Tease: Mojave Boys MC (18 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

Vance stood beside Dusty in the office with the aerial map spread out on the desk. They’d pinpointed five landmarks that looked like possible hidden locations near the Scorpions’ warehouse. Vance suspected they were probably looking for a bunker, which would be hard to find, so they didn’t count on any of the buildings. But there were a few dark spots that looked distinctly like openings to an underground location. Those were their marks.

“So, what’s the plan? Are we going to split up and check different spots? Or are we going to hit each of these as a group?” Caleb asked. He’d been the most eager to join the crew, still reeling from losing Cougar as a mentor in the gunfight. He wanted vengeance, and at the moment, this was the best he could do.

Vance would rather hit all of them at once, but there was safety in numbers. Taking a deep breath, he said, “I think we should make it a group effort. When we find Maya, we don’t know how much security they’ll have watching her. A stronger front is better.” And Dusty had only rounded up six more men, so they were a party of eight. Splitting up at all would make them weak.

“I think we should start here,” Dusty said, pointing to a blotch that was fairly close to the Scorpion hangout but distant enough to not be obvious. “I know there are some caves around that area, and if
Tres Amenazas
was looking for a convenient place to build his own little hideout, it wouldn’t take much to shore up a cave.”

Assessing the other options on the map, Vance nodded. “I agree.” He gazed around the group, looking for objections and finding none. “Alright. Get your things together. I want everyone armed but not too heavily. Speed is important, and I don’t want anything slowing us down. We ride out in an hour.”

Everyone left, except Dusty. Expecting to hear something he didn’t like, Vance clenched his jaw and waited. “We don’t have time to just hit one spot a day. If this isn’t it, we need to hit another today. We should plan where we go next.”

Vance knew he was right, but he wanted to believe they’d hit the mark on the first try. Planning a second stop was like admitting they could be wrong. Still, he took the advice to heart, not wanting to screw up based on pride. “Okay, then let’s go here next.” Dusty was going to push back because it was damn close to the Scorpions’ bar, but Vance knew
el jefe
. He kept his friends close, his enemies closer, and anything that was of value right next to his heart. The outlying spots they’d marked were far less likely to turn up anything for them.

Groaning, Dusty said, “I don’t like it. How the hell are we supposed to sneak in when the place is right at
Tres’s
door?”

Vance traced his finger along a line that ran a bit behind the clubhouse. It was barely visible from the aerial view. “This is a gravel road. It’s not obvious because it’s only pebbles, but it’s there, and it wraps around to the backside of the clubhouse, maybe a quarter mile out. That should be about where all of this is.” He indicated the dark spot they’d been looking at.

Dusty’s expression was grim. “Still, we’ll draw a lot of attention from the clubhouse being that close. We’ll have to park the bikes and walk the last thousand feet or so, and we’re still likely to get into a gunfight before we can sneak in and out.”

Growing irritated, Vance glared at his friend, shoving away from the desk. “If we don’t find Maya at the caves, I’ll just ride out here alone. One bike is a lot quieter than eight, and I can get in and out fast by myself. I don’t need the backup.”

“That’s a bunch of shit, Ice,” Dusty countered. “You need the firepower and the muscle.”

“But I don’t need the bad attitude or the warnings or the ‘we’ll never get out alive’ mentality,” Vance shouted. “If you’re going to support me in this, just do it and stop telling me how much you don’t like it.” He was exasperated. There was no such thing as an ideal situation under the circumstances. He hoped they would find Maya in the caves with minimal security. But that was the best he could hope for at this point. He couldn’t make any guarantees, and it was just going to get more dangerous over time.

“Sorry, man, I wasn’t trying to piss you off.” Vance knew that, but he was pretty high strung, and considering how well he kept his anger under control, he didn’t feel he needed to calm down any of his other emotions. His friends could deal with them or walk away. He didn’t give a shit.

“Look, I’m a mess, and this is the best I can do to keep from breaking into a rage. I don’t think I’m doing too bad a job. So, bear with me. Just get armed, and let’s get on the road. This is at least a two-hour ride.”

