There it was. Her permission to go, take care of his brother. He knew the van hadn't left yet. Knew his brother was only a few feet away, but yet he stared into her bloodshot eyes and knew without a doubt that his life had just changed in that instant.
"I'm not going anywhere," Jax replied, kissing the palm of her hand. His priority lay before him, injured. At that exact moment, he knew the devil himself couldn't pull him away from her.
Chapter 29
Jax sat in the waiting room waiting for Slade. It was determined that Caroline had to have surgery on her wrist. He had offered to give her his blood for healing, but Slade was afraid the break was too complex and wouldn't heal correctly.
Her parents, and Jamie, along with Lana, Sid, Jill, and Steve also waited. Slade entered the waiting room. "She did great." Relief filtered through Jax, calming his pounding blood and the knot in his stomach. "She's already been in recovery and has been placed in a private room. She needs a couple of days with oxygen so she's going to have to stay."
"Her wrist?" Jax closed his eyes at the news, embracing the welcome reprieve on his nerves.
"The surgery went extremely well and it should heal with no problems." Slade focused on Jax. "She wants to see you, Jax. Then she wants to see everyone."
Jax followed Slade to the room, barely able to restrain himself from rushing in. Caroline lay with the oxygen mask going full blast. Her face remained pale. She was hooked up to monitors and IVs, and as much as he absolutely hated seeing her like this, he was so relieved that she was breathing.
"Hey." Her voice was weak and hoarse.
Jax walked next to the bed and carefully placed a kiss to her forehead. "How you feeling?"
"Actually, pretty darn good." Caroline smiled with a chuckle, making her muffled voice more difficult to understand. "They pumped some pain meds in me and I'm liking it… a lot."
Jax laughed, brushing her hair off her face. His laughter died. "I'm sorry, Caroline."
"You hush," Caroline scolded him. She tried to remove her mask so she could speak more clearly, but he prevented her. Undeterred, she continued, "You've nothing to be sorry for. Now I'm probably going to sleep the rest of the day. I'm fine, Jax, but I need you to do something for me."
"Anything." Jax leaned down to hear her, her voice growing so low.
Her eyes opened wide and looked totally clear. "I want you to go take care of your business with Mika." When he started to say something, she hushed him again. "I want this over as I know you do. Do it, Jax. I want a life with you. With Mika still in the background, I don't feel that's possible. Do what you have to do, what needs to be done. If you don't…"
"If I don't?" Jax frowned.
"No sucky-sucky for you." She barked out a laugh at the shocked look on his face. "Sorry, it's the pain meds talking."
"Sure it is." He chuckled.
"Seriously, Jax." Caroline again opened her eyes to stare at him. "I love you, but you need to take care of this and then come back to me. Now, go and send in the rest of the crew so they can make fun of me while I'm on these pain meds, but please don't let them post any videos on Facebook or YouTube. "
Jax carefully kissed her on the lips. "I love you." For such a long time he couldn't even say those three words, now he couldn't stop staying them. That single moment in the ambulance when she urged him to leave her to take care of his brother told him everything he needed to know. She understood him and accepted him for who and what he was. Yet, even with her blessing of letting him go, he couldn't leave her until he knew she was going to be okay.
“Just promise to come back to me.” Caroline whispered her eyes fighting to stay open. “Please come back to me.”
“I’ll always come back to you, Caroline.” Jax leaned over and kissed her forehead. She had already dozed off so he stood, staring at her for a few minutes before turning and leaving the room. Emotion so powerful flooded through him, ready to choke him. He went to the waiting room to send in everyone else, but stopped Slade.
"Can I borrow your car?" Jax glanced between Slade and Jill.
"You good, or do you need me to drive you?" Jill asked helpfully.
"I'm good, thanks." He quickly replied, remembering the driving lessons he gave her. Yeah, he was good. He turned, walking away. "I'll bring it back soon."
"We’ll meet you there," Slade called out, the hidden meaning behind those words plain to Jax.
