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Chapter 1

Beggar

The wind is colder today, makes me wish I had something warmer than the thin hoody I nipped off some kid two years back. I shiver in the small space between the bins hearing the raucous coming from the building I'm leaning on.

A year ago it was just a run down three storey dump. From today, it'll be known as a club called, Lazer's.

The people scream and cheer and their loud laughs echo in my dead soul.

I've never known a day of being normal or having a hot plate of food to eat. I don’t even know what it feels like to have a bath. The streets of Washington has been my home since the day I was born.

I think I stayed in the hospital a few times but I'm not sure, I was too young to remember.

It's safe to say my mother loved me a little too much, because she wouldn't give me up. She rather I be born without a blanket to keep me warm than abort me or give me up for adoption. Many times she explained things to me, she’d say that I was a love child, and my daddy would one day find us and take us to his home. But he never came, and my mother didn't seem too beat up about it either. As the years went on by, I learnt to survive on these streets, I even learnt to smile.

Somehow by sheer luck my mother managed to get me in a school when I turned seven.

I was the dirty kid.

The one with lice in her hair.

The pity child who was always taking the lunch or scraps other kids left on the back wall during break.

By the end of the first year they called me Street girl. No one played with me, but I never let their words or actions bother me.

I kept my eyes on my school work.

My mother told me that if I focused on my grades and finished school I'd be able to get a job when I got older. I remember just thinking that, we wouldn't have to stay on these streets.

Shelters weren't an option, they were the worst place we could go. We once ended up in the one on 16th Street.

We both had nothing to eat for two days. We were starving and I was getting weak. There was no other choice.

My mother tried everything to get a buck but no one was feeling generous,

not even for some scraps to eat. It was during my summer break.

While most kids ate their bellies full in those weeks, I was lucky if I got one meal a day. I never had a full belly then, didn't even imagine what it could feel like, but I didn't complain. I was alive, had all my fingers and toes.

Whenever I did complain about hunger pangs or frozen fingers my mother said I could've been a lot more unlucky, I could've been born without my arms or legs.

My mother's sanity had been questionable from time to time but she never let me beg though, even when I asked. She always stashed me in some corner behind a bin or in an alley. Sometimes on weekends I'd sit on the pavement watching the cars go by.

But the day we went to the shelter was a bad day. I’ll never forget that day, the nip in the air sent chills in my body, my small feet tripping over itself trying to keep up with my mother's hurried steps.

Her grip on my hand was so tight, it pained.

We got there just as they were finishing up, and she rushed us straight to the queue for the free sandwiches. I think I was around eight.

A group of those people who ran the shelter saw me that day. They tried taking me away from my mother by locking me in some storage room. I was screaming and crying.

I remember how I bit the lady that pulled me away. I think I scratched her too, I'm not sure, it was a while ago.

Somehow my mother managed to get me out of there and we kicked down, and didn't stop until we were at the river. We sat in silence and ate a slice of the tuna sandwich she had with her.

She stole three sandwiches that day. I was old enough to know they always gave one per person. I wasn't sure how she managed that, but grateful, it kept us fed for three days.

It was the first and last time we ever sort out a shelter.

That was also the first time she warned me about the system. I remember her words, “You listen to me kid. Those houses they’ll put you in are far worse than living on the street. You can never get caught, you hear me.”

I stared at her crazy green eyes, and knotted black hair, then I nodded. My mother’s face was hollow, and her wrist so fragile, sometimes I feared she might just break and shatter into thousands of pieces. But she was tough and kept me safe.

She said bad things happened to the kids in the system. Many people thought she was crazy. Mad. But I believed her.

After that my mother always spoke to me about her life when she was younger, and the dangers she faced after entering a foster home.

At the ripe age of ten, I knew the horrors I’d face if I was taken away from her.

The rape and the abuse was what I dreaded the most.

But I was born unlucky, because my mother got sick.

She was diagnosed with stage three lung cancer and didn't last two months after we found out.

I was just twelve when she died.

There was no parting touchy words she passed on to me.

No tears.

She just looked at me from the hospital bed.

And carried on looking at me even after the monitors blared through the room, even after the nurse lifted me up off the ground and carried a struggling me out of the room.

