13
Jax Is Really Alive
Chapter 19 Recap
Tara recovers from being double drunk. She and Jax talk about discovering that Gemma has returned to life. She assumes Gemma must be part alien for her to be alive, so she wants to see if she can see anything in Jax's DNA that would point to Gemma's alien DNA.
Being thorough, she decides to also run tests on Jax's DNA before the conversion. She uses the DNA from the inside pocket of Jax's cut. The tests don't show what she expected. It shows that Jax is 75% Sliven and 25% human.
Ryland flies to the bunker. Tara proudly shows Ryland her DNA work, but instead of praise, he tells her that if anyone discovers Jax is part Sliven, it's a death sentence.
Chapter 20 Hard Truths
Ryland sat down at the computer and began typing into the computer so fast it sounded like one continuous clicking sound.
"I shut down the automatic push and inserted a notice that there are problems with the medical system possibly related to the com system crash. No one really understands how the hell the medical system works except me, so it's plausible. That buys me time to make the changes I'm going to need to do to keep Jax and the boys safe."
"Why don't you just delete the record?" Tara asked.
"I could do that and that would temporarily solve the problem, but with Gemma's return from the dead, there's going to be a lot of pressure to look at the reason. That will bring scrutiny to Jax's DNA and eventually the kids when we get them back. It's better to do it now and get ahead of the problem."
"Why is being Sliven so bad?" Jax asked.
"When the Slivens wiped out a lot of the Paralorns and drove the survivors underground or to Earth, it caused a lot of hate. There's this completely crazy belief that Slivens are evil—that it's somehow in their nature and it's only a matter of time before they turn on the Paralorns. It's kind of how people see pit bull dogs.
"We know that some Sliven spies are among those in the tunnels and those that were on our ships. It was impossible to weed them out, but as they have become discovered, they have been dealt with."
"Killed or locked up?" Jax asked.
"Killed," Ryland said tersely. "We have kept communications limited to a very small select group in the tunnels, so we don't think there's been communication to the Slivens. We don't think they know we have a large underground city. We also have limited communications back to Paralorn. We think it's possible that some Slivens may know we have a weapon, but they haven't been able to contact the Slivens back on Rackle."
"They could have stolen communications equipment or made their own," Jax said.
"That's what we're afraid of. Then, we're worried they know about the tunnels or the weapon. It's a very tense time for us until we get the weapon sent to our people and the war is over."
Jax looked at Tara and had the feeling that she knew something about the weapon. It could explain why she was always working in the medical unit. From what he'd heard, they didn't have the ability to send anything large to their home world. It had to be small, so it was probably some kind of bioweapon or chemical weapon. It made the most sense.
"You look like you've been awake for three days straight. You need to eat and sleep," Tara said.
Ry nodded.
"If you can do a project for me, I'll be able to do that. Jax, could you wait for me upstairs and order some beer battered onion rings for us."
Ryland had just sat down when the robots finished preparing onion rings and hamburgers.
"Thought you should eat a burger too."
"Thanks. When I wake up, I'll make the changes to the medical computer to keep you, your kids and your mother safe."
"You don't have to keep my mother safe on my account."
"I have to change her DNA to make yours come out right."
Ry stood up and went to the refrigerator.
"Beer?" he asked Jax.
"Sure."
"Any idea what you're going to do about your mother?"
Jax shook his head and stared into his beer bottle.
"Right now, I am focused on my boys."
"Are you going to have a problem with Hale running point on the search for your kids? I know it's your boys that are missing, but Hale can manage the search better than you or Tara."
Old Jax may have had a problem with that, but new Jax understood that Hale had experience, the skills and the resources. It wasn't about ego, it was about getting the boys back.
"Yeah, I'm OK with it. Hale's a good guy and I know he will do everything possible to find the boys."
"With all we have going on, we aren't going to be able to help much with finding the boys. At least until things calm down for us. We can provide money and a few people, but my involvement is going to be very limited.
