Abel been at the shop when he'd received the call from Delylah. At first, he ignored it, thinking it another trivial conversation from his little sister. When his phone rang, he was elbow deep in a 1978 Chevy K5 Blazer. Tricked out with gleaming wheels and shiny jet black paint, the old truck was almost sexual in its sheer, brutish beauty. Jax had been given the task of rebuilding the engine upon his return from Abel's wedding, but Abel didn't mind taking it over from his old man. In fact, the prospect was so delicious, he'd enlisted both Lucius and Victor to help. The girls were fine, they reasoned. Before their departure, Jax and Tara assured them all that a mix of law enforcement would be watching over them.
"Life has to go on like nothing is going on," Jax explained. "The town has no idea who we really are, and life has to go on like we are still The Morgans—like I am Eric and your mother is Elizabeth. People are still gonna call you Adam." Abel stiffened slightly at his father's words. It both amazed and comforted him that he and Hannah both had already grown accustomed to his real name.
"We have to pretend like there is no Jax, no Tara. They're dead and gone, until we say otherwise." Again, Abel stiffened. The words were a little too real, and images of dead parents suddenly illuminated his mind.
"We can do it, Daddy," Delylah had spoken up. Abel's eyebrows raised. The girl he'd grown up relentlessly teasing was now turning into a calm, self-assured woman. It was a little strange, but he liked it. As his eyes rested on Victor, who then sat at her side, Abel decided he liked his little sister hanging with his new brother-in-law. He suited her well.
"I know you can, baby," Jax said gently. "You, Abel, Hannah, and Ophelia—you're the ones I worry about most. Your mom and I are used to this, even though it's been awhile." Jax watched as Opie blankly stared at nothing in particular. He worried about his daughter, but he also knew that her whole world had changed, and it would take time for her to adjust.
"There will be cops around," Tara jumped in. "You may not see them, but Althea has assured us that on and off duty officers, along with a few of her friends, will be watching periodically. That's why we have you all here. It's for protection."
"But honestly," Jax finished, "We fully expect the threat to be on us. Whomever did this to Chibs is looking for people affiliated with SAMCRO. None of you are affiliated with the club. You knew nothing of it, didn't grow up in it. I think we're more at risk returning to Charming than you are by staying here."
That's why Abel brought the guys to the shop. Delylah, Ophelia, and Hannah were together. When Victor brought up questions, Lucius and Delylah quelled his objections immediately.
"C'mon, man—" Lucius had teased. "We've been in the house with these crazy women for a week now. It'll be good to go over and help Abel get that engine rebuilt." Victor shook his head. There was no way he was leaving. It was too dangerous. Victor hadn't seen a single cop. They can't possibly be that good at hiding, he thought. They're just not here. Chills laced his arms as Delylah wrapped her arms around his waist. Her long dark hair grazed his shoulder as stood on tiptoe and placed a sweet kiss there.
"Baby, go," she whispered. "Lucius won't go if you don't—and he needs to get out." Victor's eyes lit on the younger man. He's so fucked up. His beautiful green eyes were tired and bloodshot. His dark hair was disheveled and messy. He looked older, he looked exhausted, and he looked like he was going through pure and unadulterated hell. Victor knew the kid was trying his best to keep Opie settled and sane. The poor girl was in a world of hurt, and no one could fix it but her.
"I'll drive," Victor said to Lucius, and Victor's heart went out to him as a smile crossed the kid's face. He looked like it was Christmas morning. He nodded and ran upstairs to grab his shoes. Victor turned and faced Delylah. She looked every single bit of eighteen in her black yoga pants and loose purple tank top. As she slid into him, he caught the glimpse of hot pink sports bra beneath. He stroked her loose dark curls as turned her face upward to him.
"Thank you," Delylah whispered. "I'm gonna try and get Opie and Hannah out today. They need it too. Maybe with y'all outta the house, they'll at least get to the store with me or something—"
"I don't like it," Victor's mouth was set in a hard, firm line, and his dark eyes were even darker with worry. "I don't like leaving y'all here alone."
