by outlaw bikers. Adorned with patches and artwork displaying the club’s unique colors.
Patched in: When a new member is approved for full membership.
Church: Club meetings for full patch members. Led by President of the club.
Old Lady: Woman with wife status. Protected by her partner. Status held to be sacrosanct by club members.
Club Slut: A woman who comes to the clubhouse to engage in casual sexual acts with the club members.
Bitch: Woman in Biker culture. Term of endearment
Gone/Going to Hades: Slang. Referring to the dying/dead.
Meeting/Gone/Going to the Boatman: Slang. Dying/dead. Referring to ‘Charon’ in Greek mythology. Charon was the ferryman of the dead, an underworld daimon (Spirit). Transported departed souls to Hades. The fee for the crossing over the rivers Styx and Acheron to Hades were coins placed on either the dead’s eyes or mouth at burial. Those who did not pay the fee were left to wander the shores of Styx for one hundred years.
Snow: Cocaine.
Ice: Crystal Meth.
Smack: Heroin
The Organizational Structure of Hades Hangmen
President (Prez): Leader of the club. Holder of the Gavel, which is symbolic of the absolute power that the President wields. The Gavel is used to keep order in Church. The word of the President is law within the club. He takes advice from senior club members. No one challenges the decisions of the President.
Vice President (VP): Second-in-Command. Executes the orders of the President. Principal communicator with other chapters of the club. Assumes all responsibilities and duties of the President in his absence.
Road Captain: Responsible for all club runs. Researches, plans and organizes club runs and ride outs. Ranking club officer, answering only to President or VP.
Sergeant-at-Arms: Responsible for club security, policing and keeping order at club events. Reports unseemly behavior to President and VP. Responsible for the safety and protection of the club, its members and its Prospects.
Treasurer: Keeps records of all income and expenses. Keeps records of all club patches and colors issued and taken away.
Secretary: Responsible for making and keeping all club records. Must notify members of emergency meetings.
Prospect: Probationary member of the MC. Goes on runs, but banned from attending Church.
Prologue
Tanner
Austin, Texas
Aged 6
“Tanner, can you show Rafael where we keep the pens and pencils?”
I nodded my head and walked to the stationery table. A boy with dark hair came beside me. I pointed to the pens and pencils like Mrs. Clary said.
“You just take what you want, then bring them back when you’re done.”
Rafael lifted his head. “Thank you.”
I frowned when I heard his accent. It sounded weird.
“Why do you speak like that?”
“Like what?”
He didn’t know he sounded different? I looked around the class. Everyone had white skin. He had brown. “You look different to all of us as well.”
Before he could answer, Mrs. Clary came over. “Everything okay here, boys?”
I nodded. So did Rafael. “Tanner, can you be Rafael’s buddy today? Let him sit with you at lunch and at recess. Show him the ropes here at St. Peter’s?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I led Rafael back to the table I sat at. The other kids didn’t seem to notice his skin color. My nanny, Mrs. Murray, said that any skin that was darker than white was a sign of inferiority. I didn’t know what that meant, but Rafael seemed nice. I didn’t see anything wrong with his skin.
“You like video games?” Rafael asked.
“Yeah.” Rafael smiled.
He spent the whole day with me. When the bell rang for the end of school, I walked out of the main entrance with Rafael. His papa was waiting for him outside. He was dark like Rafael too. I’d never really seen anyone like them before.
Mrs. Murray got out of the car as the three of us walked toward her. She smiled at Rafael and his papa.
“Rafael tells me Tanner looked after him today,” Rafael’s papa said. “I just wanted to say thank you. It’s been hard on Rafael leaving Mexico. Your son made starting a new school easier on him.”
“She’s not my mama,” I said. “Mrs. Murray’s my nanny. I don’t have a mama.”
Mrs. Murray shook Rafael’s papa’s hand. “Tanner is a good boy. I’m glad he was a help today.” Mrs. Murray looked back at me. “Come on, Tanner. We must get you home.”
I waved at Rafael, then climbed into the back seat. My brother, Beau, was already in his car seat.
Mrs. Murray leaned over me and belted me in. “Ow!” I said when she gave my arm a sharp nip. She didn’t say anything.
When we pulled away from the school, I waved at Rafael and his papa.