CHAPTER 2
OF KRAITS AND WINDMILLS
For a heartbeat, Lane Westfall just stared. He didn’t breathe. The silver of her eyes, the glossy pink of her lips—it hit him like a sucker punch.
Kait’s pulse jumped. She tried to twist free looking at those icy cold blue eyes. “What the hell’s your problem?”
“Snakeholes stealing from the club is my problem.”
“Snakehole? You’re shitting me right now?” she snapped.
Something exploded in the distance—two guys shoving each other near the bikes until it turned into a full-on brawl. Lane released her wrist and turned, barking orders. Within seconds the fight was over, both men scattering like dogs. He didn’t raise his voice.
He didn’t have to.
“Here you go, Kait,” Melanie called, rushing back with the kutte. “Your shirt’s drying.”
“Thanks.” Kait slid her kutte on slowly, eyes never leaving Lane. The leather hugged her shoulders like armor.
Melanie hovered a beat too long. “Do you, uh, need anything, Kount?”
“No,” he said without looking at her. His eyes were still on Kait.
Melanie took the hint and slipped away.
“Lokken,” he said finally, tone cutting through the noise.
“Great guess,” she shot back. “Good to see you too, Lane.”
“How was I supposed to know?”
Kait tilted her head, studying him. He looked harder now. Colder. But by God, he was beautiful to her.
“I don’t know, big snake on my arm maybe? But definitely not by assuming I’m a snakehole.”
Lane smirked looking from her cleavage to her face. “Fooled me.”
Kait’s laugh came out sharp. “I see you’re still the same asshole from back then.”
He stepped closer. “And you’re still the same b—”
Before he could finish, a short, Mexican guy with long hair and an Slayer t-shirt stepped up behind him. Krait tattoo on his left forearm.
“Hey, you must be Kait,” he said, friendly smile, hand out.
“Let me guess… Diablo?” she said jerking her chin at his t-shirt.
He grinned. “Hell yeah.”
She smirked, shaking his hand.
“Welcome to Dryden,” Diablo said.
“Am I?” she replied, eyes flicking back to Lane.
She brushed past them, cigarette pack in hand, and walked toward the party. Lane stood still for a long moment, watching her hair whip back and cover half of her kutte leaving only the bottom rocker.
DANMARK
His heart was pounding like a war drum.
“Holy shit… she’s fucking gorgeous,” Diablo muttered, eyes tracking Kait as she crossed the yard.
Lane didn’t look at him. “Looks just like every other snakehole in the lot.”
“Shit—nah. She looks like a full patch to me.”
“Yeah. By being Daddy’s little girl.”
Diablo snorted. “I bet you wanna be her daddy.”
Lane cut him a sharp look. “No, Diablo, I think you do. Shut the fuck up.”
Diablo laughed. “C’mon, man. You’re still staring. Don’t even lie.”
Lane scoffed. “A girl in the club… what could possibly go wrong?”
“Especially with you still checking out that perfect ass,” Diablo teased.
“Please.” Lane started to walk slowly towards the party.
“And I mean, perfect ass. She’s tall too.”
“Enough. I need a shot of something.”
He crossed the courtyard and yanked a beer from the cooler. Inside, the music was pounding again—Cowboys from Hell, laughter, that familiar haze of sin and sweat. Then he saw her again.
Lokken.
She was at the bat outside with Kolton, her posture long and straight. Elbow on the counter, confident as hell, knowing exactly how many eyes were on her. They smiled at each other as they talked and Lane rolled his eyes at Kolton trying so hard.
Lane’s jaw tightened.
“Need anything, Kount?” Melanie asked behind him.
Lane came back from his trance. “Seen Don?”
“In the Chapel with Klaus and Ram.”
He nodded and walked off. Kait’s eyes followed him as he passed; he looked back once. Neither of them blinked.
He took one last look before he entered the chapel, she had already turned back around.
Yes, Diablo. She’s fucking gorgeous.
