Authors: Casey Elliot
*****
Rex was angry, angry as hell and on a mission. After riding to the MC headquarters, he burst through the door and into the bar area.
"Well then," the gang leader, Hitchins, turned to him. "What do I owe this surprise?" he asked, although he got no reply.
"I'm looking for something," Rex eventually said, as he began to rip open drawers and cupboards.
"And, what would that be?"
"I dunno... anything."
Hitchins watched him for a moment, finding the scene rather amusing. After a few minutes though, he started to get a little angry at Rex's thunderous mood.
"Kid... sit down."
"Who you callin' kid?" Rex looked up annoyed. "Just cos I'm not an old fart like you..." he continued with his rampage through the clubhouse.
"Rex... If you don't sit down in three seconds, I'm going to have to blow your fucking brains out. This is no way to act. Remember who got you released?"
His voice was calm, almost serene, but his words cut through the air ominously. Rex knew full well what his boss was capable of, and he knew he was on thin ice. Reluctantly, he sat on the bar stool beside him.
"I'm just havin' a real bad day, that's all."
"A bad day? I got you released from jail six months early and you're telling me you're having a bad day?" Hitchins was silently seething behind his cool demeanor.
"It ain't like that," Rex tried to explain. "Brandy... She's had another guy livin' in the house. He's been raising my boy."
Hitchins could see the despair and anger across Rex's face.
"You're a passionate man, Rex, but you're like a God damn bull in a china shop. Why are you in here wrecking the place?"
"I don't have my gun anymore."
"Well, why didn't you say so..."
Hitchins climbed off his stool with his long, gray hair drifting behind him. His wrists jangled as he walked; a sign that he was wearing too much jewelry. Not that he cared. He loved all his metal cuffed bracelets and chains, but sometimes, sneaking up on people was kinda hard.
Walking around to the other side of the bar, he opened the safe beneath the till and pulled out a small, yet highly efficient revolver.
"Here," he slid it over the bar. "Since it's your first day out, I figure I'll give you a little leeway."
"Thanks, boss."
"Only you, Rex, could wanna murder a guy less than six hours after being on the outside," Hitchins chuckled. "You always were a fucking nightmare."
"I was born a nightmare. Apparently, I bit my mother on the way out."
"That wouldn't surprise me," Hitchins shook his head.
"Well then... I better be on my way," Rex headed out the door.
Suddenly, he heard a ferocious yell coming from behind him. It was so loud he was sure he could feel it on the back of his neck.
"CLEAN THIS FUCKING PLACE UP!" Hitchins shouted. "If you're at least gonna kill a man, can you clear up the mess you made?"
Rex looked around at all the drawers he'd left open and things that were still upturned.
"You're a real crazy son of a bitch," he muttered under his breath as he tidied up.
*****
Neil had never felt anything so amazing in his life. The pleasure mixed with the thrill of getting caught was so intense, and he had to try his hardest from screaming out in ecstasy. He was then startled when a noise seemed to come from the back of the garage. He was certain it was his boss, and he immediately pulled away, pushing Laura as far away from him as he could. But, it was too late. He'd been spotted, but not by whom he expected.
"Who the hell are you?" he panicked as he zipped up his pants.
"I thought I was looking for Brandy's boyfriend, but I guess I must be mistaken," Rex eyed up Laura and smirked at her. "You're Neil Wilkins, aren't you? I remember your face."
"That's me," his face had grown pale, and he looked up to the biker in front of him with sheer terror in his eyes.
He knew full well who he was faced with, and knew what danger he was in, but still, he tilted back his head and asked:
"And, who the hell are you?"
He was trying to impress Laura more than anything, trying to look like a hard man, but he regretted his choice of words the second they tumbled out of his mouth. Meanwhile, Rex wasted no time in letting his simmering anger bubble.
"Not only have you stolen my woman and stolen my child," he raged as he felt in his back pocket, "but you're also a dirty cheat!"
He pulled his gun out and aimed it at Neil's head. Laura screamed and tried to run, but Rex caught her by the arm as she attempted to get past him.
"Bitch, you're not going anywhere," he spat. "You know who this guy is, yeah?" he waved the gun at Neil.
She nodded, her face growing pink as she cried.
"This fucker here is a dirty dog. He's screwing my wife, you know that? And, he's claimed my son as his own. Can you believe that? He thinks he's just so damn full of himself that he can swan on into my life and take what's most precious to me.
"It's not like that," Neil pleaded.
He fell to his knees to beg for his life.
"Please, you gotta believe me. I love Brandy more than anything in my life. I want to be with her forever."
"Forever, eh?" Rex pointed his gun down until the cold metal of the barrel was pushing into the groveling man's forehead. "Well, you can be with her forever in Heaven. How does that sound?"
"No! I'm begging, please!"
Rex was beginning to enjoy himself. He loved watching people be afraid of him, and he was really getting off on the terror he was inflicting on the poor guy. Laura was a bonus. He kept a tight grip on her, glancing at her occasionally to make sure she was still crying.
