Jack from the Row

by Jack Saint

Nathan is a fifteen year old teenager, revolted by the world and its justice. Brilliant, intelligent, cold and taciturn, his destiny is turned upside down when he is accidentally recruited by the Third Street Saints, a street gang that preaches for a better world for the Saints Row ghetto. For the best and especially the worst.

14. 1-13 : I wonder if Heaven has a ghetto

.
Chapter 13 - I wonder if heaven has a ghetto.

Late November 1995 - Saints Row ghetto basketball court.

And it spins around 1...2...3

And we all lay down 4...5...6

Some do it fast

Some do it better in smaller amounts

Although it was cold this time of year, the temperatures had not dropped low enough to freeze the air and many people were hanging out in the streets.

The Saints were no exception, and a group of them gathered at a basketball court in the row.

After shaking hands, the boys jumped over the fence that protected the court and immediately chased away the two bums who were smoking crack under the baskets.

All dressed in purple, bandanas around their heads or wrists, the boys warmed up by swinging the ball through a few awkward passes. Johnny was first to score a basket and was cheered on by Aisha. He tossed the ball back to his teammates before placing a quick kiss on his fiancée.

- It's a too bad there aren't more of us, we could have had a game," Jack said as he passed the ball to AceBone, an other Saint not much older than himself.

- Sometimes guys show up when we're playing," AceBone replied. We can invite them.

Suge, placed a radio near the girls who had come to cheer on their boyfriends, and played a tape of a popular rapper.

They exchanged several more balls, with the girls screaming, until a failed pass sent the ball rolling off the court. Jack jumped over the fence to retrieve it, and stopped in front of several young men who had just intercepted the basketball.

The largest of them had put his foot directly on it, to prevent it from rolling away. They were all dressed in yellow, and from the little that protruded from their clothes, one could guess crown tattoos. The Vice Kings.

Jack stopped dead in his tracks and was soon joined by his friends, AceBone, Suge, Johnny, Diego, Kendrick and Skylar.

The seven Saints and the six Vice Kings stared at each other without anyone looking down.

- You're in Saints' territory," Johnny bellowed. Get the hell out.

- The basketball court is neutral," said a King.

- Bullshit! This is our home!

- Dude, we don't have a leader anymore, we've lost all our territories, we have nowhere to hang out," a King tried to justify himself.

- I don't give a shit, this is the Saints' place! Johnny didn't disagree.

- Forget it Danny Boy," assured a King to his colleague.

- Can you play? Jack asked.

The Kings looked at each other in surprise before answering in the affirmative.

- We're not going to play with those fuckers? said Kendrick.

- Why not? Can't we say that sports is a neutral ground outside of any consideration? suggested Jack.

- But no! It's our enemies!

Jack looked at the "enemies" in question.

Even though their animosity was far beyond the stage of a simple altercation and that blood had been spilled between Kings and Saints for a long time, he couldn't help but see in front of him six young black men, barely older than him, who probably also lived in the neighborhood or not far from it and who, overwhelmed by these gang wars, just wanted to be boys of their own age again to play basketball with other young people.

It was Dex who finally decided by sending the ball to Danny Boy, the King who seemed to be the leader and signaled him to follow him onto the court.

Finally, all the boys returned to the court and naturally faced each other.

- I don't play," said Kendrick as he went to sit with the girls.

- Well, that's good, we had one too many players," Skylar ironically said.

Kendrick shrugged his shoulders and put himself between Dee-Dee and Aisha, provoking the jealousy of their respective suitor. Aisha also took the opportunity to make a small sign to Danny Boy who greeted her with a nod.

- Damn, it's true that Eesh has already hung out with these guys... Johnny sighed.

- Wasn't she supposed to be discreet about her death? Jack questioned.

- Uh..." Johnny realized.

- Or maybe she was close enough to this guy to tell him. Do you think she sucked off one or two of the group? Jack scoffed.

Johnny didn't laugh and threw the ball at him, trying to aim it at his face.

