Page 69 of Diesel's Perseverance
Booths selling bandanas, leather gloves, sunglasses, T-shirts, jewelry, and motorcycle parts and accessories of every description lined both sides of the street. Beer tents stacked with kegs continually flowed to throngs of people, and under a large tent, heavily made-up chicks paraded on a makeshift stage in stilettos, flashing their tits in wet T-shirt contests while wiggling sequined G-string asses to crowds of men in leather.
The aroma of grilled onions and tangy barbecue sauce wafted around the food stalls dotting the area. Under a large canopy, sweaty men cooked ribs, chicken, and burgers on large grills while their ol’ ladies replenished containers of meat, corn, coleslaw, and potato salad. Several platters of cornbread adorned red plastic tablecloths on a string of buffet tables. A few food trucks served fish tacos, shredded beef and chicken flautas, and Baja California-style rice and beans.
Yellow crime tape circled the motorcycles of different outlaw clubs: Insurgents MC—San Diego and CO chapters; Angry Disciples—LA-based; East Bay Dogs—El Cajon San Diego County; Grim Henchmen—Oakland, CA, and the prospects of each club manned the individual areas. Motorcycles from mainstream riding clubs were on display for anyone to see.
The Grim Henchmen and East Bay Dogs kept their distance from the Insurgents and the Angry Disciples, but the tension between the one-percenters was palpable.
“Hey, bro,” Demon said, sauntering over to Diesel. “Have you checked out Viking’s custom bike? It’s wicked as fuck.”
“I’m heading over there now,” Diesel replied. “How long have you been here?”
“Since the fucking crack of dawn setting up shit with Easy, Iceman, Crutch, and Dixie.” He glanced over at Myla and then back to Diesel. “You just arrive?”
“Yeah, anything new?” Diesel said in a low voice.
“No. The asshole has gone underground for now.” Demon’s eyes darted between the rival clubs’ booths and the Insurgents’. “He knows something’s up. At least that’s what we’re figuring.”
“Throttle, Rags, Shadow, and Animal told me nothing’s been outta the ordinary. I’ve been derelict in staking shit out, but—”
Demon clasped a hand on Diesel’s shoulder. “Don’t say another fucking word, bro. You’ve got a ton of shit going on with your brother. Any news on that?”
“Nothing I can do anything with,” he replied through gritted teeth. He jerked his head toward the Grim Henchmen’s booth. “They got a bug up their ass.”
“They’re flexing their wimpy-ass muscles, and I’m chomping at the bit to shut that BS down.”
“I’m with you, bro,” Shadow said, sidling up to Demon and Diesel. “They’re trying to start shit with Viking, and he’s about read to burst a damn blood vessel. I’m ready to set these assholes straight.”
Diesel kept a tight hold on Myla’s hand. For a split second, he regretted letting her come to the rally. Something didn’t feel right. He couldn’t say what, but his gut told him some shit was going to fly.
“The Grim fuckers are plotting something,” Smokey said as he joined the three men.
“I have the same vibe,” Diesel said.
“We all do. Panther and Banger are talking about it now.”
“Fuck,” Diesel muttered. He glanced at Myla. “Do you wanna buy a souvenir or get something to drink?”
Her eyes darted to the three bikers and then back to Diesel. “I guess.”
“I’ll be back,” he said to the group, then turned away abruptly. He was practically dragging her away from where they’d been standing.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“You said you wanted a souvenir.”
“No, you said that. I want to know why I feel like something bad is going to happen.”
“It’s nothing… yet.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“There’s always tension when rival outlaws are in the same space. What about a T-shirt or a pair of sunglasses?”
“Not really. I’d like to check out those prints and paintings,” Myla said, pointing at a booth a few feet away.
“Let’s go,” he said, picking up the pace.
After negotiating with the vendor, Diesel paid the artist. Myla clutched the acrylic painting of a lone motorcyclist riding along the damp coastline, leaving tracks in the sand as the last rays of sunset illuminated the ocean.
