Redwood Nine: Season 03

Ch. 7 Deuteronomy 19:19-21

As their end looked certain, JT took one last breath, looking at the guns and the eyes of the men about to kill them. Time seemed to move in slow motion and seemed like an eternity before the first bullets were fired. Out of no where, a car smashed into the back of the Rambler, sending it forward several feet. They saw the front end of a Cadillac appear where the Rambler just was, then doors opened and two people got out. They saw two guys in suits go past them and then the muffled sounds of silenced pistols was heard. At least six shots were fired, then the men came back and looked at JT and Lenny on the ground.

"I assume you are JT Teller and associate?"

JT looked at the two men and realized they must be connected to the Cacuzzas.

"You the guys Gianni sent?"

"That would be us. Please, it would be a good thing for us all to leave this location as soon as possible. We'd rather not be discussing this with the police, or taking care of any witnesses."

JT and Lenny understood and got up, dusting themselves off and got in the back seat of the Cadillac. The driver calmly pulled away and drove out of the lot and headed straight towards the club.

"You know where the club is?"

"Yes, we just came from there and your people told us you were here. We are here to look after you, at Mr. Cacuzza's request. You guys okay?"

"Fine, fine, just a bit shaken up. Shit, that was a close call. Another second and we'd each be a pound of lead heavier."

"We just pulled in and saw the car going at you. We saw the guns go off and we headed straight for you."

"Thanks for making it there in time."

"Our pleasure. Mr. Cacuzza would not be happy if you were to come to any harm."

"Guess not. It would be a very bad thing if it happened." "You understand the language, a good thing. A bad thing would not be good to tell Mr. Cacuzza."

"Agreed, I've seen how much he doesn't like that and what happens."

No words were needed, to know the two men were capable of inflicting some serious damage to a person. The ride to the shop was made in quiet fashion, although some people stared at the car, it's front end crumpled and dented. Once inside the compound, the gate was locked and barred and the truck put in front. Everyone got out and JT and Lenny shook their hands and thanked the men properly. The guys wanted to know what was happening and JT told them of the near death experience and that Piney was guarded. Once the questions were all answered, the business at hand came back into focus. It was then that JT noticed two more men standing beside a car.

"I take it they're with you?"

"Yes. Marco, Luigi, come and meet these people."

The two men came over and were greeted and introductions were made.

"Okay, so Gianni told me you guys were coming to take care of those bikers. How do you four plan on going up against God knows how many bikers?"

"We have come prepared to do battle with these malcontents. There might only be four of us, but we come well equipped to handle situations like this."

"Oh yeah? Hope you packed a bazooka and some machine guns. You're going to need a lot of big guns to handle them."

"How did you know what we brought? Mr. Cacuzza tell you that?"

"Are you serious? I was just kidding about having them."

"We take our profession very seriously, that's why we were sent here. We are, how should you say, the clean up crew. We can go up against these guys with what we brought."

"You really have those things with you?"

"Do you wish to see for yourself?"

"Sure, haven't seen hardware like that, since 'Nam."

They went over to the trunk of the Caddy they came in and opened it. Luigi pulled back a blanket and sure enough, there lay a M60 machine gun with ammo belts. There was a host of other small arms and weapons that could outfit a small army.

"Wow, haven't seen a Pig since 'Nam."

"A which?"

"Pig. We called them that, because they were so big and bulky. Nice rifle, we're looking to get our hands on one ourselves."

"Oh yeah, why's that?"

"I want to put Otto there, up on the roof of the clubhouse with one, so he can take out anyone before he even comes close."

"You can use this one then."

"Don't you guys need it?"

"We have another one in the other car."

"Along with the bazooka, I take it?"

"Yes, and a few other things to get the job done."

"Oh yeah, like what?"

"Come see for yourself."

Everyone followed the hit men and waited for the trunk to open. When it did and the blanket pulled back, not only was there a bazooka and shells for it, there was also a small box of grenades and several more rifles and pistols. Whistles and sounds of awe were heard, as the guys looked over the armaments. When hands went to reach in, they were quickly stopped.

"Eyes only, no hands, please."

