Redwood Nine: Season 03 Ch. 03

"Walter, nothing's changed. Something still gets into them and they want to go at it all night."

"Never got a complaint from me about it, that's for sure."

"Me either. So, Marlene and JT finally get things settled?"

"Yes, at last. He's denied himself through guilt, because of Jake, can you believe it?"

"Jake? Why Jake?"

"Felt there was still a connection between them to honour still."

Moon thought on that answer about JT and who he felt he was. For all of last night's worries, there was a strong good in JT that ran deep in him, one that he felt could weather out the coming changes and guide his club on a better path. He liked their sense of freedom, uniting man and machine in harmony with nature. If only the paths they were given to go down, weren't fraught with trouble, things might have turned out differently.

"Is he okay with it now?"

"Mar and Suzy made sure he was."

"You know for sure he is?"

"Oh yes. He invited me to join him and pleasure the women well."

"Hold on, let me get this in my head right. JT is with Suzy and you're with Marlene, right?"

"That's right, she likes being called Mar, just so you know."

"Right, Mar. So last night, Mar and JT got together and did the horizontal mambo and you're alright with that, because she's wanted to for a long time?"

"Oh yes. She had to do it, or she'd never be truly happy."

"I'm just not getting this free love thing, am I? You said JT asked you to join him and what, did them together in the same bed?"

"Sure. Did the same woman at the same time, too."

"You did what at the same time, with the same woman?"

"A woman has more than one place on her body she enjoys a man's cock."

"Now you've lost me completely. And what was Suzy doing during all of this? Never mind, I don't want to know."

Moon, Star and Phoenix laughed, seeing Walter trying to comprehend what they were doing with each other.

"Trust me, Walter. It's all done in the name of love."

"They never taught us that kind of love, ever."

"New days, new ways."

"Not sure I agree with the change from the way things were."

The door opened and JT walked out with Suzy and Marlene, all three smiling happily at everyone. He stood with his arms around them, as Phoenix came to them. Marlene bent over the porch railing to kiss him, her breasts falling out in the process. Phoenix kissed them both and helped tuck them back in when she stood.

Walter looked at them and back at Moon and Star.

"So everyone is happy screwing everyone else?"

"You wax so poetically, Walter. We make love with one another. Uniting sexually is just another way to show that love to another."

Walter smirked at Moon and laughed, not buying his explanation. Star asked him about something to change the subject.

"How come you don't bring Duke with you?"

"I'd love to, but he's getting on and hates being far from home. Not the travelling man he used to be. He'd be gone half the day chasing something down. Now he likes to just lie on the porch in the shade and just bark at things and tell them to get off."

"Yeah, guess his bones are getting too sore. I remember our old dog, Bosco. Go all day until it was bed time. By the time he was twelve, we had to put him down, because his bones hurt so much to move."

"That's a bummer, Star, I didn't know that."

"That's okay Moon, it was a long time ago."

"Still, son, it's hard to lose your best friend like that."

"Yeah, he was a great dog, I really loved him."

"I bet he loved you too?"

"Yeah, he was my best friend back then."

"Duke is my best friend too. I know one day I'll come to the house and he won't be lifting his head to say hello to me."

Minds thought of what was to come for Walter, as he strolled up to the house, as more came outside. Breakfast and coffee done, the club headed into Charming to begin the eradication of undesirables. They waited for Unser to show up and go over everything one last time, before everyone took their places and put things in motion. Unser looked at the club, their confidence showing that they could pull this off and he left, knowing his men were set to go into position in the alley, before the bikers showed up.

The afternoon was spent tweaking the bikes, adjusting settings to get the best out of the V twins. Tom and Wally went in the car and parked one spot up from the Hairy Dog. They looked up and down the street, checking for any signs of the bikers and saw none, before heading inside. Wilbur was behind the bar as normal and there were eight customers, mostly regulars, occupying the tables. Tom and Wally sat at the bar and Tom told Wilbur to relax, that he was looking too nervous. Wilbur took a bottle of scotch and poured a good shot into a glass, then bent down and shot it back in a gulp. He poured another one and did the same, before standing up and wiping his mouth dry. He got the guys their drinks and then began talking with them, finding their company supportive and reassuring.

Just after four, the door opened and the same three walked in again. The leader nodded to Tom and Wilbur, giving Wally a look over. They sat at their usual table and the same guy went to the back door to check it. He came back smiling that it was open and got a smiling nod from the leader. Wilbur put their beers on a tray and carried it to the table, then went back behind the bar and talked with the guys.

