Curly's shoulders suddenly stiffened and he drew his breath sharply.
"Oh yeah? Cool." He chucked his cigarette butt out the window. "Where to?"
He wasn't looking at me, just standing in the slouching fighter's stance he always used, his mouth turned up slightly in the same slightly amused sneer.
I wondered how he really felt about leaving the only life he'd known.
"Fuck knows, maybe…shit!"
I grabbed his shoulder and hauled him to the floor with me as a police car cruised slowly by.
"Damn," Curly pulled his knees up to his chest and gave me a sudden smile. "It's like being a fucking soldier or something ain't it? You know, got the enemy patrol, hideouts…" he trailed off, still grinning.
I sat up with my back against the wall, listening hard for the sound of a car pulling up outside. I could feel my muscles tensing, ready to run, to fight; my heart drumming under my ribs. I never felt so alive as when I had something to fight against.
When the cops were chasing you, the sirens wail in your ear, the dull beat of helicopter blades overhead, that was when you knew you'd been a part of this world, you'd made your mark.
"I know," I said to Curly. "But if they get me, I'll go down for life."
He shrugged carelessly. "They ain't gonna get you, we'll be long gone."
His lips twisted in a slight smile, his eyes hard and eager. He was excited about it, this game of soldiers, like the fucking kid he still was at heart.
"We're just running Curly. We ain't running to anything, you understand? There ain't nothing out there waiting for us."
He shrugged again and pulled at a tear in his jeans.
"You'll find more hoods to boss around, don't worry about it."
I got up and checked to see if the cops were gone, considering Curly's comment. He hadn't been joking, but I wondered if it would be as easy as that. If I got so much as a speeding ticket in another state, and they ran my name through the system…whatever life I lived next, it wouldn't be as Tim Shepard.
"Coast clear?" asked Curly.
"Yeah. Look, I'm gonna take a shower."
After a shower I put my jeans and tee-shirt back on, wishing I had a change of clothes. I figured it wasn't worth the risk going back home to pick anything up, I'd just get some stuff once I was clear of the state line.
Curly went to have a shower after me, and Wade turned up with Buck's Chevy ute.
"Man you should see the stash in the boot of that" was the first thing he said to me. The drop off had been to Bucks place, it was his money that funded the operation. He got twenty percent, me and Wade split the rest.
"So the dopes good?"
"Oh yeah." He grinned at me, bleary eyed. Least I could count on him to sample the goods, make sure it was quality.
I didn't take drugs myself, alcohol and cigarettes were my only vices, well apart from robbing people and stuff.
I got us a couple of beers out the fridge and we sat down to make a plan.
"So you reckon we should suss out the Vipers first, like check they do wanna take the lot?"
I nodded and flipped the top off my beer. "They'll take it. When I talked to Kane he said they want as much as we can get."
"You sure you don't wanna wait…"
"Nah" I cut him off. "I want it done."
"Okay then Tim" he said, a little stiffly.
When I was gone he would have what he wanted, he would be president, the toughest hood on the East Side. For a second I wondered about that, it didn't make any sense. How could anyone but me be leader of the Shepard Gang?
Wade wouldn't last anyway, he was too easygoing. He wouldn't lay out one of his own guys for selling dope on the wrong corner, he wouldn't keep control like I did. The gang wouldn't exist after I was gone, not as it had been. Nothing lasts long on the streets anyway, guys get killed, injured, jailed, they run, they break bail. I wondered if anyone ever just grew up and got out the game.
"I'll phone Kane," I said. "Make sure he gonna have all that cash upfront."
Curly came back in from his shower, smoothing down his damp hair and bitching.
"I've been wearing these same fucking clothes for three days now."
"Quit jacking off and your pants will stay clean at least" Wade cracked.
"Aww, shut up ya dickhead!" Curly laughed despite himself.
"Get something of Pony's" I told him. "You help yourself to shit everywhere else."
