Female of The Species

by mandy's stories

This story begins the year after the end of season 3. Tig meets a woman under unusual circumstances - even for him.

3. Chapter 3 Wild Card

The SAMCRO women and children are now safe. But Tig and Jade have a long way to go before they can rescue the husbands and fathers of the club (NB: Please note that the section "Coercion" is not for the squeamish)

And Kozik Makes Three...

Tig finds himself suddenly waking up at the noise of the van changing gear, as it pulls up at the junction onto the main road. It takes a moment before he becomes conscious where he was, as he realises he must have dozed off for a few minutes. He rubs his face to keep himself awake, as he looks across to Jade without trying to be obvious about it.

Jade is concentrating on her driving as she pulls across the junction and makes a left-hand turn. However, she quickly looks across to him as if she knew Tig was watching her. He notices that whilst he was dozing she must have wiped off the camouflage make-up from her face. Tig looks away as her stare meets his for a moment, before she pulls her gaze away back towards the road.

Tig looks back to the front window, and notices it was pitch black as the moon was hidden by clouds, and there is no traffic. "Where you taking us, sweet..." Damn, he was really going to have to get used to not calling her that. "Jade?" he finishes.

"Away from Charming" she explains. "I don't think it would be a good idea to run into the ATF and police when they're making their way to the house."

Tig turns his head to check on the unconscious Serbian at the back of the van. "Yeah, might be bit hard to explain with him on board..." he agrees "You know, it could be that the ATF will find out the location of Clay and the others before we do. There are two of the bastards still back there..."

"I doubt it" she advises. Tig waits for her to explain. "They'll be out for a few hours yet. Plus Mercenaries tend not to co-operate with the authorities. My guess is that they won't divulge any information until they get some kind of deal through a lawyer."

"Which could take days to organise? Yeah, you're probably right..." agrees Tig. "I guess our "guest" is the quickest way to find my brothers location." For a moment he pauses, as he starts to feel apprehensive. He couldn't be sure that Clay or the others were even alive right now. He tries to shake the feeling. All he could do was take it one step at a time; and hope for the best.

Tig tries to get comfortable in the seat; but he winces in pain at the movement. "There's some water in my bag, plus some painkillers. Front right hand pocket..." she advises as she notices.

"Thanks, doll" says Tig, as he leans down to the bag she had put under the passenger seat. He pulls out the last water bottle she had and a bottle of pain-killers. He quickly throws back four tables into his dry throat, and takes long gulps of the water. It was enough to kill some of the pain from his ribs but he would still be able to keep himself awake.

"We need to find somewhere to hole up out-of-the-way" advises Jade "You know the area better than I do; any ideas?"

Tig thinks for a moment. "We could cut round the Interstate and head back to the garage. It should avoid any cops heading this way..."

"Chief Unser said something about the local police watching the Teller-Morrow garage with a couple of Uniforms..." she advises.

"Shit!" swears Tig under his breath. The last thing he needed right now was a run-in with the authorities at the club-house. The thought of the garage suddenly gives him an idea. "You got a cell I can borrow?" he asks.

Jade pulls out her cell-phone from her top pocket, and silently hands it over to Tig. Tig closes his eyes to recall the phone number he needs and begins to punch in the digits. He puts the phone to his ear, as he puts the empty water bottle on the van's dashboard with his other hand. It rings twice, and Tig finds himself hoping that it doesn't go to voicemail. Luckily, it is picked up on the fourth ring.

"Kozik?" he asks and pauses. He doesn't notice the look of surprise on Jade's face. "Yeah, it's me. Where are you?" Tig goes silent as he listens to Kozik's long response. "Good, I was hoping they didn't know you were out of town. You heard anything more from Clay or Jax?" He pauses. "I don't suppose he left a message advising where they were being taken?" another pause. "Was worth a shot ... Nah, the women and kids are all safe. They'll probably be taken to the Cop-Shop soon, so I need you to go back to the garage". He stops again for a response "They'll be a couple of Uni's watching the place, so be careful. You did? Good. Do you think you could get hold of a vehicle and pick up some stuff for me?" He waits for Kozik's response.

"Okay, write this down. I need a couple of the heavy duty batteries, some jump leads and a pair of the insulating gloves. Plus the med-kit and a clean shirt" he pauses again as he listens to Kozik. "Nah, nothing serious. Just load up whatever hardware you can scrounge up and then call me back on this number. Got that?" He stays quiet as he listens to Kozik again. "Clay called in the Nevada charter? Okay, how soon before they get here?" He stops for a moment. "Just ask them to wait at the club-house in case we need back-up."

He pauses again. "I've got this covered, man. Just call me back when you've finished. And make sure the Cops or ATF don't follow you" Tig grins at Kozik's response. "Just get on with it, Kozik. We're running out of time here..." Tig then closed the cell phone to cut off the call, before Kozik could complain any more. He puts the cell into his own top pocket for the moment, ready for his colleague's return call.

"You have an idea?" asks Jade.

"Yeah, I know a place we can hole up and take our time to ... have a chat with our guest. Just off the Interstate there's an old building that's closed up. Used to be a garage till it went out of business a few years ago..." advises Tig.

"I'm guessing your garage doesn't like competition?" asks Jade as she briefly looks sideways at him.

Tig gives her a sheepish grin in response. "You know that how?" he asks with curiosity. It was only the locals who knew that the club tended to run any other garage business out of town.

"I had to go all the way to Lodi to pick up a spare tyre for the pick-up" she explains. "I didn't think I'd be welcome at your garage; and it was the only garage listed in the local phone directory."

It goes uncomfortably quiet between them for a moment. Tig wasn't sure if he should be offering an apology or excuse for the club, but decides that it wasn't something he wanted to discuss with her.

"Just head towards the Interstate. There's a road just after the turning onto the main road; I'll tell you when we get there..." he advises with the voice he normally used when bossing the Prospects around.

"I'd appreciate if you didn't start giving me orders, Mr Trager" she complains.

Tig picks up on the irritated tone in her voice. He couldn't stop himself from responding. "Should be used to it from your Military days. Army, wasn't it? Did a tour in Iraq?"

She pauses at first. "You're guessing, Mr Trager. My past is my own business. I'll agree to help you out to find your missing club members; but don't expect me to automatically follow your lead..."

Tig finds himself smiling again. He found he liked to confront her; and he also had to admit to himself that he wanted to know more about her. "So why are you doing this, anyway?" he asks.

Jade looks at him again for a moment, before going back to driving. "I made a promise to Ellie to get her brother and father back to her."

"No other reason?" he asks. He was hoping that she would admit she liked him; even only if a little.

"Let's get something straight, Mr Trager. The more I find out about SAMCRO the more I don't like what I hear. I'm doing this because I don't like children being hurt, whoever their parents are. I also made a promise and I don't break my word..." she states.

Tig goes quiet for a moment. He was surprised that she was so direct and honest about how she felt about the club. He recalls what had happened the previous month, and he supposed he couldn't blame her for her attitude towards SAMCRO. He found that her outlook was actually quite refreshing and made a change from the women who normally hung around the club. Apart from Gemma and Tara; most of them were hangers-on and he only thought of them as sexual objects.

This woman was definitely something different; stimulating and a challenge. As well as beautiful and totally sexy. Not a time to be turned on, Tig Trager...

It stays quiet between them for the next ten minutes, until in the distance the pitch-black of the road ahead starts to show a glow of lights. Tig realises the Interstate is just a few miles ahead of them. It is only a few minutes before they come up to a bridge that crosses over the busy Highway. Jade slows up after crossing the bridge, whilst Tig tries to get his bearings.

"Turn right up here..." he advises, as he suddenly recognises an old and battered sign. She turns the van and the headlights show an isolated and abandoned building with a small car park in front. Jade pulls the van up the front where there is a locked garage door.

"I'll get the door" volunteers Tig, as he opens the passenger door and gets out of the van. He walks up to the large garage door that is now lit by the headlights, and notices it is only locked by a padlock. He pulls out the knife he had borrowed from Jade, and it takes several minutes as he tries to pick the lock.

He pauses as he hears a voice from the open window in the van. "You need a hand, Mr Trager? You want me to do that?" asks Jade.

Tig picks up the sardonic tone in her voice, and swears under his breath. "Don't push it, sweetheart..."

Luckily it is only a few more seconds before the he finally pops the padlock, and he pulls it off the handle on the door. He begins to pull up the door so the van can drive in, but finds the movement hurts his ribs. Jade drives the van in slowly, and pulls up before turning the engine off. She leaves the headlights on for illumination, as she gets out of the van. Tig closes the garage door behind them. He ignores the pain from his bruised ribs as he steps forward and takes a look around the garage.

Tig remembers that when they had run the company out of town, that the owner had left in a real hurry. The place had obviously been stripped of anything valuable, but the benches and the engine block were still in place. Plus a couple of stools. There were chains hanging from the ceiling from where there had once been a mechanical block to lift up any engines. On the wall there was still paperwork hanging on a hook, as well as a medical kit.

Jade joins him at the rear to the van. Tig takes a step forward and opens the back door, where the Serbian is still asleep. "We're gonna have to tie him up first..." he exclaims. For the first time that night he starts to feel exhausted. He takes a moment to sit down on the edge of the vehicle.

"I'll do that" volunteers Jade. She notices that the duct tape that had previously tied up Tig was still in the back of the van and leans forward to pick it up. She then pulls herself into the van. Tig finds himself leaning up against the side of the van as he takes a moment to rest. He watches as Jade turns the Serbian over onto his back, and efficiently starts to bind up his feet and hands.

The quiet between them is interrupted as the Cell in Tig's pocket suddenly vibrates. He quickly takes it out and answers as he recognises the number. "Kozik?" he pauses as he listens to his colleague for several minutes. "That was quick. You got everything?" He listens to Kozik's answer. "Good, head out towards the Interstate; there's an old garage just over the bridge on your right-hand side. You know where it is?" he pauses. "I'll see you in fifteen minutes..." he closes the cell phone cover as Jade gets herself out of van. He returns her cell phone, which she puts in her own top pocket.

She turns around and grabs hold of the Serbian's feet, as if ready to pull him out of the van. Tig finds himself putting his hand on her arm as if to stop her. He is surprised that she seems to recoil at his touch, and pulls away from him. "I'll get Kozik to hook the Serbian up to the chains when he gets here" explains Tig, not sure why she seems to be so nervous that he had touched her. "Leave him for now..."

She nods in acknowledgement and Tig finds he is even more puzzled as she seems to keep her gaze away from his. It was as if she was embarrassed by her reaction to him. She seems not to know what to do for a few seconds, but then finally turns around and silently heads back towards to front of the van. Tig takes a breather as he hears her open the front door, and then close it again. She returns with a med-kit in her hand, which she had pulled out from her rucksack.

"That for me?" he asks, breaking the uncomfortable silence between them.

"You still in pain? If you've hurt your ribs, then you should really be in hospital..." she advises as she heads towards a nearby workbench and puts down the med-kit.

"It's getting better, and I can't afford the time right now. There's too much to do. I'll survive..." states Tig, baffled that she seems concerned for him.

He can hear her sigh to herself as she heads towards the wall where the old garage med-kit is hanging. "It's hurting every time you stretch, isn't it? That's not a good sign. You could have some internal damage..." she responds. She pulls off the med kit from the wall and returns to place it next to the other one.

"Don't tell me you're concerned for me, darlin'?" he asks. He was surprised that she had noticed he was in pain. In fact she was right; it did hurt every time he over-exerted himself.

Jade pulls out one of the stools from under the bench. "I'd rather not have a corpse on my hands" she finally responds. "If you'd sit here, Mr Trager, I'll take a look at you..."

