CHAPTER 2 \u2014 THE INITIALS R.M.<\/p>\n
The biker kept staring at the black tape.<\/p>\n
\u201cR.M.\u201d<\/p>\n
The boy waited.<\/p>\n
Nobody in the garage moved.<\/p>\n
Finally, the bald biker stood.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy name is Marcus Kane.\u201d<\/p>\n
The boy looked confused.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does that have to do with the initials?\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus pointed at the tape.<\/p>\n
\u201cR.M. belonged to Ryan Mercer.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the older bikers near the workbench lowered his eyes.<\/p>\n
The boy noticed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho was he?\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus answered quietly.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy best friend.\u201d<\/p>\n
The boy looked back at the damaged wire.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou said he died.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTwelve years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cMotorcycle accident.\u201d<\/p>\n
The boy frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith a cut wire?\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus\u2019s expression changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
The answer came too quickly.<\/p>\n
The teenager stood.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re lying.\u201d<\/p>\n
Every biker in the garage turned toward him.<\/p>\n
Marcus stepped closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWatch yourself, kid.\u201d<\/p>\n
The boy didn\u2019t back away.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy name is Lucas Bennett.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus froze.<\/p>\n
The older biker by the workbench looked up sharply.<\/p>\n
\u201cBennett?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas nodded.<\/p>\n
Marcus studied his face.<\/p>\n
Then his eyes dropped to the backpack hanging from Lucas\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho\u2019s your father?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas\u2019s jaw tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cDaniel Bennett.\u201d<\/p>\n
The older biker whispered,<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, hell.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus turned toward him.<\/p>\n
\u201cCole?\u201d<\/p>\n
The man immediately looked away.<\/p>\n
Lucas caught it.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know my dad too?\u201d<\/p>\n
Nobody answered.<\/p>\n
Lucas stepped toward them.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father disappeared three years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus\u2019s face hardened.<\/p>\n
\u201cI heard he left town.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what everyone says.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas shook his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus folded his arms.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas reached into his backpack.<\/p>\n
He pulled out a sealed plastic bag.<\/p>\n
Inside was a greasy notebook page.<\/p>\n
Lucas unfolded it carefully.<\/p>\n
Across the top were several names.<\/p>\n
Ryan Mercer.<\/p>\n
Marcus Kane.<\/p>\n
Daniel Bennett.<\/p>\n
And underneath them\u2014<\/p>\n
GARAGE 17.<\/p>\n
Marcus stopped breathing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere did you get that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father hid it behind our water heater.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole stepped closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat page should not exist.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole realized what he had said.<\/p>\n
Too late.<\/p>\n
Marcus turned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean, should not exist?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole rubbed his face.<\/p>\n
\u201cMarcus\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus pointed at the motorcycle.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone cut my wiring and marked it with Ryan\u2019s initials.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then he pointed at Lucas.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis kid walks in with Daniel Bennett\u2019s notes.\u201d<\/p>\n
His voice grew colder.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re going to tell me what you know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole remained silent.<\/p>\n
Marcus stepped closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole finally sighed.<\/p>\n
\u201cRyan didn\u2019t die because of an accident.\u201d<\/p>\n
The garage went completely still.<\/p>\n
Marcus stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did you say?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole looked toward the floor.<\/p>\n
\u201cRyan found something.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA shipment record.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas moved closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat kind of shipment?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole looked at Marcus.<\/p>\n
\u201cMotorcycles that didn\u2019t exist.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat makes no sense.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey existed physically.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole swallowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust not on paper.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus slowly understood.<\/p>\n
\u201cStolen bikes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrames were being stripped, VINs replaced, insurance claims filed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas looked at the motorcycle.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Ryan found out?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus\u2019s voice dropped.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho was running it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole didn\u2019t answer.<\/p>\n
Marcus grabbed the front of his vest.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole finally said,<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone inside the club.\u201d<\/p>\n
Silence.<\/p>\n
Marcus released him.<\/p>\n
Every biker looked at the others.<\/p>\n
Lucas glanced around the garage.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, the room didn\u2019t feel safe anymore.<\/p>\n
Marcus asked,<\/p>\n
\u201cDid Ryan tell you who?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen how do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole looked at Lucas.<\/p>\n
\u201cDaniel told me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas\u2019s face changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour dad and Ryan were working together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas stepped forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole shook his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cDaniel was helping Ryan trace the bikes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why did Dad disappear?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole didn\u2019t answer.<\/p>\n
Marcus already knew.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause he found the same person Ryan did.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole closed his eyes.<\/p>\n
Lucas\u2019s voice shook.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs my father dead?\u201d<\/p>\n
Nobody spoke.<\/p>\n
Lucas slammed his hand against the workbench.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs he dead?\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus grabbed his shoulder.<\/p>\n
\u201cEasy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas pulled away.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t tell me easy.\u201d<\/p>\n
His eyes were wet now.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve spent three years wondering if my dad abandoned us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus looked at Cole.<\/p>\n
