Chapter 5

TW- Mentioning throwing up

George's p.o.v

If I thought that this past year couldn't get any worse I have just been proven wrong. The worst stomach flu I think I have ever witnessed is sweeping through the gang like wildfire. I am so glad the girls went on an all ladies vacation. It started with me and Matt, then Jorel got it and so did Jordon at the same time. It has finally hit the two youngest members of the gang and boy has it hit them hard. Matt and I have been taking care of them since we got sick first and are the healthiest ones out of everyone. Jorel and Jordon are sleeping and so are Danny and Dylan even though it is 9 am right now. They were up most of the night throwing up so I honestly don't blame them. They need their rest as much as they can get.

It's not just Hollywood Undead that have been affected by it. Multiple gangs have been taken down by it, some suspect that the meal that we had to improve relationships with the business side of the drug deals might have been tampered with, however I don't feel that way. The way that it is taking down members one at a time and not all at once makes me think someone at the meeting had the stomach flu and didn't tell anyone and it spread that way. We were all in close proximity with each other so there was no way anyone could get away with not catching it. That's what I think happened anyway. No one will know for sure as people are a bit hesitant to point fingers at anyone else. No one is in a fit state to start a gang war.

I had just finished my first coffee of the day and my breakfast when a very pale and tired looking Danny shuffled in. I am a little bit concerned for him, this is the first time he has been ill since he joined us and he seems to have been hit hardest. Asia has Theresa on speed dial should we need her nursing expertise. I never figured out how to set up a drip properly. I can put the canula in just fine but after that I get confused and a little bit lost. "What's up bud?" I ask him. I know he's not feeling well, but I want to know if his stomach is hurting more or that he has found it hard to sleep with all the throwing up that has happened. "I can't sleep, every time I try the nausea just gets worse and the pain too," Danny says.

"It's rough when you're not well and not used to this sort of thing either. Why don't we go and lay down for a bit, see if I can do anything to help ease that," I tell him. I am aware that over the last few months I have sort of turned from brotherly figure into a father one, but he doesn't seem to mind it. Patrick is good at what he does, however he has never been a nurturing parental figure in the lives of the children they had made orphans. It was like he never knew what to do with them so in the ned they were left to their own devices to raise each other which is difficult. "Yes please George, I didn't think it was going to hit me this hard," Danny tells me. I put my arm around his shoulder and we walk back to his room.

"Considering your living conditions as an Irish Warrior you were all very healthy compared with most children, so I am not surprised this bug has hit you like this. Not to worry though, it will pass within a few days," I tell him. I am not going to mention Theresa and the possibility of a drip just yet though, that would only be necessary if he can't keep anything down whatsoever for a long period of time. He flops down onto the bed and I wait for him to get settled before I join behind him. I felt so sorry for him because he honestly just looked so miserable. I feel sorry for all of those that aren't feeling well at the moment. "Yeah, you would have thought that with where we were housed we'd be sick more often," Danny says.

I think Patrick is a cruel man but I don't think he would have gone to the lengths of forcing sick children to work for him. He would have taken care of them. Then again with their unusual upbringing they wouldn't have been exposed to the same germs as they would have if they were going through the public education system. The only kids they ever would have interacted with would have been each other and the odd kid they saw on the street. They were taught at home, but only the very basics they'd need for the gang role they'd have gone into, anything else they picked up was usually self-taught like Danny's art skill. "Let's worry about that another time, I think you need some rest," I tell him.

It didn't take long for him to fall asleep with me telling a story I had heard as a child. It was clear that sometimes you just need that bit of comfort and he was tired and probably a bit upset. He prides himself on being able to work hard and not need to take a day off ever so it probably has hit him hard in that aspect as well. "You take care of your lads so well," Asia says when she walks in, she had been looking for me and I sent her a text telling her where I was. I look down at Danny then back to her. The others are still asleep, Matt texted me saying he went to make sure they had any medication they needed and they were all still fast asleep. "Someone has to look after them and it might as well be me. I know they would and have done the same for me," I tell her.

