Chapter 60: Sovereign
(Season 5 Episode 1)
Jax POV
"Something happens at around 92 miles an hour. Thunder headers drown out all sound. Engine vibration travels at a heart's rate. Field of vision funnels into the immediate. And suddenly, you're not on the road, you're in it, a part of it. Traffic, scenery, cops- just cardboard cutouts blown over as you pass. Sometimes I forget the rush of that. That's why I love these long runs. All of your problems, all the noise, gone. Nothing else to worry about except what's right in front of you. Maybe that's a lesson for me today - to hold on to these simple moments, appreciate them a little more. There's not many of them left. Finding things that make you happy shouldn't be so hard. I know you'll face pain, suffering, hard choices, but you can't let the weight of it choke the joy out of your life. No matter what, you have to find the things that love you, run to them. There's an old saying, 'that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger'. I don't believe that. I think the things that try to kill you make you angry and sad. Strength comes from the good things…your family, your friends, the satisfaction of hard work. Those are the things that will keep you whole. Those are the things to hold on to when you're broken." I wrote in my notebook.
"Hey Jackie boy. You need anything?" Chibs asked me.
"I'm good brother." I said. About ten minutes later, I saw some of the guys gathered. I joined them. "We ready?" I asked.
"Nah, Hap's still getting his dick sucked." Tig said.
"In this skank hole?" I asked.
"Aw, come on, there's nothing wrong with the occasional skank." Tig said.
Chibs laughed. "Tell him to pull out. I want to head home." I said.
The next morning, I was sitting in the rocking chair playing with Thomas when I saw Tara in the doorway. "That's enough." I told him. Hey." I said. She raised an eyebrow at me. "I'm fine."
"Retaliation?" She asked.
"Niners torched the truck. Everyone's whole." I said.
"Now what?" She asked.
"I fix it. I'm gonna keep Rat here at night. I want you carrying that gun." I said to her.
"Okay." She said.
"We're doing Piney's thing today." I said.
"I know."
"You don't have to come." I said.
"I can't. I'm training my new replacement. Starting my new duties." She said.
"I'm sorry." I said.
"Yeah me too. What?" She asked.
"I don't know how we do this, Tara. I don't know where it all goes." I said.
"I know."
"But we do it as a family. I can promise you that." I said. Thomas started fussing so I bounced him on my knee. "I love you." I stood up and put Thomas back into his crib. "I'll see you later." I turned to Tara. "What time is Gemma coming?"
"She's not. I'm taking the boys with me. I got them into the day care center at the hospital." She said.
"I thought we were gonna wait." I said.
"Till there was an opening. I found out yesterday. It's the best thing for Abel, and…lets me be close to Thomas. You know, regular feedings." She said.
I nodded. "Gemma know?" I asked.
"Not yet." She said.
"Whatever you think's best. See you later." I said, kissing her cheek.
Tig POV
Ever since Clay had moved out of his and Gemma's house, we'd all taken turns keeping an eye on him. Today Juice was on Clay-watch. Chibs walked in handing Clay the pre-pay. "Who is it?" I asked.
"Gaalan. Heard about the Niners attack." Chibs said.
I looked at Juice. "How's he doing?" I asked.
"Moving slowly, but…seems okay. Misses her." Juice said.
"No I get it. All right thanks." Clay said, ending his phone call and joining us.
Chibs sighed. "How'd that go?" He asked.
"Not good." Clay said.
"Did you, uh, tell him the attack on the truck was because of me, had nothing to do with the guns?" I asked.
"Doesn't matter. The Irish are hanging on to this Cartel deal by a thin, red hair. One more snafu, they bail." Clay said.
"All right, we got church this afternoon. We take it to Jax." Chibs said.
"Yeah." Clay said.
"Hey you need a lift to Piney's memorial?" I asked Clay.
"I think I'll, uh…sit this one out." Clay said.
"He was first nine." I said.
"Yeah, I'm aware." Clay said, before he walked into the kitchen.
Juice pulled me aside. "Hey. I don't think he's ready to deal with that kind of shit."
Bella POV
Jax, Opie and I were standing at the gravesite where we'd decided to bury Piney's ashes. Today was the memorial service. "Hey." Jax said when he'd approached us. "I'm glad you decided to do this."
"It's not for me, it's for my kids." Ope said.
