CHAPTER 3

**********I do not own any of the characters; they belong to who they belong to. No copy right intended. This story is rated mature. It contains profanity, violence and adult situations.********

WALTERS POV

When they said it was a small town out of prying eyes way, they weren't kidding. We literally drove through town in three minutes. I wasn't exactly sure how we were going to make this work yet but, I will prevail no matter what I have to do. My family is depending on me. I have to make sure that everything is in place and handled for Skylar and my children before I die. It was the only thing that matters to me in this world.

"What do you think they do for entertainment around here? Watch the cows take a shit?"

"That could be Jessie."

"Where do we start Mr. White?"

"I think the first thing we do is set a meeting with the owner. Lets figure out a plan and a new place for the lab. I don't think we should stay around here. We will find a hotel somewhere nearby and stay there for the night."

As we were driving out-of-town we passed about five bikes riding in the opposite direction.

"That has to be them. Follow them and lets see where they go."

Jessie pulled the car across the street from where they parked their bikes. They had on matching leather vest that displayed the Sons of Anarchy name on it. They were going into one shop then another. They were making their way down the street.

"I wonder what they are doing?"

"Yo they're collecting."

"Collecting what?"

"Protection money is my guess."

"Protection from what? How do you know that?"

"You're really book smart Mr. White. But I'm street smart. They are making rounds to the store owners and as along as they giving them a percentage of their earnings. They allow them to conduct business in their town. Basically you pay for protection from them."

"What happens if they don't pay them?"

"Then they muscle the store owner until they do pay or the business closes the doors."

If that was really the case it wouldl be hard to run a tight operation in this town without having them around. They have just became a bigger problem than I had anticipated. We just watched and I think Jessie was right. They made their rounds to every store. When the group of them came out they were all smiling and laughing. I was one not to be bullied and they will get nowhere with me using those antics. They would find out that when I was pushed, I did some pushing back.

We followed them back to where I would assume they conduct their business at. It was a car service garage. Working on cars must be what they use for their cover. Surely if they are running guns they don't keep them here too. I would never keep my product near me. It's to big of a risk of getting caught.

"This may not be so bad after all. It really doesn't look like much of an operation. It's mostly just them riding around on their bikes and them bullying old people from what I can see."

"Yo. Our operation started in a piece of shit RV that would break down at every stop light."

"We need to get on the inside somehow and find out what they really do." Looking over at Jessie and smiling.

"I don't like how you are looking at me Mr. White. What?"

"You'll see. But for now let's go find a place to stay for the night."

We drove to the next town over. It wasn't as big as the city we live in but, much bigger than Charming. We found a Budget Inn and checked in under a fake name of Ben Davis. I had the ID in my wallet for the last few months. You never know when it will come in handy. Now that I have used it. I would destroy it and get a new one when we get back.

"I am starving. How about a big steak Jessie? It's my treat."

Driving down the street to a bar they served food as well. We ordered a couple of beers and Jessie hadn't been saying too much the whole trip. When he got distant from me I know he had a problem or he was ready to throw in the towel. I would say as close as we are to the end of this, he must have a problem.

"What are Andrea and Brock doing while we're gone?"

"I don't know. She moved out last week. She went and got her own place."

"Did you two have a fight or something?"

"Not really. I care about her a lot. You know how much I love Brock too. I think she was getting tired of me being so secretive all the time about where I was at and what I was doing. I thought about telling her but, decided I didn't want to pull them in the middle of my shit and have something happen to them."

That was the hardest call to make when you earn a living doing what we do. How much can you really tell the one you love about it without them passing judgement down on you? Will they feel differently about you or look at you different? I thought by Skylar knowing it would make things better between us and I wouldn't have to lie to her. But, I was wrong. It made things worse and she just worries more about everything now. I find I was lying more to her since she found out the truth than I was before she knew.

"I am sure that when we get home you and Andrea will work it out."

"Maybe. Wanna another beer?"

It was a dead issue as far as he was concerned. He didn't want to talk about it anymore so, I left it alone.

"Yes. Thank you."

Jessie was trying to drink his troubles away. He was doing more drinking than eating.