It is true, Danny led the gang well when I was sick. It was a surprise because both me and Matt were down, but I was expecting Jorel to take charge because I always thought of him as my right hand man but they were all asking Danny what he thought and they all made sure Matt and I were okay and had water and whatever we had asked for. I has asked Jorel about it later on and he said, "I wanted to see if that was something Danny would be comfortable with or not and he was." It was fair enough in my opinion. I would also say it was a fair way to test how well he would deal with pressure as there is a lot of pressure with being the leader. He handled it well honestly, it made me proud of him because I want to make sure everyone is accepted by everyone here.

"That just goes to show how much everyone respects not only you but each other," she tells me. Everything has gone a lot smoother since Aron has left and honestly it has felt like a breath of fresh air having Danny around. She's right, it has only been maybe two or three months since the introduction of Danny to the gang/group, but everyone has found their rhythm again and after ironing out any of the hiccups everyone gets along with each other. Danny was nervous as last week he tested our security systems and managed to get in. Matt wasn't angry with him because he took it as a learning experience and they worked really well together making sure nobody is going to get through.

"They do, this is what I have wanted from the beginning. Everyone has a genuinely good time being in each other's company and we all get on with our jobs with no arguing. I had begun to forget what this was supposed to be like," I tell her. Aron's behaviour started shortly after we got on our feet properly so it must have been at least 3 years of hell for the rest of us. I can't even say that Danny is the lucky one in this scenario because he was living in a different kind of hell back with the Irish Warriors. It might have made us stronger as men but it was also the thing that easily could have led to our downfalls if we weren't careful. Asia walked in and sat down on the edge of the bed, watching Danny sleeping for a moment.

"Maybe we should invite Theresa over? She could help if these lot have hard times keeping fluids down," Asia suggests. Danny and Theresa have only recently in the last week or so starting officially dating each other as well, so I am sure he would love to see her and spend more time with her when she isn't working. "We could, but I would wait and see. Knowing Danny, he would be horrified if he passed this flu bug thing onto her even though it would never be intentional," I tell her. Right now everyone is doing alright, I would have to see when they wake up how they feel about soup or Gatorade. For now if they feel up to it they have a bottle of water on their end tables and some crackers for Jordon.

He said he felt a bit hungry, so I put some crackers next to his water because I figured they would be easy on his stomach and a lighter option if he didn't feel like he could manage a full bowl of soup at that moment. "That's fair, I think she's working until late today anyway. Just thought it would be an option save us having to try get one of these four to the emergency room if they ended up dehydrated," she tells me. That is a fair point, we care about these guys a lot and there is a real risk of dehydration at the moment. Then again I could potentially be overreacting and they could be fine. I am definitely turning into a father figure for these guys that I am a few years older than. Asia leaves the room and Matt walks in after a moment.

"How's Dan doing? Jord and Jay woke up and have had some water. I might make them soup if they think they can handle it," he tells me. I nod and look down to Danny. He is still out for the count and will be for a while if his sleep was as bad as it seemed. "He's sleeping okay now, its definitely hit him hard though," I tell him. I think they can all understand why he's a little bit more miserable than them while he is sick. Matt sat down next to me on the bed and watched Danny for a moment or two. "It would if the Irish Warriors life is a rough as they all say. I know Sean told me that they never got ill while they were there and then they left and the first major sickness they got hit them like a truck," Matt says.

"Yeah Patrick doesn't seem like the kind of man who would allow his little apprentices to get any kind of illness if he can help it. It just damages them in the long run, along with all of the psychological abuse they have suffered means they really struggle with the idea of being unwell and having to take time off from their job which has been their whole life," I tell him. Danny knows he wouldn't get any judgement from us and we regular make sure he is okay and that if he needs any time off then he would get it no worries or issues. He is still adapting and I think that won't change whilst there are new experiences for him to learn about. There haven't been many major injuries since he started either.

