“Cash, Cash.” Pee-Wee shouted in the phone.
“Look man, we got to plan this shit out because there can be no mistakes. Just hold tight and let me put something together.” Cash hung up the phone. Mixed feelings were brewing.
2
The spring of 93 brought everyone out. Girls were in tight dresses, mini skirts and Daisy Dukes. Boys flossed tank tops and jerseys. They wore caps tilted to one side depending on the organization.
The boys were on the basketball court at Norton Park, putting on a show like they were Globetrotters. Each team that stepped on the court left embarrassed and befuddled. The crowd loved it. No one noticed Cash, Pee-Wee and Doug blending in. They weren’t there just for the show.
The next five came to the court and from the start the unknown players made it clear; there would be pain. On the opening possession Jon went strong to the rim only to be elbowed by one of the opposing players. Jon grabbed his jaw while trying to shake off the pain.
“What the fuck is your problem?” Don screamed running up to the big man.
“It was my mistake,” the player said trying to sound as sincere as possible.
“Let’s just play ball,” Jon said taking the ball out. The crowd was on their feet ready to attack and Cash just stood in the crowd with a smile on his face as he watched the first part of his plan take effect.
The big men continued carrying out their dirty tactics tripping and throwing ‘bows. Hard fouls aimed at intimidating the boys. Kay went for a lay-up and a player pulled him down from behind. He fell hard on his upper back. Jon hit the bigger player in his throat then kicked him in the groin. He screamed like a stuck pig. Jon stomped him in the face and head. Kay regained his composure and joined in kicking the player. Blood leaked from his eyes and nose. Another player ran up behind Jon blindsiding him.
The bleachers cleared with Bay Bro leading the way. The five henchmen Cash sent to deliver pain were soon swarmed by nearly everyone in the bleachers. Cash, Pee-Wee and Doug crept to the exit. Police sirens were heard and the mob stampeded the nearest exit.
Jon didn’t hear the sirens. He continued supplying kicks to the player. Don ran over pulling him away.
“One-time!” Don shouted.
The gym cleared except for Cash’s five soldiers who were on the floor and unconscious.
The boys made it inside the Dungeon. They were trying to figure out what had happened.
“Man, what the fuck was that?” Jon asked examining his left eye in a mirror.
“Think it had sump’n to do with what happened to Tyrone?” Twon asked fidgeting with his hands.
“I don’t care who the fuck they was,” Don said turning up the volume on DOC’s No One Can Do It Better. “We sent whoever a muthafucking message. Niggas just can’t come to our hood, thinking they can get with us. We sent a message loud and clear that we not to be fucked with and if niggas want to try then let ‘em bring it.”
“A whole lot a shit gone down since we took our oath,” Twon said. Jon started to pace back and forth.
“You alright, Jon?” Don asked staring at Jon still pacing.
Jon sometimes blacked out when upset. He once stabbed their father with a butcher knife. Don decided to keep a closer eye on Jon. Jon was compassionate and unforgiving.
“I’ll be fine,” Jon said rewinding The Formula. “I’m just thirsty.”
The mood lightened and the boys played Sega, drank pops and made fun of Jon’s black eye.
Back in Delany projects, Cash Pee-Wee and Doug puffed a Swisher while sipping E&J.
“You…you think this gonna be a war? It’s gonna start a war right?” Doug asked sounding shook.
“What you think? We started sump’n big, big…” Pee-Wee was tripping, he knew that this was just the beginning of a war that would cost many lives.
“It was like the whole hood got behind ‘em boys,” Cash said shaking his head. He saw Bay Bro leading the pack. “We gotta go to Chi and get our arsenal right.” Cash puffed and passed the blunt to Pee-Wee. “This gonna be a hot summer.” He exhaled.
“I think we should get this shit over with as soon as possible.” Pee-Wee smoked and continued. “If Bay Bro got wind of us being involved in this shit, y’all know, he gone come out on full blast.”
Cash knew Pee-Wee was right. Pride might get him killed. Apprehension tightened like a noose around his neck.
A week later, the boys were hanging in the Dungeon playing Sega. They started talking about the Spring Fling dance and who would have the prettiest date. None of them had asked a girl or were seriously thinking of going. But money was involved.
“This little bet is tight. We need to start making real money.” Don said watching Jon and Twon play NBA Showtime basketball. “We need to get a hustle going.”
“We can learn how to steal cars and since Deuce got a chop shop right in the hood we ain’t got to fuck with nobody we don’t know.” Kay said from the sideline.
The twins and Kay knew how to drive. Kay figured it wouldn’t take but a couple of minutes to teach Twon and Zoe. Kay had been waiting on some type of come-up. Since his pop got laid off from the Steel Mill he went from Jordan’s to regular Nikes.
Jon put a pause to the game and said, “We don’t know nothing about stealing cars and niggas get shot to steal another muthafucka’s shit.”
“Man, Deuce can show us how to steal a car and we got burners. We talking come-up and that’s the sure way. Man, I heard you can steal a car in a minute and make a G off it. Think about that, a thousand a minute…? Man, us five can put that work in and make ten G’s a day.” Kay said.
“I feel you and I’m with you but we’ve to put this one to a vote. We’ll go around the room. It’s yeah or nay.” Don said.
“Yeah!” was echoed by all.
“Then it’s on,’” Don said smiling and thinking about all the dough.
Later the boys went by Deuce’s garage. They were familiar with him but Kay was the closest to him because every summer he worked at the garage running to get food, sweeping up the floors and look-out. The garage was only one block over from the twin’s house and it was on the same block as Kay’s house. It was connected to a fast food restaurant slash ice cream shop.
When the boys finally made it to the garage it was Kay who was suppose to do all the talking since he messed with Deuce like that.
“Deuce man, we trying to stack some paper,” Kay said sitting in a chair in Deuce’s office. “The problem is; you need to show us how to steal cars.”
Deuce was thirty-seven years-old, dark complexion six-footer. He had a gut that kept getting bigger with each bite that he took. Rumors floated that he killed two men who tried to rob him one night at the garage. Most people took Deuce for soft because his wife had him in check. The chop-shop had been running smoothly going on two years. Deuce smiled at Kay. This was inevitable. He knew that Kay was hungry.
“I’m gone sho’ y’all little asses what ya’ll need to do, but Kay, do not make my spot hot.”
“Nah, I’ll keep this on the low,” Kay said.
Deuce showed them some stolen cars. They saw how it should look after. He liked neat work. Sloppy work would get you pulled over. He took them to the junkyard to demonstrate