- Go Saints! Go Jack! cried Dee-Dee, all the way.

- You do the honors," said Danny Boy, sounding very sure of himself.

Johnny got the ball rolling by making the first pass to AceBone near him. The young Saint dribbled through his opponents and opened the scoring with a memorable dunk.

With the ball in their court, the Kings were not to be outdone and scored in their turn to the roar of joy.

The game quickly became very serious and both sides played more or less fair.

- Mark it, mark it! shouted a King to his partner.

- Damn! shouted Jack. Why is there no one to protect me? Don't let me get surrounded!

- Just run," said Suge.

- When everyone is around me?

- If we go it alone, it won't work. We have to stick together!

- You never pass the ball to me, it bores me," grumbled Diego.

- Come on guys, let's get motivated, tried to encourage Skylar, benevolent.

Jack sighed and was the first to take off his jacket, soon followed by several others.

- Babe, can you hold my stuff? he asked Dee-Dee, kissing her in front of Kendrick to assert his territory.

- You will crush them! the girl exclaimed.

- Sure, yeah. You keep your jacket on Johnny, are you cold?

- No, but I don't want Aisha going through the phone I have in my jacket. I know her.

- You got something to hide?

- Not at all no, but she always interprets everything in her own way and it makes trouble later. Trust me, never leave your phone with your girl.

The Saints and the Kings took over the game, largely led by the boys in yellow, despite a more than correct attack by the purples.

It quickly became clear that there was a good-natured and competitive atmosphere between these two groups of boys from rival gangs, who were ready to shoot each other if asked, but who in the end were just young people with the same dreams and the same concerns.

This cordial understanding was brutally interrupted by the arrival of the police. All the boys took their presence very badly, especially since they were not doing anything wrong. The police had a very bad reputation in the row. Besides their incredible ability to never be there when they were needed, they had a tendency to find conflict where none existed and to be a little too trigger-happy. Jack motioned to Danny Boy to keep his group under control as the police marched toward them.

- Keep the music down," ordered one of the officers.

Without arguing and very scared, Dee-Dee muted the music.

- So, shall we have a little meeting? asked another policeman.

- We do nothing wrong, we play basketball, defended Jack.

- Play basketball eh, said the policeman by pushing a crack pipe on the ground, using his foot.

- It's not ours, we're playing basketball, Jack repeated.

- You are going to put all your hands on the wall, we are going to proceed to a small search.

- But what? What the hell, can't you give us a break? Johnny shouted.

- Sir, we're not doing anything here! Intervened Danny Boy.

- Why do you always come and bother us? added Suge.

The policeman took out his gun and pointed it at the boys who were starting to warm up.

- What the fuck kind of country is this where cops hold us up because we're playing basketball? said Jack.

- On your knees. All of you! Hands above your head," yelled the cop, picking up his radio.

Most of the Saints and Kings reluctantly complied.

- Damn it, guys... We didn't do anything! Jack repeated, surprised at his companions' behavior

- Dude, you're white. We didn't. I don't want to be on the police blunder list... explained a King.

- I don't fuck around, not because I'm playing basketball with my homies!

Excited, one of the policemen charged at him and tackled him to the ground with violence. Jack screamed, more from surprise than from pain. He felt like he was hallucinating.

- Fuck you! Bandes d'enculés de merde ! Allez-vous faire foutre !

- Don't damage him too much, he's white, it won't go to court, Danny Boy warned them sarcastically.

The solidarity of the King with the Saint cost him dearly because he took a kick right in the face provoking the fright of his companions who rebelled in their turn by getting up and by taking part in the altercation. The tone rose very quickly between the policemen and the young boys. They only moderated because one of the policemen was still holding a gun on them and no one wanted to get shot for a completely innocent basketball game.

The sirens of an approaching car left no doubt that the cops had called for backup and the kids began to panic.

- But let them fucking search you! They have nothing on us! said Suge, at the end of his rope.

- And then what? said Jack. They don't have all the rights.

