Page 32 of Celtic Dragon
“I would think so. I’ll help you any way I can, but if you all are involved in the hurting or killing of children, we’re out. I can’t condone that.”
“That bomb was never intended for any children or that school. It was a mistake. Thankfully for the kids, it was found before it ever detonated.”
“So, if one of the two guys who were supposed to drop that bomb was your suspected rat, why didn’t you deal with him then?”
“We did. He’s gone, but before he was executed for his treasonous acts against our cause, he claimed that there were more agents within our organization. He made it perfectly clear that he was not the only one involved.”
“Fuck! This is so fucked up. How do you guys live like this every day?”
“It’s our way of life. When it’s all you know, everything else seems abnormal. That’s why Balefire was sent away. We didn’t want our little brother to grow up in all this shit.”
“Damn, and I thought being a biker and living in the biker world was rough. MC life is a cakewalk compared to what you all endure on a daily basis.” I pause and then add, “Anything else?”
“Like I said, after the mistake at the school, things really began to heat up. Mam and Da got more involved in the actual attacks against the PSNI, and the attacks against us increased as well. A little over two weeks ago, an anonymous tip came in about possible traitors. We sent five agents to Dublin to fish out the alleged traitors. Mam and Da were two of the five. None of the five came back. The other three agents were found dead near the mark’s home.”
“And nobody has seen or heard from them since?”
“No. I have every man available to me digging into their whereabouts and we’ve got nothing,” Patrick says.
“I think we need to get some intel of our own,” Rebel says. “As much as I trust that these guys know what they were doing, having a fresh approach to things could make all the difference.”
“Balefire, I assure you we have exhausted every avenue. You will not find out anything that we don’t already know. Besides, you have no idea how to handle these people,” Damon says.
I say angrily, “If you think that Rebel can’t handle this, then why did you ask him to come here?”
“Because we want you and your club. He was our in to the club,” he states matter-of-factly.
Trying to let my anger subside, I stand up and walk over to my two cousins. I can tell that I intimidate them, which I find odd, especially for Damon. He’s nervous about something, but I can’t pinpoint what. I’m bigger than him, but not by much. Then again, I do have an advantage: I have a reputation that I assume has made it all the way across the pond. Why else would he want us here?
“Let me make something perfectly clear. As I said before, Rebel is my brother. He and I met the night that I avenged my father’s death and he has been a trusted and loyal member of my club since. He is my sergeant at arms and I trust him with my life. I also trust his judgment. If you want the help of my club, you remove that little brother barrier that you both seem to have and you replace it with the thought that he just might be your savior. ‘Cause without him, you don’t have my club or me. You follow?”
They don’t say a word as they look from Rebel to me. Then in unison, they nod in agreement. “Good. Now that we have that minor technicality out of the way, Rebel, why don’t you share your thoughts with your brothers?”
“I’ve been reading about everything that has happened up until their disappearance. I believe they are both still alive and I believe they are being held in Maghaberry.”
“Maghaberry?” Damon questions.
“Yeah, Maghaberry,” Rebel replies. Then he adds, “Do we still have men within the prison who are supporters of the cause?”
Damon nods. “Yeah, we do.”
“Have you reached out to them lately?”
“Nope. Like I said earlier, we have been unsure as to who we can trust within the organization. We are keeping everything tight-lipped until we can extract the traitors,” Damon replies.
Rebel looks over at me and says, “Ice, I think we need to do some extracting of our own. Don’t ya think?”
“We sure as hell do, Reb. Doc, Ryder, you in?” I ask my brothers. They’ve been quietly listening to all that has passed between the cousins and us. They nod in agreement, as I know they would.
“What are you going to do?” Damon asks.
“We’re gonna get the information we need to get this shit handled.” Just then the door opens and a particularly attractive red-headed woman walks into the house. She’s carrying a couple of bags, which appear to be groceries. Damon immediately gets up to help her. He takes the bags and then kisses her quite passionately—a little too passionately for my taste in a room full of people. She wraps her arms around him and clings to him as if her life depends on it.
Eventually the public display of affection between the Damon and the woman is over. While still wrapped in Damon’s arms, she looks over his shoulder and says, “Hello, Balefire.”
“Ciara,” he replies.
Chapter 12
