Chapter Seven

Don't know if Hap wants me to ride in to Charming with him or if I'm gunna be taking my own transportation I'm thinking I might take the 68 if I do have to drive break in the rebuilt engine as long as Hap isn't in a hurry and I don't have to haul ass, it be good to run her for the long drive at a steady pace. Plus if all goes right, leave her in charming so when I come back the next time I can bring the truck or the cougar Hap has no idea how complicated it's gunna be to move to Charming for me I had already decided that I was going to try and find a house out there but there no way I'm giving up the homestead I need the income from the shop and gas station and I have a house at the far end of the property that I rent out as well plus the farm land I can't think of selling the place even though in the last few month I'd been offered a decent amount for the whole lot, from some private investors who thought this location would be perfect for a private gated community of yuppies.

We're far out enough that they could market it as exclusive but still close enough for all the suites to take there ass to their desk jobs in Portland leaving wife and rugrats in the lap of luxury and walled up security till they brought all the big boy corporations to town for their shopping convenience. Even had a visit from the Mayor trying to appeal to my sense of civic pride in how this would be so good for the people of Alla that it would put our small town back on the map needless to say I told him to go fuck himself that making the town money was not of interest to me much less it's people. I hate this town but my family means a lot to me and all i have of them is here our history is all i have that and all the broken and forgotten pieces they left behind so I'll never sell this place even if I never step foot on it again knowing it's here gives me a sense of connection. Turning the key in the ignition she rumbles to life and there is an immediate sense of satisfaction in me as I stare out over the scooped out hood i imagine her done up in blue black metallic with silver metallic accents wonder if there a decent paint shop in charming. I drive her out of the barn and up to the front of the house and head back in to make some calls

"Hello 66 Motors, John speaking"

"John it's Avrra"

"Hello Miss Hastings did you need something?" his cordial tone is as fake as it can get.

"Ya the books for the last two weeks and send up one of the guys to grab the 68 and put the tires I ordered on and balance & align her"

"Might be a few days before we get her done were backed up with combines from Terrell farm" Like he has the right to tell me shit I own the fucking shop dick for brains.

"Keep someone late and get it done tonight I need her ready to go by tomorrow morning." I hear him grinding his teeth bet he'd love to tell me to go fuck myself But he can't Ha-ha.

"Have her drooped off here by eight am and when you pick her up I want the books delivered got it?" John has been avoiding me for weeks now on the books and I'm starting to get pissed and his attitude with me is always sure to put me in a foul ass mood.

"Yes ma'am! Miss Hastings "Oh, polite disrespect got to love it

"Thank you John the keys are in her whoever comes to get her better take it easy or I'll fucking fire their ass she ain't broken in yet you know what, send the flat bed" Click, I hang up not even waiting to hear his fucking shit all i know is the flat bed better get her in the next hour and it better not be him driving.I head in to the kitchen and tidy up so I can cook something for dinner just as I sit down to eat I hear the truck pulling up out front I continue eating waiting for whoever John sent to come up to the front door ballsy fucker doesn't even knock just walks in it's a new guy never seen him before

"Who the fuck are you?" I ask I'm kind of peeved all new hires are something John needs to run by me and this guy was never brought up to me and as I look at him i realise why the guy is covered in Nazi insignia.

"Gabe ma'am" he's being polite but that don't mean shit my skin starts to crawl.

"When did John hire you Gabe?"

"Been two weeks now"

"Where are the books?"

"Books ma'am?" He looks at me straight in the eye I know there something fishy going on but who the fuck is this asshole and what's he got to do with it?

"Guess John didn't give you the books to bring me huh ?"

"No mam why would you want to worry your pretty little head with that anyways ?"

"Gabe" I say as I stand and walk towards him "My, pretty little head needs to worry about it cause it's mine to worry about! ALL MINE and I'm not one for sharing"

"So do me a favour and tell John my books better be in the front seat first thing tomorrow or I'm firing his ass and everyone else too. I'll just shut the shop down no skin off my nose now get your ass out of my house load the car and get it done tonight"

As I stop just arms-length from him Gabe smiles and I see it he wants to hit me but he's holding his ass in check I think mostly cause in my hand is a steak knife his eyes drop to it and then back up to mine I smile sweet as peaches and cream there no fear on my face but inside I'm freaking the fuck out Gabe's a big ass bumble bee and if the fucker gets me up close i ain't got a hope in hell of fighting him off I might get a few shots in but he got 80-90 pounds on me not to talk about and foot and a half worth of reach I can kick ass but i need momentum to make that happen.

