Half Of Rhea

The Gang

Dean held Mikey’s arms behind his back while a very angry, Logan dealt another punishing blow straight to his abdomen. Mikey’s face strewn with tears and blood had also taken the blunt force of Logan’s unwavering punches.

“I’ll ask you one more time you piece of s**t, Where is Zane? And where is the product he stole from Mr Pomare?” Logan had lost his patience a long time ago and was now getting a little tired from using this fool as a punching bag. He was either very stupid or very clever, Logan couldn’t decide which one it was. Nobody can be this much of an oblivious i***t.

“I have told you already man…” Mikey gasped out amongst his spit, blood and tears.

“I don’t know where Zane has gone, he left with some blonde chick a few days ago, Chanel, I think was her name and I don’t know anything about what he stole from you fellas either.”

“He was staying here with you, how could you not notice what he was doing? Or where he was going?”

“I live a busy life dude, I don’t get involved in other peoples s**t and I was checking up on Rhea since he didn’t seem to give a fuck.”

The reminder of Rhea’s beating made Logan even angrier. He glared at Mikey who noticed the change in his attacker’s face. Logan took a step back and sneered at him.

“Why would he, when he was the one who did it?” Logan seethed.

“NO!” Mikey was shaking his head left and right, unable to believe what Logan had said.

“He wouldn’t do that to her! She’s the nicest chick I know! I know Zane’s an asshole, but he’s not capable of beating his pregnant partner.” Tears started coming down Mikey’s face even more and the realisation hit Logan, he was an oblivious fool.

“I don’t think he knows anything VP,” Dean stated the obvious.

“Let him go.” Logan waved his arm out at Dean who was holding the innocent and beaten Mikey. He fell to floor looking pathetic, but at least still alive, so he was grateful. He knew that this gang was not to be f****d with and whatever Zane had done to f**k these guys off, was serious.

“He only left his dog here, but took everything else,” Mikey spoke from the floor, unsure if he wanted to help these gang members. Perhaps they would leave him alone? He had no loyalty remaining for his former friend, who he had tried to help when he was homeless. But if he had taken part in what happened to Rhea, Mikey’s stomach churned at the thought. To beat a pregnant woman? This was an evil son of a b***h and definitely did not deserve his silence or friendship.

Logan looked outside to the dog tied to the washing line pole and recognised the little brown bully from his encounter with Rhea. He walked outside and unhooked the dog, who was a little emaciated and in desperate need of water. It walked to the bucket of stagnant water and started drinking from it. Logan kicked it over and filled it with fresh water from the outside tap. The dog seemed grateful after it had finished, he followed Logan out of the property.

Dean tried to kick at the dog, which growled low and deep in retaliation, making him slightly unsure. It was not fully mature, but it was big already, with distinct leg and back muscles and a massive head, the type that defined the bully-breed.

Logan turned and glared at Dean who took the hint this time. Now the dog was off limits apparently. He raised his hands in a defensive position.

“Sorry VP, won’t happen again, I didn’t realise we were initiating a new prospect,” He chuckled at his own joke.

Logan shook his head and sighed at Dean, “can’t you ever take anything seriously?”

“Course I can VP, but everything around the boys and the boss are serious, we need someone who brings a little humour to the table. That’s where I come in.” His grin was big and spread across his face.

“Do you want to know what’s funny? You getting knocked the f**k out. You can bring that type of humour any day!” Logan laughed heartily at Dean’s sour expression and pointed to the car.

Dean opened the door of the front passenger seat, only to have Bully race in around him and into the shotgun position. He looked at him then back at Logan, who just shrugged his shoulders and got in the driver’s seat.

“You’ve got to be f*****g kidding me?... I AM NOT… sitting in the back.”

Logan glanced at him and sighed, “Here’s the deal I’ll let you guys fight for it… Winner takes shotgun.”

Dean looked at Bully and frowned, muttering under his breath and slamming the front passenger side door. Logan was sure he heard words that resembled mother fucker, but chose to ignore it as he smiled and drove towards headquarters, with a sulking Dean in the backseat. Bully sat with his face and ears flapping out the window, enjoying the wind in his fur.

They pulled up to the building where the majority of their members resided. It was a three-storey concrete building with a tall corrugated iron fence atop which sat barbed-wire. To the outside world, it stood dark and ominous, a blight on the cities landscape. The security cameras followed the movements of everyone that was outside the perimeter. No-one went past this building unless it was necessary and if a member of the general public had to, they made sure it was as fast as possible and without even glancing at the gang pad. It was home to these two gentlemen however the black SUV rolled through the front roller gates as two members allowed them entry without looking at them.

Logan was as well respected by these men as Pomare was. He nodded towards the members he passed by, his glasses on his face, arm sitting on the side of the open window. He leant backwards, slowly manoeuvring his way through the complex. Some lower-ranked members stopped completely and saluted while others simply nodded at his presence.

“Stop here, I wanna go see Jack.” Dean tried to escape quickly pulling on the door handle.

Logan locked the back door using the central locking system and then wound down the window in the back. The windows were tinted black so no-one was able to see Dean sitting in the back seat at first, but now Logan was ensuring everyone who saw them also saw his shotgun passenger was Bully and not the prospect.

“Let me out, Logan!” He yelled.

A thunderous chuckle came out of Logan as everyone turned to see what he was so happy about.

“It’s not bad enough you already knocked me out in front of the pres, you have to do this too?” He hid his face and tried to slump down as far as possible.

“Public humiliation will last longer and you will never forget next time you want to open your big mouth to the pigs.”