Heads moved in closer for a better look and then the four mobsters were looked at for their ability to handle them.

"If you're wondering if we are up to the task, you may have heard of certain elements of the crime world are no longer with us. They were considered to be dangerous and people warned us of their reputations. You know how to beat guys like that, my friends? You must have a better reputation than they do. Trust me when I say, we have a reputation good enough for Mr. Cacuzza to send us here to take care of this. So, enough about the toys, let's take a moment and sit together and discuss these bikers who are bothering you. The more you can tell us, the easier it will be for us to do our job."

"Alright, let's go in the clubhouse and we'll tell you everything we know. I have some friends digging into them too, so we'll know more soon. Tom will need some protection to keep the retail end of things going, so Gianni stays happy with that. We'll be locked down here in the compound, so we won't need too much protection. We get that rifle and Otto on the roof, we'll be well protected. Benny said he has a crew that can pack heat and keep watch as well, so we're looking a bit better on our end now."

JT held the door and ushered everyone in, then locked it behind him. Luigi waited for him and walked in with him.

"You've been busy, didn't waste any time getting some back up."

"Army had its uses. Get in shit, call for back up. Wouldn't mind an air drop or two of napalm about now, that'll solve the problem quick."

"Yes it would, but hard to keep quiet. Our way is quick and efficient and as little attention brought to us as possible. As such, you must forget we were here and what we did, the less people know, the better."

"Yeah, I can see why. No problem, we have no knowledge of you what so ever."

"Thank you for you co-operation, much obliged."

"Shit, I gotta tell you, it's funny you guys so are so polite and everything, but you come to mess some people up real bad."

"Who said one must be uneducated and uncivil to do a job like this? It pays to look respectable in our line of work. So, speaking of which, let us discuss these developments and come to a quick and satisfying resolution."

"Yes, let's discuss them."

Once everyone was seated and ready, the mobsters listened to everything the guys knew about the Disciples and where they were from. They asked for a map of the area and Wally went behind the bar and got one. It was laid out on the table and the location and routes were pointed out, showing where they were coming from and the best places to take advantage of. After only a half hour, the four were discussing ways of starting the take down and how it could be done. The guys had no idea what was said, as they spoke in Italian, keeping it as secret as they could. Alphonse saw the displeasure in not knowing what was said and explained the need for discretion. The less anyone else knew, the less chance of things being said, even in error. That made sense, as it was their show after all and they had no say in what they were doing.

With the first steps in place, Luigi turned to JT.

"We are done for now and we're in need of some supper. Do you know of a place that serves good Italian?"

"Sure. Place not far from here. Giovanni's. Best Italian we have here. Not sure if it's good Italian, but we wouldn't know the difference if it wasn't."

"I can only hope from the name, the man learned to cook like he's from there. Trust me, the stuff they pass off as Italian these days, isn't. If they got the real thing, you'll see what I mean. Do you care to partake with us?"

"What, eat too?"

"Yes, of course you too. It would be rude of us to not invite you to dine with us in your place. They do have take out I presume?"

"Yeah, they do. But hey, we all can't just go there, can we?"

"No, of course not. We'll pick up enough for us all and we will let everyone have some of each thing and have a taste."

"Okay, sounds good. I'll shoot you some money to cover our end."

"Not to worry, keep your money. Mr. Cacuzza has given us an expense account to cover anything we need while we're here."

"Wow, cool. Okay, get whatever you think is good Italian and we'll know what it is now."

"Would we be lucky enough to find a place to buy some good wine, Italian vintage preferably?"

"Yeah, like three doors down in the plaza. Charming Wine and Spirits will still be open, they have a good selection."

"Very good. Marco and Alphonse can stay and keep you company, while Dino and I collect our supper and beverages. So where's this place located?"

They gave directions how to get there, then they got in their car and waited, as the gate was opened and drove into town. The gate was locked, but Wally and Keith stood guard until they came back. The area was silent, nothing more than insects making noise and the far off sound of traffic. Wally and Keith leaned up against the fence and lit up cigarettes, practising blowing smoke rings in the still, night air.

"Bang, bang, you're dead."

