I’d worked too hard since taking over as president of Hell’s Overlords to start losing customers because some little punk ass thief thought they could pull some bullshit on us and steal our drugs. So far, though, it felt like everyone else was just dragging their feet on this matter. They were all waiting on me to figure something out, instead of just trying to keep a better watch over our satellite stashes.
“What do we do to stop it?” Dante asked, giving me a knowing look. That was why he was my right hand man. He already knew I had something in mind. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have called a meeting.
“I’ve already put the word out that we’re moving the drugs back to HQ.”
A murmur rushed through the room as all of my senior members looked at each other. Dante smiled and nodded. We were on the same page.
“Why weren’t we made aware of this?” Gage asked.
“For security purposes, I reached out to the community myself to spread the word,” I told them.
“You paid a crackhead, didn’t you?” Dante asked, laughing at me.
“I may have,” I answered with a smile.
“This isn’t some joke, Cole,” Gage said, standing angrily, planting a hard finger down on the table.
“I never said it was, Gage.” I rolled my shoulders and cocked an eyebrow. “But let me ask you something. Whose ass is on the line here? If shit goes sideways, who do you think has to answer for it?”
“Each and every one of us,” he snapped back.
“I don’t think so. When your mouth gets you shot because the dope isn’t there, who has to answer to your family, Gage? Who was supposed to have your back in that situation? Who was supposed to make sure that we delivered what I promised to deliver? Who?” I slammed my fist down on the table.
Dante put an arm on Gage’s shoulder and pushed him back down into his chair. He shook his head when Gage looked back to see who it was, letting him know it would have been a bad idea to try to resist or start anything with him.
I sighed and shook my head at what I was about to tell them. If they didn’t like the idea that I’d gone behind their backs to put the intel on the street, they really wouldn’t like the next piece of information I had to share with them.
“Also, in the name of security, I have had our heroin stashes shuffled around to other locations. Only the men guarding them know where they are, and they’ve been paid nicely to keep their mouths shut, even if asked by any Overlords. The only people who have access are myself and Dante.”
A wave of protests rippled through the room. I held a hand up to get everyone’s attention.
“I know what I’m doing is unorthodox. I know it’s not a popular choice. Once we solve this problem, I’ll loosen my grip, and we’ll start doing things the way we always have, but don’t think I won’t do anything I have to do in order to protect the MC. And that’s what I’m doing right now,” I explained.
“Where are the drugs, Cole?” Gage asked.
“Safe under lock and key,” I replied.
“Guys, we haven’t even heard the plan,” Dante announced. “You all want to fight, and we don’t even know what the hell Cole is doing.”
“Fuck, he doesn’t even know,” Gage chimed in.
Dante grabbed Gage by his salt and pepper mane and slammed his face into the table.
“Watch your mouth, old man,” Dante threatened.
“Dante. Gage. Are you two finished?” I asked sternly.
“I am if he is,” Dante said.
“You’re the boss, Cole.” Gage held up his hands in submission before wiping his bloody face on his old t-shirt.
Sometimes it felt like I was in charge of a bunch of children. Everyone else, of course, simply sat and watched the spectacle unfold as Gage decided to test me once again. If he hadn’t been around since the early days of the MC, I would have booted him first thing upon taking the president’s seat; but he had contacts that we needed if we were going to continue to prosper.
“Alright, guys, if we’re done showing our asses, I’d like to tell you the rest of my plan. The reason I put it out there that we’re moving our drugs to HQ is so that our thief will come to us.”
“So, we’re planning a trap?” Andre asked.
“We are. Whoever is doing this is good, Andre. They get in and out without making a sound, and they leave absolutely no trace of their presence. They don’t want us to know who they are. As both Dante and Gage have found from talking to some of the other organizations out there, no one even knows about the operation,” I explained for everyone’s benefit.