"I'll let him know ma'am" Gabe takes step back turns and heads for the front door i follow behind him as he reaches the door he turns and looks at me.

"You sure you can back up all that bark, ma'am? From what i hear you pretty much on your own around here " He ask the question with that snide undertone of someone who sure they the one in control

"Oh I'm sure I'll leave bare bone of whoever thinks they can try and put a leash on me and what's mine " Gabe stared at me shrugged his shoulders i knew then with cold certainty that I was in shit I could feel some one knocking on my grave my instinct are something I have always paid attention too and right now they were screaming at me to arm up or run.

"Guess we will see" He's laughing as he pulls my door closed and shivers run up my spine shit what the fuck is going on? I ran to my room and pulled out my dad's old shot gun and went to the night stand pulling out my snub nose 45 checking the chambers and reaching for my shells for the shot gun in the drawer as well I grab my coat and slide the snub in to the pocket along with some spare bullets I need to see what the hell is going on with the garage I grab my keys and head out the door grabbing my cell I turn off the ringer and start walking toward the route following the flat beds dust trail and lights well ahead of me but the dark road keeps me out of view I plan to do some scouting so i 'm walking down the road toward the garage

"Fucking pathetic I need to play peeping tom on my own fucking business just fucking great! Nazi' really did it have to be white Supremacist assholes really?" I tend to blather when I get tense I'll go all crazy and carry on a whole rant with myself till my brain finds acceptance or something it can deal with. John always been a dick he had wanted the garage thought when pops past he would get my dad to sell it to him cheap and in small payments but I told dad that he need to keep it the shop. On its own covers a lot of our taxes because were the only big transport repair shop in a hundred miles we get mac trucks to all sorts of farm equipment from all over the state and country plus we do regular tune ups and were the only shop in town for the locals. Lately John attitude had doubled when he found out that I wasn't interested in selling out to the big corporate guys or him I had ignored most of his shit but lately things had not been adding up so i figured he was skimming or doing some jobs on the side so he could pad his pocket and I let it slide from sheer laziness I figured I'd let him dig a hole big enough to bury himself in so I could truly get the fucker under my thumb but looks like he went and got himself some partners.

"Dammit I knew I saw more bald heads around town" I want a smoke but i left them back at the house as i get up to the end of my road on my right is first the old motel and I notice slivers of light from the boarded up windows a hum of a generator.

"What the fuck?" I sneak around to the back of were i hear the voices press myself up to the window hoping i can hear more than just the muffled voices I heard so far.

"She fucking bitch alright." I think it's Gabe.

"Told you she's not gunna just let us take it over the girls never been easy to get along with and she don't care about nobody around here except may be Ralph i figured when her dad died she pack up sell out and fuck off for sure " I hear John' whiney toned voice.

"You sure she got no one besides the old man who'll fuss if she goes missing?" Gabe asks.

"Yeah why?" John tone is a little leery.

"Well if we can't break the bitch and force her to sign over we can always just make her have an accident" My stomach drops at the creeps cheerful laugh at the end of that sentience my hand instinctively reaches in my coat pocket for the reassuring weight of the snub

"Till we get control over her no need raise any alarms and her not turning up to work might make that fat fucker Ralph call the cops even if we got them on the payroll can't make so there has to be a report"

"So what do you want me to do about the books? She sees what we been spending on the garage expense account she gunna come looking"

"Fucking grow a set will you she's just a bitch" My thumbs cocking the snub that's how pissed this asshole is making me but i keep quiet and just keep listening.

