Mike stood.
“Richie?”
Leo nodded.
Corey whispered:
“Oh God.”
The sedan stopped directly in front of the diner.
The headlights remained on.
A man stepped out.
Tall.
Broad.
Wearing a dark jacket.
Another man exited from the passenger side.
Mike looked at Bobby.
Bobby nodded.
Declan moved toward the kitchen.
Garrett locked the back door.
Brenda switched off the diner's exterior lights.
The room went dark except for the overhead lamps.
Leo whispered:
“What are you doing?”
Mike looked at him.
“Giving you a chance.”
“To do what?”
“To make a different decision.”
The front door opened.
A man's voice entered the diner.
“Leo!”
Leo froze.
Richie Colton stepped inside.
His eyes moved across the room.
Then stopped on Mike.
Then Bobby.
Then Declan.
Then Garrett.
He saw the leather vests.
He saw the motorcycles outside.
His confidence disappeared.
But he recovered quickly.
“I just came for what's mine.”
Mike looked at him.
“What do you think is yours?”
Richie pointed at Leo.
“The money.”
“There isn't any.”
Richie smiled.
“Then I'll take something else.”
Leo stood.
Mike put out one hand.
“Don't.”
Richie stepped forward.
“This isn't your business.”
Mike looked at him.
“It became my business when you walked into my diner.”
Richie glanced around.
“This isn't your diner.”
“No.”
Mike smiled.
“But tonight, it might as well be.”
Nobody knew the security camera was still recording.
Brenda did.
She had installed it six months earlier.
She had paid for half of it herself.
And when the first robbery began, she had silently pressed the emergency recording button.
The camera captured everything.
Every movement.
Every word.
Every hesitation.
Every threat.
And now it captured Richie Colton standing in the doorway.
Richie looked at Leo.
“You owe me.”
Leo's voice shook.
“I know.”
“Then pay me.”
“I can't.”
Richie stepped forward.
Mike moved between them.
Richie stopped.
“You're not part of this.”
Mike shook his head.
“I wasn't.”
“Then move.”
“No.”
Richie looked around.
“How many of you are there?”
Mike smiled.
“Enough.”
Richie glanced outside.
More motorcycles had arrived.
The sound of engines rolled across the parking lot.
Leo looked through the window.
Three.
Then five.
Then eight.
The diner filled with the low rumble of motorcycles.
Richie's companion whispered something.
Richie ignored him.
Mike spoke quietly.
“You came here expecting Leo to be alone.”
Richie said nothing.
“You were wrong.”
Richie pointed toward Leo.
“He stole from me.”
Mike nodded.
“Then handle it legally.”
Richie laughed.
“Legally?”
“Yes.”
“You think that's how this works?”
Mike's expression changed.
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“I think that's how tonight works.”
Richie stared at him.
Mike's voice remained calm.
“No threats.”
“No violence.”
“No collection.”
“You leave.”
Richie smiled.
“And if I don't?”
Bobby stepped beside Mike.
Then Declan.
Then Garrett.
Nobody touched Richie.
Nobody needed to.
Richie looked around.
The silence was enough.
He stepped backward.
“This isn't over.”
Mike nodded.
“Maybe not.”
Richie turned.
Then stopped.
Mike added:
“But if you come after these boys again, don't expect another conversation.”
Richie left.
His companion followed.
The sedan disappeared into the desert.
Nobody moved for several seconds.
Then Corey sat down hard.
Leo exhaled.
Brenda walked toward the counter.
She checked the security monitor.
The footage was clear.
Very clear.
Mike noticed her expression.
“What?”
Brenda pointed.
“The camera.”
Mike looked.
Then smiled.
“Still recording?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Leo frowned.
“Why is that good?”
Mike looked at him.
“Because you need proof.”
“Proof of what?”
“That Richie threatened you.”
Leo stared at the screen.
The footage showed everything.
Richie's face.
His words.
The threats.
The demands.
The intimidation.
Everything.
Corey whispered:
“Can we use that?”
Brenda nodded.
“You can.”