Charming, California 2008
Jax sat on his bed in his dorm room as he held the newly printed divorce papers in his hand. At the bottom, Angelise's signature was taunting him as it spread across the dotted line.
Swallowing the lump in his throat, he reached over toward the small table next to his bed and pulled open the top drawer before picking up a pen in his hand.
Eyeing the document again, he felt his heart sink and a small sting pricking the back of his eyes at the thought of losing his angel forever. Inhaling a shaky breath, he shook his head before crumbling the paper and tossing it in the drawer, along with the pen, and closing it.
No, he wasn't gonna let her go, he didn't care if she kicked, screamed, punched, or served him with multiple papers, she was his, 'til death did them part.
Hearing loud commotion coming from outside, he furrowed his eyebrows and stood up before exiting his room. Entering the club, he saw cops filled the room while everyone was lying on their fronts when a uniform rushed him and slammed him into the wall before shoving him on the ground.
"Don't move!" the cop yelled at him while pointing his gun in Jax's back.
A few cops swarmed around Bobby before picking him up and cuffing his hands behind his back.
"Robert Munson," one of them spoke. "You're under arrest for the murder of Brenan Hefner."
Bobby gave him a feigned look of confusion. "Who?"
The cop shoved him as he read him his rights while walking out the door. Angelise closed her eyes as she internally cursed the club for being so careless in going after Hefner, seeing as she took care of it.
Stahl walked up to the small group with a smug look on her face. "Well, well, well, look what we have here."
Gemma turned to her side and hawked a spit at Stahl. "Bitch!"
Stahl turned toward her and gave her a hard kick in her abdomen as they other screamed in protest. Wiping her hair from her face, she called out over her shoulder. "You can come in now!"
The others looked at each other in confusion as a pair of polished shoes entered the trashed club. Shards of glass crushed beneath their feet before they came to a stop in front of Angelise.
"Pick her up." they told the other cops and two men picked her up before placing her on her feet.
Angelise's face grew pale as her green eyes met those familiar black eyes that haunted her the last eighteen years of her life. Theodore Welsby, was really alive, and standing right in front of her.
"Hi, sweetheart," he flashed her a sickly smile. "Did you miss me?"
Angelise struggled against the cops' hold as she tried to cower away. Stahl signaled for the other cops to put everyone on their knees as she slowly stalked around.
"For those of you who don't know," she made a spectacle. "This is Agent Theodore Welsby, from the Chicago division, he's here to help with a very special case."
Jax's eyes widened as he recognized the name and man standing before them. He looked over to Angelise and felt his heart break when he saw the fear in her eyes. Welsby took a step toward her and Jax lunged from his position.
"Get away from her!" he shouted as the cops shoved him back.
Welsby looked at Jax before letting out a tsk and turning back toward Angelise. Gripping her upper arm, he pulled her toward him and sneered in her ear.
"You're mine now." he whispered before turning to Stahl.
"You won't mind if I take her do you?" he asked. "We have some unfinished business."
Stahl's smirk widened as she shook her head. "She's all yours."
Returning the smirk, he dragged Angelise out of the club as she fought against his grip. Jax struggled against the cops holding him as he tried to stand up.
"Angel!" he yelled for her. "Angel!!"
Turning her head, her eyes pleaded for him before Welsby pulled her out of sight. Dragging her toward his cruiser, he yanked her to his chest and pulled out a syringe from his pocket.
"Don't worry," he cooed. "You won't remember this part."
Sticking the needle in her neck, she let out a yelp before her breath labored and she became unconscious.
After Welsby took off with Angelise, Stahl rounded up the uniforms and left SAMCRO to pick up the pieces of their shattered bliss. The guys were currently in church trying to figure out who could've ID'ed Bobby being at the scene.
"I don't want to be the one to say this," Tig ashes his cigarette. "But only two other guys were witness to finding that body, one of them's in jail and the other one—"
"Hey!" Jax interjected. "Don't even say it asshole!"
Tig shot up from his chair while getting in Jax's face. "You better curb your disrespect."
The two start shouting at each other and throwing hands before the others quickly separated them.
"Enough!" Clay shouted. "Everybody's nerves are fried, but we can't unravel here!"
Jax shoved his hands off him before running a hand down his mouth. "What about Angel?"
Clay let out a sigh as he sat back down. "What about her?"
"We gotta find her before that asshole does something to her!" he snapped.
Tig scoffed. "He's ATF, what's he want with her anyway?"