"Tell her you need new lifts or some new pieces and hold her off for a few more days before we go visit her and tell her how it's gunna go what's she gunna do about it? She ain't got no one to step up for her and Tom will make sure that this place stays off the police board not like he's got any love for the bitch and for what he's gunna make on this land deal when it's all said and done he'll make sure we stay clear" Shit I need to get back up to my house and call Hap fast but just as I'm about to start heading back I see someone coming out the back door and light up a smoke I drop down on the ground flat thank fucking Christ I haven't done my yearly clear cut of the fucking hotel property yet. Fuck my heart is thumping and all I can think Happy, I need Happy I need to keep my shit in control till I can get back to the house and tell him what the fuck is going on I almost miss hearing John ask Gabe.

"So whens this batch done?" John asks

"Tomorrow night"Whoever is having the smoke at the back door is heading back inside as soon as I hear the door slam shut I pick up and sneak my ass around the side the dinner is close enough that I could walk over and I figure I should give Ralph the heads up and I head in that direction making sure to stick to the tree line that runs along the back of the property to stay in shadow as I get to the parking lot I pull out my cell and start a text to Hap i never call I usually send a text and if he's got time he'll call me right back but generally speaking I don't even bother I wait till he needs to talk and calls me. I know some times Hap won't even check the text till he's got time to call back so I send three in a row of the exact same message: Your last x-mas Present is in my pocket. As I head in to the diner I notice some bald heads sitting at the counter I head straight back around and play it cool I grab the coffee pot as I go and walk right up to them

"You boys need a refill?" Ralph pops his head out the kitchen door just as I'm refilling bald guy number one.

"Hey what're you doing here?" Ralph is a sweet man but he tends to just spit things out so I cut off his next question before he lets out that I planned on leaving town.

"Oh you know me and my pie addiction need a fix Ralph come on I'll keep you company while you get the next order done" I replace the pot and Ralph gives me a look over me and happy chitchat are not the norm much less is being overly nice to customers especially when I'm not on the clock as I head in to the kitchen my fake smile drops I put my finger to my lips and head back in to Ralph's office with him following me. Ralph closes the door and i spit out fast.

"Listen all the fucking bald headed fuckers turning up around here are skin heads and they started up a crank lab in my old motel"

"What?" Ralph looks a little sceptical at me.

"John the fuck head brought them here and is using my fucking garage as a cover for it he and these guys want my land and plan on getting me to sign it over and they think if I put up fuse the only person who give a fuck around here is you so watch your back the next couple a day Tom apparently has a stake in this so don't call 911 for me ever, if I go missing I'll probably be in the trunk of one of the squad cars. Don't say anything to anyone about me maybe heading out of town have you said anything, to anyone?"

"No I haven't where's Hap?"

"There' something else don't fucking mention Hap they have no clue about me and Hap. Hap always covers his cut when he visits so I guess John never noticed Hap visiting me. I'm taking my truck and heading home"Ii reach for the door knob Ralph sputtering whispered questions at me as i head back out to the dinner

"Avrra Are you gunna be safe?"

"Yeah Ralph" I pull the snub nose out and show him and slide it back in my pocket pushing the swinging doors open my cell in my hand I head out the door.

"Night Ralph" The three idiots are staring at me as I leave I smile and wave heading straight to my truck I turn it over and head out when my cell vibrates.

"Happy?"

S o n s O f A n a r c h y –

Happy' Point of View -

I had just hit the sign for charming when I felt the first vibration telling me I had a text the only person who sends me text is Avrra and those are few and far between usually only after a few weeks not hearing from me after a visit when I feel the cell go off two more times I get a weird feeling in my chest I rev up and double my speed to get to the club faster soon as i pull in to the lot I pull the cell out before I even cut the engine.

Your last x-mas Present is in my pocket.

What the fuck? Avrra has been a stubborn bitch about that damn gun I wanted her to put it in her purse she said "A women of my temperament should not have the easy option at her finger tips I will shoot a mother fucker. I had finally gotten her to put the damn thing in her night stand why the fuck would she need to put it in her pocket?

"Happy man glad you made it Clays waiting in the chapel for you man" Juice says as he heads my way from the garage door.

"Be in a few need to make a call" As I hit number one on my speed dial it rings once before I hear Avrra Juice veers off to the clubhouse.

"I'm interested in why all of a sudden you like my present girl"

"Hap i think i got a problem need your advice on how to deal with it" her tones all forced calm

"This problem got you carrying my present?" Avrra ain't one for drama so if she' carrying it ain't for some dumb ass shit there be a real threat.

