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It had taken no more, and no less, than three days to plan it all. Okay, maybe the thinking part of the whole process started a bit earlier, but the 'getting everything/ everyone ready' part was done quite quickly. And as it turned out, rather unexpectedly, coming up with the money hadn't been the hardest thing. Waiting for the results was.

Results that were already starting to unfold before his eyes, just as he watched the cab drive off.

To be precise, then by results he meant knowing that every last bit of his elaborate plan had worked out accordingly and the heavy cash flow was now surely in the horizon. Actually money was what it was all really about from the very start. The little fact that Clay simply couldn't stand the thought of Lexi, and in association of his father, wasn't even the main thing that made him really dive into the madness of his plan. The much bigger reason was the drug deal he had yet to break down to the club, but what had already been secretly paying off to him big time… like really BIG time.

But exactly because he knew that there was no way the club was simply going to go with it, he had to make sure there were certain factors in motion helping to push the others down that road. Yeah sure, it was risky, he knew that too, but in the end it was much more beneficial than dangerous. So basically they were going to see that this way at some point too anyways, so he was simply giving them an incentive to get with the program of definite success. He was being generous, if anything.

And as it had turned out in the process, he had managed to work out an incentive that was capable of killing two birds with one stone- he was getting the trafficking deal, as well as finally going to get rid of that Weston bitch.

It was quite amazing how everything had formed into a perfect circle of motion so easily. For Clay to get rid of Lexi, he needed money, lots of it, and for those mountains of sweet-sweet greenery to keep on coming into his pockets, he simply needed to make sure that the eyes and ears around the club, that could never be truly trusted, were finally going to cease to be a problem.

The most difficult thing was actually hiding it all from Gemma. Somehow she had a crazy witchy ability to sense whenever he was up to something. He could see it from the way she was looking at him at times, as if trying to read his mind. But try as she may, this elaborate scheme was going to be that one stone left unturned even by her.

The other slight difficulty arouse with the fact that there was no insurance in predicting how people involved would eventually behave. So that meant having back-up plans with back-up plans. And yet it was still constantly close to blowing up in his face. He knew that. But it didn't matter.

His obsession to get it over with had grown so impatient that at one point he had simply accepted the riskiness of his actions and decided to just go with it, no matter what. Besides, some might even say decisions like that were what made one powerful. And damn sure, he was powerful. And in no way was some little annoying tart going to keep making him look over his shoulder forever, or his club's fear of uncertainty from ensuring him and Gemma a nice life for the rest of their days.

Besides, in the end of the day, it was simply meant to go down this way from the very start.

So basically it was all about connecting the right dots. About making it all fall into one fluid line of lies, lies that created their own stories, and altogether by that letting loose something that couldn't be tamed, nor repaired- just like he intended.

Three days before the wedding.

"Romeo," Clay greeted the man coming out from the black van, Luis following close behind him.

"Still alone, esse, isn't the MC brotherhood all about staying close-knit?" Romeo smiled, but the wondering, or perhaps even warning, behind his message was loud and clear.

"I ain't gonna lie to you. There's an internal fire that needs to be put out before I can bring them all in." It was a dangerous road Clay was walking on, but sure enough a guy like Romeo would nonetheless have seen through any other kind of bullshit he might have tried to pass out as the truth.

"And how close are you to completing the task?" It was Luis who asked, his eyes searching Clay's face, obviously judging the trueness of his words.

"Close. Just need a few fairly expensive fire extinguishers to put the flames to rest completely," Clay said with sly grin.

"Sounds like a noble quest you've got there, pres. Too bad we don't specialize in charity business," Luis replayed in an instant.

"Who's talking about charity? Just a little advance to get the waters flowing," Clay took a long drag from his cigar. It was bold move, but it was also now or never. In no way was he coming up with the necessary money without the cartels help. Besides to them it wasn't even a loan, more like an investment in the future of their mutually beneficial business deal.

Still by instinct, Luis seemed to be the one more against giving him the money. That much was Clay able to translate into English from the heated and hushed conversation going on not that far away from him.

"Fine, we'll help you out," Romeo finally nodded, turning back to face him, "though, I really do suggest you get it done sooner, rather than later."

