Chapter 1: E Pluribus Unum

The last tour of Vietnam ended in 1967 and the army was behind them, but JT Teller and Piermont 'Piney' Winston wanted to get even further away. Coming back to the California they left over three years earlier, they became disheartened by the rejection of them, like others, as veterans, as heroes, as those who bravely and proudly served their country for two tours. They were shunned, almost despised in some cases, leaving them blackened by a country that took what life they had and destroyed it, leaving many bitter and resentful of their nation. With little to go on, some turned to crime, some to booze and drugs, while others strove to make a life for themselves, despite the adversity against them. It was their country too and they wanted a part of it, a part they would live in under their own rules. Rules based on an anarchistic way of life, were ones that favoured them, ones they felt compelled to follow, if they wanted to find a place of their own to exist.

John Thomas Teller was a free spirit at twenty eight years old. He'd gone by his initials since he was ten, when his dad started calling him that. He was never one to be tied down and held in one place too long, so he yearned for his freedom and independence. Since he left Charming High School, he never found much use for the education they taught him, but they did teach him how to learn and teach himself. He became an avid reader of material that appealed to him, rather than what was considered appropriate by his teachers. JT became a self-taught man, but one with insight and intellect. Even during moments of downtime between missions, he would invariably be found reading two, sometimes three books and papers at a time. He had a thirst for knowledge, so long as it had a purpose to him. To say JT was a passionate man, was an understatement.

Piermont Winston was JT's best friend since public school, when at the age of ten, he stepped in to back up an eight year old JT, who was fighting against three of the local bullies. Together, the classmates turned the beat down JT was getting, into a lesson that stayed with the bullies ever more. Piney had been kept back twice, making him a couple of years older than JT, but his friend soon helped him with school and passing grades. It wasn't until high school, when Piermont shot up in height and size, dwarfing his friend and other classmates, that JT gave him his nickname, Piney, in reference to his similar growth to the huge redwood pines that grew around them. Piney hated school and only went because JT was there and there was nothing much to do otherwise. By grade nine, he felt they had taught him all he needed to know and by grade eleven, Piney spent more time skipping classes, than going to them. He had no problem with people calling him a big, dumb oaf, as long as they didn't mind getting a beat down for it.

Trouble was always walking behind them and it wasn't hard for it to quicken its pace and join them. Having worn out his welcome in Charming, he stayed in Lodi with JT before and after the war, hitch-hiking in and visiting with his mother and younger brother, while his father was at work. JT and his mother had left Charming when he was seventeen and moved to Lodi, when his father died in a work accident and she couldn't afford to stay there on her own. They moved in with her widowed sister, Nancy and her son, Henry, who JT had no time for, related, or not.

When he was old enough and could afford it, he found his own place, leaving the misery of living with two grieving widows and a momma's boy. Eventually, Piney joined him when his dad tossed him out and they struggled to make ends meet, until Piney started working at the grocery store packing bags for people and returning carts. He was almost happy, when they let him stock shelves, for ten cents an hour more. Today wasn't a day for sitting around idle, it was about friends getting together and without knowing it, changing the course of their lives and local history. This day in August 1968, was the beginning of a birth. A birth that would spawn many sons to be born.

Driving around in a boosted '65 Chev Impala, the pair shared a six pack of beer and a pack of cigarettes, using up a portion of their combined money. The car was almost new and they checked out the power features of it, including the horsepower. Listening to the local radio station, Jimi Hendrix was playing Foxy Lady and it was being well received in the car. JT turned up the volume and Piney's hands started keeping the beat on the dash, then the glowing cigarette ash dropped on the carpet.

“Hey, you dropped the heater, man.”

Piney looked at him and shrugged his huge shoulders.

“So?”

JT looked at him and then burst out laughing. Piney pulled open the tab on another beer and passed it to JT, then opened another beer for himself. They clinked cans together and swallowed back a large gulp each, then set the cans on the glove box tray and went back to drumming along to the song with their hands.

“I am digging this guy's music, man. Listen to that guitar playing.”

“No shit, Piney, he's got a sound all his own.”

Music was another of the things that had changed over the years since boot camp. Songs began speaking to them and getting them to think, instead of being mildly amused by it. The sound was theirs, it was their generation's contribution to the history of man and music. They felt defined by it, inspired by it, to be able to separate themselves from the mainstream of society. Rebellion of society's rules, was what they desired. Things were only wrong, if they thought they were wrong, not because a small segment of humanity decided this was the best thing for everybody and made a rule about it.

Stealing a car was second nature to both of them. When you couldn't afford to own one, stealing one for the night, was the next best thing. Walking through the parking lot on the way to the store to buy beer, that Saturday morning, it was shear luck to find the dark, blue Impala with the doors open and the keys still in the ignition. The way they looked at it, the owner must have wanted it stolen for the insurance and they were doing him a favour. Either way, the tank was almost full, the radio was cranked up and four six packs sat on the floor at Piney's boots. They stopped at the first phone booth and called their friend, Lenny and told him the news. In five minutes, an impromptu party was happening and the day was shaping up. Hopefully, it would see many of the old unit together and sharing good times again.

Kettleman Lane out of Lodi was clear of traffic, almost as if everyone had decided to stay off it and let the pair enjoy the ride alone. They turned off Kettleman Lane and made a left onto North Hwy. 88, JT flooring the gas and burning rubber around the corner, both of them impressed with the performance. The carefree day became one of concern not long later, as the temperature gauge began climbing into the critical zone. They were miles outside of Charming, so JT decided on trying for the first service station, or pull over, as the red light blazed at him, telling him he didn't have long or he'd kill the engine. With nothing but fields in sight and a knock starting in the engine, he opted for pulling over and checking it out.

“Fucking Chevys, Why the hell can't GM put a decent thermostat in these things? Look at what we put those five tons through, back in basic. Temperature was way hotter than this, man and those fuckers never overheated. Bastards at GM, can suck my dick.”

“Maybe it needs a few beers too, JT.”

“Like I'd waste good beer for this piece of shit. If anything, Piney, we should just drink all the fucking beer and piss in the radiator.”

“Now you're talking, my friend.”

Piney drained the half can he had and opened another, taking another giant gulp of it, as JT pulled over onto the soft shoulder. He slammed the side of his fist against the dash, then his palms off the steering wheel.

“Temper, temper, JT. How did we know the owner has overheating problems?”

“That's the problem with this country, Piney. Nobody takes care of anything, anymore. It's all going to shit and no one cares.”

Piney shook his head and laughed, pushing JT out of the car with his boot and onto the ground, as he was getting out.

“Fuck, Piney.”

“Lighten up, John. It's a new car, a lovely day, we got beers and smokes and Lenny has some girls he says are good to go and he scored some grass. Seems to me, this is minor.”

JT looked at Piney, shaking his head, as he dusted himself off, Piney got out after him and put his arm over his shoulders, as they went around to the front of the car, then JT felt for the latch and opened the hood. He raised it up and they looked at the engine, trying to see the source of the problem. Waving away the steam, he saw the cause and cursed some more.

“See what I mean? A fucking, new car and the fan belt is gone. Doesn't have more than fifteen thousand on it and it's shot. It's all shit, man, I'm telling you. Give me a fifty Merc and I'd be happy as pig in shit, Piney. There's a car that will last. It's a fucking tank.”

“I would have thought you'd had enough of tanks by now? I know I have. You know what I do miss from there, JT?”

“What, Piney?”

“The grass, man. That has got to be the best shit growing. I could do as many tours as they asked me to, as long as I got to sit around and shotgun that shit all day. Too bad the little gooks don't know how to make a decent tequila like the wetbacks. I'd be in heaven. Get me a couple of those little 'Nam honeys and I'd be all set. One can roll a joint and pour me a glass and the other can suck on my big dick.”

JT laughed uproariously, slapping his leg several times.

“Doesn't take much to make you happy, does it, Piney?”

“Not really, I'm a simple man, with simple tastes.”

“Nothing wrong with your tastes, Piney. Nothing at all. So, what the fuck are we going to do about this piece of shit?”

“If we intend on getting around in it all day and back to Lodi, I suggest we be nice guys and buy the fucker a new fan belt.”

“Yeah, we owe him that much, I guess. So, where do we buy one? Maybe your underwear are big enough to wrap around the pulleys?”

Piney's even temperament and sardonic wit always took John out of a mood and brought him back to an even keel. If anyone could poke fun at him and live, John could, but it was never degrading or demoralizing. Respect was their bond. They started thinking of the idea of the owner seeing it and then laughed.

“See the fucker's face when he looks under the hood and sees my gotchies wrapped around, fucking skid marks and all.”

That got them laughing harder to the point they had to catch their breaths, clapping each other on the shoulder.

They started to look at where they were, when the sound of a rumbling V twin could be heard coming up from behind them. They looked past the hood and saw the speck of light blue getting closer. Without even flagging the rider down, they could hear the engine gearing down as it approached. The Harley Davidson came to a stop ahead of them and the rider killed the engine, flicking the kickstand out. He slid his goggles onto his army helmet and dismounted. The two could see he was around their fathers age, mid fifties or so, but a look that said he walked a different road than them. He walked back to JT and Piney at the front of the car, smiling, his hand out as he approached.

“Hey boys, bit of trouble?”

“Yeah, busted fan belt.”

JT shook hands with him.

“Jake Harding.”

“Hi Jake, JT and this is Piney.”

“Hey JT, Piney.”

Jake shook hands with Piney and walked up to the car, looking it over, admiring it more than inspecting. Jake looked at the beers in their hands and quickly looked them over.

“I have a wrecker to tow you, but I have a feeling you're not interested in spending that kind of money. I got a belt at the shop, I can go get one and bring it back. You boys okay with putting it on?”

Jake looked at them, as they went back to his bike.

“I'll need a wrench or two. Half inch and nine sixteenths outta do it.”

“I'll bring you a couple that should fit.”

They walked back, when JT realized something. Jake was just putting his helmet on, when JT ran up to him.

“Hey Jake, don't you want some money or something first?”

“I trust you boys, besides, where are you going?”

“Yeah, guess you got a point there. Hey Jake, thanks, man.”

Jake smiled and shook JT's extended hand, then stood up on the kick start and worked it to the prime spot, then kicked down hard, firing the '49 Panhead FL Hydra Glide up. JT and Piney stared at the bike, as Jake rode off, shifting up through the gears.

“That's what I want, Piney.”

“What?”

“A bike. The hell with cars, man. Think of it. Open road, wind in your face, twin pistons pumping away like that. Fucking freedom, man. Fucking freedom.”