Tig moves to gingerly sits himself on the stool, and watches as she opens out both med-kits. "So don't tell me you're a Doctor, too?" he asks in curiosity.

"Advanced first-aid training" she states, as she starts to take out bandages from both med-kits "You'll need to take your jacket and shirt off..."

"Thought you'd never ask, Jade..." he exclaims. He begins to pull off his cut and unbutton his shirt.

She lifts her gaze to confront his. Although her face showed she was irate at him again, he could swear there was a slight smile on her lips. He got the distinct impression that she was uncertain as how to treat him. "Behave, Mr Trager..." she finally states.

As he pulls off his shirt so his naked from the waist up, he responds to her by offering another grin. "Why won't you call me Tig?" he asks.

"Sit up straight and put your arms loosely by your side..." she instructs, ignoring his question. She takes a step forward so she is standing right in front of him.

Tig finds himself sitting up straighter, but couldn't help grimacing at the movement. He puts his arms by his side, and watches as Jade puts her hands on his chest. Jade runs her hands over his rib-cage, and Tig notices her hands are gentle but professional. It is silent between them apart from Tig's hoarse breathing. He couldn't help himself; her touch was driving him crazy. It took an effort to hold himself still, but he somehow managed it.

"Breath in slowly, then out again..." she instructs, as her hands remain on the middle of his rib-cage. He slows his breathing as she moves around behind him, and starts to feel the rib-cage on his back. He can feel her fingers probe into his back, and winces. "Tell me when it hurts" she requests as her hands go down his back.

"There" he responds a rough note in his voice as she touches a sore point "Ouch, there too..." he exclaims as a stabbing pain hits him. He can feel her fingers stop at the apex of his back.

"You've got at least two busted ribs, Mr Trager..." she states as she pulls her hands away and moves back to stand in front of him again. "You're lucky none of your ribs is pressing against a major organ or you lungs..."

"What do you suggest, Nurse Jade?" Tig finds himself asking.

"You really need to go to hospital right now. They would be able to take better care of you..." she suggests again.

"Not gonna happen..." exclaims Tig.

"You just crazy or just plain stubborn?" she asks in exasperation.

"Both" he states. "Look, once this is all over I promise to get proper medical care. Couldn't you just bind me up in the meantime?" he asks.

"Guess I don't have a choice..." she agrees as she takes off her cap and puts it on the bench. She then starts to unroll some of the bandages on the bench.

It goes quiet between them as she starts to bind his ribcage; starting from his waist upwards. However, as she puts her arms around him to feed the bandage around his back, it brings her body closer to his. Despite the fact that his ribs are giving him a tough time and his bruised body is aching all over, he unconsciously finds himself becoming aroused. Tig squirms where he is sitting on the stool to try and cover up his embarrassment. He knew Jade wasn't the type of woman he could take advantage of without getting his face slapped. Actually, he realised he wouldn't put it past her to knock him straight onto his (sore) back.

As she pins the second bandage to the first and continues to wrap it around him, she appears to be oblivious to his reaction. She has just put a third bandage on and leans forward to pass it around his back and for a moment her hair brushes his chest. Her face is close to his and he stares down into her exotic and pretty green eyes. She stares back at him for a long moment and he begins to lean forward as if to kiss her. He pauses as he feels her body go tense.

"One little kiss?" he asks.

She responds by pulling hard on the bandage so that it tightens around his middle, before abruptly pulling away from him. "Shit!" exclaims Tig, as his ribs shout out in protest. "You did that deliberately!"

"Let's get something straight between us, Mr Trager..." she exclaims as she takes a step back and distaste showing on her face. "I am not going to kiss you. I am not going to sleep with you. And I am definitely and absolutely never going to marry you..."

Tig can't help showing the disappointment on his face, as he remembers what he had said to her the month before. He realises he had pushed her too far, and she was angry with him. "Sorry. I'll behave from now on, Mrs Hunter. Could you finish binding me up without trying to hurt me anymore?" he pleads.

She gives him a hard look as if in warning, before going back to winding the bandages around him. Tig winces a couple of time as he realises that she was not being particularly gentle with him any longer; and she was also trying her best to keep the distant between them. She finally pulls the bandages tightly and Tig finds that although he can breathe his ribs were bound up so his movement was limited; but the pain had begun to lessen.

It goes quiet between them again, as Jade turns back to put the left-over bandages away.

"Friends" Tig suddenly states. She turns back to him with a puzzled look on her face. "You didn't say we couldn't be friends, Jade..." he advises as he offers her an apologetic look.

"You ever give it a rest?" she asks. The exasperated look had now turned to indifference; as if she was tired of him taunting her. "You can put your shirt back on..." she adds.

"Couldn't give me a hand, sweetheart?" he asks as he picks up the shirt he had put on the bench. He realises it was bloody and dirty from the punishment he had taken earlier that night; and grimaces that he had to put the filthy shirt back on.

"Not your kind of hand, Mr Trager..." she responds sharply. She walks away with the med-kit as if to put it back in her rucksack in the van. "...and I am not your sweetheart..."

Tig is surprised that she finally starts showing a sense of humour. He slowly puts the shirt back on and begins to button it up. "If you're gonna insist on me calling you Jade; then you should start calling me Tig..." he adds.

He pauses in buttoning up his shirt as he hears her muttering to herself. She has her back to him and is checking on the Serbian. "Not gonna call you by a bloody pet's name..."

"Short for Tigger" explains Tig, and then he suddenly realises why she won't call him by his nickname. "You had a pet called Tig?"

She turns back around, as she realises she had said too much. It is Tig's turn to raise his eyebrow at her. They both pause as they can hear the sound of a vehicle approaching from outside the garage. Jade moves cautiously to the only window at the front of the garage, and wipes away some of the dirt. She watches as a pick-up truck from the Teller-Morrow garage approaches the abandoned car-par and pulls up at the front. There is the sound of a horn beeping.

"Gotta be Kozik" confirms Tig, as he finishes buttoning up his shirt and puts his jacket back on. "Never could be bloody quiet about anything..."

Jade silently moves to the garage door and pulls it up; as Tig gets off the stool and walks forward. A grinning Kozik waves at him before pulling the pick-up up behind the van. He turns off the engine and the headlights and then gets out of the cab. In the meantime, Jade takes a quick look around outside as if checking he wasn't being followed, before closing the garage door.

Kozik still has a grin on his face as he moves around the vehicle to stand before Tig. "Hey, man. Can't leave you alone for five minutes and you get into trouble..."

Tig smiles in return, for once glad to see the man who had once been his best friend. "And trust you to miss all the fun, Kozik..." he responds. He was actually glad to see him for once, and they hug. Tig can't help but grimace as Kozik also innocently slaps him on the back.

Kozik turns around at the sound of a footstep behind him. He is shocked when he realises that the woman that was with Tig is the same women who had tied him up like a hog for a barbeque three weeks ago. He hadn't seen her clearly when she had opened the garage doors, due to the glare of the headlights. "Shit! What the fuck she doing here?" he asks, turning back to Tig.

Jade has a wary look on her face, as if she is not sure how to respond. She had been expecting Kozik to be unhappy as soon as Tig had made plans for them to meet up. She decides to leave the two of them to catch up, and quickly heads towards the front of the van.

Tig's smile turns to annoyance at Kozik's response to recognising Jade. "Shut it, Kozik..." he asks.

"But she..." Kozik begins to argue.

They can both hear the front door of the van being opened and then slammed shut, as Jade gets back into the vehicle. It was almost as if she was trying to stay out of their way.

"She's with me, and that's all you need to know..." exclaims Tig. It was too long a story to explain to Kozik. Nor did he want to admit that Jade had probably saved his life earlier that night.

"I'm not fucking happy she's here..." argues Kozik.

"Shit, man! Why do you always have to be so bloody awkward? You have to trust me on this" Tig states, as he steps forward so his face is only inches away from Kozik's. He glares at Kozik, who glowers back at him.

"Trust you? That goes both ways. I don't trust you or her. Tiggy..." Kozik angrily states. He decides he wasn't going to back down on this one.

Tig's eyes are slitted at Kozik's taunt. He knew that their history meant that he had not shown any trust or real friendship towards Kozik, despite the events before he went to prison. Tig had made it pointedly obvious that he would never agree to Kozik being patched in. It also dawns on him that now was not the time for them to settle their differences. "Right now, I don't give a fuck what you think. You want to settle things up between us, fine. But only once we get Clay and the others back..."

Kozik remains silent for a moment, but Tig knew him well enough to see that Kozik was thinking through what he had said. Tig continues to glare at him, and finally Kozik takes a step back. "You and me. Once this is over..." agrees Kozik as he looks back towards the van. "But I still don't trust her..."

"You don't have to trust her. Just accept she's here to help..." confirms Tig, as he moves his stare away from Kozik to break the tension between them. "...and also bear in mind she saved Ellie and all of the wives and kids tonight..."

"What!" exclaims Kozik. Tig grins as he sees the shocked expression on his fellow Son's face.

"Long story; and we don't have the time..." begins Tig, but he is startled as they both hear Jade from where she is leaning against the side of the van. Neither of them had heard her open the van door and move to observe them.

"Sorry to disturb your little chat, gentlemen. But the Serbian's beginning to come round..." she exclaims.

In The 'Can' Again...

It didn't look good for the SAMCRO brothers. After being shackled to the vans, they had been driven for about an hour in the dark. Nobody had a clue where they were going, as the windows had been covered.

Eventually all three vans had pulled up, and the doors had been opened. The vans had pulled into a large under-cover area that could have been a warehouse. However, there were large pipes around the main open area; so the place could have been anywhere. One group at a time had been taken out of the van, with the guards watching them as they were escorted through large doors and down a serious of steps until they reached another open and empty area. In the middle of the area was a large cage with bars, which looked like it had been purpose-built for their imprisonment.

Their shackles had been removed before they were all put into the cage. The lighting for the open-area had been left on, and the guards had closed the doors. There was a solid lock on the cage, and Jax had also heard the outside doors being locked after their guards had left.

The only item in the cage was a bucket for a toilet, and nowhere to sit. The room was dank and dark, and the floor was clean but also damp. Jax had tried to see if he could open the lock, but it was too complex. It was difficult to reach it through the bars, and eventually he had taken a rest whilst Happy had attempted to unlock it using the pin buckle from his belt. However, so far he hadn't had much luck.

Clay had been disappointed that his cigars had been taken off him. They'd all been searched again upon arrival and anything useful had been removed. Piney and Bobby had eventually sat down on the floor, despite it being damp. The younger ones, including Jax, had remained standing.

It was Happy who broke the quiet that had crept upon them eventually. "I'd sure like to know who's behind all this..." he states.

Clay was surprised that Happy had made any comment. He was usually the last to say anything.

"Must have been big money to hire all these Mercs..." adds Opie.

"Who we pissed off with that sort of dough?" asks Juice.

"You kidding?" advises Jax in annoyance. "I could probably write a list as long as your arm..."

"Drugs money, maybe?" suggest Piney. It was the only comment he had made all night.

"Why waste that kinda money on us?" adds Bobby. "Would've been easier and cheaper to just take us out..."

"I think someone's making it real personnel" states Chibbs. "Why else use the lassies and kids against us?"

"God, I hope they let them go..." Juice says. He notices the look on Clay's face, and realised it was a thought that he should not have been spoken out loud.

Clay beings to pace up and down the length of the cage like a trapped animal; as the thought of Gemma and the others being hurt starts to finally get to him. He was not used to feeling so frustrated and useless. "I'm gonna fucking kill all of those bastards..." he mumbles to himself.

