Behind the Scenes: Book 0 (MC) Read online

  Axe: The Ultimate Sacrifice

  Prologue to: The MC Series

  By

  L. Ann Marie

  An old regime wanting something better for the next generation. The training that sets the wheels in motion. The final passing of the torch. Honor, strength, and solidarity, a new brotherhood is born. Throughout, a father’s silent love....MC: Knight/The next generation begins.

  Pam Foley

  *Content Warning: includes graphic language and sex. Intended for mature audiences 18+

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved.

  Axe: The Ultimate Sacrifice

  Copyright 2016 © L. Ann Marie

  Published by: L. Ann Marie

  Editor Emily Kirkpatrick

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from L. Ann Marie, the author / publisher.

  Chapter One

  “Knight off?” Wall asks.

  “Yeah Pres, I took JJ with me, he’s worried about him. The kid is a fuckin’’ walking encyclopedia but worries over Knight like he’s five.”

  Wall nods. “They’re our future. They get us out of this fuckin’’ drug and trading shit. You think Knight is fuckin’’ Badass now wait until he’s trained to run the soldiers. He comes back and keeps JJ safe. Tiny will help. I want him learning what you know, but I don’t want him as a soldier. You keep him away from trading and seasoning. He’s got a better purpose and needs to make it.”

  I hate when he talks like this. He’s not drinking so something’s up. Tiny don’t go near the stable anyway, kid that big has his pick of hangers, he don’t need the stock. “What’s coming Wall?” He always knows when shit’s headed our way.

  “War. We got some time to get ready but it’s coming. We got years of war coming. We need soldiers to get us through until JJ and Knight get back.”

  “We got more coming up.”

  He shakes his head. “No one like you and Knight for a bit. It’s the numbers that will save us. Start recruiting now. As many as you can get. You bring me anyone that talks like a fuckin’’ Neanderthal I’m putting a hole in him.”

  “On it Pres.” I stand.

  “Axe, Knight’s going to be just fine. He’s going with good soldiers. One will understand him. He’s good, but comes back better.”

  I throw him chin wondering about him talking. I hope he comes back talking better. Kid’s a fuckin’’ mess when he’s pissed.

  When I walk out Tiny’s got a Brother by the collar. “What the fuck Brother?”

  “He’s feeding her T’s one after another. She ain’t worth much stiff.” He throws the Brother and the wall shakes. Fuck all we need is Wall out here spouting his future shit. If he didn’t make us so much money the Brothers would have gotten rid of him already.

  I look at the Brother on the floor. He’s fuckin’’ out of it. Drugs are taking more and more of the Brothers. “Drop him in a room away from the stock. They’re seasoned to take anything a cut gives them.”

  The kid is so fuckin’’ big I don’t think he knows how strong he is. He grabs the Brother’s foot and drags him. The only thing hitting the floor is his head. When I see it hit a barstool I think maybe he knows what he’s doing. I take the slave to the bottom and tell her to clean her out. Tiny’s right she ain’t worth much dead. The bottom bitch is high too. Fuckin’’ drugs are going to kill the Club. I find a whore and get her to clean the slave out with a twenty.

  When I get back to the bar Petey is standing with Rogue and Box. “Run good Brother?”

  Petey nods and pulls a block wrapped in a paper bag from his coat. “Diamond said he’ll take anything we can run him.” Nice.

  I take the money and drop it in my coat. “We’ll start running two a week. New York has the supply. You come off the drug run and make straight runs for me.”

  Petey smiles. “Anything Axe. I’d rather run with transport than the drugs.” Rogue and Box agree.

  “Let’s get you paid Brothers.” I take them into the office and get them some cash hoping to fuck they don’t spend it on drugs. When they leave I open the safe. Fuck. There’s no room to put the brick. I pull a couple of bags out and drop them in my saddlebag to carry back to Wall.

