CD - Rock and A Hard Place

by CalicoDiamond9

Adventures of Alex Mercer continued. When Alex Mercer finds trouble, he must face the consequences of his actions and choose between telling his brothers or dealing with powerful enemies. Warning: Language (because it's the Mercers) and possible spanking of a minor. Don't read if this isn't your thing!

1. Chapter 1

Rock and A Hard Place 1

"C'mon; get your ass out of bed." Bobby sounds irritated. "I ain't tellin' you again."

I roll over, putting my back to the nuisance trying to pull me out of my dark, blissful, and long needed sleep. "Umph." I moan.

Bobby smacks at my shoulder and then roughly pulls the covers off of me. I shudder, blindly patting the bed to find the blanket and sheets Bobby just took. I hate that feeling, being cold and awake when you don't want to be. Damn mornings.

"I'm not going to school." I mutter.

"Yes, you are." He returns. "So you sure as hell are getting out of bed, putting some clothes on, and coming downstairs for breakfast. It's seven o'clock."

Gee wiz, you'd think that was practically afternoon. I groan again, painstakingly opening my right eye. The light from the window is too bright and I end up blinking back tears as my eyeball tries to escape down to the darkness at the back of my skull.

I squeeze my eyes again and I'm pulled roughly up by hands behind me, dragging me from the me-shaped impression in my mattress. Then my feet hit the cold, wood floor and I'm next to the bed. And so is Bobby.

He looks down at me, eyes watching mine. "Get your clothes on." He orders, standing up straighter.

But I'm cold and tired, so I turn to crawl back into the sweet, warm— "Oh no, you're not pulling this with me." Bobby grabs me from behind and pulls me back off the bed. "You got school, kid. You get your clothes on, right now."

"This is stupid. The school said I get a week. One week, Bobby. I'll do my homework later." I make a face. "I'm tired."

"Tough shit." Bobby comments. "Now get going before I beat your ass, huh? I'll be downstairs." He goes to leave, but turns quickly, pointing at me. "If I have to wake you up again…" He trails off.

I nod, swiping the sleep from my eyes slowly. I hear a chuckle and Bobby and I both look up.

"I told you, Bobby," Jack grins from the doorway, leaning against the jam to shove his foot into a sock. "He's worse than me in the morning."

"Don't I know it." Bobby grumbles, he opens a drawer from my dresser and throws a shirt at me. I catch the sleeve groggily and pull it to my chest, glancing at it. "Get dressed." He says, and he and Jack walk downstairs.

Damn mornings.

XXXXX

"Morning, Chico." Sofi says softly, giving me a winning smile as she walks out of Angel's room holding a sweater. Or her and Angel's room, I guess, Bobby just has to warm up to that idea some more. I nod at her. I don't know what else to do. I kinda like her, a hell of a lot less than Angel, but more than Bobby. She's pretty nice and she can cook, which is great since Bobby can't.

Or at least he shouldn't, he's tried before and it didn't end well.

Sofi continues smiling and I follow her downstairs. Jack and Angel are already downstairs, the table is set and few bowls are lying around. My brother's bowls are filled with cereal and Angel has a pile of eggs on a separate plate. Bobby is sitting at the far end of the table and gives us a grunt as we walk in.

"You always sleep like that?" Angel asks before kissing Sofi on the cheek and they sit down. I shrug. Angel grins. "You're just like Jack, you know that? Same crazy hair too."

"That's what I keep telling Bobby." Jack smiles from his seat.

I run a hand through my hair as I sit down as well. Bobby tosses me the cereal bag, Wheaties, I think, and I pour some into my bowl. Bobby takes a sip of his coffee, leaning back in his wood chair. I can smell his coffee from where I sit; it's so black I can smell it from ten feet away. Plus it's crap, but that's cheap anything for you.

I wrinkle my nose; I never liked coffee.

"Eat." Bobby points at the bowl in front of me. "You're gonna be late; you got school, little sister."

"I'm already late." I mumble.

Bobby fixes me with a glare. "Well, you better haul ass then, huh?"

Angel serves himself a heap of eggs before passing it to me. We eat our fill and I sit watching my brothers talk loudly around me. I glance at the watch on my wrist. It's almost seven thirty now, maybe if I just blend in and—

"Shit." Bobby states. "Alex, get your backpack, you have school. And your shoes. You can't go out with no shoes on your feet." He motions for me to go.