Enraged, Suge got up, to force Jack to put himself on the ground, but his gesture was very badly interpreted by the policeman who seeing him coming with a impatient air, shot him.

Under the horrified eye of Jack and the screams of the others, Suge fell to the ground and groaned.

- Get the fuck out of here! Johnny shouted, taking advantage of the commotion to get out.

Without thinking, he grabbed Aisha and Dee-Dee and ran through the streets while Jack stood and watched Suge bleed to death. The Kings followed Johnny's lead and ran off, leaving Danny Boy still on the ground, Jack stunned by the violence of the scene and Suge now crying and holding his stomach.

- Damn it Suge! Hold on, man," Jack said as he threw himself to the ground next to him.

- Fuck, I'm going to die, Suge cried, holding his stomach.

- No, no it's okay, don't worry.

- Playa, please ! Don't leave me here to die alone.

- I'm here, I'm not moving.

Jack stood by Suge, holding his hand. He took the purple bandana off his wrist and pressed it against his colleague's belly, not knowing if it would have any effect, all the while still surrounded by the police.

The reinforcements eventually arrived and immediately handcuffed the three young men before taking them to the Saints Row police station.

Thus began Jack's first police custody. He inaugurated his first mugshot and was held in a cell with other defendants. He found Danny Boy, also prostrate at the bottom of the cell and took his place next to him. Jack pulled the hood of his sweatshirt up over his head and stared at the floor, annoyed.

- Your first time? Danny-Boy asked.

- Yeah... It doesn't make sense...

- I've been arrested for less than that. The cops here are really scum. They beat you up just for breathing.

- I heard Suge is in the hospital... At least he didn't die...

- You see, we would have been worse off. I'd advise you to plead guilty anyway, it's a hell of a lot less of a hassle.

- Plead guilty to what? I don't even know what I'm accused of.

- You're part of a gang, believe me, they'll find any detail to get you.

- Yeah, but I can't really afford to have a record.

- You should have thought of that before. How long ago did you pledge allegiance to the Saints?

- Just three months.

- I've been working for the Kings for two years.

- You know you're done? The Saints have shut you out. You're not welcome in the city under your colors anymore.

- Yeah, well... Anyway, without Benjamin King, there are no more Kings... I don't know what I'm going to do with my life now.

- Join the saints.

- You guys are wankers.

- Who beat you.

- Fucking... Yeah fuck, that's right. But your boss isn't going to shoot me when I show up at your house ?

- Not if you take off your filthy yellow jacket.

The two boys looked at each other and laughed. Although they were very different and enemies by allegiance, in the end they were just two young men, lost in causes that were totally beyond them.

- Saint," said one of the policemen.

Jack raised his head and looked at the policeman.

- Out.

- Without seeing the judge? he wondered.

- Out, I said.

Danny Boy nodded and Jack complied. Without telling him more, he was given back his belongings and a summons to appear for a minor offence in the next few months. A little confused, he didn't dare say anything and armed with his paper, he went back to the police station. Troy was waiting for him in his car and beckoned him to get in.

- How did you know I was here? Jack asked.

- Johnny warned me. Can't you guys be a little fucking discreet?

- We weren't doing anything...

- Jul is furious. He needed you to help King get the last VK.

- But...? But this is crazy, I'm telling you I didn't do anything!

- You all say that.

- We were playing basketball with the VKs when the cops came and got us! They even shot Suge! We had no guns, no drugs on us, nothing! It was completely gratuitous and excessive.

- Jack, kid... Look, I know you're young and probably full of good will, but what part of "gang warfare" don't you understand? When did we ask you to be friends with the VKs?

- We were just making a truce... We're all in the same boat, isn't it better to unite than to hate each other?

- You're overthinking this, it's not good, it's going to get you in trouble man.

Back at the church, Jack was violently lectured by Julius who was close to accusing him of treason. He reminded him of the gang's rules, their pledge of allegiance to the Saints and the war they were waging against the other influential gangs in town.

