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Chapter 1
JOKER
I’m getting tired sitting here watching the monitor, checking where all the recovery trucks are at this moment. Bull has been on my ass for days about cutting my hair. Well, he can fuck the hell off because I’m not cutting it.
Tread, Demon, and Winger are out on recovery calls. We have no one to work in the garage, and two recovery trucks need attention. Turning I look at Bull who is at his desk muttering some shit or other to himself.
“Hey, Bull!” I say loudly, you know, to get his attention. “How about putting out a thing on the billboard that we need a mechanic for the garage? We have two trucks sitting in the garage needing attention. If the three out on call break down, we don’t have a backup vehicle.”
“I know, Joker. But I’m not sure if the business can afford to hire at the moment. I’m going to speak to Coin about it.”
“Okay, but we need to do something because if we get another emergency call, I’ll have to take one of those trucks and the risk that they don’t make it. You’ll be in here doing the monitoring and your usual work.” I know I’m pushing my luck with him and his temper.
“There is not much I can do right now, Joker, so give it a fuckin’ rest,” Bull snarls, but you know I’m thick-skinned, so it doesn’t worry me he’s getting irate.
Checking the monitor, I see Demon is dropping his client at a garage nearest to the client's address. “When are we going to drop the clients that are from outside our new radius, Bull?” I ask Bull while making a note on the assignment sheet.
“We can only drop them when they come up for their annual renewal. But most will want to continue, and Pres said if they renew to allow it, but don’t take new clients from outside our now existing boundary.” Bull takes a seat at the station next to mine, and eyes where Tread and Winger are on the grid.
Turning to Bull, I continue. “Is Toby going to keep the yard for us to impound and store? You know he has been talking about retiring.”
“I spoke to him last week, and he’s okay with us using it, but he’s ready, as you say, to retire. He’s nearly eighty and looks every day of it I can tell you. I’m wondering if we can buy the yard and hire someone to run the fuckin’ thing.”
Nodding, I think on that for a moment. “I reckon I may know someone. You know Malik has done his time in the military, and from what I've heard he hasn’t got a job yet. He’s moved out of his mother’s since they don’t get along. He’s living in the trailer park on Henderson.”
“Christ, that place is a shithole and should have been closed down years ago. Ask him if he’d be interested Joker. If not, maybe he’d be interested in working the garage here.”
“I wouldn’t want to live there, but if Malik likes the idea, the place has a two-bedroom bungalow he can live in,” I remember looking at the place the last time I was there dropping a vehicle. “It will need some fixing up, Bull. I don’t think Toby has had any repairs done on the place in years.”
“I reckon it’s a good idea, Joker. I’ll speak to Pres and Coin. The vehicle recovery has grown so fast that we are struggling to get to the calls as quickly as we’d like. You know we don’t like a woman to be stranded on the side of the road. Too many fuckin’ assholes these days to leave a woman waiting for hours,” Bull walks over to his desk and makes a call to the clubhouse while I turn to my monitor when the emergency line rings.
“Vehicle recovery, Joker speaking, how may I help you?” I quickly say as I pick up the bottle of water I have sitting at the side of the keyboard. Thankfully, with the head pieces we have both hands free and can type, write, or drink when needed.
I take the details, check that the client is registered with us, and seeing they are not, I have to give them the bad news. “I’m sorry you are not registered with us for vehicle recovery. We cannot assist you at this time. If you…”
I stop speaking and shrug because the fucker has cut the call. Bull chuckles, and I turn to look at him. “Cut the call, eh?”
“Yeah, he wasn’t registered with us and didn’t like my response.” I laugh because, honestly, it’s ridiculous that they make these calls thinking we’ll help just anyone. “You weren’t on your call long?”
“Pres is busy, apparently he is having a consultation with Cilla.” Bull rolls his eyes, and I don’t hold back the smirk because we both know the consultation will be Pres doing his best to get information for something.
Turning to my monitor when it pings, I look at Bull again. “Demon is on his way back. He’s dropped his client.”
“Good. We need him back in case someone else needs a tow. We need more drivers, Joker. You are taking control of the stations alone today, and who the fuck is going to cover evening calls? I can’t have you all working 24/7, it’s not safe,” Bull is getting worked up, and I can understand why.
“Let me give Malik a call. See if he’ll give us a hand. If he’s needing work, he’ll be bored out of his skull.”
Bull nods, “Okay, call him.”
I pick up my cell phone, take my headset off, and head outside where I sit on the step into the office. I scroll through contacts and find Malik’s number. I waited for only three rings before the call was picked up. “Hi, Malik, it’s Joker from Restless Demons MC. I’m wondering if you need work?”
Malik’s deep voice replies, “What kind of work, Joker?”
“We need a mechanic for the recovery business. Or, that and a driver because Malik, we are running on fumes right now. There may be something else if it pans out, but I’ll not talk to you about that right now. What we need is help in all areas of the vehicle recovery. You interested?” I am not fooling around because I may have a call out any moment that I need to deal with.
“Yeah, I’m interested. You know I’m a certified mechanic, don’t you?” Malik asks.
“Yeah, I know, and you were my first thought when we needed someone.”