I obediently stand, running off upstairs to gather my school supplies and get back downstairs to find Bobby and Jack in the living room. I stand in the doorway listening for a few minutes; it's kinda cathartic.

Then Jack notices me.

"You gonna stand there all day, kid? You look lost." Jack observes with a laugh.

I nod again slowly, looking between my brothers. I hear Jack snort and Angel and Sofi talking in the kitchen as dishes clink and the tap runs. My eyes end up on Bobby.

"Bobby?" I speak quietly.

Bobby looks at me.

"I, uh, I missed the bus already. It leaves at seven forty-five." He raises an eyebrow. "So, can you take me? Or, I mean, I could still wait 'til tomorrow, that would work too." I say cautiously.

Bobby nods his head as he snatches his jacket off a chair nearby. "Well c'mon."

Bobby and I make it to my school within ten minutes. A few rules of the road are broken, but no fucks are given. And I'm still tired. I had to sit in the back though. I tried hard to explain to Bobby that even twelve year-olds can sit up front and I'm almost old enough to drive.

He didn't say anything.

The car stops at the curb of my school. The sidewalk would normally have a load of fire breathing middle and high schoolers in packs of baggy-panted guys, skanky girls, and everything in between. There's usually a lot of cigarette smoke too. But with classes started, everyone's in the hellhole we call school. That or they're skipping. But either way, it's pretty quiet and very safe for a kid getting dropped off by his brother.

Bobby pulls the parking brake. "Alright, move your ass, you got class. You said you were late, right?"

I nod slowly.

"Talk with your damn mouth." Bobby's eyes narrow as he watches me through the rearview mirror.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am." I say quickly, grabbing a fistful of my backpack strap and scooting to the opposite end of the seat to push the door open. I swing my legs out of the car, shouldering my bag and slam the door shut. I turn to walk away when I hear: "Hey!"

I step over, bending low to see into the passenger side window. Bobby watches me for a moment. "Do good, little brother. Learn something and don't get into any shit, got it?"

I nod. "Yeah, Bobby."

He nods. "You do and I'll bust your ass."

I allow myself a small smile. Thanks, Bobby.

I walk to the school, through the waist height, stonewalls around the building and up to the stairs. Then I hear Bobby's car pull away. I glance back, watching the old clunker speed down the black top.

Then Bobby is gone and I'm alone.

I check around a few more times. Teachers could see you anytime, you know. They're like cats; quiet, sneaky, and a pain in the ass. I don't see any, so I jog back down the steps and take a left past the walls. I feel good and it's only eight o'clock in the morning.

XXXXX

"Alex, my man!" Win greats me as I walk in the door of our club. He grabs my hands, clapping me on the back and pulls back, scrutinizing me. "What do you say, fellas?" He leans back, looking at our group.

"I say the princess is getting pampered by his big bros." DeShawn leers from his place leaning on a trashcan to my left.

"Fuck off, D." I glare.

"Oh you know it!" Malik croons. "What they feedin' you? Filet minon? I'll come over there anytime, white boy, if that's all the problems you got." He laughs.

"Like you know." I shrug off Win's hand. "I got plenty."

"Hey man, we just messin' with you, huh." DeShawn stands, following Win and I to the table we set up inside the shed.

I single lantern sits on the table, tilting with the crooked legs holding the whole thing up. We found this place around a year ago and meet when we can. Everything inside, the seats, table, and lantern were all scavenged. The rest is junk already in the shed, we just live around it.

"Yeah, at least you had breakfast." Win sighs, resting a hip against the table. "My old man's fresh out of the slammer and eats every damn thing in the house. I ain't been back there since Friday."

I nod.

Win's Dad went to prison for some gang fight a few months back and served his full term. He's on parole now, but what the states doesn't know, or doesn't want to know, is that he's a worthless drunk who beats his wife and kids. Win's the oldest and has a kid sister, so Win gets it most when his Dad's gotten into the beer.

"How long do you think it'll last?" I ask.

Win shrugs, sitting down at the table. "Probably not long. He's back in the booze far as I can tell. They'll get him for somethin' stupid most likely."

I nod again. "Sorry, man." I say, falling onto an overturned bucket, kicking my backpack aside.

"S'not so bad." Win comments, gesturing to the shed. "I've got old HQ herself. We need to get some heat or somethin' though, it's fuckin' cold at night."

