CHAPTER 22: PROTECT THIS HOUSE

NOVEMBER 11, 1970 – VETERANS DAY

HIGHWAY 99, 6 MILES NORTH OF CHARMING

In the end, the glitch in the Mayans and Weathermen's plans didn't come from an unexpected police roadblock or a snitch somewhere turning federal witness. It came from an old farmer outside Charming who didn't maintain the barbed wire fence around his ranch well enough. The gusting winds that morning finally blew out an entire section of the fence, something that the herd of Angus beef cattle discovered before the farmer did. An eighteen-wheeler was just cruising south on its way to Charming for some supermarket deliveries when its driver suddenly saw a stream of over 20 cows rush onto the four-lane highway from the section of broken fence.

He slammed on his brakes as quickly as he could, but still slammed into three cows right in the roadway. The sudden braking along with the impact caused the truck to lose control, the 18-wheeler falling over onto its side and skidding across the median. Fortunately the driver wasn't seriously hurt, but the wrecked truck and cattle roadkill blocked all four lanes of traffic in both directions.

"What the hell?" Weather Underground terrorist Mike Grayson said as he saw the brake lights up ahead.

Deanna leaned forward in the back seat, getting in between Mike and Professor Rogers, who was in the back seat of their vehicle. A van packed with four more Weathermen from Bay Area colleges was right behind them and also slowed down along with the rest of the traffic.

"Jesus fucking Christ," Rogers said in an exasperated voice. The only time he ever used the Lord's name was in vain. He turned to Deanna and the two other Berkeley students in the back seat of the vehicle. "We're not moving at all. Where the fuck are we?"

One of the student terrorists took out a highway map and looked at the section showing San Joaquin County. "We're six miles south of Charming."

"I know that, goddammit," Rogers retorted. "Is there any way around this mess?"

Deanna checked the map frantically. "No, all these are private ranch access road that don't lead back to any of the major highways and some of them probably have mud holes too deep for our vehicles to drive through."

"So you're saying we have no choice but to wait till these yokel cops clean all this up? That's going to screw up our timetable!"

"I'm sure our Mayan friends still have the element of surprise," Mike said.

TELLER AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR – SOA CLUBHOUSE

"Traffic is at a standstill on Highway 99 in San Joaquin County between Lodi and Charming following a single-vehicle accident involving an overturned tractor trailer and a number of livestock. According to the California Highway Patrol, Route 99 is blocked in both directions but police are attempting to clear out the shoulder so that vehicles can pass the wreck. It is unclear when traffic will begin moving again. Organizers of Charming's Veterans Day parade are considering postponing the start of the event…."

JT, Keith, Thomas and Chico were listening to the radio as JT got ready for his own appearance in the Charming Veterans Day parade. Clay and Piney were already at the staging area saving a spot for JT's bike, and Tameesha Cross had also been invited to join them in honor of her late husband Otis. The plan was for JT and the non-veterans in the club to do the final vehicle repair jobs with JT before the garage also closed for the main Veterans Day festival.

The past few weeks had been peaceful, though there was an unease in JT's mind.

Part of it was a lingering sense that Frisco wouldn't go away that easy. Even if the Mayan national leaders could be trusted with their intentions for peace, even they may not be able to reign in a hothead like Frisco who understood only the way of the streets. He was also increasingly concerned that many of the Sons' own members might not be willing to disband. That was a meeting that was supposed to occur after they paraded through the streets this day. There was still the issue of Professor Rogers. It was out of their own desire for revenge against the Weathermen that this whole business started, and while most of the Berkeley Weathermen, including Comrade Jimmy were dead and Deanna Lunsik was in jail awaiting trial, Professor Rogers himself was still free, shielded by his faculty position in an elite university.

The storm was even closer than JT had thought. He heard some frantic shouting from the prospects assigned to keep an eye on the street even as they did some auto repair work.

JT and Chico ran out into the cloudless November day and saw a prospect running across the repair shop large parking area. "What's going on?"

"We got a tow truck and a motorcycle bearing down on us."

Chico looked through the chain link fence and saw that it was a West German bike. There was only one biker gang in the area that chose imports over American motorcycles. "Shit, it's Frisco's people. Some of his men must have remained loyal to him."

