Page 2 of Celtic Dragon
He continues to ramble.Fucking A.I move over to him and grab him by the collar. I shake him to get his attention, and he suddenly stops speaking and glares at me. Once he realizes that I did what I did to get him to focus, he finally speaks.
“Shit, sorry Ice, I’m just pissed off right now. I’m all over the place. My fucking brothers.” He takes a deep breath and then explains, “My parents are heavily involved in the Real Irish Republican Army—the Real IRA. As a matter a fact, our entire family is involved.”
What the fuck? Did he just say ‘our’ family?I know now is not the time to ask him about this, but … fuck, Rebel, I just got home. He can’t make a reference like that and not back it up. I’ve had enough family surprises lately to last a lifetime, but I have a suspicion that the hits are gonna keep coming.
Rebel continues, “The IRA has waged campaign after campaign in Northern Ireland to bring about a united Ireland. Members of our family have attacked many security forces with guns, bombs, grenades, mortars, and rockets. We’re also responsible for multiple bombings in Northern Ireland and England with the sole purpose to cause economic harm or disruption. It has become our family mission. After the 2009 attack on Massereene Barracks, in which my father killed two British soldiers, my world began to change drastically. My parents wanted me out of Ireland and away from the IRA.
“Things became more dangerous. Both of my older brothers were part of the cause and were just as involved as Mam and Da were. They said they loved me enough to let me go … and that’s what they did. As soon as I was of legal age, they sent me here to live with my uncle in the States, but when I got here I’d found out that he’d been killed.” He stops for a moment, letting his words settle.
Making the connection, I realize that Rebel came here to see Ace. Ace was killed. Ace was his uncle.Now the whole ‘our family’ remark earlier makes sense. Rebel and I are cousins. Holy fuck!
“What are your parent’s names?” I ask.
“Aillise and Connor O’Byrne,” he replies.
As I’m still trying to get over the whole family connection shit, I realize something. My blood pressure begins to rise and suddenly I’m not seeing things clearly.That fucker! He’s dating my sister. Why that …But just as I am about to lay into him, I realize that Ari isn’t his cousin. Ari isn’t related to Ace at all.Fuck … for a minute there I was ready to kill the son of a bitch for fucking around with my sister. Damn! I’m too old for this shit.
“So we’re related?” I ask.
“Yep, you’re my older cousin. Ace and my mom are brother and sister,” he says matter-of-factly.
“And you didn’t think this was something that I should know?” I pause and then say, “Never mind what I should know, don’t you think this is something I would want to know?” I can’t believe that he never told me this.
“I wanted to tell you so many times, but it just never seemed like the right time,” he says.
“The right time?” I ask incredulously. “Fuck, Rebel, there is never a right time. But you are my SA, my friend, and my brother … and you never said a word.”
He lowers his head, knowing that I’m right. “I’m sorry, Ice. I owe you more than that.”
“Damn straight you do. Is there anything more I need to know?”
“No, not anything that I know about.”
“Good. Let’s keep it that way.”
Everyone in the room is listening to our conversation in disbelief. But Ari is the most surprised—she looks shocked by the news. I’m sure she’s thinking the same thing that I did a few minutes ago, but she’ll get it eventually. Just like I did.
I turn to Rebel and say, “I’ll call church tomorrow. You get me all the facts and we’ll lay it on the table for the club. We’ll decide what to do from there.” Rebel nods.
Well, it looks like I’m fucking going to Ireland.While everyone is hanging around chatting, I decide to get things moving. I step outside to make my first call to Willie Hayden. Willie runs an export company out of Erie. I’m pretty sure that he exports to Ireland. Hopefully he will have planes leaving the States going to Ireland. Even if he could only get us to Dublin, I imagine the drive isn’t too far to Belfast. I’m sure we can secure some bikes in Dublin if that is the case. And it would sure beat paying for airline tickets. Besides, he owes me a favor.
My conversation with Willie goes well. He has a transport leaving Buffalo on Friday. That’s only an hour and forty-minute drive from here. That can work. It also gives me some time to find out what we are walking into, to get shit in order, and to spend a few days with my girl.
Next call is to Hawk. He answers on the first ring.
“What’s up, Ice?” he asks.
“You busy tonight?”
“Nope. Whatcha need?”
I look at my watch: 10:30 pm.Fuck, it’s later than I thought.The guy has been running nonstop since everything happened with Emma and Brianne. I think I’ll let him have tonight to himself. “Nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow. Can you meet me at Betty’s in the morning? Early, say 8ish?”
“Sure, Prez. What’s going on?”
“Reb’s family in Ireland is in trouble. It looks like I’m gonna have to leave town for a while and I need to go over some things with you. I’ll fill you in on everything in the morning.”
“Are you sure you don’t need me to come by tonight? I can,” he says, and I detect a little bit of desperation in his voice, as if he wants to come over tonight.Odd.Then I remember that Honey is staying at my house.Sly little fucker!
