Jax stood in front of everyone with Chibs by his side. The entire club stood waiting to hear what the plan of attack was. Ophelia stood off to the side next to Happy. Her eyes were drooping. It had been almost two days since she had slept. She wanted nothing more than a shower and to get some sleep, but they didn't have any time to spare. They only had about four hours until they were suppose to meet with the Mayans with the guns.
Their captive, which is Ophelia had learned his name was Rooster, told her everything he knew. Ophelia had been right when she thought that they had set up shop on the state land. Apparently, there was an cabin that the Horsemen were storing the guns at. There was only six guys in the new charter, but one of the other charters from Texas was suppose to be crossing the California border soon. All of them were suppose to be well armed.
"I say we just drive right up to the front door and start shooting," Tig suggested.
Jax looked around the room. "Anyone have any problems with that?"
Ophelia raised her hand. "Um, I do." Everyone looked at her. "If you do that, all of us will be in one spot. Easier for us to get surrounded and die."
"They only have six guys," Happy said from beside her. "We've taken on more before."
"That's if the other charter hasn't shown up yet. Rooster said he wasn't sure when they were coming or how many of them will be there," she said trying to reason with them. "Shit will go south if you're outnumbered."
"What do you suggest we do then?" Chibs asked, clearly unsure of anything she would suggest.
She walked up to the map that was hanging up on the wall behind Jax. "There's two points of access to the cabin. That road that they're on goes all the way to the highway in the next county." She traced the tiny line with her finger. "I would drive up the front pretending to be lost. I can see how many there are and scout out the situation before you go in there guns blazing. There's enough of you to split into two groups. Each one to come in from either direction. Doing that, we have the upper hand." She turned back around to face everyone else. "We've blocked both their exits. They'll have nowhere to go. We would be able to get in, get the guns, and get out in less than five minutes. All while taking out at least half their guys."
All the men stayed silent as they tried to find a flaw in her plan. There was a risk no matter what they did, but with this, they would have the element of surprise.
"I like everything except you going by yourself," Jax said finally.
She folded her arms. "It wouldn't be very convincing if I roll up with a big bad biker in the car with me."
"You're not going by yourself," Happy growled.
She glared at Happy. She thought if anyone was going to be on her side, it was going to be Happy. Now was not the time for him to suddenly care about her safety. "Do I need to remind you that I work alone?"
"We're not letting go alone, lass," Chibs said.
She licked her lips. She was too tired to argue. "Fine," she huffed. She looked at each of the men in front of her. "Send Juice with me. He's the most normal looking one of you guys, but he's going to need a hat or something," she said before walking outside.
Juice looked to Jax in question.
"You heard the lady," Jax grinned. "Find a hat." Jax then told everyone to gather their gear and be ready in 15 minutes. As everyone else went to get ready, Bobby and Chibs hung back.
"You sure it's a good idea to have Juicey go with her?" Chibs asked, folding his arms across his chest. "We don't know her."
"Happy trusts her. That should be enough for anyone," Jax shrugged.
"Besides, she might help straighten him out," Bobby added smiling.
Juice sat in the passenger seat as Ophelia drove up the dirt road. He stared out the window, but it was so dark out that he couldn't see anything. Neither one had said anything since they had gotten in the car. Ophelia couldn't tell if there was something bothering him or if he was just scared of her.
"Where are you from?" Ophelia asked, trying to make conversation to hopefully calm him down.
Juice jumped in his seat and looked to her in surprise. "What?" he asked.
"Where are you from?" she repeated. "Like where did you live before you came to Charming?"
He looked down and fiddled with the hem of his sweatshirt. "Queens," he said quietly.
"Hm," she smiled. "I love New York. I would never want to live there, but it's nice to visit." He looked up at her with a small smile. "What brought you to Charming?"
"Needed a change of scenery," he mumbled. He looked up at her with innocent eyes. "Are you really a mercenary?"
She gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Uh, yeah, I am."
"You don't look like one."
"Is it because I have tits?" she laughed. Juice shifted uncomfortably. She sighed. If she was trying to calm him down, she wasn't doing a good job. There was a reason she worked alone. "No one expects someone like me to come after them. I'm the last person they see coming."
"I get it," he nodded. If he had met her on the streets, he never would expect her to be a gun for hire.
Ophelia leaned forward to get a better look out the window. "Well, look what we have here," she said as lights came into view. "Looks like Rooster was telling the truth."
"You didn't think he was?"
"They always tell me the truth. One way or another," she said, flashing him a smile.
Ophelia slowed the car down as they approached the lights. The closer they got the better they could make out the cabin and everything surrounding it. It was a small cabin that looked like it had been there over a hundred years. There was at least a dozen bikes parked out front along with a van and SAMCRO's stolen cargo truck.