Jack retorted but didn't speak up.

He had no business trying to ally himself with the enemies no matter what and was told to get the Vice Kings over with as quickly as possible.

Jack was torn between guilt and deep injustice. What kind of world was this where division was more important than reuniting people who had been sacrificed and mistreated by society? Perhaps the enemies were not the ones we thought they were.

He was still pondering the question when Dee-Dee met him outside Johnny's building where they were hanging out. She jumped into his arms immediately, relieved to see him again.

- Oh my God, you weren't hurt? she asked.

- No, I didn't quite understand why, but I was released immediately. But I'm being charged with resisting arrest.

- That sucks," said Johnny, sympathetic.

- Yeah, well...

- There's no point in arguing with the cops here, you should have just left.

- With Suge down?

Johnny didn't answer. He felt like a coward for abandoning his colleague, but Aisha and Dee-Dee's lives were more important to him.

- Okay. Time to get back to work," Johnny sighed. King wants to see us, damn it, I hope we don't have to deal with him all the time.

- Do I have to come? I'd like to get some rest," said Jack.

- You'd better come, yeah. Jul is still mad at you.

Jack sighed, he was exhausted. But Julius was the boss, that's how it was.

- Are you going to be late? Dee-Dee asked.

- I have no idea," Johnny replied.

- Because my dad's working until 10 tonight and my mom's at her yoga class. So... if you want to come over to my place after...

Johnny and Jack looked at each other and needed no further explanation to motivate them to head for the church.

They soon found themselves in Julius' office, where he was waiting with Benjamin King.

- Ah boys, I've been waiting for you. King and I have come up with a plan.

- I know where all these traitorous bastards hang out," Benjamin began. All we have to do is go there, get their attention and lead them straight to the cops, who will finish the job. They're pretty tense right now, so they won't try to figure it out.

- Okay, Jack, you're the driver.

- Me? I've already had problems with the police today, it's not tense to...

- Are you questioning my orders? Julius said, slamming his fist on the table.

Jack took a step back.

- No Jul...

- Then it's settled. You take care of it. Johnny, I need you with me.

- Are you ready, son? Benjamin asked Jack.

He nodded and followed the big King outside where a car was waiting.

- Jul is tough, but he cares about you, you know.

- I don't need your sympathy, you know.

- I know that. I just wanted you to hear it. You know Julius is from Sunnyvale too?

- I'm not from Sunnyvale. I've lived here with my mother for years. Wait, Julius isn't from Saints Row?

- No, he's not. You thought he grew up on the row? The problem with burying the past is that you forget about it. You know what I mean?

- I'm surprised... I thought for sure he was fighting for the people here...

- Oh he does. But probably because Sunnyvale was controlled by the VKs. At the time he created the Saints, there was only Saints Row left as still neutral ground. Jul is smart and opportunistic.

The young Saint was surprised at his revelations. Julius wasn't one of them after all... He hadn't known the misery or the problems of living in such a place. Sunnyvale was an upscale neighborhood at the time, even if today it was a shadow of its former self, but it was nothing like the Row, which had always been a grim ghetto riddled with human misery.

- I'll bet Julius gave you his favorite line: "I don't care what colors they wear," huh? I wrote it years ago. And the old bastard hasn't forgotten...

Too preoccupied with his thoughts and conduct, Jack merely nodded.

- It's easy to talk to you, did you know that? No risk of getting cut off or anything like that. That was Warren's problem. The jerk never knew when to shut up and listen.

King motioned for Jack to go upstairs to Downtown, where in the back of a restaurant, several Kings were hanging out in a parking lot.

- They're here, as expected," Benjamin said with a frown.

Still a little stunned by Julius' constant reminder that the Vice Kings were their enemies, Jack pulled out his handgun and fired at the startled little group.

- The Saints salute you, you sons of bitches," Jack exclaimed, wagging his finger at them before storming off again.

The Vice Kings' reaction was swift and they jumped into their cars, ready to take on the enemy gang.