"I wouldn't fit his damn clothes, he's a little sucker."
"I'll sort you out later, okay?" I said and shot him a warning look. I didn't want him to go running his mouth about us leaving town just yet.
"Alright," he said. "But man, I mean I know we poor but this is getting ridiculous!"
"Didn't know you knew such long words Curly" I heard Wade taunt him as I went down the hallway to use the phone.
"Yeah, fuck I must have forgot to not listen at school one time."
I put the call through to the Vipers headquarters.
"Yeah, get Kane."
"He's asleep."
"Wake him the fuck up then."
"Who the hell do you think you are?"
"Tim Shepard."
"Shit, sorry, didn't know it was you, hold on…"
"Tim." The president was on the phone, his voice rough and hoarse.
"Hard night Kane?"
"Yeah, aw fuck ya should have been here man. There was this chick up on the block…ahh it was something." He laughed and started coughing.
"Next time huh. Everything still set for today?"
"Yeah, good your end?"
"We got ten if you're interested." I kept it casual, I didn't want him thinking he had me by the balls or anything. We got on okay, but there was a bit of tension between us, always is between gang leaders.
"Like I said Tim, whatever you can get."
"Okay, I'll see you."
I hung up and stood still for a second, wondering how I was going to pull this off. I was the most wanted man in town right now, and while the cops searched high and low for me I was going to be moving ten pounds of marijuana. I felt the excited, jumpy feeling of anticipation building inside me. Damn this was going to be good.
"We got a deal" I told Wade, going back to the lounge.
"What's the dough?"
I shrugged. "Call it fifteen flat I guess."
"So that's…" Wade paused, trying to do the math.
"Three grand for Buck, six each for me and you" I said.
"So, we going out to the Vipers pad huh?" Curly asked.
"Yeah, we are. Me and Wade."
"Aww Tim…"
"Quit with the fucking 'aww Tim' would ya kid. You're going to get that arm looked at."
"Aww…" he stopped himself. "I don't need no hospital, I ain't going."
"Yeah you are."
"I told you there ain't nothing wrong with it, why don't you listen instead of bossing me 'round all the goddamn time!"
His voice was getting louder and I could see him struggling to keep hold of his temper. I made like I was going to grab his arm again, and he flinched sharply away from me.
"Nothing wrong huh?"
"You're a real asshole, you know that" he told me darkly.
"Don't be such a real little shit then."
"And you ain't funny neither. If you're gonna be such an asshole all the time you should at least be able to make a joke."
That was true, humor wasn't my thing. Hell I killed the last guy who told me a joke.
"Shut up Curly, you're pissing me off now."
I saw Wade trying not to laugh. I guess it must have looked pretty funny, a gang leader copping shit from his little brother. Curly could always get away with saying stuff no one else could. I never took it serious coming from him.
"Why you so fucking worried about it?" Curly asked me.
"Don't you remember what the doctor said about the bone re-breaking?"
"Fuck I dunno what they said, they shot me full of morphine remember?" He grinned and added, "that was fucking cool. I was wasted."
"Yeah that's right, you didn't talk sense all night. Come to think of it, that ain't no different from any other night."
"Hell was that a joke Tim? It was almost funny that time, keep trying."
He laughed and ducked as I aimed a fist in his direction. He could never stay mad at me for more than about five minutes.
We spent the required minute or so scanning for cops before heading outside to the car. The streets felt like enemy turf, the streets I was supposed to own. Never have I regretted anything, but if I could have just one wish, I would wish for that soc to live again.
We drove first to the hospital, windows up, the haze of smoke from our cigarettes filling the unventilated car. Wade swung into the hospital car park and pulled up outside.
"Tell them you want an x-ray, okay" I said to Curly.
"I ain't got no money Tim."
"Tell 'em to send a bill."
"You ain't paid the last one neither."
