempt to keep the pleasant warmth from leaving him. The ride wasn't much farther but he knew it would seem like hours in the condition he was in and by the time he got there he would be frozen from the outside in.

He hauled himself onto his bike, not keen to get going but needing to take the pressure of his knee. He sighed with the relief and rubbed it, watching Ivan as he came to stand before him, obviously also realising that they needed to talk before they made their next move.

"It's diff'rent here," the man finally told him softly. "Diff'rent fae home… Billy's goat this place set up accordin' tae `is oan scheme. Somethin' happened tonight `n we dinnae ken the half ay it. Why were we caught `tween aw those cops `n those fuckin' guards? Somethin' dinnae add up `n Billy fuckin' ken's the answers."

Vin's heart picked up at the thought of confronting Billy, but he kept his face neutral.

"N' once Eddie gits here, eh's gonnae gi' Billy a good fuckin' seein' tae."

He studied Ivan's expression carefully. "Ya know somethin' I don't?"

Ivan wasn't playing games any more. The club was important to him, but it was his brothers, his friends, that had made it what it was. He'd been in the ranks long enough to have the club's way of life ingrained in his blood, but without his friends he knew he wouldn't stay. He had other friends in the brotherhood, but none like his closest – and now he had just lost three of them, all in the one night. There was just Vin left and he wasn't going to hold back with him, he was going to make sure that he knew where he was coming from, because he trusted him completely.

"Ah know Eddie's plannin' tae take Billy oot," he said in a low voice. "N' ah think Billy's ready tae challenge him."

Vin considered that. "Ya think Billy's ready ta go that far?"

"Oan eh's own land, aye. Eh's goat the whole city set up, if eh takes Eddie oan here, eh'll win. None ay us clocked how far Billy wis settin' up here n' eh's gaun much further than Eddie gave `im leave tae dae. Eh's goat eh's finger n' everythin'; politicians, cops, ye name it."

Vin took this in. "So where's Eddie now?"

"He was meant tae be here yesterday, we dinnae ken where he is now, but ay think ay know someone that would ken fae sure."

Still, he was confused. " Me? You think I know where Eddie is?"

"Naw... Yer mate, Sugar."

Again he was alluding to a connection he was supposed to have with Sugar that truly surprised him. He could see that Ivan's face was deadly serious. "My mate? Hell, Sugar ain't nobody's mate." He dismissed the thought.

But the Scotsman gave Vin a strange look, as if he were explaining something that he thought the younger man should already know. "Yer tighter wi' Sugar n' anyone else in the club. Eh went after ye when ye were still a wee lad, trained ye up, brought ye in, made sure ye had a square go… eh even stepped oot when ye goat in trouble wi' that FBI bust n' the whole fuckin' club was nipped wi' ye… eh looks oot fae ye n' naw denyin' it." Seeing Vin's frown, Ivan continued. "Ye never noticed the way eh singles ye oot?"

Vin said nothing, but the first kindling of doubt was beginning to flicker.

"When wis the last time eh ever left Denver tae visit one'a the boys in the hospital?"

"He came fer the funeral, not fer me."

But Ivan shook his head. "He hasnae been tae a funeral outside Texas since ah've been in the club – and there's been enough of `em."

Vin's argument was losing pace, but still he shook his head. "What are ya sayin'? Why would he bother lookin' out fer me? I'm nothin' ta him."

Ivan shrugged again. "That ah dinnae ken, but eh does, n' we cannae be the only ones tae clock it."

Vin shrugged off the conflicting thoughts. He'd just never considered Sugar anything but a dark, dangerous

presence that was best avoided. Then again… he thought about the conversation they'd had on the drive out here, when the older man had warned him to stay out of trouble and to watch his back. He'd thought that odd at the time hadn't he..?

"What's yer point?" he said a little gruffly, tired of the game.

"Mah point," Ivan went on, "Is that if ye talk tae him, ye'll find oot what plan's they're gaunny make."

Vin was trying to determine where he was going with this. "Ivan, I got a big fuckin' headache an' yer not helpin'. Just spit it out."

Ivan took a breath. "The club innae what it was, even back home, it's changed. Me an' Cheese..." he paused,

overcome for a moment, "We'd already decided, if Billy n' Eddie call fae war, well… we jist dinnae have the passion tae fight. We dinnae believe in it enough any maire."

Vin was not really shocked, but he argued for appearance sakes. "But it's yer life," he argued, "it's all you've got."

Ivan smiled a sad smile. "There's life beyond this," he waved a hand over his own attire, then shrugged.

"Mebbe we were jist gettin auld n' daft." He tried to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat ever since he'd found Cheese dead, but couldn't do it. "Ah just ken the way this life's headin' – n' Billie isnae gaunny be the last greedy wanker who tries tae take o'er the reigns. Ah've always clocked Eddie wi' respect, n' eh's done good by us aw, but ah'm naw willin' tae lay doon mah life fae `im naw maire."

