I nod and grab my duffel bag, unzipping it without a word. I hand out gloves, radios, throat mics, and night vision goggles. They all know the drill. Each man reaches into the bag, grabbing extra mags. I tuck my Glock into the back of my jeans, strap another to one ankle, my knife to the other. Razor and I pull out our rifles – SRS A-1 Coverts. I love this baby. It’s compact, accurate, and has a thousand-yard capability. I attach the thermal vision scope and suppressor, and then look around at my guys.

“Ready?” They all nod. “Let’s go.”

This place is in the middle of the woods. I don’t even know how Tek found it, but I learned to stop questioning his methods a long time ago. We approach carefully, cloaked in darkness. Even the moon decided to stay hidden tonight. We may just be a group of bikers, but we move with the precision of a SEAL team. Once the front of the building is in sight, I signal to Motor.

“See if there are any other ways in.”

The place looks unassuming, if not out of place. It’s nothing but a big barn, at least on the outside. Who knows what’s on the inside. I put on my goggles and take everything in quickly. It’s just like Razor said. I can take out the men on patrol easily enough; the others are a little tricky. The driver is behind the wheel. If he falls forward, he lands on the horn, alerting everyone. The other two are behind the box truck and are mostly obscured by it. We get a break when the driver hops out of the truck and heads toward the woods while saying he’s going to take a piss. I send Crow in his direction. This just might work out. I probably won’t even need the rifle.

One of the men patrolling realizes the driver hasn’t returned and tells the other he’s going to check it out. I alert Crow so he can handle it, then I toss a rock, drawing the attention of the other man. He jerks his gun up, pointing it where the rock landed before heading in that direction. I send Venom to handle him while Razor and I move to take out the men loading the truck. We use the truck to our advantage, hiding our approach, catching them with their backs turned. I grab one, snapping his neck in one fluid move. Razor takes his time, choking out the other. Motor’s voice comes through in my ear.

“Found a way in the back, boss. Got six on the inside, including our guy.”

“Weapons?”

“Nothing visible. They’re just talking.”

“Razor, Venom, you’re with me. Crow, Allah, you’re with Motor. We’ll come at them from both sides. Tek, cut the lights on my say.”

Razor and Venom look to me for instruction once the others leave. “Once Tek cuts the lights, Razor, we take out the straddlers. Briggs is mine.”

Tek comes on the radio, telling me he’s in place.

“Motor, we’re going in blind. What’s Briggs’ position?”

“He’s the biggest motherfucker in the room, boss. Can’t miss him.”

I tie my bandana over my nose and mouth while Razor and Venom do the same. Like thieves in the night, we move through the entrance. Just like I suspected, this is no barn. We enter a long corridor and I hear voices ahead. There are stacks of boxes just outside the corridor we can use to our advantage. I signal the men and we all drop down, crawling into the room, hiding behind the boxes. I take a careful peek over them to assess the situation. With all the equipment in this place, it has to be his lab. Briggs is in the middle of the group of men, a huge grin on his face. Not for long.

“Briggs is in the middle,” I tell Razor. “You take the two on the left, I got the rest. Motor, stand down.” Looks like I’ll get to use the SRS after all. “Let’s go night-night, Tek.”

The second the room goes dark, Razor and I move into position. I hear Briggs tell one of his men to check the breaker. He only takes one step before Venom drops him. I line up the others in my scope and take them out before Briggs can finish asking what’s going on.

“Tek, let there be light.”

He cuts the lights back on and I rise to my feet, moving toward Briggs with my gun pointed at him.

“Hands where I can see ‘em,” I tell him.

He does as he’s told but has a condescending smirk on his face. I can’t wait to get my hands on him. Venom pats him down, taking a Desert Eagle from a shoulder holster.

“I want my lawyer,” he states as I place my gun and goggles on a nearby table.

“You think we’re cops?” I ask. “Think again.” I get in his face and pull my bandana down so he can see mine. “I’m your worst fucking nightmare.”

All the guys are gathered now and Briggs looks around nervously. Razor pulls cable ties from his pocket while Crow grabs a chair. As they tie him down, Briggs starts rambling about us not knowing who he is and what he can do to us. I remove my gloves, take a look at Raven’s name on my knuckles, and then punch him in the mouth to shut him up. It works.

“Search the place,” I tell Tek and Motor.

Briggs watches quietly as I pull up a chair and sit in front of him. “Do you know who I am?”

He takes a good look at me, but I don’t see recognition in his eyes.

“I have no idea,” he answers, spitting blood on the floor.

“Doesn’t matter. Dutch Wife...that’s your product, right?”

“Aah.” He smiles, licking his busted lip. “My pride and joy. Took me years to perfect that one. If you’re looking for a distribution deal, this isn’t the way I do business.”

“Not looking to do business, asshole. I need information.”

“Why would I tell you anything?”

I pull my knife from the holster on my ankle and inspect the blade. I’m dying to see his blood dripping from it. “Oh, I can be very persuasive.”

“I don’t even know you. What kind of information can I possibly give you?”

“Stony View,” I say. “Who distributes for you around there?”

“Never heard of it. I don’t do small towns,” he regards me with a sneer. “Small money.”

“Okay. Who distributes for you in Atlanta?”

He doesn’t answer, just stares at me like he’s bored or I’m an inconvenience. I lean in and show him the blade of my knife. “Notice anything about it?”

“It’s a knife.” He shrugs.

“Not big or sharp. No good for cutting, slicing...but does a hell of a job when I need to poke holes into things...people.”

He swallows hard but doesn’t make a sound. That is until I sink the blade into his thigh with all the strength I can muster. He squeals like the pig he is. “Feel like talking yet?” I ask as I twist the blade.

“Motherfucker!” he shouts.

“No?” I pull the knife out and slam it into his other thigh. He howls in pain but still says nothing. No problem. I can do this all night. I stand and show him my knuckles. “What does that say?”

“Raven?”

“Yeah. Raven.” His head snaps back at the first punch. By the third, I feel a few of his teeth give way. I stop counting after ten.

“Boss, found this.” I turn to Tek, breathing heavily, and watch as he approaches with a black briefcase.

“Can you open it?”

He inspects it then gives me a maniacal grin. “Sure. All I need is a thumbprint.”

“I like the way you think, Tek,” I reply, knowing exactly where he’s going with this.

“May I?” Razor inquires.

“Go ahead.” I gesture to Briggs.

Razor cuts the cable tie from one of Briggs’ hands and removes a pruning shear from his pocket. Briggs begins to squirm. I guess he can still see. For now.

“No. You can’t –”

His index finger is gone before he can finish his objection. He screams like a bitch this time. He’s crying now, tears running down his face.

“Oops. You said thumb, right?”

I chuckle at the expression on Razor’s face. Fucker enjoys this kind of thing.

“Move out of the way.” Venom steps up. “You play too much.”

He grabs the shears and I revel in the sound of metal cutting through bone. Seems the men want to have some fun because Venom took the tip of Briggs’ middle finger, from the first joint up. It’s a little cathartic listening to his screams. Raven screamed and no one helped her.