"Go the speed limit or get out of the way, you fucking idiot!" Carl yelled loud enough that Sue figured for sure the other driver could hear it even though the windows were all closed and the air conditioner was on full tilt.
"Relax Carl, they're out for a Sunday drive and so are we. Just enjoy the view!"
"He's not even doing the speed limit Suzanne, that's what the right lane is for!"
He'd used her full name, something Sue had noticed he'd only do when he was either pissed off at her or thought she was being a 'fucking idiot', his favorite expression. Of course, he never outright said that to her but his tone and his replies often implied it. When other people were around, he would hold back so almost nobody knew some of the behaviours Sue was putting up with.
So Sue remained quiet. He was in a foul mood, had been most of the day. He'd been fine when they'd been visiting with Brenda, his daughter. But on the road, he'd been ranting and raving that all drivers except him were idiots. No, sorry, 'fucking idiots' is what they were.
He'd been prone to angry outbursts in the past but they were few and far between so Sue, who had been in love with the notion of love, had disregarded the outbursts and focused on the positives. However, in the last few months, they'd been more frequent. Sue had tried to get him to go see a therapist and vent his anger there but he refused, claiming it was perfectly normal to be angry once in a while when surrounded by idiots. Sue had fallen out of love and was in the process of setting everything up so she could leave him.
They were about half an hour from home when they came upon a group of bikers. The bikers had been in the left lane, passing a big rig. Again, Carl raged at the 'fucking idiots' blocking the left lane. This time, Sue stayed quiet. Carl was right up behind the last biker's motorcycle. When the last biker had taken the right lane, Carl stepped on the gas and told Sue to give the bikers the finger.
"No."
"Just do it for shit's sake."
"No, I will not do that!" Sue was adamant. Flipping up her finger was definitely not something to do to bikers and she knew it. Next thing she knew, Carl's raised finger was in her face; he was giving them the finger himself.
When he passed the front biker, Carl cut right in front of him. Sue was scared and held on to the handle on the door so hard, her knuckles were white. The bikers sped up and came up left of Carl and started making motions at him to pull over. Carl gave them the finger again.
"Please stop doing that." Sue pleaded. "These guys are dangerous, Carl, please just let them be."
"Shut up Suzanne, I am not going to let a bunch of little boys on motorcycles intimidate me."
"Carl, they're part of a biker gang!"
"No they're not!"
"Yes, they are!"
"What the fuck would you know about biker gangs anyway?"
"I can read and that's what's written on their gear."
"They're just 'wannabes', they're not the real thing."
Sue knew from reading articles and news stories that only real members of that gang would wear their colors. If anyone else attempted to do so, they could face severe consequences from the gang. But at this time, Carl was in such a foul mood that Sue opted for silence, again. She'd only lose in the end anyway.
The taunting continued. Then, as they were going up a big hill where a third lane is added on the right for slower vehicles, Carl stayed in the middle lane. A few motorcycles came around to the right and the bikers leered at Sue. Sue saw the first one and quickly turned her head away. She didn't want to look at them but that biker had seemed familiar. Something in his face looked like someone she'd seen before but couldn't place.
When the road reduced to two lanes again, the bikers had decided to stay behind Carl's truck. Carl saw that as a success "See, they've calmed down now and figured out that this truck belongs ahead of them."
Sue wanted to believe him but simply couldn't relax. They were about ten minutes from their home when Sue received a phone call from the work. After answering an easy question, she hung up but the phone started beeping that it was low on batteries so Sue shut it off.
"What did they want now?" Carl practically growled at her.
"Just to know if it was okay to do something. Nothing really important."
"I wish you could sometimes not be on call. Can't Julie or your boss assume the on-call for a weekend?"
"They do. But most times, the guys just call me because I can give an immediate answer. Julie and the boss still need training."
Just then, they reached their exit. Sue was looking forward to finally be rid of the bikers but to her dismay, they also took the exit.
"Turn right, Carl."
"Why? Our house is to the left."
"I know. I just don't want them to know where we live."
"Will you relax? They're not going to follow us!" As he said that, Carl turned left and the bikers followed.
When he turned left again, they still followed. Sue was terrified. "Carl, please, just drive past our turnoff and go to the cop shop."
"For Christ' sake Suzanne, they're just playing with us. They'll leave as soon as we park the truck in the driveway." And Carl turned on the street that led to their street. The bikers followed.
"Please Carl, don't go home! They're still following us! I'm scared of what they might do."
"Quit being such a coward. When we get home, just go in the house while I back up into the garage."
"I thought you were going to park in the driveway?"
"No, I'll park in the garage. We can unload the back later."
"See, you don't want to leave your truck where they can get at it! But I'm the coward. Please, this is our last chance, turn the opposite way and circle back to the cop shop."
"No! Now shut up and let me drive!"
Sue reached for his cell phone. He glared at her "What are you doing?"
Sue responded "I'm calling 9-1-1. These bikers are still following us and it's no coincidence." Carl angrily took the phone away from her and barked "You will do no such thing. Just grab your purse and go inside." He'd pulled up in front of the house and turned to back into the garage. While the garage door opened, he told Sue to get out. The bikers were parking their bikes on the street next to their garage. There were eight of them. Sue grabbed her purse, got out of the vehicle and ran for the house. She was relieved that none of the bikers followed her. Carl parked the truck in the garage and when he stepped out and shut the door to the garage, a few bikers went to him and one put his arm around Carl, like an old friend. Sue fumbled with her keys, dropping them to the landing twice because she was shaking so much. One biker started up the stairs as another of the bikers yelled at the neighbours that they were old friends, would have a half hour party and then leave so not to worry, the noise wouldn't be forever. The biker took the keys from Sue, saying "let me get that for you" and smiling like an old friend.
Sue was terrified. Carl was white as a ghost as he made his way up the stairs. Sue then saw that the biker behind him had a gun. As soon as the door was open, Sue tried to get to a phone but the biker who had opened the door grabbed her arm and told her to put down the phone. The one Sue thought looked familiar was turning his back to her and he barked a few nicknames and pointed to Carl and then said "I get the girl." The biker that had Sue by the arm pushed her towards the leader and she got dragged into the bedroom at the back of the house.
She then heard music start in the living room and the volume got turned up quite loud. The leader pointed to the windows and the door, the other three men that had followed them into the bedroom closed the windows and the blinds. They also turned on the night table lamps and closed the door to the rest of the house. Sue was petrified. She figured she was about to get raped or worse. When they reached the bed, the leader turned around and brought her up close to him. For the first time, Sue got a good look at his face. That face! How could it be? Sue was speechless from the surprise. This guy was none other than Michael, a guy who had studied with her in university! He spoke, or rather hissed at her "You be quiet and we won't hurt you. Am I making myself clear?" Sue nodded.
From the other side of the door, she could hear muffled screams and a struggle. She turned her head to the door and Michael turned it back to face him. "If you let us do what we want, we won't hurt you like they're hurting him. Don't fight it, you might like it!" Then, he let go of her and grabbed her blouse by the two sides of the collar and tore it open. "I get to fuck these tits and that face. You guys can have her cunt." Sue protested "No, please. I didn't do anything to you guys. Quite the opposite, I begged and pleaded for him to leave you alone."