Training Day: The Turn
Damn I'm nervous. When it's your first day on the force it's expected of you to have butterflies, but today's my first day in narcotics and I'm well aware it's a different ball game. After a few years in patrol, a stint in robbery investigation, and my last couple of years in homicide, I'm finally getting my shot to go where the big dogs play, narcotics.
I was told to meet in front of Riley's Donut Shop. I've been standing out here for 45 goddamn minutes and still nothing, but I guess this is to be expected when you're the "FNG", or in other words "The Fucking New Guy". Still, my nerves are heavy and part of me wishes this guy never shows.
Is this him? A black Buick comes to a creep in front of me and rolls down the window.
"Are you Alonzo?" the man shouts.
"Yeah."
"Then get the fuck in."
I jump into the passenger seat while pushing empty beer cans and cigarette cartons with my feet. Sitting next to Detective Charles Harper and his notorious gray mustache, my heart begins to pound.
"It's about damn time they send me a dark blue. These streets aren't getting any lighter as I'm sure you know."
In the police force, everyone is a blue, doesn't matter what the color of your skin is. But, if you're black like myself, you're referred to as a "dark blue".
"So, Alonzo, what is it you want to do here?"
"Sir?"
"What, are you stupid boy? Why did you request my division?" asked Harper irritated tone.
The intense aroma of cigarettes and whiskey from him almost threw me off guard. I briefly pondered how a man like this can be so respected within our department?
"Take out the garbage. Clean up these streets I grew up on. Right wrongs where needed." I said boldly.
"Right wrongs? Okay. Well you know, this isn't your everyday easy-going patrol ride? When you're with me, we're making moves. Maybe some of the things you see me do, you're not going to agree with. Keep in mind, I've been around awhile. Listen to what I say, do what I tell, and we'll both go home living easy at the end of the night."
"I can do that."
"Alright, so you're here to right wrongs, but at what cost?"
"I'm not sure what you're getting at Sir"
"We're different here in Narcotics. The division has been under a lot of heat these last couple of years because we don't follow procedure. Well, it's not that we don't play by the rules, we just tend to play by our own. This is a game of chess, not checkers. Once you realize this, you'll make yourself a fine Narco detective."
Det. Harper signals for silence and mumbles into his radio. After a brief moment, he looks at me with his dark bloodshot eyes.
"We're going to South Crenshaw"
"The Jungle?" I asked surprisingly.
"Good, you're aware"
"Unfortunately all too well. That's where I grew up Sir"
"Just call me Harp. But you're one of the lucky ones then. Not a lot of people make it out."
He was right. Growing up there I was fortunate enough to have an older brother who always looked out for me. I never met my father and between the drugs and numerous men, my mother was hardly around. My brother sold drugs to keep food on the table, and he taught me how to work in the jungle. Personally, I have never sold dope or ran with a crew. He always made sure that I kept my nose clean and stayed in school. Sure, life was hard, but his reputation kept me safe. Sadly, an unknown gang member killed my brother shortly after I graduated school. But they say that's the price his lifestyle comes with. His death is also the reason I became a cop.
We drive to a gas station right outside of my old neighborhood. Waiting, there are a few other detectives, some of which look familiar.
"Who's the FNG?" asks one detective of me.
"Alonzo. He's riding with me and just so happens to be from this neighborhood. Alright, are you gents ready? New guy, stick behind us and take notes." Det. Harper replied.
As if my nerves weren't high already, the thought of my first drug raid has really put me on edge. We jump into our vehicles and head towards my old block.
Suddenly, we come to a sudden halt and the detective's rush to the front door, battering it down.
"Police!" one man screams.
I wait a few moments for the commotion to settle to enter. I walk into the house and see a man around the same age as me cuffed on the ground.
"Fuck you pig!" the man shouts at me.
"Shut up" Det. Harper say's after kicking him in the stomach.
The thug gasps for air and looks at me.
"Don't I know you?"
"Doubt it." I reply.
"No, you're Little Pete's brother, I know you!"
My stomach dropped briefly. I should've known I would run into some of my brother's old associates.
"So I smoke him and his crooked ass brother of a cop comes to get me, isn't that some bullshit?"
A surge of emotions instantly run's through my body. None of this feels real. I stare at the man sitting on the floor and I feel as if I can't move.
"You two know each other?" Det. Harper asks.
Without thought, I find myself hovering over the man, striking him in the head.
"Who are you!" I scream.
Det. Harper pulls me off of him and drags me outside. My temper is flaring while I'm coming to a grasp with reality.
"What the fuck's going on?"
"He killed my brother." I said trembling.
Next Chapter
Everything happened so fast. The man who killed my brother is now dead but I feel no remorse at all.
"Was it for the better? Probably." One of the detectives says with a large grin.
"Quick and likely painless." Detective Harper adds. "Sometimes an eye for an eye isn't such a bad thing."
What happened feels right. The man who was killed in front of me deserved what came to him and maybe more. After some thought, it hit me. I'm part of the game now and it was only a matter of time before I would have to get my hands dirty.
"Let's call investigations, write the report, and call it a day." Detective Harper says.
After the body was removed, we jump into Harper's car for him to drop me off.
"Hell of a first day, isn't it?" Harper asks.
"Damn right." I reply.
"How are you holding up?" asks Harper with a concerned look.
"I came here to right wrongs, and we did just that."