Wally and Keith jumped in surprise at hearing the voice and looked to where it came from. Finally, they saw Otto on the roof of the clubhouse, pretending to be holding a rifle.

"You guys are supposed to be on guard. I snuck up and took all the time in the world to pick you off. Those guys could have done the same thing. I decided to come up here and keep watch, just to give us some distance to the target. We want to stay alive, so quit fucking around and keep your eyes open."

Wally and Keith dropped their cigarettes and squished them into the ground, then looked at Otto again, who pointed two fingers at his eyes and turned to point them in a sweeping motion. The guys understood and began scoping the area better, keeping quiet and listening for any change in sounds. Otto scanned the area all 360 degrees with binoculars, looking for any sign of the enemy. He could see certain points that provided a means of a clear shot at them and took note to keep a good watch on them.

Luigi and Dino came back to guns drawn at them at the gate and smiled at the two guards on watch. Wally and Keith put their guns away when they recognized them and opened the gate. The Caddy drove down and parked at the side of the clubhouse, while Wally and Keith finished securing the gate. Once everyone was in and settled, Luigi began opening bags and handing the containers to Dino, who opened them and explained what each dish was.

"I do believe these people have a good idea what Italian food is. He spoke Italian to us and said he was from Palermo, so I expect he paid attention to how they cooked over there. Now, do we have plates and some utensils, not to mention glasses for the wine?"

Tom and Chico went to the kitchen and began pulling out stacks of dishes and a tray of utensils, then some glasses. They were regular water glasses, but Luigi said they were fine. The two carried the plates and utensils over, while Lenny and Keith grabbed all the glasses. Luigi doled out some of each dish onto the plates and passed them out, while Alphonse opened the first bottle of wine and poured it into the glasses. Once everyone was set, Luigi held his glass up in a toast, getting the same in response from everyone.

"To a successful mission and good health to us all, Salut."

"Salut."

The glasses were put down and forks picked up, the sampling of the meal bringing sounds of joy from the guys.

"Aw, this is awesome, thanks guys."

"You are most welcome, bon appetite."

Smiles were on every face, as they savoured the meal, drinking the wine the way they were instructed. Luigi wiped his mouth with the paper napkin and tapped JT's shoulder.

"Do you have a radio by chance? We need to have some good Italian music to eat by, it helps in the enjoyment of the food."

"Sure, on the shelf behind the bar. Tune in the station you want."

"Thank you, much appreciated."

Luigi went over and turned it on, flipping the dial over to the station he knew of and tuned it in clearly. He was happy with the song being played and danced his way back to the table, getting cheers from his friends. The guys forgot about the threat and enjoyed the moment with the four mobsters, becoming Italians for the evening.

Outside, a Dodge Polara was stopped in front of the clubhouse, the windows down and the sounds of music and laughter coming out to them. The car drove off slowly, the windows rolled back up, as two long haired individuals took note of the security improvements and the new arrivals.

Moon sat in the living room, everyone gathered about him in a circle. He called a meeting about the news and what situation they were all in now. He expressed his feelings on how it had affected them and no one disagreed with the imminent threat to them. When Moon told them of his decision to have the club move out, protests were voiced loudly.

"I know you oppose my decision, but I have to remind you, that as long as they're here, the threat to our lives is increased. I'm not saying they can't visit, they just can't be here and have bullets coming our way, or do you want that?"

No one could oppose the threat, but hearts were saddened by the news, the club's girlfriends hurt the most by the news. The circle broke up and the girlfriends went outside together to discus what this meant to them and their relationships. They hated the idea of not being with their men every day, but Moon's words kept coming back into play and the realization of what had to be, sank in heavier. They had no where else to stay, especially one with some sense of security and peace. Tears were shed and hugs were shared by them all, as their lives were fraught with what was to come.

Gus sat in his old pick up, casually smoking a cigarette, looking at the bikers congregated together. He counted fifteen of them and took note of their descriptions. A car pulled into the lot and stopped by the bikers, the two inside getting out and receiving hugs in welcome. Gus wrote down the description of the Dodge Polara and the licence number and noticed the two were explaining something to the others. Gus tossed the butt out the window and casually drove away, no one paying any mind to the old man in the old truck.