  It’s a wasted fuckin’’ trip. He has me take them to my room. His trunk is full. Walking down the hall I pay attention to the rooms. Mine has a bathroom and the one on the side of me has a big closet with no bath. I open the room next to mine. “Get the fuck out.” I tell Laney. “Find another room.”

  In my room I look at the walls. Fuckin’’ paneling is easy to match. I go back out and tell the Prospects what I need and we get to work. Once they have the paneling down on both sides I tell them to leave. It takes me two days but I get a safe room built and my trunk in it. You can’t even see where I pulled the wall down. The room next door is smaller but I put a pothead in it and know he won’t know the difference.

  I bring Wall back and show him. “Got a closet on the back of the mudroom I could use for yours. Yeah?”

  He looks at me shocked. “You made a closet and safe room?”

  He don’t see it? “Yeah. You want one for your trunk?”

  He nods. “Fuckin’’ hidden talents. Yeah I want one.”

  Chapter Two

  One Year Later...

  “I’m fuckin’’ tired Wall. We need more soldiers. We got the Transport set but the drug war is killing us. We lost two last night.”

  He nods. “They left drunk and dropping blue caps.”

  “They were Brothers.” Fuckin’’ drugs. How the fuck are they riding on mescaline?

  He doesn’t say anything for a minute. “I know they’re Brothers. I keep telling them they have to be clean to ride and they’re running stupid. If I knew, they wouldn’t have left. Fuckin’’ Brothers killing themselves isn’t part of my fuckin’’ plan. You got a way to stop that let me know and I’ll do it.” He’s right, more Brothers are using than working lately.

  “We got a new group coming in?”

  He smiles. “Yeah. I got a group of mechanics and some for you. With the land we got I’m opening a salvage yard.” He’s always looking for ways to make money. I smile. Pres is a smart mother. “Kid you’ll be interested in coming up. Name’s LaPonte.” He doesn’t say anymore.

  My kid? “He wants in? What the fuck? He should be in college.”

  “Came out of care. Needs a family and found his way here. Fuckin’’ kid can ride and shoot. Petey had him run your course. Hit everything.”

  My kid was in care? “What the fuck? I send money every fuckin’’ month. I’ve been waiting to get the bill for school for him. Why was he in care?”

  He watches me. “Was taken years ago. He aged out and found us.”

  “What the fuck? All your fuckin’’ seeing shit and my fuckin’’ kid was in care? Did you know?” My fuckin’’ kid was supposed to be better off with his mother. I didn’t take him so he could have a better life and he was raised by strangers. Fuck!

  He hands me a bottle of Jack. “Two things would have happened if I told you. First he’d be no better off than the fuckin’’ pavement surfers last night. I wasn’t doing that. A death sentence
isn’t good enough for the two years you would have watched him slowly kill himself. Second, he’s important to JJ and Knight. He needs to be there when he comes back. This Club turns and becomes something to be proud of Brother. We have to get them there. Your boy is important in that, he’s happy, smart, respected and fuckin’’ Badass.”

  Fuckin’’ drugs. My boy would have died with me or lived miserable in care. I don’t even question what he sees. He’s proven it too many times. He’s fuckin’’ eerie as hell but always right. My son lived in care thinking he had no family. I drink right from the bottle. Wall doesn’t say a word. With all his ‘acting better than Neanderthal’ I’m surprised but take another drink.

  “There’s more Brother.” Fuckin’’ great. I look at the bottle, with more than half in it I nod to him. Why the fuck not? “You can’t tell him you’re his father. He looks up to you and wishes you were. You can’t say it yet. He goes through some shit. When he gets through it you can tell him.” He looks away and I know it’s not the whole story. Fuck.

  “How many I got coming up?” I’m not saying another fuckin’’ thing about my kid. I can’t even call him mine.

  “Twelve. I need four for trading. The rest are yours. LaPonte would be good for back door anywhere you put him, but you should keep him with you.” I sit back. Keep him with me? He’s that good and I would put him in my position? “We need to look at the way we’re fighting. Keeping you and LaPonte together gives you front and back covered. The kid won’t let anything come up on you and you’re at the front where you can see what the fuck is happening before we lose anymore fuckin’’ Brothers.” I think about that. The front is a pussy position, but changing how we ride may work better for us. With a strong Brother in back we’re not wasting the Brothers in front of us anymore. I don’t need a fuckin’’ shield. I nod.