- I think that pissed them off. And now we're leading the whole merry band straight to the police," Benjamin enthused.

Jack sped through the streets of Stilwater and soon five cars were chasing them. The young man kept his cool, and despite a tense Benjamin shriveled up in his seat, he never let it deter him. Eventually, the VKs came up to him, looking completely enraged.

- You should speed up my boy... Benjamin suggested, not reassured.

- No. I was going to do the exact opposite.

- Do you want to die? Speed up, I said!

- Ferme ta gueule, you're not my father, you have nothing to say to me!

Benjamin lost faith in this young man who seemed resistant to any authority, but if Jul trusted him, it was probably not for nothing.

Without warning, Jack put both feet on the car's brake, which left a smelly trail of rubber on the ground, but mostly surprised Kings who took several seconds to follow suit. Jack backed up while Benjamin was glued to his seat, his heart pounding. It must be said that with time, his status as a leader left him more often behind a desk than in the field and he had lost some of the adrenaline of field missions.

Without betraying the slightest emotion on his face, Jack turned around and headed back to the Saints Row police station, which he had barely left a few hours earlier.

As the plan called for, Jack quietly walked past the police officers who were anonymously alerted and waiting for a threat that never came.

But when the Vice Kings came out in force and at full speed, they didn't hesitate to fire without warning, sure that the threat was coming from them. The VKs quickly fell to the police bullets, or surrendered by lying on the ground.

It was a total carnage, between blood and incomprehension and Jack enjoyed it further, lighting a cigarette while looking at the scene, next to a dumbfounded Benjamin. He had picked up kids in the streets. Mostly morons, but a few talented and intelligent guys, but he had never had to deal with such a young kid who already looked like a cold-blooded killer. A shiver ran down Benjamin's spine, he was as excited by this kid as he was intimidated by his talents and he understood that Julius held in his hands, a real diamond in the rough, at the dawn of his life, manipulable and probably capable of becoming even more ruthless in the future.

- Well done my boy. Too bad Julius found you first. We could have controlled this town.

Jack looked back at Benjamin. He didn't answer, calmly blowing out the smoke that was filling his throat and turned the ignition back on to start the engine. Looking in the rearview mirror, he saw Danny Boy, the King who had just been released from police custody, in the distance and stood frozen in front of the sight of his bloodied and handcuffed former colleagues. He randomly looked at the purple car that had just swerved onto the road and it seemed to him that the driver was waving at him.

After this final attack against the Vice Kings, the neighborhood remained calm, without any reprisals from the gang. It had to be said that now that they were no longer held by an iron fist, everything was inexorably falling apart among the guys in yellow. Tanya may have remained untraceable, but it was probably a very bad strategy on her part.

Without a leader, the last remaining Kings quickly drop their flags or, worse still, were fighting among themselves, unable to agree on strategies.

In an effort to win back the city, the VKs tried to take on the Westside Rollerz, believing them to be the weakest gang in the city, and once again suffered a stinging defeat, proving that they were now the ones who had lost power in the city, relegating them to the status of a street gang destined to disappear slowly.

Benjamin King looked down on his men, losing face. He didn't look any more moved than that, and yet it was clear that he cared, but no one at Third Street Church ever heard him complain.

But one man's misfortune was another man's happiness, and it was not the young Saints who were sulking in their pleasure at the moment.

In Johnny's room, where he had been living for the past few days, Jack was sprawled on top of Dee-Dee, kissing her languidly to the accompaniment of soft, quiet music. Four floors down in the same building, there was a good chance that Johnny was doing the same with Aisha, taking advantage of the absence of parents in the building, letting the teenage ardor of this beautiful world run wild.

- Tell me, Jack," Dee-Dee asked, pulling away from his lips a little. What are you doing Thursday?

- Thursday?

- Yes, the 24th. That's Thanksgiving.

- Oh, that's right, I completely forgot. Well, I don't know, since there's no class, I guess I'll be around, why?

