CHAPTER 36

Two black SUVs followed silently and swiftly through the streets of Charming. A safe distance a head of them was tan sedan with tinted windows. They'd been in pursuit for about 20 minutes now, darting around corners, handling sharp turns, keen not to be spotted. Things were all but low-stress. Chibbs drove the first, Jax poised in the front seat, eyes darting back and forth on the road ahead. In the back nobody spoke. Opie, Half Sack and Rat sat patiently.

Behind them, Tig had commandeered the front seat of the second van. With Clay sitting at his right, speaking into his phone, intently conversing with Alvarez. Bobby, Happy, and Juice were strategizing as best they could. Hoping to come up with any sort of plan, the kind that would spill the else blood, their blood that is.

"Jackie-" Chibbs began

Jax looked up.

They had just turned the corner in time to see the that sedan had veered off the road onto a rural road.

"Stop" Jax ordered. "He may have gotten suspicious."

Chibbs pulled off and Tig followed suit.

Once they'd regrouped in front of the vans. Jax spoke.

"One of us needs to check around that bend, get behind the trees so he can't see you. He'll be waiting to see if we're going to follow him. We are going to wait until he's far off, so far he'll never notice, then we'll follow."

They all agreed. It was a solid plan, one that would have to be flawless if they wanted Tara back. Rat spoke up.

"I'll go, i'll watch"

Jax looked at him. "Are you sure, this isn't your responsibility man, you're not patched yet."

"I want to. Hopefully i'll be patched in soon. We're already brothers, you know i'd do anything to help you save Tara. She's family to me Jax."

Jax nodded in understanding. No words needed.

Rat crept carefully through the shrubbery, hidden in the shadows. Jax was right. The sedan had pulled over. Waiting, watching. Minutes crept by, the sun lower in the sky. Rat observed his surroundings. He peered through the brambles. Land. tall grass, acres of it. This was private property.

And then he saw it. Just past where the slopes caved in. A house, understatement, a fortress, much like the one he'd come to know so well.

This was Salazar's clubhouse

Hidden away on the side of the road. Rat took a deep breath.

This was where they were holding Tara.

Whomever was driving must have been satisfied because the car began to head off in the direction of the clubhouse.

Rat was relieved. He'd done his job. He moved swiftly back onto the road and returned to where the cars were parked where everyone waited with bated breath.

Rat hurried over to where Jax was speaking in low-tones to Gemma, who's frantic voice Rat could hear form where he stood. Jax whispered a hushed reassurance and turned to Rat.

"I found her Jax"

Jax looked at him in surprise.

Rat carefully escorted them around the curve and pointed at the shrubbery and explained what he'd seen.

Jax gritted his teeth when he took in the backside of the prison where they were keeping Tara.

"They've probably got it locked down" Clay said, voicing Jax's thoughts.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that."

They whirled around to find Alvarez standing there, flanked by his VP and a few off his brothers.

"When Hector broke with us, not many agreed nor followed." Alvarez explained. "Chances are they do have a few men, but not enough to hold something that size."

Clay asked what he proposed they do.

"I have men waiting on the other side, enough to cause a diversion. If you were come form the back you'd be able to get inside. Chances are he's keeping your Old Lady in the basement. There may be a cellar door on the backside. But you will have to go on foot and be quick about it.

Clay nodded in understanding.

"We'll leave the cars up here. Rat will take one around to the other side and meet with Phill, that way we can get your guys outta there if something goes wrong."

He looked at the Mayan president and held out his hand.

"You been nothing but kind to us brother, without you we wouldn't have a hope of getting her back. I want to thank you for that, please let us know if we can return the favor"

Alvarez shook Clay's hand and then Jax's.

"We consider it our duty to help our brothers. There is one courtesy I would like to ask of you."

"Anything" Jax replied quickly.

"If he is not killed, we would like to take Hector with us. We must deal with him, the dishonor he has brought to his patch and the pain he has caused your family."

Jax and Clay agreed, more then grateful for his help.

Clay and Alvarez decided to run interference on either side. Alvarez and Rat would come down on the other side in the wake of the ambush to aid in the diversion while Clay and Bobby would wait on the road, in the event that anyone was hurt or needed something they could bed down there quickly.

As they prepared to take positions, Rat and Alavarez to other side of what now appeared to be a shallow canyon and the rest to the edge of the road where they would hurry down the hill in the midst of the attack. Clay clapped Jax on the shoulder.

"Go get her son. Bring her home."

She waited

Waited in the dark, dank, nursery, her face screwed up in pain.

She did not scream. She did not cry.

She bit back the screams, and choked down her tears.

He had to come for her, for the baby.

The first door opened. The first door closed.

He would come. Jax. He would come and he would save her.

The light flooded in before her.

Because she wasn't sure how much longer she could hold on for.

Jax waited at the foot of the hill, slightly hidden by the trees.

The sun had gone down. His brothers to his right.

In the distance, on the other side.

Headlights flashed, shots rang out.

And he stepped downwards, through the knee-high grass. wading down the side of the hill, descending upon Tara's prison.

Go get her. Bring her home

A/N

Hello, hello,

Once again I find myself apologizing to you lovely people, and with good reason. I am so very sorry to have kept you waiting. I'm still so in awe to have such loyal and fierce fans. Truly, I don't deserve you. Senior year has been hell. Between all the work and plans for next year, i have had no time to write you the updates I promised. Once again, I apologize for that. Next week is mid terms, but I hope to have the next chapter up by thursday. Then it's spring break and I will have a lot more free time. Hopefully for writing.

Once again I adore you all, and am in awe of your unwavering support.

Thanks & Happy Reading!