"Course I ain't. Not my fucking problem you climbed a telephone pole. I'll be at Buck's, phone when you ready to be picked up."
"Okay." He sighed and got out the car reluctantly. "Goddamn waste of time" he said before slamming the door.
I watched him go up to the entrance, the rolling swagger in his walk. The people smoking on the steps outside looked away from him, moved aside to let him pass. Curly was just a kid to me still, probably always would be. It was amusing to be reminded that other people saw a tough hood when they looked at him.
"Get out, I wanna drive" I said to Wade.
If we did get chased by the fuzz, I wanted to be the one in control. I wouldn't put my freedom in someone else's hands, there was no one I trusted that much.
I was waiting at the traffic lights to turn onto the highway when I saw Julia. She had just gotten out of a car and was heading into the drugstore, her back to me. I watched her hips swinging, the fall of her hair onto her shoulders. I remembered the way she had moved beneath me.
"Tim, the lights green."
I slammed my foot on the accelerator before Wade could see who I'd been looking at. Fuck her, the bitch.
We were at the Vipers pad about twenty minutes later. I kicked aside the snarling pad dog and banged on the front door, remembering past nights here. Curly drunk and puking on the front steps, the vice presidents girlfriend pulling me into the bathroom for a quickie, the pad dog lapping up spilt beer, Dallas throwing some guy through a window. All I'd have after today would be memories.
I heard deadbolts being slid back and one of the junior members opened the door.
"Hey, Tim." He thrust his hand into mine and shook eagerly. "How's it going?"
"Kane here?"
"Yeah, down here."
Kane was in one of the bedrooms, a mirror balanced on his lap as he carefully cut up lines.
"Having breakfast Kane?"
He jumped and looked up, grabbing the mirror as it wobbled.
"Tim, Wade, come on in."
He offered me a rolled up fifty dollar note.
"Nah, not for me."
"Got the goods?"
"Got the dough?"
"Yeah, fourteen?"
"Fuck off, fifteen. Your call."
He grinned at me and bent over the mirror. "You don't muck round do ya Tim?"
He snorted about five lines before looking up at me again. "We'll take it."
He rubbed his nose and sniffed loudly. "Damn, shit's cut. Wade?"
Wade took the note, not looking at me. He always seemed a little ashamed doing drugs around me. I leaned against the wall casually, trying to hide my impatience. I could feel nervous tension building up in my guts, waiting for them to have their lines, waiting to make the deal, waiting for Curly, waiting for night to fall.
If just one thing went wrong, I would have a lifetime of waiting in a cell, waiting to die.
A/N: This is half a chapter really, but it was getting so long I just decided to post what I've got so far. This whole story is getting longer than I meant it to be, I find myself getting wrapped up in subplots somehow. Like Curly's arm getting hurt was never meant to be anything and suddenly he's going to the hospital…I don't know how that happened. Anyway my point is, I hope it doesn't seem like I'm just dragging stuff out and going nowhere with it, but I just write it the way it happens if you get what I mean? But the end is in sight okay?
As for the price of marijuana in 1960's America, I took a wild guess. If it's totally inaccurate, sorry.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed.
NittanyLizzard: I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter, personally I liked it even though it wasn't what I had planned. I find myself going off on these tangents and then thinking…well that was probably totally boring for whoever read it! It's like Tim and Curly are out of my control sometimes, damn hoods!
Starbryte234: Thanks for the info on healthcare, and gas not petrol. It's kind of weird writing a story that takes place in a country I've never even been to!
Just Playin: Thanks for the info, I'm from New Zealand so hospital care is free here. I watched the movie "John Q" where this kid can't get a heart transplant because his parents can't pay for it, so that's why I thought that!
Vripter: Thanks for reviewing, I'll check your site out. Sorry to be really dumb, but what does it mean when people write "lol"? I've been wondering about that!
Reviewer: Thanks for the info, I had assumed there would be some sort of assistance for people on a low income but wanted to check!