I hope to God I don't have to deal with a situation like that any time soon or any time in the future. That is something that I dread the most, especially knowing eventually Aron is coming back for revenge on us kicking him out even though we had completely justified reasons for doing so. He just has this unjust anger and hatred in his body for us and there is nothing we can do about it. I need to look through my emergency plans at some point to make sure that we can be prepared for any and everything that could potentially go wrong. Call me paranoid, but with how unpredictable Aron has been in the past you have to feel ready for everything. "Dan will be fine, he is adjusting quite well," Matt says.

"I know, I think the overprotective side of me is rearing again. Aron is in hiding for now but who knows when he will come out again. I want to make sure all of you are okay and don't come to any harm if I can prevent it," I tell him. I know Matt and Jorel will understand how I am feeling because they have been at the brunt of what Aron did. Matt because he is the security guy and a lot of the things he was in charge of got stolen and Jorel because he was closest to Aron out of everyone and probably felt the most betrayed. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and I don't want anyone to feel like they don't deserve to feel more betrayed than someone else if that makes sense. It is their own feelings they are entitled to.

"Definitely and I know I can speak for all of us when I say that no one wants Danny to be caught in any potential crossfire. He had nothing to do with what bullshit Aron put us through," Matt says, and I completely agree with him. I know they feel that way, just by the way that they have welcomed him and shown him that brotherly love he has been missing all of these years. This is how I know I will have a strong team when I need them to be. They work really well together and just fit in as a natural team. Matt left to go and check on the others while I stayed with Danny while he slept. I had my phone open and I was looking at my reminders for today. I am not worried about getting them all done today since I am still recovering.

If I get at least a couple of the things done I will be happy. I told myself one of them would be to make sure Jordon, Dylan, Jorel, and Danny all have what they need to help themselves recover. I know Asia is making some chicken noodle soup later on if the others can handle it. I don't know about Danny just yet but he could surprise me. This might just be a power nap he needs to be on the road to recovery like the others, but no one is going to push him to make himself feel better if he wasn't ready yet. That would just cause more trouble in the long run and I am not ready for that kind of thing. He already has enough trauma to deal with on his own. There is no point intentionally or otherwise adding to that emotional trauma.

After a while Danny woke up and he seemed do be doing a little better. He reached for his water bottle and I handed it to him. "Thanks George, also thanks for staying with me too," he tells me. I could tell he was a little bit embarrassed by the way the last got a little bit quieter. I smile, he doesn't need to be embarrassed by anything happening like this. I saw Jorel and Jordon getting quite cuddly last night, it doesn't mean anything. "No worries Danny, you're sick and you need some company. We're always here for each other, that's what brothers are for," I tell him. It isn't something that I feel I will need to tell him often, but sometimes you need that little boost to your self-esteem. Everyone needs cheering up sometimes.

"Yeah I know, it's just all of this is weird to me and I can't describe how. I guess it is because as a kid after the age of seven I didn't really get sick and to be hit with this stomach bug or whatever so badly has hit harder emotionally too," he tells me. This in a way is good because he is opening up his feelings and we can talk him through them and why sometimes it is not a bad thing and to learn from it. I can imagine anything after the death of your parents is a lot harder. I can see sometimes when he has new achievements he would want his mom and dad to see them and they can't which makes him sad and we just have to comfort him through those times. The same goes for Jordon too and I also see them talk through it together.

Jordon lost both of his parents, and it was something he initially hid from Danny until one night I saw them both talking on the back porch. I think it was after Danny's first successful sale by himself and he was really excited and he wanted to share his joy with his parents but couldn't. Then Jordon came out and saw him crying and comforted him. It was during that comforting session where Jordon finally revealed that he too was an orphan and they could share their little joys together and cheer each other on. I would have interfered sooner but at the same time it is not my story to tell when it comes to Jordon's life story and I feel like it would be a big betrayal to Jordon's trust in me as his boss and friend.

