Page 111 of Being Lost

“Can Dan handle himself?” Grumbler asks.

“I’d say so,” Salem replies. “Been talking to him. He used to be the muscle for his father. He’s also interested in prospecting.”

“Whatcha thinking?” I ask the sergeant-at-arms.

Grumbler looks my way. “Let Curtis come along, see how he does in the field. Dan and Wrangler can hold the fort here.”

It’s not a bad idea. The more men we have, the easier it will be to take the fuckers that killed Smoker down.

“Wet work tonight, brothers, if we can.” Grumbler now turns to the details. “Anyone got a problem with that?”

It seems no one has. I’m happy to avoid bullets if we can. Even silencers aren’t good after being fired a few times, and we don’t want to draw unwanted attention by re-enacting the shootout at the OK Corral.

We’re now down to the details. After some back and forth, accepting some ideas, dismissing others, our plans become concrete.

“You know what you’re doing, Reboot?”

“Sure, Prez. Me, Brakes, Keeper and Kink are getting there about ten. We’ll stay until we’re kicked out at closing time.”

“I’ll feed my habit.” Brakes looks around, making sure everyone is listening. “Deuce will be outside when I come out smoking. If I flick my lighter twice, I’ll have information.”

“Otherwise you keep out of sight, Deuce, got it?”

Deuce rewards me with a chin lift. He’s got it.

“Anyone going to stand in for Smoker?” Salem asks. “Would be useful to have eyes out back.”

It would. And now we’ve lost them. “No, it’s too dangerous. Can’t introduce another homeless man, that would arouse suspicions.”

“And the waitstaff?” Grumbler questions Niran again.

“I honestly can’t see how they’re involved.” He glances at Reboot who backs him up with a raised chin. “Can’t be certain of course, but apart from Enrico, the owner, who’s in it up to his neck, they don’t seem the type.”

“So nothing is likely to happen until after closing when they’ve gone home,” I surmise. “But don’t take chances. We can’t know that for sure. You have your fuckin’ eyes on everyone in that restaurant, whether they look innocent or not. Everyone acquainted themselves with that description of Alder?” The four who’ll be eating there all nod. I’d had to ask Patsy for the details of what he looked like as Token was unable to come up with a recent picture. She’d seen him last at Connor’s funeral. While I suspect it’s highly unlikely he’ll put in an appearance early in the night, it’s good to have the information so we can be on the lookout just in case.

Eventually I feel all questions which could be asked have been brought up, all contingency plans discussed, brothers rehearsed in backup plans B, C, D and fucking E. I’m determined not to have another Smoker on our hands tonight.

It’s only then I begin to dismiss church.

“Prez?” Salem interrupts. When I raise my chin, he continues, “You know what Snake was like when he sat in that seat?”

I stiffen, wondering where he’s going with this.

Salem glances down the table at the old-timers, giving them chin lifts. “Bird, now, he was someone you could trust and follow. Cautious and careful.”

I feel even worse, now thinking my deficiencies as a prez are going to be highlighted.Have I fucked up? Is this where they replace me as prez?

Grumbler eyes him thoughtfully. “Lost is something else though, isn’t he?”

They can all see what a failure I am.

“Sure fuckin’ is,” Bones says. “May not like talking something to death, but you know what? Even if we get to Plan Z tonight, I reckon we’ll all be fuckin’ word perfect.”

Dart barks a laugh. “Prez,” he addresses me directly, “I think what they’re trying to say is that you’re not Snake, not Bird, but better than both. You’re a fuckin’ good man they’d all follow to the ends of the fuckin’ earth.”

“Now you’re putting words in my mouth, VP,” Salem objects, then he smirks. “And yeah, though I wouldn’t have put it so fuckin’ eloquently, that’s what I was trying to say.” When I go red, thinking how to respond, he adds, “Just wanted to put it out there after what Shark said. Wanted to make sure you knew, Prez, that we chose the best fuckin’ man to lead this club, and there’s not one man here who doubts that.”

“Yeah.” Bones sniffs and wipes his nose. When he’s returned the grubby rag into his pocket, he continues, “Don’t think you know this Lost, but the club met when you went to Tucson along with Snake and Poke on their final one-way trip. Had words about whether we were going to walk away or work to make this club survive. Well, on that we were undecided. What we did know was there was only one man we’d get behind if we were going to give it a shot. Even if Drummer hadn’t made the suggestion, that seat was already yours in our eyes.”

---