"We'll be fine," Delylah promised. "It's just a couple of hours."
It had only been a couple of hours since Victor and Lucius arrived when the call from Delylah came. Victor was also elbow deep in the engine when he saw Abel's greasy hand delve into his pocket. His heart pounded as he watched Abel deny the call. Victor tried not think about it, and he focused on the task at hand. When it rang again, Victor stopped what he was doing. Abel reached in his pocket and grabbed the phone. The word Lala popped up on the screen. Victor's heart leapt in his throat as Abel stared at the screen.
"You need to answer it, man," Victor gently stated. Nodding, Abel clicked the phone to answer it. Before he could even say hello, he heard Delylah's tears.
"Lala?" Abel's voice shook as he began to pace. Victor, who still had a socket wrench in his hand, placed the tool on the truck as he strained to hear what was happening. "Lala, what happened?"
"She's gone, Abel!" Delylah's voice rang clearly throughout the confines of the noisy garage. Victor froze, as did Abel. The two men locked eyes as horror sank into their bones.
"Wha-" Abel didn't even have time to speak before Delylah began screaming. Victor's face was as white as the t-shirt he wore. He heard it. Delylah's scream. The terror. The sobbing.
"We're coming Lala!" Abel screamed into the receiver. "Stay on the—" The phone went dead. Abel's blue eyes were massive with fear. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears. It was all he heard as Victor, oblivious to the grease and oil covering his arms and hands, sought the keys to Jax's truck. A sigh of relief left his lips as he found them, but Abel didn't hear that. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Abel followed Victor out the door. Suddenly, he stopped, and Abel, in a haze of fury and fear, pushed Victor forward. Victor, equally scared and equally agitated, fought valiantly to maintain the shreds of calm that remained.
"What the fuck?" Abel yelled. "Why are you stopping?"
"Lucius!" Victor replied, his dark eyes were lit with a strange mix of rage and guilt. I knew better than to leave them, his brain bellowed. My gut told me—
"I'm right here, y'all." Suddenly, Lucius was there, calm and collected. His green eyes were confused. "What's going on?"
"Where the hell have you been?" Abel seethed. Victor gritted his teeth. He's losing it. And he just might get the girls killed if he doesn't calm the hell down.
"The bathroom?" Lucius answered, still obviously confused.
"C'mon," Victor said calmly. "I'll explain in the truck." Abel had already broke into a full- fledged run to the Silverado. Lucius, ever mindful of the shop, turned and yelled at the remaining mechanics that there was an emergency at the house, and without further explanation, he ran after Victor, who'd already joined Abel in the truck. The engine was revved and the truck was in drive as Abel slung it in Lucius direction. Had the kid not paid attention, he could have very well been hit, but he watched as Victor propped the door open. Without thinking of what would happen if he missed, Lucius leapt into the passenger seat of the truck, slamming the door behind him. They were quiet as they sped down the highway.
"Abel, you're going close to a hundred," Lucius whispered.
"I don't give a fuck," Abel spit. "You didn't hear Delylah."
"She was screaming bloody fucking murder, man," Victor said. Lucius looked at Victor, but he didn't return the gaze. Instead, the older man stared straight ahead, his mind filled with what he should have done. Lucius, still unsure of exactly what was going on, stared ahead, praying Abel could control of Jax's Chevy.
Within minutes, they arrived at Jax and Tara's house. The car the twins shared, an old Toyota, was parked in the driveway. As Abel slammed the truck in park, the men jumped out and ran towards the house. Abel led the pack as they rushed towards the front door. Victor steeled himself for having to ram it open, but as they approached the entryway, the door was wide open. Without a word, Victor quickly knelt, and pulling the leg of his jeans up, he revealed an ankle holster. Lucius mumbled low as Victor pulled a Ruger LCP from the holster. Stainless steel, compact, with a wicked recoil, Lucius had coveted the gun for a long time, only seeing it in gun shops. To see it in such close proximity was cooler than he'd thought it be.