  “Anything else I need?” I stand, keeping the bottle.

  “No Brother. Same time tomorrow for training. Petey has the run with Rogue, Box and the NH Nomad.”

  I nod and walk to the door. When I open it JJ is putting his hand out but looking the other way. “Brother?”

  His head snaps toward me. I almost smile, he was going to knock on my chest. “Sorry Axe. Is Pres busy?”

  “No Brother, I’m just leaving. School going good?”

  He runs his hands through his hair. “Fuckin’’ politics is throwing me. Why the hell do we keep electing dumbasses? We’re killing this country. No one seems to notice. We need changes made.”

  I put my hand up. “Talking to the wrong Brother, JJ. I wasn’t schooled like you. Got no fuckin’’ clue about politics.” This is how he got his name. Jargon James. He’ll kill you in a debate or a fight. I smile at him. He’s a good kid. He lets me pass and I drop the smile. My kid isn’t in school like him. I need to find a way to fix that. I pull a whore to my room and figure I can decide tomorrow after I meet him. My fuckin’’ kid is going to be trained right. Pres says he’s smart and happy. I hope to fuck that is happy without drugs.

  Chapter Three

  Pres is right the kid can ride and shoot. Fuckin’’ smart as a whip too. I have him helping the other Brothers and haven’t seen a pissing contest yet. He’s good with people. I’m proud and want him with me but I have to find a way to get him in school. He’s too fuckin’’ smart for this life.

  He gets me two that we can use right away. I keep him with me after I send the others back to the Club. We ride and shoot and I show him how to practice when he’s alone. We run five miles faster after each target then slower then faster again. He’s good at taking directions.

  At the Club he’s not interested in the drugs. Brothers are offering him every fuckin’’ thing and I want to kill them. I’ll be taking care of that fuckin’’ quick.

  “You need to head out?” I ask, handing him a beer.

  He looks at the bar. “Nah I’m good for a while.”

  “Look at me son.” Fuck. Pres is going to fuckin’’ kill me. He looks at me but doesn’t take the son thing to heart. “Where do you live?”

  “The City.” He looks the other way.

  Fuck. “Got a room here if you want it. Means you work for it.”

  “Yeah I want it.”

  He’s got nowhere to live. Sonofabitch. “My Brothers stay away from drugs.”

  He nods. “Seen what drugs do to people. My mother lost us because of drugs. Fuckin’’ hate them.”

  Us? “Who’s us?”

  He waves it away. “Not important. I’ll figure it out. Where’s this room?” He doesn’t look so trusting anymore. My kid better not have been sold for the bitches fuckin’’ drugs.

  I slide off the stool and walk down the hall. I open the door on the side of my room. “Get out. Find another room. You don’t work here, you share with the Prospects.”

  The pothead gets dressed. “Paid my dues Axe.”

  “Doesn’t give you free room and board. Gives you drinks and whores. You want to work we’ll find you a room.” He passes me with a bag of shit he wiped off the dresser. “Laundry is at the end of the hall. Bathroom two doors down. Food in the kitchen. Advice is free. You work, grab a whore, a beer, stay away from the drugs and learn what you can for as long as you can. Living at the Club is free if you work, pay your dues and you’re not a fuckin’’ douche. Got a truck you can move your shit here with if you want the room with the conditions.”

  He looks down then into my eyes. “You know I have nowhere to go. What I own is on my bike. I don’t do drugs, I don’t like losing control so I’m not a big drinker. I got no problem working and I never had anyone to give me advice. I’ll take everything you’re willing to teach me and use it.”

