Page 108 of Diesel's Perseverance
“I’m with Smokey on this one,” Tank added.
“He’s probably right, but we gotta be prepared for rival outlaws showing up. When I went by with Panther and Jagger, we spotted an ideal place to see what was going on. Panther said they just closed a sweet deal with a dude at Camp Pendleton a few weeks ago. I’m gonna buy a few of the .338 sniper rifles off them and get hooked up with this dude. Anyway, we’re gonna have a lot of firepower if the Henchshits show up.,” Banger said.
“There’s gonna be something happening. We’re good if it’s just the fucker and his lackey goons. If the asshole Henchmen show up, I’ll probably ruin my new clothes.” Diesel said with a deadpan face.
The bikers guffawed, then yelled out, “Insurgents Forever. Forever Insurgents.”
The plan was to meet Cano at a warehouse at eleven thirty that night. Diesel would bring a briefcase with a ton of money made at the club the day before. He had to admit, Willie and Iceman did a bang-up job with the counterfeit bills. He had no doubt that the douchebag would double-cross him, and when Cano called in the muscle, they’d be ready—all twenty of them. The bikers would place themselves around and inside the warehouse, and when shit hit the fan, as they knew it would, they’d be prepared. Insurgents werealwaysprepared for clandestine operations. They made their attack plan and executed it with precision and stoicism. Diesel was sure he could play the part of the drug buyer without emotion, but once he got his hands on Cano, all bets were off. He’d kill the sonofabitch for what he did to Freddy.
“Do I look like an outlaw biker?” He smirked.
“You look like some fucking corporate jerk,” Demon replied.
“Then I’m good to go.” Diesel had put mousse in his hair and plastered it back, hating every second of it, but it would all be worth it in the end.
“Time to head out,” Tank said.
“I’ll be waiting a few blocks away until it gets close to the time.” He glanced at Shadow and Jax, who were both wearing navy blue monkey suits. They would act like Diesel’s bodyguards. “You guys ready?”
“Yeah,” Jax said, tugging at his collar. “Let’s get this over with so I can get outta this damn thing.”
They staggered their departure from the hotel so as not to draw undue attention. The bikers had driven up to Los Angeles in cars. They would travel in small groups, depending on where they’d be stationed for the upcoming meeting. After arriving in LA, Diesel had rented a black Mercedes Benz. Jax slipped into the driver’s seat, and Shadow and Diesel climbed into the back seat.
At eleven thirty to the minute, Diesel pulled up to the warehouse, flanked by Jax and Shadow. Jax pulled on the metal door, and the three men entered, their senses on high alert. The warehouse was rather small and consisted of a large room, an office with windows that faced into the large area, and a stairway and elevator leading to the second floor. The three men noticed a light in the office and treaded carefully toward it. Diesel knew several of his brothers were hiding behind large pillars, tall stacks of boxes, and in dark corners.
A man sat on the edge of a chair’s cracked foam cushion in front of a metal desk. He glanced up when the men approached. A tight, terse smile twitched his pale lips. He stood up, his gaze snapping between the three men.
“Mr. Benson?” he said as he rose to his feet.
“Yeah, and you are…?” Diesel let his voice trail away.
“Cano… Peter Cano.” He held out his hand, but Diesel didn’t take it.
“I’m here for business, not niceties,” he said.
“Of course,” Cano answered, his brown eyes narrowing.
Diesel walked back out into the warehouse, not wanting to be confined in the office. It felt too much like mice caught in a cage for his liking. He took Cano in: tall and thin with a whip ponytail down the middle of his back. He looked older than his forty years, with deep lines fanning out from the corners of his eyes. The faint ones around his mouth, cheeks, and forehead indicated too much California sun.
“Do you have the goods?” Diesel asked, his voice echoing around the large room.
“Do you have the money?” A note of annoyance punctuated Cano’s words.
“Of course, this is a business deal. I see the goods first, then you get the money. It’s a simple transaction.”
“If you fuck me over, you’ll pay. No one ever fucks me over,” Cano said as two thugs walked out from the shadows, both looking like bodybuilders in the most grotesque way.
“You’rethreateningme?” Diesel said through gritted teeth. It took every ounce of composure he could muster from jumping on the fucker and pummeling his face to a pulp.
“No, I’m just letting you know what the score is.”
“I know the score. I’m not a two-bit buyer, but it seems like that’s what you’re used to.” He turned to Jax and Shadow. “This is a loser’s deal. Let’s go.”
The men started to retreat when Cano yelled out, “No, wait, I didn’t mean to insult you. I’m used to a different caliber of customers. I have what you want. Let’s close this deal.”
Diesel hesitated just enough, then turned back around. He could see the light sweat stains on the front of Cano’s rust-colored silk shirt. A small sheen appeared above Cano’s upper lip, and he wiped his face with a tissue.Yeah, fucker, you better be nervous.
“Let me see the money, and then I’ll show you the merchandise.”
