Denise looked around and let out a grunt, feeling like she weighed a ton, as she realized she was tied to a bed. She heard a wheezing noise and looked to her left, seeing Piney sitting next to the bed, tied up, his oxygen tank and nasal cannula missing. She shook her cuffed wrists making a loud clanking, making Piney move. He looked up, his face bloody. The dried blood surrounded around his mouth, caked down his dirty face, and dripped onto his dirty shirt from multiple bruised and damaging cuts and welts. She looked up at him and he looked at her, one of his eyes swollen closed.
"Denise..I'm not going to make it… They have been beating me for hours…" Piney's husky voice barely heard as he growled out the words between harsh wheezes. Denise looked over at him, her wrists bleeding from the tightness of the cuffs. She tried to shift, but winced, feeling pain shoot down her arm into her shoulder.
"Piney, listen to me. We will get out of this. I need to know who they are and where we are. Did you see any of their faces?" Denise asked as a door opened and Darby walked in with a small group of wife beater wearing, tattoo covered skin heads. Denise looked up at him and her eyes went wide. Darby sat on the bed next to her. His hand reached out and caressed the dirty, matted hair away from her face.
"Darby… You are one dumb ass -" Denise started, but was stopped with a closed fist across the face. Her head snapped to the side and she went limp. Piney watched and grunted, in an attempt to attack, but barely moved.
"Leave her alone, you bastard…" Piney growled and moved his head to get a better view of Darby. Darby looked at him and nodded to the group behind him. One man, about Denise's age, walked over, grabbed Piney by the hair and stabbed a knife through his throat. Piney's face got a shocked look as a gurgling sound was heard and blood bubbled around the blade, and pooled in Piney's mouth.
"Dump him and get the camera ready." Darby said and the man nodded. Darby then looked at Denise and smiled, moving her head back and forth.
Opie slammed through the front door of Clay and Gemma's home, running through as Gemma looked in horror, grabbing a butcher knife, prepared to take someone out. Clay walked in with Jax and grabbed Gemma, checking her over as Jax walked after Opie.
"Clay..What the fuck is going on!" Gemma cried out as Opie walked into the kitchen, holding his son. Gemma looked up, hitting at Clay as Clay attempted to explain what is going on. Jax walked back in as Opie sat down and cradled his son.
"House is clear." Jax said moving next to his mother, checking her over as well. Clay nodded.
"Get Tig over here to sit with them, then you and I will go hunting." Clay said and Jax nodded, taking out his phone as it started to ring. He flipped the phone open and looked at Clay.
"That was Chibs. Piney was just dumped at TM… He is dead…" Jax said and Opie's head snapped up. Opie looked down at his son, then back up at Jax and Clay, who both narrowed their eyes. Gemma stepped back, falling into a chair opposite Opie and shook her head.
"Go… I will be fine here, with Opie." Gemma said and motioned Jax and Clay towards the door as she held her head. Opie shook his head and Clay growled loudly, opening the door.
"No, we are all heading to the clubhouse. Gemma, take the baby, I will lead, Opie and Jax will follow. Once you and the baby are safe, we will head to the hospital and identify Piney's body." Clay's face told everyone this was no joke and motioned for them to move.
Mary Winston walked into St. Thomas and looked around at the Sons, all sitting in the waiting room, except for Tig and Juice. Clay looked at Mary and nodded, not saying much. Mary looked at all of them, a hard, mean look as her eyes fell on her son, Opie. She glared at him and shook her head, moving to him and giving him a hug. Opie gave a one armed hug to his mother and remained standing, towering over her.
"So.. is it true?" Mary asked and Opie's eye moved down, but his head did not. His hazel eye glared down at his mother and the scowl on his face said enough and Mary sighed, sitting next to where he stood. She looked at all of them and realized there were not as many as their used to be. She didn't dare ask, though. He looked up at Deputy Hale walked in.
"Ok, the medical examiner is done. Piney died from complications for asphyxiation and blunt force trauma. He was also without oxygen too long. Since he was taken and left for dead, we are ruling it a homicide, since there was no oxygen tank, which he was known to have with him at all times. His clothing has been brought to the police station to be examined, but I am holding off on calling in the San Joaquin team. I cannot hold them off forever, but I will as long as I can. Unser is going over the clothing now and I will go and help him when I am done here." Hale said and Clay nodded. Jax moved to Hale and patting his shoulder and Tara hugged him.
"Thanks, man. If you hear anything, let us know. We think we know where she is being held, but we don't want to give up anything, if we may be wrong. Caruso is crazy and crazy smart." Jax said and Hale nodded.