"This is good for everyone, Ope." Jax said. "Let's them say goodbye."
"And let's us bury the lie." Ope said. "Piney Winston, killed by the Mexican Cartel.
"Ope…" I whispered.
"The truth will come out, man. It just can't be now. Too many people will get hurt. I'm sorry you see that as a betrayal." Jax said.
"The only betrayal that I see is Clay not being the one going in that hole." Ope said.
Jax sighed. "Yeah. I know you can't sit at the table with him. I was wrong to ask you. I love you, Ope. You too Bells. And I want you in SAMCRO, but whatever you decide to do , I'm gonna back you. I hope you know that." Jax said.
"What I know is that the gavel turns shit around." Ope said.
"I'm not gonna turn into Clay." Jax said.
"I'm more afraid that I'm gonna turn into you." Ope said.
"We should find our seats." I said.
Gemma POV
When I pulled into my driveway, the only thing I could think of was taking a hot shower and sleeping. When I walked into my kitchen I saw Unser. "Hey." I said.
"I…thought you were at Piney's memorial." He said.
"Oh…shit. No, I forgot. I didn't realize that today was…" I trailed off.
"Where you been? You look like hell. Uh, Clay's here. He…came to pick up the rest of his shit." Unser said.
"He thought you'd be at the cemetery." Rat said.
I made my way to the bedroom. "I'm feeling really uncomfortable." Chucky said.
"Sorry, I uh…didn't think you'd be here. Just looking for that ring Rusty gave me." Clay said. I dug around my jewelry box and found the ring that he was looking for. I handed it to him. "Thank you."
"Don't take any of the photos." I said.
"I wasn't gonna. Can we talk? Please? Two minutes?" He asked.
I nodded slowly. "Two minutes."
"I know you want me dead. That's why you gave Jax those letters. Shit I did, it's the, uh…it's the move I deserved. I'm not a complicated guy Gem. I'm…I'm not like JT. It's the…it's the soldier in me. All I could see was the endgame. All that money. The shit with Tara, me lying to you, just part of the mission. Look I'm not gonna…insult you by trying to say I'm sorry - there's too much damage for that - but… your involvement with John's death…the stuff he says about you…in some of those letters… I take that to my grave. I-I don't expect you to…forgive me. But at least I'll know I did one right thing. I love you, Gem. I always will." Clay said.
I started crying sometime during his speech. The next thing I know Clay had his hands around my throat. It took every bit of strength I had to fight him off. "You don't ever put a hand on me again." I whispered.
Jax POV
It had been a busy day. I'd met with Romeo and discussed our plan with bringing down the cartel. So now here I was sitting in Church. "As we all know, our Nomad Charter is disbanding." I said.
"Right." Tig said.
"We got Frankie Diamonds, Gogo, and Greg the Peg looking to land in Charming. I think we'd be lucky to have 'em." I said.
The door opened and Clay walked in with Juice behind him. "Sorry I'm late." Clay said.
"Sit down. We're just voting in the Nomads." I said.
"Good." Clay said.
"Frankie, you got anything you want to say?" I asked.
"Just want to say we're honored to be sitting at this table. We know you've been taking some hits lately, and we're here to help as much as we can." Frankie said.
"Yeah, it's good to have a home again, man." Gogo said.
"Yeah, someplace we can put our feet up." Greg said.
Everyone laughed. "All right Peggie." Tig said.
"Any opposing? Good. What do we say?" I asked. Everyone agreed. "Welcome to SAMCRO, boys. It's great to have Bobby Elvis back at the table."
"Good to be home." Bobby said.
"What, did they…drop the charges on Georgie?" Clay asked.
"Yeah. Apparently it was suicide. Climbed into the trunk, shot himself ten times." Bobby said.
"I've asked Chibs to be my VP." I said.
"What, uh, what about Ope?" Tig asked.
"I think Ope's gonna have to step away from the club for a while. Too much damage done to his family. He's having a hard time not putting that pain on SAMCRO." I said, glancing at Clay.
"I just wanted to say how happy I am to have Bobby back at the table and, uh…not as much room on my right with you here, but, uh, glad you made the cut." Clay said.
"Thanks." Phil said.