"White power, in my garage thanks to the dick for brains mechanic John, my money paying for their crank lab in my motel on my land which they plan on me signing over by and I'm quoting "Breaking a bitch in" all the boys get to play including the local law who is run by that piece of shit pussy I beat up the first night we met Hap" I know she trying to not freak out and keep her shit in control but under all of it I can hear fear and it's getting me pissed all I want to do is get the fuck back to road take care of the problem.

"They say this straight to you?"

"No i followed Gabe my new employee that i did not fucking okay to hire after he came up to my place to pick up my 68 he sent grave stopping chills down my spine Hap. So i grab the g-gun and followed him to my motel over heard him and John talking walked over to Ralphs gave him a heads up waited for you to text me back the way I see this I have two choices one is I call the state troopers office and try and convince them to come down in person and take a look or I do whatever you think I should to fix this shit cause my solution is gunna land me in jail for the next fifty"

"Oh yeah and what's your fix?"

"Set fire to the motel shoot anything with a bald head?" Fucking girl probably do it.

"Sounds like a fun time but brains before bullets give me a minute to work out the problem I need to let the guys in on what going on. Fucking skinheads seem to be a problem all round these days. Go to the garage there's a duffel on the top shelf with some of my shit take it and put anything in there in every room of the fucking house. I'm gunna have to do some quick fixing so I can get back." My guts twist at the thought of what she would have been put through if she wasn't smart enough to see and feel danger coming her way. I see Clay come out the club house doors and I know he's probably pissed about waiting on my ass but I spent plenty of time on hold for personal Morrow or Teller shit so he's just gunna have to suck it up I wave Clay over as she says.

"Hap there no fucking way I'm signing over or selling my land it's mine it's the only thing I got left of my family I'm the last fucking Hastings around goddammit"

"I need to have a conversation with the boys I'll call you back in twenty answer the fucking phone on the first ring, stay safe you got me?"

"Okay Hap" I hang up look at clay might as well get this shit over with.

"Hap what the delay we got shit that needs doing " Man's not use to me being late for fucking nothing.

"Got some shit I need to lay out at the table"

"What kind of shit"

"Old lady' in shit"

"WHAT? Wait let's do this one at a time"

I follow clay into the club house as he hollers for church the guys wander in from the bar taking their chairs at the table I stay standing and wait for the question I knows gunna come from Clay.

"Hap when the fuck did you get an old lady?" Clay asks and he's looking at me like I just grew two fucking more heads.

"Official, plan was to let you all know this trip and bring her in for the meet and vet of the club after the transfer vote. Get approval and shit move her here and mark her unofficial she's been steady going two years know her for three"

"So I guess she in the know, about the club?" Opie asks as he takes a drag of his smoke.

"She patched me up some never asked why or how just told me to be more fucking careful or the next time she'd let my ass bleed "

Tig snickers "Sound like a keeper to me killer"

"You been with her for two years and you just now thinking it be time for her to come in and get introduced?" Jax is the one asking.

"Nomad for a while it worked I could see her on my down time between here Nevada and Tacoma no promises just show up when I could " That raised a few fucking eyebrows.

"Hap you sure on her?" Jax leans in on the table tapping his smoke as he looks my way.

"What the fuck you asking VP?"

"Might be just me, but looking at how White Power been pushing shit on all the fronts. This break is what the club is been looking for. Kill production kill cash flow and it just landed at our feet"His eyebrow goes up and I can see Clay and Tig nodding their heads and to be fucking honest was it one of them standing in my boots I think the same shit but I ain't them I don't vouch for no man or woman ever cause people tend to fuck shit up all I got control over is me Jax' is looking right at me the whole time he's talking.

"Takes care of the whole fucking problem we been having, the supplies getting here from someplace else cause we know all there shit in Cali has been torched and now by divine intervention we know where that source is?"

"Don't know about divine intervention I see where you might be cautious but like I said two years"

"Nah don't think it's the girl i think someone spotted you maybe? Could we be walking in on WP ambush?" Shit Jax and his fucking brain.

"I always cover the patch when I head her way try and keep the wolves from the den" I finally take a seat and light up a smoke.

