A big thank you to angel897, Robin.D, Lenora, lilyann17, and Ashmo21 for the reviews on the last chapter. I also want to thank everyone who has read and followed and favorited. I know I've been slow recently but there is more coming. Enjoy.
Chibs has had a pretty productive day. He got up early, making sure to be in the shower before River was awake. He did not want to stall out in a conversation over the events of the previous night and he had no idea how she would carry things. Turns out he had nothing to worry about. He came out of the bathroom to the sound of the guest shower running and by the time he was in the kitchen waiting on the kettle to boil for tea she was dressed and ready to go.
She'd had no complaints about watching the boys at the shop and he'd gotten her set up with a book and enough cigarettes to keep her occupied. The rest of the morning had been typical. He'd gotten stuck with a particularly stubborn car in his bay but about two hours in he'd figured out the problem and gotten it sorted no thanks to Juice. The boy was a mess and if he dropped another tool Chibs was going to tape them to his hands.
Juice's proximity had made it easier to ask about the phone River requested. Juice had raised his eyes at the term air-gapped and muttered something about everyone being a spy these days but he'd agreed to get the hardware. Chibs didn't have much patience for the younger man so he'd just shrugged off the tone and moved on.
The day hadn't started to go south until Jax pulled into the lot and everything Chibs needed to share started to weigh him down. He'd pushed it off for a few hours while he wrapped up his second car of the day but by early afternoon there was a tight knot of muscle between his shoulders. Taking advantage of the garage wide joke about River's poker success as cover Chibs pulled Jax aside and ask for a quiet moment.
Now he's following his VP towards the back door of the clubhouse, River trailing along behind them. Jax leads them into the largest of the dorm rooms and settles on the edge of the bed. Chibs nods River to the room's only chair and leans back against the desk, stretching out his legs.
"Yeh can see both us from there?" Chibs makes sure River is looking when he speaks and waits for her nod. "Yeh got a pen?" She tugs a notepad out of the inside pocket of her leather and he watches as she balances it on her book so she can write.
"What's this about?" Jax is looking back and forth between the two of them an uneasy smile playing on his lips. Chibs wonders for a moment how to start the conversation. Maybe best just to get it out.
"Got the lass' real name out of her last night. It's not good." Jax sits up straighter at these words, his eyes flicking to River, and Chibs continues, "I'm coming to yeh first because all this shite doesn't seem to be her fault and I was hopin' calmer heads could prevail, if yeh catch my drift." Jax lets out an annoyed huff.
"Not a deaf, female, Lobos Sonora shot caller then?" The words are dripping with sarcasm as they leave Jax's mouth and Chibs shakes his head. "Fucking figures." Anger follows the sarcasm and Chibs waits while his VP tears a hand through his hair before speaking again.
"Juicy was right, she ain't Mexican." Chibs glances to River to make sure she's still picking everything up and is surprised to find her whole body focused on Jax.
"What are we talking about here?" Jax seems to have caught on to River's fascination and is returning her stare. The two of them in tune with each other scares Chibs a little. Combine Jax's ability to think ten steps ahead and her perception, they would be fucking formidable.
"Italian." Chibs spits the word and continues, "Big Italian Jackie-boy. Her father makes every gangster yeh've ever met look small time." Jax tears his eyes away from River.
"What's her name?" Chibs sucks his teeth on the question. This is the part he was the torn about. He can't take it back once it's out there but he doesn't see a way around it.
"It's not her name yeh'll be wanting. It's the name of her da's boss. Nic DiForno." A hail mary to put off the inevitable. Chibs can see the boy's mind whirling as he searches for references and he knows the moment the facts settle into place. Jax lets out a long slow breath.
"Jesus. How high up is her connection?" Chibs nods, Jax knew how this worked. Sometimes Chibs wonders if he doesn't get it more than Clay.
"He da is Piero Santorini, DiForno's consigliere. They were both picked up a few months ago, same time the lass was scooped up by brown. That's our real problem." Chibs feels the knot between his shoulders tighten as he lays it all out. Something about saying it out loud makes it worse. "Dunno why she was picked up by Lobos or if Galindo knows but it puts us in a tight spot."
"Jesus." Jax takes a deep breath and turns back to River. This was the part Chibs was most worried about. The VP was going to want answers Chibs has no idea if she's going to give them, he has no idea if he wants to hear them. "Did Luis know?" Jax speaks slowly for her benefit and she moves the pen to write.
Know what?
Chibs holds in his groan of frustration. The woman was a master of misdirection. Jax seems to have similar thoughts because his tone is less patient when he speaks again. "Did he know who you were the night we picked you up?" Her answer comes quickly.
Yes
That surprises even Chibs and Jax speaks before he can. "Do you know why they were holding you?" Again, a quick answer.
No
"Were you working for Lobos Sonora?" Jax is getting to rhythm. She writes for longer this time.
No, they'd had me for months before that night moving from location to location.
She pauses long enough for them to read and then continues with additional unrequested information.
It was Lobos, not Luis that beat me up.
Jax nods and leans back a bit and lets out a breath. It's the first sign Chibs sees that they've made the right move. Giving Jax testimony to a possible betrayal from their hated business partners, the dangerous unknown is what he'll do with the information. The VP seems to be trying to figure out the same thing and he takes a long moment before leaning forward again.
"Is the family after you? Or someone else?" It's the first question that has River looking uncomfortable and Chibs can see her uncertainty as she moves the pen.
I don't know. I was in Vegas to get away from some issues in Chicago. I don't know what happened.