\u201cTell him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole whispered,<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDaniel disappeared before I could meet him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe night he called me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did he say?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole looked toward the black motorcycle.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said Ryan had been right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus\u2019s eyes narrowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout what?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole swallowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat the accidents were being manufactured.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas looked toward the cut wire.<\/p>\n
Exactly like the one in front of them.<\/p>\n
Marcus whispered,<\/p>\n
\u201cHow many?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole shook his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then Lucas noticed something.<\/p>\n
The old notebook page.<\/p>\n
He grabbed it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s more writing on the back.\u201d<\/p>\n
He flipped it over.<\/p>\n
Three numbers were written in faded ink.<\/p>\n
11.<\/p>\n
14.<\/p>\n
22.<\/p>\n
Marcus stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are those?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas shook his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the mechanics spoke from behind them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Everyone turned.<\/p>\n
A thin man named Wes stood near the parts shelf.<\/p>\n
He looked terrified.<\/p>\n
Marcus frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpeak.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wes pointed toward the motorcycles parked along the wall.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose are bay numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus looked around.<\/p>\n
Garage bays.<\/p>\n
Bay 11.<\/p>\n
Bay 14.<\/p>\n
Bay 22.<\/p>\n
But there was a problem.<\/p>\n
Their garage only had twelve bays.<\/p>\n
Marcus turned back.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have a fourteen or twenty-two.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wes whispered,<\/p>\n
\u201cNot anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus\u2019s eyes narrowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
Wes looked toward the rear wall.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis building used to be twice this size.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas looked confused.<\/p>\n
Marcus remembered.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore the fire.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole went pale.<\/p>\n
Lucas looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat fire?\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwelve years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
The same year Ryan Mercer died.<\/p>\n
Everyone fell silent.<\/p>\n
Marcus walked toward the rear wall.<\/p>\n
A storage cabinet covered most of it.<\/p>\n
He looked at Cole.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat was behind this?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole didn\u2019t answer.<\/p>\n
Marcus shoved the cabinet aside.<\/p>\n
Behind it was an old steel door.<\/p>\n
Painted over.<\/p>\n
Almost invisible.<\/p>\n
Stamped near the bottom:<\/p>\n
BAY 14.<\/p>\n
Lucas stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou said it didn\u2019t exist.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus whispered,<\/p>\n
\u201cNot anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
He pulled the door open.<\/p>\n
A narrow corridor disappeared into darkness.<\/p>\n
Dust covered everything.<\/p>\n
Marcus grabbed a flashlight.<\/p>\n
Lucas followed.<\/p>\n
Cole immediately stepped in front of him.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas glared.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t get to stop me now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus looked at Cole.<\/p>\n
\u201cMove.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole stepped aside.<\/p>\n
They entered.<\/p>\n
The corridor smelled like oil and burned wood.<\/p>\n
At the end was another room.<\/p>\n
Inside were old motorcycle frames.<\/p>\n
License plates.<\/p>\n
Boxes of paperwork.<\/p>\n
And one rusted locker.<\/p>\n
Number 22.<\/p>\n
Lucas\u2019s breathing changed.<\/p>\n
He walked toward it.<\/p>\n
The lock was already broken.<\/p>\n
Inside was a leather jacket.<\/p>\n
Daniel Bennett\u2019s name was stitched across the chest.<\/p>\n
Lucas froze.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s my dad\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n
He pulled it out.<\/p>\n
Something fell from the pocket.<\/p>\n
A small cassette recorder.<\/p>\n
Marcus picked it up.<\/p>\n
The tape inside was labeled:<\/p>\n
IF I DON\u2019T COME BACK.<\/p>\n
Lucas pressed play.<\/p>\n
Static.<\/p>\n
Then Daniel Bennett\u2019s voice filled the room.<\/p>\n
\u201cLucas, if you ever hear this\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
The boy stopped breathing.<\/p>\n
His father continued.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas covered his mouth.<\/p>\n
Daniel\u2019s voice crackled.<\/p>\n
\u201cRyan was killed because he discovered who was cutting the bikes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus leaned closer.<\/p>\n
Daniel continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cI found proof.\u201d<\/p>\n
A loud noise sounded in the recording.<\/p>\n
Then Daniel whispered,<\/p>\n
\u201cThe person doing it is still inside the garage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Everyone looked at each other.<\/p>\n
Marcus\u2019s jaw tightened.<\/p>\n
Daniel kept talking.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Marcus is alive, tell him not to trust\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
The tape suddenly distorted.<\/p>\n
Lucas hit the recorder.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel\u2019s voice returned.<\/p>\n
One final sentence.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t trust the man who survived the fire.\u201d<\/p>\n
The tape stopped.<\/p>\n
Silence.<\/p>\n
Lucas slowly looked at Marcus.<\/p>\n
Then at Cole.<\/p>\n
Then at Wes.<\/p>\n
Marcus whispered,<\/p>\n
\u201cOnly one man survived that fire.\u201d<\/p>\n
Everyone turned.<\/p>\n
Cole\u2019s face went white.<\/p>\n
Before anyone could speak\u2014<\/p>\n
The garage lights went out.<\/p>\n
A motorcycle engine roared from the main room.<\/p>\n
Marcus ran back toward the corridor.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho started that bike?\u201d<\/p>\n
No answer.<\/p>\n
Then came a violent metallic crash.<\/p>\n
They rushed into the garage.<\/p>\n
The black motorcycle was gone.<\/p>\n
The bay door was open.<\/p>\n
And taped to the floor was one new message.<\/p>\n
Marcus picked it up.<\/p>\n
Two words.<\/p>\n
ASK COLE.<\/p>\n
Marcus slowly turned.<\/p>\n
Cole was gone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CHAPTER 2 \u2014 THE INITIALS R.M. The biker kept staring at the black tape. \u201cR.M.\u201d The boy waited. Nobody in the garage moved. Finally, the bald biker stood. \u201cMy name … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8493,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chapter-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8492","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8492"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8492\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8494,"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8492\/revisions\/8494"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8492"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8492"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechapterstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8492"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}