I suspect later on Jordon and Danny are going to be spending some time together and look after each other in their sickness. Jorel and Dylan will probably do the same because there is just something about a man getting sick which makes them act differently and some would even say a little more dramatic. Dylan is one of those who I would say is a little more dramatic. Luckily we have Anna to take care of that when he is at his most dramatic phase usually. Anna is a really lovely lady and a perfect match for Dylan in my opinion. I look at Danny who smiles, while I have been thinking he has had a few sips of water and seems to be keeping them down okay. This would be where I make the switch to Gatorade.

That way he could have something to help further replenish his electrolytes without it being too heavy on his stomach. "I am going to get you a bottle of Gatorade and then get on with some work. If you need me or Matt or anyone else just call for us okay? We'll be right there," I tell him, and he smiles. He will probably get some more rest or watch something on the television. There isn't a whole lot you want to do when you aren't feeling to well. I get up and go to get the drink and walk back into Danny's room to see he had Netflix up on the TV. He thanks me for the drink and I make sure that he can open it on his own. I let him know he was welcome and I was going to have my phone on me in case he needed me.

I get to my office in the basement and turn on my computer. They know I have back up plans for anything that could possibly happen, but they don't know the specifics of them and I want it to stay that way. I have a folder for each of them with a document for any possibility. For instance I have documents on what to do if they get arrested whilst out doing gang work as we do our best to keep our real life identity a secret from the gang world. I even have copies of our masks to send to our mask designer or to make ourselves if push comes to shove. I just feel like that is the right thing to do as the leader of the gang. At the end of the day they are putting their lives at risk on a daily basis when they signed up to be with me.

It feels like the least I can do in return, especially hearing how shitty some of the other gangs can be towards their members. The thought of using a person for their skills and then throw them out when you deem them to no longer be of use to you makes me a little angry honestly. It is why I have more of a negative opinion of Patrick now. I dread to think what would have happened if I had not agreed to take Danny in. He barely had any skills he would need to survive in Los Angeles as an independent adult. Sure he knew how to buy things and how to get money, but he didn't know how to cook real meals or find decent shelter. I am just glad he is with us now and he has picked up some of those life skills.

I notice after I had finished updating all of my plans that Leo had sent me a message asking for a video chat. I thought about it for a moment and decided it wouldn't be a bad thing to get in touch with him. He would probably want to know how Danny is getting on and other important business things. I sent him a reply letting him know I was up for it but I needed a couple of minutes to get things ready first. By getting things ready, I meant getting my mask cleaned and put on but he didn't need to know that. They have never seen me without my mask on and I am determined to keep it that way for as long as possible. He said that was fine, and I checked my phone to make sure that everyone was doing okay.

Jorel sent me a photo of Danny and Jordon on the couch watching television together. So far I haven't had reports of anymore throwing up incidents but it wouldn't surprise me if they were sick a couple more times today. I let Jorel know that it was a nice photo and he could still message me if he needed anything but I was about to be in a call with Leo, so I would be a little bit busy. He was okay with that and wanted to let me know that he wished everything would go well for it. It isn't unusual to have meetings like this with rival gangs so we can discuss business and to avoid other people's territory I the state of California. Not all of us are based within Los Angeles itself so it's important that we set boundaries.

Leo: Hey 3 Tears, how's the gang been since the dinner?

Me: Hey Leo, we've been in better shape honestly. That stomach bug or whatever went through us like wildfire. I'm doing better and so is Kurlzz but the others are down.

Leo: Yeah it's been similar here. I was going to ask you at the dinner how the kid was doing, but I didn't see much of him.

Me: He has been doing okay so far. I think he felt a bit overwhelmed being at the dinner honestly. In terms of him in the gang he has settled really well and has been a big help to anyone who asks really.

Leo: That's good, when Patrick say he no longer needed him I wanted to make sure at least he had somewhere to go that was going to look after him and I knew you would be the best fit.

