Post by Admin on Jun 13, 2023 3:28:41 GMT
Key West, FL USA
June 6th
“Are you fuckin’ kidding me?!”
John’s fist slammed against the giant oak table, the engraved reaper giving the middle finger shakes at impact. The boys look at him kind of surprised, as John wasn’t ever one to get overly fired up. He was the calm and collected President that every charter needed and was the embodiment of brains before bullets they all were supposed to have. Although, that is rare for this type of brotherhood.
“Please tell me we have the twenty on Donut….”
The Vice President, Packer, who will take John’s place as President when the charter is fully on its feet in The Keys, answers a pissed off John Nash Strader.
“Word is, he is in hiding after leavin’ Wee-Willie behind at the truck yard we blew up.”
“Well, are we sure Willie won’t cut a deal?”
Wee-Willie isn’t at all like his name, the 6’9” 355 lbs dude was a monster of a man and was the Sergeant At Arms of the MC, Low Boys, that the Brothers had patched over to gain their foothold in The Keys. The man is no rat.
“Naw, boss. He’s as solid as shit gets in this world of ours. I am more concerned about Donut.”
The other men nod in agreement.
“The silver lining here is that the Infidels MC are down a truck yard, and can’t get their coke and guns into the state, which we will slide into the role of supplier. Where would Donut be hiding out?”
“Over in the next county, probably. With a fat hooker.”
John looks over at the Road Captain Grande Papi Mack, with a laugh and a shake of his head.
“Pussy tells all. Get some ears to the ground. Let me know when you have a twenty on the guy. He let a brother fall into the hands of some feds, and he is gonna pay the consequences. Alright, dismissed, boys.”
The gavel falls and while the bikers leave, John stays behind, sitting at the head of the table in silence, when his phone rings, bringing him back to reality.
INCOMING CALL FROM ALEXANDRA CALAWAY
“Hey doll, I was just thinking about you.”
Brandon, Manitoba
June 10th
Mackenzie Korcynski wasn’t used to the loudness and vibration of the thunderheads on a powerful Harley Davidson, but she felt an instant love for it. This was no surprise, though. Her genetics would suggest she would have a love of motorcycles. Her aunts, the late Meghan Strader and the recently retired Tamika Strader, have just as many miles under their belts as John. Mackenzie looks at the top rocker on her dad’s patch and wonders what kind of man her dad is. John looks back over his shoulder at his offspring.
“You ok back there, kid?”
“Yeah, this is amazing! It feels so… freeing!”
John smiles back at her with a wink. He was never short of amazed at how much she reminded him of his twin sister, Tamika. Mack, or Kenzie, as she likes to be called, had the same green eyes as Tamika as well; genetics run strong in the Strader bloodline. A little while later, John and his daughter find themselves at a quiet old school diner, sitting in the back corner booth. Mackenzie enjoys her Reuben with a dill pickle wedge, while her old man pushes around the roasted potatoes with his fork, the 12 oz rare cooked Ribeye untouched. He is lost in thought, and she picks up on his wavelengths.
“You ok, dad?”
Hearing her call him dad jerks him out of his train of thought, and smiles at her.
“I’m alright, Mack. You don’t have to worry about me. The parent is supposed to look out for the kid, not the other way around.”
The sixteen-year-old Strader spawn tilts her head with an unimpressed look. Straight out of the Tamika Strader handbook of “Really?” type of looks.
“God, it’s like looking at my sister, haha.”
“Well, I am sure she has given that look to all of you a bunch of times.”
“Understatement.”
“So spit it out. What’s wrong? Nervous about returning to the ring?”
John laughs as he takes his napkin, wiping his mouth.
“Against a banana? Naw, I’m not worried about that guy, gal, whatever it is. I just have club business on my mind. Nothing ya need to worry about.”
“Yeah, I don’t believe you. I know we aren’t a typical family, but we don’t lie to each other. You are thinking about Ally.”
John couldn’t get over how perceptive the young woman is, but he shouldn’t be surprised. His first love, her mom Natalia Korcynski, was an honest and intelligent woman, much like John’s sisters, so it was obvious she came by it naturally. John throws up his hands in surrender.
“You are good, doll. You can see right through me, and that isn’t easy for people to do. Your Auntie Tee has always been able to, as well as your late Aunt Meghan… and your mom when we were dumb kids in love. Alexandra… she’s always on my mind, and I won’t lie to you… it scares the shit out of me.”
The icy blue eyes John shared with his late father and sister, seem sad.
“I know things were bad between you and mom because of your dad, but please, PLEASE, don’t let that history stop you from being happy, ok?”
“I don’t even know what I am to her.”
“But you know who she is to you… talk to her.”
He knew she was right, but hearing it from a sixteen-year-old? That was something he was going to need to get used to sooner than later.
