Thank you to Ghostwriter, occasional-episode, angel897, and tellmesweetlittlelies for the reviews. Enjoy!
Day two at Gemma's house is dragging on and as much as she loves poker River isn't sure she can take many more hands of one-on-one with Phil. They'd eaten too much of the candy the day before and have switched to betting cigarettes. River is up half a pack. She's just about to suggest they break for lunch when Phil perks up.
"Gemma is calling for you." He looks confused as he speaks and River has to agree.
Gemma had not come out of her room that morning still claiming her cold was bad. River didn't feel like the state of her face was something to share with the prospect and so the ruse was maintained. Still, Gemma did not seem happy with her the night before so River isn't expecting a friendly girl chat as she gets up and heads for the back bedroom.
Pushing open the door carefully River takes in the large room, Gemma is settled in the middle of the well-made bed, ashtray on her night stand. It looks like the older woman took the advice about icing the bruising and the swelling has gone down. River pulls the phone out of her pocket.
You called?
"Close the door." River nods at the request and steps further into the room. She types again, leaving the reader on so she doesn't have to move up to the bed.
Are you okay? Need something?
"Can you get the prospect to run to the store for me?" Gemma's eyes dart a bit as she speaks and River can tell she's hiding something. Gemma refused to explain the reason for her bruised face the night before but River got the distinct impression that it was something personal that could interfere with the club. She's seen this kind of conflict before and it never ends well. She types.
I can but only if you tell me why he's really going.
Gemma's face goes hard as the phone reads and River knows she's trying to figure out the odds of getting the help without having to explain. The odds are not in Gemma's favor. River is technically still in a precarious situation but she's got more weight in safety than danger at this point and she's willing to take a risk to make sure whatever Gemma has brewing doesn't come down on them all.
"Fine. After he leaves." Gemma concedes, it's a concession River doesn't want to make but she can tell she's gotten as much ground as Gemma is willing to give. With a nod she turns and leaves the room.
River pauses outside the living room to pull herself together. She has been provided no news on how the men are doing on the run, Gemma is clearly playing a violent game, and there are only a few days left until the 2 weeks are up. Taking a deep breath River pushes all the other issues from her mind and puts what she hopes is a panicked look on her face. She rushes into the living room and she can tell her pause helped from the way Phil is instantly on his feet.
"What is it? Is she okay?" River feels a moment of sympathy for the young man and then forces herself to type with exaggerated shaking fingers.
Her fever spiked. She's looking really bad. You have to go get medicine. You have to go we need to give her something.
He immediately looks torn. "I'm not supposed to leave the house." River opens her mouth in only half feigned frustration and types again.
I can't drive and she can't leave the bathroom. You have to go.
To emphasize the words, she waves towards the door.
"I don't even know what to get. Maybe we can call Tara." Latching onto the idea River nods along, typing again.
I can't call anyone Phil. Gemma says she likes the blue bottle for cold and flu but they only have it at the pharmacy in Lodi.
He's already taken a few involuntary steps towards the door and River nods. She mouths the word go and he finally nods.
"Don't answer the door while I'm gone, okay?" She nods again and then practically shoves him out the door. She watches through the front curtains until she sees the bike pull away. She feels bad about the wild goose chase but he was really too easy a mark. Men never know what to do about sickness, useless.
Turning back to the main room she sees Gemma already coming down the hallway pulling on her robe as she comes. "That was an impressive bit of acting." Gemma is heading for the kitchen and back door as she speaks and River follows, typing as she goes.
Why did he have to leave?
Gemma shakes her head and River feels her shoulders tighten as the woman undoes the back dead-bolt pulling open the door to admit a short, balding man. He steps in carefully and looks around the room starting when he sees River standing over Gemma's shoulder. Gemma turns around to face her before she speaks.
"Get lost." The MC queen points towards the living room as she speaks and River rolls her eyes. Of course, there would be no explanation. "Seriously, go on." Weighing her options River figures leaving without a fight could put her in a position to learn more anyways. She still flicks Gemma off on her way out of the kitchen. No reason to let things look too easy.
River knows how these games are played and she goes all the way into the living room making a good show of laying out a game of solitaire. Sure enough, it only takes a moment for a flash of dark hair to appear in her peripheral vision. After it has come and gone, she risks a look at the open kitchen door and then gets up and pads forward on careful feet. Learning to move quietly while deaf took some serious practice but given their lifestyle her father had insisted on it and River spent hours with a dance instructor learning to move until she could be considered legitimately sneaky.
Sliding up to the door she keeps herself pressed to the outside wall and pulls out the phone. After ensuring it's on silent she carefully sets it to the conversation app and waits. River has never used her app to try and capture a conversation like this before but she imagines it will be similar to using it in a group setting. The phone won't tell her who is talking or capture every word in order but it should generate enough to build context. Making sure she's flicking her eyes away regularly to avoid being caught she stares down at the screen.
"…happened… jesus…okay."
"Clay… fucking letters… got a temper… what now…"
"The doc said no letters… now we… Clay asked me to look…"
"Don't do…Wayne…"
"What is… letters… Clay care"
"JT's death… love bullshit…dangerous for Jax…"
"Christ Gemma… my best… the doc in danger…"
River has seen enough. The conversation is certainly incomplete but modern technology can only conquer so much and even the gapped conversation on the screen is enough to make her nervous. Assuming the doc is Tara it seems like Gemma is making a mess that risks more than her own face. Moving carefully River gets back on the couch and settles in front of the playing cards.
She's just screen capping the text before the app wipes the conversation when Gemma appears at the entrance to the room. River watches the older woman move until she sits down in the opposite chair. Focusing on Gemma's face River waits for her speak.
"How long until the giant is back?" River ducks her head to the phone.
I told him you only wanted the medicine in a blue bottle from Lodi. He may never come back.
Gemma snorts a laugh. "Nice. I need another favor." River rolls her eyes.
The way I see it you still haven't repaid the last one.
"I had to have a little chat with a friend. Explanation enough for you." Gemma is on the defensive and she should be. Everything about this feels wrong and River knows she'll spend the rest of the day trying to figure out what to do with the new information.
What is your friend's name?
"Wayne Unser, he's a good friend of the club. You happy?" River shrugs and holds her hands palm up alternating them in the sign for maybe.
What's the new favor?
"I need you to tell Jax about my face." That's a surprise. River was considering the idea anyways but now it feels like she'd be playing to Gemma's plan, whatever it happens to be.
Why wouldn't you tell him?
River is pretty sure she knows the answer but she wants to hear it from the other woman.
"He needs to hear it from someone else. It can't come back on me." Exactly, but if River shares the info it will come back on her and if her suspicions about Clay are correct it puts her in a dangerous spot. The concern must be on her face because Gemma speaks again, "Don't worry, I'm sure the Scot will protect you. If not, you're still technically a Cartel favor and they can't kill you." Doesn't mean Clay can't beat her up but River feels just a little out of her element. These are politics and power games that clearly run deep and are years old. She doesn't have all the details. She decides to go with a tactic that can pay off either way.
Fine but you owe me. No questions asked, any time.
Gemma looks like she's going to refuse outright but reconsiders. "Fine. All working towards the same goal right?" River watches her closely for a sign of deception but there's nothing but a bit of desperation in her eyes. It makes the situation feel more dire and River wonders what she's stumbled into here.
Right.
Gemma doesn't wait around and River watches her leave the room, thoughts swirling. Phil finds her there an hour later still trying to figure out what to do next.
Reviews are welcome but thank you to everyone who's reading!
This was a short one because I couldn't figure out a more logical way to break up the two parts at Gemma's house. Longer update coming soon.