Vin took a deep breath, winced, then let it out. He was buying Ivan's story, but he hadn't remained alive this long without being cautious. He could be testing him. His gut told him he wasn't, but there was still a chance he was playing some sort of loyalty game with him.

"I hear what yer sayin', an' I've known ya longer'n anyone else I know back home, so I respect whatever choice ya make, no matter the consequence ta me if ya do decide this club ain't worth fightin' fer…" he looked at Ivan solemnly, "but I ain't in the place yer in. I got a lot left in me ta give the brotherhood. It's what I am. I won't leave Eddie when the chips're down."

Ivan gave Vin a long, measuring look, then looked back down the long black road they had ridden up, as if looking back for Cheese. "Then ah'll stay oan."

Vin frowned, not expecting that. "Ya don't have ta do that. A man's gotta do what he's ready ta do. If yer heart ain't in it, then it's time ta move on." He wanted Ivan to move on.

Ivan grinned then, his mind made up. "Laddie, what a man's gottae dae eh's what it's aw about – n' aw we ken dae eh's protect our family. If ye're stayin', then so'm I."

Vin was more than alarmed and decided now wasn't the time to hedge around his thoughts. "Ivan listen to me. You said it yerself, we don't know the half of what's gone down tonight. Someone was trying to take us all out, hell they almost did take us all out, and we don't know why or who or what the hell's waitin' fer us when we ride back there." He wanted to convince him to go, he and Cheese had already made the decision to move on and it was the perfect solution for him. If Ivan left he wouldn't have to witness what might happen, might not have to face the reality of knowing the man he called brother was really a traitor of the worst kind.

"Go," he told him then, putting as much force into his voice as he could. "If ya leave now, I'll catch up with ya when I'm ready."

Ivan's grin grew into a smile of real warmth. He knew he had been right to trust Vin. "Ah'll wait fae ye." His smile widened as Vin's mouth opened to protest and he held up a hand. "But yir right. I ride back in thair ah'm as good as dead."

Vin was relieved but frowned at the words. "And I'm not?"

"Mebbe, but ah think Sugar'll have yer back. An' it's him ye need tae speak tae if wir gonnae take that fucker Billy oot right. An' while yir doin' that, ah'm gonnae find Eddie. An' whin you an I meet up again, it's gonnae be o'er that prick's dead body."

Vin's eyebrows were hiked, realising hadn't given Ivan enough credit. The man had come up with a working plan that made sense. The only problem was, no one was going to put Billy down except himself.

"I reckon Eddie plans to make a show at the funeral. He might be scootin' under the radar these days, but when he does do things, he likes to do em big."

"Aye. Mah thoughts exactly."

They were quiet for a moment and then Ivan spoke again. "It's gonnae get bloody, ye ken that..."

Vin sighed. "You could still just ride out of here, put all this shit behind you. There's a good chance neither of us is walkin' out of this alive if you stay."

Ivan just smiled. "Then ah'll be seein' the boys again sooner rather than later... besides, I cannae take off now, now that ye've found aw that inner anger, it might start gettin interestin' `roond here." He was still surprised that Vin had smashed up the monitors. His smile didn't stay long, though, as the loss of Cheese hit him like a fresh wave of physical pain. "'An' ah've goat some payback tae take care of."

It was final and Vin knew there was no point pushing it again. He didn't need the added pressure of Ivan counting on him for anything. He didn't want to face letting him down and if he stayed, that was exactly what would happen. He was glad he was going to take off to find Eddie.

He gave a brief nod and Ivan reached out and clamped a hand on his shoulder.

"Ah'll see you on the flip side."

Vin felt his mouth turn up in response. "You take care."

"Always do."

Vin started his bike as Ivan put on his open-shelled helmet, waiting to make sure Ivan's bike started and letting his take off ahead of him. He started his motor and gave the bike a short rev in the cold air. Just before he made to kick up his stand and take off he turned back at the last moment and looked at the diner and sure enough, there was the old woman peering out from a peeled back curtain in the front window. He made as if to tip his hat at her, knowing she would appreciate the gesture, before a moment later he found himself on the ground. With no idea how he got there he looked up just as a heavy boot came down on his stomach, holding him down.

"Well well well. Told you we weren't finished."

Vin heard his bike cut off and dropped his head back to the hard ground with a resigned thud. Guy Royal. Damned if the man didn't have the crappiest timing in the world.

"Look like you've got yourself in a real situation here boy." Royal was holding the keys to Vin's bike mockingly in his loose fingers and in the other he had a gun aimed right at Vin's head.

Vin turned his lips into his own mocking grin even as he evaluated the threat surrounding him. Royal had only brought one man that he could see. He was either real confident, or real stupid.

"I'm flattered you're thinking of me in the middle of the night, Royal, but it's a shame ya cain't find a woman to keep ya company at night."

"You're cocky now, but we'll see how you're doing in a little while." Royal looked up at the other man. "Go see to the woman."