"One last thing, Neil, before I kill you... Who's this slut?"
"Hey!" Laura protested in a temporary act of defiance. "I'm no slut."
"Well, how come you're fucking my wife's lover?"
Suddenly, the consequence of her actions was right in front of her, and she wished she'd never gotten involved with Neil. Her friends told her she'd end up in trouble, but she could never imagine this would happen.
She kept her eyes fixed on Rex, making sure she could watch his every move. She'd never seen anyone like him before, but she'd heard of the gang and knew how lethal they were if you got on the wrong side of them. Closing her eyes, he resigned herself to death. There was no way she was getting out of this alive.
"I think I might kill you right here in this shit hole of a garage," Rex announced as he pressed his gun even further into Rex's head. "Yeah... How does that sound?"
He was playing with them, making them feel small and terrified like helpless children.
"Or, I can call Brandy and get her to come over. It can be a nice old family reunion, and then she can join you both."
"Please!" Neil's voice burst out of him. "Please don't hurt her. You can kill me, but leave Brandy alone."
"Hmmmm... You're sounding kinda honorable all of a sudden," Rex laughed. "So, you'd cheat on her with this skank," he shook Laura violently, "but you'd let her live. That's real sweet," he pulled a fake smile and pulled away the gun. "Actually, I have a better idea. Let's play a game."
He let go of Laura and watched as Neil rubbed at the sore spot on his forehead. A large, red whelp was forming on his skin in the shape of a gun barrel.
"Do you guys like games?" he asked.
There was no reply from either of his hostages. Only the wide-eyed look on their faces, and their frantic breath as they panted in fear.
"Hey, assholes! I asked if you like games!"
He waved his gun for effect. They both nodded immediately, desperate to comply with his demands.
"Good. Glad to hear it."
Flicking open the barrel, he eyed the six bullets and slid out five. Then, he handed the gun to Neil.
"You first."
"What!"
"I said, you first."
"Are you fucking insane?"
"No... I know exactly what I'm doing. We're going to have a game of Russian Roulette. Now, like I said... you first."
Neil took the gun with a trembling hand. He didn't want to die and, in the moment, he regretted everything he'd ever done, everything except his love for Brandy. As his life flashed before his eyes, he held the cold metal to his right temple and let the tears escape.
"I don't wanna do this," he whimpered.
Laura was standing by his side crying with the knowledge that if Neil survived, she would be next to test fate.
"You two are pathetic," Rex looked at them with disdain. "You wanted to be the tough guy when you took over my family, so why don't you man-up now and do as you're told."
Neil was shaking uncontrollably, his knees knocking together as he cried. Here it goes, he thought. If I die... I'm doing it for Brandy. He placed his fingertip gently to the trigger and took a deep breath.
"Now or never," he whispered.
And, he squeezed.
There was nothing but a faint clicking sound. He was alive. For now...
"Now it's your turn."
Rex grabbed the gun again and handed it over to the young girl.
"Please! Don't make me do it!" she wailed.
Rex wanted to smack her across the face, but he didn't need to. He just glared at her, his eyes ferocious, and she complied. Holding the gun awkwardly to her face, she wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible. She counted to three in her head and squeezed the trigger quickly, hoping she wouldn't feel a thing if she died.
Again, there was the clicking sound of an empty chamber.
"You were both lucky this time," Rex laughed. "But, there are four more rounds left."
The two hostages couldn't believe the man could be so crazy. Neil had heard stories from Brandy; of course, tales about how crazy the man was, but he could never have believed he was like this.
The gun was handed back to Neil, and this time, he was too exhausted to argue. He relented and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. His life had been spared for now. It was then Laura's turn once again, and this time, she hesitated for a second longer, certain that the probability of death was now more likely. But, with no other choice, she pulled the trigger. Once again, her life was saved.
Rex was thoroughly enjoying himself now, and he stood in front of them like a grand showmaster.
"Well then!" he raised his arms. "It would seem one of you has got to die in the next few seconds; only two rounds, only one bullet. Who's it to be?"
Neil and Laura were now huddled together, their tears splashing on the concrete below them.
"I think... that this time, it should be ladies first." Rex handed Laura the gun. "You know, shake things up a little."
She took it gingerly from his meaty hand, and with a great sadness, held it to her head. She was certain she was going to die, but with her body in a state of shock, she didn't much care anymore. The last few minutes had been a nightmare, but the trauma had numbed her. She looked at Neil before she took her turn. Maybe she was still in with a slight chance... It was fifty-fifty now, and that meant she could survive. She held onto this thought as her frail finger touched the trigger. She clenched her eyes shut and...
Nothing... just the faint clicking sound.
She breathed a sigh of relief and fell backward onto the floor, her eyes being blinded by the overhead lights. I am alive, she thought. There must be a God.