I could've maybe told myself that she smiled a little but I couldn't bring it to the forefront of my mind to have such foolish thoughts.

It was the same day, November 8th, that the system swallowed me in. I had no choice. Forced into it and for two weeks like any other twelve year old faced with shit luck I stuck it out for a peanut butter sandwich in the morning and stale crackers at night.

But when your foster dad rapes you, you get the fuck out of dodge.

I did. But only after I took a tin opener to his throat.

I left the other kids in that shit hole and took my chances alone on the streets. I was bleeding and violated. My private places ached, but I didn't seek a hospital or anyone's help.

Instead I made my way to the train station that night and cleaned myself up in the public bathroom that smelled like shit and puke. But to me, it was just another day of surviving; just another day in this fucked up-ness we called life.

The tissue paper I used to wipe the evidence away as the tear leaked silently down my cheek, was the one thing I made sure of to never let happen again.

Nine years have past since then. Not much has changed in my life. No magical happenings or great jobs.

I didn't even finish school.

I’m still living on Washington streets. Still begging for scraps, because no one wants to hire a homeless twenty one year old with no I.D. I tried, many, many times.

I even tried stripping; apparently you need a ‘P H D’ to do that too.

Only now the cold is making it fucking hard to even breathe. But nothing is making me come out of my spot in-between the dumpsters. This is like a fucking luxury hotel in my world. I could get a good three or four hours sleep here.

The owner of Lazer's saw me around a few times, he said he wanted to talk to me tonight when the place closed. I only agreed because he offered me a hot meal, something I’ve never had before. And I'm sure I can take him if he tries anything. I haven't lived this long being nice.

To survive years on the streets, you need rules. The first, never trust anyone, you do that you’d have no one to identify your body. You’d be lucky it even made it to the morgue. Or worse, you could end up sold as a fucking prostitute for small pocket change, there’s no way out of that one. Those pimps get you hooked on any crap they feel like sticking up your veins and it isn't always drugs.

Second, if you're a female, always stink, even if you manage to get to the river or a tap, you never clean up too nicely. Smelling bad, keeps fuckers away.

Three, don't think someone is your friend, there's no fucking friends in this place, everybody wants something. I made that mistake a few times and almost got shot by a street gang last year, when this girl Tally told them I stole her drugs, the same drugs she shot up her veins.

And the fourth, and this is an important one, never steal. Many of us do, well most. I did it one time, just once, to a kid two years ago. I was fucking cold and hadn't eaten for days. I saw him stash a ten in the front pocket of his hoody and thought fuck it. I got the hoody, but only after he beat the fuck out of me. It turned out he was only short and was actually seventeen.

After he beat me, he took pity on me and gave me a hundred, it was sick, but I took the cash and it kept me fed for months. Since then, I hadn't had any problems. No run ins with trouble, well at least not anything worth adding to my nightmares. I never said I'm innocent.

You'd think I went through hell to survive on the street. Truth is, us homeless folks are all trying to survive. We spend more time fighting against nature and saving our strength until our next meal than we do fighting each other. Not to say that I have a clean slate or it's all peachy.

The back door next to the red dumpster’s I'm resting between bangs open, “I'm fine Zero,” a sweet female voice says, “Den and Spade’s with us.” The heels click so close to me. I still.

“I didn't want you to worry, I wanted to come.” There’s a pause, no footsteps, “You know I will,” Her voice softens.

I roll my eyes, it's obviously a guy. I liked a boy once, blue eyes, red Curly hair. He worked by the supermarket down town, he was cute, around my age now. I think I was fourteen or fifteen.

I used to beg three blocks away from the supermarket and instead of saving for a loaf of bread, the moment I had enough cash I went to the store to buy a lollipop. This happened on average- twice a day. I’d wash my face and tidy myself up before I got there and I’d smile, I hated smiling, but he was cute.

The first few times I went, he scowled, looking at me like I'm gonna steal, as if.

About a week later a sign was posted on the display window, ‘no homeless folks allowed’.

I didn't think it meant me, I made sure to clean up before I entered the place. I didn't have my always stink rule at that time, so I didn't think I looked homeless.

