Hanna leaned halfway over a table looking for a spare outlet. "You've got to be fucking kidding me," she mumbled under her breath. "Can someone get me a power strip? I'm not trying to have melted ice cream and thawed out steaks!" She shot one of the Crow Eaters a look, and the girl disappeared down the hall.
At the front of the room, Tig whistled to get everyone's attention. The packed clubhouse turned toward the sound. Clay stepped forward. "In the next few days this club has some business to take care of that might put the people we love at risk. You're all here because you're family. If you have a safety concern, talk to Piney. If you have a comfort concern, talk to my queen."
"If we're missing something, talk to Hanna, because she catered this shit," Gemma told them. Hanna groaned and snatched the surge protector out of the hands of the Crow Eater who brought it to her. After the announcement, one of the girls approached her. Before the request was out of her mouth, Hanna shoved a notepad into her hands. "Put it on the grocery list and we might take care of it later."
"You're bitchier than usual," Tara noted. "This have anything to do with Clay calling you back from San Francisco early?"
Hanna crossed her arms. "It's like he wants me to be broke."
"You've got more money than most of the people in this room combined. I'm pretty sure we have different concepts of broke," Tara pointed out. "Besides, he just wanted you to be safe."
"I was safe enough in the city," she muttered. "And at least there I was distracted." Tara gave Hanna a sympathetic smile, and left to check on Abel.
Hanna leaned against the bar, fending off snack requests, and waited for the boys to come out of Chapel. Finally the doors opened, and Juice made a beeline for her. "We're heading out. Shouldn't be too long."
She bobbed her head, hoping she seemed more calm and collected than she felt. She'd only just gotten Juice back; she wasn't ready to lose him again. "Well, be careful. God knows you'll be having more fun out there than I will in here."
Juice laughed quietly, and leaned in for a kiss. "Try not to kill any Crow Eaters while we're gone." Hanna rolled her eyes but smiled, nonetheless. "Be back soon." He headed for the door, stopping long enough to give her a wave, before he joined the other guys outside.
Gemma joined her at the bar. "Settle in, sweetheart. It's gonna be a long day."
Gemma held court at the bar, and Hanna stayed with her. The blonde was willing to bet that neither of them really wanted to be alone. After putting Abel down for a nap, Tara joined them. "First time you've ever planned something like this, huh?"
Hanna shrugged. "I've planned a few lock-ins, this isn't that different. I mean, they're typically for kids' birthdays at the aquarium, and not to keep three dozen people alive, but still..."
"Not that different," Gemma finished. "I've been to some of those kid birthdays. Twenty screaming kids and a never ending supply sugar." She scoffed. "I'd rather be locked in here."
A Crow Eater popped between the women, and offered to top off Gemma's coffee. "Can I get you girls a cup?" The girl asked turning to Hanna and Tara.
"Oh, I can get it," Tara told her, already turning around.
"I got it," the Crow Eater insisted. "Han?"
"Black," Hanna said, barely glancing up. "Oh, and some toast. With butter." The Crow Eater nodded and headed for the back. Tara gave Hanna a skeptical look, and Gemma nearly snorted.
"Hanna's been putting the fear of God in Crow Eaters since she was sixteen," Gemma explained. "You could learn a thing or two. You're Jax Teller's old lady. That means something in this clubhouse, and in this town."
Tara still didn't look convinced. "By showing respect to us, they're showing respect to our boys and to the club," Hanna elaborated. "Those girls want to be a part of all this, that's how they start. As far as Charming goes, SAMCRO keeps this shit running. We're basically an All-American fiefdom."
"But instead of taxes they bring us coffee," Tara quipped.
Hanna raised an eyebrow. "I've never claimed to be good at metaphors."
The girl returned and served their coffees. Hanna took her mug and clinked it against Tara's with a smirk. "Here's to the queens."
The day and night crawled on with the boys coming in an out, but the clubhouse remained locked down. Hanna was sure she was slowly losing her mind. "I'm gonna make a supply run," she announced abruptly, startling Tara.
"Thought you were ignoring everyone's requests?" Gemma reminded her. "You yelled at the last girl who asked."
"She wanted fucking sunflower seeds. Does this look like a birdhouse?" Hanna shook her head. "I have to get out of here before I go insane. Either of you are welcome to join, I could use help with the bags anyway." Both the women nodded. Hanna waved down Half Sack. "You're with us, c'mon."
Twenty minutes later they were at the market. Hanna was sure she'd never been this happy to buy napkins and bottled water in her life. She took her time in the store. Part of her hoped they'd kill enough time, and when they got back to the clubhouse it'd all be over. But that was naïve; none of this was going to be easy.
Outside Gemma was twirling Tara's keys around her finger. She hardly gave Hanna enough time to put the groceries in the trunk before starting the engine. Hanna leaned between the front seats exasperated. "Why are you so eager to go back to hell?"
