Page 99 of Stoker's Serenity

I went out onto the porch and wished for a cigarette. I’d quit a long-ass time ago, but right then, a cancer stick would have been real nice. I dialed up Radar and he answered on the first ring.

“Was wondering when I would hear from you,” he said.

I grunted. “Just got Serenity laid down to sleep.”

“How’s she doing?”

“Sore, but I’m pretty sure that’s just the beginning. Tomorrow’s guaranteed to be worse.”

“Maybe not,” he said. “Sometimes the day after is the worst, sometimes the day after that is. Just whatever you do, don’t baby her too much. Make sure she gets up and does some moving around.”

“Sounds like you’re talking from experience.”

“I am,” he said with a sigh. “Marisol got into a bad wreck back when we were together.”

“Ouch, sorry, dude. Didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

“It’s nothing to get bent out of shape about. My time with Marisol was shit, but I got the best thing I could have asked for out of it with my kids.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. Radar’s kids were his fucking everything. He lived for them first, before anything, even the club.

“So, back to the main event and the real reason you were calling.”

“Yeah.” I perked up a bit. “You got something already?”

“The fuck you think I’ve been doing?” he asked. “Jerkin’ off over here?”

I laughed a little. “Never know. Lay it on me.”

“Okay, sugar – here it is. Dude’s name is Gordon Humphries, he lives outside Sunrise, and is one of those early retiree types. He might be a problem in that he’s former military, but I don’t think so. We’re talking like Desert Storm and he wasn’t brand new for it, either. He’d been in a while.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah. He was at the same hospital as your girl, but got released before her. The airbag knocked him out, his face is burnt a little from the chemicals and he had a fractured nose, but no other injuries that they know of.”

“He’s gonna, by the time I get through with him,” I said.

“True that. I think the captain wants to send a wrecking crew with you. Definitely no handling this one solo.”

“I hadn’t planned on it, and as much as I want to head down there now? Nah, I want to make sure she’s taken care of first. Get her moved, slow-walk this revenge story a little bit. I don’t want anything going sideways for my little orchid.”

“Good, glad you’re not trying to take it all hot and heavy right from the get-go.”

“That’s how you get caught. This type of revenge? Best served ice cold.”

Radar chuckled. “You’re learning. Enough about that asshole, though. You best go in and take care of your ol’ lady. We can worry about him after she’s moved and the citations and charges, or whatever she’s got, are all handled.”

“Right,” I agreed, clenching my teeth. I was pissed about the citation but that was law enforcement for you. They didn’t care about right or wrong, and it was a goddamned lie anytime one of those pigs said they dealt out justice. They didn’t know the meaning of the fuckin’ word. Shit, they were just all about the fuckin’ revenue for the local government. Fuck us little guys.

“Hey, Radar?” I asked.

“Yeah?”

“They cite him?” I asked.

He sighed. “Motherfuckin’ cherry on top of this shit sundae… no, they did not.”

“Of course not,” I snorted in disgust. “If anything, they were probably disappointed he didn’t turn my ass into a greasy smear on the highway.”

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