Sell Your Soul

They were walking back towards Danny and Andrea when Johnny stopped.
“Oh fuck.”

“What?” Hannah asked looking around.

“They’re here.” Johnny answered nodding towards a group of people a little ways down the beach from where they had set up.


“Wonderful.” Hannah replied sarcastically. She really hated The Huntington Beach boys – they were everywhere.

“C’mon lets just get back, maybe they won’t notice us.” Johnny suggested. The beach was neutral territory and there were too many witnesses to cause a scene.

“Whats up man?” Danny asked noticing the look on Johnny’s face when he and Hannah returned from their walk.

“We’ve got company.” He nodded in the direction of the HB boys.
Andrea jumped up. Her heart was racing.

“Maybe we should just go to the other side of the beach or just back to my place.” She suggested. She was ready to get out of there as fast as possible.

“No, this is neutral ground. No one is going anywhere until we’re ready to go home. If we tuck tail and run it’s going to look –“

“Johnny! I don’t give a fuck how it looks! I just want out of here okay!?” Andrea pleaded.

Johnny looked at his sister, he couldn’t for the life of him understand why she was freaking out this way. Sure the Huntington Boys were a rough gang but Andrea was usually calm in situations like these. His mind wandered back to the day they had shown up at Rick’s Andrea had been hiding in the back petrified – that wasn’t like his sister at all. Something wasn’t adding up. He really didn’t like secrets.

“Maybe we should go Johnny.” Hannah wasn’t afraid of the HB Boys – not with Johnny there, but Andrea was clearly upset.

“No.” Johnny snapped at her. “Everyone just fucking calm the fuck down.
Hannah flinched away from her boyfriend. He had never gotten angry with her like that before.

“Uh, three man incoming.” Danny said suddenly.

Two of them were headed straight for them. Johnny stepped in front of everyone. Andrea laced her fingers with Danny’s and tried to hide her face. Hannah froze.

“We come in peace.” The taller one said jokingly.

“What do you want?” Johnny asked them.

“Just to assure you that the beach is neutral territory and we’re just here on a day off.” He explained.

The one who had pulled the gun on Hannah locked eyes with her for a moment and then looked passed her to where Andrea and Danny sat. His eyes lit up.

“Hey Dan, sorry about your leg bro.” He grinned.
“Yeah, we are sorry about the accident. Even if you don’t choose to believe it – we really don’t like it when civilians get caught in our crossfire.” The taller one said.

“Neither do we.” Johnny replied his face stony.
“C’mon Vengeance.” He said turning around.

“See ya around Three Tears, Dan – Andie.” The way he said it made Hannah’s skin crawl. She turned to look at her best friend. Andrea let go of Danny’s hand and took off.

“Awh fuck.” Johnny said when they were out of earshot.
“I’ll go get her.” Hannah offered but Danny stopped her. He stood up and took his crutches.

“No, I’ll take care of her.” He said before he left after her.
“She is pissed. Fuck. I should shoot Vengeance in the face.” Johnny kicked the sand.

Hannah didn’t say anything. She just started packing up their things. Their beach day was over.
Andrea was gonna be livid. Not that she could blame her. It wasn’t nice to keep secrets. Her inner voice told her. She felt a pang of guilt as she looked at Johnny. Maybe it was just time to come clean.

**

“When were you going to tell me Danny?” Andrea asked. She felt like someone had stabbed her in the heart. Betrayed by her boyfriend and her brother.

“I should have told you. I know it – but we were in such a good place I didn’t want to destroy it.” Danny admitted.

It was silent for what seemed like an eternity.

“Do you still love me Andrea?” Danny asked. He was honestly afraid to know the answer.

“Damnit Daniel! I love you more than life itself. Honest to God I’m not even mad at you. I should be – but I’m not.” Andrea avoided her boyfriend’s gaze.

“You’re not mad at me because your hiding something too aren’t you.” Danny suggested.

“I hate how you can see right through me.” Andrea half-smiled at him.

**
Hannah was sitting on the couch at Andrea’s, Johnny was pacing the floor alternating between calling Andrea and Johnny and called Da Kurlz who was out looking for them. It had been four hours since the beach. Danny and Andrea had left in her car and neither of them were answering their phones.