“Bugs in your face, rainstorms, Highway Patrol chases, pushing the fucking things.”

“Come on, Piney, think about it. Remember in 'Nam, riding around on the same bikes. You loved it, man.”

Piney leaned back on the hood and lit up another cigarette.

“Yeah, it was fun. I did have a great time every time we went out. My dad still has his old Indian in the backyard, I'd love to get that going again.”

“Yeah, that's sweet. He hasn't ridden it in centuries, so he might sell it to you.”

“Sell it? Shit, man. I'm hoping he gives it to me.”

“Yeah, we'll see how that works out. Let's see if you two can be in the same room together, let alone talk about buying his bike. I'm going to ask Jake if he knows of any old bikes I can get for cheap and fix up.”

“You're really into riding, aren't you?”

“Yeah. You know what I was thinking?”

“What?”

JT pushed his dark hair back from his face, as he watched the Harley disappearing down the road, the throaty rumble fading with it. He turned to Piney with a revelation in his eyes.

“A club, man. A motorcycle club, like the Angels over in Oakland, except no crime and shit, just ride and be like brothers again, like back in 'Nam. Every guy we know can ride. We should do it, Piney.”

Piney could see and hear JT's enthusiasm in his words.

“Brothers, I like that. Only time I ever felt like I had any real family, was when we were together. I knew my ass was covered and looked out for the guys like they were my kin. What should we call it?”

JT thought, but came up with nothing off the top of his head. He took the pack of cigarettes out of Piney's denim jacket pocket and lit one up with his army issue Zippo.

“I got something, just not sure what yet, but we gotta get a club started, man. Maybe like, the Redwood Riders. Nah, too hokey, sounds like some faggot cowboys. Something that says who we are, that's what we need.”

“Yeah, we gotta do something, JT. We ain't doing nothing special and we're doing it for way too long.”

JT looked at Piney and smiled, then gave him a friendly punch on the arm. They sat back against the grille, relaxing and enjoying the warm, summer weather. JT went back and turned the key to accessory, turning up the radio. The Count Five was playing Psychotic Reaction, getting the two friends to start rocking their heads in time with the beat.

“Wish we had a joint, Piney.”

“Well, if we did something, instead of nothing, we might have some money for dope.”

JT looked at Piney, the attitude one of annoyance, over an all too familiar subject.

“So, what do you want to do to make money? Go work at the mill? The docks? Pump gas?”

“You know I don't, but we gotta do something, JT.”

“Yeah, I know, Piney, I just hate the idea of busting my ass for some asshole, fifty hours a week and take sweet fuck all home for it.”

Piney looked at his boots, as he dropped his smoke and crushed it, thinking what he would like to do, to be gainfully employed at some point. The distant rumbling got their attention and they looked far off down the road, seeing the powder blue dot coming closer. JT announced his coming.

“Alright. Let's hope Jake's a good, old boy and knows his fan belts.”

“Won't that suck a horse dick, if he comes back with the wrong one.”

“Old fuck will just have to go back and get the right one then, won't he?”

Jake cut across the road to their side and stopped, but left the engine running in neutral. He got off and reached inside his worn, denim jacket and pulled out a new fan belt. JT took it and did a test fit for size.

“Looks like the one, Jake.”

Jake pulled two wrenches from his pocket and handed them to Piney, who checked for fit on the nuts and bolts.

“Thanks a million, Jake. Right ones.”

“You boys come and see me down at the garage when you're done, alright?”

Piney turned back to him and raised the wrenches.

“As soon as we get her running. What's your garage called?”

“Jake's Auto Repair. You'll see my bike out front, can't miss it.”

“We'll see you soon then, Jake.”

Piney and JT waved at Jake, as he climbed back on and cracked the throttle a couple of times. With a quick nod of his head at them, he turned the bike around and headed off to the shop. JT stood and listened to the bike, as it went through the gears and sped away, softly stroking the beard growing on his chin.

“That is such a sweet sound, isn't it, Piney?”

“Sure is. Nothing but the sound of power and lots of it.”

“I can imagine five, ten, shit, twenty bikes all going down the road together, that rumble coming from each one. Fucking awesome, Piney.”

Piney looked down the road at the blue speck, listening to the fading thumping of the air, trying to picture what JT described to him. He turned to his friend and looked at him, smiling to himself, as he saw JT looking far off into the ether at what could be. He loved that his friend was so passionate about life and could imagine things in his mind, then make that imagination a reality. JT sucked in school like he did, but he picked up enough to know how to dream and dream big.

They got to work loosening the bolts holding the alternator and moved it, so the new belt would fit around all the pulleys. Piney pulled back on the alternator, pulling the belt tight, then JT tightened the bolts and checked the tension. He checked the radiator cap for heat and then unscrewed it. He checked how much fluid they lost and it was minimal, so he closed it again.

“That ought to do it. Let me start it and see how she runs.”

JT went around and reached in to the dashboard and turned the key, bringing the engine to life. Piney looked at the belt closely, to make sure it ran in the grooves of the pulleys correctly.

“That's a good belt, JT. Even the knock is gone.”

“Great Piney. Close the hood and let's go see Jake and square up.”

Piney closed the hood with one hand and both of them climbed in, closing the doors and smiling. JT revved the engine, looking back down the road and put the Impala in low gear. He floored the gas pedal, the tire spinning through the gravel and then screeching loudly for over one hundred feet on the pavement, as the 396 V8 churned out horsepower, to leave a rubber signature behind. JT kept his foot planted firmly, letting the big block engine wind out. He heard the high-pitched revving and slid the shifter into drive and felt the car surge forward, quickly approaching one hundred miles an hour.

The pair thrust their hands out the windows and pumped the air, hollering loudly against the rushing wind, as they hit the three digit number. Piney spotted the speed sign up ahead and pointed it out to JT, who slowed the car down to the regulation driving speed of fifty for the area.

“We should take it real easy from here on in, JT. We don't need the pigs busting us for speeding and then finding out we boosted it. That would make for a bad start to the day and a very long time to follow.”

“Yeah, good thought, Piney. Love to hit a hundred though, feels like flying, doesn't it?”

“Yeah, after about six beers and a bunch of dope. I'll admit, I did feel like I was flying when we were riding the bikes. I used to feel like I could spread my arms out and just take off and fly.”

“Imagine doing a hundred on a bike? Fastest I've gone is eighty five on Lenny's hog. I wanted to go faster, but I got scared that I'd fuck up and wreck his bike, so I didn't do it, but if it was mine, I would have twisted the throttle and gone for it.”

“You went eighty five on Lenny's bike? And you're still alive? Amazing.”

“Yeah, it was a bit dicey. He spends more time working on his body, than he does on his bike. See how big he is now? His fucking arms are huge! They're like the size of my legs.”

“He was talking about entering some competitions. The guy he trains with, said he should go for it. I think so too. Fucking guy is all muscle, honestly. Makes me embarrassed to take my shirt off around him.”

“Remember Hanoi? We just got back from that bullshit mission and Lenny's platoon was pulling in as well?”

Piney thought for a moment, as they came to the outskirts of Charming, the fields ending and small businesses dotting the road in places.

“Yeah, I remember, why?”

“Remember when we were in town, at that shitty little bar and Lenny came in, went to sit down at the bar?”

“Yeah.”

“Fucking dumb grunt thought he was tougher than him and pushed him aside and took his stool. I'm pretty sure that was the last time he ever tried that. Lenny just picked him up with one hand and looked at him, before he tossed him towards the door. Fucking guy got up and was running down the street back to camp.”

“Yeah, strong little fucker. Has that attitude too. Only takes so much and all the fun and games turns into madness and mayhem.”

“Yeah, no shit, madness and mayhem.”

Up on the left, the round, yellow sign with red lettering appeared and JT slowed down and pulled into the entrance to Jake's shop. A large Quonset building stood to the left, abandoned and derelict and a two bay garage sat at the back of the lot. Jake's bike was parked at the side of the office and he was bent over the fender of a 64 Plymouth Fury outside the first bay. JT pulled up behind the Fury and stopped, Piney and him getting out and coming up to him. A faint buzzing could be heard, coming from the giant hydro towers supplying electricity to Oakland, no more than a thousand feet past the back fence.

“Hey boys, everything go okay? You did that pretty quick.”

“Yup, perfect. Thanks Jake. Working motor pool in basic helped a lot. Got your wrenches here, where should I put them.”

“Just leave them on the bench, JT. I'll put them away later, thanks.”

JT looked around at all the cars needing servicing as he went in, then bent under the hood with Jake again, when he came out.

“So how much for the belt and the loan of the wrenches?”

“Gimme five for the belt and we'll call it even.”

JT and Piney reached into their pockets and started counting out the few dollar bills and coins they had. They made up the five and JT handed it over to Jake. He looked at the handful of bills and coins and smiled, scratching his head under his mechanics cap.

“Keep it. Looks like you boys might need it for gas. Don't worry, I won't say anything about you two and the car either.”

“What do you mean, Jake?”

“Not going to try and tell me this fine, new automobile belongs to either of you, are you? Your daddy's maybe?”

JT and Piney had guilt written all over their faces, as Jake divulged that he knew the car was stolen.

“Gonna return it I hope? Hate to see a new fan belt go to waste like that.”

“Yeah, Jake. We're going to return it. The owner is out of town right now and doesn't know, so it'll be back safe and sound and he won't know, except of course all the gas being gone and stuff.”

JT made the lie sound convincing enough, despite it being the actual truth. Without knowing. Harlan had been in a hurry to go to Santa Barbra for the weekend and wouldn't know about his keys until he got back.

“I thought that's what you were doing.”

JT looked at him incredulously, using his fingers to brush his hair back.

“You knew we boosted this car and you helped us anyway?”

“Sure. Not going to wreck it, or strip it down for parts, are you?”

“No.”

Jake smiled broader, as he looked at them and stopped working.

“You aren't the only two guys that have ever boosted a car, to go for a drive. I've been known to go for a few rides myself.”

JT and Piney chuckled, feeling a bit more at ease with a fellow criminal.

“You boosted cars, Jake?”

“And how do you think I ended up being a mechanic?”

That brought laughter from them all, creating a common thread to join among them. JT and Piney relaxed around Jake, the difference in ages no longer a barrier to oppose, but now a feeling of commonality, a kindred spirit from a generation earlier.

“I tell you what. Since I gave you the belt so cheap, you can buy me a soda out of that thing over there. Getting a might warm already.”