So I was surprised when a few steps into the supermarket later, he came storming up to me with a security guy trailing behind him screaming, “Didn't you see the sign. No beggars, get your dirty ass outa here.”

People stopped and watched but nobody said a thing. I never liked a boy again, in fact when I see them I look the other way except one time. One other time I liked a man. One other time I thought I loved him with all my heart. One other time and it was the last.

This girl is obviously lucky; I bet she's dating some guy in one of those fancy suits. I can't see her face, but just hearing her voice, I can tell she's a softy that wouldn't survive an hour in my world.

She’s still talking to the person on the phone, but I can't hear much anymore because she's moved further away from me. I shift into my corner, my body still covered by a cardboard box I found in the dumpster. It’s a few minutes later that I hear her heels drumming closer to the club, closer to me. She's going really fast now by the way her heels are clicking on the tar. Maybe she's upset. I listen quietly because I ain't got nothing better to do, it's not like I have a tv or radio.

What's that sound. Other people's feet, heavy footsteps. My heart begins to race as I recognize those heavy footfalls, it's a man, shit, not man, men.

Scream bitch, scream for help, but she doesn't.

She’s going to get herself in some deep trouble now. There's a struggle, I can hear a muttered curse and the sound of her shoe dropping, “I'm a Satan Sniper you fuckwad, let me go.” Her screech sounds like she's struggling. They must have her against a wall, or in a strong hold, shit.

I don't see anything, only hear one of the men reply, “I don't give a fuck. After I'm done with you bitch my friend here is gonna fuck you until you bleed and then I'm gonna slit your fucking throat.”

I listen to the swearing and her weak wails, shit, she's going to get raped, should I help. I wanna scream for her but what if they have friends around the alley just keeping watch, damn it to hell.

With a pounding heart I remove the cardboard box off my body. Once I'm sure they can't hear me, I crawl slowly out of my nest. They don't notice me, but I ain't surprised by this. I give it a good few seconds then I peep around the dumpster.

The one guy is African American, bald and meaty. He's holding her neck in a chokehold with a gun pointed to her head. The blonde guy is trying to get her jeans down, and struggling. Her make up is running down her cheeks, red locks sticking up in all directions, God, she’s so tiny and short.

I creep closer, sure not to draw attention to myself.

Blondy finally gets pissed when her jeans don't come down and slits it open with a knife.

Wrong move.

Her spiked heel of her right boot gets him first in the nuts, then in the face when he bends down, at the same time she does some twisty move and gets out of the other guys neck hold. The men make a quick recover and both start hitting her.

Blondy slaps her across the face as the other guy upper cuts her. She screams and bends down, weaving.

Fuck, I know that if I don't help, they gonna kill her. I go closer, still keeping to the dark. Her elbow makes contact with the throat of the man holding the gun, cutting off his oxygen.

The girl got moves.

His hands instinctively go for his neck causing him to drop the weapon a few feet away from me.

I don't think, just act.

Running out of the shadows I sprint to the gun, pick it up, click the safety off, and pull the trigger.

First bullet to the African Americans head, then to the blonde fuckers heart. Both kill shots, both drop dead.

How I managed to do that, is another story I don't wanna remember, my nightmare, the reason why I still beg on the streets for scraps,

why I never finished school, why I can't even get a fucking ID.

And why the world would always just know me as Beggar.

Chapter 2

Zero

I speed up the incline at seventy miles per hour, my bike is killing it. The smell of burning rubber is doing no justice to the actual heat my Harley’s taking. If the cops flashed me now, I'd be fucked. Not only did I leave my license back at the room we’re staying in, but the club has no jurisdiction in DC.

The old deputy, Willis was shot a few weeks back. Although the bullet grazed him, he took his family up North for some desk job. The Prez didn't wanna bust the mans balls. We don't even have a chapter this side and hardly spend time in DC to really care enough to bribe him to stay.

The women wouldn't stop nagging about seeing the new club that opened up tonight which is only reason we're here now.

I was in no way driving twenty three hours so they could dance in some club because some punk ass rockstar was attending.

My first vote was no but Chadley talked my woman, Falon into going.

I waited for her to say something, but she didn't.