"Certainly, but there's also another thing. I need a helping hand. Preferably someone with experience in the field of helping to clean different kinds of messes. An outsider." Clay knew he was dancing on the line of boundaries, but he really did need that certain outsider to make sure his plan would carry through no matter what... and who else knew people like that better than they.

"I might know a guy or two to fit the description, but the friendly reference from us will cost an extra."

"Of course," Clay held out his hand to Romeo. He shook it with a dangerous smile on his face.

Maybe Clay was digging his own grave here, or then again maybe he was winning a lottery ticket. There was no way to be sure of either one, so he chose to believe the second.

"Here," Luis held out a phone that looked like it was from another decade, "you will be contacted tomorrow."

"Perfect."

It really was perfect. Everything had gone down the way it was supposed to and now that he had the starting point for plan L, he had the free hands to work on plan H for a while.

…

Two days before the wedding

"Where're you off to again?" Gemma demanded, her voice coming from the office.

"Club stuff. See you later?" he stopped by the door, trying to act as nonchalant as ever.

"Yeah," Gemma rose to give him a quick peck on the lips.

"Love you," he murmured, roughly pulling her closer.

"Love you, too," Gemma smirked, "oh and hey you do know that Lexi's getting ready at our place on Saturday?"

"Yeah, I think you mentioned," Clay let go of her and took a step back. "And yes, I promise I'll be out of your hair," he chuckled raising his hands up in surrender.

"Not exactly what I meant by it, but yeah, I guess that works too."

He gave her another kiss, before continuing on his quest of setting up plan H. He wasn't a fool, thinking he could simply kill of Lexi without all fingers pointing at him. Nor was he an idiot to believe in his ability to simply mess up their lives and walk away with a perfect alibi.

He'd learnt it a long time ago. Maybe it was even passed down to him from his father?

The idea was actually quite simple- for one to not get blamed for a certain something, one has to make sure he already is blamed for something else. Rarely does anyone bother to double-check once someone already voluntarily declares himself guilty.

At least that was how it was bound to work out according to his plans. So basically he was going to make sure that in the very end he did end up as the bad guy, but only on his own well thought-through terms.

Which all brought him to the second part of his scheme- the Chinese. Lexi didn't have to necessarily die, she simply had to go away forever. Although not knowing how she or Happy or anyone else would react to anything, the killing her plan was waiting for a go-sign as well, just in case.

But still Clay was first going to try to work out a way through which neither one of the almost wedded couple would even try to save what had been doomed from the very start, in other words a plan that would let her live.

After and half an hour drive, Clay finally met up with the Chinese. Besides getting the money and the outsider from the cartel, making a deal with the Chinese was the other crucial part of his scheme.

"Clay," Henry greeted, "I have to say I was surprised to get your message."

"What can I say, I'm an unpredictable man," Clay grinned, letting Henry lead him inside.

"Care for a drink?" the man asked, sitting down in the corner-booth, well separated from everyone else's hearing reach.

"Neh, let's get straight to business," Clay said.

"So all this is about business. Safe to say I'm intrigued," Lin motion between the two of them.

"Oh you should be. This is good," Clay grinned, trying to keep the mood light.

"Well… let's hear it then. I also assume there's a reason it's just you here?"

"I'll get to that. The most important thing you need to know is that I'm here to offer you a very profitable deal. But first I'll need your help in making it all happen."

"Do continue," Henry leaned forward, smile on his face.

"What I'm offering to you is a way to flush out the black completely, split what's theirs with the brown. Sons will traffic a hefty piece of Galindo's blow with a nice price straight to you to deal out in Niners turf," Clay laid it all out in one breath.

"And what's in it for you?"

"All in all I'll win from the deal just like you. But to get it started in the first place, and in return for letting you get a piece of this pie, I need your help in creating an incentive for my guys to vote for the trafficking."

Henry took a moment to think, before leaning back on his chair. "Afraid of getting their hands white?"

"You might say so…" He didn't need to lie about that, it was obvious why relations with a drug cartel would make people anxious, or even straight out scared.

"And where do I fit in exactly?"

"Not specifically you, but your crew. I need you to kidnap two of my guys, VP and the enforcer, on this Saturday. Hold them in captivity for a short while until I push the deal through with the others." And get rid of Lexi in the process.

"Why them? They the ones most against it?"