Me: Yeah, he has been one of the best things to have happened to the gang this year honestly and we are grateful for the opportunity you gave us.

Leo: You're welcome, I have a lot of respect for you. I bet you're glad Deuce is out of the picture now

Me: A bit yea, I am a little worried he is going to come back though

We went on talking for a good hour about business and other things before eventually hanging up to deal with our own gang related issues. I want to check on the guys and Leo said that some of his gang members aren't feeling well. I want to keep the relationship with Leo and Vincent as pleasant as possible despite my grievances with Patrick. They would have done the same with us when it came to Aron and separating his actions from ours. I went upstairs and saw Danny and Jordon fast asleep next to each other with Dylan and Jorel asleep on the other couch whilst Matt was making chicken noodle soup because even though Asia is usually the one to make it I forgot I sent all the ladies away until we were all recovered enough where we aren't contagious.

I know Theresa would be one of the first ones over if she heard that we weren't well, but it wasn't worth the risk of her becoming unwell herself. Danny would never forgive himself for it even though we all know it wouldn't have been his fault. Their relationship has been blossoming quite nicely, and each time they spend time together Asia sits there with the biggest grin on her face knowing that she helped in getting them together. I think had Asia not interfered they would have gotten together eventually regardless. The natural chemistry between them was obvious to those who looked on and they seem to enjoy taking the slower more relaxed approach to things anyway. When the time is right Danny is more than welcome to move her in.

Once the soup was made, Matt and I had our servings and left the rest for when the others wake up. They clearly needed some more rest, so I wasn't about to wake any of them up just to have something to eat which they may or may not be able to handle at this point. I think out of the four of them maybe Jordon and Dylan will feel up to eating. "How did the call with Leo go?" Matt asks. I don't feel the need to keep all of the business calls I have secret from the others. It depends on what was said and how it related to them. "It went well, I think he was more wanting to check up on how Danny was settling in than anything. He meant to talk to me about it at the meal but neither of us got the chance really," I tell him.

"Yeah that meal did feel a bit strange honestly. Part of me was expecting to see that slimy scumbag there, but with how many Californian gangs that are angry at him at the moment even someone as stupid as he could be wouldn't have risked it," Matt replies. He did have a point, every gang new or old from across California was invited to that meal. That would have included 9 Lives which is what Aron wanted his own gang to be called. Matt summed it up pretty well, no one would have wanted him there especially not after how hard we have worked to get the truth out there to keep our little businesses active. "Yeah, he has done a lot of stupid things over the years but he at least has the common decency to not show up when so many people hate him now," I tell him.

I don't think he would have wanted to be there with all the tension he knew that it was going to cause because of what he has done. He had enough problems with other gangs way before we decided to kick him out. Could you imagine showing up if you were Deuce and some many people didn't like you? I think it wouldn't go down very well. That would be if Deuce made it out of that dinner alive to begin with. With the level of anger I can see with some of our rivals I would suspect he would have been killed. "For definite, I think he is going to stay on the downlow for a long time," Matt tells me. That is what I am hoping for.

Whilst we are washing our dishes from dinner a very sleepy Jorel and Dylan appear. You could tell they had only just woken up. "How are you feeling now boys?" I ask them. If they are feeling up to it Matt is going to warm up some of the soup for them to try. If they can keep it down then that will be good. I think out of the four of them Dylan is feeling the best, but I could be wrong. "Not too bad now, the others are still sleeping," Dylan tells me. I figured they would be because being ill takes a lot out of you. I look to Jorel who just shrugs, I think he is feeling a little bit worse than Dylan right now but I will give him a minute before he makes his decision. Matt warms up one bowl of soup for now, Dylan can have it if he wants.