Inside the Chapel
“Evenin’,” Lane said as he stepped in.
Don looked up, tired but proud. His face always lit up when he saw Lane.
“There he is. Good work in the Laredo hills.”
“Appreciate it.”
Klaus and Ram were already at the table, the air thick with smoke and burnt whiskey.
“Did you get a chance to say hi to Kait yet?” Don asked.
Lane leaned against the wall. “Yeah. Saw her out there. So… what’s the deal, exactly? What’s she doing here?”
Don glanced up. “Same as everyone else. Straight transfer. We had a vote, remember?”
Lane frowned. “Yeah, I remember. Was just hoping her role would be… smaller.”
“Smaller?” Klaus smirked. “She’s Fang and Rokkstar’s kid for fucks sake.”
Don chuckled. “And she’s every bit his father’s daughter. She’ll ride with us Wednesday.”
“Are you sure about that?” Lane asked. “Can she even handle herself under fire?”
Klaus laughed, already standing to grab his kutte. “That girl is pure venom. Trust me. Her roadname means death sentence in Danish. She would do all the hits for her charter. Besides, she’s Danish Royal Army. She can probably outshoot half the patches here. Went from Hatchling to Fang her first year—skipped Koil right through— Anyway, I’m calling it a night.”
Ram pushed his chair back too. “Same. I didn’t fly to Europe, but my back says I went to China.”
“What does that even mean?” said Lane.
Ram made a and shrugged.
Don shook their hands. “Appreciate it, brothers.”
Once they were gone, Don sat back and rubbed his temples. “You’ve been running on fumes, son. Take the night off.”
“I’m fine,” Lane said. He hesitated. “So, this is permanent? She’s just… here now?”
“Yeah. She’s earned it.”
“She’s still a woman, Don.”
Don’s tone sharpened. “You think I don’t know that? Greg raised her harder than most men. She earned her patch, her ink, paid her dues. The only thing left is the Texas rocker. And I’m sure she’ll earn that too. Besides you talk about her as if she was a stranger. She was born and raised with all y’all.”
Lane exhaled slowly. “We don’t know her like that anymore.”
“Then get reacquainted,” Don said simply. “She’s family.”
Lane’s eyes darkened. Don topped off his glass and slid it across the table.
“Come on, down that, and come out. Gotta make it official.”
“The table is uneven now,” Lane said and Klaus laughed.
“Jesus Christ, son,” Don said shaking his head.
Lane lingered a second longer trying to digest the club’s present and future state.
outside - courtyard
Someone dropped the volume on the sound system—When Worlds Collide fading just enough that the hum of voices shifted. Bottles clinked. Boots scuffed. The old neon snake above the bar buzzed, flickering like it always did when the amps kicked.
Donovan Westfall stepped up onto the low step by the jukebox, one hand on the wall, the other around a Lone Star bottle.
“Hey!” he called out, voice carrying over the chatter.
The room quieted in that instinctive, old-school way. Patches turned. Prospects Buster and Cricket straightened. Hang-arounds leaned in. Snakeholes drifted closer, mascara smudged from the heat and smoke.
Kait felt Kolton move behind her, close but not touching. Loraine slipped to her side with a proud, knowing smile. The air got still. Heavy. Expectant.
Don let his gaze sweep the room.
“You all know we lost a Founding Father this week,” he said. “We just got back from laying a brother to rest. Not just any brother—Gregor Fucking Lokken. The goddamn Rokkstar, first Sergeant-at-arms. The man who helped carve this club into something the whole damn world recognizes now.”
A few men grunted in agreement. Someone slapped the bar. The fluorescents hummed overhead.
Don nodded once, slow.
“And he didn’t just leave us 4 chapters overseas. He left us his daughter.”
He lifted his chin toward Kait.
“Kait Lokken. Full patch from the Denmark chapter, now closed. She ain’t visiting. Ain’t here on vacation. She’s staying here with us now in the mother charter, and she is staying in Dryden for good.”