Hannah was sure that they were just fighting, but Johnny was convinced that they had been apprehended by the HB boys or another rival gang. He couldn’t understand why Danny wasn’t answering either. Hannah really wanted to tell him that Danny and Andrea were a couple and then tell him about the letters and her past. But he was too worked up. She couldn’t bear to put all of this on him at once.

“Baby, I’m sure it’s okay.” Hannah promised.

“I don’t like not knowing things Hannah. I hate being kept in the dark – it stresses me out.” Johnny stopped pacing and looked his girlfriend straight in the eye.

Hannah faked a smile and looked away. The guilt rose up into her throat like bile.

**

Andrea was about to pull in her drive way when she noticed the figure walking towards her front door.

“Who the fuck is that?” She asked Danny. She could usually tell any of Johnny’s boys by their shapes. But this guy wasn’t anyone she could recognize.

“Keep driving. Don’t turn I’m calling Johnny.” Danny said quickly pulling out his cell.

“Where the fuck are you?” Johnny answered the phone with a growl.

“Driving down Andrea’s street, there is a man approaching the door, it looks suspicious.” Danny said quickly.

He could hear Johnny directing Andrea to get on the ground then he heard the breaking of glass.

“We’re coming in the back!” Danny said hanging up the phone.

“Do you have a gun in the car?” He asked Andrea.

“Glove box. It’s loaded.” She answered whipping her car through the yard behind her house.

“I’m useless with these crutches. So I’ll stay out here and cover the back, you get in that house,
get Hannah and stay safe.” He said kissing her face before handing the gun to her.

“I love you.” Andrea said before she jumped out of the car. She heard gunfire. She checked to make sure the back was safe before unlocking the door and walking inside with her gun raised. She made her way through the house doing her best not to make a sound.

Hannah was on her belly crawling into the kitchen.
“What’s going on?” Andrea whispered pulling her up, and grabbing another gun out of the drawer and handing it to her.

“No idea, Danny called and Johnny told me to get on the ground. I heard glass breaking and then gunshots.” Hannah took the gun with trembling hands.

“If all else fails don’t shoot just slap someone in the face with it.” Andrea tried not to laugh.

“Stay behind me but keep your eyes and ears open.” Gunfire from the back of the house caused her to jump.

“Johnny! Where are you?” She called. Fuck trying to stay hidden.

On cue her brother came around the corner with a gun in one hand and a brick in the other. Tied to the brick was a note.

Hannah’s heart sank.
“Danny is in the car.” Andrea said quickly.

Danny appeared at the kitchen door and Andrea ran for him. A gun shot sounded and then Hannah fell to the ground.

**

“I don’t think she has a concussion. I think maybe the stress of the moment caused her to faint. She doesn’t have any bruises or knots on her head.” Da Kurlz’s girlfriend Becka was a nurse, Johnny had called her right after Hannah hit the ground.

Hannah’s eyes fluttered and then she opened them slowly. A strange woman in scrubs was taking her pulse.

“If she gets light headed or starts feeling funny take her to the ER.” Becka said patting Hannah’s hand and heading for the door. She knew about her boyfriend’s life and she made herself readily available as a nurse but refused to be involved in the business part. She didn’t ask more
questions than she had too and she kept her time with the entire gang short.

“Thank God you’re okay.” Johnny said wrapping his arms around Hannah.

“What happened? I saw Danny and then everything went black.” Hannah sat up.

“Someone shot the back window of Andrea’s car but no one was hurt. When you heard the gunshot you hit the ground. Scared the hell out of me.” Johnny said kissing her.

“Was it the HB boys?” Hannah asked hopefully.

“No, whoever it was threw this through the living room window. We were hoping you could elaborate for us. Since it’s addressed to you.” Funny said handing Hannah the note that had been tied to the brick.

Hannah took a deep breath and opened it up.

Fate will hit like a ton of bricks if one tries to outrun it.
You are running out of time. I’m not playing games anymore.

Hannah looked up, the entire gang, Andrea included were looking at her for answers. Danny kept his eyes on the ground.