******
After leaving the hospital, Jax went directly to Sloan's office. After being briefed about everything that had happened from the point of them finding Jamie to his incarceration, Jax anxiously left Sloan's office and headed straight toward the interrogation room where Mika had been kept as uncomfortably as possible. He nodded at Damon, who stood guard outside the room, then opened the door. He knew the rest of the Warriors were nearby for what was to come.
He walked in, observing Mika sitting at the table, chained to a chair.
"Hey, brother." Mika grinned. "Heard the little cunt made it out of the fire. Way to go, hero."
Forcing his face to remain impassive, Jax walked over and punched Mika in the mouth. Feeling slightly less ready to rip Mika apart that second, he pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Okay, that hurt a little bit." Mika spat blood, then ran his tongue along his teeth.
"Who did you hire to set the fire?" Jax asked, his tone level, without even a hint of hate edging his voice. He was past hating his brother.
"Fuck you!" his brother spat, but instead of blood, his hatred spewed forth.
Jax reacted quickly, punching Mika in the throat. "Wrong answer."
Once Mika was able to talk, which he had to try to do three times, he continued to be a bastard. "You know this has nothing to do with the bitch or her sister." Mika rolled his head back and forth. Pausing, his gaze zeroed in on Jax, his eyes filled with contempt.
"Who did you hire to set the fire?" Jax repeated, not falling for his goading.
"My goal has been and will always be to see you suffer," Mika sneered. "I want you to live forever and watch every person in your life die knowing it was your fault. Just like Alisha, who died because of you."
"Send Adam in," Jax called, his eyes never leaving Mika.
"You were always pathetic," Mika hissed in agitation that Jax wasn’t taking the bait. "Father didn't want to banish me, but because of you, he had no choice."
Jax ignored him, knowing it was a lie that he wouldn't fall for, and waited for Adam. He was not playing Mika's games.
Adam walked in, closing the door behind him. He stared at Mika without saying a word. "The guy's name is Tarvin McMann."
"Pretty impressive." Mika stared at Adam. "Tell him what I'm thinking now."
Adam laughed, then looked at Jax. "Please tell me you're going to kill this son of a bitch and soon."
Jax didn't respond, just stared at Mika.
"Oh, and Tarvin drives a black Ford Ranger. He's supposed to meet up with this asshole tomorrow at the bus station for his money at… 6:00 p.m. He was going to stand him up anyway." Adam gave him an evil grin. "The harder you try to block, the easier you are to read… fucker. And yeah, I'm the one who fucked up your plans."
"Oh, I have many more plans," Mika spat toward Adam. "You young fuck. Just wait, I'll make you suffer right along with this piece of shit."
"Thanks, Adam," Jax dismissed Adam. He had every intention of being there to meet the fucker, Tarvin. For now, his main focus was on Mika.
"No problem." Adam gave Mika a knowing grin as he left the room.
"Guess that's all I need from you." Jax stood and started to remove the silver chains holding him to the chair.
"Oh, great." Mika stretched. "Where to now?"
"Hell," Jax responded, stepping away to give him room to walk by. The flash of fear in Mika's eyes gave Jax some satisfaction, but not enough.
Sloan opened the door, pulling Mika out of the room. Sloan and Duncan were on each side, with Damon in front and Jax behind. They headed into anoth
er room where Damon hit a button on the wall. The wall slid open, exposing a hidden elevator. The men stepped inside. Damon hit the down button and the door closed.
"What, no music?" Mika responded. His fear couldn't be disguised by his bravado. It filled the elevator, sending a spark of satisfaction through Jax.
The doors opened into a large room. Slade, Jill, Steve, Jared, Adam, Blaze, and Sid were all present. Sloan and Duncan shepherded Mika to the middle of the room and then moved away. Jax walked up and stood in front of him.
"What is this?" Mika looked around, his gaze once more landing on Jax.
"You and I are going to settle this once and for all." Jax looked toward the Warriors. He'd made a promise to Caroline that it would be finished today. She had been right. With Mika, there was no future for them and today, that would change, one way or another. "I don't care what happens. I do not want anyone stepping in. What will be… will be."
Each Warrior gave a nod of acceptance, but didn't say a word—well, except for Jared.
"You hear that?" Jared glanced at Damon. "No decapitations."
