The bell above the diner door chimed loudly as Jax and four of his broad-shouldered riders stepped onto the polished linoleum floor of the small restaurant. The smell of fresh coffee hung heavy in the air while a few quiet patrons looked up from their plates in total surprise at the sudden entrance.
Hannah: Jax? What are you all doing here at the diner?
Jax: We just came from the garage, Hannah. Lily is over there with Sarah right now.
Hannah: Lily? Oh goodness, is she alright? She was supposed to come straight here after riding her bike!
Jax: She is fine, Hannah. She has got a scraped knee, but Sarah is looking after her.
Hannah dropped her order pad onto the counter, her hands visibly trembling as she wiped them on her white apron in complete panic and worry.
Hannah: A scraped knee? What happened to her?
Jax: Two guys from Miller's crew jumped her near the alley. They stole the forty dollars you gave her for food.
Hannah: Oh no... no, no... that was our food money for the entire week!
Hannah sank onto a vinyl swivel stool, placing her head in her shaking hands as bright tears spilled over her eyelashes down her tired cheeks.
Hannah: I cannot take this anymore, Jax. First the rent increase, then the bank threats, and now this terrible loss?
Jax: Why didn't you tell us about the rent increase, Hannah? Your late husband was a member of our club for fifteen long years.
Hannah: Because you guys have your own struggles! I did not want to be a burden on the club after all you did.
Rocco: You are never a burden, Hannah. Dave was our brother, and family takes care of family no matter what happens.
Hannah: The new landlord is demanding three thousand dollars by tomorrow afternoon, or he is executing an emergency eviction order on our home.
Jax: Three grand? For a tiny two-bedroom apartment near the highway?
Hannah: He claims there are back-utility fees from the previous owner. I showed him my paid receipts, but he refused to look at them!
Jax: What is the name of this landlord, Hannah?
Hannah: Vance Management. A guy named Victor Vance comes by every Friday afternoon to collect cash from everyone.
Jax's face darkened, his grey eyebrows knitting together as he turned his head and looked directly at Rocco with deep concern and rising anger.
Jax: Victor Vance... that is Miller's brother-in-law.
Rocco: It is the same scam, Jax! Miller shakes down the locals on the street, and Vance drains them through fake rent fees!
Jax: They are squeezing the entire neighborhood out so they can sell the land to that greedy commercial developer across town.
Hannah: What am I going to do, Jax? If we get evicted tomorrow, I have nowhere to take sweet little Lily!
Jax: You are not getting evicted, Hannah. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever while we are still standing here breathing.
Hannah: Jax, please do not get into a fight with those men. They carry dangerous weapons!
Jax: We are not going there to fight, Hannah. We are going there to settle an account that is long overdue in this town.
Jax reached into his heavy leather jacket, pulling out a thick roll of cash and placing it firmly on the diner counter right beside her hand.
Hannah: Jax... I cannot take your hard-earned money!
Jax: That is five hundred dollars. You take Lily home tonight, buy her a proper dinner, and let us handle Victor Vance directly.
Hannah: Jax... please be careful out there.
Jax: Rocco, call the club lawyer right now. Tell him to pull every property title filed under Vance Management in the county court records.
Rocco: On it right away, boss.
Jax led his men out of the diner, the heavy double doors swinging shut behind them as they mounted their motorcycles, ready to confront the criminals.