"There's also another potential problem. Tara's true identity as Lorna's daughter isn't widely known. It's possible, but unlikely, that someone might try to kill her. If something happens to Lorna, Tara could be the next leader of the Paralorns on Earth. You need to be prepared to protect her if necessary."
"Does Tara know about this?"
"She does, but I may have scaled down the risk."
"Like you just did with me."
"Yeah or I may be overreacting. There's a lot going on."
"I know that feeling. I will keep Tara safe starting with not leaving her alone with my mother," Jax said, making a dark joke.
Ryland laughed and shook his head.
"That mother of yours is really something else."
"Yeah. I hadn't really adjusted to the fact that I killed her and now she's alive again."
"Maybe we'll get lucky and the system will be up soon and your kids have been found."
"I'll only have to deal with my mother rising from the dead then," Jax said drily.
"Hale's got weapons to give you. Not necessarily for you to use one on your mother, but you may need to deal with whoever took the kids. Permanently. One last thing, don't assume you can trust anyone Paralorn, Sliven, human or hybrid. Stay on your guard without looking like it."
"It's like the MC."
"I'll see you in a few hours."
Jax was struck again by how decent a guy Ry appeared to be. He had the weight of a planet and a civilization on his shoulders. He couldn't help but wonder if there were more underneath that sort of noble façade. Whatever faults he might be hiding, he did seem to be looking out for Tara.
Jax watched the rain and tried to clear his mind from the tangle of thoughts. Gemma, Tara, the boys, the Paralorns, the Slivens. SAMCRO wasn't even on the list of things to worry about anymore.
He worried about Thomas because he couldn't do anything to take care of himself. He worried about Abel getting his heart medication and he worried about Abel's mental state. He had been through so much and he was at the age where he would remember and carry the emotional scars of this kidnapping. He hoped there was some misunderstanding and the boys were somewhere safe.
He deserved to suffer for being a bad father. He should have come up with a better plan for the boys than leaving them with Wendy, but he hoped that Nero would balance out the crazy. Once again, he berated himself for putting fucking SAMCRO ahead of his boys and Tara. Whoever took the boys did it because he was a shit father. His father had the same flaw. He'd been too busy pretending to be a brother instead of being a real father too.
Tara returned upstairs after almost two hours.
"Ryland's still asleep. The wait is driving me crazy."
"Ry needs sleep."
"He always seems to need sleep."
"He pushes himself. He forgets to eat."
Jax was struck by just how much Tara cared about Ryland. He had no doubt that she loved him; it just wasn't that searing passionate love that they had and he hoped to get her to feel again.
"Just an observation," Jax said, "not a criticism. He annoys the hell out of me because I want to hate him or at least dislike him but I can't."
"He really needs to be at his best. That change he's going to make to the computer system is complicated. If someone processes something with Gemma's DNA, it has to match that up with the DNA you got from Gemma, then go to the fake DNA profile for Gemma and spit that out as a result. If your DNA is processed, the system has to know to go to your fake DNA record and show those results and not the actual results. He'll put an instruction in that will then destroy the actual results. He'll do the same for the boys. He'll also put in some code so he'll know if someone is looking into Gemma, you or the boys.
"He isn't kidding about the hatred for the Slivens. He made that very clear when we were downstairs together. With war approaching, the Paralorns are paranoid or rightly worried depending on how things work out."
"And the boys are kidnapped at the worst possible time."
"I don't think there's ever a good time for a kidnapping. Do you think there's a connection between the weapon and the boys?"
Jax shook his head. "I don't know enough to really have any idea. Do you think someone could have taken the boys to trade for this weapon?"
Tara thought about that for a few moments.
"It's possible, but it won't happen. The Paralorns will never agree to trade the weapon for the boys."
"So, we'll have to rescue them in that case."
"Jax, I can't talk about the kidnapping any longer. It's killing me. I just can't think about it or I'm going to fall apart and turn into a crying mess."
He drew her into his arms.
"We are going to be in for a tough few days, but we will get through them. We will get our boys back."