JT fished out the coins from his pocket.

“What would you like, Jake?”

“Doesn't matter what button you push, they're all the same. I only drink cola.”

JT laughed, so did Piney.

“So, fuck what anyone else wants, then?”

“See a line of people buying pop?”

That got them laughing more.

JT looked around the lot at everything, as he bought a pop, then spotted an old army bike up against the fence. He handed the pop to Jake and guided his attention to his interest.

“Hey Jake. What you doing with the old bike over there?”

“The old army bike?

“Yeah. Does it run, or is it pooched?”

“It runs, but it needs a bit of work to make it a good running bike again.”

“Mind if I go have a look at it?”

“Go ahead. Thinking of riding, are you?”

“Yeah. Love it. Did a bunch of riding over in 'Nam and some before we left. I was just saying to Piney, that we should start a club.”

“A motorcycle club?”

“Yeah. Bunch of us riding together and living free.”

Jake nodded, looking at JT with different eyes, as he walked over to the bike. He looked at Piney, sizing him up.

“You gonna ride?”

“Yeah, I'll ride with JT. He's my best friend. Had each other's six in “Nam, had it always. Been through hell together and made it out alive, because we were together.”

“You're a good friend to have, Piney. You have a ride already?”

“Maybe. Dad has an old Indian out back, he hasn't ridden in years. Not even sure if it still runs. Thing could be seized for all I know.”

“If you can get it in here, I can have a look see. Try and turn it over at least and see what we got.”

“Yeah? Thanks Jake. I'm alright with a wrench, if someone tells me what I'm supposed to do, but I don't have the smarts to do it on my own. JT might, he's good at figuring it out.”

Jake and Piney walked over to JT, sitting on the bike and checking out the feel of it. The front tire was flat, but overall, the bike was workable. JT wiped off the tank with his hands and bounced up and down, getting a feel for the spring-loaded seat.

“What do you think, JT? Interested?”

“I like it, Jake. Got a good feel to it. What year is it?”

“Forty four. Bought it an army auction when I got out of the service in forty seven. I rode one just like it all over Europe and loved it. Fucking back breaker though. Not really meant to take them, where we took them. This one seen action. Check out the bullet hole in the back fender.”

The guys took a closer look and discussed the luck the rider had, in not getting shot. JT wondered about Jake's thoughts on war.

“What was it like over there?”

“Probably the same as it was where you boys were. Bombs and bullets going off, looking to send you home in a box.”

“Yeah, a lot like 'Nam, man, a lot like 'Nam. What were you doing?”

“I was lucky to be running messages between posts, so it was it was more a test to see if I could make it to the post and back. Some times, it was like a cross country race and I was just riding flat out, other times, it was a matter of just surviving and making it out alive. Took a bullet in the shoulder once, that got me some hospital time. Gives me a bit of grief now, when it gets cold and damp. Got me some extra care from a lovely French nurse though. Made the Kraut lead worth taking.”

“Oh yeah? Gave you the house special?”

“Oh yeah, blue plate special. One thing I know about the French after that, is that they know how to use their mouths, for more than just kissing.”

The talk of foreign affairs of the sexual nature took over their attention. JT leaned over the handlebars and Jake placed his foot on the foot peg, as he readied to tell them about French oral sex.

“Not sure how good the American girls are these days, but they must teach this stuff at an early age over there. She was only twenty, but she knew how to work a man's cock like it was something she knew how to do all her life. She had me lie there quiet one night, the guy beside me was transferred out and I was at the end, so we were sort of alone. She pulled the curtains around and she slid up my gown. Her hands were so soft, I remember that. She took me in her hands and stroked me, like she knew what I was feeling and had me up like a fucking rocket, ready for take off. She kept putting her fingers on my lips to keep me quiet, but holy shit, I was out of my mind. I put my hand over my mouth and she went back to work and started with her mouth.”

“She must have been loving it. I remember Janice Howard was like that, remember her, Piney? She'd get her hands on you and make you cry like a baby, it felt so good.”

Jake laughed.

“Yeah, something like that. Don't remember crying, but I do remember how she would slowly just swallow all of me and never gagged. I swear it didn't take more than ten minutes and she had me humping and bucking like a son of a bitch and she never took her mouth off of me, until I was drained.”

JT and Piney nodded their heads, understanding what Jake was describing.

“Yeah, sounds like Janice, alright. Man, you must have wanted to stay injured for the rest of the war.”

“Yeah, don't I wish. I was gone next day. I have a feeling she knew and that's why I got the treatment. Might have been her way of sending soldiers back to battle. Not a bad memory to take with you.”

“I know what you mean. It was like us, when we would get back from a mission and have some liberty passes. We'd head off to the little town close by and hook up with some slants. When there's nothing else around, they're still better than jerking off. There was a couple of them that knew how to put a decent effort into giving head.”

“JT, when your dick is getting sucked and it's good, who gives a fuck what she looks like?”

“No shit, man. So tell me, how much are you looking for, for this?”

“I need to get what I paid and make a little, fair's fair, right? So let's call it two hundred.”

“Two hundred? Shit, man. I was hoping you'd be looking at more like, fifty bucks or something.”

Jake looked at JT and Piney, then looked over the bike and then at the line of cars needing repairs.

“Tell you what. Both of you are going to need some work done on your bikes and I know you're hurting for dollars. Here's an offer, see what you think.”

JT and Piney paid closer attention, the chance to save money and get what they wanted sounded appealing.

“I need a hand fixing all those cars over there. Most are quick, easy jobs, I just can't get to them, with the work I already have. I'll let you work off the cost of this bike and Piney, I'll let you work off the cost of repairs and parts for yours, if you get it.”

“You're giving us jobs?”

“More, or less. Let's just get through those and we'll see if I have a job in the works. I'm willing to go that far. I have a young guy right now, that works part time after college. Name's Clarence, but he likes to be called Clay. Don't blame him really, not the greatest of names to have. Anyway, he's gone back to Oakland to see his grandfather, apparently doesn't have long to live, he told me, so he'll be gone a while yet. He'd be here now helping, so I'm stuck and the help would be appreciated.”

“Deal. Thanks Jake, I really appreciate this.”

“Me too, Jake. I just hope dad let's me have the bike.”

JT and Piney both shook Jake's hand enthusiastically.

“If he won't give it to you, you can always try buying it. Money talks, bullshit walks.”

“Yeah, dad's always griping about money.”

“You can make enough working for me to buy it. An old Indian, you said, right?”

“Yeah. Thirty something, seven or eight, I think. Bought it before the war and never really rode it much after, not sure why?”

Jake thought about it a bit.

“If he doesn't give it to you, tell him fifty bucks tops to buy it. If it won't turn over, tell him you'll give him twenty. I know where I can get another forty five for it.”

Piney looked at him puzzled.

“Forty five?”

“Engine. Comes with a forty five cubic inch engine.”

“It's okay, Jake. I know engines. I'll make sure he puts the right parts, in the right cars.”

JT laughed, so did Jake, but Piney took a mild insult to it.

“Just because I can't remember engine sizes and stuff, doesn't mean I can't fix them. I know how to get an engine running.”

“Sorry, Piney, you do, man. I'm just ragging you.”

The three walked back over to the office and Jake signed them up as employees on time cards and showed them around, taking note of key items, like washroom facilities and how the hoist worked. As they stood in front talking about the hours of work. JT suddenly stopped talking and looked shocked.

“What is it, JT?”

“What time is it?”

“Clock on the wall inside is saying one forty eight.”

“Shit, Jake. We have to go. We were supposed to pick up our buddies hours ago. Can I use your phone?”

“Help yourself.”

JT went in the office and called Lenny, explaining their situation.

“Don't sweat it, JT. Lorraine is keeping me occupied with her talents. How long are you going to be still?”

“We're leaving after I hang up, so like, fifteen minutes or so.”

“Cool man. Gives me plenty of time for some fun.”

“Are the other girls still coming?”

“Yeah, they're coming, but you better make it quick, or they'll be on some other dick.”

“We'll be there, Lenny. Alright, see you soon, man.”

JT hung up and didn't need to explain anything, as Jake and Piney heard everything he said.

“You boys take care now with that car and don't get caught. I want to see you both here at eight on Monday morning.”

“We'll be here, Jake, don't worry. Great meeting you.”

“You too, JT. You as well, Piney.”

“Yeah, feeling's mutual. I'll find out from my dad what he's doing with the bike and let you know on Monday.”

“Great Piney. I hope he lets you have it.”

“Me too. I'm getting tired of boosting cars and gas.”

That brought a quick laugh from them, then Jake brought it all home.

“A regular job and you won't have to, either of you.”

JT and Piney climbed into the Impala and started it up. Jake leaned in and shook their hands, then JT smiled and put it in drive, flooring the gas pedal and leaving a streak of burnt rubber behind. Jake shook his head and smiled, waving at them, as they waved out the windows.

“So, how are we getting here on Monday by eight?”

“We got all weekend to worry about that. We'll figure something out, Piney.”

They headed into Charming's east end where Lenny lived, keeping to the speed limit, so an old school mate wouldn't want to say hello to them. Wayne Unser had turned out better than most had given him credit for. Wayne and his father started Unser Trucking and Storage, as well as Wayne getting a job with Charming police after leaving the Marines. They had got along and knew each other, but how well now, wasn't about to be decided today.

The commercial area started, any residential housing ending long ago, yet his bungalow was situated between two businesses. It seemed out of place, but it suited Lenny just fine for his purposes. The homemade, metal mailbox out front read Janowitz, if you could decipher it through the bashed metal and crude writing on it.

JT pulled down the gravel driveway and around the back, to hide the car. Lenny's bike was there, still looking like it was running, but in definite need of attention. Before they got out, Lenny was coming out of the house to greet them, with only his pants on. His muscles were bulging and flexing as he moved, having just been pumped up through a sexual work out. Standing only five foot eight, his mass made him look taller than he was. He kept his brown hair cut short, but was sporting a thick, Fu Manchu moustache.

“Holy shit, Lenny, do you have any more room for muscles?”

“Not bad, huh? I figure another good year of training and I'm going to try for Mr. Olympia.”

Lenny began flexing and posing, as though he was in competition. Lorraine came to the door, wearing only a bed sheet and greeted them, her long, dark brown hair mussed up from Lenny's hands manhandling.

“Hey JT, hey Piney.”

