Page 35 of The Sentinels

Tanner grunted, his eyes downcast on his own phone. No doubt he was texting his lead mechanic at the garage that he owned.

The Hellraisers were obviously targeting our businesses, and that was one thing that could be rebuilt. Closing them down until shit was over didn't mean the fuckers wouldn't still make an attempt to destroy them, but at least we wouldn't have to worry over our people being caught in harm's way. Going after our friends and family meant certain death for the other MC.

I gave Gabe a meaningful look. "Maybe you'd better contact the crew onThe Sentineljust in case."

He nodded. "Got it."

It grew silent for a moment. I scanned the destroyed bar, exchanging looks with my brothers, including the six from Tennessee. I knew that if Tanner made the decision to ride into the Hellraisers’ camp right now not one of us would hesitate, object, or question his sanity, even as outnumbered as we were. We would fight to the death protecting our families and town. But Tanner wasn't a fool. A good president didn't make rash decisions in anger, and neither did I.

"When we gonna make a move?” Joker asked gruffly.

"Yeah, and what's that gonna look like aside from Rod and Charlie sitting in a tree?" Hock, the quiet brother from Tennessee, inquired. He was a watcher and a listener and rarely used his vocals.

I took a deep breath and looked at Tanner. His nod told me to go ahead. He had no idea what I was going to say, but he trusted me. "Let the fuckers finish out their night," I began, realizing that some of my brothers may not agree. "Whoever Callahan and his crew haven't picked up will head back to Cacklebery to fuck and sleep off the adrenaline."

"We hit them then?" William asked. "When they least expect it?"

"We have to make sure Maniac and Boomer are there first, "Sid pointed out.

I turned toward Dawson. "Figure after they start waking up they'll want to celebrate. Think you and a couple of your brothers can hit the Cabbage Patch later in the day and ask around without being noticed?"

He nodded. "I take it we leave our cuts behind?"

"Yeah. And your bikes," Tanner added. "Just a few rednecks stopping in for a beer," he smirked. "Mike has an old truck you can take."

Of all the Sentinels, Mike was the most serious in the club. He was a private investigator that did a lot of pro-bono work for families of missing children. He kept shit bottled up inside, which we all knew wasn't good, and I knew that he suffered with PSTD, but he was convinced that he had it under control.

"Make sure you're wearing ear buds. You find out Maniac and Boomer are there, you call."

"Stay there for further instructions," I added after Tanner's comment.

"Then what?" Rod wanted to know.

I smirked. "Then we head out to Cabbage Patch and show the Hellraisers that they don't fucking know who they're messing with."

"Time for talk has passed." Gabe shot a look at Tanner.

"I'll call Callahan, let him know what's going down and tell him and his men to stay away."

"You gonna tell him everything?" Jigger asked Tanner with disbelief, his brows arched high over his forehead.

"You questioning my decisions?"

"No, but--" Jigger halted, as if he’d just remembered that Tanner was the president. "Just curious, Prez." He relaxed back in his chair. "Meant no disrespect."

Tanner didn't need to explain himself. And while the Tennessee Sentinels didn't know the extent of our involvement with local law enforcement, they'd have to trust that our president knew what he was doing. We discussed shit as a club, but he had the last word, and most of the time we agreed with him.

Back when we had first put the MC together, the twelve of us had been equals. No one had called the shots, no one had led. In a sense we’d all been prospects. We'd discussed shit together, and the majority ruled. Through trial and error we'd discovered our weaknesses and strengths, and our positions had become definable as time had gone on. Tanner's dad, Pops, had played a hand in leading us in the right direction. He'd been in his own MC, and his knowledge and experience had been worth its weight in gold.

That had been a long goddamned time ago, and Pops had been gone for a few years now.

"We'll only have the element of surprise for a minute. The Hellraisers will be drinking and celebrating, all cocky over the shit they caused and thinking they got away with it. Think they got us scared. Once we know Boomer and Maniac are there we go in fast and we go in hot. We don't give them the chance to draw their fucking weapons." I pinned my gaze on Dawson. "I doubt there'll be many civilians there. Try to identify who they are before we get there. Get them out of there if you can."

Dawson nodded, and then glanced at Joker. "I'll take Hock and Jigger with me. We'll head over to Cabbage Patch around two in the afternoon."

Mike jumped off the stool he was sitting on and stretched. "I'll meet you here with my truck."

"Okay then." When Tanner got to his feet everyone else began to follow suit. "I suggest we all try and get a little rest and meet back here by one o'clock."