Redwood Nine: Season 04 Ch. 01

It was four months after the commune murders, when a call came to say the memorial was ready and could be delivered to the site when they were ready. Once again, ties and bonds were made, as all those who had lost a loved one, came to pay homage to that life. A small part of the corner on 10th line was set aside and a concrete platform was raised. The crane slowly eased the tall marble spire into place and gently set it down in its final resting place. Marble tiles would cover the bare concrete and then the gold plated wreath of daisies would be secured on top. The stone faces were covered in the commune's beliefs and some personal motto's. Every name was beautifully carved and filled with black enamel, making them stand out against the white of the marble. Lumpy's played host to the memorial dinner after and Gianni and Jimmy never made any slight to the cooking, even if it did look the farthest thing from Italian they'd ever seen.

It felt like the last honours had been paid, relieving them of any burden to their memories, now able to leave the past completely behind and move on. Weak promises of staying in touch with the parents were made, but they all knew that would be the last time they might ever see each other again. The bond they had made was shared well, as farewells were made, then as parents left the town, it all came back to the club and how things went from here on in. The club sat with the Cacuzza's and talked out all the details from both ends and put things in place to make everyone happy. A new transport company they had started up was going to make things look legit for the retail stock coming to the warehouse and hopefully put off any suspicion to it.

Gianni went for a walk with JT alone and talked like a father to him. JT felt in awe of the love shown and how close he was to being a made man. To the passersby on the street, it was the oddest sight to see, two men in complete contradiction to how they looked, hugging as only family would. JT could see how touched Gianni was by his concern and caring thought to reach out. He never mentioned a thing about paying back his gratitude, but he knew if he felt that way about him, it would be a grand gesture.

Sam Crow Transport and Delivery became a steady user of the highways, all six trucks bought and painted in company colours and logos for them. The warehouse was renamed and made more legitimate, as JT and Gianni worked at keeping the FBI off their backs and made a steady flow of money on both ends. Benny and Lamont were riding high on their end as well, now driving newer cars and dressing with more flash. Their crew was working daily most of the time keeping up with the orders for products. They had stopped stealing what was available long ago and were only taking orders for higher end merchandise. Household goods had moved down to the new crew members and they had to earn their way up to the big money. Cars had become the newest stock to move, as the pair had recently acquired a plate making alliance for new identification plates for any kind of vehicle. Put together with an insider in the DMV, titles were easy to change over and make the cars legitimate.

Reports came in from the Vegas charter that a body had been found by workers in the sewer system. It was extremely hard to determine by facial recognition who it was, the rats feasting on the body for days had removed most parts used for identification. A partial print off a finger gave them their ID and enforcement knew right then, that their informant was no longer providing any more information to them. They couldn't even determine the cause of death, so much outer flesh was eaten away. The Cacuzza's had indeed liked the club's method of disposal, using nature's scavengers to make short work of the evidence.

Every week, at least two of the trailer runs heading to Las Vegas, contained sport and luxury cars ready to sell. The push to make money spread to every charter and every ally. Helping each one grow and earn, made their end easier to do and provide a security factor. Police were on board and happily taking bribe money from them, the pittance for pay they were getting just making ends meet. The pay from the club and Benny made their lives a lot easier to enjoy and less problems to handle, the reports never making it out of the phony notebooks they used sometimes. Crime was paying and the economy seemed better because of it. Where government offices looked to pay little to hold their control of the laws, criminal enterprises were willing to pay far more to break those laws and hold a greater control over things, letting more hands get hold of the dollar and enjoy its benefits.

The hardest part was keeping all parties involved happy. One screwed up and it was a chain reaction of problems waiting to happen. Every club member had several healthy bank accounts each, as well as what the club itself had and the shop made. It was easy to look after and lucrative, most covered well by legitimate surroundings. The club employed many of the town's people in jobs and that made it hard for any one to point a bad finger at them. The shining armour of their white knights might have some chinks and dents and some signs of battle on it, but they were ready to battle anyone who dared do wrong in the town. If the police didn't deal with trouble, the club did in a timely fashion and permanently.

Questions to the whereabouts of some past troublemakers came up a couple of times, but it never got anywhere and no one really cared. The club knew what had happened and how it was handled, making sure the memory was short and quickly forgotten. Charming was theirs and no one else's. It wasn't big, but everyone knew them and respected them. Most offered services to them for free and most always sent gifts. The club was never on the Charming P.D. radar, but city council always had to have a discussion about them at most meetings.

As much as they were good for the town in many ways, supporting local business and sponsoring a softball team, the steady coming and going of hundreds of bikes was annoying to many citizens. The other side would counter with the fact they had so many bikers, no one would dare start anything in Charming again. Quite a few thought of the monthly runs as an impromptu parade and enjoyed seeing all the bikes and the noise they made. Many a young boy was thrilled to no end, if one of the club took them for a short ride. Their faces would be frozen in the widest grin and excited to go again. Parents found it hard to fault their image, but headlines and newscasts kept the ugly side of their lifestyle in their faces.