"Lemme go first." Victor's voice was a low, guttural growl as he moved past Abel. It was Abel's first reaction to push back, but remembering Victor's height and weight difference over him, he thought better of it. The Ruger in the Marine's hands made the decision that much easier. Victor stepped forward and gently kicked the door open. With his gun raised, he entered the house. Abel and Lucius followed.
"Holy fucking shit," Abel breathed. The entire house was ripped to shreds. The living room was a mess of broken glass and torn couch cushions. The art Tara had so painstakingly searched for was slashed and thrown to the ground. As Abel turned astounded eyes to the kitchen, he snapped them shut.
"My god," Abel whispered. Every single one of the floor tiles was busted and broken. The black quartz counters were cracked, while the wooden island had massive burn marks in it. Victor swallowed hard. Images of the Afghan desert spun in his mind as he tried to regain control of his emotions. Even as his breathing slowed from a pant to something a little more normal, he could still hear the screams of war in his head.
"Delylah!" Abel yelled. "Lala, where are you?"
Silence. Victor closed his eyes as Abel fought to keep tears out of his. Lucius was the only calm one. Slowly, he surveyed the rest of the area as Abel and Victor listened for any signs of the girls. Breaking away from the group, he started slowly creeping down the side hallway that led to the garage. Both Abel and Victor were too nervous to pay Lucius any attention.
"C'mon baby," Victor mumbled. "Say something."
Abel felt his heart slamming against his chest. The all-to-familiar thud of its misfiring rhythm told Abel he was in trouble, but he ignored it. All that mattered was finding his sisters and finding his wife. He'd have time to pass out later, once he knew they were all safe. He breathed slowly, deliberately, so he wouldn't faint where he stood, but as his palms and forehead broke out in a cold sweat, he prayed for an answer.
"Delylah!" Victor called out into the silence. "Delylah Teller! Baby—please! Answer me!" The last words were strained as he and Abel took steps towards the hardwood stairs. Abel's eyes widened as he saw the splinters in the beautiful old wood. Bulletholes. Abel fought the urge to vomit as he followed Victor up the stairs. Victor looked over his shoulder with an anguished expression crossing his face. Abel nodded and pushed him forward.
At the top of the stairs, just as Victor set foot on the landing, Victor saw it. Blood. His hands trembled slightly, but he maintained his composure. Behind him, he heard Abel stifle a sob. Victor didn't dare turn back, because he knew once he saw Abel's tears, he'd probably dissolve into a puddle of them himself. Instead, he powered on, his boots sliding on the slippery floor, as he walked past the room he shared with Delylah. The door was wide open as he ducked in. Aside from the same kind of mess that lingered in the rest of the house, the room was completely empty. The same was true for Opie's room.
Only Jax and Tara's room remained, and that door was shut tight. Reaching out for the doorknob, Victor turned it.
"It's locked," Victor whispered. A momentary wave of relief washed over him, then it was quickly replaced with anxiety. Gripping the knob and shaking it hard, he suddenly grew fearful and began pounding on the door.
"Lala!" he screamed. It was the first time he'd ever used her nickname. "Baby, it's Victor! If you're in there, let me in, please! I have Abel and Lucius. You're scaring us—to—to—death." The last word was a hard, aching sob, and it was met with more silence. He pounded the wood once more. "Lala baby! If you don't open the door, I'm gonna knock it in!"
"C'mon, Sister!" Abel yelled. "Open the goddamned door—please! You're safe, I swear it!"
Silence. It was mocking and savage. Victor turned and stared at his brother-in-law, silently seeking permission to bust down the door. With a slight nod from Abel's teary face, Victor handed the Ruger to his brother-in-law and readied himself to knock the heavy oak door off its hinges. Before he could finish, they heard it. Their eyes meeting with a heady dose of relief, Victor stopped. The doorknob was turning. Victor, ever the officer and the soldier, grabbed the gun from Abel's hands and raised it. Just in case.
With an achingly slow speed, the door cracked open. It wasn't Delylah that flashed in the small opening.
