Page 49 of Falcon

“Nah. We’re gonna give them a show,” Calamity said. “Savage, Gauntlet, Ghost, Klutz, Hunter, Steel, Fragment, Priest—on me. Inform Myka and wheel her down.”

“Okay.”

Myka was looking at me, biting her lip, and despite the fading bruises, she looked gorgeous, although terrified. “What’s wrong?”

“Beauregards at the gate. They wanna speak to you. Don’t worry, you’re going to be surrounded by brothers. Calamity isn’t taking a risk.”

Myka shrank back, showing a mixture of emotions. “Dawson?” Crap, the terror in her voice was clear.

“If it is, Dawson’s gonna get jumped, and we’ll take care of him. You won’t be failed again. Fuck the cops,” I drawled. My words were enough to shock Myka out of her fear.

“Okay,” she whispered. I squeezed her shoulder and took the handles of the wheelchair.

“We’re right beside you, so tell them to piss off, and then we can get back to partying,” I ordered. Myka reached up and grabbed my hand. Gripping it tightly, Myka seemed to pull strength from me and then composed herself.

“Let’s go.” Damn, I wanted to crow; she was so brave.

Myka

I was freaking terrified. As we approached the gate, I could see seven people there. Wanda-Faye and Billy-Ray were at the front. Behind them stood Billy-Ray’s brothers, JimBob and Bobby-Joe. With them were JimBob’s sons, Merle, Hoyt, and Harlan. I quickly informed everyone of who each person was.

“Christ, the bad version of the Clampetts have come down from the mountain,” Ghost muttered, and several of his brothers chuckled.

“How many of them in total?” Calamity asked.

“Too many. There are cousins, uncles, aunts, about seventy, not including those locked up. At any given time, there’s usually about twenty in prison.”

“Holy crap, all inbred?” Hunter gasped, and they laughed again.

“God knows,” I replied.

We stopped at the gate as Beauregards glared through the bars.

“Bet that’s a view they’re used to,” Gauntlet quipped.

“Gonna keep us on the outside?” Wanda-Faye demanded, choosing to ignore the remark.

“Ain’t got any reason to invite you inside. You sure ain’t friendly neighbours,” Calamity retorted. Wanda-Faye sneered and addressed Ghost.

“Well?”

“The President said no,” Ghost replied.

Wanda-Faye frowned. That had confused her. She didn’t have book smarts, but she was as mean and clever as a rattlesnake. “Ain’t talking to no kid.”

“Then you don’t talk to anyone,” Calamity growled. He snapped his fingers, and I felt the surprise from the others. But none reacted. Calamity was acting on a level that Wanda-Faye would understand. Everyone turned around, and we began walking back.

“Oi. We want Myka and the boy. She needs to be with family,” Wanda-Faye called. Nobody answered. I tensed, and Falcon rested his hand on my shoulder again.

“Hey!” Wanda-Faye shouted, but Calamity kept ignoring her. “Alright, Mr President.”

Calamity stopped and turned back. “Now that I like. Mister President. Don’t forget that, woman,” he retorted, and I barely covered my surprise.

“Oh, Calamity knows how to handle these people,” Falcon murmured. “Just watch.”

“Myka and the kid gotta return to the bosom of their family,” Wanda-Faye stated.

“Not happening.”