No matter how many debates and discussions they had, the monied members of Charming were voted down by the common man, in the battle between good and evil. The Sons of Anarchy did more good than bad and that kept settling the issues. The one thing everyone did know, was if the Sons did cause serious trouble to come to Charming, it would be hard to support them and keep defending their existence in town.

Back across the states, the other coast had grown a need for prospecting and charters sprang up there. The prairie provinces of Canada began a northern distribution and supply network, with Calgary, Alberta moving everything west, while Winnipeg, Manitoba handled everything going east into the bigger market of Ontario. By 1976, the Sons of Anarchy had become an international club and JT found leading his members was more as a boss delegating jobs and responsibilities to, than sitting around sharing ideas and voting on if they wanted to do them or not.

He was feeling severed from his own past and began feeling he was now living a different life. What this life had to bring was still unanswered, but the efforts in it so far made it look like a good road to travel on. Fate had found good travel companions and enjoyed turning over surprise cards and seeing how it played out. No one could ever be sure what would happen that day or the next, but they were living well and enjoying life better than most. Neighbourhoods in town had at least one member living in a house among them. Ears were always listening for any signs of trouble, it too becoming a constant companion in life and having its fun tossing its problems into the mix. Sometimes Fate and Trouble had moments of doing things together and life was a turmoil of emergency measures to be taken and repair the damage, before they bled out and died.

For the most part, the club was thriving and doing well across the board. Challenges were met and squashed without incidence, most realizing the error of their ways and causing no more problems. Others required further negotiations to resolve issues and the club had the muscle and firepower to quell anything that came at them. Growth was steady and the trials and tribulations to maintain it was a daily grind that never ended. Shit was going to happen, that was a fact of life. JT and the club were always ready to wipe that shit away and keep things clean and smelling good. A new resource was proving very profitable to obtain and a new way of getting it was developed.

The oil embargo had caused nationwide panic for gas, as pumps ran out and rationing began. Highway robbery of tankers was easy to do at gun point, drivers stopping and giving up their loads willingly at that insistence. Black market sales were a booming business until the supply ran out and another tanker was required. Cops were people too and needed gas for their own vehicles. Getting it at discount prices made the sale of bootleg gas another co-operative venture.

The past was gone, severed cleanly and completely from them. There was never a moment of going back to something in it, nothing of it remaining for them to go to. Memories were all that remained and even they were fading into fuzzy moments of thought. It was an era of growth and transformation, eyes only looking at what the future held for them, The present was all they lived in with any clarity, as the past faded away and the future always a murky mist of possibilities.

1978 was another year of change. Fate had decided to toss another card back in the mix for the club to play with. Coming back from a meet with the Aztecs, they were stopped to get gas and a rest stop. While everyone sat around waiting, two young and hot looking females exited the convenience store, drinking a bottle of pop from straws. JT looked at the leggy brunette and felt the urge to know her better. The girls walked to the road and began hitchhiking, heading north to who knew where, but it was the direction the club was going and JT didn't mind the idea of a travelling companion like her pressed up close against him.

The club was ready to ride, so JT had them pull up beside the girls and asked if they wanted to ride with them. The pair looked at the club and the brunette looked more at JT leading them, as she raised her sunglasses. Both began putting a hair band on before saying yes, the brunette walking closer to JT.

"What's your name?"

"JT, what's yours?"

"Gemma."

"Feel like riding with me, Gemma?"

"I like riding, as long as you don't go too fast."

"Baby, just hold on to me tight and it doesn't matter about how fast we're going, it's always fun."

Gemma smiled at JT, as she climbed on the back and put her arms around his waist. Her friend Luann climbed on the back with Lenny, making herself cozy with him. Clay looked at Gemma and lusted for her body, feeling the pangs of jealousy eat at him. JT turned his head and asked Gemma where they were heading, as he put a hand over hers.

"If you can get us to Stockton, I'll find a way to get to the shit hole I need to get to."

"What shit hole is that?"

"Doubt you ever heard of the place."

"Try me, I know California pretty good."

"Ever hear of a place with a stupid name like Charming?"

"Going there ourselves."

"You're going to Charming?"

"It's our town."

Gemma laughed and lowered her sunglasses, then laid her head on JT's back, as he moved out and felt her hands holding him. He knew she was interested in getting to know him better, as her hands left his stomach and rested lower in his lap, her thighs pressed tighter to his hips. The long ride held a sense of promise between them, a closeness forming that was going to at least lead to some great sex, but something more was between them that deserved exploring and both felt a desire to do that.

Fate smiled, whether in happiness, or whether in a sneer, only It knew what it wanted to see happen and watch it unfold.