Chapter 17: A Matter Of Protocol

The Kandid Bar and Grill, Kanid, Iowa...

The revving of engines died down as Brick and the remainder of the Howler M.C. pulled into the parking lot of a bar just on the outskirts of the rather small town known as Kanid. Brick took a few moments to survey the area as he noted the bikes of another nine individuals whom had stopped in for a drink. One quick sniff of the air told Brick all he needed to know as the unseemly glow of his eyes indicated that he'd been familiar with the rival bikers whom had operated in this territory. Rooster seemed to have fond memories of the place as he smirked when looking upon the collection of bikes. Gunner had his attention on the markings and turned his nose up at the stench he perceived to have been coming from them.

"Smell like....Badgers." said Brick breaking the silence that had befallen them from the moment of their arrival.

"Yep, it's them Badgers alright." replied Rooster. "Mortal scum if ever I smelled one."

"You surprised?" asked Gunner with an arched brow. "Last I checked they heavily linger in these parts."

"Well boys...and Goldie...why don't we go in and say hello?" asked Brick itching to get into a good fight since the onset of the moon had already started toward intensifying his aggression.

Rooster despite being effected via the measure of aggression on the wind grabbed Brick via the arm and pulled him aside.

"You think that's what we need to be doing with it being so close to sundown and all?" he asked. "Suppose we lose track of time and the moon comes out full?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." replied Brick in a gruff tone before snatching his arm away and heading toward the front door of the bar with purpose.

The other members of The Howler M.C. followed suit itching for some action after so long without a good nightly binge and brawl to get the blood pumping.

"Keep in mind that these are mortals." warned Rooster.

"No worries old man." said Doc with a smirk.

"Yeah we'll play nice if they do." replied Taz as he lead Goldie inside via the hand.

"Definitely." added Riff Raff.

"Cheer up old man." said Gearhead when he passed the elder werewolf before heading inside.

"Better make sure they don't get into too much trouble." said Ironclad dutifully before following after Gearhead.

Rooster sighed and looked up at the increasingly darkening sky. He could feel it in his old bones that the moon was on the rise and that it was going to be a doozy of a full one. He shook his head and went inside as well hoping to be able to get them to see reason should the worst come to pass.

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Interior, The Kandid Bar and Grill, Kanid, Iowa...

By the time Rooster walked inside, he could see the tension had already been palpable with the way Brick stood face to face with the leader of the other gang of human bikers known throughout their territory as Badgers. The original idea behind the group was the Honey Badger, but the prospect of adding "Honey" to a logo wasn't too intimidating so Badgers M.C. was as close as they got. Brick had a rather peculiar history with the leader of the gang, Ken Marshal as both served in Iraq and on the same unit, but never truly got along unless they needed to watch each other's back during combat.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in?" said Ken with a smirk.

He was about five ten in height, rippled with average muscle and bald of course with a medium length goatee of dirty blonde hair. His blue eyes met the grey eyes of the taller more muscular toned Brick Kenneally.

"How's it going Ken, you seen Barbie lately?" replied Brick with a smirk of his own.

The two men were nose to jaw at this point with Ken trying his best not to attack despite the provokation on Brick's part.

"What the fuck you doing in my state Kenneally?" growled Ken annoyed. "This is Badger M.C. territory and you Howlers ain't welcome here."

"Is that supposed to be hostility I detect in your tone of voice?" asked Brick his nostrils flaring. "I mean I can understand the sentiment considering the fact that Barbara told you I have a bigger dick than you."

"Leave my wife out of this." growled Ken visibly upset to the point of balling his fists. "What the fuck are you doing here Kenneally?"

"Got a fish that I need reeled in." replied Brick causally.

Ken seemed to take a moment before un-balling his fists.

"What kind of fish?" he asked.

"The illusive slimy shit kind...heard it swam upstream and been hiding ever since." replied Brick.

"Sounds like an expensive fish." said Ken still staring into the eyes of Brick.

"Something like that." replied Brick. "Tell you what, you smoke it out...me and the boys take our catch and leave no harm done...you interfere or block my fishing expedition, I maybe do a bit of fishing of my own....the kind that happens to land my rod in your pond...you know what I mean?"

Ken glared murderously at Brick for a moment before nodding in agreement.

"What do you need?" asked Ken at last coming to his senses.

"First a beer." replied Brick rubbing his goatee as if to taunt his lesser rival. "It's a matter of protocol after all and then we can actually have a conversation about this fish of mine."

Ken turned his attention to the bartender, whom had been frozen in place like the rest of the patrons in anticipation of what would happen should the two biker gangs come to blows.

"Get them some drinks." said Ken.

"Hold the poison." replied Brick with a smirk. "Not that it'll do much good anyway....aside from piss me off."

Ken rolled his eyes and ordered the drinks and one of his own.

He and Brick left the boys to their staring and headed back into "his office" on the far end of the bar.