  I nod and walk in my room. He’s at the door when I come back out. I hand him clean sheets, a blanket and some clothes. “Tomorrow you get some clothes and give me back mine. You work, you get paid. Save everything you can but get some clothes for the job.” He nods and I hand him five hundred. “Get a coat and boots. Shop on South Main carries our clothes.”

  His eyes are huge and I almost laugh. “Thanks Axe I won’t let you down.”

  Fuck. “This isn’t about me Brother. You live to be happy. I’ll start you off but you find a way to make it to happy. You got shit to get through but you keep working towards that.”

  He’s got the most intense look in his eyes and nods. “I will.” I believe he will so I leave him at the door and go to my room. I hear his door and smile. My boy.

  Chapter Four

  Six Months later

  Laconia

  The Prospect runs up with my drink and lid. “Nice run Axe.”

  “Thanks Brother.”

  “They put a board up. You always win,” the kid says. He’s a decent kid but something has me keeping my distance from him.

  I look at the track and watch Rogue run it. Pres comes up slapping my back. “Good fuckin’’ job Brother.”

  “Thanks Pres.” We watch the Vermont Chapter’s front runner.

  “Not even close. How’s LaPonte going to place?”

  I smile. My kid is going to win. “First.”

  He laughs. We watch him and fuck if he doesn’t win the ride and shoot. “Fuckin’’ years no one can get past you. You trained him to beat you Brother.”

  “No Pres. I trained him to stay alive long enough to make it to happy.”

  He smiles. “You did, Brother. You did.” Thank fuck. My boy needs to make it. The wars are getting worse and too many fuckin’’ Brothers aren’t making it. “You teach him everything there is to know about Brotherhood, Axe. He’ll need that.” I look at him. He’s watching Danny. “He becomes a great man, Brother. Give him everything you know to become that man with the wisdom of his father.” The crowd cheers.

  I look at Danny. He’s looking right at me with the biggest fuckin’’ smile. I laugh. He salutes me and I throw him chin. It’s not enough for my boy. He runs up and stands in front of me. “Doesn’t mean a fuckin’’ thing if you don’t hand it to me.”


  I laugh. “Fuckin’’ kids.”

  Pres laughs and slaps my back. “Go on, Brother he’s right. It will mean more to both of you.”

  I look at him, he’s got the intense look in his eyes. Something’s up, but I follow Danny down and take the patch and trophy so I can hand it to him. Petey takes our picture as I’m giving my boy a hug. “I’m proud of you, son.”

  “I would have never made it here without you Axe. Thanks Brother.” I hand him the patch then the trophy. I showed him how to sew the patches on and I know he’ll have this one on tonight. The boy is just like me.

  “Finally I got a patch like yours.”

  I laugh. “You got time to earn the rest. Don’t mean nothing if it isn’t earned.”

  He gives me that intense look like Pres. Every time I give him advice he gets this look. It’s like he’s making sure he’ll remember it. He nods. “You’re right. I’ll keep working to earn them Brother.” I throw him chin and tell him to get to the next competition. He’s a good long shot. He should win this one too.

  Chapter Five

  My boy swept through the shoot around like fuckin’’ wildfire. The other Clubs are thinking I’m getting old and I let them talk their shit. They had no one close. We head out for a ride and hit the coast following it up to Maine. I stop at a fish house and we eat outside. “Was a good day yesterday?”

  He nods smiling. “Yeah. Thanks for teaching me. I was never anybody. Now I’m second to you and Brothers aren’t ignoring me. Never been anyone to look up to before.”

  “You’re wrong Brother. You’ve always been someone to look up to. You just didn’t know it. You came up hard but didn’t turn to drugs, finished school and found a job. You work hard every fuckin’’ day, Danny now you’re seeing it pay off. No matter what you do, keep moving forward, son. Don’t ever look back. Keep moving forward and be the best you can at whatever you’re doing. It may not be everyone’s best but it’s yours. You can be proud of that kind of man. When you are, other people see it and it will draw the good ones to you.” I get that intense look again. He takes a minute then nods. I swear he’s memorizing what I say to him.