Den, one of the new prospects brought it up the next day after church. When he announced Falon was joining the girls, I was fucking angry. She didn't say shit when I asked about it again the same night.

I understood that she wanted to keep us quiet because her dad was the president, and the man and I served two tours together.

But keeping stuff from me was not something I was going to take, which was why I decided to say fuck-it to all her plans and tell the guys. The sooner I claimed her ass the better my life would be.

When I showed up the morning they were due to leave, I could tell Falon was surprised. I waited to see if she would get on another brothers bike so I could disfigure the fuckers face. But one thing about Falon, she knows when not to push her luck.

She jumped behind me without a second thought. I was thrilled, but still too pissed. Which is why when we got to the hotel I didn't book a room for myself. I doubled with Storm, our VP.

Unlike my other brothers, Storm knows about Falon and me. He doesn't like keeping it quiet, and always gives me shit when we're alone. Neither the fuck do I, but I do it for Falon, surprisingly Storm is doing it for me.

Falon is a petite twenty six year old, with a few heartbreaks, nothing too serious from what she's let slip.

I’m a thirty one year old man with a fakuva lot of baggage. But I didn't want her at the back of another brothers bike, so angry or not, here I was.

It didn't mean that we were okay. Right now however, I wish we were.

I turn into 18th Street and my stomach tightens with a sick feeling. If I don't get to Lazer’s in the next few minutes my woman is not going to be okay, call it a hunch or eight years serving my country, but I'm never wrong.

When Falon whispered, “someone's coming” and cut the call, I got on my bike and drove, no helmet or jacket. I didn't tell the brothers nothing, but knowing Storm, he’ll figure somethings going down. He ain't the VP of The Satan Snipers for nothing.

Three weeks I've been doing this running around shit with Falon and I hate it. Keeping secrets from my brothers, making Storm do it too, it ain't right. I'm the Enforcer of the club, my dad was one of the six original members that started the MC nearly forty years ago.

When I told Falon I wanted her in my bed every night, she gave me a blow job and offered to fuck me bare, she was that happy, then no show for two weeks. I had to hunt her down at her ma’s house in Barfa.

First she acted like it was nothing and she was just busy, which had me walking back to my bike.

It was a few days later when she came looking for me at the clubhouse, eyes all puffy and shit, telling me she didn't want to stress her dad, and that we should wait six months to tell him.

My first reaction was hell no, but a week later I said, fuck it, I missed her.

We spoke it out, more like banged it out and agreed to give things three months. I knew the real reason was that she wanted to be sure. I'm not a sure thing for her and I don't blame her for having doubts.

Truth is, I have them too, but Falon’s the closest thing I'd ever gotten close to loving.

Like most of my brothers that make up the Satan Snipers, I was conditioned not to feel emotion, not to feel remorse.

When we joined the special ops program eight years ago we didn't think we’ll ever be free from it all, but Falon had a way of making one forget, and no way was I going to let one of the other brothers have her.

Falon has known this life since she was born, she never let it harden her though. Her dad Rounder was fifteen when he found out his ex-girlfriend Molly was pregnant with Falon. His dad was the sergeant-at-arms of The Satan Snipers at the time.

At sixteen while my blood brother Thorn was fucking anything with a cunt, Rounder was a single parent changing his three month old daughters diapers.

Apparently Molly just upped and left.

With the help of the club and Rounder’s mother Haze, Falon turned out pretty good.

I stop my bike outside Lazer's. The smell of alcohol, cigarettes and cheap perfume pollute the air in high quantities.

The rave music coming from Lazer’s is outweighing the other nightclubs. The crowd waiting to join in on the fun that's coming from inside is so long, there’s no way I’ll be able to bargain my way in, but right now I don't give a fuck.

Normally I wouldn't draw attention to myself, it's my nature to blend in. I was trained to be a ghost and shadow in the armies special ops, and this is going against everything I've been taught, but I need to go fetch my woman.

I jump off my bike and head to the front door. The bouncer is clueless as I walk right up to him. He's too busy flirting with the tall willowy girl with the blonde hair and fake tits.

