Heartless People |Book 4|

Chapter 6

"Everything depends on upbringing."

~ Leo Tolstoy

LISA

Now back to the developing story in Bella Vista, where last night gang members carried out multiple drive-by shootings, one of which killed seventeen-year-old Kendrick White, who used his body as a shield to protect his two younger sisters. Kendrick was a star athlete and honor roll student who was looking to go to Notre Dame after graduation. The Chicago PD has said not only do they have a suspect in custody, but they will also be increasing police presence in Bella Vista as well. In other news, the scandalous photo released by the Chicago Daily Chronicle of sitting Governor Jennie Manoban and her wife Lisa Manoban is apparently not so scandalous, according to the governor. In a statement released mere moments ago, she said, 'I am unsure as to why people find this photo fascinating or shocking. My wife and I are in a loving relationship. Water is wet. The city is windy. The Cubs are the best team in the country. What I am shocked about is the lack of reporting done by the Chicago Daily Chronicle. On a night where they could have focused on the men and women of valor being honored for their bravery, they thought it was a better idea to highlight the fact that a married couple kissed in public as if that is newsworthy. I truly hope we as a community learn to expect more from our journalists.

Muting the television, I kicked my feet onto my desk and leaned back in my chair. "Our wives have been busy."

"I'm starting to wonder who rules this family, us or our wives?" Nickhun snickered, handing me a glass of brandy before taking a seat across from me.

"What did Father used to say? A man who thinks he rules his wife either doesn't know his wife or is a fool," Bambam replied.

"To the old man, for knowing warning us would do no fucking good." I raised my glass with them.

"Cheers," they both said before knocking back the brandy along with me.

I stared at my glass and then back at Nickhun. "What is this piss?"

"Apparently it was a gift from the mayor?" He made a face. "Or some sick joke."

Annoyed, I sat back up before walking over to the bar for a real fucking drink. "Now that Jen has taken care of our Bella Vista problem, have you come to a decision with the new drugs?"

"Why are people these days always obsessed with what's new? Huh? What happened to the classics—meth, heroin, crystal? We got half-cocked wannabe scientists mixing shit they know nothing about and handing it out to people with a shiny sticker that says 'new' for idiots to gobble that shit up." I hated stupid people who thought they were smart; there was no reasoning with them.

"Idiots or not, they are still buying Blphine by the handful. All the dealers are asking for it, and if they don't get it from us, they're going to get it from someone else," Nickhun added when I sat down.

"No loyalty either," I muttered before taking a drink.

Bambam shook his head. "You want loyalty from junkies, gangbangers, and dealers?"

"A man can dream can't he? You don't see McDonald's having to make new shit up to keep people in line. Everyone wants a classic Big Mac. It doesn't matter if some new startup has some super deluxe shit, at the end of the day, the Big Mac is home."

"Are you drunk already?" Nickhun laughed along with me.

"What did Jen say?"

I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Don't even get me started with that woman again. I don't tell her shit and she tries to kill me. I fill her in and she tells me to do whatever I think is best. Either she wants to drive me insane or she has lost her mind, maybe both."