"We'll see," Damon responded, still staring straight ahead.
"You against me?" Mika laughed nervously. "I've beaten you at everything."
Jax took off his shirt, tossing it aside. "We've never paired up in a fair fight. Today we will and you will lose." Jax took a step forward. "Each name inked on my skin is a person you killed. Today, each will get their revenge from your flesh."
"Oh, you want to play that way?" Mika tilted his head. "Okay, I'll play."
Everyone watched as Mika shifted into an older Indian man. "Son, you failed us."
"Your games won't work." Jax cut him off before he could say anything more. Instead, he moved into his space and punched Mika in the face. The contact forced Mika to shift back. "So step up and fight like a man." Jax shoved him across the room.
Mika's roar echoed as he charged Jax, but Jax stepped completely out of the way, punching Mika in the back of the head as he passed. Mika turned, his face flamed with rage.
"Who you going to turn into next?" Jax cracked his neck back and forth. "How about Alisha? Go ahead, Mika, shift. You owe her flesh and I'll be happy to collect on her behalf."
This time when Mika rushed him, Jax took the hit, then flipped his brother over in a body slam, landing on top of him. Jax pressed the heel of his hand against Mika's throat to push himself up.
"Seems without your tricks, you're just a little pussy. Without your band of renegades to slaughter innocents, you are nothing," Jax hissed, then spat on him. "You are nothing, Mika. Get up and face me."
Weapons decorated the room and Mika spotted them. He crawled to a knife and grabbed it. Jax allowed him to take it, unconcerned by the coward before him. Mika stood and rushed toward Jax, slashing wildly. Jax took a slash on the arm as he used both hands on each side of Mika's wrist to dislodge the knife from his grip. Jax caught the knife in midair, flipped it, grasped the handle and buried it in Mika's shoulder. "That was for Alisha, you son of a bitch."
Mika's scream of pain reverberated around the room. Jax had slammed it down so hard that part of the handle was buried in his shoulder.
"Here, let me help you." Jax knocked Mika's hands away from the knife, put his foot on his crotch, and pushed with his foot as he yanked the knife out, making sure that it moved as much as possible. Jax tossed the knife away. "You want to try the sword next?"
"That's it." Mika dropped to his knees. "I give."
Unmoved by Mika's pathetic attempt for leniency, Jax's laugh was bitter. "Did you give mercy to the innocent women and children who you murdered, or the elders who you scalped?" When Mika remained silent, Jax grabbed him by his throat, lifting him to face him. "No, you didn't. So I will show no mercy to you. I could have killed you outright and no one here would have said a word, but I'm giving you a chance to win the fair way. That's why you will lose. You don't know the fair way."
Mika's hard stare was filled with hatred. "I enjoyed killing every one of those traitors. None of them stood up for me," Mika wheezed. "I would do it all over again if I had the chance. And as for Alisha, she only loved you. She hated me. I hope the bitch burns in hell."
Powerful fists met warm flesh as Jax unleashed his pain as well as justice on Mika. The bastard had been in this world long enough. When Mika was close to passing out, Jax forced him on his knees as he grabbed a hand full of hair tilting his brothers head back so he had to stare up at him. Reaching behind him with his free hand, he removed the knife he always carried.
“Many of our people went to meet death in shame because of your disrespect.” Jax gripped the knife handle tightly. “It is time for fate to claim you in death, but I am your reaper.”
“You would do this to your own brother?” Mika stared up at him, his mouth set in a hateful sneer.
“You are no brother to me.” Jax replied evenly. The sound of chanting echoed in his head and for a slight moment, he wondered if it was his ancestors giving their blessing on what he was about to do, but his eye rose from Mika. The Warriors watched, their voices in time with each other as they chanted in the old language, their fists slamming against their chests. They were his true brothers.
Jax began a chant of his own, loud enough that Mika heard him. It was the death chant of their ancestors. For just this moment, he was not a VC Warrior, but a Native American from old. Lifting the knife, he yanked hard on Mika’s scalp with his other hand as the knife slid across Mika’s skin like butter. Yeah, he kept his knife that sharp.
