Page 47 of Volt
“I remember you,” he says.
“And I remember you, cocksucker.”
“I spared your life—”
“That was your first mistake,” I cut him off. “You should have killed me that day because now it’s my life’s mission to put a fucking bullet in your head.”
“Then do it,” he says. “Take your shot. Do it now.”
It would be so easy. Nothing more than a few pounds of pressure on the trigger and I can end this all right here. Right now. But then I glance around the yard, looking at all my friends. My brothers. If I take this shot, there is going to be one hell of a firefight and a lot of them are going to be killed.
“Take the shot,” Zavala repeats. “I’m right here. What are you waiting for?”
Something’s wrong. He’s smiling at me like he knows something I don’t. The hair on the back of my neck stands up, and I get the feeling if I take the shot, something very bad is going to happen. And that’s when I see it—the detonator in his hand. It’s probably rigged with a dead man’s switch so if I kill him, the bombs he might have packed into those SUVs go up and everybody in the compound dies.
He sees the realization dawning on my face and chuckles. “What’s the matter? Do you not have the courage of your convictions?” he asks. “Or are you thinking that perhaps your friend isn’t worth dying for after all? What is it?”
I glance over at Doc who looks back at me, an expression of confusion on his face. He hasn’t seen the detonator.
“He’s got a bomb in that SUV,” I call out. “Anybody shoots him triggers the dead man’s switch. We all go up.”
Zavala’s smile is wide. “Mutually assured destruction. It can get you out of plenty of tough spots. But you have to have the courage and the will to die for your cause,” he says. “I’m one-hundred percent willing to die for what I believe in. Can any of you say the same?”
Not like this. I’m willing to die for what I believe in, and I’d gladly give my life if it means killing Zavala without the entire MC getting blown to hell in the process. I’m fine if I die so long as I take Zavala with me and my brothers are safe. Killing him and letting him take all of us with him is a bad trade no matter which way you slice it. And I’m not about to let him have that kind of a win. Not after what he’s done.
“Well?” Zavala presses. “Are you? Are you willing to die for what you believe in?”
“I am. But if I’m going to die, it’s going to be on my terms. And I’m not letting you take my brothers out in one fell swoop,” I say and lower my weapon. “When all of this goes down, you’re going to die and the last thing you’re going to see is all of us, standing over you.”
“You do have a vivid imagination, son,” he says.
“I’m not your son. And if you were half the badass you pretend to be, you’d be a man and fight me one-on-one,” I spit. “Come on. You and me. Right now. Or do you not have the courage of your convictions?”
Zavala smiles and looks at Brady, who looks shaken and a little pale. Apparently, he hadn’t known about the bomb and didn’t sign on to be cannon fodder for Zavala. Makes me wonder how long Zavala was going to have the services of Blackspear Security at his disposal.
“Where are my men?” Brady asks, looking at me this time.
“Couldn’t tell you.”
“You’re going to let their families suffer just because you think you’re sticking it to Mr. Zavala somehow?” he asks. “Because you’re not. The only thing you’re doing is hurting women and children.”
I shrug. “Not my problem.”
“Listen—”
“No, I’m done listening. We’re all done listening,” I snarl. “It’s time for you to go. All of you. Get back into your rides and get the fuck out of here.”
“This isn’t going to go well for you. For any of you,” Zavala says. “None of this is going to end the way you think it will.”
“We’ll take our chances,” Doc said. “Now, do as the man said—climb back into your vehicles and get the fuck out of here.”
“Before this is over, I’m going to put a bullet in your head,” I tell Zavala.
He chuckles and shakes his head. “Good luck with that. All of you—good luck weathering the storm that will be coming your way shortly,” he says. “And remember, none of it has to go down this way. You’ve got two weeks to disband and leave this town. Do that and you’ll all live. Don’t do it and you’ll all die. Simple as that.”
Nobody says a word as Zavala and his men pile back into their SUVs and roll out of the compound in a spray of dirt and gravel. The moment they’re gone, a couple of the guys make their way over and close the gate, locking it behind them. I glance over at Doc, and he looks stressed as hell. He looks over and gives me a nod.
Things are going to get a hell of a lot messier before they get better. I can feel it in my bones.