Jax leans against the cell bars and sighs. He was just as aggravated as Clay, and even his patience was wearing thin. He felt as trapped now as he had when he had been in prison. At least when he was in Stockton, he knew eventually he would be freed. This time he was not so sure he was going to get out of this one. "Knew the club would get me killed one of these days..."

Coercion

The Serbian finally wakes up as cold water hits his face and body. He finds himself hooked up to chains in a building that looked like a garage. Kozik had tied him up so that the man was off his feet and hanging from the ceiling. His shirt had been ripped from him and his mouth had been taped up.

Under Tig's instructions, Kozik had found an old bucket and a tap that worked in the bathroom and had thrown water over the Eastern European man so that he was soaked to the skin. Tig had in the meantime changed his shirt, and had set up the batteries and cable so that they were ready. He had just finished and picks up the insulating gloves.

Kozik had already guessed what Tig had in store for the poor bastard hanging from the chains. He kept looking at the woman as if expecting her to object, but her face had remained carefully neutral as she had watched Tig and Kozik work together. She now sat on one of the garage stools.

"You want me to do this?" offers Kozik.

"Nah, I owe the bastard for beating the shit out of me..." responds Tig. He pauses as he suddenly thinks of something, and turns towards Jade. "I'd like you to go wait outside while we do this, Mrs Hunter" he asks. Kozik looks surprised to hear the way his colleague had politely asked her.

She looks from Tig to Kozik with the same neutral look on her face, but shakes her head.

Tig sighs as he realises that Jade was going to be stubborn. "This is not going to be pretty..." he tries to explain.

Jade looks up at the Serbian who is hanging from the ceiling. She notices that the man is carefully watching everything going on, but so far doesn't show any fear. She looks back to Tig. "Don't let my presence stand in your way, Mr Trager..." she advises.

Tig looks at her in surprise, and he and Kozik exchange a glance. Tig starts to pull on the gloves as he steps forward to where the jump-leads are hooked up to the heavy-duty batteries.

"I'd like my knife back, though..." she suddenly states. Tig offers a bewildered look for a moment and then realised he still had the knife he had borrowed from her in his own knife-sheaf. He pulls the knife out, flips it over and hands it to her hilt-first. She takes it and puts it down onto the garage bench.

"You sure?" Tig asks.

She knew he was not talking about handing the knife over. "I'm fine right here..."

Tig shakes his head before putting on the gloves. Kozik looks on with a mystified look on his face; he got the distinct impression that this woman was trying to prove something to Tig. Or maybe Tig was trying to prove something to her.

"Kozik, the gag?" asks Tig. Kozik reaches up and pulls off the duct-tape.

Tig looks up at the Serbian with the end of the cable in his hands. "All we want to know is where the men are. You going to co-operate?"

The Serbian looks down at Tig before spitting at him, which barely misses him. "Tvo J Majka Je Jdean Kurva" he states in Serbian. Tig knew it wasn't polite from the tone of voice.

"He's saying your mother was a whore" Jade translates.

It is Kozik who turns towards Jade first. "You speak Serbian?" he asks in surprise. He misses his colleagues smile. Tig knew that the woman he liked was multi-talented; and he shouldn't be surprised she could speak or understand another language.

Jade looks at Kozik with a steadfast look on her face, and it takes him by surprise. "Not enough to speak it well; enough to understand the gist..." she confirms.

"And you are a fucking whore-bitch, and I will enjoy humping you until you bleed to death!" exclaims the Serbian in English, as he glares at the woman who had sucker-punched him earlier that night.

He suddenly screams and writhes in agony as Tig abruptly thrusts the end of the jumper leads against the man's bare body. There is the flash of the light from the current, and the smell of burning. The Serbian manages to jerk his body away for a moment and Tig takes a step back as the Serbians' body rocks from side to side. There is a red burn mark left on the man's body.

"Be nice..." exclaims Tig with an angry and tough note to his voice. He doesn't turn around as his voice changes to a beseeching tone. "I'm asking, Jade. Please go for a walk or something..."

Kozik suddenly realises he was talking to the woman as if he was concerned for her. How the hell had Tig found out her first name? He happens to look at Jade as she responds, and notices the harsh look on her face. She had not been intimidated or upset at the Serbian's threat.

"No" she responds with determination in her voice.

"Shit!" exclaims Tig under his breath.

It goes quiet for a moment, and Tig reaches forward to electrocute the Serbian. The man screams in pain again, and his body rocks even more violently. "Kozik, keep him still!" asks Tig. Kozik picks up a cloth that was sitting on top of one of the benches, and steps forward to help Tig. He holds onto the Serbian to keep his body still, using the cloth as insulation.

"You ready to talk yet?" asks Kozik of the Serbian.

All three of them are surprised as the man takes a deep breath, and then laughs unexpectedly. "My grandmother could teach you better ways to torture! You are children..."

Tig nods towards Kozik who quickly lets the Serbian go, then hits him again with the jump-leads. This time the Serbian manages to bite down his scream, although his body still jerks away.

It goes on like that for another five minutes, before Tig calls a halt as his ribs start to hurt again and he had broken out into a sweat. The Serbian had sworn and screamed a few times, but had not said anything else in between bouts of the torture.

"Tough son-of-a-bitch" states Kozik, as he also takes a breather.

Jade suddenly picks up the knife from the bench, and with this in her hand she gets off the stool and steps up towards where the Serbian is hanging from the chains. She looks up at him with a dangerous look on her face; as Tig looks on in puzzlement. The knife was held loosely in her hand, but there was something in the way she held it that was threatening.

"You would have hurt and killed Ellie..." she states.

"Fuck you!" responds the Serbian.

Jade takes a step forward as she ignores the comment, and Kozik holds onto the Serbian's legs so that he can't kick out at her. "I really don't like men who like to harm children" she adds. "In some cultures, they deal with paedophiles with extreme measures."

Tig and Kozik exchange a perplexed look.

"But I think the Yakuza have the right idea..." she continues. Her voice is cold and calm, and Kozik suddenly has a chill down his back at the tone. "They make a severe example of men who like to sexually abuse children, not matter what their former status. Family is very important to them."

She pauses, and it goes quiet for a few seconds. The Serbian looks down at the woman with a look of expectation. Kozik can feel him flinch as Jade slowly brings up the knife and presses it against the man's trousers and runs it calmly down the length of his inside leg. The knife was sharp enough to cut through to his flesh, but she only left a fine indent down the material of his trousers.

"First, they emasculate them" she advises. Her knife is used to pull off the Serbian's left shoe and it drops to the floor.

"Jesus!" Kozik can't help exclaiming. He looks at Tig, and notices the grin that is on his face.

"They cut off everything" she adds "So the man can't ever get aroused and he has to squat to pee..."

"You do not scare me, bitch!" exclaims the Serbian. But both Tig and Kozik pick up on the doubt in his voice.

Jade calmly pulls off the other shoe with her knife as she continues. "The Yakuza do not think that this is enough to make an example. An eye is taken in respect of the children he has hurt. They then take off both hands from the wrist. To make sure that he can never touch a kid again..."

"Shit!" Tig finds himself exclaiming as his grin disappears.

"And then the bastard's executed, right?" Kozik finds himself asking.

She looks at Kozik with steel in her eyes. He finds himself looking away.

"No. The man is left alive. He is cared for so that he lives a long live; he is carefully watched so he cannot commit suicide. Usually the ones who have to care of him are doing so as punishment for a lesser crime. The man is tattooed on his face so that all who see him know what he is. The Yakuza believe that death is too easy a punishment. He is used as a living example to others..." she explains.

It goes uncomfortably quiet, as Jade takes a step back and looks up at the Serbian. The Mercenary finds he can't look into those chilling green eyes, and looks towards Tig as he nervously licks his lips.

"Jesus, Jade..." begins Tig. He pauses when he realised he didn't know what else to say.

"Mr Kozik, would you mind removing his trousers and underwear?" she suddenly asks.

Kozik turns pale and looks nauseous. Tig notices and even he felt butterflies in his stomach; he didn't even want to think about the way his groin had tightened as Jade had coldly and calmly told her story. "I'll do it..." volunteers Tig, but he could not hide the apprehensive tone to his voice.

Kozik releases the Serbians' legs, and takes a step back. "Jesus, I think I'm gonna be sick..." he whispers.

Jade turns towards him with the same hard look on her face; that is reflected in her eyes. "I understand, Mr Kozik. I suggest you go for a walk..." she confirms. She then turns back to Tig. "Once you've stripped him, I think it best you also get some air, Mr Trager. You're looking a little pale..."

Tig tries not to show his surprise as he notices the wink she gives him. Only he had seen it, as she had been turned away from both the Serbian and Kozik. He really wasn't certain if this whole thing was some kind of performance or not. He suddenly wasn't so sure about this woman. He thought he was in love with her; but if she wasn't putting on an act then even this was beyond him. The situation was even making him feel a little queasy.

"You're fucking crazier than Tig!" Kozik suddenly states. He turns around before Jade can give him another hard look, and walks away. He disappears into the bathroom that was located at the rear of the garage building; slamming the door behind him.

Tig notices the Serbian's face begins to look panicky.

"If you'd be so kind, Mr Trager?" asks Jade.

Tig takes off the insulating gloves on his hands and drops them on the nearby bench. He silently walks around the Serbian so he is behind him, and yanks down the man's trousers and boxer shorts and leaves the man buck-naked from his socks upwards. Tig takes a step back from the man, as the Serbian begins to violently struggle.

"I'll stay" Tig volunteers.

"No, Mr Trager. This would be best if there are no witnesses. Please leave..." she looks up at the Serbian. "As for you, if you struggle you will most probably bleed to death before I finish. I suggest you stay very still..."

She brings up the knife, and Tig finds himself turning around as if not wanting to watch. He heads towards the closed garage door at the front, and begins to pull up the door.

"No!" exclaims the Serbian from behind him with sudden terror in his voice. "Do not leave me alone with this fucking crazy woman!"

"Sorry, pal" apologises Tig as he pulls open the door. "All you had to do was give us the location of where my friends are..."

"Bogorodica!" shouts the Serbian in desperation. "I will tell!"

Tig warily turns around, not sure what to expect. However, Jade is just standing there with the raised knife in her hand as she stands before the naked Serbian. "Spill it" exclaims Tig as he walks back to stand next to Jade.

The man looks down with a frightened look on his face. "I want your promise that you will not let this woman touch me..."

"Done" agrees Tig. The Serbian looks nervously between her and Tig.

"You will not kill me?" he pleads

Tig turns his head to look at Jade. She gives him a rigid look. "You tell us everything you know, and then you have my word as a member of SAMCRO. We will not hurt or kill you..." states Tig, as he tries to ignore the look in Jade's eyes.

"No amount of money is worth this!" exclaims the Serbian. "The man hired twelve of us..."

"Who?" asks Tig as he turns back to their prisoner.

"I do not know! I never met him and he did not give his name. It was all arranged through phone calls. The black man was paid to act as our leader..." responds the Mercenary.

"Where are they?" Tig asks the most important question.

"We had to help set up the two places ready for everyone. I was told to stay at the house with the women and children..." exclaims the Serbian. "... The other place was a ... Voda Biljka?"

"A what!" asks Tig in annoyance.

"I do not know the words in English..." The Serbian's voice is panic-stricken.

"Water? Flower?" translates Jade.

"Yes! Where water is ... taken? There was a sign. C-L-W-C?" he states.

"Charming and Lodi Water Corporation" advises Jade to Tig. She calmly puts the knife in her hand back into the sheaf at her side.

