INDIGO

The farm’s quiet feels disconnected from the battles taking place outside our sanctuary. I do notice more armed prospects keeping guard. When men leave the farm, they don’t go alone. A hint of menace fills the air.

Siobhan feels it, too, but she seems happy to have us all together. I know she misses living on the farm. For the next two weeks, we get to enjoy the serene beauty of a place we both called home.

I get updates from my friends about the war between the club and the cops. Houses blow up, cars burn, and a Brennan thug goes missing. Two of my club brothers get shot. One of them is in intensive care while Scarecrow is able to walk off his wounds. A few of our businesses get shut down by health inspectors. Two locations burn to the ground. The clubhouse takes damage in an arson attempt.

Up in the hills, Caveman shuts down a main road used by trucks in and out of Banta City. Without their normal access point, these massive convoys are rerouted, making traffic worse. A few less legal shipments are hijacked on these new routes, costing various criminal organizations money.

Legal shit goes missing, too, as local gangs grab whatever they can. Backed-up traffic prevents one rich fuck from accessing a hospital in time to save his life.

Pressure builds fast in a city known to run smoothly. The mayor orders city maintenance to get the road back open in the hills. Every time a tree is removed, another one drops somewhere else on the route. A few maintenance crews get fired upon by snipers in the woods. The governor begins to hint the Banta City mayor needs to resign.

While the city’s criminal factions battle, the local prosecutor shows up to interview Siobhan and me. Our lawyers report the district attorney got orders to make an example out of Tommy Brennan. A day after the prosecutor’s visit, the feds show up, investigating the incident and “possible corruption” within the police department.

Aunt Fred instructs me to complain a lot about my pain and seem confused about that day. The feds are well aware of the corruption in Banta City, just like they know the cops used to have an alliance with the Backcountry Kings and the Kovak Syndicate .

“They aren’t here to help us,” she warns.

With her pushing me to act clueless, I’m surprised when Aunt Fred asks me to accompany her to a meeting with Roman Kovak at Verge Casino.

“If the Syndicate wants us to stand down, I’d like you to be there to remind them how we don’t cut our people loose.”

Though Siobhan wants me to stay hidden with her, she doesn’t complain when I agree to go.

After lunch, Aunt Fred and I ride in an SUV driven by Pork Chop. Bear, Tack, Sync, Noble, and Golden escort us from the farm.

Arriving at Verge, we take the secure elevator up to the top floor where Roman’s office is located. The doors open up to reveal a dozen members of the Kovak Syndicate. Despite our long alliance with these people, tension hangs in the air.

Aunt Fred must feel it, too, because she signals for Noble to let her take the lead. He falls back so she enters Roman’s office first.

Noble gestures for Bear, Tack, and me to join the meeting while the others wait in the hallway with the Syndicate men.

Roman Kovak looks a lot like his dad with dark hair and sharp eyes. He’s always seemed cold to me, but I don’t know Natasha’s brothers well. Roman puts on a semi-warm expression as he walks around his large black desk to greet Aunt Fred.

They engage in a little chitchat involving his health. Roman took several bullets to the chest during the attack on his family’s convoy. The Kovak family reeked of weakness for a short time. His father was forced to retake control of the Syndicate while Roman healed up. I can’t help wondering if the cops would have behaved better if the attack never happened.

Aunt Fred sighs. “The last few years have been rough for us all.”

“True,” Roman says and glances at Bear. “But there have been blessings like my baby niece being the spitting image of her mother.”

Bear doesn’t react to Roman poking at him. Meanwhile, Noble stands overly close to Aunt Fred. Whatever he senses puts me on edge.

“You seem upset, Roman,” Aunt Fred says, cutting through the bullshit. “You wanted an audience, and we’re here.”

Roman crosses his arms and rests his ass against his desk. “The Brennan family came to you with an offer to overthrow the Syndicate.”

“Yes. ”

“Did you ever plan to share that information with us?”

“No.”

Roman smirks at Aunt Fred’s bluntness. “Can you explain why?”

“A single meeting took place on the night Natasha returned. Alec Brennan offered the club nothing of value. It was a deeply unserious offer by a feckless man. Bear’s engagement to Natasha was the only answer we provided them.”

“Yes, but you should have provided us with this information.”

“What would you have done if we told you?”

“What we’re doing now,” Roman says and flashes a frown at Bear for some reason. “Solving the problem.”

“How will you do that?” Aunt Fred asks.

“Don’t you want to know how we learned about the meeting?”

“Not really.”