"Everyone get in position, we're under attack!" JT shouted. "Lenny! Keith!"

"Aye, got it, mate!" Keith said in an Irish manner. "We got these bloody bastards!"

The tow truck slammed into the gate, shattering it but then coming to a stop by the cement barricade, which the Sons had placed as a defense during all hours the garage was closed, and it was already closed to customers on this day.

"Cover me!" Frisco screamed as four other Oakland Mayans who remained loyal to him poured out of the cab and the back of the truck. "Vamos! Rapido! Rapido!"

"Fuck!" JT yelled as he saw what had happened. He opened the desk drawer in his office and took out a Colt .45 pistol, shooting twice. He saw one of Frisco's bikers go down with a bullet hole through his heart.

Diego floored the accelerator on his Japanese bike and reached into the pocket of his leather kutte, taking out a machine pistol and spraying gunfire into the main area as he rode past the barricade, going straight for the main part of the garage. JT ducked out of the way as the bullets slammed through the glass and plastic windows of the garage's main mechanical area.

"Shit!" Chico said as broken glass fell all around him. "I'm going to get up on the roof and take out the tow truck! Clay, you draw some fire away from JT, can you do that?"

Clay nodded. "Yeah."

JT squeezed off several more shots but all of them went wide. The only good they did was slow down the Mayans just slightly, but it was clear these guys were determined. He saw Frisco himself leading his men as they entered the main part of the garage. JT took cover behind a car being repaired as Frisco opened fire with his AK-47. JT suddenly realized his clip was empty and the other ones were not in reach.

"Chico, I'm out!" JT shouted to his returned SOA brother.

"I got one magazine left! I'll cover you to the supply room!"

Chico fed another clip into his AR15 and opened fire, taking down one of Frisco's men as he tried to flank their position. He slid across the greasy ground, opening fire again and shooting another Mayan. Another team of four Mayans were entering the garage now, and they were forced to retreat. Keith and Thomas focused their fire on Diego who had reached the end of his garage on his motorcycle and was turning around, reaching into his kutte for grenade. Before Diego could throw the grenade into the main part of Teller Automotive Repair, however, one of Thomas's rounds hit him in the leg and he lost control of his bike, which crashed back out of the garage and exploded again a wall.

JT made his way into the supply area which contained several long shelves full of automotive parts and supplies including several racks full of tires. Chico kicked open the door to the parts area and sprayed the entire room with his Soviet assault rifle.

"Tu vas a morir! Cajo en la leche de tu puta madre!" Frisco screamed as he opened fire again. He saw that not all of the bullets were penetrating the tires area while they bounced back from the metal boxes and supplies in the other parts of the room.

I'm going to find you, you fucking hillbilly coward, Frisco thought, almost delirious with rage. Everything in this war had led to this moment that should have come much earlier, with him and his loyal followers invading the Sons of Anarchy clubhouse itself. JT was now within reach, and only one of them was going to leave this garage alive.

Frisco made his way into the stack of tires, making sure his finger next left the trigger and listened for any hint of movement. Now he was in the middle of a hanging rack of extra large tires, the kind the local good ol' boys used to modify. Suddenly JT emerged from the middle of one of the tires, kicking Frisco on the chest. Frisco's AK fell to the ground and JT kicked it far beyond reach.

Frisco came with a back kick and struck JT in the stomach but JT didn't even flinch as he hit Frisco in the face with a boxing punch. Frisco was also quite his match, though. He ducked another punch from JT and then grabbed him, slamming him hard onto the ground with a Mexican wrestling move. Before JT could recover, Frisco punched his head into the ground again, almost giving him a concussion. He then grabbed a knife from his pocket and held it in front of JT's eyes.

"Para mi hermano! For my brother!" Frisco screamed in JT's face as he squeezed his neck with his left hand and he lifted his right hand high in the air, preparing to come down with the knife.

As the knife was a mere couple inches from JT's face, however, there were four deafening gunshots. JT felt Frisco's grip loosen then saw the red stains on Frisco's white shirt before he fell onto his side dead. JT chocked for breath as he started to get up, and saw Geraldo Morales approach with his gun drawn. Geraldo was accompanied by three Mayans in the kuttes of the national charter, and they slowly walked over. All of Frisco's men had been taken out too.