Two consecutive shots choose that moment to shock everyone. It's coming from behind the club, and I'm already rounding the corner in a run. The sound of sobbing speeds my movement, but I pause in my tracks doing a double take at the scene before me.

Falon is in a hunched position, her jeans are torn off, laying in pieces beside her as she shakes with uncontrolled sobs. I give her body a quick scan. Besides the torn jeans she’s intact.

I can't afford to process anything beyond basic survival right now, not with the tall hooded figure holding a gun and two men dead on the floor.

I edge closer to the figures back.

I'm unnoticed.

My moves silent and breathing evened out.

“Hey Girl, you okay.” The voice is dry, rough, hoarse from lack of water or not talking, I don't care but it's definitely female.

Falon lifts her head toward the female. Her face smeared with make up running down her cheeks. I fight the need to show her any compassion or make sure she acknowledges me. I got to stay focused.

“Ththth...anks,” Falon stutters, hiccuping.

The hooded female lowers the gun to her side, and I go in.

Gripping her arms to the side I pull the gun out from between her hands. She's fighting me but quickly loses spirit when I release her.

So she doesn't like to be touched, interesting and opposite Falon, who craves affection.

Not wasting time I empty the gun, all the while noticing this girl's breathing is labored.

I jog across to the dead men and ignore the two opposite women as I rub our prints off the gun, and put the two dead men prints on it. I finish with the blonde guys cold hand and lay the gun next to him as the back door swings opens.

People swarm through and my gaze goes to where Falon is, but she's not there. At my full height I scan the crowd and see the hooded girl pulling Falon in-between the dumpster. The hoody girl is quick and doesn't understand what the fuck she just did, who she just saved. Not only did she save the prez daughter’s life, but she saved my woman's pride too.

The people crowd the dead bodies, some taking pics, others screaming or crying. Majority are just standing there staring at the two dead guys, and wondering what the fuck happened.

Wisp rushes over to me, her hazel eyes glassy, lips thinned. Her short denim skirt barely covers her pussy. The busty leather thing she has covering her tits is no better.

Storm and Texas are going to turn her hide.

We might be an all sexist club but the guys who have claimed one of our own, whether temporarily or permanent take their commitments very fucking seriously.

And there's no doubt that Texas isn't going to let her slide this one out with a few fucks. We don't mind the girls dressing in skimpy shit around the clubhouse. In public we mind, we’re territorial motherfuckers and have killed for much less.

The women know better. Wisp knows better.

I kiss her head so I don't draw attention to us, “Call Den and Spade, and make sure you give a heads up to Storm, cops are gonna be here any minute.”

I retreat backwards, my step slow as not to make things obvious. Stopping next to the dumpster, I lean on it casually, “Falon, we need to go baby the cops are gonna be here any minute.”

“We take the girl.”

It takes me a second to realize that was an order, shit, this bitch really saved my woman to have her standing up to me.

Falon might keep secrets and try to be tough, but it's her nature to be pliant.

She's never given an order, but right now she's speaking to me as the president’s daughter, not as her man.

What she doesn't know is, in no fucking way was I leaving the hooded chick behind. When she killed those guys she passed the biggest test of The Satan Snipers, we have to protect her and take her in.

But I'm a fucking man, if my woman wants to think it was her choice and she's calling the shots then that's what she gets, “Ok, let's move.”

They both start to come out, the other girl still covered in a hoody comes first and fuck, what's that smell. I sniff closer to her, she reeks, yuck.

I retreat a few steps away from her when Falon comes out wearing haggard ripped jeans that are a few sizes too big.

At least she's covered. It's then, it clicks. This girl is homeless, she was sleeping here.

I grab hold of Falon’s arm rubbing my thumb on it for only a second. It’s not in me to show too much affection unless I'm fucking so she knows I was worried.

We start walking, the other girl following behind Falon, until we stop where I parked my bike. The cops are already stationed, ushering people out of the way, so they can close the doors. No one gets in or out.

I pull the girls to my bike, hearing the roars of my brothers bikes coming up the road.

The three of us wait for them.

Storm turns his black chrome and parks it directly in the middle of all the chaos while the others stay on their bikes and park across the street.

He pulls his helmet off and I notice his cut missing.