There's a long pause as they both read and then she takes a deep breath and starts writing again.
There's a way I can find out though.
"How?" Jax breaths out the word and she writes immediately.
I need access to the internet.
Jax nods and leans back in his chair looking at Chibs for a moment and then he moves off the bed and wraps an arm around his shoulders turning them so they their backs are to River's searching eyes.
"Do you trust her?" Jax's voice is quiet even though there's no need.
"Aye" The reply comes without hesitation. Chibs knows she's not telling them the whole story. She may be able to read everyone but he's gotten pretty good at reading her and he knows there's more to this entire thing. He also knows she's not going to spill it unless they ask the right questions. They may have a standing truce but she's a survivor first and foremost and she's going to watch her own back. He's almost proud.
"Do you trust her with your life? That's what this could be." Jax is watching his face and Chibs meets his eyes before he replies.
"I trust her with all our lives. Good thing too, 'cause if the goombahs find out we have her—" He trails off and slides his thumb across his neck. Jax nods.
"Good enough, for now. This stays in this room until she gets to a computer and we know more." Chibs nods along and Jax releases him. Turning back to River the VP speaks again, "You guys should come for dinner tonight. Tara has a laptop you can use. Plus, she's a better cook than this asshole."
The joke is a clear sign that the meeting is over and River spares Jax a tight smile and a nod. Chibs watches the younger man get up and head for the door pulling himself together as he goes. With a soft click he's left alone with River. He waits until he's sure Jax is away from the door before he speaks softly.
"What didn't yeh tell him?" She rolls her eyes and shakes her head at the question but he narrows his eyes at her and asks again. "I know that's not all of it." She hesitates for a long moment and then moves to write.
Luis, the night Jax picked me up. He told me, don't worry Sofia, two more weeks.
Chibs stares down at the words and his mind flies as he does the mental math. They'd brought her in the week after the drug vote on a Tuesday night maybe. It's Monday so they're about a week into the timeline. They're halfway to whatever climax Luis has planned. "Two weeks until what?" His voice is dangerously soft and he knows she can tell.
I have no idea.
She's never lied to him yet and he knows she isn't now. She twists up words, withholds, and answers questions like a woman trained to deflect, which considering her background she may actually be, but she's never been directly dishonest. She looks as terrified as he feels.
"Dinner will be fun. Yeh'll like Tara and Jax's boys." The change in subject is sudden but Chibs is struggling to keep his head straight with all these new details. He smiles at her in an effort to lighten the mood even further and is rewarded with a small smile from her and the sign for eat. He laughs and nods. "Aye, there will be eating." The sign has reminded him of something else.
"I asked Juice about yer phone thing, he says he can get one without much trouble." Her eyes light up and she actually lets out a little laugh. The reaction seems a bit much considering but then again he has no idea how it all works, aside from the note system and learning a few rudimentary signs he hasn't really asked. "Is it hard, what yeh do when yeh read lips?"
The question seems to catch her by surprise and she gives him a strange look before ducking to write.
Yes, it is harder with new people. Right now is mostly new people. It requires constant and continuous focus. If the person isn't trying to help me I only pick up about 45% of what they say. Lip reading English is basically my fourth language.
He reads the note and taps on the word fourth raising his eyebrows in question.
ASL, written english, spoken english, & spoken Italian. I never learned to write much Italian, not as useful.
He lets out a long whistle. "Very impressive lass. Another question for yeh, am I still new people?" He's flirting with her just a bit and she gives him another appraising look then writes.
Yes. Learn more signs then ask again.
He raises and eyebrow. "I know the basics! Yes, no, eat, where, yer name…" He trails off not wanting to list every sign she'd taught him, he hadn't been expecting her to put him on the spot like this and he's actually a little hurt. He thought he'd been doing well. She smiles indulgently and moves the pen.
You don't even know yes and no. I know 1 year olds with more ASL than you.
Her smile is teasing but her eyes are serious. He hides his embarrassment in more jokes. "This is yes," he says nodding his head, "and here's no" he switches to shaking. In response she holds up her right hand and points it towards him bringing her spread middle and index fingers down against her thumb twice her mouth silently forming the word no. He mimes the sign back and when he gets it right she makes a fist, thumb in front and nods it twice mouthing yes.
"So yeh've been nodding for our benefit." He's rewarded with the nodding fist. "And I'm not any good at sign language." She laughs and her fingers come down on her thumb in a very decisive no. "Point made." She laughs again and picks up the pen.
Thank you for trying.
"Aye, maybe when yeh get this phone I'll get that app thing Phil mentioned." She signs no quickly and starts writing.
The phone can never have connected to the internet. I'll need a toolkit when we get it to take out the receiver and a laptop. It's for talking not phone calls and internet.
He had many more questions about that but he lets them ride for now. "Juicy should be able to help yeh." Her fist moves in agreement and she finally gets up ripping the used pages off the notebook. He watches her rip them into minuscule pieces and then move toward the bathroom when he hears the toilet flush he understands. She knows how to cover her tracks.
Reviews are always welcome.
There were two new signs introduced this chapter and the next one will have a more detailed conversation on lip reading. Lip reading is really hard guys. Like really hard. I had to learn how to read lips a bit for my own needs and I am not good at it. The way River reads lips in this story is almost supernatural and definitely supplemented to keep plot moving and reading easy. If you're interested in more about how hard it is to read lips I've put a video link in my profile. Or you can google "What it's Like to Read Lips" to find a 4 minute video from national geographic that really shows how difficult it can be.
Until next time!