A ripple moved through the crowd—respect from some, curiosity from many, and a hard, calculating silence from others.
Kait stood planted. Chin up. Kutte on. No flinch.
“She earned her ink,” Don said. “Earned her kutte. Earned her seat at the Krait table. From here on out, this is her home charter. So, get to know her, cause she ain’t going nowhere—” his voice dropped, hardening.
A few knuckle taps hit bottles. Ram let out a sharp whistle. Randy yelled, “Welcome back, Kait!” and the room answered with a ragged cheer.
Kolton smirked beside her. Loraine clapped loud enough to echo off the rafters.
Across the room—arms crossed, beer dangling from two fingers—Lane didn’t clap. Didn’t cheer. Didn’t move.
He just watched.
Eyes cold. Jaw locked.
Everyone else saw Don’s speech as a celebration.
Lane saw it as the beginning of a problem he couldn’t wait to take care of.
Don lifted his bottle.
“To Rokkstar,” he said. “And to the woman he raised into a hell of a Krait.”
“TO ROKKSTAR!” the room roared. “TO KAIT!”
Kait lifted her beer, steady and sure.
“To the MC,” she added quietly under the noise.
later - terrace
By the time the music downstairs slowed, the party was thinning out — laughter softer, bottles emptier, bodies drifting closer together.
Somewhere below, Soulshine rolled through the Nest, warm and lazy, the kind of song meant to set the night up for one last drink, one last kiss, and a soft bed.
Kolton and Kait slipped through the chapel again and pushed open the terrace door like earlier.
The night air hit warm and heavy, thick with the smell of mesquite smoke from the pit below. A few string lights buzzed overhead, their glow soft on the metal railings. From up there, the Nest looked settled—engines idling instead of revving, laughter lower and slower, chrome and leather catching the floodlights in lazy flashes as the night eased toward its end.
Kait leaned on the rail, looking down. “We would only dream of ever being up here.”
Kolton stepped beside her, two beers in hand. “And look at us now. We own the place.”
Kait took a moment to look at how hot he got over the past six years. That beard could only do so much to hide that boy she left behind.
Kait took a sip of what she expected to be her last beer. “I missed this place.”
Kolton glanced sideways. “This place missed you.”
The party was beginning to settle, it just the Allman Brothers below.
“I’m glad you’re not mad anymore,” she said.
He nodded, exhaling. “It wasn’t your fault. I was just too dumb to understand you couldn’t do anything about it.”
“We were kids. Kids are supposed to be dumb.” She smiled faintly, eyes drifting back to the pool—the water rippling with neon light. “Still feels like I lost six years for nothing. My dad’s gone, the Denmark charter’s dead… all of it just—poof.”
Kolton leaned on the railing with her. “It wasn’t for nothing. Greg built 4 Viking charters, that’s badass. We wouldn’t be this big without him.”
“Yeah,” Kait said softly. “Just wish the charter didn’t have to close.”
“Yeah, but you wouldn’t be back if it didn’t,” Kolton said. “So I’m sorry, but I’m glad it’s closed.”
They stood quiet for a long moment. Then, almost under his breath, he added, “You know you need a unanimous vote to leave now, right?”
She glanced at him, brows pulling together.
“Means you’re stuck with us. And I’ll always vote no if you get homesick and want to go back.”
Kait smirked. “That’s sweet, but I don’t plan on going back.”
Kolton laughed softly, and the distance between them vanished. His hand brushed her chin, tilting it up. She didn’t stop him when he kissed her—soft at first, then deeper, hungrier, like they were both trying to make up for lost time.
When they broke apart, she whispered, “That was… nice.”
He smiled. “I’ve been dying to do that for years.”
She laughed, shaky and quiet. “Liar.”
“I mean it.”
“Yeah?”
“Let me show you.”
He kissed her again, slower this time, backing her gently toward the wall. They kissed until her beer slipped from her hand and hit the floor with a dull thud.