On his way back to his place, he saw the headlights of more motorcycles coming towards him and counted off at least twenty bikes and riders. He turned his head quickly and saw the Disciples patch and added their number to the number he had counted. The odds were stacking up heavily against his friends and thought on how to even the score some how.

The meal ended and the table was cleared away. The talk was light and friendly, nothing about the trouble brought to bear. The four men sat and told the club stories of the past, growing up in New jersey and how they got together as a team. They had all served in the Korean war and shared some of their war stories, sparking the guys who served in 'Nam, to share some of their own. A mutual respect was given, understanding both sides had seen their fair share of action and returned home whole.

Lenny quickly quieted everyone, listening hard to a noise outside.

"It's the phone, JT."

JT quickly dashed to the door and unlocked it, rushing to the office and bolting through the door. He grabbed the phone and hoped the other side was still there.

"JT?"

"Yeah. Is this Gus?"

"That would be me."

"Hey, great to hear from you. What's up?"

"Wanted to give you guys an update on what I dug up."

"Great, what have you got?"

"Not good. I was just keeping an eye on some of those bikers hanging around in a lot north of me. I counted fifteen of them. I saw a blue, Dodge Polara pull in and two more got out. Not sure what they were talking to them about, but the gang seemed to find the news a bit troubling, from what I could see."

"So there's seventeen of them?"

"Here's the next bit of news. I was on my way back, when I spotted some bikes headed my way and counted at least twenty heading in their direction. I checked out the patches and they were Disciples as well. Not sure where they're from, but now you have almost forty guys to deal with, maybe more, can't say for sure. This isn't looking good, son."

"No it isn't Gus. Good thing we have you and our friends north of you looking out for us. We've acquired some more assistance from our friends in the east, so things are coming together to put as at even strength at least. The cops are on board, so we should be safe here, just not so safe outside the boundaries."

"I hope to hell these guys are good, 'cuz these guys look prepared to do some battling to get to you."

"I'm pretty sure our new friends can handle it, at least from what I know about them."

"Good. Stay safe and I'll call you if I find out anything more."

"Thanks Gus. This is good shit to know about."

"Alright, son, be good, stay whole."

"You too, Gus, bye."

JT hung up and thought about what he was told, the numbers getting far out of proportion to his own. He left the office and went back into the clubhouse and told everyone what Gus had found out. The four mobsters showed no reaction to it, taking it in stride.

"I do believe it's time to get to work. You'll have to excuse us, so we may check this out for ourselves and make plans. If I miss my guess, we will be starting the need to deter these people from coming anywhere near this town. If I might add, it is a very, nice little town you live in."

"Thanks Luigi. So what are you guys going to do, or can you tell us that?"

"Let's just say, we are going to send a message to them, to avoid coming near here."

"Guess that's enough to know, good luck, hope you accomplish your mission."

"Yes, almost like being in the service again, isn't it?"

"No kidding, thought all that was over with, but I guess it never goes away, just picks up and moves to a new location."

"That it does. We, on the other hand, do not wish for it to live in our area, so we are going to ask it to move somewhere else, maybe not so politely."

The four got up and prepared to move out, loading weapons and readying themselves for combat. The crew looked on in amazement at them, seeing a highly proficient team get ready for conflict. The trunks were closed and the cars started, a final request to keep things locked down and safe, until they returned. The pair of Cadillac sedans rolled out and headed towards Stockton and the location of the bikers last know whereabouts.

The guys went back in the clubhouse after securing the compound and locked the door behind them. Otto took the M40 rifle and made his way to the roof and began calibrating the scope. He looked through it to survey the area at a distance and paid close attention to the areas he felt were weak points to them. After checking the area to the front of the building, he moved and went to the back, laying on the roof and zooming in on certain points.

He was looking at the hydro towers in the distance, scoping them carefully for any signs and noticed a dark spot on one of them. He fined tuned the scope for a clearer view and saw someone making their way up the tower. He noticed the rifle strapped over his shoulder and knew the enemy had found one of the weak spots and was about to take advantage of it.