Jax felt his upper lip snarl and went to attack Tig again when Chibs got in between them. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he looked at the guys with a desperate look.
"You don't understand," he shook his head. "He'll kill her if we don't find them in time."
Everyone looked at him in confusion and he let out a sigh before he told them everything Angelise told him. From Welsby, to the physical and sexual abuse she suffered, and to her running away to escape him.
The room stood in silence as the guys processed everything. Jax dug his head into his hands as tears fell down his cheeks.
"I love her," his voice cracked. "I can't lose her, Abel can't lose his mom, I can't let her die, I can't."
Lifting his head up, he looked toward his brothers and saw them looking at him with sadness and determination. Chibs was the first one to speak.
"I got your back Jackie boy," he exclaimed. "We'll find the lass, she's family."
Jax nodded his head in appreciation and the others quickly followed in line. Standing from his seat, Clay addressed the room.
"Alright, Jax, you stop by Opie's, get him down here so we can straighten this out, Juice, see what you can find about this ATF guy, his whereabouts and where he's staying in town, we're gonna bring Angel home." he gave everyone their tasks and the group dispersed.
Walking out of the chapel, Jax spots Gemma by the bar and makes a beeline for her.
"Mom," he caught her attention. "Do you have LJ's number?"
She nodded her head. "Yeah, why?"
"Call him and tell him to meet us here." he explained before making his way toward the front door.
"Jax," she called out to him. "What's going on with Angel? Why'd that ATF guy take her?"
"Juice will explain everything, alright," he pushed the door open. "And call LJ."
While Jax went to find Opie, Gemma made the call to LJ. He was sitting in his kitchen when he saw Gemma's name pop up on the caller ID.
"Hi Gemma," he greeted. "Angel's not here."
"I know Leo," she sighed. "That's why I'm calling you, you gotta come down to the clubhouse, Angel's missing, an ATF guy took her earlier in a raid."
He quickly jumped out his chair and raced toward the front door. "I'm coming."
Hanging up the phone, he quickly dialed Ted's number. He answered on the first ring.
"What's wrong Jansen?" he asked.
"You gotta get on a plane and get here," he got straight to the point. "Angel's missing, I'll meet you at the airport."
Ted hung up the phone while LJ hopped in the car and sped toward Stockton airport. Two hours later, Jax was back at the club and briefing Clay on what he found out about Opie's whereabouts. Feds took him and his family late last night but neighbors say he wasn't taken in handcuffs.
Gemma was pacing the club when the front door opened and LJ walked in with Ted following behind.
"Took you long enough." she reprimanded him while placing her hands on her hips.
"Had to get reinforcements." he explained while setting his equipment down on the bar ledge.
Gemma turned her attention toward Ted and narrowed her eyes. "Who are you?"
"Ted Langford," he introduced himself. "I'm a friend of Angel's and LJ."
LJ was setting up his laptop when Jax, Clay, and Tig emerged from the chapel doors. Noticing LJ and Ted with his mother, he quickly walked in their direction.
"Hey man," he nodded his head. "Thanks for coming."
LJ eyed him before returning the gesture. "Thanks for calling."
Jax looked over to Ted and extended a hand. "I'm Jax, we didn't get to properly meet last time."
Ted closed his hand around Jax's to give him a handshake. "Ted, Angel's told me about you."
He gave him a grateful smile before letting go and turning to his mother.
"Anything?" he asked.
"Nothing yet," she shook her head. "Juice couldn't find much, went to his room to dig a little deeper."
"Well that's because he doesn't know what to look for," LJ interjected from his seat. "Luckily for us,I can find out where the bastard could be hiding."
His fingers typed speedily against the keyboard as the others looked over his shoulder. Ted stood with his arms crossed as he let out a frustrated sigh.
"Fucking Welsby," he mumbled. "Can't believe the bastard's been alive this whole time."
Gemma eyed him suspiciously as she heard his words. "Why would you think he was dead?"
Before Ted could answer, Jax's phone blared through the room as he pulled it out of his pocket. Looking down, he saw Tara's name and sighed before picking up.
"Hey Tara," he answered. "I can't really talk right now."
"I know you're probably busy," she said. "But Abel's being kind of fussy, I know Angel's usually here around this time and I think he's aware that she's not here with him."
Jax felt the heaviness weigh deeper in his chest at his son's despair of missing his mother. He let out a shaky breath after swallowing the lump in his throat.
"Okay," he responded hoarsely. "I'm on my way."
