Natural Disaster

I don't own any of the SOA characters.

When Juice's prepay had cut out, Opie swore at his end. He'd almost flung his own phone across the room in fustration. There was a stunned silence for a few moments while those who had heard the conversation tried to take in what they had just heard. They all heard a commotion as Clay walked into the room with Tig and the president of the Tacoma Charter.

"What's going on here." Clay asked. "Tig told us there has been an earthquake in California."

Jax looked at his stepfather and confirmed what Tig had told him, telling him that they had briefly spoken to Piney before the phone had cut out.

"Do we know how much damage there has been in Charming?" Clay was concerned, not just about the town but the ones still there, especially his wife Gemma, Jax's mum.

"No...We know the roof has gone on the garage, Piney told us. He and Juice are trapped inside under the rubble. A metal beam stopped them from being crushed when it landed against the car they were working on. They are in a small confined space where there is not much debris."

"Are they unable to dig thier way out at all?"

"Piney does not think they can and...Juice has got a head injury and is pinned under some debris, he's been trying to keep Juice consciouse."

Clay nodded slowly as he thought about what they needed to do. First things first they had to get back to Charming and then see what they could do once they got there.

At St Thomas's Hospital the first of the walking wounded had started to come in to the Emergency Department.

Staff rushed to help those that they could, the hospital administrator had rounded up all the staff she could find and was directing them to where they were needed. Some of the Doctors were getting ready to go out with paramedics to do triage work in the town.

As Margaret directed an injured woman and her husband to one of the cubicles she spotted Dr. Knowles treating a man with a bad gash to his head.

"Dr Knowles, I want you to lead the triage team. I think you might be the best person for it."

Although Tara was not one of the senior doctors, Margaret knew from her relationship with the SONS that she was able to deal with emergency situations like this better than some of the other doctors.

Tara nodded to her and once she had finished stitching up her patient she went to get her medical pack that contained all that she would need. A part of her was glad she was going out with the Triage team, she was worried about Gemma and the rest of the guys at TM.

In what use to be the main street of Charming, Unser and Hale had been going into damaged buildings where they were able to get access to see if any body needed help. They had sent out a number of rescue teams with the fire department when the first of the Triage medical teams got to them, they were relieved to see them. Especially relieved when they had seen Tara with them, she at least would know how to deal with what was going on, like the hospital administrator they both had faith in Tara especially considering her dealings with the SONS, The only one who didn't feel confident about the situation was Tara herself.

As she directed people to where they needed to be, she approached Unser told him her concerns for Gemmaand the guys. She asked him if he had heard from them at all.

"No I haven't but when I can I will go and check on them for you Doc," he told her. He too was conerned about Gemma, she was one of his oldest friends.

At TM, Gemma had got those who were able to, to help those who were unable to help themselves. They had everybody in the clubhouse, the damage to it was not as bad as they had first feared. One of the sweetbutts had some pretty good first aid training that she was now putting to use and Gemma had got the other two sweetbutts to make some hot drinks for those who needed it. She felt sure that everyone could do with something stronger but thought at the same time that people needed to keep thier wits about them. Until all this was sorted out and they had got everyone safe, dealt with the cost of what had happened today. Then they could all do with a big drink!

"Gemma."

She turned when she heard Happy speak to her.

"What do you need?"

"We need to find some way of getting into Juice and Piney and anyone else trapped in whats left of the garage. Lorca has some experience in this, he's a volounteer with the fire department up our way. He's going need something that he can use as scaffolding and any spare bodies you got."

"Of course, take what ever you need and who ever you need to do it."

Meanwhile inside the garage, Piney had managed to get Juice to open his eyes again. He found that his oxygen bottle came in some good use, when he had given Juice some of the oxygen it had brought him round. He started talking to Juice in an attempt to keep him awake.

"Tell me about your childhood Juice, don't really know a lot about your past since you came here from New York, know some of it but not all."

"Do I have to," Juice murmurred back, "there's not much to tell."

"Well it's better than sitting her and being bored. You tell me something and then I'll tel you something about the old days in the club."

"OK"

Sorry if this is a bit of a crap chapter but I promise the next one will be better.