Heavy Is The Head That Wears The Crown

CHAPTER III - The Hard Way

I'd heard that prospecting would be a difficult journey, that was the biggest understatement.

It wasn't all bad though, Me and the other prospects grew close, we formed a bond, we all had to work through this together. Being a Prospect wasn't all that great, it meant keeping a good mindset and doing anything a patch-member told you, it also meant you had to wear the same clothes for a few weeks which isn't the most hygienic especially after a swim.

The swim is something you don't want to be subjected to, it's a punishment. Alice told me that once she was so cocky they told her to swim a whole lap of the lake, if he was to faint or fall ill she'd obviously be allowed to rest. Except as soon as she was able to swim again she would back into the water. Some of the members spoke about her once being a professional swimmer, the waters comforted her. Alice acted like a mentor to me, connecting me with all of the other members of the club.

Ellie and Ned were prospecting alongside me, when we weren't being forced to go and collect contraband from dealers we were actually allowed to enjoy ourselves. From the get go you could pretty much tell Ned had a thing for El, he was always asking if she'd go to Yellowjacket Inn with him for a pint. She never accepted. Ned was the one of us who didn't last long as a prospect, he was a person who desperately tried to join the Grave Diggers Motorcycle Club, instead of polishing bikes and doing chores for the members, he spent a lot of his time moaning about being a prospect, since he was young he had wanted to be a part of this gang of bikers, always questioning out-loud, "I wonder when I'll be full patch," or something else like, "Hey, put a good word in church for me."

This kind of behaviour wasn't allowed within the club, he was told to have a meeting with a man called London. This was after I established that he was in fact a person and not the place. London was the vice-president of the motorcycle club and possibly the worst kind of punishment that you could ever get. Usually a meeting with London ended with him trying to blow something up or him with a gun to someone's head. Sadly for Ned it was the second option, he went to the meeting and was shot on the spot, Me and Ellie had to show no feeling towards this, although for a while it seemed like we were missing a piece from the puzzle.

"Prospects, you're off duty until tomorrow. Go cry or something," London inserted a new magazine into his pistol and walked over to his bike, he rode away. London spoke very little, he was a man of few words and almost too many actions.

"Fancy a trip over to Yellowjacket? Lighten the mood a little," I said to Ellie hoping that we could just forget what just happened, this was our life now, we couldn't get too attached to anything or anyone. This place was dangerous, but being the tiger in a fight with a cat leaves you like that. "I suppose," she said loosely. We arrived at the Yellowjacket Bar a few hours later, I ordered me and her a pint each and we talked for most of the night. The one conversation I remembered from that night is Ellie telling me why she joined. El sipped her drink and asked, "So, what bad luck brought you here?" I looked at her almost like I wasn't ready to answer, "I was chosen, I think my Father was a respected member of the group, ever since his death this club has protected me and my family."

"Your family?"

"My Fiancé and kid, Vegas promised no harm would ever come to them, he wanted me to follow in my Father's footsteps, to stop acting like a child."

"Oh, I met a guy called Gonzo at a meet a few years ago, he only recently got in touch. We sparked a flame back then although it seems all he wanted was a one night stand. My family have had generations in this club, I'm the next in line. I was asked to have a meeting, I was given the mark by Gonzo and here I am," she downed the rest of her drink as though she was trying to put her thoughts of Ned behind her, "Fancy a whiskey. This one is on me?"

"One more, go for it."

It got to around 11pm and after many jokes and conversation about both of our pasts we called it a night, our vision was tainted and our speech was slurred.
"See you later, right? Later," she stumbled off to her Taxi that I'd called in. I realised I hadn't been back to the city for around a week, I'd kept, I called a Taxi for myself and headed home. It was a long journey that costed me a lot of dollars but it was finally a time where I felt like myself again. Four wheels move the body and two move the soul, I really felt that now despite how many times I explained to Gonzo that racing had the same feeling of adrenaline. It didn't.

I was informed by Alice that it would be a good idea to move my family up to a little town in Nevada called Paleto, she said it would be safer. For the moment me and my fiance Tessa agreed to stay where we were, you can't just pick up and leave, we have a child and she has a job to keep on track with.

After the long journey home, I was relieved to leave the cab driven by a muted Taxi driver who decided 10mph is the maximum he could actually go. I opened my apartments door and walked inside. The house was boxed up, all of our possessions I made sure my little girl was sleeping okay, she was perfectly asleep the slight snoring showed she was just like me, I tucked her in and kissed her forehead. After walking into my room I got into my bed and the night flushed away almost instantly. When I awoke my fiancé Tessa was no longer in the bed, I could hear little giggles in the kitchen. Giggles that were now safe from anyone who tried to stop them. My two girls happy together.

I stretched and arose from the bed, I hadn't had a bed this comfortable for a while, it's weird going from sleeping on clouds to sleeping on a mountain edge. As I walked into the kitchen Tessa smiled, she was cooking french toast for breakfast, better than a bottle of beer in the morning. This moment alone made me think, did I want to drag them away from this lifestyle, one where they're comfortable? I needed to protect them and Alice had given me the option to do that.

"A letter arrived, it's from your Father's business," Tessa said pointing to the letter on the side, I walked over to the kitchen counter and grabbed the neatly wrapped letter. I opened it examining the words piece by piece,

'Dear Mr Alex Oxford,

we're delighted to inform you that were electing a new chairman of the board due to your Father's passing, therefore we invite you to decide who will run your company for you. Now that you've inherited the company we do ask that you choose someone who you can trust. Or even yourself.

Yours sincerely,
James Walker ( Finance Manager )'

Tessa looked at me slightly confused, "What does it say?"

"I have to pick the new Chairman, I want the darn thing re-established. All of the men working there are just hungry millionaires planning on getting richer. Tessa, you reckon you could do it? I mean for a short amount of time. I want to put funding into other businesses, some need it."

"I guess I could, we need that company to keep Ava in a good school when we move," she seemed unsure, "Are you sure Ava will be safe?"

"Ava will be fine, the Grave Diggers will protect her."

"I don't want our daughter living a life where she needs to be protected, I want her to have fun, have friends. I never asked for this."

"Whilst Bones is still out there we need this, his vendetta for my Father hasn't ended so we need to stay safe. With them we will be," I explained. I really didn't want to ever put them in danger but that was never my choice. She'd take control of the company whilst I couldn't and Ava could go to a private school that the Grave Diggers would keep a watchful eye on. It was then when I had to think of a babysitter.

"You want me to what? You know I hate kids," screamed Ellie down the phone. "It'll be for a few weeks, we're letting the business go lightly and sending the profits elsewhere," I said to her in reply trying to reassure her that it wouldn't be that bad, she seemed fustraited but eventually gave in.
"Fine, you better pay me for this. I'm not changing her either!"
"She's fucking five years old Ellis, she doesn't wear diapers anymore."

It was good, being able to know that no matter what there were people willing to put their lives on the line just to protect your family, that's a reason I decided to stay in the club. Tess and Ava were safe. I was protected.