Kolton looked at her, breathing hard. “Let’s go inside.”
Kait nodded, still dizzy from the kiss. They slipped through the chapel door, onto the walkway. Kolton holding her hand, leading the way leaving the hum of the Nest below—the music, the laughter, the engines—all fading as they disappeared into his bedroom.
“As long as she doesn’t get in the way, specifically, my way. I don’t give a shit,” said Lane talking to Diablo and Kode standing at one of the tall tables. He followed Kait and Kolton with his eyes. Kolton was holding her hand as they headed to the rooms.
“I guess Prince called dibs,” Diablo said.
“Fucking figures,” said Kode flicking his cigarette butt.
“She just got here today, right?” Lane said, still looking in the direction of the rooms.
“Yep.”
“Don’t be discouraged, Kody, moving this fast, you could be hitting that by the end of the week.”
Kode’s eyes grew wide and bright. “You think so?”
“Your stupid ass,” said Diablo laughing.
Lane joined Diablo laughing but didn’t think it was funny at all.
the next morning
Kait opened her eyes to pale morning light cutting across the room. Kolton was still asleep beside her, hand on her hip, breathing slow and uneven. For a moment, she just watched him—trying to decide if what they’d done was a mistake.
When she sat up, Kolton stirred and blinked at the window.
“It’s still early,” he murmured.
“Hey,” she said softly.
He smiled, half-awake, and pulled her back down. “Hi.”
Kait smiled despite herself.
“You look like you wanna run,” he teased. He couldn’t help but chuckle.
“I’m just trying to figure shit out.”
He brushed her cheek with his thumb. “Don’t. Let it be whatever you want it to be. No rush.”
“Then let it just be fun for now.”
Kolton grinned. “Really fun.”
They tumbled together again, chasing the heat of the night before until the world outside disappeared.
They were still getting dressed when a knock came at the door. Kolton opened it.
“Well, good morning,” said Loraine, eyes narrowing as she took in the scene—Kait on the bed, in her bra, lacing up her boots.
Kait gave her a sheepish grin and waved. “Hey, Loraine.”
Loraine smirked. “You two picking up where you left off?”
Kait shrugged, unapologetic.
“So, you’re staying with Kolton then?”
“Yep,” Kolton said, kissing Kait’s temple.
“I figured.” Loraine’s voice had that knowing-mother tone. “Breakfast’s on the table. You might want to get some before the vultures do.”
She left with a grin that said I told you so.
“She called it,” Kait said, putting on a shirt.
Kolton laughed. “She’s always right. Loves this, though. Never liked anyone else for me.”
“Really?”
“Said it was ‘in the cards,’” Kolton said, rolling his eyes.
They joined the others for breakfast and immediately got razzed—Ram, Mack, and Kode pointing, laughing, making crude gestures until Kait flipped them off.
They took seats at the long table while the girls poured coffee. She remembered Melanie from the night before, then Tracy, the tweaker-looking white girl and Alejandra, Hispanic chick.
“You need anything, Kait?” Melanie asked from behind her.
Kait scanned the spread—toast, butter, grape jelly. “Y’all got any strawberry jelly?”
“I think so. Lemme check.”
Across the table, a voice cut through the chatter.
“Morning, Kount,” Diablo said.
Melanie came back with a fresh jar. “Here you go, Kait,” she said and ran back to the kitchen as soon as she saw Lane.
Kait raised an eyebrow but seemed to be the only one who noticed how fast she moved.
Kolton smirked. “What’s that, a Danish thing?”
“Not really,” Kait said, trying to twist the lid open. It didn’t budge. “I just like it.”
“Bread and sugar,” Lane muttered, unimpressed.
“And butter,” she said, smiling sarcastically.
“Here are your eggs and ham, Kount.” Melanie said setting his plate down.
“And an orange,” Melanie added and set it down in front of Lane as if she was trained to serve him.
