Jeff the Killer

Corruption in Action

They found that the trouble they believed they'd escaped was in fact waiting for them at their front door. Jeff and Liu saw the police cars well before they arrived at their driveway. Two cop cars, both parked in front of their house. Both of them felt their stomachs drop, as they well knew why the police were there.

The brothers entered the living room, to see their parents sitting on the couch, the two cops standing up, leaning on the wall, writing in their notebooks.

"What did you two do?" Shelia practically screeched as the two boys entered the house.

Liu, younger and less centered than Jeff, began to fall on the defensive, "Some kids tried to jump us down by that video store, they were messing with our bikes, and when we went outside, they got in our faces!"

"That's not the way we heard it!" Matt Woods interjected, his voice firm and ripe with anger and dissatisfaction.

"No dad, that's what happened," Jeff began to explain. "We were down at Friendly Video, looking around the store, when these three kids started riding around on our bikes. All we did was walk outside, and the kids started talking trash to us, trying to provoke a fight. When we tried to leave, one of them punched Liu."

Finally, one of the two cops spoke. His name tag read Williamson. "Boys, we have some serious complaints about the two of you. From what eye witnesses at the shopping center say, you two started the confrontation with Randy and his friends."

Jeff took notice at how familiar the cop's tone was when he said Randy's name. This was a small town after all, and there was a good chance that this cop coached Randy in little league, or drank beers with his dad. Hell, it was even possible that this cop could be an uncle to one of the bullies.

"No sir," Jeff replied, "we didn't start it, they did. We just wanted our bikes, we just wanted to leave. They blocked us."

Williamson continued, as though he'd heard nothing Jeff said, "Several witnesses, including the video store clerk, say that you swung first. They say that the boys were riding your bikes, but let me ask you this, did you chain your bikes to anything, or did you just leave them outside the store?"

"What's that matter?" Liu demanded.

"Well son, if you just left your bikes lying around in the street, you can't exactly blame Randy and his friends for riding them, now can you? It'd be different had you secured them somehow, but you just left them there."

"Mom, dad, you're not buying this crap are you? You know me and Liu don't start fights, when have we ever? These three punks messed with us, and if you can't tell that these cops are taking their sides, then you need to open your eyes!" Jeff knew he was skating on thin ice, but that rage, it demanded some sort of satisfaction.

"Jeffrey, do not speak about these officers in that tone of voice, and do not speak to us that way either. Now, it's pretty obvious that you two aren't happy here, that you miss your old home, but starting fights in the street isn't going to change anything!" Jeff's mother snapped back.

"Listen boys, you're lucky. None of the parents want to press charges. This will be reported as a simple scuffle between teenagers. But be advised, you're both on notice. This is a quiet town, not like New Orleans. We don't tolerate this sort of behavior over here. If you see Randy, Keith or Troy, I highly suggest you tell them you're sorry. We'll be keeping an eye on both of you, so don't let this happen again. You don't want to have an arrest record, do you?"

Jeff felt his anger bubble over, and he could not hold his tongue. "Who is he to you Officer Williamson? Is Randy your nephew? Is he a friend's son? Or maybe you go over and screw his mom while you're on duty? Which one is it Officer?"

"That's it, both of you go to your rooms!" Matt Woods apparently found that he wasn't a mute after all, as he ordered his sons out of the room. Jeff and Liu walked up the stairs, however, they refused to hang their heads in shame or feel any regret.

Neither of their parents spoke to them for the rest of that day. Jeff and Liu stayed upstairs, venting their shared frustration to each other. They'd been screwed over, even at their young ages, they knew that. They took some solace in the fact that they at least hadn't been arrested or cited, but still, they saw what was really going on here.

"That cop, he was protecting Randy," Jeff whispered to his younger brother.

"No shit," his brother replied.

"We have to watch ourselves; we have to take care of each other. You saw it down there, even our parents didn't stand up for us."

"Yeah, what the hell was up with that?" Liu asked.

"Imagine, their fucking image, that's what's up with it. All they care about is fitting in here. They want to make sure they blend in with the rest of the Stepford families. No more fighting, if we see Randy or his two fuckhead friends again, we just walk away, okay?"

"But Jeff, you can kick the shit of them, why would we walk away?" Liu asked.

"Because I can't kick the shit out of the cops Liu, I can't kick the shit out of mom and dad, and that's what would get us. Fucking Randy and his pals are protected here, you and me, we're not. So, if we see them, just avoid them, okay, please?"

Liu nodded, "I feel like a little bitch though, I owe Keith for hitting me."

"No you don't, I paid him back for that, and paid his fat friend too. I hope they just leave us alone now," Jeff sighed.