Meanwhile, Neil knew what was coming. There were no other options. He couldn't hold back his tears, and he began to rock back and forth. As he looked up at Rex, he thought for a second that maybe he could fight the guy; tackle him to the ground and beat him, but he knew he couldn't. Rex was more beast than man, and had plenty of experience whereas Neil was a scrawny guy. He'd never been in a fight in his life and; at least, four of his arms could fit into one of Rex's. There was no use.
He took the gun back and readied himself for death. For a briefest moment, he thought he deserved it. I should have known better than to get with a biker's lady, and I should never have cheated on her. Both she and Ricky deserve so much better. He thought he was a sorry excuse for a man, and he held the gun to his temple for the third time. Laura was looking at him, waiting for the blood spatter to hit her face.
"I'm ready," said Neil. "I'm ready to receive my fate," he croaked out his last words through his tears, and then pulled the trigger.
Nothing happened.
"Oh my God!" a woman's voice shrieked from the garage entrance. "What the hell is going on in here?"
*****
Brandy was standing slack-jawed as she looked at the scene that was unfolding in front of her.
“Neil!” she rushed over to him. “What are you doing?”
She looked at the gun he was holding to his temple and yanked it away from him, sending it sliding across the floor.
“How… How am I still alive?” he asked incredulously.
He thought he was dreaming, and was certain he was meant to die. He even clutched his hand to the side of his head to feel for the bullet wound. Rex, meanwhile, was laughing, as though he was having the best time.
“You fucking idiot,” he sneered at Neil.
Opening his hand, he showed the bullet he had hidden between his fingers.
“Sleight of hand,” he winked. “You literally fell for a kids’ party trick.”
“You bastard!” Neil roared. “You had us thinking we were gonna die!”
“Can someone please explain what’s happening?” Brandy interrupted, standing in between the two men.
“This young man and me…” Rex began to explain.
He had a twinkle in his eye, as he looked to Neil, knowing he was gonna spill his dirty secret.
“This young man and me… we were just getting acquainted. You know cos… I walked in on him getting some action with this little thing,” he waved the empty gun at Laura who was huddling in the corner.
“What?” Brandy looked at the young girl. “You two have been?”
She was lost for words, so completely distraught at what she was seeing.
“How could you?” she screamed.
Her voice was so loud it echoed around the room. It made Rex wince.
“Please! Brandy, you gotta listen to me. I love you... more than anything.”
But, she wasn’t listening because she was striding over to Laura. She slapped her, hard.
“How long has this been going on?”
Laura, who had had enough drama for one day, couldn’t stand the thought of anymore.
“About eight months,” she sobbed. “But, it’s over now.”
Brandy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She held her head in her hands and looked to the ground. She felt like pulling her hair out, she wanted to beat the crap out of everyone in the room, and she wanted to just lie down and sleep forever.
“You said we were gonna make a fresh start?” she shook her head. “I don’t ever wanna see you again.” She walked away, her shoes clacking on the concrete as she left the building.
Rex was hot on her heels.
“Sweetheart?”
“Don’t you fucking sweetheart me,” she pushed him away. “Are you happy now?” she goaded him. “Knowing my life is now ruined!” she screamed as she stamped away.
“Hey… that guy was dirt… You think I didn’t know that as soon as you mentioned his name?”
“What. So, you’re like my knight in shining armor now?”
“No,” Rex conceded. “But, I’d sure like to be.”
“You’re insane. You’re actually mental.” She climbed into her car and slammed the door shut. “Stay away from me.”
“But why?” he pushed his arm through the window and held her hand tight. “We were good once, weren’t we?”
She nodded.
“That was a long time ago... before you committed armed robbery.”
He sighed.
“Look… Can’t I talk to you for a minute? I gotta explain something.”
He looked deep into her eyes.
“Please?”
Again, she nodded.
“I’ll give you two minutes, but Lord knows why? I should call the cops and get you sent right back to jail,” she leaned over and opened the passenger door for him.
Climbing in beside her, he knew he had to tell her the truth.
“I’m not that much of a bad guy. I know you think I am, but really… I had good intentions, I really did.”
“You had good intentions about holding up a gas station? Please explain.”
“It wasn’t for the MC, for the gang… I know I said it was, but… it wasn’t.”
She raised an eyebrow as she listened.
“It was for you, Brandy.”
“Excuse me?”
“It was gonna be my one final act of being an outlaw, and I was gonna quit the gang and leave that all behind me. You had a baby in you after all, and I wanted to be there, but I knew you deserved the best, and for that, we needed money. I had this stupid idea that if I got enough, we could run away together; you, me, and the baby.”
“Are you kidding me? You robbed that place for us?”
She didn’t believe a word he said until she looked into his eyes and saw there was a single tear on the cusp of running down his face.
“I don’t know what the hell to think anymore,” she leaned back in her seat. “You’re crazy.”
“You don’t have to think anything right now, but can you at least let me see my son. You haven’t even told me what his name is.”
She thought about her little boy, the most precious person in her world. He deserved to know who his real father was.
“Ok,” she nodded. “You can see him.”