Twenty_Five

**

Kamryn was still asleep; Doc had administered enough sedative to keep a man like Beetle down for an hour or two. The dose meant he could examine her respectfully without disturbing her fragile state longer than necessary then talk with the men who were waiting on the other side of the curtain.

“She okay Matt?" asked Beetle, standing as soon as Doc emerged.

“Absolutely no damage. Not even her hands, no broken skin, no lesions, no sign of bruising, she’s clean”, Doc said repacking his bag slowly.

“Christ!” Beetle said releasing his held breath slowly. “She looked a mess man, didn’t know if she was injured by that dead fucker outside”.

“He’s totally mangled Craig”, Doc said using Beetle’s real name as well. “Looked like an animal attacked him. His head was nearly detached from his shoulders”.

“Ryn probably doesn’t remember, tryin’ to save her own arse”, he mumbled walking over quietly to where she lay.

“She can’t hear Craig. Won’t wake for a few hours either”, Matt said slapping his hand on Beetle’s shoulder, just once.

knock, knock, knock.

Stone opened the door a little and stuck his head inside, looked in the room then entered. Nodding at Doc he then looked at Beetle.

“She good? No damage?”

“Nah! Doc said she’s good. Thank fuck for that. If she got hurt, I’d have gone ballistic on that dead cunt”.

“Timber ... ” Stone said coughing into his fist to clear his throat “... needs tending to Doc”.

“Of course!”

“Can’t ask what happened, can only assume B.C got the upper hand”, Stone offered, pulling up a chair and looking over at Kamryn. “She saved our sorry arses! If that fucker had got away, we’d have the Authorities breathing down our necks right now. Place would be crawling with God knows, badges, flashin’ lights, warrants ..."

“All I know is she’s fierce man. A fighter. My fighter. She’s fucking my fighter”, Beetle repeated going to stand beside Ryn and hold her hand.

“She’s safe. Hundred percent. I owe her, fuck we all do. No one, no one looks at her sideways. You feel me?” Stone asked eyeing his brother.

Beetle ignored the question. His head had so many thoughts running through his tired brain, he felt drunk.

“What’s next?” asked Doc waiting patiently.

“Burn and dispose. Hold a service for Timber. Then we wage war against Sheffield, Max and all the rest from sun up to sun up”, Stone said remaining in his seat, his body too overcome to stand like Beetle and Doc. "This all started with that Christie, bet she doesn't even know what's been going down. Jealousy is a curse but she's affected countless others".

"Pay her a visit", said Doc.

"Might ..." Stone said wearily, resting his head in his hands. "... lost a man. Can't let that one go, no matter the cost. Mal still has her own demons, wakes up in the middle of the night. Wonder how Christie sleeps?"

"Let's make sure she has some demons too". Both Beetle and Doc nodding in agreeance.

“Keep that on the agenda..." Stone added, realising he no longer had a secretary "... for now. I still intend on crashing that party at Club Neveau Thursday”.

“Does Bast’ know?”

“Yep! Giving them a private room, installed cameras and microphones already. Lookin’ forward to closing loose ends so our own joint business ventures stay clean”.

“Kamryn?” asked Beetle giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

“Your call V.P. Gotta admit, her leavin’, we’d feel the loss. Tough little cracker. But that’s with you. I got your back either way, hers too for as long as she adheres to our rules, our way of life”.

“This morning I’d have said easy, not so sure after all this ..."

“It’s normal for someone to be in the state she was. She was totally traumatised. I can’t say for certain but she killed that man to protect her own”.

“Fuck! What he threatened her with is any one’s guess”, said Beetle running his hands through his hair, pulling his beard downwards more fiercely. “I wanna take her to mine. It’s not finished, not even close but it’s quiet and private. You good with that?” he asked his President solemnly.

“Hate repeating myself cunt. I got your back either way”.

Beetle nodded then looked at Doc questioningly.

“I’ll need your address so I can still check on her. How she wakes up is anyone’s guess”, he added sighing.

That was the truth, and it scared the bejeezus out of Beetle, and he was being honest.

“Use my truck, I can give Mallie a lift to Uni. She needs someone to watch her closely now her and my babe have been put under Sheffield’s radar, was thinking about that before sleep”.

“Sorry. Didn’t even think to ask what was gonna happen with her details”, Beetle said scruffing his beard again, his chest muscles flexing along with his biceps.

“Stop showing off when there ain’t no audience for starters. Settle your woman, I’ll get Crystal and Sonya to keep her company when you head back here”.

“Yep! It ain’t pretty but it does me. Might need help with it being more homely.”

“I’ll go see Timber first if you don’t mind then I’ll make sure the cleanup is done with a bleaching agent”, said Doc, leaving the room quietly.

Stone merely nodded at Doc as he left.

“Take what you need from here. I’ll tell the girls to prepare themselves and bring what they think also”, offered Stone.

“Yep!’.

Looking back down at Ryn it was better to move her now than later when the sedative wore off. He wanted her all to himself with no one around when she woke up from her nightmare.

Stone stood slowly, Timbers untimely death and the mornings events felt like a boulder on his shoulders.

"Forgot about another lockdown. I'll leave you be".

**