"No.. well, maybe. None of them actually knows shit about the whole thing at the moment. But to answer your question, then those two are the ones to take because one is getting married and the other is his best man. I think it will make a nice statement of how serious you guys are about vows and promises."

"Hmm… yet there's still this one hole in your idea. How exactly does me taking two of your guys help you with getting the others to back you up on the drug deal? And even further, it will totally fuck up the relations between your club and my crew, can't really picture Jax dropping off coke after we take him at gunpoint."

"Well, that's where I come in. Actually that's the whole reason you're involved specifically. I'll tell the club that I'm solely responsible for your actions. I'll tell them that I promised you the deal without their consent and then tried to back out, so you were basically forced to take Jax and Hap to make me keep my promise… which I of course gladly will, once everything has been worked out. So basically I'll apologize for getting the club into such a bad situation, while also making them see the profit everyone will get from it in the end. Then they'll vote for the deal and we will bring you the first shipment, in exchange for Galindo's money and our guys," Clay explained, "So as you see we'll all win from it. I just need some help in making everyone see that."

"Okay, I'll have to get back to you about it. But if it where only my decision, I think I'd be in."

"Great, but it's quite urgent. The kidnapping needs to happen on Saturday morning, right before the wedding. Also do me a favor and if you have them, send a message from Happy's phone to the unfortunate bride, something like 'Sorry' or I don't know," Clay shrugged, "I'll let you know when the time is right to send it, I think it would be best for the whole kidnapping thing to come out at the very last minute, will have everyone more on edge."

"Yeah, I guess… but if we make it look like your guy simply ditched the bitch, then how will your guys get the needed push by knowing we have them?"

"That will be the surprise part, of course. We'll let the thing set for an hour or so, make it feel real at first. Then after some time I will, or someone else will, notice that VP ain't reachable as well, which will be just around the right time for you to contact me, letting me know your terms for releasing them," Clay explained.

As he spoke, the wheels kept turning in his head. How much about Lexi's involvement did he have to explain to him? Should he even pay attention to the poor bride left at the altar at all, or was it okay to let that part of the story just sit on the sideline. As if it was an unfortunate side-effect, unworthy of their attention? Or would it instead exactly be the very something in Lin's head that could possibly make him doubt about his plans and overall intentions?

Better safe than sorry, he then added, "Well yeah, there also the bride, poor thing. It will suck for her for the time being, but once it's done she'll know the 'truth' they will all know. I just think it would make it more real if you guys toy with the club at first."

"Perhaps. But what if they still won't vote for the deal, even with all that hassle? What then?"

"They will," Clay said in stern manner.

"Can you really be that sure? What if they demand for a retaliation instead? What then? You'll hail your other charters here and come punching down my doors?"

"It will not come to that. In the end I'm the president of the fucking mother charter. No such vote will ever go by. For crying out loud, in that scenario I'd be just as much under the fire as you would be, as I'm pretty sure you'd be loud and clear about how and why you ended up with taking our guys in the first place."

"Oh yeah, that's true," Lin chuckled, "and do continue keeping that in mind, cause if this all would go to hell, which would be an actual possibility, you for sure wouldn't be coming out of it unscratched, that much I can promise," he smirked. "It is a god damn bold, yet risky, move, Morrow, I do hope you are really up for it. And even more so, I really hope you can handle it, if we do agree to play along that is."

"None of my guys will choose for a war with you, if there's a better option. Which there is and which I will shove down their throats with force, if it by some chance would come to that point.

"Okay. Let's imagine that we do play ball, and everything works out on your end… Is there something else I should know?"

"Absolutely not."

Henry cracked a smile.

"The promises and deals you make…" Lin shook his head with a grin. "You know sometime plans that are worked out to the core have their own weaknesses."

"I'm not planning on finding out what they are. It will all work. I'll make it work."

"If you are so sure… still I'll have to let you know about our decision. I, unlike you, do think it's best to not take the weight of decision-making in such matter solely to myself."

"To each his own," Clay smirked, knowing he'd already gotten his agreement, even if he wanted to make it look like he was still deciding.

Besides possible retaliation from Sons, if things went south somehow, what else was there for Lin to lose? And in reality, Sons would not retaliate, he handn't been lying while promising that this will never happen, as it would be a retaliation against him just as much… and that he simply could not allow to happen.

