Ninety Degrees Out
Chapter Seventy Four

“What the fuck is going on with those turds?”

Rico reached for the radio Grange was holding, but he jerked it away from him.

“You’re not destroying it, shit head.”

Grange put the beat up UHF handheld on a shelf well over his head. Why did he keep taking shit from the taller man? This was his gang, and his call on how they worked. They had to get to whoever was shooting them. He left the bodies behind, and now two more were way overdue. He looked at Grange and the other three, thinking about how long reinforcements might be before they made it through the border.

Angel massaged his shoulders. The girl was the only one who believed in him.

“Why have they quit talking about when their meetings are going to happen. We knew exactly when they set up the look out in the hills and when they found the smoke from our fire. We even knew about the guy on the roof. What the fuck changed?”

Rico shrugged away from Angel.

“Probably heard us when we were on here. No other way for us to talk to other bike gangs. Should’ve been quiet and sent someone down person to person.”

He nodded. It was as good a theory as any he had.

“Keep and eye out for Dickhead. He should have been back by now. Get out of here Grange, go do what you do best.”

He pulled Angel in his lap and her breath tickled at his ear. He wanted to hear what she had to say.

“Let’s ditch these guys. Grange wants your spot. He’s got that look. He thinks you lost it. Like you don’t know what’s good for the gang anymore.”

Her sympathetic sneer made him smile. Angel of hell. Somewhere in the back of his head he knew she was the end of him, but he was going to go out happy.

Angel’s taut breasts pushed into his chest, and he reached between them to pinch her nipples. She spread her legs over his and snuggled up to his straining jeans. The girl was always ready to fuck. Her, he’d keep around. She scratched all of his itches.

“You’re right, but we need new guys to do the dirty work. We need to wait for the ones we heard were coming.’ He pointed up to the radio above their heads.

Angel pulled her shirt over her head, and he forgot about what he wanted to say. Those sweet nipples standing at attention and her muted cries of pain as he bit them were all he needed.

Tomorrow was soon enough. Tomorrow it was time to hit the other house on Dahl Road. It would make a fine staging point for the attack on the main ranch. Angel would have her big house and they could keep the people there for help.

He laughed as his thoughts wandered, and his girl stripped as he undid his belt. His last thought as he plunged himself into the tight pussy she presented, was who was he kidding. He wanted slaves, not help.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Captain Whipper found her way to Anchorage city hall. She left her cutter with it’s crew close to the airport. A smaller pontoon craft ferried her through the streams separating various patches of higher ground. She reminded herself of Venice and the wonderful vacation there before she began her first assignment after officer’s school.

Venice, which was now under water with only the spires of the tallest churches indicating it ever existed. So much lost to the sea. A vicious capricious muse ruled her calling, but there was no other way for her to combine her desire be on the water with the half that wanted law enforcement. To serve and protect? Who knew it would lead to such a diverse mandate?

She shook her head and a wry smile flashed across her face and she went into city hall. Marines stationed inside the door saluted, and she gave them and crisp nod and returned their courtesy.

“You’re here to see Sargent Stan?” one of them asked.

Even here, the man was a legend. What was his last name anyway? No one seemed to use it, not even the men providing security.

“Yes, he has information for me. I’ll need to brief your command after as well.”

“We’ll inform them, and have it set up by the time you return.”

“Thank you. Downstairs and to the left as I recall?” she asked as she turned toward the stairwell door.

“Yes, ma’am. The elevators are working again.”

“Thanks, but it’s stairs for me. I like the exercise.”

She pushed the door open. Stan was hidden in the subbasement. Two floors down in the darkest corner of the building. Safest too.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

“It’s good to be home.”

Chay surveyed the garage from the top of the three steps leading into the hallway between the kitchen and great room. He was unwinding his braids as he spoke.

“I love the ranch, the homestead and everything about the whole Stargazer family, but it’s too much sometimes,” Alicia said.

“I brushed everything I can reach.” Arimina climbed over the side of Corky’s stall. “I wish I was taller.”

“You are.” Chay knew it was time to put a measuring wall together. Ari needed to see she was growing. He knew by the way her shorts and pants fit her legs were longer than they were when she first rang his doorbell. Life was incredibly different now.