"The exact location, you stupid prick!" Tig shouts at the Serbian.

"Outside of a place called Lodi! It has been ... left?" The man replies, as if his terror had resulted in him having difficulties with his English.

"Abandoned Water Plant?" suggests Jade.

"Yes, it is empty! Like a warehouse!" confirms the man.

Tig grins as he turns towards Jade. "I know the place; we've used it a couple of times before. There is an old abandoned water plant just this side of Lodi". He turns back to the Serbian. "You'd better not be pulling a fast one on us, pal. Or I'll get the young lady here; to come back for you..."

"It is the place where the men were to be taken!" states the Serbian.

Tig smiles as he realises that it was the first time that night that he was starting to get somewhere. He turns to Jade, whose cold face has now changed to a neutral look. "You mind getting the keys from the van? We'll take the pick-up..."

She nods as she heads towards the van. She quickly climbs in and turns off the lights. There is enough light from the open garage door for her to see; as the moon had come out from behind the clouds. She grabs her rucksack and the van keys and then gets out to patiently wait by the side of the pick-up.

Tig in the meantime walks up to the bathroom door and pounds on the door. "Kozik, we've got the location! Get your arse out of there!"

The door is abruptly opened and Kozik glares at Tig. His hair and face were wet, and Tig realises that he had used the water in the bathroom to wash his face and calm himself down. It also dawns on him that Kozik was irate with himself for walking away from the situation with the Serbian.

"What did she do?" he asks apprehensively.

Tig grins at him. "Nothing. The Serbian prick told us everything. The guys are being held at an old abandoned water plant just outside of Lodi..."

Kozik nervously looks at the Serbian hanging from the ceiling. All he notices is that the guy was now stark naked but intact, and he could not see any blood on the floor. "Fuck it, Tiggy. You don't half pick 'em..." he swears quietly, as he finds he can't meet Tig's stare.

Tig knew he wasn't talking about the Serbian or the situation they were in. His grin gets wider as he turns around and heads back towards the van and pick-up. Kozik quickly follows, as he heads towards the pick-up and lets himself into the driver's seat at the front.

Tig stops by the passenger door, as Jade is leaning up against the side of the pickup, with her cap back on her head. She had already put her rucksack in the back, amongst several boxes of guns and ammo that Kozik had collected from the clubhouse. Tig opens the door, and nods towards Jade as if she should get in first.

"I'm not having her sit next to me!" exclaims Kozik from the driver's seat.

Tig notices the look on Jade's face; and it suddenly dawns on him that she wasn't exactly happy about having to sit between the two men at the front of the pick-up. He sighs as he starts to pull himself up into the pick-up first.

"Wait! You promised to let me go!" exclaims an angry Serbian from behind them.

Tig turns around as he still holds onto the pick-up's door for support. "I said we – that's me, Jade or Kozik wouldn't hurt or kill you. That doesn't mean we release you..."

"You cannot leave me here like this!" shouts the Serbian as he struggles again in his bonds.

"Doesn't mean I won't send one of the guys from the club back for you. Ellie's father will probably want to have a word with you. I'll send him round in a day or so..." advises Tig. He starts to pull himself up into the pick-up, but pauses as he hears the Serbian swearing in his own language. The movement of pulling himself up had caused Tig's ribs to protest and pain hits him for a moment. He finds he doesn't have the energy to pull himself the last foot up into the pick-up

He feels a couple of warm hands placed on his backside, and Jade boosts him up into the pick-up.

"Thanks, doll" he says as he turns himself around and sits in the middle of the front and the only seat in the vehicle. Jade quickly gets herself up into the vehicle, and it is a bit of a crush with the three of them on the front seat. She closes the pick-up passenger door, before squeezing herself right up to the door as if trying to keep her distance from Tig.

Kozik turns over the pick-up's engine, and starts to reverse the vehicle out of the garage. "It'll take about thirty minutes to get there this time of night" he states. "You want the Nevada Charter in on this?"

"Nah, I think the three of us can take on the eight-remaining men at the Water Plant. We'll have surprise on our side..." advises Tig.

Kozik stops the vehicle as it pulls outside of the garage. He leaves the engine running as he quickly gets out to close the garage door. It is quiet between Tig and Jade for a few seconds as they wait for Kozik.

"You wouldn't have really done that, would you?" Tig suddenly finds himself asking. "To the Serbian?"

Jade is staring out of the window, so Tig is unable to see her face. "You were the one to start torturing him..."

"Yeah, but that was different..." he starts to argue.

"Because I threatened to cut his balls off?" she asks with a sharp retort to her voice.

Before he can respond, Kozik gets back into the vehicle. Tig realises that it was best not to continue this particular conversation.

It is quiet between them for the next ten minutes, as Kozik starts to head towards Lodi. Tig finds he can't get comfortable with the tight bandages around his middle, and finds himself squirming on the seat. He notices that every time his body shifts towards where Jade is sitting that she seems to flinch away from him. He couldn't see the look on her face, despite the back-glare from the headlights, as she was still staring out of the window.

"Stop the vehicle!" Jade suddenly asks, as she puts her hand to her mouth.

Kozik ignores her, not sure why she wanted to stop.

"Fucking pull up!" exclaims Jade.

"Kozik!" adds Tig in surprise that she had sworn.

Kozik immediately pulls up to the edge of the road. Before either he or Tig can say anything, Jade has opened the passenger door and has jumped out.

Tig gingerly pulls himself towards the passenger door, feeling baffled as to the reason why Jade had wanted to suddenly stop. He pauses as he hears the sound of retching from the side of the road. He peers out to see that she was bent over and being sick on the verge of the road. Tig turns towards Kozik, and they swap an astonished look. It suddenly dawns on both men that she was suffering a delayed reaction from the act she had put on earlier to get the Serbian to talk.

"Stay put. I'll deal with it" advises Kozik. He gets out of the vehicle, as Tig pulls himself forward so he is sitting on the edge of the seat and watches Jade in concern.

Kozik walks to the rear of the pick-up, where he pulls out a bottle of water from the supplies he had put in the back. Jade wipes her mouth as she straightens up, and takes a wary step back from Kozik. He offers her the bottle of water. She gives him a hard look, but Kozik offers a genuine smile to her in response.

"So you're human, after all?" he asks. "Maybe Tig wasn't that wrong about you..." He pulls off the top to the water bottle and offers the bottle back to her again.

The hard look changes to surprise and gratitude, as she gingerly takes the water bottle from him. He turns around and heads back to the driver's side of the pick-up; as if he knew she needed a couple of minutes to herself. Tig watches as Jade takes a mouthful of water, and then spits it out. She then takes a few more mouthfuls and seems to be taking long breaths of fresh air.

Tig hears rather than sees Kozik get back into the driver's side of the vehicle. "Not such a tough bitch after all, is she? That was some performance back there; she had both of us fooled. You know, I think I'm beginning to like her..." states Kozik with a grin on his face.

"Hands off. She's mine..." advises Tig, without even turning around.

"Not so sure about that. I got the impression she doesn't like you too much..." exclaims Kozik. It wasn't the first time they had argued or fought over a woman.

Tig then turns around and gives Kozik a hard look. "That's the woman I'm eventually going to marry, Kozik. We're just getting to know each other first, that's all..."

Separation

Clay is still pacing up and down when the door to their locked area is abruptly opened. The others all get up to stand at the bars to watch as three of the Mercenaries walk in; guns at the ready for any trouble. The leading man is the black South-African, who has the key to the lock in his hands.

"All of you stand away from the door" he orders.

None of the men move, and the South African starts to look annoyed.

"We're getting tired of being ordered around..." exclaims Jax as he leans up against the bars at the front of the cage. "Until we know our wives and kids are safe, then don't expect us to co-operate."

The South African suddenly lifts the gun in his hand and shoots several rounds in front of the cage. Juice and Bobby take a nervous step back, but Jax and Clay stubbornly stay where they are.

"You wanna really put your families' lives at risk, Teller?" he asks. Jax just glares at him. Opie moves up to stand immediately behind him, as if in silent support.

The South African seems to think for a moment, and then a large grin crosses his face. He abruptly fires again and accurately shoots Jax in the arm.

"Shit" exclaims Juice.

Jax finds himself putting his left hand to where he had been shot in the right arm, as blood begins to trickle through his fingers. Clay gives him a concerned look.

"Flesh wound" exclaims Jax as he looks down and checks on the wound.

Happy barges through the others from where he had stood at the back, as he pulls off his bandana. He twirls it around as he silently wraps it around Jax's arm to stop the bleeding.

"I have instructions not to kill you yet" advises the black man. "That doesn't mean I won't start shooting to wound. Starting with the kneecaps of the old men first..."

Jax and Clay swap a look, as if in silent agreement. "What the fuck do you want?" Clay grudgingly asks.

"You and Teller out of the cage. We have a visitor to see you..."

The South African steps forward with the other two men by his side. Clay offers Bobby a silent glance as if he was telling him that Bobby was now in charge. Bobby pulls the others away from the door as he and Jax step forward. Opie is hesitant in stepping back, and stubbornly stays by the bars. One of the mercenaries notices and warily keeps his gun aimed directly at him.

But it wasn't as if they had any choice but to co-operate for the moment...

Old Adversary

Tig had remembered that there was a back-road that led around the back of the Water Plant, and had directed Kozik to follow it. As Kozik pulls up to the side of the road behind an old abandoned bus shelter, they can see that the Plant is definitely occupied as there is lighting and movement in the distance. Several vans and one car are parked at the front of the Water Plant.

Kozik turns off the engine and lights, and they all get out of the pick-up. Jade grabs her rucksack first, and then Tig and Kozik go through the boxes at the back. It is silent between them as the men arm themselves. Kozik pulls out a modified hunting rifle, which he puts across his back using a sling. Jade takes something out of the rucksack before putting it on her back. She then turns to look over the area between the back-road and the Plant, which is downhill. The area is riddled with bushes and rocks and it is not well-lit despite the moonlight.

She points out an area just ahead of them. "I think I can see a path down there..."

"Gonna be tough in the dark..." exclaims Kozik, as he stands beside Tig.

"Should be dawn in about an hour..." adds Tig. "We need to get down there before it gets too light..."

Kozik takes a careful look and doesn't look happy that they will have to make their way down in almost total darkness. Jade brings up the item in her hand, which appear to be a bulky pair of binoculars. "NVB" she states, in response to Kozik's puzzled look.

"What's that?" asks Kozik.

"Night Vision Binoculars" exclaims Tig, before Jade can respond. She looks at him with a look of surprise on her face. "You're not the only one with a military background, honey..." he adds.

She looks genuinely astonished, and he grins at her. He had never really talked to anyone at the club about his time in the military; but maybe this was an opportunity for him to swap some history with her. There was also the thought that they might finally have something in common...

"Army?" she asks.

"Now you're guessing, Jade..." he exclaims. "Shall I lead the way?" he asks. She hands over the binoculars without any further comment, and he is surprised to see a strange look cross her face. As if she wasn't expecting him to share some of his past with her.

Tig ignores her as he quickly looks through the binoculars and adjusts the vision. He notices there does seem to be a steep but passable path leading down towards the fenced-off area to the rear of the plant. He starts to lead the way, with Kozik following and Jade bringing up the rear.

It is quiet between them for the next minutes, as Tig occasionally pauses to look through the binoculars to look ahead and plot their route. As they get closer he leads them to a large rock overhang that looks over the Plant. He leads them to one side, and then pauses and starts to bend down although his ribs are hurting. Both Kozik and Jade also bend down, so they are not seen by the lookouts on the roof of the main building.