"As soon as we have anything, you will be the first person I call." Hale patted Jax on the back and walked away as Mary leaned forward, whispering to Opie.
"This is why I took you away, don't you see?" Mary said softly to her only child, rubbing his back. Opie moved his eyes towards her and blinking slowly.
"Not now, Ma.." Opie growled out and Mary rested her head on his shoulder.
Spring 1994
Mary threw all of her stuff into her luggage and watched as moving men took her stuff out of the house. She moved into Opie's room and saw it was cleared out. Piney stood in the hallway, his worst death stare aimed right at her. Mary glared right back and as the moving guys walked out of the house, Piney went after her.
"You cannot take my son! My best friend just died! You cannot take him too!" Piney said, his voice a low growl and Mary glared at him, poking him in the chest, Piney just taking the poking.
"I can and I will. Sons of Anarchy is not a life for a teenage boy and you are all bad influences. Opie will live with me and I will take him away from all of the drugs, booze, and whores. There is not a damned thing you can do to stop me either!" Mary poked him back against a wall and Piney's jaw set. The comparison to Opie and a younger Piney were uncanny. Piney gritting his teeth and sneered at her.
"He won't stay with you. Jax, Denise, Gemma, they won't let you keep him. He is a Son, he always has been and always will be a Son. It is in his blood, just like it is in my blood." Piney said and Mary shook her head.
"Denise? The daughter of Clay? She is not match for me. He doesn't even love her. He is only 15 and I plan to keep as far away from this as possible. I will move to a different country if I have to." Mary said, closing the luggage.
"We are everywhere. There will be no place to go without a Son nearby. We grow every year and no amount of running will ever stop us from finding him. You can go, he cannot." Piney said and Mary let out a laugh.
"Dad? What is going on?" Opie walked in, Jax behind him, peeking over his shoulder as moving guys took out Mary's dresser. Mary and Piney looked over and Mary moved to Opie.
"We are leaving. We are moving to… a different state. Your stuff is already packed and once we leave, your school information will be transferred and you can have a new, non club life." Mary said and Opie looked down at his mother, shaking his head.
"No way! I like my life the way it is now. I would never want to leave the Sons." Opie looked at Piney as Jax moved away into another room.
"You don't have a choice. Court gave me custody of you and we are leaving." Mary said, standing up to her son who towered over her. Opie shook his head at his mother and growled.
"I'm not leaving. This is my life. I am a Son, my family is Sons, and my friends are all Sons. This will not happen, mother. I guarantee it." Opie said and Piney nodded, standing beside his son. Mary looked at both of them and shook her head as Jax appeared next to Opie.
"Mrs. Winston, don't do this. You know the life; you raised Op in this life. You can't just take him out of something he has known his entire life. It is wrong and you know it." Jax said and Mary shook her head.
"Harry, you get in my car, we are leaving!" Mary motioned and Opie looked from Jax, to Piney, back to his mother.
"Give me an hour? I need to say goodbye.." Opie said and walked out, Jax running after him. Piney looked at Mary and shook his head.
"Op, wait up. You don't even know where you are going." Jax said and ran after Opie, who was walking very quickly. Opie shook his head.
"I need to see Clay and Otto. They should be at your place, right?" Opie said and Jax sook his head, keeping stride.
"No, they have been at TM, they both have been there every night, except when Luann needs Otto. Denise should be there too helping with the invoices. If not, she would be at her house." Jax said. Ever since his father's death a few weeks ago, Clay and Otto Delaney, the new VP to Clay's voted up President had been at Teller & Morrow working on the plan for how the Sons would be working out legitimate business since John Teller had died.
"Well, let's go." Opie headed towards TM and Jax walked with him. They arrived and Opie walked up as Chibs was moving a car out of one of the bays. Opie walked by him as Jax walked towards the car, talking to Chibs when he got out and closed the door. Opie disappeared into the office and then came back out. Chibs looked towards him and Jax nodded to him and walked towards Opie. As Denise's head popped out of the office, then back in as a customer stood waiting.
"They are in the clubhouse." Jax said and Opie moved towards the club house. Chibs looked towards Tig, who was in one of the bays, watching Opie storm around with Jax chasing after him. They both watched as Opie walked into the clubhouse and then looked at each other, nodded, and went after them.
"Clay! Otto! Bobby!" Opie yelled out and stormed through the club. Chibs and Tig walked in as Bobby's head popped up from the bar. Clay and Otto walked out of the chapel and looked over as Opie's large frame walked towards them. Clay's eyebrow raised and Otto cleared his throat.
