Bad Medicine - An SOA Fan Fiction

Chapter 7

Clay and Tig were much smarter than to go to Darby's until after the sun had set. They rolled into the cul-de-sac already on high alert. His truck was in the drive by itself, a comfort that he might be alone.

Before they could get up to the stoop Darby was in the doorway with a smug smile.

"Well, well, if it isn't Morrow and his little guard dog." Tig snarled at that instinctively, Darby laughed. "Here to blow up another private residence?"

"Private residence, cook house, who knows the difference anymore?" Clay asked with his usual confident, smarmy attitude.

"Not you," he spit at their feet. "Now what do you want?"

"You know the deal, nothing passes through Charming and nothing stops in Charming. We saw you unloading by that shithole on Water road, that's IN Charming."

The front step gave them very little privacy so as voices started to rise Darby had the Sons come in the house to keep from the prying eyes.

"We all have bills to pay." He said very bluntly. "Short stay."

Clay shook his head. "We don't deal on this. Anything else, I'm open to negotiation but not your trash."

"Seems your guys don't mind all my trash, how's your little rat?" Darby sneered but Clay and Tig kept their faces stone.

"We don't deal with rats. Shitty hiding job, Tig saw you."

Darby rolled his eyes, he didn't trust them for a second. If she wasn't working for them he'd put her to better use and if she was there was no doubt of where she'd end up. "You expect me to believe that bitch didn't say a word?"

"You just confirmed what she wouldn't, that you two are working together." Tig stood firmly, his hands on his hips. "I caught you, she didn't tell us anything, I saw the trade off and now we're coming to you."

"I'm just trying to make things work, Morrow." Darby seemed to be giving up the hard routine.

Clay and Tig had to make a judgment call. "Are you willing to make things work with us?" The president asked.

"It's not that simple," he shrugged. "Not my call."

"When is it not your call? You don't take orders." Darby was silent and Clay was growing frustrated. "I came to you, to talk, and you're going to jerk me around?"

The three men stared at each other unflinchingly for a moment or two before Clay relented. This was bad they all knew it. "It was nice to see you." Darby called out after them as they stepped back out into the night.

"Won't be the last time," Clay assured him as he and Tig mounted their bikes again. "Stay out of Charming and leave that girl alone, last warning for both." They took off for the clubhouse and Darby listened to the fading engines as he made a few important phone calls.

The lot was just about empty when they arrived back. Half-Sack was sweeping out the bays, he offered a weak wave as the elder two strolled in the clubhouse and went directly into chapel. Things were tricky, Clay wanted to just take Darby out but it wasn't possible, not with the club in the dark.

"What was that?"

Holding the lighter firmly Clay lit his cigar with am angry scowl on his face. He didn't know how to answer Tig's question, the conversation was still weighing heavily on his mind.

"I don't know," Clay admitted quietly. "Not many options for a partner."

"Zobelle?"

"Enemy of my enemy is a friend."