Page 9 of Babe's Bounty

This time, it’s the prospect who raises both eyebrows and gives me several head bobs as he stares at Min as if she were a snake ready to strike. He’s not far off.

“Where will you be?” Min asks.

“Church. Need to see what they’ve found about our targets.”

She frowns at me. “Shouldn’t I be in there, too? I’m part of the team.”

“You are, but you’re not part of the club. These guys won’t cooperate with us if you flout their rules. Think of it like this. If we were questioning a woman who didn’t trust men, wouldn’t you ask me to stay out of the interview?”

Min purses her lips, but gives me a nod. “You’re right. I’ll try not to take it personally.”

“That’s my g- partner,” I say, correcting myself before following Chrome into their Chapel. I turn away, but don’t miss the smirk on Min’s face.

The Chapel is slightly smaller than the one in San Diego. There is a long wooden table in the center that I’m guessing was built in the factory. The smooth texture of the maple wood tells its age. Carved In the center is the Demon Dawg logo. I take a seat only after everyone is else as a sign of respect for the executives. Chrome calls the meeting to order and immediately jumps into a summary of what they know about the guys we’re after.

“Mac and Torque followed them from the airport to an abandoned church in here in Whiting,” Chrome says. “They’re keeping watch. We lucked out. The church is across the street from one of our auto shops.”

“An abandoned church?” I ask. “Let me guess, is this the same church where we can find Theodore Jordan?” Theodore Jordan is the former leader of a so-called church he started in San Diego, God’s Chosen Disciples. The church consisted only of white men. Theodore kidnapped and raped Ghost’s woman, Tanya, along with several other women, in his quest to produce an heir. Someone he considered the Chosen One. If, after a few months, the women didn’t produce a son, he either handed them over to his members or killed them by beating them to death. Luckily for Tanya, she didn’t die. She survived and is now with Ghost, Min’s cousin. Theodore tried to kidnap another woman from our circle, Ashley, Flame’s sister. However, Reaper claimed Ashley and protected her from Theodore.

His latest plan was to send his men out to find and impregnate women with specific features. Blonde-hair with blue-eyes. They intended to sell the children on the black market. Only coercing these women into having a baby wasn’t enough for them. They had a doctor working with them who would take the baby out of the womb before letting the mother die. The men worked it so they could inherit the women’s money and property. Shield stopped them, but after arresting them, the doctor and two of them working the scam escaped from prison with help from a police detective. Detective Noah Billings.

“You said the church was abandoned. Is it still habitable?” I ask.

Chrome chuckles. “Definitely. It was a Catholic Church until just a year ago, but they had to close their doors when they lost most of their followers. Covid has done a number on religions. Once people stopped going, the churches lost their hold. This isn’t the only church shut down because of a lack of attendance.”

“Did they sell the church to Jordan, or is he squatting?” I ask.

“Sold it,” says Ice, the club secretary. “The church had an enormous scandal just before the door closed. The cops arrested the head priest for sexual assault against a fourteen-year-old girl. I know, shocking. Fucking assholes. The worst part is the girl’s mother and father were right outside the door during the attack. They brought her in to get ‘help’ from the priest. Their son was the one who busted in and stopped the attack. He heard the girl’s screams and called the cops. Turned in his own parents and will testify against them.”

“Good for him,” I say. “Takes guts to go up against your parents to protect your sister.”

“More than that. He’s testifying against the priest, too. Even though the members of the church and other church leaders are pressuring him to drop it. He’s including testimony that he not only caught the priest abusing his sister, but that the asshole attacked him, too. He got away and informed his parents and the officials at the church, but, of course, they did nothing but protect the priest.”

“Fucking brave, kid.”

“You can tell him that,” Chrome smirked. “He’s the one working behind the bar.”

“How old is he?” I ask, remembering how young he looks.

“Seventeen, but he’ll be eighteen in a month. He’s hiding out here until he testifies. He might stay, but I’m trying to talk him into moving. His sister is living with their aunt, but he doesn’t want to live with them. He doesn’t have a problem with the aunt, but he knows money’s tight. He’s a good kid. I think he’ll make a good brother.”

“He could change clubs. I’m sure there are clubs out there that could use prospects. The New Orleans Chapter is young and needs more members. Puma’s always ready to take on new prospects in Vegas.”

“I forgot about Hex and the New Orleans Chapter. That might be a good fit. The kid’s sister is in Biloxi. I’ll call Hex and talk to him about the kid,” says Chrome.

“In the meantime, maybe he can help us draw the plan of the church and the surrounding buildings,” I suggest. “We could use the intel before we visit.”

“Is that your plan? To go in and take them?” Their SOA, Bush asks.

“Not yet. We may have to go in if we can’t get them to come out. I’d like to know the layout and maybe plant listening devices and a camera or two. Billings helped the other escape and then brought them here. Maybe Jordan just wants his helpers nearby, or maybe they have plans to create more babies and kill off the mothers like they did in San Diego.”

“Fuckers,” Bush says. “We should kill them.”

“We want Jordan along with his associates. Put an end to God’s Chosen Disciples for good. Do we know if he has a following? Have you seen many going to church there?”

“We recently got eyes on the outside. Scorch, you’ve been keeping an eye on the place while you’re working. What have you seen?”

“Like Chrome said, I’ve seen a few people go in and out. It’s always white guys. They usually show up just as I’m closing up shop.”

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