No Surprise

Four Brothers

Death Sentence

Garrett Hedlund

hatericeviolence

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN FOUR BROTHERS, DEATH SENTENCE, OR GARRETT HEDLUND. THE FOLLOWING IS A WORK OF FICTION AND CLAIMS NO RIGHTS TO THE LISTED ITEMS ABOVE.

2. Not meant to be

I swung open the door to the Four Roses. I paid no attention tot he bar and walked straight back to the table and sat down next to Baggie.

"Someone's got fuzz! What happened, Darley? Lose your razor?" Bodie laughed and pushed the bottle of Jack forward.

"Haha!" I laughed as I touched the little hairs growing on my face. It had been a few weeks since having been introduced to the gang that Bones commanded. "I figured I'm bald…I need something to keep me pretty!"

The boys laughed. Baggie hit my shoulder and pointed at Bodie. "Someone's favorite day is coming up!"

I eyed Bodie. "What? You gonna dress up and treat or treat? I say go as a fairy!"

He smiled and put down an empty beer mug. "Nah, man, it's initiation season! Gonna get you some play time! Gotta know what you're doing."

I sat up and furred my brows. "What are you talking about?"

He snapped his fingers and Heco put down a folder in the middle of the table. I eyed it for a second before picking it up. "This is what ya gonna do. Tomorrow he will be out with my girl, as usual. You find him, you pop him."

I opened the folder and looked at the hand written logs. This guy had been in deep shit. He owed Bones six grand and had for three months…and was a fucking business executive. I flipped the last page and picked up the polaroid. The guy was a lean skinny man who apparently, always came after work-unless he always goes out in stuck up business attire. "Tomorrow? What time?"

"5:00PM exactly." Bodie motioned for Heco to pass another folder to me. "And him. He may or may not show tomorrow. Either way, he's next on the list."

I took the folder and flipped it open. The first thing in the file was a picture. It was just a kid. He was just a kid in a Ramones tee smoking a doobie. I flipped the photo and saw "Micheal Lane" written on the back. "How old is this kid?"

"He's twenty."

I eyed Bodie. "You sure? He looks sixteen." I closed the folder and shoved it in Bodie's direction. "I ain't doing it. He ain't twenty. A twenty year old doesn't have a fucking school ID hanging from his neck."

Bodie rolled his eyes and gave the file to Heco. "Fine, whatever you say, BOSS! We will take of it."

"No, you're not. The deal is no kids. You go after that kid and I'll go after you. GOT IT?"

"Yeah, Mercer, we got it. You won't kill him. I won't kill him. I don't want you on my ass."

I glared over to the others. "No fucking kids. I don't give a shit how much they owe or how much money their daddy gave them for the shit! They shouldn't owe shit and they shouldn't be fucking buying. Who the fuck sold him this shit?"

"Joe. Take it up with him."

I made a fist and hit the table before storming off. Joe. I hadn't heard that name in years. The last time I saw him he was just a kid. I walked outside and kicked the Mustang's bumper before lighting up a cigarette. When I left Bones, I left Joe unprotected. I couldn't get him to come. I begged him to leave. He was only fourteen when I left. It's hard to believe it's almost been a decade.

I looked up as Bodie walked over. He looked at me then rubbed his chin. "He's in jail for armed robbery. He'll be out in two years."

I shook my head. I shouldn't have left him. If I was around, this woudn't have happened. "Did he kill anyone?"

"No, he's too young. We did what we could to keep him in school."

"Did he finish?"

Bodie shook his head slowly. "Nah, he got busted and went to jail."

I exhaled. I'm a terrible brother. "Bodie, I'm going home. Send some pussy my way." I got up quickly and opened the driver side door. "Two at a time!" I yelled as I sat down, slammed the door and started up the Mustang. I drove out of the parking lot and down the street. I got to the stop sign and stopped. I repeatedly hit the steering wheel with the palms of my hands. Bones just keeps giving me more and more reasons to kill him. If not for me, for Joe. I started driving again and went straight past Bones' workshop and to the old rundown apartment building. I had already moved out of Ma's house and had it up for sale. I moved into the apartments that some of the boys lived in. It was run down but I was never there so it never mattered. I got up and ran up the ratty staircase. They were terrible and I always wondered when they would finally give and come crumbling down.

