Changing the game

Chapter 1

Taking A Loss

1:00 am

Beep. Beep. Beep. My alarm goes off yet another morning. So early I was under the stars. I like to work at night, mostly. It’s a big day for me and the team. Today is the one-year anniversary of my father's disappearance. I guess that means something? Today is the day me and my crew have been building towards all this time. Today I announce, that we are going “Legit!” Three years we’ve all been putting in work.

Before he disappeared, my dad was not happy I was working against his notorious street gang’s interests. But somewhere along the lines, he forgot the goal we were working towards, his goal of taking a team from the gutter to the Pros. Now my crew has enough bread to feed the bureaucrats and start our own private security company.

We’ve trained. We’ve taken jobs under the table. Protecting the little guy, from larger criminal organizations, that are squeezing the life out of the communities of this city. We even caught a few vigilante charges from the cops that won't do anything. We didn’t win them all, but most. We are more like community activists. We at least try, “intent is everything,” my dad used to say.

I roll out of bed and into pushup position. I begin my regimen “1…” only 299 to go... After that, I roll over one shoulder into Guard position on my back and I begin Crunches “1...” only 399 to go…” When I’m settled up with my routine. I have a light breakfast. Coffee, some toast, OJ, two slivers of bacon, and a bowl of oatmeal. Hmph... “Yeah you call that lite?” My boy Matter asks. He’s a bit of a health nut. On some back to Africa stuff.

Matter is a huge African-American. A simply monstrous black man. He was my dad’s right-hand man in the Streets. He joined the squad when he left with me and ‘Easy’ when I walked. Matter is an an all-around righteous dude. Period.

After I shower and then meditate I check my phone. My dad taught me how to clean the junk out of my mind. He taught me how to block out the world. It’s something to do while you mostly drip dry. After about a half hour of this higher consciousness state. I get dressed. I grab a few choice protection tools. I head out the door.

2:38 am

Stepping out of the old building on my block feels good now, not like before. People feel safe and it’s all thanks to my crew cleaning up the neighborhood. Two females on my 10:00 They smile wave, and stop to speak. It’s Ava and Debora. They work the corners and bars in the financial district for Realistic. He’s the piece of crap that took over my Dad’s Gang since he disappeared. He’s scum.

They're both smiling. Ava says “Hey, Solomon baby, how are you?” We went to high school together Debora smiles and adds “Hey, Solomon” I respond, “Hey ladies no working on the block. They half frown and half smile. In unison they reply “We know.” Ava without skipping a beat adds “Jealous?” I smile at that question, and jokingly come back with “Always.” Not true and they know it, but they appreciate the compliment and move on.

Watching them leave I'm reminded of the time when pulled a bad boy, off Debra in an ally. A bodega owner called us. Me and Matter were close by. So Easy routed us in first. By the time we could get there he had finished beating her quiet. Mostly, she was limp. He was kneeling over her and about to make it worse. I grabbed him. Lifting him to his feet as he was about to protest. Matter moved in with a Taser to the family jewels. And …. lights out.

I begin my 25-minute jog to the stash house. Gotta meet up with the crew. We don’t like banks. We don't really trust them. Sooner or later, I guess we will have to start. Easy handles

the books first thing my dad did when she graduated high school was put her in the best collage he could afford. SOB picked out all her classes, but paid it up front just like with me.

Dad was a G. Aside from running a powerful Gang, my dad was some kind of special forces hero. Forty-two and he was still active. Before he disappeared that is. He raised me, and my sister on his own. He built his own Gang and worked for the military.

Easy was called that, because everything was for her, just that EASY. Parkour is easy, well it is for me and it was for her too. My dad picked up the idea when he was stationed in France. As soon as he got home, he showed me the way. I’ve been doing it ever since. I start running. It's a jungle out here, but I move like a tiger chasing prey through the back alleys of the streets. Nothing slows me, I move over garbage bins like they’re not even there at all.

I practice silence when passing through debris like broken glass, cans, plastic bags or whatever else is down there. I'm a ghost here in the shadows. A swift ghost just like dad taught me. Fence? No problem. I begin my ascent running up the side of the building wall. I push off with the foot farthest from the fence at about eight feet. The closer foot steps out for the top of the metal link obstacle, metal fences are unstable at the top I make the necessary balance adjustments and I'm over it.

3:08 am

It takes me about 20 minutes to get to the stash house. The crew works shifts to make sure it’s safe. We got a network, and just about all you would need to get it on with the best in the city! Hell, we even got a few armor lockers with a specific non-lethal weapons locker. That was Matter’s idea. Me? I’m the HNIC… You might liken me to a Team Leader. Or maybe, a CEO. Or at least I will be, soon enough.

I’m doing what my dad always wanted to if he had the chance. If he could let go of the military, and the street, we would be doing it already. That's part 1 of the issue. He called

himself that, he says because “All we can touch and see was made of that.” I don't know maybe he was trying to remind the gang or everyone which is a scary thought. I don’t know.

Easy was my adopted big sister. She left the gang my dad built, just like me. Followed her little brother back to the old neighborhood to clean it up. Ya know, start from scratch, as they say. She handled the books. With her smarts. Of course she did.