- Can we celebrate together?

- What, you and me?

- With my parents," corrected Dee-Dee. We've known each other for almost a month, I want to introduce you to my family.

- Isn't it a little early... ?

Dee-Dee shrugged, a little annoyed by her suitor's lack of enthusiasm.

- Actually, your father freaks me out a little," Jack admitted. I can see that he doesn't like me.

- But that's normal for my father, he doesn't like Johnny either. But he tolerates you, that's already a lot for him!

- I don't know if that makes me feel better...

Seeing her boyfriend so discomfited made his young partner laugh and kiss him on the lips.

- I believe that I am falling in love with you... She confessed to him, the bright eyes.

- Is it true? He smiled to him.

She nodded with her big, bright brown eyes and Jack's heart drummed harder in his chest. He did not know very well what he felt by the girl, but he was sure that he liked her and that he felt good with her. Then, sure of him, he kissed her again and made himself more audacious, in the hope to cross the step this time.

- Wait... Dee-Dee asked. I'd like to go to the bathroom first.

- Oh. It's the first door on the left.

- I'll be right back," she whispered.

This time, it was Jack who nodded, rolling to the side to let her up. He was very satisfied with the turn of the events and looked at his slipping away with a small embarrassed but greedy air. On his back, he closed his eyes for a moment and told himself that life was taking a way that he liked very much...

In the bathroom, Dee-Dee spent an inordinate amount of time trying to get herself in the best possible shape, even though Jack had long since been conquered and didn't need more to want her. But the idea of her first time was so important to the young woman that she wanted everything to be perfect and of course was disappointed with her image in the mirror, finding herself too fat, not tall enough, and imagining 1001 imaginary defects.

So much so that when she finally came out of the bathroom, she found her young almost-lover sleeping quite innocently. The last days had been trying for the teenager who had been deprived of many hours of sleep that his body claimed more than the trifle.

Dee-Dee wasn't sure if she was touched or offended, and tried to wake him up gently by pushing him with the palm of her hand. Jack turned around, already far away, and did not react further, leaving Dee-Dee a bit dumb and seeing her crazy night coming to an end.

A little disappointed, she put her clothes back on and collected all her belongings before going out the window and down the fire escape that would lead her back to her bedroom window. Cautiously, she made her way to the fourth floor, where she reached her room. But it was obviously a bad time for her, as she stumbled across her sister and Johnny, totally naked, who were embracing in Aisha's bed. The older sister panicked and pulled the sheets towards her to cover herself.

- Dee-Dee! What the hell are you doing here?

- This is my room too," the girl retorted, still upset.

- I thought you were with Jack!

- Well, he's asleep, and Daddy's coming home in half an hour, so I wasn't going to sit around and do nothing.

Dee-Dee lifted the sheets off her bed and crawled in, while Johnny and Aisha looked at each other in disappointment.

- I don't mind doing this in front of your sister... OUTCH! said Johnny, who had just been slapped in the face.

- Johnny. There's no way we can do anything in front of anyone," Aisha assured him.

- Damn it Dee-Dee, won't you give us five minutes?

Aisha raised an eyebrow.

- Two minutes will do, or else," Johnny decreed.

Aisha sighed and pushed her lover up so she could stand. Johnny knew he wouldn't be a man tonight when he saw his fiancée pull her panties back down under the sheet that protected her nudity.

- But how it is that he sleeps there? sighed Johnny who had just received his underwear in the face.

- Sorry, Johnny. Shall we meet tomorrow? suggested Aisha, as disappointed as he was.

He didn't really have a choice, her little sister was already lying in bed and his fiancée was dressed. Disappointed, Johnny put his underwear back on and went out the window, his things in hand before climbing the four floors that separated him from his room.

Arrived at destination, he could only note that his young colleague slept peacefully and did not even regret to have invited him. Too bad for this time with Aisha, he would probably have other occasions, and it is without rancor that he went to lie down beside his friend to begin his night.