Hanging up the call, he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. Gemma gave him a worried look as she saw his expression.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Abel's freaking out," he explained. "He's missing Angel and they're not sure how to calm him down."
Gemma could see the turmoil in her son's face as she placed her hands on his shoulder.
"Hey, don't you worry," she told him. "I'll go down to St. Thomas and take care of your boy, you bring his mother home."
Giving him a kiss on his cheek, she grabbed her purse before kissing Clay goodbye and leaving through the front door. Turning back toward Ted, Jax gave him a serious look.
"Tell me everything you know about this guy." Jax stated.
About an hour out by the outskirts of Charming, a small cabin was stationed nearby. Inside, it was styled with wooden furniture and mahogany walls. In the center of the room, Angelise was tied to a chair, out cold, with her hands bound behind her back and her mouth taped.
Welsby exited the master bedroom and took in the view. Gone was the little girl he once knew, she was a woman grown. Body filled in the right spots, her long raven hair cascading down her back. He licked his lips as he moved toward her body.
Bending down, he let his nose run down the nape of her neck and inhaled her sweet scent. Exhaling out his mouth, a wicked smile took over his face.
"Don't worry sweetheart," he whispered. "Daddy's here and I'm gonna take very good care of you."
Back down at TM, the hours dwindled as day soon became night. Opie was finally able to join the others and fill them in about what happened. Stahl had tried to frame him as a rat by wiping his debt clean and trying to get Donna to turn.
Unbeknownst to them, Clay had Tig scope out Opie's truck for any wiring that might have been planted after speaking with the club's lawyer earlier in the day.
LJ and Ted were still working on finding Welsby's whereabouts when an alert popped up on his laptop screen. Quick on his feet, LJ ran for the chapel doors and harshly pushed it open.
"Hey!" Piney grumbled. "Club members—"
"I found them," he ignored Piney as he directed his attention toward Jax. "I found where he's hiding, we gotta go, now."
Not wasting any time, Jax was the first one to jump out his seat and run out the chapel doors, with LJ, Ted, Opie, Chibs, Juice, and the prospect Half Sack, following behind him.
Climbing onto their bikes, Jax revved the engine and moved out his spot to pull up next to LJ's car.
"Where is he?" he asked.
"Asshole purchased a cabin about an hour out from here under the name Teddy Buccelli," LJ scoffed. "I ran both his and Angel's names into the database and was able to get a hit. I got the address, so just follow me."
Starting the car, Ted hopped into the passenger seat and LJ sped off the lot while the others revved their bikes and pulled off behind him.
The full moon casted a small light into the open window of the cabin. Slowly, Angelise squeezed her eyes shut tightly as the brightness shined across her face as she came to. Opening her eyes, she let them adjust before taking in the view before her.
Feeling the tape against her lips, she shifted in the chair as while her hands were bound behind her back and her feet were roped together. Shifting her gaze around, she noticed that Welsby was nowhere in sight.
Noticing the wooden chair she was sitting on, her fingers moved around to feel for a sharp point that could possibly cut the tape. Her index finger touched the tip of a nail sticking out from behind the seat and lowered her hands to rub against it.
Pressing down to add more friction, she felt a slight rip from the top, loosening the bond of the tape when the front door opened and Welsby casually strolled in.
Sitting up straight, she stopped her movements as he took notice of her being awake.
"Ah finally," he smirked. "I thought I might've dosed you up too much, I'm glad to see that wasn't the case."
Her chest moved harshly as she took deep breaths through her nose while he moved closer. Standing in front her, he lifted his hand to brush away some of the hairs around her face when she jerked away from his touch.
He let out a dry laugh. "Still as stubborn as I remember, don't worry, I'll teach you your lesson soon enough."
Turning his back toward her, she discreetly resumed her previous movements as he paced the floor.
"You're probably wondering how I'm alive, seeing as the last time you saw me, you thought I was dead." he boasted.
Turning to face her again, he flashed her his sickly smile. "It was staged of course, a way to lure you in before taking you out, but imagine my surprise when you escaped, nearly tore Ace a new one when you got away."
Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he brought up Ace so casually. He seemed to have noticed her expression and let out a chuckle.
"You seem confused sweetheart," he tsked. "You didn't think I knew him, did you?"
The tape continued to slowly rip while Angelise kept her attention on Welsby. He rubbed his thumb against his bottom lip as he continued his story.
