Tess sat at the table for the emergency Church meeting that had been called. Nitro was still extremely on edge since the incident at the concert the other night. It was now a few days later and the group was holding an emergency meeting to discuss what had happened. Tess held Nitro’s hand under the table, keeping her grasp tight to show support as they listened to the President speak.
"As all of you know by now, we have been receiving threats from the Lost Knights MC. There has been a rivalry between our two groups since the dawning of time, but the recent hits are coming out of nowhere. I’m going to invite Nitro up to explain some of the history.
Nitro nodded and stood next to Abe. “I’ll start by saying that it was never my intention to have this rivalry draw out for as long as it has. It sickens me to think that my own family could be this vindictive.” He took a deep breath and continued. “When my cousin and I were growing up, we really only had each other. Both of our parents had been killed in a plane crash when we were very young. I found a home on the streets with a group of people who took me in and raised me to be the man I am today. My cousin, however, wasn’t so lucky.”
Tess thought about the group that she had met at the homeless village the other week and smiled, still touched that he had included her in his world.
“My cousin went through the system until he was eighteen. The last family he was with was someone affiliated with the Lost Knights. Brad got roped into a world that he wanted nothing to do with. He’s been jealous that I found a family that respects me, but after all these years he’s still at the bottom of the food chain.”
Butch raised a hand then and Nitro said he could speak. “When Brad came to the gate the other day, he said that he’d been ignored for too long.. Did you guys lose contact or something?”
“I offered to bring him over here and be patched in,” Nitro explained. “Abe was behind it and we were ready to welcome him with open arms. He took it as a pity invite and said he didn’t need our charity.”
“You did all you could, bro,” Turbo put in. “It’s not your fault he didn’t accept your help.”
Tess looked at the clock on the wall and blinked. They had people coming to the new saloon for a Bike Night in fifteen minutes. She raised her hand and said that she, Rachel and Gunner, their DJ for the night who was another member, needed to get going. Abe gave them permission and sent a couple of enforcers with them, telling Butch to stay behind. Tess gave Nitro a knowing look of support before heading to the concert area with the others.
Lots of people came out the the event and they even had a few bikes and shirts from Turbo’s store being sold off to the side of the stage. Tess was dancing near the stage and didn’t even see a man dressed in all black coming up behind her. Without warning, she felt a gun pressed into her back and a firm hand on her wrist.
“Radio Nitro and tell him to meet us at the parking lot. Don’t you dare scream for help or make him suspicious, or you won’t make it there.”
Tess knew that she better do what she was told so she reached for her radio, trying to remain calm as her heart pounded against her chest.