Gemma jerked her chin toward the car a few spaces ahead. A young blonde woman was getting in, carrying a bouquet, and smiling to herself. "Zobelle's daughter. She's the one who told me her baby was choking."
Hanna glanced over at Tara, before looking back to Gemma and nodding once. Gemma hit the gas, pealing out after the other car.
The house they pulled up at was nothing special. But from the way Polly Zobelle floated out of her car it might as well have been Shangri-La. Gemma stared her down. Tara shot Hanna a panicked look, before turning back to Gemma. "Gem, hey. Whatever you think you need to do, you're past that."
Gemma nodded. "Our boys are out there risking their lives, their freedom, for me. This is how I do my part. Fate put her in my path so I could fix the part of me that was ripped open."
Hanna put a hand on Gemma's shoulder and squeezed. There was no talking her out of this, and Hanna wouldn't even if she could. Some things needed to be done, damn the consequences. "Be careful."
Tara looked appalled. "Please don't do this."
Gemma looked between them. "Get my grandson home safe." She got out of the car and headed toward the house. Tara was quiet for a moment, before moving to the driver's seat.
"This is a bad idea, Han, and you didn't even try to–" Tara was cut off by Abel's crying. She fell silent. Hanna pretended she was too concerned with calming Abel down to notice Tara's expression in the rearview mirror.
"Shh," she whispered to Abel, "it's all gonna be okay."
At Jax's house, Tara took Abel inside with hardly a glance in Hanna's direction. Hanna busied herself with gathering the groceries that needed to be put in the fridge. She took longer than necessary to sort out the bags, not yet ready to face Tara without the baby between them.
Hanna let out a deep sigh and stood up. She felt metal pressed against the back of her head, and froze. "Move and I blow your brains out," a man warned in a thick Irish accent. He ran his hand down her back, grabbing the gun from her waistband. He tossed it out of reach and patted down her legs as well, keeping the gun pointed at her head. He grabbed the knife from her boot and threw it onto the lawn. "Drop the bags." She did as she was told, letting the groceries fall back into the car. "Inside, now."
The man led her inside, gun still pressed against her skull. Hanna opened the door. "Tara," she called, quietly. Hanna cringed as the gun dug into her skin. Tara stepped into the foyer, the prospect right behind her. Tara yelped, and the phone tumbled out of her hand.
"Drop your weapon, boy." The Irishman called to Half Sack, and pressed the gun harder against Hanna's head. The prospect did as he was told. "Tie her up," the man called to Tara. Hanna watched as Tara found an extension cord. The man pulled Hanna's wrists behind her back, and pushed her into a chair. When she was securely restrained, he took a step back.
The man swung his gun between Tara and Half Sack, before landing on Tara. "Gemma killed my boy, feel it's only right to kill an old lady in return." Half Sack jumped at the words, and the gun was pointed back in his face. "Don't be a hero, boy."
The man's raised voice startled Abel, who began crying again. This got the man's attention, and he walked toward the baby. He slowly reached for a knife from the set on the counter. "Or a son for a son, that sounds about right."
Hanna, Tara, and Half Sack all jumped up at the words. Only Hanna didn't make it quite as far with her wrists tied behind the chair. The prospect made it to Abel first. The man turned, thrusting the knife into Half Sack's stomach without a second thought. Hanna shouted, and tried to break free. Tara staggered backwards.
Half Sack fell at Hanna's feet and she drew a sharp breath. The man held Tara at gunpoint, and again, Hanna tried in vain to get free. The man pulled Abel from his car seat and held him. Tara whimpered.
"Stop!" Hanna shouted. The man pointed his gun at her, his sleeve stained with Half Sack's blood. After a moment, he lowered it, and began searching through the drawers. He found duct tape and slapped a piece over Hanna's mouth. She nearly bit him, but he pressed the gun against her forehead, a silent warning.
And then he grabbed Tara by the arm and disappeared down the hall. After a few moments Hanna heard the front door open, and then close with a bang. The house fell deathly silent. At her feet, the prospect's blood had reached her shoes.
It felt like an eternity before the door opened again. Jax came in with Chibs and Opie. Their eyes fell on Half Sack's body first, Jax called out for Tara, while Opie untied Hanna. "What happened?"
"Older Irishman, he took Abel," she said as if it hurt to force the words out. "I couldn't–" Hanna broke off and Opie put his arm around her to keep her from falling back into the chair.
"How long ago?" Chibs asked.
"Twenty, maybe thirty, minutes," she mumbled. Chibs nodded, and headed down the hall after Jax.
Before he followed, Opie lead Hanna over to the couch, making sure she was seated and out of view of Half Sack's body. But even from the living room, it was still burned in her mind. She rubbed her arms, as if she could physically wipe away that feeling of helplessness.
Jax and the others left. Hanna knew she should go find Tara, but was too afraid her legs would give out if she tried to stand. So instead, she stayed like that, on the couch, until David and Unser arrived.