Deploy by Jamie Magee Page A

dad. “You’re not going to get very far without this,” he said, tossing it at Nolan. “That’s the kind of shit I’m talking about—you gotta think ten steps ahead, always, especially if you’re on your own. You can’t do this shit where you get all gooey eyed about where you are or what you’re doing and just lose track of time and space.”
    Nolan glanced down at the letter, knowing it was his passport. He reached and put it behind his visor. “I had a fake one ready to go, boss. Just because I believe in free love does not mean I have no fucking survival sense—I am a Rawlings.”
    “Not according to your fake IDs that would have gotten you arrested if you tried to use them at the border,” Declan spat back.
    Nolan only had a few fake IDs that he used when he was out of town, and having his wrong name on them was done so he had a prayer he could talk his way out of trouble before they called his father.
    The one he’d made to cross the border was his most convincing one, and the closest to this name—he’d paid good money for that joker.
    Before Declan could continue his rant, a truck flashed its high beams just behind them. And then there was a loud ‘thump’ followed by another, then another, and then something flew in through the back window that was only open a foot or so, and hit the gearshift.
    Nolan hit the brakes and then spun the truck right as Declan figured out it was baseballs being thrown at them.
    “Fucking Murdock!” Declan raged.
    “Naw, it’s Faith’s boy. Murdock is just along for the ride.”
    “What the fuck ever,” Declan said as Nolan successfully blocked the one lane country road causing the truck behind them to skid to the side, barely missing Nolan’s truck.
    The dead of night was illuminated by crisscrossed headlights from the two massive trucks.
    With a murderous scowl Declan flew from the truck with Nolan right on his heels. Both the driver, Jacks—Faith’s on again off again boyfriend—and Murdock were drunk and laughing their asses off.
    Jacks raised his hands. “Just fucking with you man. I thought Faith was with you, she wanted me to act jealous, so there.”
    “So you fucking hit my truck?” Nolan said with a snarl that was still trying to size up this deal. Faith was a girl Nolan had spent some time with in the past, not much, but enough. It ended wickedly.
    Declan charged toward the passenger side and ripped Murdock out then threw a punch right at his chest, with the ball in his hand, dropping it as he did so. Declan was inch from Murdock’s face when he said, “You dropped this, fucker !”
    Murdock bent forward with the blow as Jacks and Nolan charged around the truck, trying to stop the fight before it got out of hand and someone really got hurt.
    “Hey, hey, now boys, we’ve just had our drink on too long, let’s not get all crazy!” Jacks yelled.
    Murdock grew a pair and slugged Declan who managed to catch his fist, then in a beat he hit him in the jaw, flinging him down to the ground. Declan pulled him up again and slammed him against the front of the truck.
    Nolan held Jacks back. He didn’t plan to let Declan go too far, for obvious reasons, but he knew stopping him now was more than dangerous. Declan had a vendetta.
    “You’re out here fucking throwing balls,” Declan growled, picking him up and slamming him against the truck again. “Drunk off your ass.” He leaned in. “Is it easy for you and your daddy? You just look the other fucking way and go and have a good time?”
    “Fuck you,” Murdock spat, knowing exactly what Declan was talking about, but the way he saw it was Brent Rose had a mean mouth on him but that was about it.
    Did he drink? Yeah.
    Did he lose his balance and knock into people? Sure.
    Had Murdock ever seen him hit Justice? No.
    Was it his business? No.
    Murdock pushed back. “She fucking cry on your shoulder? Tell you her daddy was mean?” He sneered. “She was just yanking your dick man, wanting to get a