Within seconds, Jax lifted Mika’s severed scalp, throwing his own head back and screamed a war-cry that had everyone go silent. Looking back down at Mika, he threw the scalp at him before stepping back. The bloody scalp fell at Mika’s knees. “That was for every person you dishonored in my tribe.”
Knowing that wouldn’t kill Mika, he waited for Mika to stop his moaning and screaming, which he finally did. He managed to stand and face Jax. He looked grotesque without his scalp with blood streaking down his face.
“Any last words before death comes to collect you?” Jax said, his voice void of any emotion. Jax looked away from him, not even afraid of Mika making a move and wished he would, and looked to Sloan who threw him a sword which he caught easily.
"I spit on the names you wear on your skin." Mika's eyes narrowed as he cursed his insult. Before he could spit on Jax, Jax brought the sword up, spun in the air and, as he came down, the sword sliced through Mika's neck, severing his head.
"That was for me, motherfucker." Jax stared down at his brother. Tossing the sword on his dead body, he glanced at Sloan. "I'm going to the hospital if anyone needs me."
“Damn, dude.” Sid looked over at Damon. “I think a new badass has been crowned. Scalping and decapitation, I mean holy fucking shit!”
“Shut up, asshole.” Damon grumbled, this there was respect as he looked at Jax.
Jax heard Sid, but didn’t say a word as he picked up his shirt and stepped on the elevator without turning around. When the door closed, Jax slumped, his body trembling, his relief was so great and yet he had no remorse. He felt a sense of freedom he hadn’t felt in a long time. When he knew the door would be opening, he stood straight and proud, cracking his neck back and forth. Just another day in the office.
Chapter 30
Caroline had been anxious to get out of the hospital. After inhaling more smoke than anyone realized, she'd been forced to stay a total of six days. Slade refused her discharge until her lungs were clear. A course of oxygen, as well as breathing treatments, finally seemed to have worked, which meant she was home free.
"Where are we going?" Caroline looked over at Jax, then out the car window.
"You'll see." He smiled without looking at her. "Just sit back and enjoy being out of the hospital."
Caroline sighed with a smile. The night he'd returned to her, he came back a changed man. All he'd said was that Mika would never bother them again. He'd then crawled into her hospital bed and
held her the rest of the night. The nurses weren't too happy about that, but Jax didn't care and neither had she. Caroline never asked any questions about that night and she never would. If Jax wanted to talk about it, she would listen.
Lana had told her that they'd found the man who had set her house on fire with her in it, but that was all she knew. The only thing Sid would tell her was that he had been dealt with and would never be a bother to them again. Caroline wondered if there was something behind the phrase "'never be a bother to them again.'" She also had only seen Alisha once since the night of the fire. She had come to say good-bye. Caroline really hoped that Alisha finally found peace.
Jax reached over and grabbed her uninjured hand in his. "You still taking the pain medicine?"
"No, why?" Caroline gave him a sideways look.
"No reason, just wondering." He turned his head and she knew he was grinning.
"I swear you and my family are awful." Caroline gave his hand a sharp tug. "I react weird and can't help what I say on that stuff."
"You're hilarious." Jax lifted her hand, leaned over and kissed it.
"You guys just like to make fun of me, that's all." Caroline couldn't help but laugh. "What did I say to Slade? No one will tell me and now every time I see him, he seems uncomfortable."
"You asked him repeatedly if he was sure he wasn't a gynecologist. When he said no, you asked him if he wanted to be and you'd be his first patient." Jax gave her a fake frown. "I kind of wanted to kill him, but then I realized it was the meds talking."
"Oh, my God." Caroline banged her head on the window. "You're lying, I didn't really do that."
"Yeah, babe, you did." Jax nodded, still grinning.
"I bet Jill hates me." Caroline cringed, her cheeks heating.
"No, she was actually laughing her ass off and teasing Slade unmercifully," Jax replied, pulling into her driveway.
"What are we doing here?" Caroline sat up, her eyes taking in everything. "What's going on?"
Jax pulled up and parked. Getting out, he went around to open her door. Caroline stepped out. Her old house was totally gone. Nothing was left but the old barn. Heavy equipment was moving dirt around as men placed markers.
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