Tig lies himself face-down on the ground, and pulls himself forward until he is leaning over the rock overhang. He uses the Night Vision Binoculars to take a good look at Plant. He hears a rustling sound behind him, and Jade crawls up to lie beside him. He notices in her hand she has her cell, which she is pointing at the Plant's direction. Kozik decides to stay behind them and out of the way.

Tig notices that Jade is look intensely at the Cell. "Not the time to make a call, sweetheart..." he advises.

He was expecting her to give him an annoyed look, but instead she gingerly smiles at him. He is taken by surprise, and it is a moment before he realises she is showing him the front of her cell. He takes a look and is amazed to see that the camera on her cell is showing a picture of the area in front of the Plant in the green of Night Vision. It was poor quality compared to his recent view through the Binoculars, but clearly showed the lit-up building and the men on the roof.

"Didn't know Cell's could do that..." he exclaims.

"Friend of mine lent it to me; it's a proto-type" she confirms. She takes another picture and clicks a button. She then takes a look before showing the picture to Tig. This time the picture shows the area in a clearer and colourful Thermal Image. There are plainly three men standing on the roof. There are also fainter warm thermal area's that look like several men on the ground floor inside the building.

"Neat. Gotta get one of those for Juice for Christmas..." he smiles at her.

"What!" exclaims Kozik as he crawls up the other side of Jade. He had been annoyed that he was being left out of something, and had decided it was worth moving forward to find out what was going on. Jade turns to silently show him the pictures as Tig goes back to checking the men on the roof.

"Shouldn't the guys show up on that if they're down there? In a – what do you call it – a group of heat-signatures?" asks Kozik.

"If they're underground; then the Thermal imaging might not pick them up..." explains Jade. She uses the camera to take more pictures, but there is no change in the number of men showing.

"They're held in a basement area, then" suggests Tig. "Same as at the house..."

"It would make sense. Harder to escape from..." muses Jade.

"Hang on..." exclaims Tig as he watches the lookouts on the roof. "Looks like one of them's moving off the roof." He continues to watch as one of the men moves down a ladder along the side of the building.

"This could be our chance to get down there" suggests Jade. "But we'll still need to take the lookouts out together before we can get closer to the building."

"I'll take care of that" advises Kozik. He pulls off the Hunting Rifle that he had on a sling across his back.

"You've always been a lousy shot, Kozik..." disagrees Tig.

"I can take them both down if you lend me your Binoculars to spot them first..." confirms Kozik.

Tig looks across to Kozik in annoyance, ignoring Jade who is lying in between them. "I'll take the shot; you'll flunk it..."

"Don't you trust me, Tiggy?" Kozik begins to argue.

"We can't afford to miss, or we'll lose our surprise..." responds Tig. "Once the lookouts are taken out, we'll need to move quickly..."

"I've been practicing at weekends when you were all in prison, Tig" Kozik's voice is annoyed. "Didn't have much else to do..."

"And you think I'm gonna take your word for it that you're a better shot?" asks Tig.

"Now wait a fucking..." begins Kozik.

"You two gentlemen want to go find a room?" interrupts Jade with a sarcastic tone. "I could drop you off somewhere and come back and deal with this on my own. It sure would be a hell of a lot quicker and quieter..."

They both look towards where she is lying in between them. Kozik finds himself smiling, whilst Tig actually looks annoyed for once. She ignores them both as she peers down at the Plant below them. "They've got company down there..." she advises.

Kozik and Tig both turn back to look at the Water Plant. Even without the Binoculars, they can see that the gated fence at the front is being opened by the man who had come down from the roof. A large and expensive sedan is driving up the road, and the gate is opened and then closed as it pulls up to the front of the building.

Tig looks through the binoculars again. It is quiet for a few moments, as he watches the back passenger door being opened and a man gets out. Tig zooms in the binoculars to take a closer look to see who it is.

Both Kozik and Jade are surprised as Tig swears. "Fucking prick. Should've known he was behind all of this..." Before Kozik can say anything in response, Tig abruptly passes the binoculars to Kozik. "Tell me I'm wrong about who that is..." he asks. There is a cold and angry look on his face.

Kozik hurriedly puts the binoculars to his eyes as Jade looks on in bewilderment. Kozik has to take a second look before he realises who Tig was talking about. He watches as the man who had come down from the roof leads the other silver-haired man into the building. "Ethan Zobelle" confirms Kozik, as he hands the binoculars back to Tig.

Jade looks between the two men on either side of her, and notices the look of abhorrence on their faces. It goes quiet between them as both men think through the implications. "Who's Ethan Zobelle?" she asks them both.

Tig glares at her and she is taken aback to see the rage on his face, but it is Kozik who responds. "White Hate. He's got strong connections with the Aryan brotherhood. He was trying to get drugs into Charming, so we ran him out of town a year or so back..."

"Bastard got Chibb's almost blown up and Gemma was raped by his men. He's also responsible for some of us ending up in prison last year" adds Tig.

"Maybe here in revenge for his daughter?" asks Kozik to Tig. He notices the puzzled look on Jade's face. "Gemma shot her in self-defence..."

"I don't give a shit!" Tig adds. The rage was still barely held back but still showed in his voice. "If it wasn't for Jax's kid being taken we would've finished our business with him. He's made the biggest fucking mistake of his life coming back here..."

"It would explain where the money for this set-up comes from" muses Kozik.

It goes silent between them, as Tig looks through the binoculars to check on the lookouts.

"What's the plan?" asks Jade.

Tig continues to look through the binoculars, as if he didn't want to confront her directly. "You stay right here. This isn't your fight any more..."

"But I can ..." begins Jade.

"He's right, Mrs Hunter" adds Kozik. "This is going to get real bloody. It's no longer a rescue mission, this is something we need to finish here and now. This is club business..."

"Fuck club business" she states, and both men turn to look at her in response to the tough tone to her voice. She'd just about had enough of both men's attitude towards her. "I made a promise to get Ellie's father home safely. If it gets bloody, then that's just tough shit on the Mercs down there for taking money from some low-life."

Kozik and Tig exchange a dumbfounded look. Tig finds his anger fading away, and a wan smile crosses his face. "I think I'm getting to like you more and more, Jade Hunter. But please could you tone down the language..."

"Fuck you" she sharply retorts, and Tig gets the impression that she had just been pushed too far.

"I'm up for that, but it's not the time right now. Maybe later..." responds Tig. He instantly regrets saying that to her. She glares at him, and he offers an apologetic grin in return. Kozik snorts in laughter as if he was finding the situation funny. Jade abruptly sighs as she looks back towards the plant and tries to calm her anger.

"Okay, fun-times over" advises Kozik. "I suggest I go find a spot nearer to the Plant, to take out the lookouts? Give me five minutes to get in place and set-up with the rifle. Then start down towards the building and I'll catch you up once I've taken both men out. That plan okay with you?"

"I guess it's the best plan in the circumstances" advises Tig reluctantly. "There's still a man sitting in the car, but I should be able to get to him quietly. They won't be expecting any sort of attack..."

"Fine with me..." agrees Jade.

"I told you..." Tig begins to argue, as he turns to her.

"Let her help, Tig" interrupts Kozik. "We could use the extra pair of hands..."

Tig glares at him, but nods in reluctance. Kozik silently gets himself up onto his knees as he slings the rifle across his back. He gets onto his feet, but still keeps himself low to the ground as he heads towards the plant. Tig hands him the binoculars as Kozik passes him.

It goes quiet between Tig and Jade as they watch Kozik make his way down the hillside. Tig rolls over onto his back once Kozik is out of sight, as he decides to take a rest. He looks at his watch to note the time and then looks up at the sky; which was now clearing as the clouds were moving away. Jade takes several more photographs on her camera, to gauge where the Mercenaries are located around the building.

"Sorry, Jade" Tig suddenly apologises. "Didn't mean to take my anger out on you. My mouth tends to work before my brain sometimes..."

She is silent for a moment, before responding. "I seem to be picking up some real bad habits from you, Mr Trager. I shouldn't have sworn at you like that..."

Tig laughs. "Then I'm sorry for trying to get a reaction out of you all night. I guess it worked, but remind me never to get you real pissed at me..."

He turns his head so he is looking at her and she offers him a weak smile. "Apology accepted" she responds.

"I also owe you for everything you've done tonight. I guess I haven't had a chance to thank you for saving my life..." he pauses as he notices the embarrassed look across her face. He kind of liked the way her cheeks blushed red.

"You're welcome" she advises softly, as she looks back down towards the plant as if trying to hide her reaction.

"We still gonna be friends?" he asks hopefully.

She looks back at him, and Tig isn't sure what to make of the sad look she gives him. "I really don't think..." she begins to say

"At least think about it?" he asks, offering her another smile.

She looks at him and he notices that her green eyes are luminous under the moonlight. She looks intensely into his eyes, and he feels a pulls towards her. He has the intense feeling that she was attracted towards him in return; but she wasn't showing any of her normal self-assurance. It was almost as if she was struggling with her reaction to him. But then she abruptly looks away again and he finds he is disappointed. It goes quiet between them again.

"So what unit were you in, Mr Trager?" she asks, as if changing the conversation to a safer subject.

"I'll make you a deal, Jade. You tell me why you won't call me Tig and I'll tell you where I did my military service..." Tig responds.

She turns back towards him and Tig is surprised to see the smile across her face. It dawns on him that she rarely smiled. But he also liked the way the smile changed the light in her eyes and gave her a softer look. "I had a cat called Tig. I was really young when I watched her run over by a truck. I cried for weeks..." she explains.

"I always thought Tig was more of a dog's name..." responds Tig, as he looks at his watch. He realises it is time to get moving, and begins to get himself to his feet.

"Actually, the cat's name was Tiger. Only I was only three when I got her; and couldn't say Tiger. I called her just Tig or Tig-Tig..." she responds, as she quickly gets up to stand beside him.

"Jesus, don't tell that one to Kozik!" laughs Tig. "He'll be calling me Tig-Tig forever..."

"Where on earth did you get a name like that?" she asks, as she turns around and starts to lead the way down the trail. Tig picks up that her eyesight was pretty sharp despite the dim moonlight.

"Real long story. I might tell you over a beer sometime..." he responds as he follows her.

"I don't drink" she adds.

"Over dinner, then?" he asks.

"Not going on a date with you, Mr Trager..." she replies.

"Friends, remember? Friends go out for dinner together without it being a date..." he responds.

"So what unit were you in?" she asks. She misses the smile on Tigs face as it suddenly dawns on him that she always changed the subject when she got too uncomfortable with the conversation.

"Marines. Second Battalion, Seventh Core..." he advises.

"The War Dogs?" she automatically states.

"And how would you know that? You in the core, too? I know they take on women now..." he asks in curiosity.

"My grandfather and father were both in the Marines..." she responds.

"Military brat?" he confirms.

"Not exactly..." she responds.

"What does 'not exactly' mean?" he queries; thinking he had finally discovered where here military background came from.

"Enough of the questions, Mr Trager. I suggest we keep the noise down" she responds, having lowered her own voice. Tig comprehends what she means, as he realises they had almost reached the fence area.

She bends down so as she cautiously makes her way towards an area of bushes that provides some cover. Tig quietly follows her, but he has to have the last word. "If you're not gonna call me Tig..." he whispers "...Then you can call me Alex."

She doesn't respond, and Tig grins at her back. She had no idea that it was a huge compromise that he had offered to be called by his Christian name. The only other person he had ever let get away with calling him Alex was his grandmother. She had been gone now for almost twenty-five years, but she was the only one in his family he had ever been fond of. He had the oddest feeling that his grandma would have liked Jade.