“Eggs, ham, and oranges. Super healthy.” Kait repeated, dripping sarcasm.
“Protein and vitamin C,” Lane said flatly. “You all should try it instead of carbs and refined sugars. That’s why y’all crash by ten a.m.”
“I’ll stick to pancakes,” Mack grinned.
“And that’s why you’ve got that gut,” Don said, stepping in. “And Lane’s got abs.”
Kait didn’t look, but she could feel Lane’s smirk.
Is he going to lift his shirt and show off?
He didn’t.
“I ain’t got no gut,” Mack said.
He did lift his shirt and showed off. Slapping his belly a couple of times.
Laughter rippled through the table.
She tried again to open the jar, gritting her teeth when it wouldn’t budge.
Lane’s voice came low, condescending. “You need help with that?”
Kait didn’t even glance at him. “Nope.” She turned to Kolton. “Prince—your knife, please.”
Kolton handed it over, not even thinking about it. She slid the blade under the lid, popped the seal, and looked straight at Lane.
Lane’s jaw twitched. He noticed she was left-handed.
Don clapped his hands. “How we doing? Everyone rested?”
A few nods, lazy laughter. Melanie set Lane’s plate down and brushed her fingers along the back of his neck. He shifted away, uncomfortable. Kait noticed.
“I’m picking up Kyle today,” Kolton said. “You wanna come?”
“I’m taking Kait shopping,” Loraine cut in. “Now that she’s staying here. Gonna take her to see Tammy and Becky too.”
Lane’s eyes lifted at that—quick, sharp. He said nothing.
“I was already planning dinner tonight with Kyle, anyway so we’ll meet up at the house,” Loraine added.
“That works,” said Kolton. “You’ll get a kick outta him.”
Lane stood. “Diablo, Kode, let’s hit it. I want the shop sealed before we roll out tomorrow.”
Loraine frowned. “You sure it’s safe?”
“They’re not gonna hit the place again,” Don said.
“Yeah,” Lane added. “Klaus is meeting us there anyway.”
“Just be careful,” Loraine said, touching his arm.
He gave her a polite nod. “Y’all enjoy your morning sugar rush.”
Then he and Diablo were gone.
“Shouldn’t we go help at the bail bonds too? Maybe work on some intel?” Kait asked looking back and forth at the three leaving and Kolton hoping he would react.
“Nah, they got it,” said Kolton nonchalantly and resumed eating.
Kait nodded and took a bite of her toast.
After breakfast, Loraine took Kait around town and stopped at the Market for groceries and toiletries. Kait got to say hi to Tammy, Blaze’s mom, who still worked there. On the way over, Loraine mentioned that Becky had divorced Randy a few years back after finally getting tired of the gambling and cheating. She hadn’t even fought for the ranch. She’d just wanted out.
Later, they stopped by the salon, where Kait met Mack’s girlfriend, Becky, and learned the two of them had an 11 year-old boy and an 8-year old girl together.
Once they got to the house, Don insisted on having Kait pick a gun to borrow while hers arrived.
“Put those away before Kyle gets here,” Loraine said, eyeing the table covered in handguns.
“Yeah, yeah,” Don muttered.
“This’ll work,” Kait said, checking out a compact 9mm Smith & Wesson 3913. “Mine’ll come in with the bike and my riffle.”
“How you managed that?”
“I broke it down into spare parts for shipping.”
Don laughed. “Now that’s a Krait move.”
Loraine smirked. “Of course it is.”
“What you usually pack?” Asked Don starting to put stuff away.
“a 9mm Makarov PM,” she said checking the magazine.
“What’s the riffle?”
“Dragunov SVD.”
A smirk slowly appeared in Don’s face. It had been a while since he heard that name. “Dragunov… Holy shit, now there’s a name I have not hear in a long time.”
“That makes two of us.” said Kait and in 20 seconds she dismantled the Smith & Wesson.
