Page 45 of Domino
But it’s hard to keep the guys calm when our blood is up the way it is. Nobody comes in here and takes shots at us and gets away with it. Something needs to be done about it. Somebody needs to pay.
Prophet nods. “All right. Go back to doing your thing. Just watch your sixes. Watch everybody else’s six, too, while you’re at it. We don’t know if these assclowns are coming back.”
“And be sure that gate stays closed at all times for now,” Doc adds.
They both turn and walk over to exchange some words with Bala. I watch them for a moment, wanting nothing more than to be a fly on the wall. A moment later, they’re exchanging handshakes and a manly hug with the requisite hard thump on the back.
As Prophet and Doc disappear back into the clubhouse, Bala is heading down the steps and toward a car, further emphasizing the fact that he’s gone extremely low profile to be here. It only raises my level of curiosity, but it also presents me with the only chance of getting any intel on what the fuck is going on around here. Moving quickly, I intercept him before he gets the car. Looking pointedly at the car, then at him, I give him an arrogant smirk.
“A Prius? Seriously? Did your vagina come stock with that, or was that a special edition?” I ask.
He laughs grimly. “Go fuck yourself,puto.Ain’t nobody gonna be lookin’ for me in one of these things. Besides, you seen gas prices lately? If you were smart, you’d get one of these suckers, too. They’re ugly as shit, but they can driver forever.”
“Yeah, well, the bike’s always been good for me. But if I ever need to go somewhere, I know nobody’s going to recognize me, I’ll give it some thought.”
I lean against the car and fold my arms over my chest, signaling that he won’t be leaving until I’m ready to let him go. And at the moment, I’m not willing to get out of his way until I get some answers.
“You know, coming in here dressed like… that,” I begin and gesture at his outfit, “and ridin’ a goddamn Prius no less, it almost seems like you’re going all incognito or somethin’ like that.”
“Yeah, it’s somethin’ like that,” he replies.
“What’s going on?”
“Man, you know I can’t tell you shit. Prophet would have my nuts.”
“C’mon man. We just got shot up. I’m positive I saw some cartel guys in town yesterday. I’m sure the two things are connected, yeah?”
He looks around, as though making sure there was nobody within earshot of us. There’s not, but he steps a bit closer to me and pitches his voice low, anyway.
“Look, all I can tell you is there’s some heavy shit goin’ down. I thought there was more time, but there’s not. Zavala’s comin’ for you guys,” he says.
“We knew that already. So, what’s it got to do with you? Why all the cloak and dagger shit, man?”
He sucks in a breath, looking torn. Bala glances at the clubhouse, clearly uncomfortable being here out in the open like this. He’d obviously told Prophet he’d keep a lid on it, but he seems to want to tell me regardless of what he’d promised. The fact that he’d break his word tells me that what’s coming is going to be even more hairy than I even thought. It’s not very comforting.
“Look, all I can tell you is that Tarantula and I aren’t down with the bullshit the cartel’s doin’. We ain’t into the fact that they’re traffickin’ fuckin’ kids,ese. That’s some shit that don’t fly with us, and some of the other guys in our club. There’s goin’ to be some changes in our MC’s leadership real soon,” he says.
“That’s good to know, and I think that’s a good thing, man. But what does that have to do with us?”
“Because the more you guys weaken Zavala, the more likely it is that the changes we’re tryin’ to make stick. Helps make sure things don’t get all sideways on us and we all end up eating shit. And that’s seriously all I can tell you right now,ese. I don’t want to step in shit with your prez either,” he says.
“Fair enough. Appreciate you tellin’ me what you can.”
He embraces me and thumps me hard on the back. “You just watch yournalgas, holmes. You’re apinche guero, but I like you, anyway.”
“Appreciate it, brother. And watch your ass, too, man. Sounds like we’re both goin’ to be gettin’ into some shit sooner.”
He nods and I step out of the way, letting him get into his car. Looking down at him in the driver’s seat, I laugh and shake my head.
“Seriously, get yourself a real car and grow your balls back. I’m embarrassed for you,cabron,” I tell him.
He shoots me the finger but smiles. “Chinga tu madre, puto.”
Bala shuts the door, then starts his car. I watch as he pulls to the gate and one of the guys opens for him, then slams it shut and locks it after he’s gone. As I watch the guys, some of them fortifying the walls, others cleaning their weapons, I feel like I’m in a compound in Afghanistan all over again. The air is dripping with tension, and I swear to God, it feels like we’re sitting on a razor’s edge, waiting for the Taliban to hit us.
“Well, shit,” Derek says as he steps up beside me. “The way things are going, you probably want to call Ashley sooner rather than later. Might be your last chance to get laid.”
For once, I agree with him.