"The other charter is here," she whispered as she stopped in front of the cabin. Several guys came out as they heard the car. "Pretend we're fighting. I'll get out to ask for directions. You text the guys and tell them we're in place."
"But…" Juice started. Happy would have his balls if something happened to her. He had told him as much before he had gotten into the car with Ophelia.
She shot him a look. "Just let the others know," she hissed.
Ophelia got out of the car and made her way towards the men. She tried to make herself look as innocent as possible. "People. Thank god," she sighed once she got closer. She twirled her hair around her finger and stuck her hip out for added effect. "I think I'm lost."
The three men stopped in front of her and looked her over. All of them were wearing Devil's Horsemen kuttes, and they were the definition of one percenters. Any normal person should be scared shitless staring down men like these, but this was a usual Tuesday for Ophelia.
"Can we help you?" one of them asked.
"My boyfriend didn't want to ask for directions, and got us fucking lost in the middle of nowhere," she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. She walked to the one in front. She dragged her fingers down the front of his kutte. "Luckily for you, he won't be my boyfriend much longer." She looked up at him through her long eyelashes. "Maybe you can show me the right way."
"Hey!" All three men turned towards the cabin. Another man stood in the doorway. "Get them out of here!"
The one in front of Ophelia grabbed her arms. "Sorry, honey. Maybe another time," he said as he pushed her to the car.
Juice jumped out of the car. "Hey, get your hands off of her!" he yelled.
Both the other guys pulled out their guns and pointed them at Juice. "Just take your girl and get out of here, and we won't have any problems," one of them said.
Suddenly, there was two vehicles coming in the either direction. Ophelia silently thanked Jax for his perfect timing. Since the man holding her was distracted, she was able to get her dagger in one hand and her pistol in the other. She moved quickly. The man holding her hadn't even seen it coming when she plunged her dagger into his neck. His hand went to the wound on his neck, and he looked down at her with wide eyes. The colored drained from his face; then, he dropped to the ground. Without hesitating, she shot the other two men.
They had barely dropped to the ground as Ophelia ran to Juice and pulled him to cover behind the car. She peeked through the glass of the car to see the rest of the Horsemen streaming out of the cabin. Thankfully, by this time, SAMCRO had come in guns blazing as well. Both sides were putting out heavy fire. Ophelia could see that none of SAMCRO would be able to safely get to their cargo truck. She looked to Juice who looked like he was about to be sick. She couldn't just leave him there, but she also knew that he wouldn't be much use getting to the truck.
"Juice," she said shaking him. He didn't look up from his hands. "Goddamn it, Juice! You will pull yourself together or you will die!" He finally looked at her. "Get to the van now!" she commanded. That seemed to knock some sense into him. He shook himself off and ran to the van.
Ophelia took a deep breath as she leaned against the car. She counted to five and then ran to the cargo truck. She jumped up to the driver's seat. She kept her head down as she searched for keys. The bullets hadn't stopped flying; so when the passenger door opened, Ophelia immediately had her gun up ready to shoot.
"Jesus Christ, Hap," she muttered. She put her gun down. "You don't happen to have the keys, do you?" He shook his head as he climbed into the truck. "I guess I'll just have to do it the hard way." She reached up under the dash for the wires.
"Hurry up, Love," Happy grumbled before shooting as several Horsemen that were advancing on the truck.
"You know, people are going to think something's going on between us if you keep calling me Love," she mumbled as she struggled to connect the right wires.
"Who gives a shit," he said, glancing to her.
She smirked at him. Finally, the engine roared to life. "Hang on!" she yelled before stepping on the gas. The wheels threw gravel as they sped forward. She turned off the headlights in hopes that no one would be able to follow them. Seeing that they had gotten the truck, the rest of SAMCRO hightailed it out of there too going in the opposite direction.
"You better not kill me," Happy said, watching her skillfully navigate down the dark road.
"What? You don't trust me?" she asked grinning.
"I trust you with my life," he said seriously.
Ophelia didn't slow down until they had driven down the highway for several miles. They didn't have a lot of time until they were suppose to bring the guns to the Mayans, and she wanted to put as much space between them and that cabin as quickly as possible.
After realizing that no one was following them, Happy spoke up. "When you gonna tell the club who you really are?"
She glanced over to him before returning her attention back to the road. "I'm not sure if I'm going to."
"You helped the club today. We're gonna need you to help finish this."
She rolled her eyes. "I only came because you asked, and I know you didn't really need my help," she said pointedly.
"Why did you come then?" he questioned. Although he already knew the answer even if she didn't.
