Page 7 of Tangled Threats on the Nomad Highway
“No idea how long, probably no more than aweek, and no, I need youhere,brother. Need you takin’ careof shit like you’ve been doin’.” Retro gestured towards theprospect and called, “Get me a soda, yeah?” He turned to Mudd.“Brother, you want anything?”
“Water’d be good.” Mudd walked towards thefurniture grouping they often used for their conversations. “Wet mywhistle before gettin’ in the wind.” Einstein trailed behind him,glancing over his shoulder to verify Retro was following. Muddcontinued, “We’re headed to the panhandle.”
“Texas?” Einstein was surprised. They werefriendly with clubs in Texas, but mostly east and south, with ElPaso being the farthest location of which he was aware. “Amarillo?Who you talkin’ to there?”
“Naw,” Retro drawled, taking the bottle ofsoda from the prospect with a nod of thanks. The pause was enoughto heighten Einstein’s nerves. Retro didn’t look at him as hefinished with, “Florida.”
Every one of his muscles locked tight. Heattempted to swallow and couldn’t. Tried to breathe withoutsuccess. Struggled to look away from the expression of sympathy onRetro’s features but was forced to watch as it morphed into alarm.“Breathe, brother.” Retro gripped the side of Einstein’s neck hardand yanked him forwards, a heavy weight on his shoulders foldinghim in half. “Fuckin’ breathe.” Retro’s voice held nothing butfear, and the idea he was causing that emotion in his best friendwas enough to break the stasis.
Air rushed from Einstein’s lungs in a giantwhoosh. That was followed by an embarrassingly loud pant foranother breath, and another. Slowly, he pulled himself back undercontrol, straightening as he looked around the room, eyes directedanywhere except focusing on the two men who had witnessed hismoment of weakness.
“Oh, brother,” Retro said softly, leaninghis head to press their foreheads together. “When you gotta fallapart, this is the safest place to do it, and you know it, man.”Eyes closed, he whispered, “We got your back in everything.”
“Even when I’m a weak-ass coward?” He pulledaway and glared at Retro. If they’d asked him to ride with themnow, he would have refused. Florida was a no-go zone for him andlikely would be for the foreseeable future. “Shit, man, that justcaught me by surprise.”
“I get it. I do. But that ain’t why we needyou to stay here, man. Need you here because you’re what’s neededfor these new members and our prospects. Everything’s lookin’ upsince you agreed to take on the clubhouse like you have.” Retroreclaimed his seat and gestured around the room. “Love what you’vedone with the place.”
“Take on the clubhouse?” Einstein refused tothink beyond the moment when they’d leave today. If he could playostrich, it would be okay. No more embarrassment for him, no moredifficulty for anybody. Just keep up the easy softball questionsuntil they walked out the door. “What does that even mean?”
“Saved me, brother.” Mudd drawled out thewords with a trace of laughter at the end. “You know how much Ihate the scheduling and ordering, and you took it on like a champ.Entirely happy with how that turned out for me.”
“True story. This man is a born organizer.”Retro nodded. He spoke to the prospect who still hovered nearby.“Bring Einstein his usual, yeah? Then you can be released.” The manscurried away, a hustle in his steps that made Einstein proud ofhis coaching. “That’s all on you, too, Einstein, and don’t think Idon’t know it. Having a persistent presence around here that’swillin’ to enforce what’s needed like puttin’ men in the ’roundwhen they deserve it—that’ll give us better members in the end.Thank you, brother.”
“I’m just doing my part.” He held up a hand,taking the energy drink can from the prospect. “Make sure thedownstairs bathroom is stocked, pros. From the chatter I’ve heard,we have a bunch of brothers inbound. Stay ahead of stocking thebar, too, yeah?” The man nodded and flashed him a smile beforetrotting straight to the hallway that held the club’s privateoffice and public bathroom. “That reminds me. Does it bother anyonethat the door to the bathroom is across the hall from the office?We could open up a door from this room and close that one off.Would mean visitors wouldn’t have any reason at all to be close tothe club’s office. Easier to keep track of folks.”
Retro pursed his lips as he nodded slowly.“Had that thought myself many a time, but never had someone I feltwould be responsible for the project.” He leaned forwards andslapped his palm against the low coffee table that separated theirchairs. “Make it so, Einstein. Make it so.”