"Just remember, there are no losers in this game, only winners," Clay said, standing up. Though, mentally he had to add 'Besides Lexi'.

"Very well," Lin nodded, standing up as well.

"I'll be waiting for your call then," Clay held out his hand.

Henry nodded and shook the hand Clay was holding out. Even if Lin tried to play it cool, Clay could almost see the dollar sign shining back at him from his eyes…

… and just a few hours later, the call game.

With plan H, everything was from that point actually set in motion.

Which altogether only left him with finishing up with plan L.

…

By the end of the day he'd also got a call on the cell Luis had handed him, just like he had promised. The guy on the other end was strict about his pay, about what he was agreeing on doing, and mostly about demanding on his own identity to remain hidden from Clay as well. That's where the name he went by came from- Shadow. He did not simply work in shadows, he was a shadow.

"So when exactly will I know which route to go?" Shadow asked, his voice staying in that perfect indifferent tone that gave out no emotions.

"As soon as she makes her decisions. She either decides to go on her own terms and we work on with that, or we make her do that," Clay stood up from the head of the table and walked over to the chapel window. Peeking out from it, he could see Happy standing there, talking to Tig, totally oblivious to what was going to happen all too soon, and then again not soon enough.

"Okay, let's pretend she decides to stay, what do you want me to do with that decision?"

"If she won't run away after the message she's going to receive, then I'll somehow have someone take her home, away from the wedding mess. Let's just say this is the worst case scenario. However if it does happen, then she will have an accident of sorts, something I'm sure you're all too familiar with, something which simply erases her from the problem equation."

"Your phone is not traceable, neither is mine. Let's be clear about the job. If she doesn't take off on her own terms, then I'll kill her and make it look like an accident, yes?" Shadow asked on the other end of the line.

"Yes. But I doubt she'll wait for him, after she gets the message. In that case her death might not be necessary. I simply need her far away and out of our lives forever."

"So, let's say she's heartbroken and decides to disappear for a while. How do I fit in in making sure that she will not come back after some time?"

"Well, if she chooses the way that will not force my hands and make me order the kill, then I'm more than sure that my guy will personally hunt her down before she can even think twice about what had happened. So that's where you play in in that scenario. You will then act as a bounty hunter, a guy who will indeed hunt her down and then perhaps help perfect the truth a bit, for example by making the staying hurt part permanent for both of our never to be wedded couple. I don't care how you do it, I'm just going to need some kind of proof about her moving on with her life with some other asshole, or if you can't manage that then proof that she's dead, even if she really ain't. Either way it will kill off my guy's possible ideas on how to get her back, cause I might not know her, but I do know him, and even if he might want a payback, from which I'll talk him out of, he'll never fight for some bitch … and on her part… well for her to not come back haunting us, we'll use the same tactics. I'll personally work on that end."

"What about if she goes, but still chooses to stay too close for comfort?"

"Then I don't care how you'll do it, but you'll make her go those few necessary miles further."

"Sounds like a time-consuming task, you sure you can even afford it?"

"We wouldn't be talking if I weren't," Clay answered, sitting back down behind the desk. Everything was coming together perfectly, he simply refused to believe there was something big he wasn't seeing. And oh, how much he loved the feeling that came with a great plan coming together. He only wished he could savor it for later.

If there were any loop-holes, he was sure he'd get them all figured out before it all went down on Saturday.

"So. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes. Let me know which path to go when the time is right. Use this number, after that get rid of the phone . Our mutual friend will get you another one," Shadow replied.

"Oh wait, I also need you to get her phone as soon as possible. Don't want anyone else from here contacting her."

"Consider it done," Shadow answered, before ending the call without a warning.

First of all I really apologize for it taking so long and I do hope I managed to explain everything, without getting you too confused? If you did, then I hope the next chapter will help clear everything out.

I initially intended on getting Happy into this chapter as well, but it would have gotten way too long, and I didn't want to break it up in some weird place, so yeah... But don't worry, I have a little vacay coming, so the next chapter will be up real soon!

Last but not least, THANK YOU for the amazing feedback I've gotten throughout this story and as always THANK YOU SO MUCH for reading!

XX

(Oh btw who was the business guy on the plane? Was it Shadow? Maybe? Maybe not? Actually I haven't decided that yet … Initially it was, but now I'm starting to doubt. What do you think?)