It was so fast it made Loraine stop dead on her tracks and stare
“Goddamn…” Don chuckled and shook his head.
“Y’all made us this way.”
Don snorted and packed up the box and disappeared down the hall. Loraine waited until he was gone. She grabbed her cup of tea and set it on the kitchen island
“So, how’d it go?” she asked.
Kait glanced up. “I’ll keep this one.”
“I mean you and Kolton.”
Kait sighed and joined her. “I don’t know what that is yet.”
“You two have history. You’re good for him.”
“It’s been 6 years. He even got married.”
“For three months,” Loraine said, waving it off. “And before that, there was that dumb teacher.”
Kait raised a brow. “What teacher?”
“Amy. Kyle’s teacher. Went out with him for a bit. Still hung up. Pathetic bitch.”
Kait laughed. “Not a fan, huh?”
“Not of anyone who looks at my family like we’re beneath them,” Loraine said sharply.
Kolton showed up later with Kyle in tow—a skinny, restless kid with messy blond hair and eyes that never stopped moving. He took in Kait with open curiosity, head tilted like he was trying to solve a puzzle.
“This is Kait,” Kolton said. “I told you about her.”
Kyle nodded once, serious. “You ride a bike too?”
Kait smiled. “Yeah. A fast one.”
That seemed to settle it. He grinned and immediately launched into a rambling explanation about the dirt bike he wanted, the one his dad said he was “too small for,” and how he was definitely not too small, thank you very much. Kait listened, asked questions, let him talk. Within minutes he was showing her his scabbed knees like proof of character.
She could see it then—the resemblance. Same eyes as Kolton. Same nose. Same way of leaning in when he got excited, like the rest of the world might miss something important if he didn’t explain it fast enough.
Dinner was loud and easy. Kyle argued about vegetables, told a long story about daycare that went nowhere. Loraine just watched them with that quiet, satisfied look, like she’d been waiting to see this exact picture.
By the time Loraine drove Kait back to the Nest, Kyle was half-asleep in the backseat after begging to come along, forehead pressed to the window.
“Thanks for everything,” Kait said, closing the car door.
“No problem, sweetheart.” Loraine smiled and waved. “Hey, baby!” she called to Lane, who was lighting up a cigarette by the picnic tables.
He gave a nod. Loraine blew them a kiss and drove off.
“So,” Lane said, exhaling smoke. “You’re staying here. Bunking with Kolton?”
“Yeah,” Kait said, walking past him.
“Oh, hey—about tomorrow…”
She stopped. “What about it?”
“You can hang back. Let us handle it.”
“Hang back?”
“It’s the desert,” he said. “Not exactly your kind of terrain, there’s no windmills and shit like where you’re from.”
“I can handle the desert. I did a tour in the Middle East.”
Lane’s mouth curved. “Just saying. Don probably doesn’t want you getting hurt your first week.”
“You think I’ll get hurt?”
“You look fragile, compared to the rest of us… men.”
Kait laughed under her breath. “There it is. That was fast.”
“Not as fast as you with Kolton.”
Kait dropped her bags on the table. “What I do with Kolton is none of your business.”
“Everything that happens in my club is my business.”
“That’s personal.”
“Well, we got shit going on here and he shouldn’t be distracted.”
“That’s his call.”
Lane stepped closer. “So that’s how you plan to climb the ranks? Less than twenty-four hours here and already in a member’s bed?”
She scoffed. “Once again,” Kait said, lighting a cigarette, “none of your business. And for the record, windmills are a Switzerland thing.”
“Same shit,” he said, smirking. “But I’ll give you that — must’ve done something right to earn you that patch. Just remember, around here it takes more than being Daddy’s little girl to be Krait.”
Kait shoved him. “Go to hell.”
Lane caught her wrist, twisted it, and pinned her against the edge of the table in one smooth motion.
Her breath hitched. Leather, aftershave, smoke — he was too close.
“Fuck you,” she said through her teeth.