"My name is Marcus Alvarez," the man who appeared to be their leader said. "I'm the new President of the Mayans MC Oakland charter. I was sent here by Geraldo Morales to make sure things stayed under control."

JT picked up his handgun from the oily floor of the repair shop and pointed it at Geraldo, staring him down.

"There's no need for that!" Marcus said. "JT, I swear I knew nothing of this until this morning, and we came as quickly as we could."

"Why the hell should I believe you? Maybe you did put him up to it and you're just trying to save your own ass now. Or playing some other fucking game I don't know about."

"Frisco betrayed us! We only found out when he killed several of our business partners in Reno. Some of the Oakland guys finally got cold feet and told us the truth. They knew better than to go to war with us. And we saved your life, did we not?"

JT looked at the dead Oakland Mayans lying on the ground, and lowered his weapon. "So this is it?"

"It is for us, JT," said Marcus, "But not for you. Frisco was involved with an alliance with the Weather Underground, in his words, to destroy you and everything dear to you. We don't know the details, but we know they are planning an imminent major terrorist attack here in Charming. It was only the accident on Route 99 that disturbed their timetable. They were supposed to hit you and the target at the same time."

"And you're absolutely certain of this?" JT asked, his mind spinning.

"The business partners Frisco killed in Reno ran a counterfeiting outfit. Frisco stole the counterfeit cash and used it to bail a Weather Underground terrorist named Deanna Lunsik out of jail. Our outfit was very good. Even now the county may not realize the cash was all fake."

"Bloody fucking hell," Keith cursed. He remembered that Deanna was the terror cell's explosives expert.

"And we also found the man who helped bring these groups together. Apparently you have quite a few enemies for an upstart club in a little town." Geraldo motioned toward several of his men, and two of them went outside the garage. When they returned, they dragged a blindfolded, bloodied man. When Geraldo ripped off the blindfold, JT and the others realized that it was none other than Special Agent Mark Tasker.

"You son of a bitch!" Chico shouted, punching Tasker in the solar plexus, causing him to fall down in pain and short of breath.

"Why are you helping us?" JT asked the Mayan leader.

"The Weathermen say they want to bring the war home to America. You see, war is bad for business, and what's bad for business is bad for us," Geraldo said. "Unfortunately we can't do more to help you. As you might suspect, we are undocumented, so its better for us to stay in the shadows."

Marcus motioned at his men. "Vamos, vatos, let's get the hell out of here."

JT glared at Mark Tasker, but Thomas quickly walked over to the treasonous FBI agent and grabbed his Brooks Brothers tie, yanking it as hard as he could. "So you've been working with those wetback border jumpers, you fucking son of a bitch. You know about his plans with Megan?"

"Hold on, we need him alive!" JT shouted, then added, "For now."

Thomas chocked Tasker with his tie a little harder before letting go, Tasker gasping desperately for breath. No doubt the FBI Special Agent wanted to remove his tie, but his hands had been bound with rope by Marcus's new crew.

After a few moments, Tasker managed to speak. "Ah, so her name's Megan," Tasker said arrogantly with a forced chuckle. "I just thought your old lady's name was 'bitch'. That's what they all called her." Tasker paused. "But the only thing I know is that her pussy tasted pretty good. Too bad she was dead before I got the chance to see for myself."

Thomas and JT could both tell that he was actually quite scared, and sweating like a pig, but for some reason thought acting tough would be better. Or maybe he needed that arrogance to make himself feel in control of the situation.

Thomas grabbed a screwdriver from a table full of tools and grabbed Tasker by the tie again. "I'm going to jam this up your fucking ass…."

"Thomas!" JT shouted.

JT would see the rage in Thomas's eyes. Thomas also seethed at fate robbing him of the opportunity to avenge Megan's death by killing Frisco himself. Tasker would be the next best thing, as he had helped the Mayans and now apparently also helping the Weathermen, in addition to harassing him, Lenny and Wally since before he even joined the Bureau.

"We need to know what he's planned with those people," JT said, "It could make the Lodi attack look like child's play."

"Trust me, I'm going to make sure he tells us everything," Thomas said.