"With Opie stepping away, something I need to tell the Club. It's complicated, so I'm hoping you hear me out. Lobo Cartel…did not kill Piney. I did. Everybody knows that there was no love lost between Piney and me. Most of you were witnesses to him trying to blow my head off in this room. I went up to the cabin, and I thought we could maybe work out this cartel business. I thought, maybe, me and him, one on one, cut through the bullshit. He was a fifth of patron deep when I arrived. I could hardly get out an argument when he, uh…he drew on me. I managed to wrestle the sawed-off out of his hand. Then he pulled a nine. I had no choice. I figured if the, uh, cartel or the Irish heard that there was internal beef, that they would pull the plug on the deal, so I, uh…I put it on the Mexicans." Clay said, pausing a minute. Then he continued, "I planned on telling everybody the what went down soon as all the heat was off but, uh…Opie found out the truth before I could do that. He's the one that shot me."
"What?" Phil and Tig asked at the same time.
"I lied to Jax. I told him it was black." Clay said.
"Why'd you lie, man?" Tig asked.
"You were protecting Ope. We needed an ambulance. EMS would report the bullet wound." I said.
"I don't blame Ope for trying to kill me. I only wish I could explain to him what happened. Anyway, I killed a member, self-defense or not. You gotta vote on whether I stay or go." Clay said.
"We need to live with this for awhile. Let's take a day or two before we vote." I said. I dismissed Church and everyone started leaving. I stopped Clay. "You give me a minute?" Bobby shut the door behind him. "What are you doing?" I asked him.
"Still a lot of truth I can't cop to, so…I figured I would, uh, get out the rest of what there is." Clay said.
"I'm supposed to believe you're just gonna throw yourself at the mercy of the club?" I asked. "Come on man. Mea Culpas aren't your style. What's the play?"
"I'm all out of play. I'm just trying to do what's best for SAMCRO. What's your play, son? I mean, I get why you stopped Opie, but…you found out about JT…How come you didn't kill me?" Clay asked.
"I need you alive to keep the Irish happy."
"Ah, you never wanted this cartel deal. Why would you give a shit if the Irish are happy?" Clay said.
"Just trying to do what's best for SAMCRO." I said.
When I was done talking to Clay I walked out to the barroom to get a beer. I definitely needed one. That when Gemma came storming in. "I just went by the house to see my grandkids. Who the hell decided to put them in day care?" She said.
"Me and their mother." I said, taking a drink of my beer.
"We don't let other people raise our children. It's selfish and lazy."
"I don't have time for this mom. You want to see the kids, work it out with Tara." I said.
"I still don't understand, Jackson." She said.
"You don't have to. His time will come." I said.
Tig POV
After church, I gave Clay a ride back to his house. I wanted to talk to him. Once we were sitting in his living room, I spoke. "I, uh…murdered…an innocent girl." I said.
"The lie was to protect Ope and the club, not me." Clay said.
"I was with you…in the hospital…every day…for three weeks. You should've said something." I said.
"I didn't know how. Sorry." Clay said.
Just then my phone started ringing. I answered it. It was some cop telling me that he'd picked up Dawn. "Yeah? Shit. Where? No, I'll come and get her. Yeah thanks." I said and hung up.
"What's that?" Clay asked.
"Oakland detective stopped Dawn for DUI. His, uh, brother-in-law is a Grim Bastard. But if I pick her up they won't charge her." I said.
"We good?" Clay asked.
"I don't know." I said and walked out the door.
After leaving Clay's, I headed over to Ope's. I was gonna need Bells' car to pick up Dawn. I told Bells what was going on and she handed me her keys. After leaving there, I headed to Oakland to where the cop told me to meet him. When I climbed out of the car, I saw him. "Detective Goodman, Oakland PD. You Trager?" He said.
"Yeah. Where's Dawn?" I asked.
He pulled a gun on me. "Hands on your head." He said.
"Shit, man, you gotta be kidding me." I said.
"Do it!" Goodman said. I did as he said. He slapped the cuffs on me. "Walk."
"No, man. I'm not going anywhere until…" I started but he cut me off.
"Shut up! Move." He said.
We started walking. After a few minutes we were face to face with Damon Pope. This wasn't going to be good. "Oh, goddamn it." I muttered.
"Do you know who I am, Mr. Trager?" Pope asked.
"Yeah." I said.
"And do you know what happens now?" Pope asked me.
"You kill me." I said.
"That'd be too easy." Pope said. He walked over to a burn pit and opened the lid. I peaked inside.