"Three years you been visiting never met anyone?" Chibs asks like I should of already thought of that.

"Yah one person her boss Ralph at the dinner that's it, look boys Avrra she don't like people her dads is dead other than her boss the girl only talks to me and whoever comes through the dinner and all those folks are drive by. She don't like people around town she's kept her ass there for me mostly that and her family left over businesses"

"Have juice run her for the club mean while give me the deed to be done so I can get back and take care of this shit"

"Nah the task I need you for can wait now hell might not even need to do it at all Darby breathing till we sort this shit out"

"We're going on a run to meet the killers old lady" Clay got that damn I'm the luckiest prick smile going.

"So happy who's the little lady that pinned your ass down?" Bobby asks

" Avrra Fate Hastings, Alla Lakeside Juice run her shit her birth day is January Seventh, 1991 "

Clay push back in his chair and looks at me as he puffs on his cigar.

"Happy you cradle robbing perv'"

Tig snickers at me.

"Happy I got to ask brother how fucking tight is it?"

"Tig don't make me kill you keep that shit in your head"Juice starts typing on his laptop.

"A-V-R-R-A F-A-T-E H-A-S-T-I-N-G-S Shop's 66 motor repair 223,0000 acres of farmland 66 motor motel clear title no debt has a few juvie records in the Brooklyn New York Don't know what it was for its sealed but she did 6 non probation at age twelve"

"Got the inside scoop on it Hap?" Opie asks.

"I think she said it was for kicking some pervert teacher in the face mostly assault shit girls partial to round houses"

"An heiress Happy, how the fuck did you land that kind of golden pussy?" Jax smiles up at me.

"How the fuck you get her to wait on your arse for two fucking years is what i want to know" Chibs asks with a laugh.

"I know why they want your girls shit, your girls shop takes in transport fixes from the whole damned country her shops the only one around that does big transport fixes she gets trucks from Washington to Florida NY ALL over the country seems there a lot of break downs in Oregon they must a set up something to help that along cause it seems that in the last month or so break downs are a lot more frequent in her area just past the weigh station be easy for them to add some cargo from her shop once they fix whatever they broke"

"Kozik' on his way down, Happy could send him her way he's heading to Portland anyways" Jax asks me I look at Clay just to make sure he's good with it

"Yeah give him the call , guess we all get to meet Hap' old lady boys get some shut eye we leave at five am get us to Oregon by early afternoon"

"Appreciate it she on her own out there this ease me up some"

"Clay were gunna need a truck if you want to do this low key think you could get Unser to lend us one ?

"And a truck keeps us low key why juice?"

"Oh sorry a there no way to get to her place without being seen unless we ride our bikes over two hundred acres of wild land the only route in is her road straight off the route 66 and that goes right by the garage they'd hear us a mile away figure we could just roll up in the back of the truck up to her front door keep the bikes out of sight till we get it all worked out." Juice is right fuck clay looks my way and I back the idea up.

"He's right here no way to get to her place without being spotted we could just take the vans" All of the guys groaned at once as soon as i said that. We ain't partial to being caged up.

"I'll call Unser get a truck here by four-thirty am guess will take the new prospect he can drive the truck

"Alright boys we good, any objections to this shit no? Good "Clay bangs the gavel.

I call Kozik give him direction and instructions to a rest stop just before the dinner and tell him Av will meet him there and to make sure we ain't associated lucky he's an hour out from Alla so i call Avrra.

"I got a brother coming to you. need to meet him at the rest stop bring a tarp and board so he can load up the bike he'll be there in about an hour you put my shit away like I told you ?"

"Yeah Hap"

"Me and the rest of us will be in tomorrow gunna show up in a truck marked Unser think up a reason for that to happen let the garage know alright?"

"Okay Hap and what's your brother's name?"

"Kozik"

"Happy?"

"Yeah Av"

"I fuck sorry I let this shit come up on me" Her voice is all soft and sad and I hate it. My Avrra should be fucking pissed ready to destroy whoever the fuck is in her way.

"Don't be, something the club needed to know this shit is gunna protect the club"

"I don't want you or yours hurt because I was to fucking stupid to pay attention, I fuck Hap I'm scared"

"Don't be we're coming"