Both of them said hi to her, but they kept their eyes on the sheet, threatening to expose her body, if she moved the wrong way. Lenny walked back to her and took her by the waist and lifted her up. Lorraine automatically wrapped her legs around Lenny's waist, baring her thighs and ass cheeks. She kissed Lenny strongly, wrapping her arms around his neck, the sheet dropping down to expose the sides of her large breasts. Lenny carried her back inside and shouted back over his shoulder to his friends.

“Throw the beers in the fridge and roll some joints up. Shit's on the table. I'll be right back. C'mon ya little sex freak, let's get dressed.”

Lenny carried Lorraine back into the bedroom and kicked the door shut, while JT and Piney went in and put their beer in the fridge and took two cold ones out and sat at the table. Lenny wasn't big on decor and most everything he had, was second hand. All the chairs were mismatched, the table's surface missing pieces of yellow with black speckled arborite in areas. The outer edge of the table had a steady line of burn marks from cigarettes being left on it, an ashtray too much bother to find. The floor hadn't seen a mop in a very long time, but it was swept, showing it was a blue and white floor at one time. The walls were bare of anything resembling art, except for a large, hand drawn picture of a M16 held by a skeleton soldier. They looked at it carefully, noting how well drawn it was. JT picked up the baggie of grass and smelled it, then took a good pinch of it out and passed the bag to Piney. Piney smelled it and raised his eyebrows.

“Smells different. What do you think it is?”

“Not sure. Let me finish rolling it and light it up.”

While JT rolled the leafy material into a rolling paper, Piney yelled in to Lenny.

“Hey Lenny, what kind of shit is this?”

Lorraine's giggles stopped, as Lenny answered.

“It's from Jamaica. That guy I know that's coming, Wally, he picked it up. Pretty good shit.”

Piney looked at JT, as he lit it up and took a deep draw, swallowing the smoke and holding it. In seconds, he broke out coughing heavily, expelling clouds of smoke. Piney looked at the joint in his hand and back at JT.

“Good shit, huh?”

JT could only nod, as he continued coughing. Piney took a large toke and held it, then his lungs exploded and he too was coughing violently. JT smiled and tried laughing, but ended up coughing some more. Lenny came out dressed and took the joint from Piney and took a good haul. He held it in and beat his chest like Tarzan, holding the smoke in without coughing. He blew it out and laughed at his friends.

“Pussies. Good shit, huh?”

“Fucking killer, man.”

Piney was still coughing and just nodded. Lorraine came out of the bedroom, brushing her long, dark hair, her large breasts thrust forward. Her thick nipples were still erect and visible through her T shirt and it was evident, she wasn't wearing a bra. JT and Piney stared at her breasts, their large mass swaying as she brushed her hair. Lorraine noticed their stares and smiled to herself. If she wasn't with Lenny, JT was her next choice of mate. As a tease, she stood right between him and Lenny, making sure her breasts were in clear sight to JT, as she reached back as far as she could, making her nipples stand out even more.

“Fuck, Lorraine, if you want JT to suck on those nipples, lift your shirt up and let him at them.”

JT was shocked by Lenny's request of Lorraine and looked at him.

“What? Don't like her tits, JT?”

JT stammered, as he looked at Lorraine's breasts and then back to Lenny.

“Yeah...I...sure, they're really great, but I...”

“Shit JT, they're only tits. I like them, Darlin', let me check them out.”

Lorraine swished her hips salaciously, as she walked around the table to Piney. She looked at him with a big smile, as she raised her top up and over her breasts. They wiggled and wobbled about, as she shook her body side to side.

“Like them, Piney?”

“Love them, Sweetheart. Come here.”

Piney grabbed Lorraine by the hips and pulled her between his legs. Piney's large hands cupped Lorraine's breasts, squeezing them gently, massaging them and feeling their heft. He moved his face forward and placed it between them, rubbing it with them. Lorraine giggled and held onto Piney's neck, leaning back. Her nipples came into view and Piney wasted no time in latching on with his mouth and sucking on both of them.

“Oh Piney! Do me, Baby.”

JT looked at Piney enjoying himself and at Lenny, smiling, clearly okay with another guy doing that with his girlfriend. Piney suckled on the large nipples and Lorraine happily held his head to her, as he feasted.

“She's a fun girl, JT. Sure you don't want a taste?”

“That's cool, Lenny, I'll pass. Take another hit off that joint though.”

Lenny passed the joint and JT took another good haul and held the smoke. He didn't cough as badly this time, but his eyes were showing the effects it was having on him. Lorraine got off Piney and looked at JT, sitting with his eyes closed, enjoying the high. She silently walked over to him and winked to the others to be quiet. She bent forward and held her breast, so her nipple was almost touching JT's lips. He opened his eyes and saw Lorraine's breasts in his face, startled at first, but seeing her smile, he leaned forward and took her nipple in his mouth tentatively. Lorraine gently held his head to her and let him enjoy himself, as he licked and sucked at her.

“Don't sweat it, JT. What's mine is yours, brother.”

JT suckled a little bit longer, then let her go.

“Uh, thanks, that was, uhm, nice.”

“You're such a nice man, JT. So polite.”

Lorraine fawned on JT, caressing his cheek.

“Hey, I'm fucking polite, bitch. Don't forget who feeds you and takes care of you.”

Lorraine turned to Lenny and left her breasts exposed to him. She smiled playfully, as she cupped her breasts to him.

“I know you are, Baby. You're very polite. You always say please and thank you.”

“Yeah, I do. Now please, suck my dick, thank you.”

Lorraine dropped to her knees obediently and began undoing his zipper.

“I was joking, Baby. Get up. Nice to know you remember where your bread is buttered.”

Lorraine got up and pecked a kiss on Lenny's lips, lowering her T shirt.

“You make my bread very buttery, Baby.”

Lorraine now fawned over Lenny, showing him how much she appreciated his lovemaking. Not one to appreciate the feminine subtleties, he pushed her away and sat on the kitchen chair, taking a swig of JT's beer and taking the joint from his hand. JT looked at him with a put out feeling written on his face.

“Hey brother, what's mine is yours, right?”

JT looked at Lenny and realized what had happened, he smiled and laughed.

“Yeah brother, what's mine is yours.”

They clasped hands tightly and hugged, as best they could with the table between them, then JT remembered his new acquisition.

“Hey, got some news, man.”

“What's up?”

“Piney and I are getting bikes. Piney's going to see if he can get his old man's Indian and I found an old army bike at the service station, out on 88.”

“You mean Jake's place?”

“Yeah. Great guy. He's even giving Piney and me jobs, so we can pay for the bikes. Gonna fix the cars he has on the lot and if he's good with it, he'll hire us on.”

“No way, man, that's awesome. Jake's good people. Keeps to himself mostly. I take my Harley in and he fixes it for me. Great mechanic. Always at me to take better care of it. So when do you start?”

“Monday, eight in the morning. Now Piney and me have to figure on how to get there from Lodi every fucking day.”

“No sweat, JT. Here's what I'd do. Jake's closed on Sunday's, so break in, get the keys for a car that runs okay and take that. Be there early Monday morning and drop it off again and shut the gate before he gets there.”

“And I do that every night and morning?”

“I don't know, JT, you're the guys that need to be there, not me.”

“I'll come up with something, I hope. Don't think Jake would be all that impressed with us if we got caught.”

Nothing else came to them to alleviate the situation they were in, so it was relegated to less importance and not talked about. Piney was rolling another joint, but ripped the paper and the dope went all over the table. Lorraine slid a leg over Piney's lap and sat on him.

“Let me do that, Piney.”

Piney looked a little stunned by the move and looked at Lenny.

“She's a good girl, Piney.”

“Got my vote.”

Lorraine smirked and took Piney's hands and put them on her breasts, as she went about re-rolling the joint.

“Yup, she's a good girl, Lenny.”

Piney happily played with Lorraine's breasts, as she rolled the joint. JT sat back and drank a good swallow of his beer and continued.

“Yeah, we figured on starting a club, once we were up and running. There's a shitload of us around here that are in the same boat as us and hate what we came back to. We get shit on every time we try to get a job, like serving in 'Nam was something bad. Like, what the fuck, man, we didn't start the fucking war and decide to go over there. We did the same thing as our dads did, yet we come home as scum, not the heroes they were. This fucking country is beginning to suck, man. It really is.”

“I gotta agree with you on that, JT. I had a shot at college, before I got drafted and could have been someone, you know. I came back and tried to get in and even the fucking government denied me. I know what you mean about the country going to shit, I see it happening too. Fucking slant imports everywhere, killing jobs for workers here. You seen those new Honda bikes they're trying to sell now? Piece of fucking shit. Fifty cc engine barely makes the thing move, but you see them everywhere on the roads. Did meet this one little honey on one. Pulled up beside her at the lights and checked her out. Had these little shorts on and this tight top, sweet little titties on her. She looked over at me and smiled, thought I'd have to do her right there, she looked so hot.”

Lorraine had listened to Lenny talk about the girl and then took some offence to it.

“Don't ever cheat on me, Lenny, I hate that.”

Lenny's demeanour changed in a heartbeat, from jovial to pissed off.

“I'll fuck who I want, bitch. Who am I fucking now, who?”

Lenny's voice was raised enough, she knew how serious he was. Lorraine could see she upset him greatly and lowered her head. Sheepishly, she replied.

“Me.”

“Fucking right, you. If I don't want to fuck you anymore, I'll let you know.”

Lorraine didn't reply, but nodded her head. She was afraid to look in Lenny's eyes, but she knew it would pass shortly and he'd be happy again. She knew Lenny had a short fuse and should have known better, her own doubts overshadowing her senses. Piney let go of her breasts, feeling very awkward at that moment doing it. He looked at JT, who looked at him back, sharing the same feelings about the situation. JT started talking about the club again, hoping it eased the tension.

“So back to the club, Lenny. We should come up with a name and set down some rules and shit.”

Lenny heard JT and turned his attention away from Lorraine, his attitude changing with his heartbeat.

“Yeah, JT, we should get one going. I like that idea. Wally is coming by later, he's the guy I bought the dope from. He's a good head, he might want to join.”

“Cool. I want to get a bunch of guys together, so we should make sure they'll be good for the club, or not. You, Piney and me should vet them out, make sure they'll be good members.”

“So we have titles and shit?”

“Yeah. If no one objects, I'll be president and Piney the VP. I'd really like you as my sergeant at arms, Lenny.”

“What do I do?”

“You're my right hand man. You're the guy who has my ass wherever I go.”

“I can be that guy.”

“Thanks man, I was counting on you.”

