Flaws

Chapter 16 - In Search Of Something

"We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell." - Oscar Wilde

Clay arrived, furious he'd been pulled from their alibi, and charged into the house. "What is the goddamn problem?"

"Guy claims it wasn't Nero." Jax spoke in a hushed tone. "Says someone else tapped his crew for the job. Won't give up the name till he's with Nero though."

Although never usually a pleasant looking person, Clay outdid himself with the stormy look at his face as he glared at Fiasco. "You think that spic pimp is gonna save you?"

"He's gonna save me and get you what you need." Fiasco said smugly. "You kill me here, all you're gonna get is more blood."

Clay growled, inhaling deeply as the man's words rolled around in his head, and slowly nodded. "Where is he now?"

"We can go to Diosa," Fiasco said coolly. "No way I'm giving you his address."

Looking at the others, Clay nodded and Chibs disappeared further into the house to call Hazel. She was hesitant at first, it was personal information that would end with someone getting hurt but she relented after copious promises from Chibs.

"No house number," he returned to them. "We can find it though."

"Who gave it up?" Fiasco fought against the cable ties binding his wrists. "Who you got on your payroll? We'll find out."

With a smug grin, Chibs kicked Fiasco under the chin sending him to the floor. "Shut up."

"Being the van around," Clay ordered Tig, who never hesitated.

They loaded Fiasco up, gagged to ensure his silence, and Tig was sure to take every turn hard, sending Fiasco rolling and banging around the floor of the van.

"It's the little things boys," he chuckled to the others as they rolled down Nero's street looking for the car Hazel described.

"He's not here," Jax groaned. "He ain't even home."

"Goddamn it!" Clay roared, his fists connecting with the dashboard. "Diosa, now."

Chibs looked at Jax as Tig turned left and headed back the way they came. They were both unsure about Clay's call, it was risky, but in reality they knew they had no other options.

Without anyone really noticing Tig pulled into the parking lot and directly around to the far side of the building. He parked so that the door faced the entrance of the kitchen entrance alley, the one he'd snuck in which he'd snuck around with Violet.

"We can get into the kitchen through that door."

Chibs and Jax both raised an eyebrow as they stared at Tig. He gave nothing away purposely but his sly grin told them he had a very interesting story.

"Oh you gotta explain this piece of information," Chibs chuckled.

"I'll tell ya over a beer when were done with this shit." Tig said as he jumped out of the van and barged into the back of Diosa with two guns out at the ready.

The poor cooks were terrified and they showed it. Things like this didn't happen, not at Diosa and to Nero, not anymore, at least. Clay and Jax came in next, his gun in his pants but visible but before he could request to see Nero, he arrived in the doorway.

"Whoa, Mano. What the hell is this?" He spoke loud and confident but not threatening as he wanted to keep the situation from growing too large. Had it not been for Tig and Jax lingering behind Clay so dutifully, Nero wouldn't have guessed the Sons would be holding him at gun point.

"We need to talk," Clay grinned devilishly as Chibs and Happy brought Fiasco into the building. "Privately."

"Take that gun off him," Nero ordered. "Then we can talk."

Clay glanced back and nodded and, while the gun was no longer aimed at Fiasco, it was still out and the man was still bound tightly. Tig, Clay, Jax and Nero headed to the office while Happy and Chibs followed behind with their hostage.

"What is this all about?" Nero gestured to Fiasco. "Take that damn gag out of his mouth." With little concern for the guns, Nero went right to his cousin and ripped the tape from his mouth.

Fiasco looked mortified and sorrowful as he looked up at Nero. "I'm sorry. We took a job."

Nero cocked his head to the side and glared at him. "This is you?"

"Payback," he spat furiously, "For the shit they tried pulling on our spot."

"And this is why we're here," Clay interrupted. "You didn't order the drive-by?"

"We talked about this," he gestured to Jax. "I told you I had nothing to do with this."

Jax huffed and rolled his jaw but Clay was the one respond. "Then explain this," Clay kicked Fiasco. "Your guys, unloading on my CLUBHOUSE."

"He didn't even deny it," Jax added bitterly. "So, you're either lying to us."

"Or you got no control over your crew," Clay finished with a grin. "Which is it?"

Nero glared at his cousin before admitting to the latter. "Looks like I can't even trust familia."

"I'm not the one who gave these assholes your address," Fiasco spat.

"You got a few problems," Jax uttered. "We're here to solve one."

"Who?" Clay growled.

There was only one other man Nero's crew would take direction from but Nero wasn't suicidal and he valued the prosperous turn his life had taken.

"Let me...mediate." Nero suggested. "If it is who I think it is, you'll need someone who knows him, go can help this go smoothly."

Clay chuckled, underestimating Barosky and overestimating his own club. "We didn't start this war."

"But we don't want more SAMCRO blood," Jax added.

"Let me deal with the traitor," Nero growled as he looked at Fiasco. "And I'll talk to the guy who ordered the drive-by."

"Or how about I kill him right here?" Clay added with a stormy expression.

"He won't be the only dead body that'll be piling up," Nero's eyes flicked to the window where the rest of the Lats were gathered, guns drawn.

"Cooks musta called em'," Jax sighed. Stepping closer to Clay he lowered his voice. "Let's do this. We don't like what he has to say, we have two ways of getting more information from him."

"Tomorrow night," Clay said harshly. "I wanna meet."

"I'll call your clubhouse when I talk to him." Nero nodded. "But I can't promise he'll be there. At all. It's a risky bet."

Furious, Clay stormed out of the office and back out the way they came. Jax looked at Nero for a minute before speaking. "You coulda avoided this shit if you just stepped up at the hospital."

"I didn't know," he admitted. "I'll deal with my part in this," Nero looked at Fiasco darkly, "You don't have to worry about that."

--

After leaving Diosa Tig jumped on his bike, as opposed to drinks with the fellas, and headed toward Saint Thomas. It was late, he didn't expect Trevor to be around nor did he care. Stealing flowers from the outside of someone else's room, waiting to be delivered he assumed, Tig slipped into Violet's room to find her sleeping. He smiled to himself and laid the flowers on the bedside table.

"Sorry, Mary Jo," he uttered as he crumbled the card up and stuck it in his pocket. On he wall beside her bed was the white board with her nurses names; Tig grabbed the marker and scribbled a short note for her.

"Good morning, Sugar Lips. If anyone asks, I paid for those flowers fair and square. - Alex"