Volume Two: Soldiers of Death
“Soldiers of Death
Flash Back:
As I lie here on this wet pavement, letting my body grow cold, blood runs from my mouth. I feel the coldness seeping into my bones. I hear shallow breathing and gurgling next to me and look over to see the light and life leaking out of my brother's eyes. I reach for him, but he doesn't reach back.
That’s when I realize my life and the vengeance of hate begins. In my mind, all I can think about is where we went wrong, how we went wrong. We set everything up so right, and now he's gone.
As I drag myself to look at the other dead bodies of my friends, I wonder how I can start all over again. This is the time for new beginnings.
Present:
The boys sit in the booth at El Arco Iris as Vicious recounts the story that only his friends partly knew about their brothers who had just passed away. As the story unfolds, they all feel the cold vengeance in their hearts rising.
“It took almost a whole day before they removed the bodies? So you’re saying my brother was just laying there on the cold pavement like that for hours?” Lil Jax asked, visibly upset.
“Fuck.” Knuckles says under his breath, his head in his hands. Knuckle's brother was one of the three that didn’t survive that day.
“Yeah,” Vicious said, “I know these guys are laying low, but how about we try and go hunting tonight?” A spark lit up in his eyes as he met the gaze of the other three.
After finishing their drinks, and planning what route they would take, they slowly make their way back to their ride and load up their weapons, getting ready to hunt their enemies. The evening was quiet, and after creeping around all the usual spots for what felt like hours, it started to feel as if this night might be coming to an end.
“We should head to York Billiards for one last attempt.” Savage suggests. York Pool Hall is known to be an active spot for their rivals, “Ghost Gang", so there has to be at least a few of them roaming around the area.
As they pull up to the pool hall, two of the guys make their way in while Vicious and Savage standby. “Hey Savage, let’s smoke this,” Vicious says, raising his hand and beginning to light a joint. As Vicious takes his first hit, he looks across the street to see four women using a payphone. They look at one another and with the same thought in mind Savage says, “Let’s go see what they’re up to,”
They cross the intersection and the girls spot them making their way over,
“Yeah?” the girl with the pay phone asks.
“What's up?” Vicious asks, “What you girls up to?”
“Nothing,” she says.
One girl quickly interjects, “We’re trying to get more of the homies and homegirls to come hang out tonight.” she replies enthusiastically. “You from Ghost Gang” she points to Savage's hat, recognizing the logo. Savage was wearing their rival's emblem to grab someone’s attention, and it worked. Viscous came up with that idea the other night to try and catfish their enemies.
“Yea,”
“What do they call you?”
“Grumpy,” Savage replies.
“Your homies are at my house right now, we’re at the corner of Baltimore and 51, we’re the third house on the left. Come through,”
“Ok. That’s what's up, we’ll be over there in a few minutes, we're just gonna grab a couple more of the homies.”
They head back to the pool hall, trying to play it cool so the girls don’t notice what they’re up to.
Lil Jax and Knuckles are back at the pool hall having a beer, when Savage and Vicious burst through the front doors. Vicious puts his hands on both their shoulders, “We got these motherfuckers,” he says to them.
Without any hesitation they immediately jump out of their seats and the four of them rush out the back doors of the pool hall and load into the G-Ride. They’re each strapped with a Mac 10 and 9mm. “Okay, this is how it’s gonna go,” Vicious begins, “Me and Knuckles are going in, you two boys wait in the car and keep a lookout. Pull up and park on the side street. Knuckles, this is your time to shine kid.” Vicious grabs Knuckles by the shoulder.
Tonight would be Knuckle's very first mission, and what better opportunity than to seek reprisal on the guys who killed his very own brother. This here meant something.This here was personal.
As they make their way to Baltimore Street they turn off their headlights and scope out the house carefully. It's a dark, foggy and quiet night, but they can hear the music blasting loudly out of the house. People partying, as they recklessly make their way in and out the front door. The house sat on top of a set of stairs, and the walkway stretched out about fifteen feet, with a small waist high fence separating it from the sidewalk.
“Alright, this is the deal. Knuckles, you keep point and whoever runs out you open fire, make sure you see who it is though, I’m running in, so make sure you have my back and watch who you’re shooting.” Vicious makes his way to the gate and reaches over to unlock it. He looks up and fifteen feet away - the front door opens, and it's one of the girls that they had met earlier at the payphone, she looks over and says “Oh hey,” then looks back over her shoulder into the house, “Your homies are here!”
Without hesitation, Vicious gets through the gate and rushes towards the front door, pushing her out of the way, firearm ready. As soon as he meets the gaze of his enemy he opens fire, pumping three rounds into him. Vicious goes to take another shot and his gun jams, he quickly pulls back the slide and as the round falls to the ground- the gun jams again.
“Fuck.” Vicious pulls back quickly when he notices someone reaching for a shotgun. The guy takes a shot and as the explosion of the gunshot blasts against the door frame, it misses Vicious only by an inch. The ringing in his ear begins and he runs out the way he came in.
On queue, Knuckles opens fire with his auto MAC 10, pushing the crowd of people back.
As soon as Vicious reaches Knuckles, they hit the ground running, heading back to the side street where Lil Jax and Savage are ready to go. The sounds of retaliatory gunfire fill the air and Vicious and Knuckles laugh hysterically jumping into the G-ride and take off. Exhilaration and excitement in their voices as Vicious shouts, “Fuck yeah, motherfuckers!”
The boys make their way back to their Club House in the alley between York and Fayette. Tonight was a big night for Knuckles- tonight is the night that Knuckles earns his crown with the Soldiers of Death.
As they gather in the backyard, Vicious grabs the iron brander that sits encased in the Club House, while Savage grabs the torch. “Tonight our very own will be crowned,” Vicious begins, “Knuckles has shown his loyalty with the Soldiers of Death from the very beginning…. loyal to the crown and to all those who’ve earned it.” While Vicious continues the coronation, Savage torches the brander until it's glowing red.
There is trepidation in Knuckle's eyes, as he pulls his shirt up. He’s anxious to earn his stripes tonight and he stands with pride and purpose. As Vicious finishes his speech, “Stand strong soldier.” Vicious pushes the crown into Knuckle's chest, searing the layers of the skin in his chest. The sound of sizzling, and smell of burning flesh fills the air, and as he pulls the torch away, all that's left is the crown forever imprinted into his skin.
….The plan of reprisals comes next…..
THE END