“Aye, Cap’n,” Dusty quipped, heading out of the office. Vance rolled his eyes and left the room, glad he’d brought a couple of his guns and knives along. He grabbed another pistol out of the locker and tucked another switchblade into his pocket, just as backups. The weapons felt secure, and it went a long way in calming his nerves to be appropriately armed.

Maya had been hostage to the Scorpions for more than twenty-four hours now, and he hadn’t received an update since he’d been to their clubhouse yesterday. He didn’t think
Tres Amenazas
would be stupid enough to hurt her if he intended to use her to bargain with, but it still left Vance feeling nervous because he couldn’t verify that she was eating or drinking. He didn’t know if they’d been battering her or taunting her to the point of being terrorized. He literally knew nothing of her condition, and that put him in a place where he felt the need to rush.

Luckily, most of the men who were standing behind him in this were level-headed and could keep a reasonable perspective. It meant Vance could feed off that energy and stay cooler about it. Dusty had assured him that more would have followed if they didn’t have some sort of other obligation, most of which involved family matters. And he’d stopped with this number so they could have a modicum of stealth in their movements.

It was smart, and Vance knew he had to stop complaining to his friend. Dusty had gone out of his way to think it through and coordinate things properly. Vance appreciated it, and he should show that. He headed outside toward his bike, and he found half his team gearing up. He glanced at Dusty’s bike and noticed it needed some cleanup work. When they got back safe with Maya in tow, Vance would get the thing cleaned, repaired, and polished as a thank you.

He straddled his bike, ready to go, but he didn’t rev it to life until all eight of them were seated and had put on helmets or eye protection. “Let’s do this!” he hollered, and the reverb from the engines coming to life put a smile on his face. This was going to be fun, even if it turned out to be a duel in the end. Having this kind of crew made it all worth it.

It seemed like it had been forever since he’d ridden out in a group like this, and he’d almost forgotten the pleasure it brought. For a while, at least, he could pretend there wasn’t any grave danger, and they weren’t headed into a bad situation. He could almost forget that Maya was a prisoner, and that the Scorpions wanted him dead. It was just a ride with some of his family, and that was invigorating.

It wasn’t until they were close—about half an hour from their destination—that he started to remember their purpose fully, and it made him nervous. Vance wasn’t the type of guy who wanted to endanger others because he was on a mission or had adventure in mind. Yet, here he was, drawing seven other men into what could be a deadly situation, and he was risking Maya’s life in the process. It’s why he’d wanted to handle things alone.

When the first small caves came into view, he signaled to the others, and they slowed, all of them tuning the noise down and rolling slowly. They found a secluded place amongst the brush and between caverns to stow the bikes, leaving them a reasonable walk to the larger caves they meant to inspect. Vance led the way with Dusty just a bit behind but near his side.

As they got close enough to see the openings of the first larger caverns, he drew a gun, and he could hear the others preparing for confrontation as well. But they crept up on every cave that looked like it could hold several people as a hideout with no luck. Grimacing at the bad luck, Vance turned back and stormed toward the bikes.

“You knew we probably weren’t going to hit the lucky spot on the first try,” Dusty reminded him, as he hurried to catch up to Vance. He eyed his friend, noting that Dusty had tucked his gun away already. Vance still carried his, not sure that the Scorpions didn’t use these caves at all. He had a feeling they had product of some kind stored here, or at least used the caverns for their benefit. That meant there might be one or two Scorpions trolling around here.

“I know. That doesn’t make me any happier about it,” Vance clipped out.

Dusty grumbled something under his breath and said, “Let’s regroup by the bikes and put together a strategy for the next spot.”

Vance scoffed. “I thought you didn’t like that spot.”

“I don’t, but you’re right. It makes sense to hit it next. Let’s just get it out of the way so if your girl’s there, we get her back today, and if not, we can mark the damn location off our list and start fresh tomorrow.”

It sounded like a decent plan to Vance, and though he was still pissed at the waste of time here, he at least felt better about blasting through all the options quickly. He nodded. “Alright then. That’s what we’ll do.”