"Your call, man." Malik laughs. "I said you could come over last night. Instead you sit here wallowing in self pity."

Malik, DeShawn, and I laugh at that. Win flips us the bird.

"Just sayin'." Malik shrugs. "Complain all you want, but I made you an offer. I can't always be here to help your dumb ass." He sits heavily beside me.

There's a lull and D grabs his stool from the trash pile beside him, putting it at the table before sitting down. I glance around the dimly lit room before leaning forward.

"What about you though?" Win asks. Our friends grunt in agreement. "How're your brothers?"

"Fine. They're not my problem." I reply.

"Right, 'cause what you got are problems." DeShawn laughs.

"At least you get to live until tomorrow." I say sourly. D raises an eyebrow.

"You got trouble?" Win asks.

"Mmn." I nod.

"Which would be…?"

"I owe Cray sixty bucks."

"Sixty?" Malik raises an eyebrow. "Dude, you're askin' for it, you know that? No one, and I mean no one, gets out owin' Cray."

"Yeah, I know, I know." I grouse. "Don't have to remind me."

"I'm just sayin'." He shakes his head, looking around at the three of us. "I'm tellin' you what, y'all are some of the dumbest fuckin' kids around, you know that?" He points.

D snorts, shoving him. "Yeah, you say that all the time, but you're the one that sticks around with us."

"Someone's gotta watch out for you." Malik grins. "Do you ever look at yourselves in the mirror and go, 'wow, I am dumb'. 'Cause I think some self-examination would do y'all some good."

We chuckle at that, making jabs at Malik. He's like the Jerry of our group. Level headed, smart. Out of my brothers I don't know who I am, me, I guess.

"Your bros know?" D asks, checking his shoe before meeting my gaze again. I shake my head.

"The way I see it, you can tell your bros or you can deal with Cray. Rock and a hard place, my friend." Malik shrugs matter-of-factly.

The three around me nod.

I nod. "I can't do either. Bobby'll kill me."

"Cray'll kill you, and there's no getting back up from that. No drug in the world resurrect you, man." Win comments.

Malik shrugs. "I'm sorry, I can't. Got no money. I would if I could, brotha. I just don't have any. You shouldn't have messed with him in the first place."

I turn my gaze to Win. In the dim light his face is more gaunt than usual, the sharp cheekbones and black eyes flinty almost exaggerated. "I can't help you. I can't deal with Cray and my Dad's home. I haven't been back in days, man. I don't have money and even if I did, I couldn't get it."

DeShawn nods as well. "Sorry, man."

I groan. "You're a fucking help. Thanks." I say sarcastically, standing hard enough to knock over the bucket.

"C'mon, man." Win stands as well, trying to reason. "We'd help, really, but Cray's bad news."

"You don't think I know that?" I say in frustration, rubbing my hands together.

They are quiet.

Finally Malik speaks up slowly. "It sure don't seem like it, Alex. You bought the shit from him. If you knew, then why?"

"Like you haven't before."

"Yeah, but I knew what I was doin'. You gotta pay up one way or another."

I watch my friends fix their eyes on the table and middle distance, avoiding my gaze. I know they wanted to help, but they're right, I'm messing with some powerful people. Cray has an entire city of people in his ring and it won't take that many to beat my ass into the ground. Then again, Bobby'd do the same thing.

I sigh heavily, grabbing my backpack. "I gotta go."

Then I walk out.

XXXXX

By afternoon I've got nothing. It's like the Great Depression of times for me. Usually I can nab a few green backs from the street, a parking lot, maybe the floor of Gigi's. I even checked some pockets and wallets, but no luck. I check my watch before heading back to school. I am dead if I don't make it before Bobby or the bus.

I walk quickly and make it in time to charge through the school doors and immerse myself in the crowd of kids lining the hallways. I follow my crowd to our bus and to my house.

XXXXX

I walk through the back door, listening to the TV blaring from the living room. I don't anyone, so I head in carefully. Angel is sitting in his usual place, a chair off to the corner, painstakingly typing on a flip phone.

He looks up. "How was school?"

I shrug.

He nods. "Never liked it." He looks back at the phone. "That was Jerry's shit."

I drop my backpack beside the coffee table, falling into the cushions of our couch. The reality show on is boring as hell, but I don't have the mental power to make myself sit up and grab the remote.