"Opie?" Abel stammered. She nodded. "Honey, open the door. You're safe. No one is gonna hurt you." His little ginger haired sister looked lightyears away from eighteen as she carefully swung the door open. With a cry of relief, the men stumbled into the room. Abel grabbed Opie and pulled her close.
"You okay?" he asked. Unable to really speak, the ginger haired Teller nodded. She could feel Abel's offbeat heart smack against her, and her own heart sped with worry. She pulled away from him and stared for a moment, brushing a lock of blonde hair from his face. Her gray eyes were concerned as Abel grew paler.
"Victor!" Delylah cried out. Victor's eyes searched the room and found Delylah immediately. Positioned by the bed, the dark haired twin stood slowly. Unable to help himself, Victor pushed past Abel and Opie and ran to her. Shaking and utterly terrified, Delylah reached out to him. Victor folded his beloved in a tight embrace, kissing her forehead as he did so. For a moment, they stayed locked together, relieved to be in one another's arms.
"Where's Lucius?" Opie croaked as she broke from Abel's hold.
"I dunno," Abel said. It was the first time he noticed Lucius was missing, but as he scanned the room, he noticed another absence. "Where is Hannah?"
"Abel, I—" Delylah began, then stopped. She pulled away from Victor and carefully walked to her brother. "I thought you—I thought you heard me. You heard me, right? Did you call Mama? She knows. I called after we got disconnected-"
"I raced straight here, Lala," Abel explained. "What does she know?" Abel was genuinely confused. As he looked at Victor, he saw that Hannah's brother was equally perplexed. As a strange quiet fell amongst them, the door creaked open.
"Opie!" Lucius stood in the doorway. Opie rushed past her brother and stumbled into Lucius' half open arms. Carefully, he wrapped his arms around her and swayed back and forth in an effort to comfort her.
"Did you see Hannah out there?" Abel started walking towards the door. "She's not in here. Lala, do you know where she is? Is she hiding somewhere?"
"Abel, I don't know how to—"
"Hannah!" Abel cried as he walked past Lucius and Opie and moved into the hallway. Delylah and Opie followed closely, with Lucius and Victor trailing behind. In the distance, sirens blared. Delylah's stomach dropped as she heard them. "Hannah!"
"Abel, stop!" Delylah was first in the hallway, and she saw him start down the steps.
"I have to find her!" he cried. He sped down the staircase at breakneck speed. "Hannah, baby, where are you?" He stopped for a moment and looked around, unsure of where to begin his search. "Hannah!"
"She's gone, Abel!" Delylah yelled. Abel stopped cold. Looking up at her from below, his blue eyes were incredulous as he grew stark white. Ophelia saw the change in his pallor and began rushing towards him. Her feet seemed to glide over the stairs as she ran to her brother. Lucius didn't follow her; he just watched as Victor and Delylah followed Ophelia's lead.
"Abel, they took her," Opie softly said. "They left a note and everything."
"Liar!" Abel's scream reverberated throughout the house. Without hesitation, he began racing through the house, searching for his wife. "Hannah-Belle!" He used his nickname for her, and Delylah's heart incinerated within the confines of her ribs. She looked at Victor, seeking his help, an intervention, but she was met with a torrent of uncomprehending tears falling down her lover's face. Reality slammed into her. She was Victor's sister long before she was Abel's wife. She laced her fingers between his and was shocked to find him uncontrollably shaking. She could tell that, unlike Abel, Victor believed her, but Delylah also saw the fire of disbelief waging war within his soul.
Unable to take his rushing about the house, Delylah began following her brother. "Abel! Listen to me! Please!" Abel stopped. His mouth was a tight, hard line as his nostrils flared and his chest swelled. His anger should have flooded his face with color, but he grew paler as he stood in front of Delylah.
"She's gone, Abel." Delylah's blue eyes, eyes so like his own, bore into his. They begged for him to see the truth, but he still refused to believe it.
"How?" Abel countered. "How is she gone, and you're still here?"
"They got to her when we were gone," Ophelia stated, and Delylah cringed. She felt her brother stiffen beneath her grasp.