"Thanks Matt," Dylan says, as he accepts the bowl of soup and slowly starts eating it. I am starting to suspect Jorel might not be ready for soup just yet though. He was also considering switching up his diet to a more vegetarian one and I don't think that we have any tomato soup left in the cupboards. I will happily go to Walmart or Target if necessary. I am all for supporting them in whatever they chose even if it were not necessarily something I would support myself. "I don't think I am hungry right now Matt," Jorel says, and I make it my mission to look in the cupboards to see what we need right now. I know we are running low on bottled water and Gatorade right now so those are two things definitely on my shopping list.

We don't have any tinned soups right now, so I think of some of the ones the lads actually like and mentally add those to my shopping list. I will go in about five or ten minutes, grab what we need and checkout. I don't think we need a whole lot, so I won't be in there for very long. I am not one of those people who go into Target or Walmart and derail from my shopping list. I check on Jordon and Danny one more time before I leave and they are both fast asleep still. I think that they will be asleep for a while longer, but Danny isn't going to be lonely when he wakes up that is for sure. I think that was one of the things that Danny was struggling to settle in. He has always been surrounded by people in the Irish Warriors and he didn't really have any time to himself.

That has all changed now, and he hasn't really had time to reflect on himself and what has gone on until he moved here. It is a massive struggle to adapt to having alone time whenever he wants it. He has settled quite well now though I think. "I am just going to go to the store to stock up on some of the supplies we need to get through the next few days whilst people are still unwell," I tell Matt. I also let him know that if he thinks that there is anything else he thinks needs adding to the list then he should message me. "Okay, I'll text you George if I need anything," he tells me. He also knows that if Danny and Jordon wake up and tell him they need anything that he can let me know as well and I will do my best to get it.

Walmart can be a little difficult when it comes to needing specific items and not being able to find them. Though that might just be my luck at this point, I tend to go during the times where they might not have had chance to restock the shelves. We go out working until late at night and tend to go to Walmart to get some very late night snacks and drinks to keep us going so there's not a whole lot of choice. Shouldn't be having this problem now though because it is earlier on in the day than I'd normally go. I am just overthinking things like usual because I didn't want to go underprepared for any situation. As I walk into Walmart things are looking good, I definitely feel like I will be able to get everything that I need to get 5 sick and recovering men through the next few days at least.

Shopping went well, I got everything that I needed. I also got some extra towels and blankets for Danny since I realized that he didn't quite have enough to begin with. Most of what he currently owns in that respect is in the wash. It turns out that I wasn't as well equipped as I first thought. Although to be fair on myself Leo didn't really give a lot of notice. It took at least a week for us to get the room prepared for him even after he had arrived, we were rearranging furniture and painting the walls to suit his style. Matt didn't need anything from the store so I am able to go home straight away once I am done shopping. I bet the house is going to be quiet when I get back, I have a feeling they will be asleep or watching TV.

When I got home, I was right. Jorel, Jordon, and Dylan were all asleep on the couches in the living room. Matt and Danny where nowhere to be seen initially. I decide to put the groceries away and check on the laundry situation in the utility room. Danny's current bedding should be dry and become the new spare alongside what I bought in Walmart which need to be washed and dried. There isn't really a lot of urgency for that though. I was making a coffee when a very shaky Danny appeared followed by Matt. "The cracker didn't want to stay down," Matt explains to me. All Danny wanted at this moment was a cuddle and I happily obliged. I think it might be worth either carrying the others to bed or waking them up.

Personally I think they are too heavy to carry to bed anymore. If they were injured then it would be a completely different story. "Aw hopefully tomorrow you will start feeling better and the food will start staying down again," I reassure Danny. I know it sucks when you aren't feeling well. Matt walks into the living room to check on the others. "I will wake them up and send them to bed. You focus on taking Danny to bed," Matt says. I didn't even realize that it was almost 10 pm already. That was a very lucky shopping trip. I think dinner was a little bit later than usual as well as we wanted to make sure they could stomach food. "Yeah I want to go to bed," Danny says. You could tell he isn't feeling good right now.

