That's all [ __ ]," Silas said, stepping forward. His voice was dangerously quiet. "This man saved our lives last night. We're here as his guests. I don't care if you're here as the Pope's personal escort," Beckman said.
"The fact is Mr. Hail violated the terms of his mortgage agreement. Horizon Development is within its legal rights to accelerate foreclosure. 72 hours, Mr. Hail.
Then this property belongs to us. " "Why? " Arthur asked. His voice sounded distant to his own ears. Why do you want this farm so bad? It's not worth anything. Just an old man's land.
Beckman's smile turned predatory. Not to you, maybe, but to Horizon Development, this land is worth quite a bit. We're building a resort complex, luxury condos, shopping center, golf course. This farm sits right in the middle of our planned development. We've been buying up parcels for 2 years.
You're the last hold out. So, you're stealing my home to build condos? Arthur said flatly. We're not stealing anything. We're exercising our legal rights as mortgage holders.
You owe us money, Mr. Hail. You can't pay. We take the property. That's how business works.
That's how theft works. Reaper said her voice sharp as broken glass. Beckman turned his cold smile on her. I'd be very careful about throwing around accusations, young lady. Especially given your associations.
He looked pointedly at her Hell's Angels patch. I'm sure the local police would be very interested to know about the criminal elements currently occupying this property. We haven't done anything wrong, Jack said hotly. Yet, Beckman said, "But the day is young. " Silus put a hand on Jax's shoulder holding the kid back. But Arthur could see the fury in the biker president's eyes.
Could see him calculating options angles ways to make this smug bastard hurt. Don't, Arthur said quietly. He's trying to provoke you. Wants you to do something stupid so he can call the cops. Make this worse.
Listen to the old man. Beckman said he's smarter than he looks. He turned back to Arthur. 72 hours, Mr. Hail.
I'll be back Thursday morning with the moving crew and sheriffs. I'd suggest you start packing. He walked back to his truck, got in, and drove away. The other two trucks followed. Within minutes, they were gone, leaving nothing but tire tracks in the snow and a sick feeling in Arthur's stomach.
"That son of a [ __ ]," Razer said. "He can't do this," Snake added. "There's got to be laws. " "There are laws," Diesel said grimly. "And guys like Beckman know every loophole in them. If he says he can accelerate the foreclosure, he probably can. " Arthur sat down heavily on the porch steps.
He felt old. Older than 80, older than in the hills. All the fight that had gotten him through last night, all that strength and stubbornness, it was just gone, drained away like water through a sie. We'll fight this, Silas said. He was standing in front of Arthur now, his face set.
We'll get lawyers, will in 72 hours, Arthur shook his head. Even if we had the money, which we don't, not yet. There's no way to fight this in 3 days. He knows that. That's why he's doing it now.
Then we don't let him. Reaper said fiercely. We stand between him and this farm. We don't let him take it. That's exactly what he wants.
Arthur said wants you to do something illegal so he can call it a criminal occupation. Get the sheriff's involved with warrants and guns. Then it's not just about the farm anymore. It's about all of you getting arrested. So we just give up," Jax demanded.
After last night, after everything, we just let him win. Arthur didn't have an answer for that. He'd spent everything he had saving these people, and now the reward was losing his home anyway. The irony wasn't lost on him. Neither was the bitterness.
Silas pulled out his phone, started making calls. Arthur could hear him talking to lawyers, to other club members, to anyone who might have an angle. But the defeat was already settling into his voice. 72 hours wasn't enough time. The other bikers were talking among themselves, throwing out ideas.
Some were stupid, like barricading the property and forcing a standoff. Some were illegal, like making Beckman disappear. None were practical. Arthur just sat on his porch steps and watched the sun come up over his farm, his land. The place where he and Sarah had built a life where they'd loved each other for 55 years, where she died in his arms three springs ago.
72 hours. Then it would all be gone. "Mr. Hail. " Jax's voice was quiet. The kid sat down beside him on the steps.
What can we do? Nothing. Arthur said, "There's nothing to do. " "That's not true. There's always something. " "Not this time, son. Sometimes you just lose.
That's life. " They sat in silence. Inside the house, Arthur could hear the bikers still arguing, still trying to find a solution that didn't exist. Outside, the morning sun was turning the snow-covered fields into something beautiful, something that would soon belong to someone else. Arthur thought about Sarah, about her cancer, about watching her die. He'd fought so hard to save her, tried everything, and she died anyway.
Now, he'd fought so hard to save these bikers, succeeded, and he was losing his home anyway. Maybe that was the lesson. Maybe sometimes fighting wasn't enough. Maybe sometimes the universe just decided you'd had your time and it was someone else's turn. I don't accept that, Jack said suddenly.
What? I don't accept that we lose. Not after last night. Not after what you did for us. The kid's jaw was set stubborn, reminded Arthur of Sarah.
You didn't quit on us when we were dying. We're not quitting on you. It's not about quitting. It's about reality. Reality is what we make it.
Jack said, "Silus taught me that the Hell's Angels exist because a bunch of guys decided reality didn't have to be what other people said it was. We make our own rules, our own reality. " Before Arthur could respond, Silas came back outside. His face was different now, not defeated anymore, determined. "We need to move Hawk," Silus said. "Get him somewhere proper, and we need to get the bikes out of here before Beckman comes back with sheriffs. " "Where will you go? " Arthur asked.
Clubhouse in Billings. It's about 2 hours from here. Silas looked at Arthur. And you're coming with us. What?
No, I'm not leaving my home. For 3 days you are. If Beckman comes back and you're here alone, there's nothing stopping him from doing whatever he wants. But if you're with us, if you're under our protection, that changes things. Changes them.
How? Silas smiled. And this time it was a wolf's smile. Let me worry about that right now. I need you to trust me.
Pack a bag, 3 days of clothes, come to Billings with us. I don't, Mr. Hail, Reaper interrupted. Please, let us try. We owe you everything.
Let us try to pay it back. Arthur looked at these people. These bikers who'd been strangers 12 hours ago, these people he'd saved. These people who were now trying to save him. All right, he said finally.
3 days, then I'm coming home. Even if it's just to watch them tear it down. Fair enough, Silas said. Now, let's move. The clubhouse in buildings was nothing like Arthur expected.
He'd imagined something dark and dangerous, maybe with bullet holes in the walls and drugs on the tables. Instead, it was just a large warehouse that had been converted into something halfway between a garage and a community center. Motorcycles line one wall, a full kitchen took up another corner, pool tables, a bar couches that had seen better days. It looked lived in. Looked like home.
Not what you pictured, right? Diesel asked, watching Arthur's face. No, Arthur admitted. It's not. Most people think we're animals, Diesel said.
Living in filth, breaking laws for fun. Some clubs are like that. We're not. We're family. This is where family meets.
Arthur set a small duffel bag down. He'd packed light. Three changes of clothes, his medications, a photo of Sarah. Everything that mattered fit in one bag. Everything else was back at the farm waiting to be bulldozed.