They were both independent, beautiful and fun to be around. As well as being tough, honest and direct. The difference was that his grandma had been old and way past her best. Jade, however, was the hottest and sexiest woman he had ever met. The woman he was determined that one day he would make his very own.

He just hadn't quite figured out how to achieve that yet. But becoming friends was a good start...

Zobelle

Jax and Clay had been taken to a room that looked like it had once been some sort of office. It was now empty, apart from three sturdy-looking chairs; two of which the prisoners had been securely tied to. The South African had disappeared, but two of the mercenaries had stayed behind to guard their prisoners. They had remained silent as they had positioned themselves by the door with semi-automatics in their hands.

It is quiet for a while, and then the door suddenly opens. The South African man opens the door, and turns around as if to lead the way for someone behind him. It is with shock and surprise that both Clay and Jax recognise the man who walks in next.

Ethan Zobelle had changed in the year and a half since Clay had run him out of town and had almost executed him for raping Gemma. His hair was now completely silver and his face had more lines. He walked with a cane as he had a limp. He silently hobbles up to where Clay and Jax exchange a silent look, whilst one of the gunmen closes the door behind him.

"Good morning, gentlemen. It has been a long time..." advises Zobelle.

"Not bloody long enough..." states Clay. "I am fucking going to kill you, Zobelle..."

"Language, Mr Morrow" admonishers Zobelle as he glances at the two men and the South African who were standing to one side. It was if he was making a point that he was in total control. He turns back to Clay with a wan smile. "You are hardly in any position to threaten me..."

Jax struggles in his chair with sudden anger, and one of the men points his gun towards him as if to keep him covered. "You're a dead man, prick!" he exclaims.

Zobelle laughs as if he was finding the situation funny. "Sticks and stones, Mr Teller. You should know by now that I make my plans very carefully..." He nods towards the South African, who pulls the spare chair forward for him. Zobelle takes a seat a few feet away from the two SAMCRO men, as he leans against the cane in front of him. "I have looked forward to this day for the past eighteen months..."

"Fuck you!" exclaims Clay.

"I am not the one who is going to be in that position before the end of today, Mr Morrow" advises Zobelle. "I have something to say to both of you before you are executed. I want you to understand the reason I am doing this..."

Clay and Jax exchange another glance, as they both realise that neither of them had any choice but to listen to their captor. "I'm guessing the Feds don't know you're doing this?" interrupts Jax, as he remembers that Zobelle had turned out to be a snitch for the government.

Zobelle has an annoyed look across his face for a moment. "I'm afraid my agreement with the Agency had to be curtailed due to your interference, Mr Teller. I would have come back sooner if I had not had to change my plans. Still, we adjust and adapt as best we can..."

"Good" interrupts Jax. "Because I am going to take my time when I kill you and the Feds won't worry too much when your body turns up at the side of some road somewhere..."

Zobelle offers him a smile. "I have spent a great deal of my money on achieving my goal, Mr Teller. I forgive you for thinking there is any way out of this for you or your brothers at SAMCRO. I have planned this down to the very last detail and covered every contingency."

"So this is all about revenge?" asks Clay.

"If I wanted just revenge, Mr Morrow, then it would have been easier to just put out a contract on you all. I have been pondering this for a very long time. You took my daughter from me, as well as almost taking my life..." advises Zobelle.

Clay and Jax look at each other in puzzlement, and Zobelle notices.

"Of course I'm aware that it was your wife who killed Polly, Mr Morrow!" responds Zobelle. "If I had just wanted revenge for her death it would have been easy to have your wife killed. But then I realised that that would be too quick. I need her to suffer as I have done for the last year. That is why she and the other women and children were taken" he offers them a grim smile. "Oh, I really do plan to let them free and unharmed. But when this is over, they will all be bereft of their fathers, sons and husbands. A motorcycle club with only widows and grieving mothers; and no men. Fitting, I thought, for my beloved daughter's epitaph..."

"I bet you really miss her..." interrupts Clay. Zobelle looks at him as if he is unsure why Clay is offering him any sympathy. "Must have been a real daddy's girl. She'd do anything, wouldn't she, for you? Including letting you into her bed..."

Ethan Zobelle's face shows his anger for a moment, but then he suddenly realises that Clay is only trying to get to him. He looks up at the South African, and nods. The man quickly steps up and lashes Clay harshly across the face, knocking him and the chair he is tied to over onto the floor.

"My Polly was always a loving daughter, Mr Morrow. And not in the way you mean. I would appreciate it if you would not sully her good name" requests Zobelle.

The South African reaches forward as if to pick up Clay and put him upright, but Zobelle shakes his head at him. "Leave him. He will die like the dog he is, whether lying down or sitting up." He turns to look at Jax, who glares at him in return. "Your brothers will all be executed first. I am going to make you both watch, Mr Teller. You will have a brief time left to ponder your..."

Zobelle pauses as an almighty crash comes from outside. It sounded like a vehicle crashing through something, followed by the eerie sound of a revving engine.

"I'll go see what that is..." volunteers the South African, as he grabs one of the other men and opens the door. He nods towards the other man as if he was to stay with the Zobelle and the prisoners; and then hesitantly walks out.

Jax turns towards where Clay was laying with his face on the floor. Neither of them could hide the hope on their faces as they swap a glance. Something was going on, and with a bit of luck it meant that they would finally get out of the desperate situation they were in...

Crashing The Party

The South African and his colleague warily leave the office; their automatic guns in their hands ready to shoot at the first sign of danger. They instantly see the reason for the sound of the revving engine. The expensive sedan that had brought in Zobelle, had smashed through the front entrance and then crashed against a large water-pipe to one side of the open area. The car was a total write-off; but miraculously the engine had still carried on running. However, before either of them can move closer to investigate they both find themselves under rapid fire and dive for the nearest cover behind some oil drums.

Neither of them was to know that the three men who had been left outside on guard had all been taken care of. Kozik had successfully taken out the two men on the roof, although it had taken three shots instead of two. The man in the sedan had been smoking a cigarette in the passenger front seat, when Tig had abruptly opened the door and used the butt of his gun to knock out the Mercenary.

Surprisingly, it was Kozik who had come up with the idea of using the expensive car as a battering ram (he said he'd seen it in a movie). He had quickly found a foot-long piece of wood and had turned over the engine before pulling the car forward right in front of the doors. He had then used the wood to put on the gas pedal, and then hurriedly taken off the brake before jumping out.

They had quickly followed the sedan as it crashed through the front wall. Kozik ran right behind the vehicle, whilst Jade and Tig each took a side of the entrance. Kozik was the first to open fire against the two men who had appeared from an office towards the back of the open area, as he took cover behind the sedan.

Jade and Tig had quickly followed through the large hole they had created; both of them firing off shots. Jade had taken cover behind a stairwell that led upstairs to empty offices, whilst Tig had taken cover behind a series of pipes on the left-hand side.

"Give it up, guys!" shouts out Tig as he briefly looks over the pipes he was hiding behind. "We've already set the women and kids free and taken out the men at the house and outside. You're on your fucking own now!"

His comments are met by more automatic fire as Tig ducks his head back down. He suddenly hears the sound of a gun clicking on an empty cartridge. He cautiously looks out again, but then hears two series of shots. He quickly looks over the pipes to assess the situation. Jade is standing slightly away from the shelter, her handgun in her hand. It was obvious she had taken a shot at the men on the opposite side of the building. Tig notices that Kozik had also come out from his cover behind the sedan whilst shooting.

It goes eerily quiet. Kozik is standing beside the driver's side of the sedan, and quickly puts his hand through the open window to turn the key and kill the engine. Tig begins to stand up as he realises that the two men were no longer returning fire.

The sound of a voice from behind the oil drums causes Tig to abruptly raise his gun again. "Hold fire! I surrender!"

Tig begins to step towards the oil drums, but Jade runs up so that she is just ahead of him. Kozik isn't far behind. "Throw out your weapons!" shouts Tig; annoyed that Jade seems to be automatically taking the lead as all three of them head towards the drums. He was only slower because his ribs were still giving him some trouble.

An automatic is abruptly thrown out and slides across the floor. "All of your weapons, man!" exclaims Tig.

"The other guys dead!" responds the man. "His guns stuck under his body, I can't get to it..."

"You've got thirty seconds to chuck out the other gun or we start shooting!" shouts out Kozik.

"Shit, man! You hit me in the arm and I'm bleeding pretty badly. Give me a minute..." responds the man.

Tig takes a moment to think through his next move. He looks around; as it suddenly dawns on him that there were still three of the Mercenaries unaccounted for. "Kozik?" he whispers "Can you take care of this?"

"Sure" agrees Kozik, as he cautiously steps towards the oil drums. He realises there is some cover behind another set of pipes, and leans down so he is out of range.

"Jade, with me" he requests as he starts to head towards the back of the building where the men had originally appeared from. She silently follows him, her gun ready to offer cover. Tig briefly glances at her to check she wasn't annoyed with him for ordering her around. He is surprised for a moment that she has a serious but calm look on her face.

In the meantime, both Zobelle and the last Mercenary are waiting for the others to return. They had heard the exchange of fire, but then it had gone quiet. Zobelle beings to look worried as he glances towards the other man.

"Didn't plan for this, did you, Zobelle?" states Clay from his position on the floor.

"I would appreciate if you would be quiet, Mr Morrow" responds Zobelle.

"Hey you!" Jax shouts out to the only man in the room who was now armed. "You take care of this prick and untie us; then I promise we'll let you go free..."

"Shut it, Teller" responds the man. Both Clay and Jax pick up on the nervous tone of the man, and exchange another glance.

"Do you have a spare gun?" Zobelle suddenly asks the mercenary. The man looks again at the two men who were tied up, as if trying to make a decision. "I am paying you a lot of money for this. I'll add another thousand if you give me a weapon" prompts Zobelle.

The mercenary seems to make a decision, and pulls out the handgun from his holster. He steps forward as if to offer it to Zobelle. Ethan gets up from his chair as if to collect it. He doesn't notice that Clay suddenly shuffles himself along the floor towards them, despite his hands behind tied to the chair behind him.

There is less than a foot between Zobelle and the mercenary when the office door is abruptly smashed open. Tig stands in the doorway, and instantly assesses the situation. He fires at the mercenary before he even gets a chance to turn around. The two shots accurately hit the man in the back and he falls forward.

Zobelle is quick despite his lame leg. He drops his cane and reaches forward as if to catch the man's gun as it drops from his hand. Clay is faster. He is near enough behind Zobelle to kick at him, and Zobelle loses his footing and falls flat on his face onto the floor.

"Shit!" swears Tig as he steps forward, his gun ready for any further trouble. However, it is obvious the mercenary is already dead. Tig hurriedly steps forward and kicks the handgun away that had landed on the floor between the dead man and Zobelle. Zobelle turns himself over but decides to stay where he is when he sees the warning look from the club's Sergeant-at-arms.

It goes quiet for a moment, until they can all hear Kozik's faint voice from the main area. "Tig, I've got the wounded merc tied up! The other one's definitely dead. You okay in there?"

Tig shakes his head to himself. Kozik could be pretty dumb sometimes. There were still two other mercenaries unaccounted for, and they could be anywhere in the building. "Stay out there, Kozik!" he shouts over his shoulder. "Keep an eye out for the other mercs!"

"For once I am glad to see your ugly mug, Tig" states Jax with a huge grin on his face. "You mind..." he begins.