A quick look across the road, I know the others are also missing their cuts. They were obviously warned in time and decided not to draw the unwanted attention.

The faded jeans and white t-shirt I'm wearing makes me blend in too.

I watch Storm ruffle his brown hair until it's all pushed back. His eyes scan the bustling crowd, until it lands on us.

I got Falon’s hand in a tight grip, and she's holding the homeless girl’s arm.

So she doesn't like men touching her, I wonder how fucked up this homeless girl is.

Storm’s a few inches taller than my six four, but suffered a back injury a few years back and the hunch he has now is telling me that my brother's back is killing him, shit.

“We gotta leave now,” He says, “Prez called, he spoke to the detective, they giving us ten to get moving.”

I look Falon over, her skin isn't glowing, it's green instead and we don't have a fucking cage to put her in. She's gonna have to hold it in a bit longer.

Storm sees my hesitation and notices the hooded girl.

His interest in her makes me wanna barf. He hasn't smelt the bitch yet. I would smile if we had more time or if the circumstances were different.

“She can ride with you, Falon’s with me.”

He doesn't argue, he walks to his bike and the homeless girl follows.

I don't hear what she tells him or he tells her, but the smile playing on his lips when she says something almost makes me want to punch it off his face. Fuck what the hells wrong with me.

Falon and I cross the street just as Jade, Wisp, Chadley, Den, Spade and Venus run up to us.

“I’m so sorry Fal.” Den says

My jaw tightens, “You not yet. But when I'm fucking done with you, you would be motherfucker.”

Falon touches my arm, it's the first contact she's voluntarily given me since I found her hunched over, “Please, Zero not now.”

My death glare trained on him makes my message clear, I'm dropping this now, but we far from fucking done, he messed up and big time.

Den had one task, watch Falon.

Spade was looking after the other girls, more so Wisp and Chadley, who couldn't protect themselves.

Den should've paid more attention, did what he was fucking told to do.

We cross the road and the others do well to be quiet, especially ‘cause I know the girls are dying to ask what happened.

When Texas, Knight and Bull are in hearing shot, still on their bikes I order them, “We shoot straight to Kanla, two stops, We need to get to church.” The lot nods.

Knight’s face, grim, because he knows what that means.

Wisp glances across the road watching Storm. Curious I follow her lead.

What the fuck, Storm is slipping his helmet on the homeless girls head, not the spare one he keeps for Wisp.

Her hoody is down and it's darker where they're standing at the edge of the pavement.

Storm leans on his bike and the light to the club goes on.

My eyes glue to the vision that's all away across the road.

Her skin is so fucking pale and hair so dark.

I don't stop watching them until her helmet is fully on her head and her face now hidden behind the dark glass.

Slowly her hand lifts to rest on Storm’s shoulder. I feel something, but I'm not sure what the hell I’m feeling and I don't fucking like it.

The small huff from Wisp is noticed by all of us and pulls me from the fucking trance.

She's pissed off that he's giving his helmet up for the homeless girl, but Wisp doesn't know what she did for Falon. And we don't have time to talk and explain shit.

I grab Falon by the arm who hasn't said a word to anyone, and move across the road just as the other brothers rev their bikes getting ready to hit the road.

By the time we getting on my bike, Storm has the homeless girls arms wrapped around him, and his speeding off to take his place in the front next to Bull, our road captain.

“Hang in there Baby.”

“I’m fine, lets just get out of here.” Falon’s abruptness doesn't sound good.

I know I should comfort her but we gotta move. We can't deal with this now.

If I show Falon a shred of comfort she's going to break, It's all over her face.

Once her arms are secured around my waist, my bike throttles and we’re gone.

It’s two minutes when I take my place at the back of the formation, at the back of my brothers.

Watching them, protecting them, guarding them. Its why I am the enforcer of The Satan Snipers. I've always had this way of seeing when shit is about to happen.

We hit the free way and I catch a glimpse of my VP with the girl on his back, and I just know things are about to get complicated.

Beggar

I was the Enforcer, She made me a Man

The Satan Sniper's Motorcycle Club

The Satan Sniper's Motorcycle Club

For the full experience:-

Chapter 1

Chapter 2