"I'm going to take the lead on this, Thomas," JT said. He didn't want Thomas to accidentally go too far too quickly. He couldn't afford to lose Tasker before he spilled the beans on his personal operation.

JT walked over and kicked Tasker in the stomach, cracking two of his ribs. "Looks like the Mayans' little leadership change hasn't worked out too well for you. Now this attack that's supposed to happen in Charming today, tell me about it."

"Like you got a way to make me, soldier boy," Tasker taunted JT. "You better let me go this instance, because I can't even begin to list the felonies you're already guilty of. I have enough friends in the justice system to ensure you get the death penalty."

"The same friends who ensured that the Lodi bombing was never properly investigated?" JT glared. "And if you don't think I'll force the information out of you, you're wrong, because somebody's gotta protect this town, my people, cause you and all your other government men in your fancy suits sure as hell won't."

Tasker spat right in JT's face. Inside, though, he was trembling, hoping that someone had watched Marcus's men kidnap him from the parking of his San Francisco condo building.

"I guess I don't have a real interrogation room, so we're going to have to make do with what we got." JT walked across the garage and started the engine on his Harley motorcycle, driving it over to where Tasker was.

"This….sensory torture, what it is?" Tasker said. His shirt was now soaked with sweat. If he thought some false bravado might convince JT he couldn't be broken, he was sorely mistaken.

JT then went to a shelf in the repair shop and brought out some automotive jumper cables, placing them right in front of Tasker's face so he could see the bright electric sparks.

"We're going to start easy," JT said. Thomas hoped Tasker won't break easy, so that more pain could be inflicted. No matter what, nothing they could do would even begin to compare with what Megan had gone through with Frisco's crew.

JT jammed the cables into Tasker's shoulder and motioned for Thomas to revve the bike engines. The current flowed immediately into the jumper cables, Tasker screaming in pain as the volts of electricity ran through his body. JT kept the cables on Tasker for six seconds before removing them.

"AHHHHHH! AHHHHH!" Tasker screamed.

"Nobody's out there to hear you, Tasker," JT said coldly.

"You sick, twisted bastard….I'll make sure you pay….."

"It's you whose sick, Tasker. You and your power trip, you needing to destroy us to satisfy something in yourself. You see, we're not doing this for fun, like Frisco's men love to do. This stops as soon as you tell us what we need to know."

"They….they're coming for me," Tasker said desperately in fear.

"I don't see anyone coming," JT said. He placed the jumper cables into the middle of Tasker's chest this time. "AAHHHHHHH! Fuck! Ahhhh!" Tasker was panting now, heart heartbeat racing.

"You think that was bad, Tasker? Do you?" JT said. "Let me tell you, some guys I know in the Army, the commie bastards did this to them for over a year, every day. And they never broke. The same soldiers whose deaths you spit upon. JT now held the cables in front of Tasker's groin area. "Now I don't think you have a pair of balls, but we can make sure of that." He moved the cables closer and prepared to shock Tasker's genitals.

"Okay! Stop! Stop! I'll tell you! You fucking crazy bastards! I'll tell you the truth!"

"Everything?" JT asked, leaning forward.

"Yes! Everything! I'll tell you everything I know!"

JT held the cable in place. "Well I'm waiting!"

"The…..the….the Weathermen are targeting the Veterans Day Parade! They're on the way here now from Berkeley! That was supposed to happen the same time Frisco attacked you here! They must have gotten delayed!"

"Must be that accident on Route 99," Thomas said to JT. "I don't know how much time it bought us."

"Call Unser right now!" JT told Thomas, "Looks like there's no serious injuries in the crash. Have Charming PD delay the emergency response and see if they can set up a roadblock and search vehicles coming into town."

Thomas nodded and ran into the office while JT continued questioning Tasker. "What is their plan?"

"It's supposed to be a double attack! There's supposed to be a gun and bomb attack on the main parade, specifically targeting the veterans! And then….."

"Then what?"

"They're planning another bombing and shooting spree at St. Thomas Hospital! To target the wounded and others in the hospital! They…they're going to focus their attack on the emergency room and the maternity ward for maximum psychological impact!"

"What else do you know?" JT demanded. "Is it a truck bomb? What kind of vehicles, how many terrorists are we talking about?"

"I don't know!"