“Always, brother, always. I'll never forget that I'm standing here talking to you, because you saved my ass in Hanoi. That debt can never be repaid in full, know what I mean?”

“I know you'd do the same for me, man.”

“You got it. Lorraine, light that thing will you and when you're finished, phone Wally and see where the hell he is. Make sure he's still bringing the girls, too, or you're fucking all of us.”

Lorraine's face showed how much she liked the idea, as she lit the joint and passed it to Piney behind her, then slid off his lap and went to the bedroom where the phone was. Piney inhaled the smoke and savoured it, letting it drift out his mouth and inhaled it again through his nose..

“This is damn good shit, Lenny.”

“Thanks, Piney, want to let us have some now?”

Piney laughed and passed the joint to Lenny, who drew hard on it, lighting the end to a bright orange.

“Whoa, Lenny. Total Bogart or what.”

Lenny chuckled out the smoke.

“Got a big set of lungs to fill, brother.”

He passed it to JT, who looked at less than a third of the joint left.

“Nice roach.”

He took a good hit and passed it back to Piney. Lorraine came back out of the bedroom and leaned against the door frame beside Piney.

“Wally is waiting on Gloria to show up and they're on the their way.”

“Thanks, Baby.”

“You're welcome, Lenny.”

“See guys, lovely girl.”

Piney smiled at her and wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, as he passed the last of the joint to her. Lorraine smiled and took several small hits, her eyes closing to slits and the whites of her eyes going red.

“I am so stoned.”

“I think we're all stoned, Lorraine.”

The sound of a V twin came through the walls, the distinct thumping sound letting them know someone was there.

“That's gotta be Otto. Bike sounds good, like he got some new pipes on it.”

The guys got up and went outside, leaving Lorraine by herself in the kitchen, finishing off the last of the joint. Otto wasn't very tall, barely five foot seven, but he was stocky. Otto and Lenny worked out at the same gym, but Otto wasn't into body building the same way. He slid the kickstand out and leaned the bike over, as he saw the guys coming out.

“JT, Piney, how the hell are you?” Otto went to JT first. “Good to see you man.”

JT and Otto hugged, clapping each other on the back and holding tight. He went to Piney after and it was almost comical to see them hug. As short as Otto was, Piney was six foot four, making it hard for them to hug in a manly way.

“How are you, Piney. Great to see you, buddy.”

“You too, Otto. Keeping well?”

“Yeah, staying fit. Otto here has me doing the weights with him, down at Lumpy's Gym. How are you man?”

“Good brother.”

Otto and Lenny shook hands and hugged, then the attention turned to Otto's bike, a '56 Harley KH Panhead. They gathered around it, as Lorraine looked out the small kitchen window at them, smoking a joint by herself. Otto was proud of his bike, as he saw the guys looking it over with great interest.

“Not bad, huh? Did all the paint myself. My boss let me have any leftover paint and I saved up all these colours, over the last few months. The money I saved doing it myself, I was able to buy these new whitewall tires. I re-wrapped the pipes and I'm thinking of some new bars for it.”

The white base coat was layered with bronze insets and a silver pinstripe, the frame was painted a gloss black. The large fenders were painted like the tank and the wheels had been given a fresh coat of black as well. On top of the tank, Otto had a semi-nude pin up girl airbrushed in, adding a finishing touch overall to the bike.

“Fucking sweet, Otto. Can I sit on it?”

“You drop it, you own it, man.”

JT looked at Otto and knew he was serious, despite the friendly smiles, as he sat on the bike and balanced it between his legs.

“Feels nice, man. It sounded great too.”

“Thanks. It's taken a long time to get it to this state. Bit here, bit there. What do you think of the bars, JT? I think they're too wide, needs something shorter, or pulled back, I think.”

“Pull backs might be hard to turn this thing. Need the leverage to turn going slow. Maybe just shorten these a few inches and see, or bend them back a bit, maybe.”

“Yeah, that's not a bad idea, I'll try that. I can use the pipe bender at work. I just want to be able to sit back more. Fucking arms are too short and I have to stretch too far forward.”

JT got off the bike and looked at it with the others, checking out the attention to detail that Otto paid, in putting it back together. Otto blurted out he needed to take a piss and it spawned a reaction from the other guys to do the same. Instead of heading inside, they lined up along the back fence and every guy relieved himself through the chain-link fence, onto the property next door. Lorraine watched them, noticing the wet trails running on the pavement, eventually making one river of piss. They finished and did their pants up again and started laughing about something, but she couldn't hear what it was about. The guys came inside and they sat at the small, square kitchen table, Lorraine taking her spot behind Lenny.

“Hey Lorraine. Still looking hot as ever, Darlin'”

“Thank you, Otto, nice to see you too, sweet talker.”

Lenny saw her smiling at Otto, the way she had to JT and Piney.

“Careful Otto, she's liable to whip those melons out and stuff them in your face.”

“That's a bad thing, Lenny?”

Otto looked puzzled, not knowing what had gone on before he arrived. The other three laughed and Lorraine looked as though she had been chastised. Piney saw the look on Otto's face and responded.

“We were given a sample of her...charms, earlier. Lorraine does possess some rather nice charms and Lenny had her show them off to us.”

“Fuck and I wasn't here. I miss all the good shit.”

Lorraine moved to the side of Lenny and smiled at Otto, then slipped her T shirt over her huge mounds and wiggled them at him.

“There you go, Otto. Just so you don't feel left out.”

Otto stared transfixed at them, ogling them greatly. Lorraine rolled her fingertips over her nipples and they began standing out from her. Lenny enjoyed seeing his buddy in awe of who he was with, it being one of the ways he judged his women. The more they impressed his buddies and other guys, the better a catch he felt he had found. Lorraine finally slid the material back over them and cupped them in her hands, shifting them into a comfortable position.

“Damn, those are great tits, Lorraine. Great tits.”

“Don't worry, Otto. Wally has some girls coming by soon and I'm pretty sure one of them, has as nice a set of tits, as Lorraine here.”

Lenny reached up and cupped her breasts, giving them a good squeeze. Lorraine never seemed to take offence to anything Lenny said, or did, as long as he wanted her, she was happy and put up with all his crap. Otto stood up and took off his black leather jacket and slung it over the back of his chair. JT saw the back of Otto's denim vest and took notice of what was drawn on it.

“Otto, what's that on the back of your vest?”

“Dude, first thing, it's a cut, not a vest and it's something I drew last week. I was sitting around at lunch, doodling on a piece of paper and came up with it. I used a pencil to draw it first and then black marker to finish it.”

“Did you do this one, too?”

Otto looked at the wall he had drawn the skeleton soldier on and smiled, nodding proudly, as he stroked his thick handlebar moustache.

“It's fucking awesome, man! You're an amazing drawer, honestly. The work on your bike and now this. I know just what it would be good for too. Our new club logo.”

“New club? What new club?”

Otto sat back down and listened intently.

“Piney and I were talking about it and we just told Lenny and he's in, right?”

“You got it, brother.”

“So just the three of you right now?”

“Yeah, you'll make number four, are you in?”

“Ride with my buddies again and hang out together, what's to say no to. Hell yeah, I'm in.”

JT looked at Otto with a touch more seriousness.

“Can we use your design as our club logo? It's fucking awesome man, it really is.”

“Like it that much, do you? What about you guys, you like it enough to be the logo?”

Otto stood up and turned his back, so they could look at it closely. The Reaper holding a scythe made from a M16, blood dripping from the blade, holding a crystal ball in his left hand, seemed to appeal to the other two.

“I like the M16 bit. The blade looks wild, all nasty and shit.”

“Yeah, I like that too, Piney. I'd wear that as a patch. Explain the crystal ball, Otto.”

“It's about seeing the future. I was thinking about 'Nam when I did it and how death looked like the only thing around us, as a future.”

“You know what I'd put in the crystal ball?”

“What, JT?”

“A big A, for anarchy. That the ball shows the future of our club and how death can't stop it.”

The others thought about it and liked the idea of it, but Piney asked why he chose A for anarchy.

“Because we're all anarchists, Piney. We hate the system and they way society treats us. We want something different, right? We want to live by our own rules and not theirs, so that makes us anarchists.”

JT smiled, happy Piney and the others shared his like of who they were. He lowered his head a bit and pondered over something, then looked at everyone, before he spoke.

“I've been wracking my brain, trying to come up with a great name to use and that kind of gave me an idea. When I was younger, back like sixteen or so, I was hiking along the Nevada border and came across something that was written on the wall of a tunnel under a bridge. Looked like a spot lots of people went to, to hang out and party and shit, so I sat there and checked it out. I can remember every word that was written, it made so much sense to me at the time. I think of how we are now, what it's like for us since we got back. No one will hire us for a decent job. Fuckers won't let me, or you, go to college on a vet bill, everyone looks at us like we're scum, so that quote I read really makes sense now. It's by a woman named Emma Goldman and she hits the nail on the head square with this one.”

JT closed his eyes and thought on it, as everyone waited silently, knowing JT wouldn't say anything trivial or inane to them about something so important. Finally, he raised his head nodding, knowing the words in his head. He took a decidedly serious look and spoke in the same manner, feeling his words held lives in the balance.

“ 'Anarchism stands for the liberation of the human mind from the dominion of religion. It stands for the liberation of the human body, from the dominion of property. Liberation from the shackles and restraints of government. It stands for social order, based on the free grouping of individuals.' That's us. It said it all then and it says it all now. We're not part of their society. Nobody wants us, or even wants to know about us. As long as we stay invisible to them, they just hope we'll go away and never come back to haunt them, remind them of how they treated their sons like this.”

Everyone sat quiet and still, not wanting to interrupt JT in any way.

“I say we make them remember. Every fucking day of their lives, we should let them know. Let them know how they took innocent, young men and put them in a war of their making and because it isn't coming out their way, they blame us, like we're siding with the commies, or something. We come back and we get treated like dirt, no, worse, shit. They can't wait to scrape us off their shoes and be rid of the smell of us, but I say we make sure that stink is always present for them to smell.”

JT's oratory seemed to hit home for all of them, for all had faced what he described, at one time or another.

“Something else I read a while back, goes along with that, I want to tell you. too. Our club name is there in the words. It goes like this, 'Intellect throws each man back upon himself, into a solitude from which he looks out with absolutely strange eyes on society. And if the spectacle touches him, if it rouses interest and compassion, his feeling will be for those tender ones, of the great human flock, whom the shepherds shear, and starve, and sell, but do not feed.”

As JT spoke, heads nodded and hearts listened, feeling the words he said, touch them and speak their thoughts.