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

Maya couldn’t complain about the food. Last night’s dinner had been homemade enchiladas with rice and beans, and this morning, she’d had migas with chorizo. She was eating well, not starving, and she’d been allowed to sleep in a bed last night. Even though her ankle had been cuffed to the metal bar, it had been a relief to lie down and to have the ropes off her wrists.

And the salve the old woman had put on the sores on her wrists, taken straight from aloe plants, had started to heal amazingly already. She was literally being treated more like a guest now than a prisoner, and it was nice. But it also made her feel like a pig being fattened up for the slaughter.

Now, it was closing in on lunchtime, and Maya’s stomach was growling at the thought of whatever would be delivered this time.
Tres Amenazas
tended to stick around for at least half of the time it took her to eat. She would likely be drawn into some sort of conversation with him. He wasn’t a bad guy as a whole, and he could be interesting to talk to. He was certainly intelligent.

But he was manipulative, and he was obviously a mortal enemy of the man she loved. She didn’t care that she couldn’t be with Vance. That didn’t affect how important his well-being was to her. She didn’t want him dead or injured, and she didn’t want him looking over his shoulder for this guy or the rest of his crew. She didn’t trust the leader of the Scorpions as far as she could throw him, and Maya was sure he had ulterior motives with her.

The suspicion was reinforced when he had shown up this morning with fresh clothes and a clock. He’d also had a box of books sent in so she had something to do, and rather than tie her up, he’d shut the door and promptly locked it up tight as a bank vault. She had to be valuable beyond a few grand for him to keep improving her living quarters. How long did he plan to have her here? Was it really going to take that long for Vance to do whatever
Tres Amenazas
asked?

It was almost two, and Maya was getting anxious. She was hungry, and when she was too hungry, she got angry. She paced the floor back and forth, unable to focus past her emptiness to read, and the motion reminded her how long it had been since she’d worked out. It also brought out the thought of having her hair and nails done and getting a massage to ease the tension and soreness from the abuse and discomfort of being tied up. When she got out of this mess, she fully intended to schedule an entire spa weekend to renew and rejuvenate herself.

She heard the locks on the door click, and Maya felt relief wash over her.
Tres Amenazas
came in with a guy who was very obviously not one of the gang, followed by a young member pushing a cart full of food. Her mouth watered at the aroma of rosemary chicken, red potatoes sautéed in some sort of lemon sauce, and what looked like a fresh spinach salad. But she didn’t have the luxury of lingering on the meal for long, feeling wary of the stranger.

The man she didn’t know immediately took a seat at the table, looking at her intensely but not speaking.
Tres Amenazas
approached with a smile. “Good afternoon,
mujer
. You seem a little agitated.”

She forced a hesitant smile, her eyes locked on the stranger. “I’m a little hungry. Otherwise, I’m fine.”

He motioned her toward the table, and she walked slowly to her usual seat, changing her mind and sitting at the opposite corner from the stranger.
Tres Amenazas
sat next to her, across from him, and the young Scorpion placed the food on the table. “Maya, this is Alejandro Jimenez. He is a business associate of mine whom I invited to lunch. Alejandro, this is Maya.”

“I know who she is,” the man grunted, stabbing at the chicken on his plate as if it offended him.

Of course, his tone didn’t sound all too pleasant, either, and Maya was proud of her intuition. Still, for her captor’s sake, she said, “Nice to meet you.”

He grunted again, and now, Maya didn’t like him on principle. He obviously had an issue with women, and she dealt with that at work a lot. But to be so blatantly condescending pissed her off. Alejandro shoveled in three enormous bites, barely chewing, and he spoke before he swallowed. “Are we going to talk business or what,
jefe
?”

Apparently,
Tres Amenazas
had earned the title of ‘boss’ even outside his motorcycle club. He nodded and ate in a much more civilized manner. Not wanting to lose her appetite, Maya kept her head down and her eyes on her own plate as she forked up the first taste, telling herself she wouldn’t look up at the new guy’s terrible manners. He was truly disgusting.

