Finding Forever - REVISED

Chapter 17: Build A Bear Serial Killer Edition PART 2

ANGEL

Reaper is standing on top of the bar about to address the club. A piercing whistle shrills through the air commanding everyone's attention. He waits until every eye turns on him and the room is silent before he begins. He looks bone weary, but his grey eyes burn with intensity.

"We lost another one of our own last night. We found Head Doctor's body staked to the floor with a screwdriver through her temple."

Shouts of disbelief rings out from every corner of the room. I scan my assigned area to see if anyone has an inappropriate reaction to hearing about her death. Eagle's face is rocking a humorous smirk as if Reaper just told a dirty joke. I trail the tips of my fingers against Eagle's shoulder as I walk past to signal to Circuit to note his name down on our growing list of suspects.

Reaper bellows out, "Settle down. The killer seems to be inexperienced and stupid, but we all must stay vigilant and not make it easy for the limp dick motherfucker to knock off anyone else. This is the second body found in our home. I expect gems to travel in groups of at least two. No female is allowed to move about the compound alone."

I ask my uncle, Whiz, how he is doing as I tip my head in his direction with the fingers of my right hand on my face to indicate he had an extremely aggressive reaction to Reaper's words. I am adding bodies to the suspect list of people I hold dear with hope in my heart that when the dust clears, they can forgive me.

Someone to my left shouts out, "Pres, do you have any suspects?"

"Take a close look around you. No one is above suspicion. Everyone in this room is a suspect until your alibi is cleared by a Horseman."

Murmurs of discord flow through the air leaving distrust in our fellow brothers and sisters.

"We are on lockdown for however long it takes to question every soul in this building." That is Siege's cue to take over and play his role in this messed up round one of Catch a Killer by the Toe game we are forced into playing.

Siege's voice reverberates throughout the room, "We are going to start the questioning right now. When I call your family name, we need all family members to report immediately to the designated area I give you. No fucking around. Anyone found guilty of trying to dodge questioning will be restrained and taken to the pit."

I drown out Siege's voice as he calls out names that act as shrapnel imploding the fabric that weaves our close knit club family together. I witness a fordable wall of fear and suspicion build around the hearts of people I pass as I weave through the crowd to reach Smoke. Blade lifts his chin at Reaper with three fingers on his chest to indicate they successfully installed three cameras in the tunnels. My heart hardens knowing we are reduced to counterfeit spies behind enemy lines armed to the teeth with weapons and covert hand signals. What egregious sin are we guilty of for family to become foe and our home a nonstop crime scene?

Smoke slips his arm around my shoulders as I lean into him to help alleviate the despair whirling through me making a meal of my bones. I feel his soft lips brush against my temple acting as a balm assisting me to prepare for the next round.

Smoke growls in my ear, "Little Rosa, we are doing what must be done."

I burrow closer in his embrace, grateful that he always seems to know what I need without me having to tell him. I eagerly search Reaper's face as he approaches for any sign of discontent about my current position and find none.

He drops a tender kiss on my lips and rasps out, "Smoke, I need you to pair up with our baby girl to question the group headed to the family rec room on this floor. Both of you keep your wits about you. Stick to the game plan. Put a star by the name of anyone you think fits the profile that Siege gave us."

He lovingly caresses my arm before he moves on to team up with my father to question the group assigned to this room.

A commotion breaks out to the right of us as a patched brother is detained and dragged off to the pits for refusing to answer where he was during the timeframe Head Doctor was killed. The atmosphere bloats with angst as it resonates with the masses that the normal rules don't apply. A patch can't save you.

If we are really doing what must be done, then why do I feel like a traitor?

Smoke's hand kneading the small of my back grinds my destructive thoughts to a halt. Our cells ping with a group message from Rachel with a Skull weeping blood. "We are up Little Rosa."

I take in a deep cleansing breath and slowly exhale. My resting bitch face is in place and my razor sharp thorns are ready to come out to play as I walk with Smoke to begin our hunt for a killer.