Venomous (Jax Teller)

fourteen

"I just called Nate to confirm the meet. I never thought anything like this would happen."

Julia couldn't find it in herself to blame Piney at all. He should have used a prepay so it wouldn't get back to Teller-Morrow, but it was too late now. The only thing she could do was try her best to help clean up the mess.

Opie took a barrel off the truck, "You had no idea what they were up to, Pop."

"I don't get off that easy, though. I let friendship interfere with business. I know better."

"You gotta reach out to them, Piney," Jax said, "We need to find these guys before the feds do."

"Nate would not rat on me," Piney insisted.

Julia didn't find herself feeling as optimistic about it. She didn't know this Nate guy at all. Which meant she couldn't trust him. Hell, she didn't fully trust half the people she knew, and that was because she knew them.

"No, but his dipshit kid sure as hell would."

"It's just a matter of time before the feds connect you to Nate and come after you too," Opie added.

"We can't let it get to that," Julia crossed her arms, "If they get Piney, they're gonna come down on all of us."

"I don't give a shit. How's that?" Piney snapped.

Julia glared at him, "Excuse me?"

Julia wasn't going to take shit from anyone. Not even if she considered them family.

Jax pushed Julia back behind him, knowing she would have no problem punching Piney even if he was old and sick, "Yeah, well I do. Take him to the cabin, Ope."

"Oh, so you're calling the shots now?" Piney asked.

"Till Clay gets out, VP patch means this shit lands on my back."

"Yeah. The backs of children," Piney walked off.

Both Jax and Julia gave Opie exasperated looks. They knew Piney was upset, but him catching an attitude at the ones who had his back and were only trying to help out wasn't exactly something they cared for.

Opie sighed, "He's just pissed at himself."

"Well, the old dude saved his ass in Khe Sanh. But the rest of that crew. Killing cops and innocents?"

"We'll find them," Opie stated surely before following after his dad.

Jax turned to Julia, "You think you can talk to Eli? See if he's got any inside on that fed and Clay?"

Julia bit the inside of her cheek, "With that bitch here, Eli's gonna be the first one they blame if they think someone's leaking info. Not to mention Hale is still on his ass. They're gonna be doubling down on him. I don't think it's wise to take him in on this. I think he should lay low for a little while. I'm sorry, Jax, I just don't want Eli caught up in the heat if we don't need him to be."

Jax put a hand on her shoulder, "Hey, it's all right. I get it. I'll talk to Trammel. He was there. Just stay here. Make sure shit goes smooth."

"You got it, boss," Julia said sarcastically.

~

Juice searched through any records he could find on the dumpster of a computer they had at the club, "Nothing's coming up under Meineke other than discount mufflers."

Piney stalked into the room, "What's going on?"

Jax approached the old man, "I thought I told you to go underground."