Jax pauses in shock as he suddenly notices the figure that has moved out from the cover of the door and is warily standing behind Tig, the handgun lowered in her hands but ready at the first sign of any further trouble. Tig turns around when he notices the surprised and gob-smacked look on Jax's face; as if he was not sure why Jax looked so surprised. He misses the look on Clay's face as well, who had turned his head to see what was going on. Clay's eyebrow begins to rise as he also notices the woman standing just behind Tig.

Tig turns back with a grin on his face. "Oh, yeah..." he starts to explain. He notices Clay's face starts to turn to irritation. "She's with me" he pauses as he glances at Clay directly, who is starting to look really pissed. It suddenly dawns on him that Clay had never really got over his anger at Jade from their previous meeting. "... I mean, she's with us. The club, I mean..."

Tig goes quiet as Clay glowers at him. Tig drops his gaze as if he gets the impression Clay was furious with him and the fact she was here. He feels his head bow as if he was a little boy caught doing something wrong.

Jax is the only one who is still looking at Jade whilst Clay and Tig are swapping looks. He notices the amused look cross her face as she watches the two older men in their silent communication. He finds himself smiling at her, and she raises her eyebrow at him. "Well, I appreciate your help, Mrs Hunter" Jax interrupts the uncomfortable silence. "As I was just asking Tig. You wouldn't mind untying me, would you?"

She gingerly returns his smile, before holstering her handgun and then pulling the knife from her side as she steps around Tig. She keeps her distance from Zobelle who has warily sat up but stays silent. She then walks up behind Jax's chair and quickly and efficiently cuts through his bonds.

"Get me the fuck out of this!" Clay suddenly barks as he looks back up at Tig.

Tig automatically reaches for his knife-sheaf, but realises that despite the fact he had several hand-guns on him that he had not re-armed himself with a knife. It suddenly dawns on him that Jade was the only one in the room who had something to cut through their bonds. He tries to avoid Clay's glowering look as he steps forward.

However, Jade passes the knife hilt-first without comment to Jax as she finally cuts through the bonds at his feet. Jax grins at her as he unsteadily gets to his feet and then moves towards Clay. He reaches down behind the chair on the floor and starts to cut through his bonds.

Jade abruptly turns around as if she has heard something. Jax pauses as he cuts through Clay's bonds and Tig also turns around to see what she is looking at. Zobelle had started to crawl towards the door whilst everyone's attention was away from him. He pauses when he notices the young woman suddenly turning towards him. Tig then steps forward and takes a kick at Zobelle's stomach. "Fucking stay where you are, Zobelle." He then turns back to Clay and Jax.

Jax quickly goes back to finishing cutting through Clay's bindings, and then helps him to his feet.

"You wanna tell me how you found us?" asks Clay of Tig, as he heads towards where the handgun from the mercenary was still on the floor. He bends down to pick it up.

"We managed to get one of the mercs to talk after..." begins Tig.

Before Tig can explain further Jax interrupts. "God, what about Tara and the kids..."

"Jesus, Gemma!" exclaims Clay as it suddenly hits him that he still didn't know if she was safe and sound.

"Everyone's okay..." confirms Tig "... Should be at the cop-shop by now..."

Jax and Clay swap a look of relief. Clay then turns towards Jade, who has silently moved to the side of the room as she watches the others. "This all down to you, Mrs Hunter?" he asks.

Jax and Tig exchange a surprised look that Clay's tone is polite and no longer showing his anger. Clay was still angry; but his anger was directed at the bastards who had captured them. He was still finding it hard to hide his astonishment that Mrs Hunter was here with Tig. Mind you, Tig was always pulling odd stunts like this...

"I was just helping out, Mr Morrow..." states Jade; cautiously watching Clay as if she was waiting for him to lose his temper with her again. Tig stays quiet, even though he wanted to argue that she had more than just 'helped'. He knew that Jade was the main reason he was still alive and therefore able to rescue Clay and Jax. It was just too long a story to go through right now.

She is surprised when Clay suddenly grins at her in gratitude. He turns towards Tig with the same grin and his Sergeant-at-Arms looks taken aback. "Like your taste in assistants, Tig..."

Out of The "Can"

Happy was still trying to open the lock on their cell, when they had all heard the faint sound of gunfire. There had then been the sound of shouted voices, but because the main door was locked they couldn't figure out what was being said or what was going on. It had then abruptly gone quiet, and Happy had gone back to furiously trying to pick the lock.

"Shit, what's going on out there!" Juice asks the obvious question.

Opie shrugs his shoulders, as he realises that there wasn't much they could do but wait and see. He was still concerned about his wife and kids and was finding it hard to put on a brave face right now.

"Got it!" Happy suddenly shouts out. He hurriedly pulls off the lock that he had managed to open; more down to luck than skill. He pushes the cell door open, as the others start to crowd behind him as he starts to walk out.

Happy pauses as he hears the sound of the lock on the main door being released. He rushes forward with Juice, Chibbs and then Opie a moment behind. Bobby and Piney are more wary as they follow; but they realise that even though none of them were armed it was the best chance they had of getting out of there.

The door begins to open and Happy puts a spurt into his pace despite the fact there was some distance between him and the opening door. He sees a hand first that is holding a weapon; and is ready to throw himself at the person entering the room. The automatic gun begins to be raised as if ready to shoot.

However, there are two simultaneous shots that ring out from behind where the mercenary was about to enter the room. The man falls forward in the doorway; he is dead before he hits the ground. One bullet hole had gone through the back of his head and the other had caught him in his back but straight through the heart.

Happy abruptly skids to a halt when he first recognises the woman who carefully moves around the open door and steps over the dead body. He finds his feet slipping and ends up on the floor on his backside; Juice is just behind him and ends up colliding with Happy's body and falling right on top of him. Chibbs is following the two of them and only just stops short; more to avoid running into Juice and Happy than in recognition of the second figure that walks in just behind Jade.

Opie had been more cautious than the three of them, and was still a short length behind. "Jax, man!" shouts out Opie as he instantly recognises his life-long friend.

Jax grins at his colleagues as he also steps over the corpse in the doorway to stand beside the young woman. Jade has her eyebrow raised as she takes in the scene before her; with Happy and Juice both still on the floor in an untidy pile. Happy is struggling to get Juice off him; as the young Puerto-Rico is stunned into immobility as he recognises the woman in the doorway. He is staring at her with his mouth agape.

"Fucking get off me, prick!" shouts Happy and punches Juice on the arm. Juice suddenly realises he is still on top of Happy in a compromising position and hurriedly gets to his feet. He is still gazing at Jade with a flabbergasted look on his face.

Happy quickly gets to his feet, as Bobby and the others step forward to gather round Jax. Jade cautiously takes a step back from the group as she watches Opie and Jax hug.

"Shit, laddie. We thought you and Clay were a gonna..." exclaims Chibbs as he looks on.

"Mrs Hunter?" Juice hesitantly asks as he steps forward towards Jade with an inane grin on his face. He finds himself abruptly pushed aside as Happy takes a step forward at the same time with his hand outstretched.

"We meet at last, Mrs Hunter" states Happy. "So very glad to make your acquaintance..."

Jax and Opie swap an amused grin; it was very unlike Happy to be so polite to a woman. Nor did he usually use words like 'acquaintance'. He tended to me a one-syllable kind-of-guy.

Jade suspiciously looks at his outstretched arm; which Happy drops when he realises she wasn't going to shake his hand. He ignores the disappointed "Hey!" behind him from Juice. Juice didn't like the fact that Happy had pushed him out of the way; but knew that it wasn't a good idea to get the wrong side of his fellow brother.

"You mind explaining what the fuck's been going on?" asks Piney. He was annoyed that everyone seemed to be distracted by the presence of the young woman that he had previously heard about. He had to admit she was pretty; but maybe he was just getting to old for a good-looking woman to affect him anymore...

"Tig and Kozik came to our rescue. Along with Mrs Hunter here..." begins Jax.

"It's just Jade" advises the woman. She was tired of everyone calling her 'Mrs Hunter'. She puts the gun in her hand into her holster as she realises that the last remaining mercenary wasn't already with the other prisoners; and everyone was safe for the moment.

Jax pauses for a moment to take in this new piece of information. Jade – a pretty name. "Everybody's safe, guys. They got the women and kids out..." he confirms to the others.

"Jesus, thank God!" interrupts Opie. He had been real worried about Lyla and his children.

"Mr Winston?" Jade suddenly interrupts. Opie turns towards her, as do the other members of SAMCRO. She looks a little uncomfortable they are all now looking at her and she is the centre of attention. "Ellie sent me to come find you..."

"She did? She okay?" he asks in surprise and concern.

She offers him a small smile. "She's fine. So are Kenny and your wife; they'll be safely with the authorities by now..."

"Tig said she saved Ellie's life..." adds Jax.

Opie was never one to stand on ceremony. He abruptly steps forward and Jade finds herself enclosed in a bear-hug. "Thank you for your help, Mrs Hunter" he whispers in her ear before letting her go. Opie notices that her body had stiffened as he had hugged her in gratitude; but she had not pushed him away. He notices the slight flush in her cheeks as she takes a step back from the group of men.

Happy and Juice swap a smile as the same thought crosses their minds and they both take a step forward; they were up for hugging her too. Bobby coughs in his throat; as if he was warning the younger men that they both needed to behave. "Okay, what now?" he asks as he gives them a hard look and they stop in their tracks.

"There any more of the mercs around?" asks Chibbs.

"Just the one now" confirms Jax. "Tig and Clay are taking a look outside to find him..."

Bobby looks around the area that had been their prison. "Let's just get the fuck out of here..."

Jax turns around as if to lead them out of the room. Happy quickly steps forward first, and roughly pulls the dead mercenary away from the entrance. Opie removes the dead man's semi-automatic whilst Happy relieves the corpse of his handgun.

Jax takes the lead, and the others follow. Jade is the last to leave, as she quietly closes the door behind them. The eyes of the dead man are still open and stare up at the ceiling. Like the rest of the men that Zobelle had hired, he had thought this was going to be easy money. His last reflection had been what a mistake that had been...

Fear

Jax leads his brothers to the main area of the compound. He is greeted by Kozik, who is standing by the damaged sedan. He had put the wounded mercenary in the back of the vehicle with the other unconscious mercenary. He was now watching Zobelle whilst Tig and Clay had gone to do a quick reconnaissance around the outside to find the last mercenary. Zobelle was leaning up against the side of the vehicle, with his cane in his hand.

Happy and the others are surprised as they recognise the man Kozik is minding. Zobelle meets the stares of the men who he had hoped to have executed; and for the first time fear starts to show in his eyes.

"Shit, should've known you were behind this!" exclaims Bobby.

"Fucking prick" mumbles Juice.

However, it is Opie who finally loses it when he realises that this was the man who had been responsible for putting his family – and the rest of the women and kids belonging to SAMCRO - in danger. Before anybody can stop him, he rushes forward and hits Zobelle across the face with a vicious right hook. As Zobelle collapses, Opie grabs him around the neck. Jax abruptly releases that Opie has every intention of strangling their common enemy, and hurries forward as if to stop him.

"Opie, back off!" shouts out Clay as he and Tig walk in from the hole at the front of the building.

It takes the combined effort of Juice, Chibbs and Jax to finally pull off Opie from Zobelle. Opie still has fury on his face, as he shakes off his brothers and has to take a few steps back as he tries to calm his anger.

Zobelle leans heavily onto his cane as he tries to keep himself upright, as he puts his left hand around his sore neck and takes lungfuls of air. "Thank you, Mr Morrow" he croaks.

"Quiet, shit-head!" responds Clay as he approaches the rest of the group. "One more word out of you and I'll give you back to Opie..." He looks around as if checking everybody was present and correct and that no-one had been killed or injured.