The bikers seemed interested in coming over to talk to the guys, so they let it play out. The leader came over and sat with them and leaned closer to talk quietly. He asked if they were interested in scoring some high end horse and the guys played along as planned. The leader said his name was Billy and told them to meet him outside in a couple of minutes. Billy walked back to the table and one of the guys passed him something, before he walked to the back. He only looked over his shoulder once, as he went outside and the guys got up to follow him.

Billy was over by the dumpster and motioned them over. Tom and Wally walked over, knowing ten feet on the other side, two uniforms were waiting for the deal to go down.

"You guys ever done horse before? Best fucking high you'll ever have. Check this shit out, man, it's top quality."

"What's the high like?"

"Fucking heaven, man. You just zone right out to heaven."

"That good, huh?"

"Shit yeah. You smoke grass?"

"Yeah, we puff."

"It's like, a hundred times better than that."

"No shit?"

"No shit. Want to try some and see? Best high you've ever had, just waiting here in my pocket."

"For free?"

"Yeah, man. First one is on the house. Selling dimes for twenty."

"Twenty for a dime. That could get expensive."

"Worth every penny. So, who's first?"

Before anyone else spoke, the officers came from behind the dumpster with guns drawn. They put everyone up against the wall and searched them, finding the drugs on Billy. They cuffed them all and walked them to the cruisers, putting Billy in one and the guys in the other. They took Billy away and released Tom and Wally, once he was gone.

"The other two are still inside and one out front, what about them?"

"Deputy Chief Unser is probably out front now and ready to go in. Let me get him on the radio and see where he's at."

Dooley called for Unser and was told he was parked down the street and another officer was with him. The guys could hear Unser tell him to move in on the count of ten and waited, as Unser arrived and prepared to enter the building with guns drawn. There an was increase in the level of voices, as Dooley opened the door, then a single gunshot went off.

Nothing went according to plan after that. The one in the front had seen Unser pull up and rushed in to warn the others. He had his gun out and saw Unser and the other cop come in the front and shot at them. Dooley gradually moved inside, unable to see past the hallway into the room. Unser and the other cop had guns pointed at the bikers, while they had three guns pointed back at them. Dooley snuck up to the corner and peeked around it. Unser spotted him and didn't show recognition he was there, but the other cop did and tipped the bikers off. One spun towards the hall and fired, while the other two kept their guns on Unser, moving towards the bar and taking Wilbur hostage.

Tom and Wally heard the shots and wanted to know what was happening, but dared not open the door. Neither of them heard Dooley sliding down the wall, as blood began soaking his abdomen. The pair used Wilbur as a shield from Unser, as they backed towards the door, keeping guns pointed at them. Tom and Wally were surprised to see the door flung open and Wilbur being dragged out by an arm around his neck, the other two right behind him. The trio were surprised to see the guys, but didn't consider them a threat and made their way along the alley.

Unser came to the door and was shot at, making him duck back inside. Wilbur was in stark terror, wondering if he would die from friend or foe. Tom and Wally took off the other way and made their way along on the street running along the other side. They stood at the corner of the building, watching the three bikers come towards them with their backs to them. Tom pulled out his gun and Wally did the same, as they neared their location.

When it looked like they would get clear, the sound of hammers being cocked, made them freeze and move no further.

"Let go of Wilbur now and don't fucking move, or you're fucking dead where you stand."

Tom's words had enough impact to make them obey, as Wilbur was released and the guns were lowered to the ground slowly. Unser and the other officer dashed the twenty yards as fast as they could and took over from the guys and cuffed them. Tom and Wally put their guns away, but Wayne had taken notice of them and they knew he would want to discuss the carrying of firearms in town.

An ambulance raced to the front and the attendants were quick to have everything out and through to Dooley in the back. He was still alive, but unconscious, as they loaded him on the stretcher and raced back out to the ambulance and on to St Thomas hospital. Unser had the three bikers laid out on the ground, his gun trained on them, as the other officer went through their pockets and removed anything inside them. Packets of drugs were brought out and ended any more questions needed to be asked.

Despite being under arrest, the three looked at Tom and Wally, revenge written on their faces. The guys paid no mind to it, feeling any threat they presented, was a waste of time where they were going. Tom and Wally walked Wilbur back into the bar and sat down. They were all having a drink, when Wayne came in to see them.