"Gone?" The word was a snarl as his eyes burned anew with a deep, unbridled anger.
"We just ran to the store for a minute,"Delylah began explaining. "She told us to go. She was still getting over that bug she had after the wedding-"
"It's no bug," Abel growled. Delylah continued, oblivious to her brother's words.
"She wanted to rest," Delylah whispered. "She told us to go—"
"And you fucking listened?" Abel yelled. "Goddamn it, Delylah, I thought you had a brain!"
"Hey!" Victor yelled. "Don't talk to her like that, Abel!"
"Fuck you! It's not your goddamned wife on the line, Victor!"
"It is my sister, Abel!" Victor retorted as he moved closer. "Hannah is my family too, goddamn it!"
The sirens were even closer now. They squealed with urgency as they neared Jax and Tara's house. For a moment, Victor and Abel stood toe to toe, both equally angry and both equally scared.
"She may be your sister," Abel whispered. "But she is my wife and the mother of my child." Understanding dawned in Victor's eyes and his lips quivered.
"Hannah's-pregnant?" Victor questioned. With a heartbreaking stare, Abel nodded.
"Almost ten weeks," Abel murmured. Victor shook his head. A baby. She's having a baby. Guilt anew washed over him. Dad was right. I am worthless. I should have never left you. Victor stared at Abel, unable to comprehend the depth of the younger man's pain. His eyes rested on Delylah for a moment. They'd only been together for a couple of weeks; Hannah and Abel had been together for seven years. They are having a baby. Victor slid his hand over his face, frustrated.
"I can't lose her," Abel said. His voice quaked as he continued. "She is my home. If I lose her—"
"Abel?" Ophelia's voice rose over her brother's. Before she could stop it, she saw Abel's face lose all color. Before anyone else had time to react, Abel fell to the ground, clutching his chest. Within seconds, his movement stopped. Victor knelt by him to check for a pulse.
"No pulse," he said. He shook his head. "Goddamnit, Abel."
Victor flipped his brother-in-law over and began compressions. Taking his cue, Delylah kneeled by her brother.
"When I tell you to, breathe into his mouth," Victor instructed. Delylah nodded. The ambulance sirens filled the room as the techs pulled in the driveway. "Breathe."
Delylah complied. As the first responders stormed in, they muscled their way through the small crowd until they reached Abel.
"We'll take over from here," one of them said to Victor. Tired from his efforts, he stepped aside and watched as the EMTs did their magic. Pulling a defibrillator from their healthcare arsenal, they attached it to Abel's chest. With a rushed Clear, they shocked Abel. Nothing. They waited, then tried again. Victor readied himself for another flatline, but to his surprise, the machine beeped once, then twice. Thank God, Victor said to himself.
As they watched helplessly, Delylah, Ophelia, and Victor followed Abel's gurney as they loaded it onto the awaiting van. As Opie looked around, she noticed Lucius missing. Where could he be? Normally, she'd question it, but now, with Abel strapped to a gurney, she didn't think it mattered. Maybe he's freaking out. Maybe Lucius is not okay in crisis. A thousand possibilities raced through her mind as she followed Abel into the ambulance.
"We'll follow you!" Delylah called. Ophelia nodded as the EMTs prepared to leave. They carefully shut the ambulance doors, tapped the side of the van, and were off.
"Lucius!" Delylah yelled. "Where are you? Are you okay?" Lucius didn't have time to answer. A huge noise filled the space. Following the first responders, a small swarm of police officers entered the house. Taken aback, Delylah began to cry. Victor pulled her to him and allowed the numbness to set in.
It's done. The words were bold as Lucius stood alone, texting, in the garage.
Good was the response. Nothing more, nothing less. Details weren't welcomed in print. A simple yes or no was plenty. After reading it, Lucius phone back into his pocket and turned to go into the insanity that awaited. The first step had gone off without a hitch, and in the weeks that were to follow, Lucius knew that his help was instrumental in reaching a common goal: By summer's end, there wouldn't be a Teller left standing, and Lucius would do everything possible to make it happen, or he would die trying.