"Op, what's the matter?" Clay asked and Jax stood behind his friend, almost dwarfed by the size of him. Opie looked between the two men as Bobby came around the bar and Tig and Chibs walked in.
"My mother wants to take me away from the club. I need to be hidden." Opie said and Clay's eyebrows shot up. Otto looked at Jax, who nodded solemnly. Clay took in a deep breath and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.
"You really want us to hide you? What does Piney say about it?" Clay asked and Opie shook his head.
"He said there is no way she is taking me. I agree with him. I won't go." Opie said and Clay nodded slowly. Piney stormed into the clubhouse, Mary hot on his heels.
"Get off my ass, bitch! You are not taking my son." Piney said and Mary went after him, like a dog nipping at his heels. The Sons all looked over and Opie looked at his parents, shaking his head.
"He is coming with me and none of your little biker gang friends will stop me!" Mary said and Clay took offense, his face scrunching up in slight anger. Clay stepped forward and put his hand out to Mary. Mary raised an eyebrow and glared at him.
"Ok, Mary, calm down. Opie will go with you." Clay said and Piney's eyes got wide. Clay put his other hand up to Piney and he looked between the two of them as Opie started to breathe harder and his hands balled into fists.
"But… If he does not like where you take him, he is allowed to come back, of his own free will. Let's be honest here, Mary, you don't want him. You want to get back at Piney because you feel he has wronged you. You know Opie and Piney are close and you just want to take him from his father. It has nothing to do with us. You were my wife's best friend until she died. You two did everything together, then Gemma came along, and Luann, and you felt left out because of the next generation of old ladies. Admit it.." Clay said and Mary looked at him, her eyes narrowing even more at the mention of Denise, Clay's dead wife. The club looked at Opie and then Piney, then Mary. Jax moved next to Opie. Before anyone could speak, the door flew open and Denise walked in, with a pile of papers in her hands.
"Hey, Chibs! Tig! Can I get some help out here?! People want their cars and none of the invoices are matching…" Denise trailed off and looked at the group, Mary, and shifted awkwardly.
"Denise, meet me outside, I'll come help." Clay cut in before anyone could and Denise looked at Opie, then Mary, then the club and finally her eyes fell on her father.
"Alright…" Denise started to walk out, fumbling with paperwork.
"No. Denise, come here." Opie said and Denise turned around, Clay raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest. He watched as Denise fumbled with invoices as she walked over. She looked up at all of them, looking both bewildered and confused.
"I didn't do anything, I swear…" Denise said and the Club looked at her, shaking their heads. Opie looked down at her and she looked up at Jax, then to Opie.
"My mother wants to take me away… She wants to move and take me with her. I would have to leave California." Opie told Denise, his voice deep, but not harsh, as it had been before. Denise looked at him and shook her head fast. She looked at Mary, her eyebrows furrowing as her jaw tightened.
"What? No… We belong together. Harry is a club member by birthright. He can't leave. He has school here, he grew up here. He.." Denise was rendered speechless, which was virtually impossible most of the time.
"I don't care little girl. Harry is my son. I gave birth to him, I raised him, I took care of him. He is mine, the courts say he is mine, and I am taking him." Mary said and Denise looked up at her father, then to Piney.
"He may be your son, but he is their sons and brothers too. My father was there for Opie as much as Piney has been there for me and Jax. Jax and I grew up with Opie, which is bond that you can never have. The club raised him, not you. We took care of him, not you. He may be yours legally, but mentally, he is his own person and at his age given his own choice… He can't go… He can't.." Denise said, her chin quivering and then lifted her head, her eyes pooling with tears, and walked away, out of the clubhouse door, invoices in hand.
"Wow.. I expected her to bury Mary…" Tig said and Chibs elbowed him. Opie's eyes narrowed and he got a hurt look on his face, and then looked at his mother. He shook his head and walked after Denise.
"Well… Happy now?" Clay said and looked at Mary. Mary looked back at him and then to Piney, shaking her head more.
"Denise!" Opie yelled after her and Denise stormed into the office. She put the invoices down and sat at the desk, looking down at her Chemistry book. She took a deep breath as Opie walked into the office and looked down at her. She looked back up at him and wiped her eyes as tears streamed down her face.
"Denise…" Opie moved behind the desk and kneeled by her chair, looking up at her. He took her hand and held it, using his other hand to wipe tears from her cheek. Denise looked over at him and her arms flew around his neck, holding him, crying into his shoulder.
"Stop.. please…" Opie said softly into her ear and Denise shook her head. Opie picked her up and moved so he sat in the chair and she was on his lap. She cried and held him as Opie rocked softly and patted her back.