“Gonna hit the bank on our way out of town.I’ll get them to send you a signature request. That’ll let me putyou on the account. That way you don’t have to wait on my assbefore you write a check for shit.” Mudd twisted the top off hiswater and took a long drink, ending on a loud, “Ahhhhh.” Hegrinned. “Make my life a fuckton easier, I tell you what.”
“We all do whatever’s needed.” Einsteinopened and drank half the can in one go, holding still as he waitedfor the zing of energy from the chemicals and natural ingredientsin the mixture. It was early in the day yet, but if he ingestedenough of the drinks, he’d guarantee himself a sleepless night.Which means a dreamless one.His heart rate sped up, and henodded. “Happy to serve the club, brothers.”
Retro stared at him, the expression on hisface searching. Einstein locked their gazes together, trying toproject confidence and steadiness. By Retro’s headshake, he didn’tthink he’d been successful. “You sleepin’ at all, brother?” And bythat question, he knew he hadn’t.
“Yeah.” Einstein shrugged. “Some. Probablynot as much as I should, but more than I was at first.”
That was no lie.
The first few weeks of staying in theclubhouse had been a reverse reflection of his previous depressedhibernation existence. Instead of too tired to do anything exceptbreathe—and some days that had been questionable—beginning with thefirst day he’d woken in the strange bed, he’d been filled withanxious energy—an unbroken desire to stuffevery instant of every day with activity. The clubhouse haddefinitely benefited, and he didn’t think anyone wouldcomplain.
“Still losin’ weight, though. You gotta eat,my man.” Mudd’s statement wasn’t finger-pointing, just statingtruth as he saw it. “Belt of yours doesn’t lie.”
Einstein didn’t bother glancing down,knowing exactly what Mudd was talking about. The heavily worn andcreased hole where his belt had notched for years was two beyondwhere he currently wore it, and that current hole was nearly tooloose.Is already too loose if I got much change in mypockets.He nodded and paid lip service to what he knew Muddand Retro wanted to hear. “I’m workin’ on it.”
“Well, work harder. Don’t make me sic aprospect on your ass.” Retro slapped the table again, then sat backin his chair. “Because I’ll have a motherfucker set a timer andremind you if I gotta.”
“Yes, boss.” Einstein glanced away, lookingat the members gathered near the bar and pool tables. “Anythingspecial going on here while you’re gone?” As long as he didn’tfocus on where they were headed, he could keep breathing. “What’sthe goal with your trip?”
“Rebels and Riders are arguing aboutterritory. If what happens that I think’ll happen, Bastards need tobe there to not only witness, but stake a claim ourselves.”Einstein’s attention snapped back to Retro, who held up a palm.“Not in opening another chapter. Fuck no. I do not need that shit,man. But if either of those clubs or anyone else who’s going to bepresent think to open a charter, then they’ll need patchover men tofill the ranks. IMC’s gonna be there, too, and you know how Twistedis about his territory. He’s already got a panhandle presence, butwith the Rebels takin’ over the Jailbreakers, those two are buttingup against each other all the fuckin’ time now. Personally, I’dlike to see Blackie win the toss, because not only is he a stableleader, but he’s got good men under him.”
“Why’s the focus on that area?”Fuck, Ican’t even say the state now?Jesus, he was being ridiculous.Huffing out an angry breath, he forced out, “Florida, I mean.”
“Rebels have a member who lives there inBaker. Truck doesn’t spend his time in Little Rock anymore,preferring to keep close to home. He and Vanna have a place there.”Retro laughed. “A couple of places, but Blackie doesn’t like totalk about the second home they’re not using. Whatever.”
“So Rebels are looking to start a newchapter?” If only a single member was in play, that would explainthe need to do patchovers to fill in the gaps. “That doesn’t make alot of sense.”
“Well, Bane is one of Blackie’s boys in theFreed Riders. And Gunny’s in play now, so that’s two Rebels to oneRider.” Mudd shook his head and drained his water, crumpling theplastic in one fist. “And our master of information here forgotabout the CoBos also comin’ to play. Gonna be a pocketful ofplayers all jostling for position.”
“You’re thinking of throwing one of ourmembers into the mix, too?” Einstein ran names through his head.“Can’t think of anyone who’s already got a…a Florida connection.”The state’s name came easier that time, rolling off his tongue withhardly a hesitation. “Who you looking at?”