There were jeers, laughter and whistles as everyone took notice of Dean’s position. Bully barked and growled in the front, unsettled by all the sudden attention on them.

“Chur Dean I see the VP found a better replacement!”

“At least this mutt will know not to speak to the pigs…. Hahaha”

“You upgraded your shotgun VP!”

Dean slammed the back of Bully’s seat and the dog turned around growling viciously at him, making him regret his outburst and everyone who saw laughed even more.

“All right, here you go.” Logan pulled up outside the main doorway where members had congregated drinking crate bottles of beer and cooking sausages on the barbeque. “Thank you, Dean, for providing the much needed comical value for our boys.” Logan laughed and unlocked the doors.

“When I said we needed more humour it wasn’t meant to be at my own expense.” Dean sulked and exited the vehicle a little dejected. 

“Head up prospect, we all had to start somewhere.” Logan laughed and got out of the car with Bully jumping over the middle console and following him out of the car without an invitation.

~~~~

Zane lay back on the floral double bed, frilly cushions surrounded his shoulders and he looked immensely out of place. Slightly uncomfortable he looked around the room. The old oak furniture and white lamps with white doilies underneath were a huge indicator of who resided in this property.

“So it’s just you and your nana who live here?” He placed an arm behind his head trying to find a relaxed position, but looking more awkward then he had before if it was even possible.

Chantelle sauntered her way over to him a glint in her eye. “Yup… she’s always away for her bowling competitions though, so it’s mostly just me.” She climbed up onto his lap and looked in his eyes. Zane knew what was coming next. Nothing this woman ever did was free and giving him a place to hide, was going to cost him immensely. Best to get this over and done with, he sighed.

“So what do you want Chantelle?” He looked out the window, relaxing at the thought he probably would be harder to find in an elderly residential complex.

She smiled at him and paused tapping her chin in an immature way… “Hmmmm let me see… I want half.” She stated, looking straight at him.

“Half of what?” He was a bit stunned and recoiled slightly from her grasp.

“Half of what you have that belongs to Pomare.” There was not the slightest hesitation in her, which meant she had thought about this for a long time.

“If I give you half, then you assume half the responsibility? Is that something you want?” He eyed her curiously. “Pomare will be after you too.” He smirked, knowing she was an absolute coward.

“As far as I can tell, he already has me in his sights anyway. Anyone who is caught helping you is being interrogated by their Vice-President. He smashed Mikey over, he would do worse to me. From what I’ve heard, he’s even scarier than Pomare. I’m f****d anyway. Might as well enjoy the ride while I’m here.” She shrugged her shoulders and climbed off Zane’s lap, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“We can just grab everything and run. Leave town, Go as far as we can.” She turned to look at him with something Zane had never seen in her before. It was hope. He cringed internally.

“I don’t love you.” He replied looking at her reactions.

“I know you don’t, but I can make you happy Zane.” She was almost pleading for both of their lives at this point. They both knew they would be dead if Pomare ever got his hands on them, this was their only chance.

He scoffed and turned to look out the window. He could barely stand this woman and he just needed to find out a way to keep everything he had and have a family again. This b***h wasn’t good enough to be with him, he needed someone like Rhea. He sat reminiscing about the good times they had. Damn it why did she have to grow a backbone all of a sudden? She should have just kept her mouth shut and everything would be fine. Anger started rising in him as he looked upon Chantelle’s skinny frame and bleached blonde hair. She lacked all the poise and grace that Rhea had, her bright blue eyes and tanned brown skin was imprinted in his memory, like a mother to a baby.

“I’m not leaving.” He gritted out at her.

….. “Fine….. But just so you know, Rhea will never love you again and never take you back, not after what you did to her.” She turned and looked straight at him, with a smile on her face as if she just read his mind. This was the reason he wouldn’t leave this stupid town.

It happened faster than Chantelle could register. Zane was up off the bed, propelling her by her neck towards the wall. She hit it with such force, the air was expelled out of her lungs without her even breathing. She looked at him unable to speak. He held her against the striped wallpaper looking at her pathetic skeletal frame.

“I love Rhea, and still couldn’t control my anger, don’t think I wouldn’t think twice about ending you myself.” He spoke calmly and Chantelle moved her head in a desperate nod, trying to show her submission.

He released her and she quickly gathered herself and stood up, breathing deeply.

“I won’t mention it again.” She looked down at her feet.

“Good girl, now here…” He pulled out a pipe and a bag, looking at her and handing it over.

A smile came across her face and she took it with grateful, trembling hands.

“It’s nearly all I have left, I have to go back to Rhea’s place to get the rest.” Chantelle put what was left in the glass bowl and lit the bottom watching the hypnotising smoke swirl around intoxicating her senses.

She nodded knowing this wasn’t going to be easy with all Rhea’s friends and family at her house not to mention the heavy police presence, it was near impossible without the gang looking for them too.

The pipe alleviated all their worries and a plan was hatched to get what was hiding at the house, in the shed, behind a loose concrete cinder block. Although the kilograms of methamphetamine was a big incentive for his return to that property, the biggest motivating factor was his curiosity to see the woman he still had an obscene obsession over. If he could just look at her one more time. He knew she had no memory of the attack. After Mikey visited Sage, she had told him that they still had no clue who had attacked her. There was the smallest chance he could speak to her even.

Chantelle grabbed his face and slammed her lips against his. He let the memories and the high carry him away. How easy it was to not give a f**k when the Devil’s juice was pumping through every arterial system in his body.