The Rise [1]

Eight

("TITTY TWISTER.")

"Come on in! You heard me, devil dogs and bad bitches! Come on in for the all-you-can-lick buffet of the most beautiful, tastiest delicacies south of the border!" The short man with the dark brown cowboy hat at the entrance of the so-called 'Titty Twister' gesticulated wildly with his arms as more and more bikers stepped inside. His voice was loud, noisy and thick with Spanish accent; besides, it was so loud that it even reached the Fullers, the two Gecko brothers and Amber, who was standing next to them. "We've got only one item on the menu, that's true, but we've got every flavor under the Mexican moon!"

They slowly made their way towards the bar in the middle of the Mexican desert ― well in fact, they were all just following Seth. The Fullers walked in a group behind, as Jacob called out to Seth, "I did my part."

Said person stopped, consequently also Amber and Richie behind him.

"We got you across the border. I'm not taking my children inside. We're done."

"Fine", Seth spoke, "You three stay out here with the devil's rejects, have your own little Altamont." He lifted his hand, the keys hanging around his fingers.

"Wasn't the deal," Jacob argued. The revving engines around them almost drowned their voices and Amber watched as Kate glanced around, intimidation crossing her face.

"No, the deal was that we stick together until Richie and I finish our deal." With that, Seth shot Jacob a last look and turned around again, ready to go inside.

The betrayed look on Jacob's face lasted merely a second ― soon he realized that in this case there was no other choice left than to follow the Gecko.

Amber walked closely in between the two brothers, trying to ignore the looks of the bikers and truck drivers standing in groups in the parking lot. The short man at the entrance was still luring new visitors. "We've got pan dulce of every flavor for you! Any way you like it, with all the fillings!"

Amber could already sense that going inside this bar maybe wasn't the best decision, especially not since her and Kate were the only females she had spotted so far. Glancing in Kate's direction, Amber noticed she had her arms crossed in front of her chest. The young girl lifted one of her light brows as the short man continued to shout out suggestive and vulgar things.

Seth eventually stopped a few feet in front of him, eyeing him with an undefinable expression on his face.

"Hold it down! Hold it!" the man suddenly called out and at once Amber realized that he was first staring at her, before his eyes flickered to Kate. "Two new items have just been added to the à la carte menu: sweet, hot...cherry pies!"