He studied Alicia as well. The two of them were so much a part of who he was now. The gentle squeeze of his heart whenever he stopped to think about his girls brought joy and worry in the same breath. His father’s teaching as he grew up beside his brother and sister came back.

Everything has two sides son. It is how we know the good from the bad, and the full wonder of love. With love comes so much more, and you will know how much it means by the changes which come with it. His teen-aged self had no idea how true it was, but now?

Everything centered around them. Alicia finished stowing her gear on the shelves across from the horse stalls. He went down to close the big door. No more automatic garage door closer. He disconnected it a few months ago. Electricity wasn’t an infinite commodity anymore.

A quick check of the battery banks showed they were in great condition. The niggling thought of what to do when they started to degrade came back again.

Balance Chay! I have to remember what is important in the moment, and what has to go into the future me option. Dad had it right there too. I never understood what he was talking about back then. He’s a wise man, and I can still learn from him.

“What’s got you thinking?”

Alicia’s question startled him.

“How much everything has changed since January. Flip day was only the start of it.”

He ran his fingers through his hair as he spoke, working the tangles out of the ends before he turned to pick up Arimina and give her a hug.

“I have a Daddy, and a horse, and a rifle, and I can take care of myself now,” Arimina declared as she kissed his cheek.

His lips quirked a bit at her simple declaration. He kissed her forehead and put her down.

“Let’s go in. We need to get something to eat, and we’re going to use the wall in here to measure your height. We need to keep track anyway.”

Chay unlocked the door, and let Arimina in. She stopped to check her rifle, dumping the shell from the chamber before she went upstairs. Her gun handling skills were smart. Why did he expect anything different?

“I’ll go let Blue and Jazz in. She’s going to have those pups any day now. Missy and Lexie are locked into their pen?”

Alicia nodded, “I checked the latch. Those two are getting to be a handful now. I’m not sure how, but Ari has trained them to heel, sit, stay, and lay down just like a dog. Those cats are going to be trouble for anyone who wants to get close to her.”

“Do you hear motorcycles?” Chay said as he opened the sliding doors to the deck.

“I’m always hearing them, even when they aren’t around.” Alicia said as she cocked her head. “But not this time.”

The piercing, shrill whistle he used to call the dogs had Alicia covering her ears.

“Sorry,” he apologized.

“Don’t worry. It just surprises me how loud that is.”

The dogs walked in almost immediately. Blue’s tummy swayed under her. Life went forward no matter how he wished for a pause to catch his breath. The puppies were spoken for. Anya confirmed six for certain, with a possibility of eight. The x-ray was shadowy under Blue’s back legs.

Edward and his crew of six kids, soon to be seven wanted one. Hakan spoke for another. The mountain men along the way to the homestead spoke for three more. Word traveled even with their limited ways of talking to each other.

“You know what?” Chay asked.

“No but tell me.” Alicia’s eyes met his.

“I’m happy. I’m deep down happy. All the things to worry about, bring it into focus. What about you?”

“Me too, but I’ve got news. What’s the date today?”

“Why? It’s July first. Independence Day in three days. How did that slip my mind?”

“Just not important anymore. We’ve got so many other things to deal with. Like no more birth control pills.”

Alicia’s tongue was in her cheek when she spoke. She reached up to bury her hands in his hair and held his face steady. Her eyes glowed as she watched for his reaction.

He wrapped his arms around her, picking her up.

“This is the best news. We need to set the wedding date. Two weeks?”

“Come hell or high water,” Alicia’s sardonic tone made him smile.

“Rico’s been quiet. He’s down to three men and Angel. I’m not sure what we’re going to do with the one you put to sleep. I think Captain Whipper is taking him into custody. AWOL from what they were able to determine.”

“Then let’s plan the wedding. I think Jett needs to know too. He’s made noises about making things official with Catherine.”

“A new tradition?”

“Maybe. The world has changed, and we need to make our own way now.” Alicia kissed him hard. “Put me down. I’m hungry.”

He called after her. How could he forget to ask the most important question?

“When’s the baby due?”

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