"I'll need you guys to come down to the station, to fill out all the reports I gotta do on this. I also gotta talk about what you two have on you. That wasn't part of this and we need to discuss that issue."

"Okay, Wayne. No problem, we'll be down soon. Wilbur just needs to calm down a bit first."

"Yeah, I guess. How are you doing, Will?"

"Shit, Officer Unser, I thought I was a goner. When they stuck that gun to my head, I thought it was all over."

"Yeah, that can put a man in a bad place. Just take it easy, Will, it's all over now."

Will shook his head, unsure if it was as easy as he said to let it go, as he poured another shot and shot it back.

"I'll talk to you two at the clubhouse, with the rest of the guys. I'm sure all of you need to be reminded of some rules around here."

Tom and Wally said nothing else and nodded in response to him, as he turned and went to his cruiser out front and headed off to the station. With the bikers gone, life started going back to normal, except for the ones whose supply was just taken away. Several people made a quick retreat the way they came, after seeing the police and the bikers being taken away. Despite the source being gone, the demand was still there by them and that need would soon become more trouble.

Wally hung up the phone and went back to the bar and sat down.

"JT and the guys will be here in a minute. He was freaking out, when I told him what happened. He blames the cops for screwing it up."

Tom and Wilbur agreed with him, but ears had overheard the conversation and took note of what was said. One person still sitting at a table close by, was in need of a fix and the club had just deprived him of it. To him, that knowledge might buy him a couple of hits, if he told the right people about it.

The club could be heard pulling up, as the low rumble penetrated the bar and echoed about the walls. Moments later, the darkened interior was awash in sunlight, as the guys walked in and went to the bar. The guys hugged and shook Wilbur's hand, as they took the remaining seats and waited to hear the details of what went down. The guys looked at the blood still staining the floor, where Officer Dooley was hit. No word yet on how he was, but JT wanted to be there for him, to show their support and keep things good between both sides.

All that was said, was carefully noted by the unkempt man listening to them. He sat tearing the label off his bottle in little strips, as a cigarette hung from his lips. No attention was paid to him, as he drank the last of his warm beer and left. Wilbur went over to clear the table and shook his head at the mess that was left, looking at the door that was now closing.

Everyone went to the station to support Tom and Wally, as they gave their statements and then JT followed Unser to his office with them, to explain the guns they had. JT spoke out first in their defence.

"Wayne, if they didn't have them, where would those guys and Will be right now? You had one guy down and they had you pinned down inside. You didn't call for back up and if it wasn't for my guys, things would have ended a lot differently and you know that."

"Maybe, JT, but they ain't licenced to carry a sidearm, that's a crime, plain and simple."

"Guess it's time to pull a few strings for us, Wayne. You really want to bust my guys for saving your ass and Wilbur's too? People won't like that very much, even if we were in the wrong to have guns."

Unser sat and digested what was said and knew his ass was in that chair because of them and his life at home was easier to bear as well, because of all they had done. What he had wondered and worried about since the beginning, was coming to bear and he had to make the hard call. His only friends were looking at him, their eyes asking him to pull it off. He reasoned on the good that things were done in, that the club was only acting in conjunction with the police, to rid the town of a crime. No shots were fired by them and the word of criminals held no weight against them either. It was a pivotal moment in his life, when he sided with JT and the club to protect them and bury the truth about the gun charges.

He wasn't sure how to make it work, but he was the law and he'd have to find a way, or lose what was between them. It wasn't a bad thing between them, but it had just presented a situation where he had to break the law himself, to keep a peace that the town wanted. He wrestled with the legalities in his mind, as his eyes looked at the growing pressure to decide.

"I'll see what I can come up with about the guns. I ain't got a clue how I'm supposed to do it, but I'll do it. Just promise me one thing. From here on out, keep those fucking things hidden and don't bring them out. I don't want to have to deal with that shit anymore."

"Promise Wayne and thanks. If it was me, I'd just say what fucking guns are you talking about?"

Wayne looked at JT, thinking along those lines and shrugged, thinking it was as good as anything else to try and run up the flagpole. There was a strange logic to it that made sense, that he figured would play out in the end. He watched the club leave and moments later, the heavy pounding of the air reverberated around him, leaving him to sort it all out and those concerned, to come away clean.

Thanks for voting and let me know how you like it.