Page 5 of Harmless
I did the quick math in my head. “All the gladiators, plus service staff, might be about…thirty?”
“Thirty people!” LJ exclaimed.
“I don’t actually know how many gladiators there are. They… you know, lose so many and then bring in more.”
“Where do they get more?” LJ asked, peering at me with all the curiosity of a child.
“Prisons, it seems. When they’re not kidnapping men off the streets.”
“A better question is, even if wecanrescue thirty fucking people, where are we going to put them?” Ever the logistical one, Carter cocked his head as he continued staring at me. “The most we’ve ever moved at one time with the Valkyrie Network is ten people.”
“I was hoping we could use the safe houses,” I admitted. “If they’re not currently occupied.”
Carter scrubbed his face and blew out a long breath. “One of them might be free. But it still only has four rooms to sleep in. Even if we pack ‘em in, we can fit maybe ten or twelve people in there before shit gets too crowded.”
“I’ll figure something out,” I insisted. “I’ll call Aunt Kyrie. She might be able to house people somewhere too.”
“She’s definitely gonna be pissed about something like this happening so close to Sevier,” LJ mused.
My aunt Kyrie, a former governor of Sevier, was the one who started up the Valkyrie Network. Her three husbands, my uncles who formed the Sons of Odin MC, were in charge of finding riders daring and brave enough to sneak into war-torn territories, many of which ran like dictatorships and even forbade their citizens from leaving said territories. Hence the need for bikers who were proficient with weapons and could ride fast. Although there had been a few close calls, no riders or refugees had ever lost their lives since the Network’s inception.
Each of my dads had volunteered to ride for the network a number of times, rotating so three of them always stayed home with my mom and us. My mom hated the danger but knew how important the work was. On her days off, she and some colleagues would give free checkups to new refugees in Four Corners. In one form or another, everyone did their part to help out.
A few years ago, all four of my fathers decided they were finished riding for the Network and passed the torch to the younger generations like Carter. Daren, LJ, and I would be eligible to volunteer when we turned twenty-five, and Torr had just become eligible this year.
Now that my uncles were older as well, they had recently hung up their cuts and promoted their most trusted Sons of Odin members to run the Network. Rumor had it that Carter was rising up the ranks and would likely receive a President patch within the next ten years.
Multiple branches of my family, from my blood relatives to my biker family, had all dedicated their lives to rebuilding our post-Collapse world. My aunt Kyrie had dedicated most of her life and her political career toward helping others, so she definitely wouldn’t sit on her ass and do nothing about fucking Mystic Canyon Resort.
“So what can you guys help me with?” I looked back and forth between my two cousins. “I need riders, firepower, vehicles to transport people. We’re going to need food and water too. Probably clothing.”
“Firepower for sure.” LJ nodded enthusiastically. “Vehicles too. Uncle Jandro actually just fixed up and donated some vans to us—”
“Hold your damn horses.” Carter cut him off with a slapping palm to the shoulder, then looked at me. “I’ll have to check our inventory, see what the Network’s plans are for the next few weeks. We have resources already allocated for certain missions, and you’re kinda asking for stuff with zero notice or intel, Ror.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. I’m not trying to take away from other people in need.” My fingers curled on the table, nails biting into my palms. “This just feels so urgent because Torr is there. And…”
“And someone else?” Carter’s eyes narrowed with the question. For being so damn stony, he sure could decipher my emotions.
“Maybe,” I admitted. “But I swear it’s not just guys I have a thing for—”
“So youdohave a thing for Torr!” LJ sat back in his seat like a great realization had floored him. “I knew it. For, like, ten years, I’ve known it.”
“Seriously, though, that place is awful,” I said, ignoring my younger cousin. “Some of those gladiators might actually be violent psychos, but I don’t think most of them are. They’re normal people who got taken advantage of, and they need help.”
“That’s most of what we deal with in the Network,” Carter said. “We’re used to it. And we try to prioritize our efforts to the most dire situations. So trust me, I’ve seen some awful shit.”
“Well, this is pretty fucking dire. People are literally being killed for entertainment.” I stood from the table. “Alright, see what kind of weapons and cars you can set aside for me. I’m gonna call Aunt Kyrie and see what she can do.”
“Aye-aye, captain.” It almost sounded mocking, but I knew LJ was too sweet to be anything but sincere. He stood as well, gave me a quick hug, and headed for the basement, where their armory was most likely kept.
“Anything else you need?” Now Carter’s tone, on the other hand, dripped with sarcasm.
I wheeled around to face him. “Just don’t be a dick, alright? I know I’m interrupting the Valkyrie Network’s very carefully crafted schedule and you’re going to have to shuffle some inventory around, which Idoappreciate, it’s just…” I waved my hands around helplessly. “People are dying in there, daily. And with every passing second, I’m worried Torr could be next.”
Carter’s face softened just a fraction, his expression showing an echo of sympathy. “I get it, Rori. I felt the same way when I first joined the Network. There’s a sense of desperation, that you have to move as quickly as possible to save as many lives as possible.”
“Yes, exactly,” I breathed.