I shuffled my feet until I came to my door and unlocked it. I turned on the light then slammed and locked the door. I walked over to the kitchen and opened the fridge door. There wasn't much in it. Beer, cheese, mayo, butter, and bacon. The only thing that mattered was the beer. I grabbed one of the glass bottles and popped the cap off on the corner of the counter. I took a swig as I walked through the living area kicking off my boots and socks. I put down my beer and took off my jacket and threw it onto the couch. I quickly stripped off my shirt and jeans.

I grabbed my beer and stumbled onto the couch. I closed my eyes and then took another sip of my beer before I heard the knocking at the door. I slammed down my beer and walked to the door and opened it. I grinned and leaned on the door. Bodie had sent me those girls he was promising. These were definitely not girls I would have ever picked for myself. They were both short. One was latina with deep black hair that was tangled into a disaster and had big fake breasts. It wasn't even slightly attractive. I like boobs but I like them real. The other girl Bodie sent looked more his type . She was an attractive black woman…she looked a lot better than the latina. Her boobs were real and big like her lips and ass. "Come on in," I sat back and opened the door so they could walk in before closing the door. I ignored them and walked straight to the bedroom.

By the time hey had followed, I was already bored. I sat not he bed, leaned over, and rested my head on my palm. "Get out, go home." They looked at me then walked out slamming the door behind them. Why the hell did I tell Bodie to send me whores? I have no idea. It wasn't like me. Me…I'm beginning to forget who me is. Part of me doesn't mind. Jack was weak, fearful, and naive. Billy is the opposite…and Billy isn't no damn fairy either. Jack was always a damn fairy.

Yeah, Jack has his following…a large one, at that. But there was no glory. The only thing Jack ever had to work for was either getting out of handcuffs or playing the bills. That was it. He had a new girl every night…if he wanted. He never did though. All Jack had ever wanted was her but she was too far out of his reach once he realized it. Jack was ruled by four things: music, Rosalind, Jack Daniels and a possible case of unrequited love.

~ SIX MONTHS AGO ~

"Jack, what the hell are you doing in my office?"

I smiled and looked up. For the fifth time in three months, I was handcuffed in this room for something that wasn't sex. She was pissed. I could tell by the way she stabbed her dark blonde hair's bun with a pencil and glared at me with her ice eyes. "Officer, Sprint, sorry, I missed ya!"

She sat down behind her desk and tossed her badge my way. "It's Detective. What did you do this time? Another fire? Riot? Tell me you're at least keeping it interesting if you're giving me paperwork."

I sat back and smiled. "Sorry, Detective."

She shook her head. "Always a smartass. Come on, tell me what you did."

I shrugged. I enjoyed giving her hell. It just made being under arrest more fun. "Baby, I just missed you."

"Shut up, Mercer, and just tell me. I have other morons that I need to process and deal with."

"Some kids got out of control at the show…and I am the one who gets in trouble! It's messed up. So…take these cuffs off unless you plan on riding me." I grinned at her but she just pouted her lips.

"So, you didn't do anything?"

"Nope." With my hands cuffed, I motioned for her to come, knowing she wouldn't but it would piss her off enough to get set free and out of this hellhole. "Come on, baby. Get up on me. Let's finish so I can go home."

She glared at me then grabbed the phone and dialed. "Monte, come get this fucker."

"Billy! Open the God damn door!" Outside Bodie was yelling, knocking, and kicking the door. My head was throbbing. I rolled out of bed and stumbled to the door and opened it. Bodie looked me up and down. "Damn, did you get in a fight? You look like hell. Those girls help?"

I shrugged. I wasn't going to let him know that I sent them off. "Great…only send blondes…or redheads…can't go wrong with blondes. Why are you here?"

"Blondes? Alright, I'll remember that. I'm here because we have a job to do. You got three hours and then we gotta go bust his ass. Thought you might like to meet the new kid, too."

"New kid?"

"Yeah, we got someone. Thought you should break him in and deal with him."

"Yeah, sure, I'll get right on it," I said as I walked away from the door and to the bathroom. I took a leak before washing my hands and brushing my teeth. I walked into the bedroom and got dressed. I went back into the living area and Bodie gave me my jacket.

"Looks like you got busy in here!"

I fakery smiled. "Oh yeah, walk in that door and I'm already busy."

"Hope you wrap it."

"Of course but do you know how hard it is to find XXL sizes?"