Roman studies Aunt Fred before glancing at Noble. He finally nods and uncrosses his arms.

“The Brennan family’s power isn’t local despite what Alec thinks. Their strings are pulled by their uncle in New York. Pat Brennan wasn’t happy to hear how the Hills Chapter shut down Highway 37. As you know, one of their shipments into Banta City got hit three days ago. That’s when he reached out to me.”

“Pat Brennan should have kept a tighter leash on his people if he was so worried about losing money,” Aunt Fred says, sounding far less sweet than usual. “The cops made this personal. We’ve been rather restrained so far. The club hasn’t gone after a single pig’s wife or kids yet.”

Roman doesn’t respond immediately. His gaze flashes to Noble who only grins. I’ve always been impressed by the Syndicate’s organization. Yet, Banta City requires more than cold efficiency. It’s a rowdy town filled with greedy fuckers. Keeping everyone in line demands rough men like the Backcountry Kings. If Roman thought he could scare Aunt Fred, he hasn’t been paying attention.

However, I suspect today’s meeting is a formality. Roman, like his father, never reveals his hand before he is ready to make his next move.

“What I need to know is if your club still has our back?” Roman asks.

“Of course, but we’ll never sacrifice our people to bolster your ego. This is a partnership. We aren’t the help. ”

Roman would likely threaten or charm most people in this situation. With Aunt Fred and Noble, he doesn’t waste his time. The club has survived the rise and fall of other powerful people.

“Here is the deal Pat Brennan has offered us ,” Roman says, stressing the last word. “Caveman opens up the road, allowing shipments to move smoothly again. The day after Alec Brennan’s funeral, I will announce my impending marriage to a member of the Brennan family out of New York.”

“How will Alec die?” Noble asks, sounding angrier than usual.

“Trapped in his burning car, screaming and in pain.”

I notice Bear smirk next to me. Noble and Aunt Fred appear pleased, too. I ought to care as much about revenge, but I’m mostly focused on safety.

“What about Tommy Brennan?” I ask, startled by the sound of my voice.

Roman frowns at me, seeming surprised to realize I’m even here.

“The DA is about to charge him. Pat Brennan will ensure Tommy takes a plea deal so the case remains out of court. I figure you can kill Tommy in prison or once he’s released in a decade.”

Aunt Fred glances at me to see if I’m happy with that solution. I offer her a little smile. If the cops are about to be neutered by their uncle, Siobhan can deliver safely, and I can take my family home.

“In the future,” Roman says to Aunt Fred, “we would appreciate if you alerted us whenever anyone attempts to woo your club away from its alliance with the Syndicate.”

“I can’t promise we’ll always be honest,” Aunt Fred replies in a soft yet steely voice. “Yet, we allowed a member of our family to marry yours. We’ve bled for your people, but that doesn’t mean we won’t keep our secrets.”

Roman grunts at Aunt Fred’s refusal to bow, but he’s putting on a show. No way did he think she’d beg for forgiveness. Aunt Fred might speak softly and look like a sweet grandma, but she isn’t a part of club management because of her pie-making skills. If she ever decided Roman was a threat to her family, she’d cut her losses and send the club after the Syndicate.

Fortunately, for peace in Banta City, the Backcountry Kings and Kovak Syndicate understand how our alliance is in both our interests .

“Thank you for handling this issue with Brennan,” Noble says after Roman returns to his chair behind the desk. “Killing cops would have been messy, even for Zoot and Caveman. Your way allows us to get back to making money.”

Roman nods. “Alec Brennan made this thing personal. Such sentimentality has destroyed better men than him.”

“Who will be our new local Brennan contact?”

“That hasn’t been ironed out on their end. I suspect Pat Brennan wants to see who pitches a fit over Alec and who keeps their cool. He’ll pick the person who behaves. His goal is to make money, not feed egos.”

“Is that also the Kovak Syndicate’s goal?” Aunt Fred asks.

Roman offers her a smile. “Banta City refuses to behave. However, in the past, we’ve kept our boot sufficiently on the back of its neck. That’s all the Syndicate wants now.”

Aunt Fred hears what she needs. I feel the tension turn off in the room. I’ve never been a guy with a head for strategy. What I am good at is sensing when people are dangerous. Despite his earlier annoyance, Roman Kovak isn’t gunning for the club. He knows how messy a war would be. Zoot and Caveman do, too, which is why they sent Aunt Fred to work things out.

I’m relieved by how we can get back to normal. I grew up with this stability, and I want the same world for my son.