“Do you have any idea who this is from?”

“Yes.” Hannah replied.

“This wasn’t the first letter was it Hannah?” Funny asked.
Hannah shook her head and reached inside the night stand behind her bed pulling out the other
letters and handing them to Funny.

“What the fuck Hannah!? Why didn’t you tell me?” Andrea’s voice was shaking.

“I didn’t tell anyone. I was hoping if I ignored them then he would just stop.” Hannah admitted.

“Who sent these?” Johnny growled.

“Father Brinks – the leader of the religion my parents follow. Look – I didn’t tell you because this isn’t something I want to think about or remember. I ran away because I was expected to marry him next week.” She kept her eyes on the ground as she felt the hot tears rolling down her cheeks.

“How did he find you?” Charlie asked.

“I have no idea. The first letter was at Rick’s the last day I worked there. The other two were in the mailbox here.”

“C’mon. It’s not safe here.” Johnny said.

“We’re all going back to my house. Don’t take anything of yours he might have it bugged or something.”

Andrea packed a bag of her own clothes for herself and one for Hannah. She and Danny rode with Charlie and J-Dog, while Da Kurlz and Funny rode together leaving Hannah and Johnny alone.

“Tell me every thing while we’re alone.” He instructed. Hannah could tell he was upset.

“When I was seventeen he told my parents that he had chosen me to be his new wife. I said no. But I didn’t have a choice. I hated him, I still hate him.” Hannah started choking on her words as she explained the rules of her family’s religion.

Johnny pulled the car into his garage and put it in park.

“Look at me Hannah, did he hurt you?” Hannah looked at him and burst into tears again.

The look in Hannah’s eyes told him what sort of sick bastard that Father Brinks really was. He made up his mind then and there that he would be killed.

**

Once inside Danny called everyone to the dining room. The sat at the table and discussed what would happen now. Funny would stay at Johnny’s for extra back up since Danny was still on crutches. J-Dog and Da Kurlz would take turns watching Andrea’s house to see if anyone returned, and Charlie would be retracing Hannah’s steps to find out where and when Father Brinks had found her.

Johnny dismissed everyone and sent Funny to his place to get his stuff. Once the four of them were alone he locked eyes with his sister.

“Now, we have something’s to discuss.”

“Yes Johnny we do.” Andrea’s voice was calm but inside she was shaking.

“I don’t like secrets.”

“I know. I’m sorry Johnny.” Andrea took a deep breath when Danny cut her off. “It’s not just her fault, I should have told you how I felt about your sister. I love her Johnny. I know you told us she was off limits and I know you don’t want her involved in this life – but she already is Johnny.”

“I love him too. I didn’t realize it until I thought I might have lost him. We want to be together Johnny.” Andrea had tears in her eyes. Through everything that had happened to her recently – she had never been as afraid as she was at that moment.

“Okay. It’s going to take me awhile to get used to this. I don’t like it. But in order to keep you safe I have to let you in Andrea and you have to do the same. There can be no more secrets between the four of us.” Johnny said glancing around the table at everyone. Danny glanced at Andrea who bit her lip.

“There is one more thing you need to know Johnny.” She her voice quivered.

“What is it Andie?”

“I – I” she stuttered but couldn’t form the words in her mouth.

“Go on baby it’s okay.” Danny placed his hand on hers.

“The reason I wanted to leave the beach was because of Vengeance.” Hannah said slowly taking another breath.

“From Huntington Beach? Wait – why did he recognize you today? How did he know your name?” Johnny wasn’t sure if he wanted the answer.

“It’s because he’s my ex-boyfriend.”

“What!?” Johnny jumped up from the table

“When I first came back to California after I dropped out of college, I didn’t know anything about the gang or any of the other gangs. I hadn’t even told you I was here yet. I met Vengeance one night in a bar and we started dating. It didn’t last very long. I never told you because like I said I had no idea who the Huntington Beach guys were. I didn’t even put two and two together until that first encounter with them a few years ago. When you guys claimed the east side. Vengeance wasn’t with him but I recognized his friends. I just figured it would be better if I didn’t tell you I didn’t think it was a huge deal.” Andrea admitted.