"Thanks for the pep talk," she said.
Jax released her just as Ryland walked into the kitchen room.
"Is the com system up yet?"
"No, it's still down," Tara said.
"I'm going to the medical unit and make those changes. It should take me about an hour. Tara, I'm going to need a little of your help to test the program mods. We should be on our way within an hour and a half. Have you packed?" Ry asked Jax.
"I didn't even think about it," Jax confessed.
"Just have Cas tell the robots to pack. They are very efficient."
"I forgot too. Cas, please instruct robots to pack for Jax and me with a couple of days worth of clothes."
"I will instruct the robots. They pack very well and provide a wrinkle free experience," Cas said, sounding very important as always.
Jax couldn't stand sitting and doing nothing while he waited for Ry and Tara, so he decided to fight with the robots. At least it would take his mind off the boys for a few minutes.
"Jax, the robots have almost completed packing for you. Do you wish us to pack your black leather vest."
"It's called a cut," Jax said automatically.
"I've updated my files. Do you wish it packed?"
"No. I won't be needing it."
It hit Jax again that he had spent so much time in SAMCRO and now it was all just gone. Everything he had worked for with the MC was for nothing. What affection he had for his brothers had been destroyed when he found out they had ordered his father's death. He understood and would have made the same decision, but there's something wrong when belonging to a club can get you killed. They weren't fighting for some noble cause; they just wanted to make money. The cut he had worn so proudly now symbolized his wasted life, greed, murder and betrayal.
All the fight was out of him. He went upstairs to shower and change before Ryland flew them back to Charming. For the first time, he realized what an effort it must have taken for Tara to return to Charming. At least, he had the advantage that he didn't look like Jax Teller to humans.
Jax was underwhelmed by the spacecraft. He was expecting something more sci-fi. The spacecraft looked a lot like a big black helicopter without the propellers.
"We're just taking the shuttle," Ry said.
He led the way into the spacecraft, followed by Tara and Jax who was carrying their bags.
"If things ever get back to normal, maybe you could fly us cross country to see Opie and Donna in one of the larger spacecraft," Tara suggested.
"It's hard to imagine things ever getting back to normal," Ry said.
"What kind of timeline are you looking at with getting the weapon to your home planet?" Jax asked.
Ry shrugged.
"I'm not sure. We're in the final stages."
Jax looked at Ry sharply and had no clue whether or not he was telling the truth. He wondered if he could be lying to him because he was Sliven. Maybe Ryland didn't have such a tolerant view of Slivens, but he couldn't admit it in front of Tara.
"I thought you said there were other spaceships," Jax said.
"The ships are on different levels. The largest is used the least and is on the bottom."
There were three rows of two seats. They looked a lot like the seats in dental offices. Ry motioned to Jax to take the seat next to him and for Tara to sit behind Jax. Once they got into seats, they tightened molding to their bodies and hugging them.
"No seat belts required," Ry said. "Cas prepare for take-off," he instructed.
The ship was lit with a soft blue lighting. Below the rounded window of the spacecraft were banks of white and blue lights.
"It's a little weird at first," Tara said. "They use noise cancelling tech to make the ship run silently. It's going to be a big fast straight up pull."
"It's quick and the g-forces will push you down into your seat hard," Ry added.
"The first time we landed, I was scared to death," Tara said. "It just starts dropping faster than a roller coaster. I was sure we were crashing into the ground and then there's this gentle bounce as the landing skids touch down."
"It sounds like it's still better than flying on a plane. No airport security," Jax said.
"I shouldn't admit this, but the ship flies itself. There's a triple back-up in case of computer failure. I do train once a month just in case something happens and I have to actually fly," Ry said.
"Ready for take-off," Cas said.
"Is that the same Cas?" Jax asked.
"No. This one coordinates with the house Cas, but this one just flies."
"It only feels like you're dying for the first few minutes," Tara said encouragingly.
"Great. Best news of the day."