“Imperfect education makes the rank and file of revolutionists, but from time to time, a leader will step down from the highest circles, a Mirabeau, a Rochefort, a Prince of Krapotkine. The desire of the sons of anarchy is, indeed, to dispense with leaders, for since all men in the formula are equal, it is unreasonable that one should lead, rather than another.”

The guys sat there digesting what JT told them, the concept becoming clearer and clearer to them. Piney was first to ask the question.

“I get it, JT and I agree with everything you said, from what I could understand, but you said you had a name that came out of all that?”

“You guys didn't hear it?”

Everyone admitted they didn't and JT shook his head.

“Sons of Anarchy. That's our club name and Otto's design is our logo, it's perfect. What do you think?”

“Fuck JT, that was a hell of a long-winded way of just saying the name, but I'm in, I like it.”

“Me too, JT.”

“So we agree on the name and logo?”

Everyone cheered and pounded the table, knocking over empty beer cans. Lenny tossed the baggie to Lorraine and told her to roll a bunch of joints up, while he opened the fridge and started tossing out beers at everyone. They just cracked the seals, when a horn blew out on the street and then the sound of a car with a bad muffler was pulling in the driveway.

“That's Wally. Time to really get partying now guys.”

Lorraine looked a bit disappointed, the prospect of every guy there making out with her, now lost. Car doors slammed shut and then Wally knocked on the rickety, wooden screen door. The guys became anxious in their seats, as the sound of female voices was heard. Lenny noticed and called out.

“Come on in, Wally.”

The squeaking hinges kept going off, as Wally, then four girls came in. The girls gravitated towards Lorraine still rolling the joint on the counter, as Wally greeted Lenny and then introduced him to JT, Piney and Otto. He shook hands with all of them and noticed their attention was more about who was behind him.

“Guys, we have Cindy, Gloria, Suzy and Ann-Marie, behind me.”

Cindy was an average girl of nineteen, but did her best to look older. She had her dark hair streaked with beads set in knotted hair and big, round glasses with red lens in them. Her tight T shirt was slit down the front, to expose the curve of her breasts, while her cut off jean shorts left little to the imagination of what wasn't exposed. She gave a little wave hello and said hi, then Wally introduced Gloria, an early twenties woman of Italian decent. Her black hair was long and straight, hanging down over her large breasts, in a tight sleeveless top. Eyes focused on her chest, then drifted down to her rounded hips, wrapped tight in white Capri pants. She gave a smile and waved, making her breasts jiggle and eyes went back to her blouse covered chest.

Wally was happy the girls he brought, were getting the nod of approval from the guys. Suzy didn't wait for an introduction and introduced herself, looking more at JT, than anyone else. JT took note of that, as Wally introduced Ann-Marie, a bubbly and bouncy kind of girl. Her bleached white hair was down past her waist, her lashes thick with mascara, almost blocking the view of her blue eyes. She was wearing a jean vest with nothing under it and skin tight jeans. Other than Suzy, most were well endowed with large breasts.

It became a moment of confusion, wondering who was going to be with who, so Wally put his arm around Ann-Marie and that narrowed the selection. Suzy kept her focus on JT and started making moves towards him. He could see how interested she was in him and he was pleased with her looks. He wiggled his finger at her and she scooted over to him, ending anymore decision regarding her. She sat in his lap and began talking, as Otto and Piney looked at each other and then to Cindy and Gloria.

“Brother, after you.”

“Piney, you're a scholar and a gentleman.”

Otto shook hands and hugged Piney, then turned to the girls and clapped his hands together, rubbing them briskly. He checked each one out twice and pointed to Cindy.

“Come here, Baby. I pick you.”

Cindy seemed happy and Gloria looked at Piney.

“I was hoping I'd get to be with you. I like my men big and handsome like you.”

Piney smiled broadly, instantly feeling boosted by the compliment. He opened his arms wide to her and she came over and wrapped her arms around him, squashing her lush breasts into him. He felt them press into him and how Gloria ground her hips against his, looking at the others with surprise at how good it felt. He let his hand fall down her back and over the curve of her ass. Gloria looked up into his eyes, smiling coyly, Piney noticing and bent down for a kiss. Gloria wasn't shy about putting an effort into her kiss, mouthing Piney's lips lasciviously with hers.

Everyone moved into the small living room and found seating on the old couch and two old arm chairs, as well as pillows on the floor, taking some time to get to know one another, getting a little intimate in their touching and lots of kissing. Lenny tapped Wally and got his attention away from devouring Ann-Marie's mouth.

“Did you bring anymore of that Jamaican with you?”

Wally reacted with more surprise than Lenny expected, ignoring Ann-Marie and turning to him.

“Oh shit, dude, check this out. It's some new shit that came in yesterday. Right after you left yesterday, the guy calls me and says his mule just made it in and he has to unload quick. I said shit, man, I don't know, it's new shit and no one knows what it's like. He's like, dude, I'll let it go cheap this time, so everyone gets to see what it's like, but next time, the price is going up. He says this shit is primo, best shit he's had come in. Called Panama Red.”

Wally took a baggie out of the inside pocket of his leather jacket and tossed it on the table.

“Check that shit out, man. Killer smoke.”

JT picked up the baggie and held the Jamaican up next to it. He smelled both and looked at the redness of the leafy matter and buds. He put the Jamaican down and took a good amount of the other. He looked at Suzy and asked her if she could roll a two paper joint. She said she could and set about putting two papers together and loading them. JT turned his attention back to Wally.

“So Wally, what do you do?”

“Whatever I can, man, what ever I can. I ain't got a place, just stay in motels and my car. I met a bunch of people, who are into a bunch of things and I just try to get a piece of the pie. Not much I can't get a hold of. I met Lenny to sell him some smoke, right after I sold two cases of hot cigarettes. Like I said, whatever it takes to get by, man. It's like, you gotta know someone to get a decent job these days. My room is like a fucking grocery store, I have so much different shit I'm into.”

“What motel are you staying at?”

“The Starlight, out on 88, by the railroad.”

“That's not far from Jake's repair, isn't it?”

“Close, couple miles down the road, actually.”

“Any chance Piney and me can crash there on Sunday night? We start at Jake's, Monday at eight and no way to make it from Lodi.”

“Get you a room of your own, man. Place has shitty locks on the doors, so we wait until the night manager is half in the bag drunk and we can sneak you into a room.”

“Great idea, Wally. Really appreciate it, if you can pull it off.”

“Are you kidding? No sweat. Only three of the rooms are rented right now. You can use the one beside mine and he won't even know you're there. Shit, man. You could stay the whole week and no one would know. Just have to be up and out by six thirty, before the day manager takes over at seven. He's a miserable old fuck and he'll know right off someone is in there.”

“I only have one question, Wally?”

“What's that, Piney?”

“Is there one bed, or two, 'cause I ain't sleeping in the same bed as JT.”

“You're lucky, it's a double, so twin beds, but hey, with your height, your feet will probably hang over the end.”

“That, I can live with, JT curled up against my ass, just ain't happening.”

“Fuck you, Piney.”

Laughter broke out and JT didn't mind taking the weight of the humour on himself, as he joined in and laughed along.

“You can curl up against my ass, sweet thing, I'd like that.”

Gloria's offer appealed to Piney, as he hugged her close and kissed her cheek.

“You got it, sweet cheeks.”

Gloria liked the pet names Piney called her, they made her feel special to him. None of the guys seemed to be disappointed in the way things worked out, all of them getting along with their partners and most getting to the point of wanting to do more. It was Suzy's question about how they all knew each other, that started a conversation that lasted for hours. The girls were shocked and awed by some of the things they described about battle and the need to kill, or be killed. They laughed at the good times they had together and understood how they were as close as they were. The only thing that interrupted it, was the mention of food and more beer. Lenny declared his cupboards bare and said they'd have to order something. Pizza became the common choice, but they didn't have enough to buy beer and several pizzas.

Wally came up with a plan, so they could have plenty of both. They pooled enough money for beer and Wally called the local pizza shop and placed an order to an address close by. They asked him why he ordered a pizza and he explained the plan.

“When the guy goes to that address I gave him, we'll be waiting for him to show up. When he goes to the door to give them their pie, we'll sneak up to the car and steal whatever pies he has in the car. They always send them out with three or four at a time, so we just have to hope someone ordered something we like.”

Otto was all for the idea and volunteered immediately. Wally said that was all he needed to pull it off, so JT was the designated beer run driver, with Piney. Everyone seemed in favour of the idea, no one opposed to stealing their dinner. Wally and Otto, along with Ann-Marie and Cindy, took off in his '54 Chev Biscayne, to wait for the driver, while JT and Piney, along with Suzy and Gloria, took off to the store to buy beer. The cars pulled out and headed in different directions, as they went out on their missions. Lenny and Lorraine were alone once more and wasted no time in fooling around in the time they had to themselves. It was only a matter of dropping their pants and they were engaged in a heated session of sixty nine loving with each other.

JT drove out of the commercial area and back to residential, looking at the homes in his headlights, as he passed.

“I used to want to live in one of those, now I just want to stay away from them, as far as possible.”

Suzy looked at the houses and then back to JT, as she snuggled up against him in the front seat.

“You don't want to have one and raise a family in it?”

“No way. The thought of getting tied down to one place just makes me cringe. Doing it with a wife and kids makes me cringe even more.”

“Don't you want to get married and have kids?”

“I don't know, one day, maybe, but not now. Right now, I want to get my bike and start riding. I want to ride as far and as long as I can.”

Suzy seemed let down and disappointed by JT's statement and he sensed it.

“Hey, you think we're going to hook up and be an item? Sorry, Baby, ain't going to happen. I live for today and today only. Tomorrow is a dream, nothing more. If we happen, cool, but I don't want to make plans on settling down for a long time yet. When I do, I'll definitely keep you in mind.”

Suzy seemed a little better with it, knowing she was still in the running and not just a one night fling. Gloria was cuddled in with Piney in the back seat, kissing him and letting him fondle her breasts under her top. His hand was too large to easily slide under the cup of her bra, so Gloria whispered for him to wait a second, so she could do something to help him out. She reached behind her back and undid the hooks, then began sliding her arms into her top and out again. She reached down the front of her top and slowly pulled her bra out and tossed it in her leather satchel bag. Piney looked at her with amazement at how she accomplished the feat, without exposing herself. She held the bottom of her top out from her body and Piney wasted no time in slipping his hand back under and cupping the bared flesh of her mounds, as she pulled his face back into a tongue-twisting kiss.