"Lets go to bed then Danny. I know today has been rough," I tell him. I hear the others complain about waking up. I know they have been sleeping on and off through the day and they seem to have been keeping the soup down. They don't have to complain for too long though as they can go straight to bed without too much effort. I brush my teeth with Danny so he can have any support that he needs. "Thanks George," Danny tells me after I get him settled into bed. It feels nice to provide him with as much love as I can. "You're always welcome Danny," I reply. Then he yawns. I settled next to him for a bit because he would probably have asked me to stay for a little while if I hadn't. He's not had anything like this happen before.

I hear the footsteps of the others making their way upstairs. Everyone is really tired today and I don't blame them or am I surprised why. Everyone has spent most of their nights throwing up and some of the day time. Dylan gently knocks on the door. Danny allows him in. "Hey Danny, I wanted to come and say goodnight and hope that you start feeling better tomorrow," Dylan says. It is nice to see how much everyone loves and respects/cares for each other. Danny smiles and they have a little cuddle while I watch on. Out of all of them the youngest two seem to be the closest to each other. They have a very strong bond together. They are like they have been brothers growing up together since birth at times.

"Thanks Dylan, I hope everyone is feeling better tomorrow as well," Danny says. Bless him, he always puts anyone else's feelings before his own. It is the caring nature he has had since day 1. Dylan leaves to go to his own bed as Danny yawns again. "Goodnight Danny, I will be in my room if you need anything," I tell him. He probably won't ask me for anything but my offer still stands. He only just started asking for company when he felt lonely. He once admitted that Patrick made them feel like burdens for asking for help, so now they never ask for anything. He is going to feel shocked when he sees the extra spare towels and bedsheets he now owns. He didn't ask for them, I know but he needs them.

"Goodnight George," he tells me. He didn't verbally acknowledge my offer, but I know he appreciated it all the same. I also know he is very tired and the only thing on his might right now is how much he wants to go to sleep at the moment. I quietly walk around the room, making sure that Danny has everything that I know he won't ask me for. Things like water or a bucket just in case his stomach still is unsettled. He was just either dozing off or falling asleep as I was leaving the room. I am sure that he will be just fine. I walk into my bedroom just as Asia was calling me. I answer and give her the update on how everyone was doing. As she is with the other girls they can also be updated on how their partners are.

She tells me that she feels like in a couple of days everyone will be at a stage where the girls can come back. Everyone is looking forward to that day for sure. I know I am I miss my girl. I know that we all miss our ladies. They haven't all moved in yet, but they come over often enough. I say goodnight to Asia and get my book. I am not really that tired right now and part of me wants to stay up for a little bit longer. Just to make sure that they are all sleeping okay and they don't need me. I am sure they will be just fine though. I feel like reading helps me relax and unwind after a long and stressful day. I can fully immerse myself into that world and picture the characters in my head. They never said running a gang would be easy.

Tomorrow is going to be so much better I feel. Jorel, Dylan, Jordon, and Danny should be on the mend and Matt would be fully recovered like me. I am definitely back to my normal healthy self. Tomorrow I am going to focus on gang admin tasks that I have been neglecting due to my sickness. I hadn't totally ignored the tasks that were urgent to do, but I had been taking everything easy during the worst of my sickness. Matt and the others will not let me push myself too far because they know that I would do the same for them. That is why we have been working well together especially in the last few months. They are good lads for definite and I am confident that I could trust them with my life at this point.

I think it was good to test how well we can cope in a situation like this. A true test of my leadership if you will. If I haven't been through enough of that in the last few months. Obviously on the grand scheme of things this was really minor especially considering the shit Aron had put us through, but I feel like it is good to prepare for anything. Even if that means rambling a lot in my own head to get things organized. You never know what might happen, especially with how unpredictable it has been working in a gang. Having a break next would be nice though. I am starting to get a little bit tired of all these challenges they keep throwing at us. I feel like renting a lake house somewhere. Big Bear Lake sounds good right now. I will look into it when I know people are feeling better.