Bodie smacked the air and walked out of the door. "Too much info!"

"Thought you'd like it." I laughed and walked out with him to the Mustang. He drove to the lab and I followed him. We parked and I got out before he did and looked at him. "How much does he know?"

He slammed his car door. "Be afraid…and that's it."

"Make my job easy, thanks." I grinned and made my way to the chapel inside the lab. I looked up and saw the Ramones tee. I turned around and eyed Bodie. "Is this a fucking joke?"

He shrugged. "He followed Baggie."

"I don't give a shit if he followed. You know the fucking rule!" I yelled before turning and pulling out my gun. "You leave now. Go home and cry to your Mama and go to fucking school. You hear me?"

The teen put up his hands. "I don't mean nothing! I don't have family! I got no where to go! I'll do whatever you want! PLEASE!"

"You wanna do something for me? Then leave! You're useless to me! You're a kid!"

"I'm twenty-two-"

"Twenty-two? Really? You don't say? Well…you told my boys you were twenty. So which is it? How old are you…really?"

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm seventeen but I'll be eighteen soon-"

"LIke I give a shit. Why the fuck do you want in this shit?" I lowered my gun and eyed him down. It was hard to believe a kid wanted into this…It was hard to believe a kid wanted to join this just to join. He had no idea what the hell this world does.

"Because school is stupid. I wanna do something that will help me-"

"This won't help you. Put the pacifier in your fucking mouth and go suck on your Mama's tithes!"

"No, I'm not leaving!" I made a fist with my right hand and socked him right in the jaw. He fell to the floor.

"You're no good to us. Get out of here!"

He looked up at me from the floor. "I'm not going anywhere, Darley!"

I ground my teeth together. "Who said I'm Darley?"

He grinned. "You have your ways. I have mine." I nodded and kicked him.

"Who the fuck said I'm Darley?"

"The internet." Oh the internet…what a reliable source.

I turned around and kept my head down. "All of you, GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" They relucntly left me with Micheal Lane, the stupid teenager trying to blackmail me so he could be a gang banger. I leaned over him and helped him up. "You don't want in this."

He jerked his arm out of my grasp and sat up. "Yeah, I do. I'm sick of being a nobody. I need this, man."

"Yeah?" I shook my head. This kid was crazy. "Micheal, you wanna sell drugs, sell girls, rape girls, get STDs, shoot guns, kill people, be in constant fear, and die? Sounds like fun to you?"

"No man, I just…I don't know!"

"I'm not letting you in. You don't deserver this shit. You need to go to school."

"Fuck school."

"Listen to me, go to school. Get a real job and live a normal life. You don't want to live in fear. Trust me."

"You do this-"

"I was born into this. You have a choice. Take the other door-not this one. Okay?"

"Yeah, fine."

I sat down on the ground in front of him. "Look, when I was your age, I ran away from home. Someone took my sorry ass in and changed my life. Shit happened and everything changed. I shouldn't preach but do what I didn't. You'll never want this once you start. You'll live every day wishing you could get out."

He nodded. I may have gotten my point across. Only time will tell. "Yeah, okay. I'll get out of your hair."

"Come on, I'll give you a ride." I stood up and lead him out of the building. I got in the car and waited for him to sit down. "You got balls, kid. Better learn to cut them off." I looked over at him. He was still freaking out. "Where am I taking you?"

"Wade Boulevard. Listen, I'm sorry, I really am. I won't tell anyone where this is."

"You know they wanna kill you…coming here was a bad idea. Lambs don't walk into a wolves' den and make it out alive." I glanced over at him. He was grasping onto his jacket. He really didn't think this through. Stupid kid.

"Sorry…thanks for not killing me."

I reached over and patted his shoulder. I'm a better brother to him than any of my real brothers. "Don't be stupid anymore."

"Yeah, I'll try. Thanks for everything," he said as I pulled up to his street.

"Yeah, just don't do this again. Hate to see what would happen."

"My sister would flip! She's all I got. Darley, your guys…they won't come after me or her, right?"

I put my hands in my lap. "Not under my orders. Get out of my car." He nodded and got out. I waited before driving forward behind him. He really was a good kid…but he was stupid as a rock. "It's Billy," I said as I pulled past him and drove away. I hoped it would be the last time I ever would see him but I knew better. Once a rebel, always a rebel.