"What the hell?" Angel glares at the bright screen in his hand. "L-O-L? Whatchu want, spell it out!"

I smile. "Laugh out loud, Angel."

He turns. "You laughing at me? I'll give you something to—"

"No, no, no." My grin widens. "It, uh, it means laugh out loud. Your LOL thing?"

"Huh." He scrutinizes me, almost threatening, mainly annoyed, and slightly tired. It reminds me of a toddler. Yep, that's Angel down to a tee. "That makes no sense." He shakes his head and continues his painstakingly slow typing.

Dude needs some help.

"You could type slower, Angel, maybe use your tongue?" I grin over the armrest of the couch.

"Fuck you."

I laugh and so does Bobby. He leans on the door jam between our two main rooms with a grin. "I think there's a law about that, Angel." He lets out a loud laugh.

Angel groans. "Fuck you too, Bobby."

"Oh not me, little brother, I don't swing that way." He strides over, knocking my feet off the couch and shoving me further up.

I squirm up to my own half of the couch grumbling. "Geez, Bobby, can't a man have his own seat?"

He cuffs the back of my head. "Not you. Your balls ain't even dropped yet."

I glare at him.

"That's all you got?" Bobby grins. "Weak, little brother, real weak."

Angel grunts. Probably about the phone, but maybe in agreement with Bobby. I flick my eyes over to him, watching him glower at the screen again, with his head bent forward.

Bobby shoves his big ass hand on my face, pushing my head farther back. I try to shove it off. When this fails, I flail wildly, pushing my feet and myself up from the couch. I make a blind jab for Bobby's chin, only to have my arm knocked aside. Then I duck down, leaning forward off the couch, turning to the left and as the figurative crowd reaches a crescendo, whammy! I hook a left upper cut so powerful… I land on my ass on the coffee table and fall to the ground with a thud.

I glare at the ceiling, cheeks burning like Sofi's hot tamales, as Bobby and Angel laugh. Hard.

Then Jack walks in.

"Why're you on the floor?"

"None of your business." I pull myself up, kicking the table.

Bobby swats my ass. "Don't kick the damn table. It's mahogany."

Sure thing, Effie. But I don't say that, because shit like that's likely to get a man killed. So I just quirk an eyebrow at my oldest brother and sneak a quick rub for my behind. I swear he left his handprint on my ass.

"It's mahogany? Fuck, man, what next? We need doilies or somethin'?" Angel guffaws.

Jack leans on the back of Angel's chair, a similar expression on his face. Bobby just ignores them, sinking back into the couch. "Ma said it."

"What? And you just repeat it?" Angel wipes at his eyes, shaking his head. "Damn."

"You should go into woodcarving, Bobby." Jack leers at our oldest brother. Bobby shifts to say something, but Jack continues. "Oh, but better yet, better yet you go sell them."

Angel laughs, looking up and then to Bobby. "Yeah, man, you ready for that. I can see it now: you dressed up in your clothes goin' 'hey y'all people—'"

Bobby launches one of Ma's pillows toward the two in the corner, who easily dodge it. Jack stands, shaking his head with a smile.

Angel closes the phone, face turning to mock seriousness. "Now, Bobby," He points. "Don't throw the pillows, they silk." He grins.

I grin as well, watching the three and keeping well out of the reach of Bobby and his glower.

"Fuck you." Bobby flips the channel, settling further into the couch. I sidestep the fallen table to make my getaway.

"Pick up the fuckin' table, Alex. You knock it over, you pick it up." He shakes his head at me. "Damn, kid."

"S'not my fault it fell." I grumble, going to leave.

"Boy, you better get your ass over here and pick it up before I make you."

I turn to watch him, feet set firmly apart and not moving to right the table. I see him narrow his eyes, a cold, bossy Bobby returning. "Pick this up too. I ain't your laundry fairy." He kicks my backpack.

I watch in horror as papers, a textbook, and some notebooks fall out onto the floor along with a package. The package falls out onto the floor beside my school stuff. Bobby catches my gaze with a frown, leaning forward on the couch to reach down to grab it and holds it in his hands.

I flick my gaze around the room to see Jack and Angel watching intently. I want to stop Bobby, yell or run at him and sweep up my stuff before he notices, but I can't. Bobby unwraps the contents and I watch as the drugs fall into the palm of his hand.

TBC