Pardon narrowed his eyes at me before he answered. I knew I was already on his shit list for lying to him about Swing’s whereabouts, but I wouldn’t tell him where my best friend was. I wouldn’t tell him where the man I grew up with was so he could have him killed. No way in fucking hell.
“I don’t think it’s any secret that I don’t like the Raders,” he started with a sigh. “Harold was about the only one that was worth anything and Leon destroyed what he built. Nero, while not as bad as Leon, couldn’t be president of this club. He would fall into his old man’s ways eventually and drive it into a deeper, darker hole.”
“Is that why you told him that you wanted him to have the chair?” I asked, cutting him off.
“Did he tell you that?” he asked, his voice raising. I nodded and Pardon continued, “And you’d believe a Rader over your old man? That hurts me, Dallas. To have you think that I would ask Nero to take the chair over my own son.”
“Pop, Swing wouldn’t have a reason to lie to me about it,” I replied through grit teeth.
“We’ll talk about that later. You asked me a question, now let me answer it,” Pardon said with another sigh. I watched him as he tiredly rubbed his eyes, wondering what lie was going to come out of his mouth next.
“Like I said; it’s no secret that I don’t like the Raders. I used to be really good friends with Leon until shit went south on that protection run a ten years ago. The reason I wanted an extra year was to get rid of anything in this club that had to do with them with the exception of Harold. I can get it all done if everyone cooperates with me. Every last person at this table knows I’m right. This club having a legacy left behind by that family would keep a huge target on our backs. What I propose is to get rid of Leon and Swing; literally and theoretically.”
I sat back in my chair and stared at him. Years ago, when Leon was kicked out of Tidals & Anchors, Pardon said he had put a bullet in his head when he took the chair. There weren’t any witnesses to it, but we all believed him because it was what was supposed to be done. He let it slip that Leon was still alive, not thinking anyone would catch it.
I turned my head slowly and looked at Emmett Wayne. He was one of the few I trusted at this table with helping me move Nero because he didn’t like Pardon. Feeling my eyes on him, he turned his attention toward me, rolled his eyes, and shook his head.
“Got something to say, Breaker?” Pardon barked at him.
“Nope,” he replied in his casual way. “Just listening and trying to decide what’s bullshit and what isn’t.”
I chuckled. Breaker was a lot like Swing, in the fact that neither of them would take shit from anyone in or outside of the club, except he was more vocal about it.
“So is that the only reason you wanted another year?” I asked, turning his attention back to me.
“It is. Everyone here voted on it and I’m keeping this chair for what’s left of this year to make good on what I’m proposing,” he said, looking at each of the club members in turn.
Pardon adjourned the meeting and I went out back to have a smoke. Breaker and Moses, who we called Red because of his bright hair, followed me outside.
“Did you catch that?” Red asked quietly, once the door closed behind us. “He didn’t kill Leon like he said he did.”
“We gotta find him,” I said, lighting my cigarette. “If we can prove that Pardon’s been lying about shit from the beginning, it could be our only chance to save Nero.”
I looked at Red, “Take half of our guys with you. You’re the best person we’ve got when it comes to finding people. Find Leon and take him to Poulsbo. Me and Breaker will take the rest of the guys and head up to Nero. We won’t move him until you get there with Leon.”
“And how do we explain that half the MC is missing to Pardon?” Breaker asked me.
“Simple. We lie, just like he does,” I replied, taking a pull of my cigarette.
Most wars happen outside of your crew, but Pardon just started one inside of Tidals & Anchors, and I had no plans on losing.
Twelve
After Pardon’s speech about ridding the world of all things Rader, we decided not to wait to put the plan into action. Based on his favorite places in Bend, Red took the guys and went off to find Leon. Breaker and I assembled the other half and took off for Washington.
The fact that everything seemed to be falling apart was really pissing me off. We should’ve voted Pardon out when his time was up and by rights, even though he didn’t want it, Swing should’ve gotten the fucking chair.
I kept telling myself that it would all be over once Red found Leon and brought him up. We’d grab Swing, go back to Bend, throw Pardon out of Tidals & Anchors, and everything would be as it should be.
Breaker pulled up next to me and signaled me to pull over. I shook my head at him; I really didn’t want to waste any time unless it was important, but he insisted. Of course, his version of insisting things, was picking up speed, turning his bike around, and coming at me in a full on version of chicken.
I swerved away at the last minute and he laughed as he pulled up next to me. We pulled our helmets off and I gave him a dirty look.
“This had better be good, man.”
“It is,” he replied, handing me his cell phone. “Red found Leon already.”
“What?” I asked, grabbing his phone in disbelief. I looked at the screen and let out a sigh of relief. There it was plain as day; a text from Red saying that he had Leon and that they were on their way to Poulsbo.