Duke’s voice carried across the blacktop, low and steady.
“Your dad rode with us.”
A murmur rippled through the teachers and parents. Deputy Ellis didn’t lower his guard, but he stopped advancing. Principal Lawson’s expression shifted — not relaxed, but reconsidering.
Landon blinked.
“My dad?” His voice was barely audible.
Duke nodded once. “Corporal Ethan Brooks. Highway 54 memorial ride.” He paused, letting the weight of recognition settle. “He was one of ours. Not just in the club — in life.”
Behind him, the forty members of Steel Guardians MC remained on one knee. No one fidgeted. No engines revved. No theatrics. Just stillness.
Duke continued. “When a rider falls, we stand up for their family. That’s the rule. Always has been.”
A few of the parents exchanged uneasy glances. One whispered, “Is this some kind of club thing?”
