FOURTEEN

DESPERATIO

- Clay! We got a package!

The new prospect found a small box wrapped in kraft paper when they pulled over from Kip's funeral later that day. It didn't have an address, just a small strand of dark brown hair taped to one side. Opie ripped off the package and found a flashdrive.

The Sons were gathered around Juice's computer when he pressed "play". The image slowly focused on someone tied up at the back of the room.

- Shit! - Kozik tried to get Opie away from the screen when he realized who that was.

- No, I have to see it, I have to! - His face had shift from worried to completely furious.

They watched Anna being beaten and threatened, her whimpers flooding the room. Every single one of them had their hands either punching something or grabbing the ends of the table.

- That warehouse, does anyone recognize that fucking warehouse?

- I don't know Clay, I don't know, we need to get Unser on this. This is too fucked up, we need to get her now. - For the first time in his life, Tig wanted help from the cops.

Opie was going through the closet at the back of the room, packing guns.

- Ope, bro, what are you doing?

- I'm going after her Jax, now.

- Listen, we don't know where she is yet, let's sit down and come up with a plan.

- Sit down? That's your sister there Jax! God knows what they're doing to her! I'm gonna break into every fucking warehouse in Charming if I have to.

- Guys? - Juice was sitting behind his computer. - There's something else, a text file. Come check this out.

He opened the file and everyone read it silently.

"Dear SAMCRO

I hope you enjoyed the little movie we made for you. Anna is a gorgeous actress, isn't she? I'm sorry it wasn't as long as I planned to, I had to stop before my guys ripped the rest of her clothes off, that part is on me, as soon as she recovers from the small injury in the back of her head. I'm sorry that wasn't pictured, but I assure you the blood on this piece of wood I'm holding right now looks beautiful.

For the moment, she is still alive. I'm directing the rest of this letter to your friend, Opie.

I am giving him one simple choice: his life for hers.

You have 2 hours to say goodbye to your family and friends before heading out to the address I'm going to text you. Alone and unarmed. As soon as your body hits the floor, she'll be free to go.

Until then, I'm gonna have some fun with her.

T.B"

- It's him Jax, that fucking ex boyfriend. We gotta come up with a plan.

- A plan? No, I'm gonna do as he said!

- Ope, Juice is right. We need a plan, you're not going there unarmed.

- He's going to kill her Jax, do you hear what I'm saying? He is going to fucking kill her!

Opie was screaming. It took four guys to make him sit down and listen to Clay.

- That fucking piece of shit probably has people guarding the place, we can't just show up, he'll kill her on the spot.

- How are we doing this, Clay?

- Got an idea, Chibs. That warehouse must be hidden, so it's easy for us to hide in the woods. We can take the guards down from there, we'll use silencers and Ope's bike can muffle any sound.

- And then what? Let him in by himself as bait?

- I'll go, I don't give a shit.

- No Bobby, we don't let him go inside. Warehouses has two doors and a roof window. We know he has at least two men inside with him. Hap, can you climb that shit and reach the window?

- Sure thing brother.

- We send Opie in when Happy gets on the roof. As soon as he tell us how many men we have there, we bust the backdoor.

- What if he shoots her?

- He won't, Juice. We have the surprise factor in our favor, Ope can use that to get his gun.

- I'll go in and cover Anna.

- Good, Kozik. You do that and we shoot his little friends on their knees. Still want them alive.

- And Thomas?

- He's yours Opie. Now let's go, we need to get my daughter back. - Clay put the hammer down and everyone went off to get their guns ready.

Opie stayed behind, sitting by the window. Anna's cries were still echoing in his mind as fought the urge to just get up and go look for her himself. He knew he was dead if he did this, but if saving her life meant that he had to give up his, it was a fair price to pay.

- Get her the money. Don't meet her anywhere near the porn studio, if the Sons find out she helped us, she's dead.

Thomas' voice seemed far away because of the pain Anna was feeling in the back of her head. She didn't know for how long she was unconscious, but the soft light beaming through the roof window indicated it was daytime, maybe the afternoon.

She looked around the room and noticed that Thomas was alone inside. The man who tortured her were nowhere to be seen and the one behind the camera was outside with a forth man, guarding the front door.

- Thomas, let's just go, please. I'll go back with you, you don't have to hurt anyone. You can kill me when we get there, don't do this here.

- Kill you, kitten? - He had a psychotic smile on his face as he approached her - I would never do that, I love you! Here, drink some water.

- Then why are we here? We can go now, let's go. Everything will be back to normal. - She was fighting the urge to cry. Every time she cried, Thomas got even angrier.

- We're waiting for someone. - He kissed her neck - I missed you so much kitten.

- I... I missed you too. - She forced a smile, she learned how to keep him calm before - Who are we waiting for? Someone to take us back?

- You smell so good baby. - His nose against her neck and his hands on her hips were making her nauseous. - No, we're not going back now, a little later.

- Who's coming, Tommy?

- You see, when you leave your man like that, you make him have to settle for some little payback, it's a honor code, you know?

- What are you talking about? - She tried not to sound terrified, but failed.

- I know you were with him. I'm not stupid you bitch! - His hands grabbed her throat - Do you think I'm just gonna get you back like that? No revenge?

- What are you doing? Please!

- See this phone? I'm texting your biker lover. He'll be here soon.

- What are you doing to him? Don't hurt him, it's my fault I came back! - Thomas looked down and chuckled, before hitting her in the face again.

- He touched my woman and you let him! We're only leaving when you see his body on the floor.

She tried to scream and beg, but he taped her mouth shut again.

- Don't worry, kitten. It will be over soon.

She looked down and stopped fighting the tears. She barely had any time with Opie and it was enough to get him killed. Not only that, she knew SAMCRO would never let him come alone, the though of losing her brothers was physically painful. That was her breaking point. She would never let Thomas have her again, even it that meant killing him and then herself.