There was a girl sitting at the bar giving Jessie the eye. That girl was a hooker if I have ever seen one. She must have seen the wad of hundreds he pulled out at the bar when he bought us another round of beers.

It wasn't long until she was standing beside our table.

"Hey handsome. You are not from around here are you?"

"No. We're just passing through."

"I'm Ima. Are you and your friend looking to hook up?"

"No thanks."

Jessie was still grieving the loss of Andrea. It really surprised me and made me proud of him too he said no to her.

"What about you?"

"I am a married man. So no thank you."

"Honey it doesn't cost anymore if you're married or not. You're traveling and your wife will never find out about it. So what do say?" She really didn't want to hear what I had to say about that.

Before I gave her my response the other girl at the bar she was with came over.

"Ima we have to go. Nero called and they are having Lyla's wake at Sons clubhouse tonight." Jessie and I both caught she referred to the motorcycle club.

"Okay I need to change before we go."

"I don't think you're invited to it. Jax's wife won't like it if you show up there."

"Lyla was my best friend and I'm going. I don't care what Tara likes. She is just jealous of me because her husband wants me and would rather fuck me than go home to her."

Whispering it "Jessie get her number before they leave?" We followed them outside.

"Yo, maybe we can hook up after you're done."

Smiling and rubbing a business card over Jessie's chest as she stuck it in his shirt pocket. "I knew you would change your mind honey. It's five hundred dollars for two hours and your friend is extra." Since when did prostitutes have business cards printed up and hand them out freely? I have to be getting old.

She wrote on a Diosa Lodge, Escort Service business card; Ima Tighty with a phone number. It was a catchy name if nothing else.

Before the girls got into their car another car pulled up beside them.

"I told you whores you belong to me and what would happen if you ran from me again."

"I don't work for you anymore Tubee. I work for Nero and Jax now. Do you know what they will do to you if you touch me?"

He was a large man, their pimp no doubt. He back-handed Ima across the face.

"Bitch you don't ever talk to me like that."

"Hey. You should learn how to treat women." Jessie was screaming at the guy from the car and went to get out.

"Jessie stay out of it. We need to be keeping a low profile." I grabbed a hold of his arm to stop him from doing something that we both would regret later. But it wasn't doing any good.

"Mother fucker get back in your car. This don't have shit to do with you." He shoved the other girl to the ground and slammed Ima down on the hood and was slapping her around. Jessie seemed to be no threat to him.

When I saw Jessie reach behind him I knew what he was going for and it was about to get really ugly.

"It does now bitch. Let her up." Jessie had a gun pointed to the back of the guys head.

Both girls ran behind me and Jessie was backing away from him with his gun in his hand.

"It didn't have to go down like this. All you had to do was leave them alone."

"You punk little bitch. Rolling into my town and pulling a gun on me. You and Pops over there just signed your death warrants." So much for keeping a low profile and no one knowing we were in town.

Another car pulled into the parking lot and the guy started laughing.

"Those are my boys and now I am going to kill you."

So I did the only thing I could do. Sometimes it was kill or be killed and you don't have any options left. I pulled my gun too.

JACKSONS POV

Sitting at the table waiting for them to start coming in. My mind couldn't stop thinking about Op. He suffered so much when he was still alive and now his children were carrying on the burden. Being a member of the club was in our blood and it was not something you make a decision to do; it was something you were and always wouldl be. With or without your cut on. You're still an outlaw and live by the code.

Kenny showed no real emotion when we said Lyla had passed away. He hasn't shown anything since his mother was killed and just seems to be barely existing. Donna's death lands on the club too. We have made a mess out of those kids lives and I don't even know where to start to get the healing to begin.

After watching how great Tara was with Ellie when we told her, she was a damn good mother. Ellie went to bed crying and when I woke up this morning Tara was laying on the couch holding her. She stayed with Ellie all night and was just there for her cause she needed someone. Ellie hasn't left Tara's side since.

Ellie refused to stay with Gemma today so Tara took her to work with her. No matter what happens I know I can always depend on Tara to make sure the kids are cared for. I know she can't say the same about me and I'm trying to right that wrong.