"Cas, take-off," Ryland said.
Tara hadn't underestimated how fast the ship took off straight up. It then moved horizontally, but he didn't notice the speed. That part was like an airplane.
"What do you do when you fly? There's not anything to see," Jax said, looking out of the large bubble window and seeing nothing but darkness.
"I usually work."
Jax wondered if Ryland ever had fun. That could give him an edge in the competition for Tara. He couldn't see Tara with some dry, humorless guy.
Tara explained about most of the Paralorns live in the gated community with tunnels connecting many of the houses.
"We're landing," Ry warned.
Tara had not underestimated the landing. It felt like they were freefalling to the ground, gathering speed as they went until suddenly there was a little bounce and they were back on land.
"I'm just dropping you two off. Hale will take it from here."
The seats loosened their hold and they were able to leave the seats. Ry handed Tara her bag and said something in a low voice to her that Jax couldn't hear.
When Jax grabbed his bag and walked past Ryland, Ry stopped him.
"I want you to understand that just because Tara and I are no longer having sex, that doesn't mean that you've won. It only means that she needs some room to make a decision. You need to back-off some of the sexual pressure."
"Good luck with your weapon," Jax said, concealing his surprise that Tara wasn't sleeping with Ryland anymore.
As soon as they were out of the spacecraft and a safe distance away, it took off disappearing completely in the night sky just as all the technology intended. The roof slid closed and Tara led Jax down another tunnel.
As they turned a corner, they saw Hale waiting for him. He was wearing khakis and a bright blue and white Hawaiian print shirt. His hair was a little longer and bleached a couple of shades lighter from the sun.
He immediately hugged Tara and she kissed him on the cheek. Jax felt again the stirrings of jealousy. He always suspected Hale was in love with Tara.
"Hale," Jax said, "I'm glad you're back."
"I get to take another swing at destroying SAMCRO," he said.
"Good luck. I actually mean that," Jax said with a laugh.
"That death experience changes everything."
"Yeah that and screwing up your life so bad that driving into a truck seems like a good idea."
"I'm glad Tara got to you in time."
"Jax, my ability to stop time is another kind of secret. Hale, Ry, you and Meg are the only ones who know."
"I'm ready to brief you and lay out my plans for finding the boys. Skeeter, Aranora and Louise are waiting. We can get extra resources by hiring people, but in terms of the core group, we're only using hybrids or Paralorns."
"To keep the alien secret," Tara added.
"I know we can trust you and as much as my ego wants to be in charge, I know you're the best person."
Hale looked shocked.
"You have changed."
"I'm working on it."
Hale continued to lead them down tunnels and up staircases.
"If you get lost, ask Taz—my automated version of Cas and she'll navigate you to where you want to go. I think it took me months before I figured out the layout."
"That's because you didn't ask for directions," Tara said.
Hale laughed.
He led them through a doorway into a conference room. The room had the beachy feel that matched Hale's shirt. It was done in sandy beige carpet a large beige conference table and sea green chairs that matched the walls. One wall was black with different colors of writing on it. Hale already had done a lot of work laying out his plans.
After everyone exchanged greetings, Jax and Tara took chairs at the table while Hale went to the board. Before he could even open his mouth, someone rang the doorbell. Hale looked up at a corner of the blackboard and saw his doorstep. Of all the visitors who could have been on his doorstep, this one might be the most surprising.
"I'll be back," Hale said.
He walked down a hall into the terra cotta tiled entryway and opened the door.
"Juice, I wasn't expecting to see you."
"Juice is dead. My name's JC. I want to help find the boys."
Does Juice really want to help find the kids or is he planning some revenge on Jax for all the bad that happened?
NEXT UP JUICE GETS MADE
The next chapter is going to be Juice's backstory. It will reveal why he was so susceptible to blackmail by Roosevelt. There will be many revelations about Juice or JC including one that is truly heartbreaking or several heartbreaking revelations depending on how easy it is to break your heart.
It may also reveal what JC's true intentions.