Vin's eyes narrowed. It was one thing to come after him, but they weren't touching the woman. As if sensing he needed the distraction, the front of the building suddenly lit up like Christmas and the front door flew open. Vin looked back up and over his shoulder from his difficult position on the ground to see Nettie standing in the doorway, the light surrounding her profile which clearly showed a shotgun held fast in her determined grip.

"You back up now Royal, or you'll be leakin' worse than my roof once I shoot ya full'a holes."

Royal scowled. "Even if you get that shot off, old woman," he gestured with his own gun, "I'll be quicker."

"Maybe. But you'll still be dead."

Royal looked up at the sound of the second female voice and saw a young woman standing in the shadows at the side of the building.

The niece, Vin thought, a grin lighting his face.

"Well well, looks like ya got yerself in a bit of a situation there," he mocked.

Royal scowled, his gaze going from Vin, to the old woman and back to the shadows. The man with him hadn't even gotten his gun free. After a long pause he removed his boot, wiping the sole of it on the leather jacket as he removed it, showing his complete disdain to the man.

"Another time," he said, backing up.

"Look forward to it," Vin said, sitting up and dusting off his jacket with a grin. But above the smile were eyes so hard and promising of retribution that Royal actually felt a shiver down his back as he continued to back up towards the road. He was going to back up all the way to where he'd parked his truck, that much he knew.

"Leave my keys," Vin said in a low growl.

Royal's eyes narrowed, but he dropped the keys to the ground and continued in his retreat.

Vin continued to watch the two men backing up, standing as they reached the boundary of the light cast from the diner. His gut told him the man wouldn't give up that easily, knew that the only way Royal could have known he and Ivan were there were if someone had told him. He might well be there to finish what the guards started. He reached for his own gun at the small of his back as the men were almost lost to the light just as he noticed the young woman step out of the shadows.

He didn't have time to call a warning, his eyes made out Royal's aim shift to the girl and he had his own weapon drawn and fired before the man had the gun aimed at his target. Royal still managed to fire but it was more a reflex that his finger carried on his command. He was dead before he hit the ground, the bullet finding his forehead even in the dim night air.

Vin aimed his weapon at the second man, who was still weapon-less and merely looked up from Royal's dead eyes and held his own hands up to show he meant no further fight. He continued to back away and Vin let him go.

"And don't think about comin' back here and carryin' on his work or you'll get the same!" Nettie yelled at the man, her shotgun aimed his way but unlike Vin, she couldn't see well enough in the dark to take any kind of effective aim.

Vin stayed alert until the man was completely taken by the dark and finally moved once he heard the sound of the truck starting up and taking off.

"You sure do make some interestin' friends, son."

Vin gave Nettie a sideways glance. "Guess I owe you one now."

Nettie nodded, her eyes sparkling in the bright light. "Guess ya do." She looked out to Royal's body. "But not as much as I owe you. Guess that take's care'a that."

Before Vin could move a quick blur passed him and before he knew it a young woman was before him, holding out his keys with a huge grin. He nodded his thanks to her. "Guess I owe you to, thanks for the back up."

If possible, Casey's grin only grew. "Weren't no trouble. Glad to help!"

Vin shook his head at the girls energy. It was too damn late, or too damn early to be that enthusiastic about anything.

"You nearly got yerself killed! What were you thinkin' leavin' your cover like that?!" Nettie admonished her, but if she was chagrined, Vin couldn't see it. The girl was too jazzed by all the action to care and Nettie just shook her head.

Vin was contemplating Royal's body when Nettie broke into his thoughts.

"You best take care of your business before anyone else shows up here. We'll take care of it."

Vin looked at her in surprise. "I can't let you do that." To his surprise Nettie laughed.

"Won't be the first time, but hopefully it'll be the last. You've done enough riddin' us a' that scum. Least we can do is take of the mess."

Vin studied her expression a long moment then found himself shaking his head, a smile on his lips. She was one tough old bird, that was for damn sure. And he was relieved he didn't have to waste more time.

"Go," she urged him. "You ain't got a lot of steam left in ya. You stay you'll just slow us women down."

With a last glance at Royal Vin looked back at Nettie but she just gave him a shove toward his bike. "Go. I've had a spot picked out for him for a long while, an my daisies could use the push."

Vin mounted, both relieved and reluctant and then gave her a wry grin. "Maybe when this is over I can see about fixin' som'a them leaks in yer roof for ya."

Nettie's grin widened as well. "You do that, we're more than even."

Vin nodded, then without another word, kicked up his stand and turned the engine on once more, roaring off into the night and focusing his thoughts on where he was going and what he'd find when he got there. One thing he knew for sure, Ivan was right. However Billy went down, things were going to get bloody. And another thing he knew beyond all else, neither the cops, his own team, Ivan, Eddie or anyone else in the club that were gunning for Billy were going to beat him to the draw. Twenty two years he'd planned and plotted. He wanted this behind him, he could almost taste it. Whatever happened now, the end was coming for Billy the Blade and Vin was going to make sure it was bloody. Then, only then, could he give Larabee and his new team his future.