Finishing his bite and not taking another,
Tres Amenazas
responded, “You’ve seen the product. Tell me what you would pay for it, and we can perhaps negotiate from there.”

So, Alejandro was a client who bought whatever product the Scorpions traded. She still wasn’t clear on that at this point, and Maya wished she knew what the ‘product’ was, even if it was only out of morbid curiosity.

The stranger apparently didn’t know how to refrain from speaking with his mouth full, as he mumbled through the bite, “I’m still trying to determine that. It depends on how long I have to prepare for delivery, quantity, and whether I will have to meet you somewhere to pick up the product. But if we are only talking about one unit of stellar product, I would say somewhere in the ballpark of seventy.”

Maya didn’t look at him, but she paused with a bite halfway to her mouth. Seventy thousand? Is that what he meant? And that was for a single unit of excellent…whatever. She waited as
Tres Amenazas
replied, “I think you are trying to cheat me,
hermano
. You know even the average units are worth more than that. I would have expected a better offer from you.”

“Come out with it then,
cabron
. How much do you want for it?”

From the corner of her eye, Maya could see her captor pushing food around on his plate while he sweated the other guy. He was calm enough, but she could almost feel excitement boiling inside him. “I think I should ask at least one-twenty.”

The newcomer nearly choked on his food, and Maya secretly celebrated his pain. “You must be kidding, old man.”

“You know you will more than double that in profit inside a week, Alejandro,”
Tres Amenazas
told him, sounding entirely unconcerned.

With that kind of price and resale value, Maya was more curious than ever, but she wasn’t going to ask questions in front of the potential buyer. That wouldn’t keep her in
el jefe’s
good graces for long. If she thought it wouldn’t upset him, she’d ask him later.

“You’re right, and I guess I could offer that. But not a single mark on it,
jefe
. I want it completely unharmed, no marks or dings or dents or scratches. Nothing,
jefe
, do you understand me?”

With a broad smile,
Tres Amenazas
nodded. “I’m going to take you on your word for now. But in a couple of days, I expect to shake on it. Be ready with cash, and I will deliver.” They ate in silence after that, and Maya was glad when
Tres Amenazas
ushered Alejandro out quickly, about fifteen minutes after they’d arrived. Now, she could really enjoy her dinner.

Boldly, Maya chanced a question. “If you can make that much money off one small sell, why aren’t you happy with the chunk of money you’ll be getting? Couldn’t you just leave Vance and his guys alone?”

He shook his head, not at all offended by the question. He leaned back in his chair and continued to eat as he gave his casual explanation. “It’s not always about
dinero
, you know. Sometimes, it’s principle; sometimes it’s about respect. And sometimes, it’s about opening a new door for opportunity or taking advantage of a small thing that could turn into a profitable business deal.”

“Because that’s not cryptic.” Maya shook her head. “So, basically, this is to gain respect and take advantage of some crazy opportunity.”

“You could say that, though it’s not quite true. But it’s probably the closest you can come to defining it.” Maya wanted to put a fist through the wall at his vagueness, but she let it go, just clenching her jaw instead. “Anyway, don’t worry about it. Your man, I’m sure he’s getting things done. Soon, we’ll all be better off, okay?”

He stood to leave, and Maya stayed seated, angry and refusing to move. “I guess I’ll see you later,” she sighed, not looking at him.

“Yes, and if things go well, you’ll see your man, too. Chin up,
mujer
, we are almost at the end of all this.” He left, closing and sealing the door behind him. It was for the best, really, since Maya was ready to bum rush him and the exit to try to escape. She swept a hand across the table, knocking everything to the ground with a growl of frustration. The cleanup crew would come eventually and get rid of the mess. Right now, Maya couldn’t care less, and that was unusual for her. She got up and stormed over to the bed, throwing herself down on her back and staring at the ceiling.

There had to be another answer. Whatever
el jefe
had in mind was going to get them all killed or put them in a bad situation. She could tell by his lack of desire to be honest or straightforward, two things he’d been up to this point. But that was okay. She would either drag it out of him or talk him into taking another path, one that would still lead to security for everyone involved without the danger involved in this secretive proposition.