Wally pulled up two doors down from the address he had given the pizza owner and waited. Several cars came down the street, but none were the driver, as they went over the plan again. Five minutes later, a Volkswagen beetle with a pizza sign lit up, on the top of the car, came down the street slowly. Everyone ducked down in their seats, the girls giggling with excitement, waiting for him to pull into the driveway.

“This looks like us, Otto, ready?”

“Oh yeah, I got this.”

The driver pulled in and left it running with the lights on, while he took the order out and headed for the door. At the same time, Otto got out and made his way to the car, without the driver becoming suspicious. He opened the passenger door quietly, while the driver waited for the home owner to answer. There on the passenger seat, were four more pizzas to be delivered. Otto opened the door and carefully picked them up, sneaking back to Wally's car. Wally flung the door open for him and Otto climbed in with the boxes on his lap. Wally started the car, getting the pizza delivery boy's attention. He didn't suspect anything and just casually glanced at them, as they drove past, as the owner opened the door. Wally drove away slowly, until he was around the corner and out of sight of the driver, then sped away back to Lenny's place.

JT pulled into the parking lot in front of the convenience store and kissed Suzy well, before walking in and going to the coolers in the back to get the beer. He had just gone in, when a black and white police car pulled in two spots away from the stolen car. Piney noticed it and leaned back in the seat, trying not to be seen. Gloria noticed what he did and asked him why he was hiding.

“This car we're riding around in, it ain't JT's old man's, it's boosted. We took it from a lot in Lodi, so we could get here today.”

Piney looked at who the officer was and felt a bit of relief. Wayne Unser walked past the front of the car and into the store. He went to the cashier and ordered some cigarettes, the clerk turning and looking for the brand requested. JT was just coming up from the back and spotted the uniform and the officer wearing it. He turned down an aisle to avoid a face to face with Unser, looking at snack foods to waste time. Wayne paid the clerk and left the store, taking a moment to look at the car parked in front. He noticed Suzy sitting there alone in the passenger seat and smiled at her, getting a nervous smile back in return.

He opened the pack and took out a cigarette and lit it, before walking to his car. He looked over at Suzy one last time, giving her a short wave, before getting in his cruiser and pulling out. Piney moved so he could watch where he went, without being spotted. He waited until the cruiser was out of sight and relaxed again.

“Who was that, Piney?”

Piney looked at Gloria, seeing a good sense of worry on her face and explained.

“That cop, is a guy we knew from school. I didn't want him to see me and start asking questions.”

“Are you guys like, criminals, or something?”

Piney turned to her, after she asked, seeing a look of something other than worry. It looked more like she was excited by the idea of them being criminals.

“You could say we have been on the opposite side of the fence. Nothing really bad, just this kind of shit we're doing now.”

That didn't seem to bother Gloria, but instead, seemed to excite her more.

“Like bad boys, do you?”

Gloria lowered her eyes, smiling, giving away her penchant for men who lived outside the bounds of society's rules. JT paid for the beer and quickly made his way back to the car, giving Suzy the beer and slamming the door.

“Fuck, did you see who that was?”

“Yeah, I don't think he saw me, but he looked in the car. He took off down the street that way, so hopefully he's gone.”

“I fucking hope so, Piney. We don't need the hassle, man.”

“No shit.”

Suzy looked at JT, her attraction to him doubling, after knowing her date was skirting the law. She put the beers on the floor by her feet and then slid closer to JT and rubbed her hand on his thigh seductively, whispering in his ear.

“I do love a bad boy.”

JT looked at her and then back at Piney.

“Seems we have a couple of girls who like the criminal type, JT.”

JT looked at Suzy, glowing with excitement and smiled, as she let her hand drift closer to his crotch and his burgeoning manhood. Gloria took Piney's hand and had him slide it back under her top, as she pulled his face to her and kissed him, raising both their libidos. JT backed out and headed back to Lenny's, his arm around Suzy, as she squeezed his shaft gently, promising him some sexual gratification once they got back.

They turned left on a yellow light and were coming into Lenny's area, when flashing red lights appeared behind them. JT looked in the mirror and saw the cruiser speeding up to catch up to them. Knowing it was trouble if they were caught, JT floored the gas and the Impala shot forward, the speedometer climbing rapidly to seventy miles per hour. The cruiser wasn't as fast, but the officer driving, wasn't about to give up the chase.

JT hammered on the brakes, locking them up and smoking the tires, as he turned the corner and floored it again, putting the car in a fishtail. He kept it floored, the rear tire smoking wildly, as he started putting more distance between them and the cruiser. He killed the headlights and used the light from the streetlights to drive by, as he started taking different streets to lose their tail.

He backtracked and headed back towards Lenny's, Piney keeping his head turned to the rear window to see if he spotted the cop. After two more turns, Piney felt they had lost him and relaxed, turning back around to face forward.

“Good driving, JT. I think we lost him.”

“Yeah, I think so too.”

Suzy and Gloria were as excited as they could be, having been part of chase and getting away. She let out a whoop and hollered her excitement, getting the others to do the same. JT pulled onto Lenny's street and then into the driveway, pulling around back again and hiding the car from the street. They all got out and JT and Piney carried the beer in, while their dates held hands behind them. They came in and calls came out from the living room.

Pizza boxes were piled on the battered living room table, the top one open with several slices eaten already. JT and Piney dropped the cases beside the table and hands had them opened and tossing them out to everyone. Soon, the boxes of pizza were being finished, along with the first case of beer. Everyone ate their fill and soon, they were sitting back with full bellies, enjoying an after meal cigarette.

JT and Piney related their close call and chase, while Wally and Otto talked about the manoeuvre they pulled off. The girls were clearly impressed by their feats of criminal activities and the guys sensed that.

“Hey Lenny, when did Unser become a fucking cop?”

Lenny pushed Lorraine aside to answer him.

“Not sure. All I know, is he came back from 'Nam around the same time we did and then he was wearing a uniform not long after. Hasn't hassled anyone, that I know of. Not really sure what kind of cop he is. Why?”

“I'm pretty sure he's the one who was chasing me. He spotted the car at the store, but I'm pretty sure he didn't take down the plates. Might be the guy who owns the thing called it in already and he was investigating.”

“Shit, JT. How you going to get it out of here now, without getting caught?”

“Not sure, Lenny, but I've got to come up with something.”

As they pondered among themselves what possibilities they had, the sound of a motorcycle gearing down was heard by them.

“You expecting anybody, Lenny?”

“Shit, I fucking forgot. I invited this guy over. I met him out riding the other day and said he could come by anytime. Guess this is that time.”

“Who is he?”

“Some guy from Ireland, if you can dig it. Name's Keith McGee. Seems like a decent head, you know. Left there and landed in New York about a year ago. Bought an old Harley and he's been driving across country, doing the tourist bit. Got into Cali like a week ago and been riding around looking at shit.”

“Cool, sounds alright.”

The bike pulled into the driveway and Lenny went to go greet him. He came back in and Keith followed behind. He was easily close to a foot taller than Lenny, close to Piney's height and size. Lenny stood with him and introduced him to everyone and Keith was more than happy to be meeting them. His accent bothered the guys, as they saw their women fawning over it. Lenny could see his friends getting put out by it and stepped in, before feelings got hurt and actions spoiled the evening.

“Girls, we need to find Keith a date for tonight. Anyone you know available?”

The question ended the attraction to him, as they thought about who to call. Gloria shouted out she knew someone and asked to use the phone. Lenny told her to use the one in the bedroom and invited Keith to sit and enjoy himself. JT tossed him a beer and Suzy grabbed the baggie on the table and started to roll another two paper joint. JT looked him over, trying to get a feel for who he was, as he socialized with everyone, talking about Ireland and his trip across country.

Gloria came back in and sat on Piney's lap, but kept her eye on Keith, still interested in the new guy and what he was about. Piney's hand sliding up to caress the bottom of her breast, made her bring her attention back to Piney. He kissed her cheek and then she turned a bit more and kissed his lips. Lenny interrupted them, asking Gloria about her call.

“Did you find someone, Gloria?”

“Yeah, yeah. I called a friend of mine, Mary. We work together at the club and she's not doing anything and said she'd be happy to come party with us.”

“Is she taking a cab, or driving?”

“Oh yeah, she needs a ride.”

Piney looked at her differently, noting how easily distracted and forgetful she was. JT spoke up at that point.

“No way I can get her. I can't take a chance on the cops spotting me again.”

“No shit, JT. Wally, feel like getting her?”

“Yeah, I guess I can go get her. Where is she at?”

Gloria said she'd go with him and get her, showing him the way. She kissed Piney and went with Wally and Ann-Marie to go get her. They left and the rest got back to talking to Keith about his travels.

“You've got a grand country to see, so you do. Seen lots of interesting sights on the way and lots of things that bothered me, as well.”

“What bothered you, Keith?” Keith looked at JT and then to the others, as he explained.

“As much as your country has plenty to offer, it treats it's people with such disregard. Almost every city I passed through, I'd see men our age, lined up outside unemployment offices, or bumming on the streets. I asked many of them why it was like that and they all said it was hard to get a job after coming back from the war in Vietnam. I can't understand that, JT. This country is rich with industries and doing better than most, why would they do that to their own sons?”

“Your guess is as good as mine, or anyone else here, Keith. We served and some did more than one tour, yet we come back and everyone treats us like we're scum. Like going over there was something we did against society, or something. We had lives before that, ones we had hopes and dreams for. They killed those dreams we had and for what? A war they'll never win? Why are we punished for their mistakes? Why do we have to suffer for a war that means nothing to America and its people? Protests are happening everywhere with thousands protesting and marching, but the fuckers are still drafting us and sending us over there. You'll never see the pictures, but just hang out at the airport and watch the transports come in and start unloading the coffins. Every day they bring in dozens and line them up on the tarmac. Every one of those guys would rather have stayed here and had a life, instead of going over there and giving it up worthlessly.”

Everyone sat listening intently to JT, as he spoke out the feelings every guy had and the girls agreed with. Keith looked saddened by the news and JT caught it.

“Hey, don't sweat it, man. We're not done living yet. We're just talking about starting a club, one where we can feel in control of our destinies and to hell with what the government and society want us to be. They made their decision and tossed aside like garbage, but this garbage has a purpose and it goes against everything they stand for. We want to decide when we fight and with who, not drafted into a battle, not of our choosing.”

They all looked at JT with different eyes, ones with great admiration and respect. They knew he spoke the truth and what he offered, was far better than anything available to them elsewhere.