Seeing just how great Tara really is over and over without faltering makes me want to do the right thing by her and my children. But it doesn't make it any less difficult of a decision or transition. Once an outlaw always an outlaw.

"Jackie are you ready to start?" I was so far off into my own world I hadn't even noticed that they were sitting around the table waiting on me.

"We already know we have to deal with it. The question is how do we do that?"

We went around the table throwing out ideas and what we would do back to them next.

"It was retaliation for us blowing up the meth place. It will only get worse if we keep this going on. I didn't like it then and I sure as the hell don't like it now. We need to wait and see who and what we're really up against. We can't take them on blind." I was getting some major attitude from him.

"That's what we do Bobby. When someone hurts us we retaliate. If we don't then we look weak. I don't give a shit if you like it or not. Either you're in or you're out. This half ass shit was what cause us more damage against the club. We vote it now. All in favor."

"Six to one. We do it after Lyla's wake tonight." I banged my gavel and church was over. It was now the outlaw way to handle it.

Bobby was the only no vote. I get we need to find out intel and make smart decisions. But if I stop now they will take over Charming and that shit wuld never happen as long as I was alive.

Telling Chibs to stay behind and shut the doord. "I need to know brother when the time comes you're with me. It's gonna get bloody and I'm not sure Bobby will be all in on that. You know what happens when the table starts going in different direction."

"Look at me kid. I have always had your back and I always will. If bloody is what it takes then bloody is what we'll get." Chibs always understood more than Bobby. I didn't wanna spill blood without a cause but, I wouldn't run from it either.

Tara was standing out in the bar with the kids when we came out.

"Hey babe."

"Don't you hey babe me."

"Ellie will you take Abel and Kenny into the kitchen? Make them a sandwich and I will be right there." Ellie took Abel's hand and Kenny followed along behind them.

"What's going on?"

"You haven't said a word to your mother about quitting the club have you?"

"It's complicated Tara. I wasn't gonna say anything until it's time."

"Complicated. Do you really want to talk about complicated with me Jackson Teller? My life has been nothing but that and total chaos. You promised me and you better deliver this time. We are leaving Charming one way or another."

I went to open my mouth but she cut me off before I could speak. "You heard me Jax." Then she walked off.

Chibs slapped me on the back. "When Momma ain't happy. Ain't nobody happy."

That was no shit. He was the only one I've told so far about leaving Charming and the club. If the rest of them knew what I was planning on doing, they wouldn't do anything I said to. They can't know until it was time to go to the table and vote it.

"Come on kid. It's time to go meet Romeo."

Romeo called this meeting. I would assume it was cause he heard about the blast and was concerned about getting his shipment. Not to mention the exposure it caused for the club. Just one more mess I gotta figure out how to get cleaned up.

Parking our bikes and took off our helmets. Before the rest even took a step.

"We just want to talk to you Jax and only you."

We walked away from the others so they couldn't hear our conversation.

"I've already got calls out. I'll make up your gun shipment if that's what your worried about. I just need a minute to get us regrouped so we can be up and running again."

"It's not about the shipment. We need the Sons to back off from the meth operation in Charming."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Sometimes things need to happen for the greater good. It has come down the pipe from the higher ups. We have spent years making this connection in the Cartel and we won't let anything stop it. It will be catastrophic if they were to find out we are a part of the CIA. It will be really bad for you and your club if that happens too."

"Pulling the CIA card. You guys pick whatever suit you wanna play in that day. Sometimes you're the bad guys that sell drugs and guns. Then the next day you're on the right side of the law and flash your badges around. I don't play that way. I'm always on the wrong side of the law and I don't give a shit what you want."

"The drugs we use in our operation comes from this manufacturer. This is bigger than your beliefs son. This is the way it's going to play out. You will back off from this or I will make sure the Sons of Anarchy stop existing. You and your club will never see the light of day again."

"I don't care. You can threaten to arrest me all you want to. I'm done with that shit. When the Cartel finds out that you're really CIA and if you threaten me again, they will find out. Once that happens, I figure you won't be breathing long enough to arrest me. There is no making or selling drugs inside Charming."

Louise, Romeo's second in command, smiled as the words came outta his mouth.

"There is now."

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