It also looked ramshackle and abandoned, barely jutting out into the sky. I imagined that even on a clear day, it would be incredibly easy to miss if you were sticking to the roads and trails.
Hunter double-tapped his brakes, signaling to the others to begin slowing down. We pulled up in a cloud of scattered dust beside the house, and he killed his ignition and hopped off. I could see the border fence nearby as I shielded my face from the coming dust.
As he signaled out with a closed fist to our closest followers, I dismounted as well. I followed him to the torn-apart siding on the other side of the abandoned shack, where he turned on a flashlight.
The shack was ripped to shreds on the inside. Something had happened here, decimating the place. I was surprised that it was even still standing, no matter how isolated we were from the rest of the world.
“What are we doing here? Do we need something?” I asked him cautiously, following the beam of light as he scrutinized the interior.
His light beam shot downwards to the floor.
“We’re here for that,” he informed me.
That was a massive hole in the living room floor. It was a tunnel, digging downwards at a slope beneath the house.
“So when you said we were going under the border,” I murmured aloud.
“When I first enlisted with the Devil’s Dragons they were still running drugs. It was a huge operation, kept totally under wraps and beneath the noses of the law. Eduardo commissioned some people to excavate this little smuggling tunnel… It runs right under that fence, and straight out the other side.”
“Jesus,” I muttered. “This is how you guys flew down to attack the cartel before?”
“Yeah,” he nodded. “Since guiding the club away from drug-running, I’ve kept this avenue open just in case I ever needed it. Looks like that decision finally paid off…”
“I’ll say,” I nodded.
We walked back outside and climbed back atop his motorcycle. The bikers were sitting in silence around us, shelving their antics for the rest of our trip.
“Tunnel’s secure!” Hunter shouted. “Everyone, follow me!”
Every engine near us revved in anticipation as his motorcycle flared to life. I covered my ears briefly to keep my hearing intact, and heard a little chuckle from my chauffeur.
Always the charmer, Hunter flashed me a quick grin, and then we were off. We drove straight into the shack and roared down into the tunnel, followed by our fleet of armed bikers.
I clung to him as we shot forward in the dark, our way illuminated only by headlights. The sounds of the other engines rumbled down the tunnel around us, threatening to deafen us.
Hunter didn’t seem even remotely bothered by the ear-piercing sound. I found myself wondering how he managed to hold quiet conversations, given how unwavering he was when it came to deafening engine roars.
It was exhilarating.
It was frightening.
But I felt secure here, my hips straddling Hunter’s engine while we were backed up by a large flock of his Outlaws. His own men were mingled into the crowd, and every one of these bikers had undoubtedly killed men and performed all manners of illegal, illicit activities.
Oh god, if Daddy could see me now he’d lose his fucking shit. A knowing smile crossed my lips. Would that be before or after the inevitable heart attack?
After a few minutes of heart-pounding excitement rolling through the wide tunnel, I could finally see the exit.
Hunter double-tapped his brakes again, signaling to the crowd to begin slowing down.
The ground started to slope back up again. When we came up on the other side, it looked like our exit point was disguised as a large and completely empty water tank.
Everyone came to a slow stop as Hunter turned his bike and killed his engine. Although we could only see maybe half of the fleet, the acoustics off the rusted, metal interior of the massive tank meant his voice could travel.
Hunter made good use of that quality. He dismounted his bike, stepping in front to call out to the entire band of men.
“Outlaws and Dragons… this is the last time I address you all. Once we cross outside, we pass straight into enemy territory, and I’ll have to trust all of you to understand how to handle yourselves on cartel turf.
“Tonight, you represent your clubs for the reigning leader of the Outlaws. Show me the best of the Severed Sixteen, or the Winged Scorpions, or the Moonlight Riders, or the Twin Spears. Show me, brothers, what it means to you to be a fucking Outlaw!”
The assembled fleet all cheered out, fists and guns in the air. Hunter waited for the sounds to subside before continuing.
“All of you are under my jurisdiction tonight, and my responsibility… and I intend on sending each and every last one of you back to your club presidents with my undying gratitude. There is no dishonor in retreating. I will not speak ill of your clubs, nor will I disbar them from the Outlaws. You have answered my call of your own volition. If you mean to continue riding with me, glory and vengeance await. But if you mean to turn back, this is the fucking time to do it.”