“No — fuck you,” he shot back, voice low. “You think you gonna come here and shake up my club? Not on my fucking watch.”
“Get off me,” she snapped, grinding the tip of her cigarette straight into his wrist.
Lane cursed and jerked back, letting her go as the burn hit.
“Crazy bitch.”
Kait didn’t wait. She shoved past him and headed for the stairs The metal steps rattled under her boots as she took them two at a time.
Lane stood there a second, jaw tight, flexing his hand where the cigarette had caught him.
For a moment he looked like he might go after her.
Then he exhaled, shook his head once, and turned away instead, heading back toward the parking lot.
In the room upstairs, Kait’s heart was still trying to climb out of her chest when she heard an engine come alive outside.
She stepped to the window and looked down onto the road.
Lane turned the corner like a bat out of hell.
She stayed there a moment then went back down stairs looked around, and grabbed her bags like nothing happened.
NEXT DAY
They all gathered in the chapel to go over the details before they rolled out.
“This should be fairly simple. We go in, shoot the shit out of anyone we see, and fuck up their compound as much as we can. Lane and Diablo are going to take the lead on this one. At their signal, we follow in and it’s free-for-all. Kode is riding in the van with Buster, though,” said Don.
Lane laughed, Diablo following.
“Dude… I’m the brains, you must protect the brains…” Kode said.
“You’re so fucking special, Kody,” Lane said, ruffling his hair. Kode brushed him off.
“Hey, what happened there?” Kode asked, nodding at the bandage on Lane’s wrist.
“Dumbass hang-around burned me with a cigarette passing by,” he said—and glanced at Kait.
“Any questions?” Don asked, looking around the table.
“Yeah, anyone got an extra vest?” Kait asked, snapping out of glaring at Lane. She heard him scoff.
“Shit…” Don muttered.
“We’ll go to Johnny’s place and get Blaze on the way,” Kolton said.
“All right. Last pit stop is at the 281 Texaco, then we go nonstop. Let’s go fuck up these assholes,” Don said, and hit the gavel.
Kait and Kolton stopped at Johnny’s, one of Don’s old war buddies. The place was what passed for an army supply store in Dryden—part hunting shop, part hardware store, part old military gear, and it looked like Johnny probably lived there too. No sign, no hours, no price tags. You just walked in and made sure not to waste his time. They grabbed a vest, then headed for Blaze’s house. Blaze came out through the garage looking nowhere near ready.
“Blaze… what the hell?” Kait said.
Blaze shook his head. “Can’t ride. Doc did not clear me yet and Julia is driving me nuts about this shit too,” he said, handing the bag to Kolton and glancing over his shoulder.
“Bro… you gonna hear it from my dad,” Kolton muttered.
“No. Don is the reasonable one. He knows. He’s been through this. I’m gonna hear it from your other dad. Tell Don I’ll reach out to him and explain. You guys be safe, all right? Get some motherfuckers for me,” Blaze said, pulling Kait into a hug. He smiled sadly, lifting her chin with one finger.
“Next time, I guess,” Kait said, discouraged.
They reached the rendezvous point at the Texaco off the 281. The others were already there, scattered around bikes and the van.
“Fuck, he still ain’t cleared?” Don asked annoyed.
“Nah, still concussed. He said he’ll call you later,” Kolton said, lifting the duffel. “At least he let us borrow the rifle.”
“I can get up on that hill, Don,” Kait said.
Don considered it.
“The fuck’s Kowboy at?” Lane asked, walking up.
“He ain’t well to ride still,” Don said.
“Goddammit. Is that his rifle?” Lane asked. Kolton nodded and Lane grabbed the bag. “I guess I’ll go up then. Diablo, can lead the ground.”
“No,” Don said. “I need you on the ground. Kait’s got it.”
Lane scoffed. “What?”
“Kait’s gonna do the sniping.”
Lane frowned. “Yeah, right.”