“Yeah, you'll be a good leader for us, JT. I like how you think.”

Otto's statement brought about a mutual consensus from them all, as they agreed with JT's take on things. Keith looked at JT and held his hand out to him.

“I respect that, JT. I'd be feeling the same way, if my country did that to us. As it is, we have nothing over there to look forward to. The country is going to shite and no one gives a flying fuck. That's why I left there and landed in New York. I wanted to see the world and know there was more than the poverty and suffering going on back there. I've seen plenty, more than enough actually, to know we have to make a change, or we'll have nothing left for us, once our greedy fathers have finished raping and pillaging everything.”

“What are you going to do, once you're finished exploring America?”

“Not sure. I was thinking of heading north and riding through Canada, but places are few and far between up there. I have a cousin who lives in Toronto, in Ontario, but I haven't a clue as to where the hell that is from here.”

“Not sure if this appeals to you, but you can join us and our new club. Not saying it's going to be easy, but we'll work out things and make our own way. We need good men like you to be a part of it, so you're welcome to join. What do you say?”

“Join a motorcycle club? Hang out with you chaps and ride the highways of life? I'll have a good think on that, it sounds good.”

JT smiled at him, happy he didn't just turn down his offer. He was feeling more assured now, about his idea of a club becoming a reality. What had been nothing more than an idea hours earlier, was quickly becoming a reality, one he could start to grasp a hold of, with a sense of purpose. As much as Suzy desired his attention, he became increasingly more mindful, of what lay ahead of him.

Wally's car was easily recognizable, as it pulled in the driveway, putting Keith on edge, as he wondered who his date was going to be. The door opened and Wally and Ann-Marie entered first, followed by Gloria and then her friend. Keith watched her come into the living room and looked her over from head to toe. He stood up and straightened himself out, as he waited to be introduced.

Gloria made the introduction and Mary came forward to him. She was well endowed with big breasts, her bra doing its best to support them under the light sweater she wore. Her bright, green eyes sparkled and her long, blonde hair sat high on her head, but was still long enough to drape down past her shoulders. He looks were garnering immediate attention from the guys, as well as some of the other women, measuring themselves against her. Her figure was full and carried well, her tight jeans showing every nook and crevice. then her smile came out and her friendly hello. Keith almost stuttered out his name, as he shook her hand and looked at her. Gloria went back to Piney, but her attention seemed to be divided between him and the new attraction. It didn't phase Piney in the least, as his attention was drawn to Mary and the charms she possessed.

Lenny got his record player out and a case of already well-played albums. He flipped through them and pulled out what he was looking for. He pulled out the album and put it on the turntable, moving the tone arm to the right track. Everyone sat in suspense, waiting to hear it, as he turned up the volume. The crackling was loud, so everyone knew it would blast from the small speaker. Steppenwolf's Born to be Wild crashed into the room and after the second chord, everyone knew what it was and heads started to move. Lenny yelled over the loudness of the song.

“This song is about us, man. It's all about riding bikes.”

As the guys listened, the connection to themselves was made and they sang along with more gusto.

The beers were being drunk at a good pace and there was hardly a moment a joint wasn't being passed around. Everyone was high and feeling fine, when Lorraine put one of her 45's on. At first, Lenny complained, until several of the girls asked him to leave it on. Cindy started singing along with the Delfonics, La la I love you, writhing sensuously to the beat.

“I love this song, I dance to it almost every set.”

The guys looked at Cindy with great interest at the mention of being a dancer and asked her to do a dance for them. She saw the looks on every guy's face and knew she would be devoured by them if she did. She looked at the other girls, who clearly had jealousy written on their faces, looking back at her.

“Okay, but only if all the girls do it with me.”

In a heartbeat, every guy was asking their date to participate. The beer and pot had the effect it took to throw caution to the wind and after enough coaxing, they all agreed to do it. The guys moved the chairs around so the area was cleared for the girls to have space and they had seating to watch. Lenny waited until they had discussed what to do between themselves and Lorraine gave him the okay to start the song again. Those that knew the song well enough sang along, while all of them started moving sinuously, getting all of their bodies into the song. They had decided to do a big tease and soon started getting seductive and flashing skin, getting the desired hoots and hollers.

Cindy was first to remove her top and bra, baring her breasts. Cheers were given and boots stomped on the floor, then Ann-Marie, followed by Lorraine, bared it all and shook their goodies about. Gloria took off her bra and let her bountiful mounds loose, to a loud applause. The guys were the best audience and allowed them to go on, without taking advantage of them in their state. Only Suzy and Mary were left and eyes were focused on Mary, waiting to see the largest breasts in the house. She undid her snaps and slowly removed the straps, keeping the cups on. Inch by inch, she started sliding them off and every set of eyes watched. Mary slid them a little bit further and then stopped. She looked at everyone looking at her and then laughed.

“Come on, Mary.” was shouted out by the guys, as well as the girls, everyone just as interested in them. Mary started taking them off and then freed them with a flourish of flesh. They were so large, everyone let out a gasp at seeing them. Mary hefted them and gave them a nice squeezing. Keith's eyes were as round as saucers, about the same size as Mary's aureola, staring at them and then into Mary's eyes, letting her know he was very pleased by what he saw. Only Suzy was left and no one was making a fuss over her normal sized breasts. She undid her bra, noticing JT was still interested in her and not by the mammoth mammary glands, like the others. She let it fall to the floor and then caressed them lovingly. Looking at JT, her eyes fixed with his, she undid her jeans and slowly slid them down her thighs. JT couldn't hold her stare and let his eyes fall to her hips. She wiggled her pants down to her ankles and big tits no longer held the guys interest, as they hooted louder and louder to take it all off. She looked at JT and then to all the guys and then the other girls, letting her look change to one of doing them one better and beating them out. She pulled her feet out of her jeans and tip toed over to JT and stood in front of him. The song ended, leaving the room in silence.

“Would you like to see all of me?”

JT looked in her eyes and saw the playfulness written on her face. She swished her hips back and forth and soon every guy was calling on him to do it. Slowly JT put his fingers under the waistband of her pink panties and tugged them down a little and stopped, focusing on Suzy's eyes, to see what she did. A chorus of 'Pull them down, pull them down' started and even the girls were in on it. Suzy looked quickly at everyone and then back to JT. She swished her hips again and put her hands on his shoulders, leaning in and kissing him. JT lowered her panties gradually and then bared her ass to the room, to wild shouts of approval. She wiggled her legs to help him get them down and then lifted a foot at a time for him to take them off. He held them in his hand and pulled Suzy into his lap and kissed her with passion.

Lenny saw how hot they were getting and shouted out to them.

“Hey, take it to the room, you two, just don't get the sheets too wet, huh?”

Guys and girls hooted and cheered for them to get it on and have a fun time. JT picked up Suzy in his arms and carried her in to applause and shouts of encouragement. He laid her on the bed and closed the door, taking off his jean jacket and T shirt. He looked at Suzy lying there now, more open and waiting. Her nipples were erect, her pubic hair was sparse, but fairly straight, unlike most of the girls he'd had the occasion to feel. He could see a thin line of pink and the hint of what was to come. He undid the button and saw her eyes flicker from looking in his eyes, then he undid the zipper and her curiosity won out. Her eyes travelled straight to his fingers and the opening in his jeans getting wider, exposing bare skin. He slid his fingers in the back of his jeans and worked them down over his ass, keeping his eyes on hers.

He stood up and let them drop, looking at Suzy's reaction. The little gulp of air was all it took to let him know what he wanted to know. He stepped out of his jeans and pulled off his socks, climbing onto the bed beside her. Suzy was almost shivering with excitement, waiting for him to touch her and love her. JT pulled her to him and felt the warm lust emanating from her, waiting to fulfil her promise earlier.

Out in the living room, the call for more nudity rang out. Half naked women began stripping off jeans and shorts, leaving panties on for a little modesty, as the giggles and laughter died out, mouths now pressing together and hands exciting bared flesh.

Outside on the street, Wayne Unser was acting on a tip and doing a slow drive by, his fender-mounted spotlight illuminating the driveway. He was just about to call it a dead end, when the light flashed off the bright chrome bumper of the Chevy. He shut off the light and put his Dodge Polara in park, getting out and walking back to take a better look. He looked the Impala over and took down the plate number, then looked at the other vehicles present and noted their plates as well. Moving as quietly as he could, he snuck up to the side window and looked in past the gap in the bed sheet/curtain. The more he saw, the more he became in awe of the spectacle. Five males were actively engaged in various forms of sex with five willing female participants, some females engaged in lesbian activities as well. He couldn't make out any faces of who was who, but noted anything distinguishable, to tell who they were.

He walked away quietly and went back to the cruiser and radioed the station. He asked Rosalita Gomez, the night dispatcher, to run all the plate numbers he wrote down. He sat waiting for the call to come back, looking at the house and wondering who was all inside. The radio crackled and Gomez relayed the information. All the tags came back clean, so that took the heat off them. The only thing that didn't make sense, was who the owner of the Impala was and what he was doing with the known people in the house. Harlan Walters was a fifty five year old account executive at a bank in Stockton, who lived in Lodi. Everyone else was a person of interest to them and he was sure anyone else still unknown, fell into the same category.

He closed his door and drove away, wondering how to put the mismatched pieces together and what did it all look like, once it was together. As he pondered what he knew, the radio crackled and Rosalita told him to head over to Frank's Pizza, on Euclid, where a report of stolen pizzas needed investigating. As Wayne put the microphone back in the cradle, his mind started going over the unimportant details he had seen in the house. He pulled over and thought about what he saw and then laughed to himself, remembering all the pizza boxes on the table. He called Rosalita back and said he somewhere to go first, to check something out and he'd report there afterwards.

Unser turned the cruiser back around and parked out front of Lenny's house, looking at it and wondering what to expect, once he knocked on the door. Putting on his cap, he got out and walked up to the front door. The booming sound of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, droning through the drum solo with the organ accompanying it, let Wayne know the party goers inside were still actively engaged in their prior activities. He chuckled to himself, as he knocked on the door loudly. The song stopped and a flash of the curtain, let him know they knew he was there. He knew it would take a few minutes for them to get dressed, so he waited patiently for the door to open. He lit up a cigarette and looked up and down the street, then stood on the sidewalk and looked the house over. Even from where he stood, the sound of muffled voices and movement could be heard. Finally he heard the door being unlocked and turned to see the door open. Six shirtless men stood en masse, facing him, none showing any sign they were happy to see him.