"You..can't.. leave.. me.." Denise said between sobs and gasps as she cried on his cut. Opie moved his shoulder and Denise leaned up off of it and shook his head.
"Your father made a deal with my mother. She wasn't happy about it, but if I am unhappy I can come back and live with my dad. You know if you aren't there, I will not be happy, so it is a given what will happen." Opie said softly, his hazel eyes meeting her eyes as he cupped her face with his hands.
"So.. just don't go.." Denise said softly and put her hands over his. Opie shook his head.
"I can't.. if she goes to court, I lose, you lose, dad loses. We all lose because we all know she will get custody of me. If I go with her, tell her how unhappy I am, I'll have Clay come get me with dad, and it will be over." Opie looked over her eyes and Denise looked down, her face long with sorrow.
"Why does she have to be such a bitch. From what I read, her and my mother was best friends… I hope my mother wasn't a bitch like yours.." Denise said and Opie's mouth curved slightly with a hint of a smile.
"I am sure she wasn't. Everyone loved her." Opie said, kissing Denise softly on the lips.
Hale walked into the club, seeing the Sons all sitting around, talking about planning Piney's funeral. Clay and Jax were trying to figure out what to do about Denise, since she had been missing for a day now. Clay looked distraught, so Tig took the lead on what to do and how to find her. Opie sat next to Opie as Hale walked over to Jax. Jax's head shot up and he took a package from Hale.
"Thanks, man." He walked over to the TV and put the DVD into the player. Hale walked behind him with Tig. Jax watched as the footage came on and Denise was seen, handcuffed to a bed, her arms and legs spread eagle. A white man, about her age stood over her, head shaven, wife beater short smeared with dried blood. He held a syringe and stabbed it into her arm.
"What is this…" Clay said, walking over with Opie. Jax turned fast and tried to push them both back as Denise's clothes were cut off of her body.
"You don't want to watch.." Jax said and Opie shoved him away, kneeling in front of the TV. Clay glared at Jax who put his hands up in surrender.
"Denise… wake up.." The male voice said as he groped her breasts. Denise's eyes opened up as the camera panned closer. She looked up at him.
"I will fucking gut you…" Denise growled at the man who slammed his fist across her face. Denise's head snapped towards the camera as her face was shown. Denise's face was bloodied, swollen, and both eyes were almost swollen shut. Blood, both fresh and dried, caked her face and her cheek was split open.
"Shut up, bitch. I need you to smile for the camera because your husband is watching. Your old geezer of a dad probably is too. I am going to do to you what I have wanted to do since we were 15." He said, climbing on top of her. She tried to fight the cuffs, but her wrists were bloody and the cuffs were too tight. The man unbuckled his belt and exposed his cock, as he lifted her hips up. Denise moved her body and struggled as the man slammed his fist into her stomach, making Denise cough and almost go limp.
"Hope you like what you see, Opie, Jax, and the others. I plan on enjoying it. You had her when were 15, now I get her." He pushed his cock into her as Denise let out a cry and started to sob. The camera zoomed in on Denise's face as her head swayed and lolled from one side to the other as the man over her slammed himself into her repeatedly.
"That mother fucker…" Opie said and stood up. Hale's mouth hung open in shock as he watched. Jax grabbed Opie before he could do anything stupid. Tig stopped the tape, but Clay cried out.
"NO! Finish it." Clay said and Tig turned it back on. After a moment a train horn was heard in the distance and Clay tilted his head slightly.
"What is the time stamp on this?" Jax asked and Hale walked over, playing with the DVD remote, getting a display time.
"3:00AM… This was three hours ago and there was a train. It has to be the train towards Los Angeles." Jax said and they all knew where the train tracks were.
"So let's get her." Tig said and Clay nodded. Hale put his hands up to stop them.
"Get out of our way, cop." Clay said and Hale closed his eyes, as Unser walked in.
"You are not going alone…" Hale said and took his badge and gun off. Unser watched as Hale handed them off to Unser and Jax raised an eyebrow.
"I know it is a hard thing to accept, but I dated Denise in college. She is as much mine as she is yours." Hale said and Unser nodded. Opie growled at the mention of Hale and Denise's past and Clay stiffened.
"Let me take the lead, no cops, just me, and you all. I lead you follow. We all know she is too close to all of you to even try to think rationally." Hale said and after a moment they all nodded.
"There are only five buildings in that area, all old warehouses. It cannot be that hard to find the one with cars, lights, or some sort of traffic." Hale said and the Sons all nodded in agreement.
"So, let's go." Hale said, heading for the door as the Sons followed and Unser watched, sighing softly.
TBC….