Happy steps forward and stands in front of Zobelle, as if he was taking charge of their prisoner. Zobelle finds himself standing up straight in stubborn pride, and looks up at Happy's face. He finds himself having to look away from the cold and deadly glint in the bald-headed man's eyes.

"I heard shots. You run into trouble?" asks Kozik to Jax, to break the silence that suddenly descends on the group of men and one woman.

"Took out another merc" advises Jax. He grins as he glances towards Jade, who was leaning up against the other end of the vehicle and keeping her distance. "Mrs ... Jade's a good shot. Straight through the back of the head; I only got him in the back..."

"That only leaves the one left" adds Tig as he winks at Jade. He'd been keeping count. She looks startled for a moment, but he then turns back to Jax. "Nobody outside as far as we could tell; all the vehicles are still here..."

"Probably legged it..." states Chibbs "...when he realised he was on his own..."

"You want me to go take another look round?" volunteers Happy with a sound of glee in his voice at the thought of finally getting some pay-back. He liked a good man-hunt.

"Nah, if I was him I'd be shitting myself and be halfway to Lodi by now" advises Clay. He steps towards the car to take a look at the wounded mercenary. The guy had finally passed out from loss of blood, so for the moment wasn't any kind of threat.

Clay turns towards Happy. "Happy, bring him..." Clay begins to walk out towards the open space before the sedan. The others silently follow.

SAMCRO Justice

Jade quietly watches at the scene that unfolds in front of her. She wasn't sure exactly what was going on but she got the distinct impression that this was something that the men from SAMCRO had done before. It was only later on that she came to understand that she was witnessing a ritual that very few outside of the club knew about.

She decides to stay silent and unobtrusive as she watches the men all move to the open area. They had formed a rough circle, and man who had introduced himself earlier had pulled Zobelle into the middle of the men before taking his place. Mr Kozik was the only one who did not join the group of men. He had sidled up to join Jade where she was leaning against the vehicle and had smiled at her before turning back to watch his colleagues. She wasn't sure why he was not joining the others.

Clay suddenly seems to notice where Kozik was standing. "You're in on this, Kozik" he advises.

"But I'm not patched in..." begins the man with blond hair.

"This affects you too..." responds Clay Morrow, before turning back to glare at Zobelle.

Jade watches as Kozik saunters over to the circle of men and takes his place between the young Puerto-Rican called Juice and the bald-headed man. She wasn't sure what 'patched in' actually meant, but she had noticed that the jacket that Kozik wore seemed different from the others.

The youngest member of SAMCRO kept steeling glances at her, she notices. She recalls meeting him at the grocer's in Charming and becoming really annoyed with him. He hadn't seemed to understand what 'leave me alone' had meant and she'd had to be pretty aggressive towards him to make him back-off.

To the other side of Kozik was the tallest club-member. Jade took a moment to try and remember the bald-headed man's name from the prison records she had read the previous month. Smiley? No, his nickname had been 'Happy' she recalled. Maybe something to do with the tattoos on his arm that appeared to be "smiley" faces?

Zobelle was nervously looking around at the group of men that surrounded him. It was silent amongst the men from SAMCRO, as if they were waiting for something. She had no sympathy for the man who had hired mercenaries to kidnap women and children. Nor for the mercenaries who she had killed already that evening.

She knew her first shot at the black man had been accurate and deadly. Clay Morrow had mentioned that he had appeared to have been the leader and was South African; he had admired the shot that had killed him. The other hired-gun who had been guarding the door had also been taken down quickly; her shot had been to the head but Jax Teller had also managed to shoot him through the back into his heart.

She had automatically checked the mercenaries' faces to see if she had recognised any of them. The South African she was pretty sure she hadn't met before; but his face had been vaguely familiar. She was certain she must have seen him on a 'wanted' notice at some point. Maybe on an INTERPOL list? But she had been out of the "job" for over a year now, so it was difficult to remember that far back...

Her thoughts are interrupted as Zobelle is surprisingly the first to speak.

"Just over seven hundred-thousand..." he states as he looks at the men surrounding him. Jade picks up on the fact that although the man was obviously terrified he was trying his best to hide his fear. "That is every cent I have. I'll give it to the man or men who get me out of here alive..."

Jade watches as Zobelle looks around as if he was trying to determine if any of the men would take him up on his offer. She is surprised that they all return his stare with various degrees of contempt and loathing. Not one of them seemed to be showing any indication that they were considering Zobelle's offer.

"You really think any of us would sell out for money?" asks the roundest man in the group in disgust. Jade seemed to recall this man's name was 'Bobby' something.

Maybe she had got these bikers wrong. She had thought these men were all just a bunch of motor-cycling thugs; out for the women, drugs and money. But there was obviously a strong bond and sense of brotherhood and family between them. She had the intense feeling that these men considered Zobelle's offer an insult to not only themselves but to the jackets they all wore.

"You would have killed our women and children..." adds Opie Winston in anger. Jade could see that he was still furious with Zobelle. She couldn't blame him; if she had a family like Ellie and Kenny she would have been in a murderous mood too.

"No!" exclaims Zobelle. "I planned to let them go. It was just the men I was after..." It was obvious to Jade that he had thought someone would take him up on his offer and he would escape; but now the man was beginning to lose hope.

"Yeah, and I'm the fucking tooth fairy..." adds "Tig" Trager. "None of the Mercs who took our women and kids tried to hide their faces. You're men had no intention of letting any of them go as live witnesses..."

Jade picks up on the look of surprise on Zobelle's face. It was probable that he had really intended not to harm the women and children. But she had already figured out that the men involved in this must have been from the 'bottom of the barrel' in the mercenary community. It was pretty likely that the men he had hired had figured on killing any witnesses (including Zobelle) after he had paid them. The Serbian who liked to hurt children wouldn't have been accepted into any group of genuine mercenaries; even men-for-hire had their professional standards.

She also knew that very few Soldiers-of-Fortune tended to work within US borders. It was too dangerous to work in a country that had so many government agencies; and one of the best law-enforcements in the world. There were easier pickings in other countries around the world. Not that this was information she planned to share with the men from SAMCRO. Zobelle had already dug his own grave as far as she was concerned...

"I didn't..." began Zobelle.

"I call the vote" interrupts Opie Winston. "He's already admitted he planned to kill all of us..."

Jade picks up on the cold tone to his voice. She was not sure what he meant by 'calling the vote'. She watches in puzzlement as Clay looks around at all of the men in silent communication.

"Anybody have anything else to say?" he asks.

"Vengeance is mine sayeth the lord. The prick was already dead as soon as he decided to come back to Charming" The man who said this appeared to be the oldest in the group. Jade couldn't remember his name, but seemed to recall that he was Opie Winston's father. Ellie's grandfather...

The old man slowly raises his hand. Jade watches in surprise as the rest of his brothers silently follow and they all raise their hands as if taking a vote. Jade finally realises what this meant. Was the Motorcycle Club really some sort of democracy? It was hard for her to admit to herself that she really had been wrong about these men...

At the back of her mind she had noticed that when Tig – Mr Trager – had put up his hand he had winced and his other hand had gone to his chest. A brief look of pain had crossed his face.

"Motion carried" states Clay as the men all put their hands back down.

"I would like to say something" asks Zobelle. Jade notices there is now a resigned look on his face.

Clay glares at him but nods. Jade watches as Zobelle slowly turns around to take a good look at the men surrounding him. If he was still looking for anybody to still take him up on his offer of money-for-freedom, then he was backing a dead horse. She frowns as she remembers that had been one of her husband's favourite sayings.

"I want all of you to know that this is not the way things should have turned out..." he pauses for a moment. Jade then notices that a light has begun to show through the open doorway; it must be approaching dawn already. The light seems to creep across the floor towards Zobelle as if it was his approaching death sentence. "I planned this carefully down to the last detail. Every contingency I could think of. All of you should be dead right now" he sighs to himself as he continues to turn around. "Except you had a wild card; someone I could not anticipate..."

Jade knows surprise shows on her face as Zobelle comes to a halt and is facing her directly. He stares at her and she returns his gaze with a hard look of her own. "... Your wild card, gentlemen. A pretty one at that..."

Jade can feel her body stiffen as she suddenly realises that all of the men from SAMCRO were staring at her. She knew her hand was already on the butt of the gun in her holster in response. It also dawns on her that Zobelle was a sneaky bastard. He knew that he was going to die; but she was the only witness to his 'day in court' and the fact that the club were going to execute him. Not that she minded they had pre-meditated murder in mind; it wasn't any of her concern and the man deserved what they dished out to him. But the stupid bastard had pointed out that she was a witness to a lot of things involving the club in the last twelve hours...

She notices from the corner of her eye that Tig looks furious. He takes a step forward; despite still clutching his chest as if in pain he speaks out loudly. "You're a dead man, you fucking prick!" he turns towards Clay. "Clay, she more than just helped. She saved my fucking arse..."

"Easy, Tig" Clay states calmly and then he briefly offers a surprising smile to Jade before turning his attention towards Zobelle. "SAMCRO looks after their friends, Zobelle..." he pauses and Jade notices the way he looks at Zobelle in thought. She is surprised to see the grin across Clay's face. "It was a good idea, Ethan. Trying to deflect our anger towards someone else..."

"I volunteer to top the bastard..." interrupts the man calling himself 'Happy' "... I don't like pricks that try and blame a pretty women on my watch..."

Jade picks up on the angry note in his voice. She looks around at the other men. Most of them seemed irate or just pissed. And it suddenly dawns on her that she wasn't the target of their fury. Their disgust and anger was directed at Zobelle for assuming that the club was run by mob-rule. That he thought they were mindless animals that would turn on her with the right incentive.

"I call a second vote" interrupts Jax Teller. Jade turns towards him. He offers her a smile as if in apology and re-assurance. Jade pulls her hand away from her gun as she realises she wasn't in any immediate danger.

"Jax?" asks Clay.

"That SAMCRO officially considers Jade Hunter a friend of the club. After tonight, I think she deserves it..." Jax grins at Jade again. She isn't sure what 'friend of the club' means but figures out it was somehow important to the club. She didn't particularly want anything to do with SAMCRO after tonight; but she was clever enough to keep her mouth shut.

"All in favour?" asks Clay, as he glares at Zobelle. It was as if he was making a point to the man that was shortly going to die and nothing was going to stop that from happening.

She looks around at the men as they all raise their hands again. Ellie's grandfather appeared to be hesitant at first, but follows the others. Her gaze falls on Tig who grins at her. He raises his hand and blows her a kiss before he puts his hand straight up in the air again.

She still wasn't sure what to make of Alex "Tig" Trager. It had surprised her that she had felt drawn towards this man; she just couldn't figure out why. After the death of her husband she hadn't felt anything towards another man. For a long time she'd just felt numb. She had tried her best to clamp down on any feelings she had towards Alex Trager; but hadn't had a chance to figure out why she had begun to like him. It had surprised her that he had so easily made her lose her temper on more than one occasion; normally a man like him wouldn't have got to her like that. He was pretty stubborn and persistent, though. She had to give him that. Mark had been just as bloody stubborn at times...

"Motion carried unanimously" states Clay.

Jade is still watching Tig when he begins to lower his hand. He abruptly pauses and a strange but pained look crosses his face as sweat begins to form on his forehead. His hand goes back to his chest and he looks down. "Shit!" he swears.

Jade finds herself stepping forward towards him. "Alex?" she finds herself asking anxiously.

Alex 'Tig' Trager looks back up at her and she finds herself rushing forward as she sees the bewildered look of pain across his face. He collapses towards the hard concrete floor...