She tightened her grip on the steering wheel. She noticed then the blood on her hands. It was from when she had stabbed the guy back at the cabin. She had so much blood on her hands. Literally and Figuratively. "Look, just because JT and my dad had it all planned out for Jax and I to end up together and running the club, it doesn't mean shit now," she said. She took a deep breath. "A lot of time and shit has happened since those two were even alive."
Happy opened his mouth, but was interrupted by the shrill sound of his burner ringing. He glared at her as he answered. "Yeah?"
"Did you have any problems?" Jax's voice came from the other end of the line.
"No," Hap said firmly.
"Do you have anyone tailing you?" Jax asked.
"Don't think so."
"Okay," Jax sighed in relief. "Meet us down at the docks for the drop. Take the long way through the city incase someone is following."
"You got it, Prez," Hap said before snapping his phone shut. He looked over to Ophelia. "Head to the shipping yard in Oakland."
"No problem, boss," she mumbled, thankful that he decided to drop the subject.
They made it to the shipping yard without incident. With the amount of sudden turns and backtracking they had done, there was no way anyone could still be following them. Jax, Chibs, and Tig were leaning against their bikes waiting as the truck came to a stop. Ophelia and Happy jumped out of the truck. Ophelia hung back as Happy hugged his brothers. Then they all looked to Ophelia.
"That was some pretty crazy shit," Jax said smirking.
She crossed her arms and leaned back against the truck.
"I think ya even scared the shit out of poor Juicey," Chibs chuckled.
She shrugged her shoulders. "Oh that?" she smirked. "That was just a normal Tuesday night for me."
Jax looked to Happy in question, but he just shrugged. "Where did you learn that shit?" he asked Ophelia.
"Learn what?" she teased. "How to shoot straight and not hesitate?"
Happy snorted and Jax's smile faded.
"I like her," Tig said grinning.
The rumble of Harleys filled the air causing a halt in the conversation. A half of dozen Mayans came around the corner. Alvarez was riding front and center with the others flanking him. They stopped in front of SAMCRO. Alvarez never took his eyes off of Ophelia as he walked towards Jax. He shook Jax's hand, looking away from Ophelia for only a moment.
"When did SAMCRO start hiring mercenaries?" Alvarez asked nodding his head towards Ophelia. She was leaning against the truck watching the exchange.
"You know her?" Jax asked, furrowing his brows.
Alvarez's eyes went dark. "She's a Death Dealer, Teller," he spat. "They call her Lilith."
Jax licked his lips as he took in this information, but he decided now was not the time to question her loyalties. "She's a friend of the club. Someone jacked the shipment the other night. She helped us get it back," he explained.
Alvarez searched Jax's face for any signs he was lying. He looked to Ophelia, still unsure of the situation. "Fine," he muttered.
"Good," Jax said forcing a smile. "We still good for the next shipment?"
Alvarez nodded. "We'll do the usual cash drop next week."
Jax patted him on the shoulder. "Sounds good, brother." He along with Chibs, Tig and Hap went back to their bikes. Hap motioned for Ophelia to come over while the Mayans unloaded the truck.
"Why does Alvarez know you?" Happy questioned her.
She stared at him for a moment deciding on whether or not she should tell him. "I did a job for the cartel last year, and the Mayans were involved."
"You're with the cartel?" Chibs accused.
"I'm not with anyone," she said calmly. "People pay me to a get a job done. I do the job, and then move on."
"Who says you won't go to the Horsemen for the right price?" Tig asked pointing his finger at her.
She crossed her arms. "Happy is my family; you are his. Which means I'll do whatever I can to help you guys."
All of them stared at her. Jax, Chibs, and Tig trying to decide if they could trust her; while Happy looked at her like he was proud of her. They only stopped staring when the Mayans finished unloading the truck.
Jax looked at Happy. "Take the truck back to the warehouse. Go home; get cleaned up. We have church at 8 tonight."
Happy gave a quick nod. He grabbed Ophelia's arm and dragged her back to the truck. Once Happy and Ophelia were in the truck and driving away, Jax turned to Chibs.
"Get Juice to find out everything he can about her. I want to know everything there is about Ophelia Loveless," he said, watching the truck drive away.
Chibs nodded his head and then flipped open his phone, dialing Juice's number.
Jax climbed onto his Harley as he strapped on his helmet. The club couldn't afford to have someone that they didn't know anything about knowing all of their business. Even if Happy trusted her, mercenaries could turn if offered the right price. He needed to find out everything he could about her.
Author's Note
So here you go... Would love to hear what you think. The next chapter is going to have a flashback to how Ophelia and Happy met.
I am planning on updating at least once a week for the month of May. I want to give you as many chapters as I can before my life gets crazy this summer. (Yay for moving across the country.)