"Oh, no. Oh, no." I said. Dawny. "Dawny? Dawny, hey, Dawny. Baby? Oh, baby…wake up! Oh, man…Oh, shit! No, baby…No! No! Hey, baby! Oh baby, oh…Stop!" I shouted as Goodman poured gasoline all over her.
"Daddy?" Dawny said.
"I'm so sorry baby. Let me go! No!"
"What's happening?" She asked.
"Goddamn it. Let me go! Let me go!" I shouted.
"Daddy, get me out of here!" She yelled.
"Oh baby…" I said. I couldn't believe this was happening. "Oh, man. I'm sorry. Please…Please not her. Kill me. Please I beg you."
"Know my pain, Mr. Trager." Pope said, striking a match and tossing it in.
Dawny started screaming. There was nothing that I could do. "Daddy!" She screamed.
"Mr. Trager, you and some of your crew have been Id'd for the murder of my daughter and the highway shooting. Detective Goodman will take you to county. You should keep this vivid memory to yourself. I'd hate to see the same thing happen to your other two daughters." Pope said.
"I am going to cut your ugly, black head off." I said.
Tara POV
"Thomas is congested. Need a humidifier in that room." Gemma said walking into the kitchen.
"It's not a dry cough. A humidifier won't help." I said.
"And they don't need to be in day care. We can take care of our own." She said.
"They need to socialize with other children. And let's be honest…I don't think you're up for the task." I said.
"Excuse me?" She said.
"You have every right to be distracted, you've been through a lot…"
"Just say what you mean." She said.
"I smell weed and alcohol on your breath every morning." I said.
"I don't smoke or drink in the morning." She said.
"I'm a doctor, Gemma. I know how long drugs and alcohol stay in your system. And until you…you pull it together, I don't want you alone with my boys." I said.
"Really. Jax feel the same way?" She asked.
"I didn't tell him, but he knows your not yourself." I said. Just then the front door opened and Jax and Bobby walked in. "Hey baby." I said.
"Hey." Jax said.
"I knew you'd be here. Hello, my love." He said to Gemma.
"Welcome home sweetheart." She said.
"Oh, I'm glad your out." I said.
"Bobby just wanted to see the boys." Jax said.
"Oh they just went down. Go ahead." I said.
"We okay?" Jax asked us.
"Oh, yeah. We're perfect." Gemma said sarcastically.
Gemma POV
My phone rang and I pulled it out to answer it. "Hey." I said when I answered.
"Hey, uh, Gemma. I need Jax." Unser said.
"Why?" I asked.
"Let me talk to him, please?" He said.
I handed the phone to Jax. "Unser." I said.
Jax POV
"Hey, what's happening?" I asked Unser.
"I just heard from Eglee at Lodi PD. County issued warrants for you, Chibs and Tig. Murder of Veronica Pope and Laroy's guy. APB's going wide." He said.
"How?" I asked.
"Four witnesses turned up today. Two saw Tig, two saw you and the Scot." He said.
"Shit. Okay. Thank you." He said.
"All right." Unser said and hung up.
I handed Gemma her phone back. "Oh god. What now?" Tara asked me. I told her what was going on. "I'll call Lowen. If Pope got these people to lie, we can prove that."
"No, you can't turn yourselves in." Gemma said.
"Pope did this to get you inside. Black nation offs us in county, kill never gets put on him." Bobby said.
"Chucky." Chibs said, when he walked through the door. "Sheriffs are at the clubhouse looking for us. Next stop is here." He said.
"You gotta go, Jax." Gemma said.
"No, you can't run. That's insane." Tara said.
"And getting shivved to death isn't?" Gemma said.
"He's not gonna end up a fugitive, I'm sorry…" Tara said.
"He is not going to jail." Gemma said.
"No, we have two small boys…"
"Yeah, that is exactly the point, and he is…"
"Stop!" I shouted.
"Baby, you gotta buy yourself some time. You make sure you're protected." Gemma said.
"She's right." Bobby said.
"I know where you can go. You'd be safe." Gemma said.
"All right." I said, hesitantly.
"Don't do this Jax. Please." Tara said.
"We're dead if we go inside right now. Stay here. Take care of our boys. I'll call you when I have a plan." I said.
A/N: This season is gonna be hard for me to write so bear with me guys.