of.
David had no sense of time in the basement. He ate his food and then he waited, sometimes closing his eyes to rest for a minute. Finally, after what felt like an hour, there was a knock from the other side of the door.
“You on the bed, David?” a voice called out, and David knew it was Rick.
“Yeah,” David called. The food and aspirin and water had helped. David’s headache was gone, and he was ready to get out of here.
Rick opened the door and came slowly down the stairs until he was standing in front of David. He put both of his hands behind his back and began to pace back and forth in front of the bed. To David, he looked like some political huckster, or a door-to-door salesman who was trying to sell him a vacuum.
“I want to start by apologizing for all this,” Rick said, waving his arms around the room. “I want you to know that kidnapping you wasn’t my idea. Mike wanted it and I was forced to comply.” At this, he raised his hands to the heavens with a gesture that said, ‘What else could I do?’ David said nothing; he just glared at Rick and waited.
“You know, David. I always knew that you were a smart and resourceful man, but even I am impressed that you tracked me down and figured this all out. I am very impressed indeed. Did someone help you?” Rick asked.
“Nope,” David said. “Didn’t need no help. I smelled a rat, and I did a little digging and found one.”
“And then you went to Mike with it, but Mike didn’t believe you. Well, he might have a little bit; he came to me with your accusations. However, I assured him that you must have made the whole thing up in order to shift the blame to another person. I told him that you had concocted this story so that the shame of your failure would fall off of you and onto me. I told Mike that you were so desperate for his approval that you invented this story in order to get it. I was right about that last part at least.”
“You lied,” David spat.
“And he believed me,” Rick said. “What does that say to you, David?” David said nothing. He crossed his arms, and his eyes scanned the rafters, as if he was looking for something, but in reality he just didn’t want to look at Rick’s smug face. “It means that your trust was misplaced,” Rick said. “Mike is an old man and the club is an outdated business model, David. It isn’t worth your loyalty. Mike doesn’t deserve your loyalty. Look at all this work you did. And where do you find yourself now? Trapped in some basement and betrayed by a man you trusted. But I want you to know that none of this is your fault, David. You trusted Mike, which was a mistake. You should have come to me instead.”
David’s brow creased, as he looked at Rick. The conversation had taken an odd turn, and David wasn’t quite sure what Rick was saying.
“The motorcycle gang is an outdated institution,” Rick continued. “It is not a thing that is meant to last. There are too many members, too many variables, too many hands held out, and too many people who know too much. There are too many voices that want to be heard. There should only be one voice, one loud enough to drown at all the others. That’s my voice, David. Marina’s Crest is located on what could become another Silk Road. We could make a lot of money. I’m talking about millions of dollars, but we can’t do it with a bunch of loud bikes and outdated loyalty oaths. It needs be run with the same ruthlessness and intelligence of a business. That’s what I’m making, David—a business—and I need a second-in-command to help me run it. I need someone smart and clever, and I think you are the perfect candidate.”
“What?” David demanded.
“Join me. Fuck the Reapers, David. They’re dead and gone. I did away with them with one well-placed phone call. It was time for them to go and for something better to replace them. Think about it, David. You know that I’m
David had no sense of time in the basement. He ate his food and then he waited, sometimes closing his eyes to rest for a minute. Finally, after what felt like an hour, there was a knock from the other side of the door.
“You on the bed, David?” a voice called out, and David knew it was Rick.
“Yeah,” David called. The food and aspirin and water had helped. David’s headache was gone, and he was ready to get out of here.
Rick opened the door and came slowly down the stairs until he was standing in front of David. He put both of his hands behind his back and began to pace back and forth in front of the bed. To David, he looked like some political huckster, or a door-to-door salesman who was trying to sell him a vacuum.
“I want to start by apologizing for all this,” Rick said, waving his arms around the room. “I want you to know that kidnapping you wasn’t my idea. Mike wanted it and I was forced to comply.” At this, he raised his hands to the heavens with a gesture that said, ‘What else could I do?’ David said nothing; he just glared at Rick and waited.
“You know, David. I always knew that you were a smart and resourceful man, but even I am impressed that you tracked me down and figured this all out. I am very impressed indeed. Did someone help you?” Rick asked.
“Nope,” David said. “Didn’t need no help. I smelled a rat, and I did a little digging and found one.”
“And then you went to Mike with it, but Mike didn’t believe you. Well, he might have a little bit; he came to me with your accusations. However, I assured him that you must have made the whole thing up in order to shift the blame to another person. I told him that you had concocted this story so that the shame of your failure would fall off of you and onto me. I told Mike that you were so desperate for his approval that you invented this story in order to get it. I was right about that last part at least.”
“You lied,” David spat.
“And he believed me,” Rick said. “What does that say to you, David?” David said nothing. He crossed his arms, and his eyes scanned the rafters, as if he was looking for something, but in reality he just didn’t want to look at Rick’s smug face. “It means that your trust was misplaced,” Rick said. “Mike is an old man and the club is an outdated business model, David. It isn’t worth your loyalty. Mike doesn’t deserve your loyalty. Look at all this work you did. And where do you find yourself now? Trapped in some basement and betrayed by a man you trusted. But I want you to know that none of this is your fault, David. You trusted Mike, which was a mistake. You should have come to me instead.”
David’s brow creased, as he looked at Rick. The conversation had taken an odd turn, and David wasn’t quite sure what Rick was saying.
“The motorcycle gang is an outdated institution,” Rick continued. “It is not a thing that is meant to last. There are too many members, too many variables, too many hands held out, and too many people who know too much. There are too many voices that want to be heard. There should only be one voice, one loud enough to drown at all the others. That’s my voice, David. Marina’s Crest is located on what could become another Silk Road. We could make a lot of money. I’m talking about millions of dollars, but we can’t do it with a bunch of loud bikes and outdated loyalty oaths. It needs be run with the same ruthlessness and intelligence of a business. That’s what I’m making, David—a business—and I need a second-in-command to help me run it. I need someone smart and clever, and I think you are the perfect candidate.”
“What?” David demanded.
“Join me. Fuck the Reapers, David. They’re dead and gone. I did away with them with one well-placed phone call. It was time for them to go and for something better to replace them. Think about it, David. You know that I’m
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