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Ken's Makeshift Office, The Kandid Bar and Grill, Kanid, Iowa...

Ken Marshall couldn't stand the sight of Brick Kenneally and it was for good reason. When they served, Brick was always a showoff and arrogant to the point of madness. He still sailed to the top of his class at bootcamp, managed to score girls that no one else could get to give them the time of day, and had the boys all eating out the palm of his hand and following his lead on everything just because he said it. Of course it didn't end there. Brick had to show up in his life after the war and make his way to Iowa. Ken's wife Barbara had been the latest reason for their mutual warfare of sorts.

Ken foolishly racked up a hefty gambling debt to the wrong people and they were going to kill him when Brick stepped in, like a cocky older brother and took care of it, only now Ken was indebted to him for his life. Drunk and upset, Ken knew he couldn't pay the asshole back fast enough so he stupidly agreed to talk his wife into putting out for Brick to square the debt.

Barbra loved him and decided it was better than him ending up dead so she agreed, it was the worst mistake on Ken's part looking back, but he saw no better option. Brick agreed due to having Barbra's permission, but with the condition that Ken had to be there to witness the entire ordeal. Ken wanted to refuse, but it was the only way to square the debt and make Barbra more comfortable. He had not anticipated that he'd actually enjoy watching it, or the fact that his wife would be comparing him to Brick ever since.

Ken moved toward his desk and flopped down into the chair with a look of disgust filed across his face. Brick leaned near the wall and continued sipping the ice cold beer he'd been handed via the bartender on the way to the office.

"Nice place you got here." he said with a smirk.

"Fuck off." replied Ken. "Now about this fish you keep going on about...how do you know he's in my state?"

"Son of a bitch crossed the border to evade Johnny Law, I'm just in it for the money and the sole privilege of denting his face in." replied Brick honestly.

"Must be quite a character if he's got you after him." replied Ken with a sigh. "I'll see what my boys can dig up alright...last thing anyone needs if for another incident to happen like the last time."

"Last time you couldn't handle your ol' lady riding shotgun." replied Brick with a smirk.

"Fuck you." growled Ken. "The only reason I even let you fuck my wife was to square the debt."

"When you wanna admit you're a cuck I'll be here." replied Brick. "Not my fault you got all hot and bothered and didn't like the outcome."

"You came in my wife!" shouted Ken raising out of his seat and slamming his fists on the desk enraged. "That was not part of the deal."

"Oh fuck off Ken you're the one that begged me to." replied Brick. "Couldn't keep your fucking eyes off it...I saw you getting worked up in the chair...you'd let me fuck her here and now if she was in this room...admit it you're a fucking cuck."

"A voyeur and a cuck are two different things." replied Ken. "She could have gotten pregnant you son of ..."

"Watch your mouth." replied Brick suddenly getting off the wall and approaching the desk.

Ken backed down noting the hostile look behind Brick's grey eyes.

"Alright, that was a bit too far." he said. "But enough about my wife...alright...she and I got kids after all."

Brick rolled his eyes.

"Don't try and make this about Barb, your ass has been a cuck since our service days." he remarked.

"Shut up." growled Ken. "It's not like we had other places to be with you fucking every girl you came across and me being assigned to watch your back...asshole...surprised you didn't get any diseases."

"I'm lucky that way." remarked Brick. "Anyway, when you find that fish...let me know soon as...got a few words for him that require rights and lefts."

There was a knock on the door and before either one of them could reply, Barbara Marshal entered the room. She was an impressive sight, being an average built woman with an impressive sized set of breasts, something of a voluptuous waistline and ruby red lips with curly blonde hair, brown eyes, and a tight black leather outfit that hugged her body and drew all sorts of attention.

Brick did an old cartoon Tex Avery wolf whistle and Ken nearly fell over. He had not expected Barbra to show up, let alone to find herself in Brick's orbit once again.

"Barb." he said rushing over toward her.

"Hey Kenny." she said with a smile. "Why didn't you tell me Brick was in town?"

Brick smirked behind the door.

"Yeah Kenny why is that?" he asked.

"Fuck off Kenneally." growled Ken as he pulled Barbra inside.

"We're having a meeting and he's got something he needs me to look into." replied Ken. "So don't be holding him up and what not he's very busy these days."

"Actually, I've got all the time in the world...for you anyway Barb." replied Brick.

"Fuck off Kenneally." quipped Ken in annoyance.

Barba seemed content at the moment and simply smiled in Brick's direction.

"Well, I'll let you boys get to it." she said. "Bricky, don't be a stranger."

"Oh I won't." replied Brick with an arrogant smirk.

She took her leave, much to Ken's delight and Brick's amusement.

"Well it looks like you'd better get to work, Kenny or Long John Silver is going deep sea diving." taunted Brick before taking his leave as well.

Ken picked up a box of pens that were on his desk and threw them against the nearby wall.

How he hated Brick Kenneally.