“I can do it,” Kait said, defiant.
Lane looked at her, head tilted, tongue pressing against his cheek like he was debating something smart to say. His brows lifted once.
“All right… here,” he said, offering her the bag.
Kait reached for it, and he dropped the full weight of the duffel. She caught it easily, muscle straining but controlled.
Don glanced at Lane and shook his head. “Buster, load it in the van.”
Buster jogged over, grabbing the duffel.
“All right,” Don said, raising his voice. “Fill up, grab a smoke, take a shit, get whatever you need. We leave in twenty and we ain’t stopping.”
The next two hours were heaven for Kait.
Her face was covered with a bandana and her aviators hid her eyes, but she could still feel the hot Texas wind against her skin, the road stretching ahead like a long silver ribbon under the sun. Even stuck at seventy because of the stupid van in front of her, she was grateful just to be riding. There was nothing like it. The feeling of freedom was the same anywhere — here, in Denmark, Germany, or Russia.
Still, there weren’t many highways like this in Europe. No long, endless stretches of asphalt disappearing into the horizon.
Mack led the run as Road Captain, followed by Don and Klaus, then Lane.
Buster, one of the prospects, drove the van with Kode in the passenger seat and Cricket another prospect, —quiet one— riding in the back just in case.
Behind the van rode Diablo, then Kait, then Ram, with Kolton bringing up the rear as the last line of defense.
Once they reached the spot, they pulled in front of the van.
“From here, we go about ten minutes down that side road,” Lane said, pointing. “It’ll lead us directly to the bowl where the hub is. No border patrol, no markers anywhere near it, so we should have plenty of time to leave before anyone realizes what happened. The other day we saw a couple trucks arrive, but there’s not a lot of people inside.”
“Where should we have Kait?” Don asked.
“Blaze was going to be on top of the bowl on the south side. There’s plenty of boulders for cover,” Lane said.
“Actually…” Kait said, and they all turned. “The wind is coming from the east. Setting up there will give me full wind capacity. There are boulders on that side too.”
“And how can you possibly know that?” Lane asked, annoyed.
“We passed them on the way in. Went right around them,” Kait said.
Kolton smirked.
“We didn’t check that side for safety,” Lane added.
“Let’s do it. Kait, go east and shoot everything that speaks Spanish. Take the radio,” Don said.
Kait gave him a quick nod.
Ram and Diablo exchanged a look.
“Hey, King. You serious,” Ram said chasing Don.
“I’ll see you guys in a little bit,” she said, slinging the duffel over her shoulder.
“Be careful up there. Got your radio?” Kolton asked.
“Let’s fucking move!” said Lane already walking in the opposite direction.
“Okay, go, go, go!” said Don taking back charge.
Kait found the spot and set up. Within a minute she was prone, the rifle nestled into her shoulder, eye at the scope.
She swept the lens and spotted everyone beginning to close in.
“How can you possibly know that?” she murmured under her breath, mocking Lane as she put him in her crosshairs for half a second. “’Cause I was checking my surroundings. Situational awareness, you stupid asshole. I could blow your fucking head off right now if—”
Her radio crackled.
Kait, you copy? Don’s voice.
“Yes, sir.”
How are we looking?
“I see two on the top floor. I’m getting nothing but sun from the bottom windows, can’t see shit just yet.”
All right, we’re going in
A moment later, she heard faint shots. One guy ran up to the terrace—she took him down with a clean squeeze of the trigger.
Then she heard engines. ATVs. She swung the scope, spotted them kicking up dust on the south side, heading straight toward her crew.
“Don, you guys got company. Three ATVs coming from the south!” she said, already firing. One. Two. Three.
Got ’em? Was that all?
Kait grabbed the radio but as she pushed the button she heard another sound behind her.
A sound she knew very well.
A metallic click.
A gun cocking.
Kait, you copy? Don’s voice came again.
“Put the radio down, and turn around slowly,” a man said from behind her.