"See, after your disappearing act, I looked for you," he pointed a finger at her. "And you, sweet angel, were very hard to find. Six years had gone by with not a trace of you left behind, then one day this man waltz into my office and tells me that you've been hiding in Detroit, whoring it up with the Italian mob."
He paced back and forth while explaining in detail how he and Ace came to an agreement to make her suffer before ending her life on that fateful night. Pulling a gun from his waistband, he pointed at her tauntingly.
"You were skilled Angel," he laughed. "Took me completely by surprise, gone was the little girl who used to cower from my touch, Ace underestimated you and was pissed you got away, so he had me monitor all the big law enforcements in the Mid West. I had gotten a promotion and headed the ATF division in Chicago, had better access to the system but you were gone, no trace, until Kohn accidentally stumbled upon your file."
The tape had come apart, her hands free but she kept them tucked behind her back to give the illusion that he still had the upper hand.
"It was perfect," he emphasized. "Almost like a gift being presented to me, I had half a mind to let Ace know but after he botched the plan the first time, I decided to take matters into my own hands, so I sent Kohn to get you but when I hadn't heard from him, I assumed he was dead, which was your doing I'm guessing but I was already on my way so it didn't matter."
Taking a pause, his wicked smile widened as his dark eyes shined with a mischievous glint. "And then, I got a call from Agent Stahl, and boy you must've rattled her cage because she seems to have it out for you, and she confirmed your whereabouts for me and here we are."
Bending down slightly, the tip of his nose barely grazed hers. "You can't run away this time, I'm gonna make you regret running away from me."
Lunging forward, he pressed a hard kiss against her tape covered mouth before ripping it off causing her to let out a yelp. Seeing an opportunity, she hawked a spit into his eyes before punching him in the face, knocking him down.
"You bitch!" he seethed as he wiped the spit from his face.
Quickly bending down, she untied her feet before jumping out the chair and making a run for the door. Before she could reach it, Welsby yanked her by the back of her hair and tossed her to the ground.
He sent a hard kick into her abdomen and she let out a grunt. Standing over her, he grabbed her by her hair again and lifted her to her feet.
"C'mere you cunt!" he hissed.
"You're the cunt." she said through clenched teeth before kicking him in the stomach, causing him to release his grip before round housing him and knocking him into the glass coffee table.
Making a break for the bedroom, Welsby reached for his fallen gun and aimed it toward her retreating figure, pulling the trigger.
"Ahhh!" she shouted as the bullet pierced her leg as she fell into the room before slamming the door shut and locking it.
Painfully picking herself, she breathed heavily as she limped toward the window. The door knob began to jiggle harshly as Welsby banged on the door.
"Angel!" he shouted. "Open the fucking door!"
Unhooking the latch on the window, she pushed it up and lifted herself on the window sill. Welsby rammed his shoulder into the door multiple times before breaking it down. Angelise was half way out before he roughly pulled her back inside and threw her on the ground.
Holding onto her wound, she tried to crawl away from him as he slowly stalked her.
"Give it up sweetheart," he licked his lips. "You aren't going anywhere."
Outside, Jax and the others pulled up to the address that LJ found. Hopping off his bike, he grabbed his gun from the holster inside his kutte and pulled the safety off.
LJ and Ted climbed out the car and pulled their guns out their waistbands, pulling off the safetys. Jax eyed them suspiciously with their weapons but put it toward the back of his mind.
"Jax," Opie got his attention. "Look, over there."
He pointed in the west direction and the group saw the cabin up ahead. Jax let out a shaky sigh before turning toward the others.
"Alright," he spoke. "We gotta make sure he doesn't see us coming, catch him off guard, and make sure Angel's out of harm's way."
Everyone agreed to his plan and headed toward the cabin. Keeping quiet, the men walked down the walk way when a gun shot went off from inside the cabin. The guys all looked toward each other with worried expressions before taking off toward the cabin when another shot went off.
"Angel!"
...
That's a wrap on Chapter 10!
OMG! THAT CLIFFHANGER?! WTFFFFF!!!
I'm sorry for traumatizing you guys, I traumatized myself tbh. *cry face!*
What do we think the outcome will be?! I told you it was gonna get crazy!!!
Will the guys make it in time?! SO MANY QUESTIONS!!!
This was by far my favorite chapter I've written so far, the angst was giving and I feel like the build up has led up to this moment with Welsby.
I hope you guys really like this one! Please let me know what you think!
I wonder what's gonna happen next episode, see you there! :)
*Please comment and vote! :)*