Razorblade Tears

Buddy and Ike look at Chet’s weapons, take what they need, and go check on Gatsby. Ike calls the hospital but there is no change with Mya. He texts an address to Gerald. Buddy Lee looks fondly at Ike; he says he wishes they had met at the wedding instead of the funeral.

Buddy Lee knocks on his neighbor Margo’s door. He thanks her for always being good to him; he thinks she is the only female friend he has ever had. He and Ike take Gatsby into a bunkhouse at the militia’s address and zip tie him to a chair next to a metal drum with wires protruding from it. It is 7:30pm, and Buddy Lee wonders if they will see their boys in the afterlife. Ike says he only wants a chance to tell Isiah he is sorry.

Their enemies arrive early, around 7:45. Arianna is in a car seat, tied with rope. After untying her, Grayson stops Arianna as she runs toward them. He says they must do the exchange at the same time. They make the switch; then the bikers take out their guns. Ike grabs Arianna, and they back into the bunkhouse. A gunfight begins. Ike puts Arianna in a crate and shoots with an automatic shotgun. Ike sets the timer on the barrel. It is a primitive circuit with an ignition switch. He made a bomb with the nitrates, fertilizer, and gasoline from his shop. It detonates when Dome kicks the door open.

Ike, Buddy Lee, and Arianna have lowered themselves into a privy with a ladder, and they come out near the outhouse on the edge of the property. They put Arianna in the truck, then go back to check for survivors. The compound is almost gone, including the motorcycles and their riders. There are limbs in the trees. Gatsby is dead in the SRX. Gerald is wounded but alive. He begs for his life and apologizes. He says he was sick, which was the only reason he was with Tangerine. He says he needs help. Ike says his son would forgive Gerald if he were here and asks if he thinks his son was sick as well. Buddy Lee opens his knife.

As they leave, Buddy Lee realizes he no longer wants to drink. When they reach the truck, Grayson has Arianna. They drop their guns, and Ike tosses the keys at Grayson’s feet. While Grayson is distracted, Buddy Lee throws the knife, which hits Grayson in the neck and kills him. During the fight, Buddy Lee was shot in the abdomen. Ike holds him as he bleeds and asks if he has cancer. Buddy Lee nods, then dies.

Tangerine has been working at Ike’s office for two weeks. Detective DePlata visits and compliments Ike on Buddy Lee’s funeral service. However, he says that no one believes Buddy Lee caused all the destruction and vengeance himself. He says he’ll be watching, and that the harassment has not yet begun.

Mya is conscious again. LaPlata asks whether it was worth it and calls him Riot, but Ike says that Riot is not his name.

Ike visits Buddy Lee’s grave and finds Margo there, arranging flowers on his grave. She asks if Buddy went out fighting, and Ike doesn’t answer. However, she sees the truth in his eyes. Ike had agreed to pay for the funeral if Buddy Lee was buried next to their boys. He also insisted that the headstone say BUDDY LEE, not WILLIAM. He pours a beer out for Buddy Lee. He tells him about Mya, Tangerine, and Arianna. He thinks Arianna will want to box and looks forward to training her.

He pours out more beer for Isiah and tells him he loves him. He says that Arianna will never have to wonder whether she is loved by them; he will do better than he did with Isiah: “I wasn’t a good father” he says. “I’m not a good man. But I’m gonna try to be a good grandfather” (319). He cries, and the tears feel like rain instead of razorblades.