She was also a quick draw master. Surprisingly one hell of shot. Rifle or pistol. My dad's first marksmen child. I learned most of what I know from her. She made damn sure that I learned what our dad was trying to teach. Between his missions she stepped up. She fed me. When mom died from Cancer, Easy made sure. I ate hot wonderful meals. Took baths. She made sure my homework and hers was done. She still managed to graduate with honors.

I buzz the door. No answer. Funny I always get an answer from someone right away. I buzz again. Normally, I should’ve got something by now. Nothing of it. I get out my card key and swipe. Moving through the door at almost the same time.

Caution Mode at play. I take the stairs to avoid others. Avoid conflict at all cost. That’s what Pops taught me. I get to the fifth floor. I peek out the door. No one in sight. But, moving through the hallway, my senses are screaming something is wrong.

“RUN!!!” But I second guess this. We secured this building ourselves. We have a system. It is full proof. Or is it? Card keys for tenants and members. I get to the door. As I’m about to swipe, the door. I’m reminded, just as I’m starting to let my guard down. Something my father ingrained in us, letting your guard down. Never to be done even when you sleep.

The door pops open gingerly, as if it was not fully closed in the first place. “What the hell is going on ‘round heeeearre...” I start saying on my way in. I get cut short, when I slowly survey the scene. I see nothing but carnage. They were all dead. All of them.

I had called the meeting today. They were all here. All dead. Except...What the fuck... where is Easy...? I had an 8-man team here. But there were 7 bodies. I hear some gurgling on blood. Somewhere over near the office area. I move quick noticing the safe. As I enter the

doorway, it's open, and it's empty. At my feet is a bleeding Matter. My best guy. We indivisible. But he’s gone. He’s just gone. Like the rest of ‘em.

3:22 am

I kneel down to eye level with Matter and try to speak to him. To let him know I’m here he’s not alone. “Matter! Matter! It’s me Solomon! Matter, talk to me man! What happen, who did this Matter!?! Matter c’mon man stay with me!”

He looks up at me and mutters, “they came for the bread Solo.” He means our stash. He puts his bloody hand on my face, for the last time taking in my features. He gurgles, “they were Pro’s. like your dad. No doubt. They weren’t bangers! Just walked right in and started shooting up the place with silencers.” Gack, gurgle!

I’m surprised and devastated at the same time. How? We have card key access for the whole building. “What do you mean they just walked in?” I’m confused and scared. “Must of had a card key. I don’t know. We didn’t know they was coming.” He looks around at the bodies.

I told your pops that I’d put my life on the line looking out for you little man. And for Easy. He’s fading fast. “Matter!!! C'mon maaaan!!! Matter!!!” His eyes close and open “They took her. Easy. They took her! I’m sorry I couldn’t stop them.”

He goes limp in a second. “Matter who!?! What’d they look like? Did they say anything...” But my questions are too late. He’s gone. I get up. I try to think clearly. We’re responsible for the building's security. Part of the rent deal. All security cards ok’ed here go to the hard drive on the server.

Easy always keeps a thumb drive in her desk. I can use that to download the security log to find out who’s been swiping what. Someone let them in. I need to know who. But it makes no sense. Anyone on the inside would be dead too. I dash for the desk get the drive insert it into the USB drive on the server and hit a few keystrokes. I remove it, pocket it, and head for the door.

All this blood man. At least no one called the…. I trail off. “Bang! Bang! Bang! Open up! This is the Police!!! We got a call about fighting in the building!!!” How the hell is everybody getting in this building? Did, I lock the door? I move for the window, and as I get it open, they try the knob... Damn! it’s open, and they coming in…

3:45 am

The cops rush through the door with guns drawn. One looks me dead in the eye. I’m out the window before he can speak to the others. He yells to the other cops. “He’s going down the fire escape.” I'm down in a few leaps and bounds. I move through the ally like the wind is carrying me. But it is just fear. Primal and guttural fear.

I hear a cop bound around the corner. He tells his partner to move around to the other side, too cut me off, he’ll flush me out. Really do they still do that? I hide at the corner of my building in a shadow, as soon as he moves around it. I grab him! it's only about 15-25 seconds squeezing him until he’s unconscious. He shouldn’t have struggled so much. That only makes you go down faster. He should know that.

I place him in the ally against the corner, and I peep around, I hear more cop cars heading my way. “Why did they pick today to start working?”

I keep telling myself, you can make it. If I cross the street, then hop the fence, and follow the tracks. There’s a car near the fence. It’s now my springboard. Over the fence I go. Once I’m over I’m gone. I’m free. No one can catch me now.

On my way back, I get a call on my cell. “Don’t go home. Kid, the first place they gonna check is home.” I pause mid leap. Never heard this voice before in my life. He sounds like a grumpy and gruff older man. He probably smokes and drinks with his raspy tone. “Who is this?” I ask “I'm a friend of your dad’s. That’s all you need to know for now. Don’t go home!” There is a click and he’s gone just as quickly as this all started.

Chapter 2