I am also all for the boys going and taking their girlfriends out on their own mini vacations if they so choose. They need some time to be away from us and this how because I know living with your co-workers 24/7 can be quite difficult or even stressful despite how well you think you get along with each other. I am extremely grateful that no major fights have broken out between them. Then again the last few days have proven to me that they have a close bond so that could also be a reason why they haven't fought. Which is something I personally glad I don't have that on my plate as well. That would be hell, my own personal nightmare I would not be able to escape from even if I wanted to.

It was bad enough when Aron tried starting fights while he was still here. He would go to Dylan and say that Jordon made fun of his age and the age difference so that Dylan would go and confront him on it. Then Jordon would tell him it was a lie and then nothing else would happen as a result of that. No matter how hard Aron tried he could never get them to fight. They would let me know each time it happened which meant that I had a few notebooks full of various times Aron had tried to start a riot whilst he was in the gang. At least I can say every SINGLE one was a total failure. I believe he is still trying his best to cause trouble and is still failing, so I am not that worried. If I wasn't so stressed I would have found it all hilarious. Such a childish man I swear.

I don't think I have ever met quite a childish man in my entire life. You would have thought that he would have taken the easy route and stopped all of the bullshit by now. We're leaving things alone because I don't want to deal with any of that shit right now. He will have enough on his plate when he pisses of the gangs to many times so they will eventually start fighting back if they haven't done so already. I suppose everything has quietened down a bit on the Aron front. I don't get quite as much information from my informants. Then again they were at the dinner which led to us all being sick, so chances are they might be sick as well. Either that or Aron has finally taken the hint and gone on the down low.

I would like to think he is behaving himself for now. I know that eventually shit is going to kick off and I am going to have to face him, but that is a story for another time. I bet by the time we finally finish dealing with Aron I could write a whole book about the shit he has done to us since we first met. There were probably some red flags that we initially missed, but hindsight is a wonderful thing if someone could possess it. At least we noticed without too much long term damage being done to us and the gang. We could almost continue to carry on as normal without too much interruption in terms of business. Once we had dealt with the little issues that Aron had managed to cause it was smooth sailing from there.

It was clear to the other gangs once they knew the full picture that we were not affiliated with anything that Aron had done to them. That helped keep our good relationship going for as long as it has been. I can't wait to get back on my feet with the boys and get them out on the drug runs again. I am also going to look at other avenues of making our money that doesn't rely so heavily on the trading/selling of drugs at least. We are always trying to keep our work under the radar from the cops as being in the weed business and a gang isn't exactly legal currently. In about ten to fifteen years' time it might be different. They might talk about making it legal as it doesn't seem to be as bad to people as heroin or other drugs on the market.

I tend not to think about the other drugs on the scene too much as weed has been and will continue to be our main focus. The heavier the drugs on the market the easier the cops seem to be following shortly after. I am sure there is a meth epidemic going on and it was not looking pretty out there that is for sure. Then again the streets of Los Angeles have never truly been paved with gold and looking pretty. They have been dirty and dark since I was a child. In a truly bizarre way it is comforting to know it hasn't changed. It does make me fear for the younger generations. What if Asia and I want to bring a child into this world? How would they cope in this world when all you hear is shootings and other dangerous things.

I get up to go to the bathroom and on my way back I check on the others. They are all fast asleep in their own beds, all doing completely fine like I suspected they would. I just worry about them sometimes. I get into my own bed and just lie down staring at the ceiling for a moment. Never in a million years would I imagine I would by laying here with everything going the way it has. It doesn't mean for once second that I regret any of it though. Danny has been the best addition to the gang and I am so grateful for him being in our lives now. Everything else we've just dealt with as and when it happened. It feels like nonsensical ramblings right now, but I am also distracting myself from missing my girlfriend.

And that is the end of another chapter. Hope you enjoyed and see you next time.

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