JT asked Thomas, who was back from the office now, to rev the bike engine again, increasing the charge flowing through the starter cables.

"Please! I'm telling you everything I know! I just know whatever's left of the Berkeley Weathermen are there and they've managed to recruit some students from other colleges! I'm guessing no more than ten or fifteen of them! Walt Rogers will be personally leading the attack! I….I've told you everything!"

JT nodded. He still remembered what Rogers looked like, and the same was true for Deanna who he hoped would be there so he could identify the Weather Underground cell accompanying her. Yes, she will most definitely be there, as she was the one who was most familiar with the area due to her family's vacation property near Morada Hills State Park.

"See, the truth wasn't that hard now was it, Tasker?"

"Just let me go!"

"Thomas's girlfriend is dead because of you," JT said, "And you helped terrorists plan an attack that may kill hundreds of innocent people. There's a price to be paid for that."

"I'm a federal agent, Teller!"

"No, you're a traitor," JT said. "Thomas, he's all yours." Thomas walked over, pointing his Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol straight at Tasker.

"Look, I didn't know they were going to do that to your girl! I had nothing to do with…."

Thomas smirked as he saw that Tasker had wet his pants during the interrogation. He pulled the trigger twice, the bullets slamming into Tasker's chest, knocking him over. Tasker gasped in pain and shock for several seconds before succumbing to his wounds."

CHARMING POLICE DEPARTMENT

"I've done the best with the short notice," Wayne Unser said as JT, Piney, and Thomas entered the police station. There was a skeleton crew in the station as most of the small police force was out at the Veterans Day festivities or responding to the accident on Highway 99 with the overturned tractor trailer.

Unser spread several photos across his desk. "In addition to Professor Rogers and Deanna Lunsik we've identified this man through Oakland police records. Michael Grayson, student at Berkeley, arrested during a violent student protest a few months ago. A search of his on-campus apartment also turned up a number of illegal high-caliber weapons but he managed to just get a slap on the wrist. He dad's a wealthy lawyer up in Marin County."

"Figures," Piney said darkly.

JT breathed out. "We must assume he knows how to use all of those firearms and that he's trained others in his radical cell." These were the same Soviet, East German, and Czechoslovakian manufactured military rifles and explosives the North Vietnamese carried on the battlefield.

"What's the situation on 99?" asked Piney.

"We're using this as an excuse, saying we've received word of a credible threat against the Veterans Day celebration downtown and we're posting officers everywhere. And the truth is we don't know what's going on or if they've infiltrated already. Officer Tincher is actually searching the fireworks trailers as we speak to see if there's been any unauthorized activity. I've also contacted the county sheriffs and the state police to beef up security at St. Thomas Hospital."

"Should we cancel the parade?" JT asked. He felt strange even asking that question. In this brave, alien new world, many places across the nation didn't even honor their veterans anymore, and he was proud to be from a town that did. But now, with so many lives on the line, including the very veterans being honored, maybe it was better to be safe than sorry.

"I can contact the organizers but they'll most likely disagree that the threat is specific enough. We've been getting death threats for months after all."

"Okay," JT said, "You do whatever you can. We're going to get into position and be on a lookout. I'll find a way to call you in the next twenty minutes."

As JT and the Sons left, an idea suddenly popped into Unser's head, and he dialed the number for Detective Raymond Gao in San Francisco, the same man who had helped them plan the initial hit on the Weathermen.

"Wayne, what a pleasant surprise! What can I do for you, buddy?"

"Look, this is urgent, involving a Weathermen threat against the Charming Veterans Day parade which is scheduled to begin in less than forty five minutes. We're talking a mass casualty assault, hundreds of people dead."

"Holy shit," Gao said. "What can I do for you?"

"See if you can work your contacts at the Marin County DMV. I need to know which vehicles are registered to a certain Matthew Grayson, last known address 34500 Prince Royal Drive in Mill Valley. Also a Professor Walt Rogers in at UC Berkeley…."

Author's Note: I know Marcus Alvarez only appears in a few scenes in this prequel but he was a cool character on the real show Hope y'all enjoyed the interrogation scene. i tried to make it an authentic SOA type interrogation vs a "24" type. The next few stories will fully explain the Sons' legendary status in Charming.