TurfWars-Criminal Underworld

Echoed Screams

Screams from grieving mothers echoed through the cold night as the bodies of their beloved started to emerge. The nearby residents had flooded the previously empty street when the bullet exchange had died down. Some kept their distance as they feared a resurgence. Cliques started gathering, exchanging questions and answers, looks and concerns. Those who recognised loved ones sobbed away as they struggled to accept the death of one so close. The rest just pointed away as they tried to recognise those they had just spoken to less than an hour ago. Sirens cut the chilly and tense mood that had built up by the night's events.

The blue lights of police vans flooded the street, illuminating the dark corners that depressed loved ones had dropped into. Late as usual others shouted. All of them headed to Chiliza’s. The backup James thought had saved him was only arriving now. James watched the scenes as he was being patched up by a medic wondering when will it all end. All the violence, the pain. When will mother stop crying over the bodies of their children? When will fathers stop burying their sons? It was against the laws of nature he thought, Parents are not meant to bury their children. It is okay when thugs kill each other, live by the sword and you die by one. But when innocent lives are being taken, that is where you draw the line. “The bullet seems to have missed any major artery but you still need proper medical attention all I did was stop the bleeding for now,” said the medic “That’s more than enough,” answered James as the medic finished patching him up. “I am serious,” reassured James as he noticed a look of sudden dread in her eyes. “I will be fine, you did a fine job,” She turned to her backpack saying “I’ve seen worse wounds, so take heed and get proper medical assistance from a hospital.” There was silence as James nodded, in what looked like an agreement with the medic. “There’s been a lot of gunfight in places like these haven’t there?” the question was not answered, James scanned the area again and the faces hit him hard. “We are trying…we are trying to stop all this.” Said James to the now silent Medic. She stood up with her stuff saying, “That is the problem.” She started to walk away, and James stood to follow her when Captain Kraft shouted his name “JAMES!!” He sounded livid approaching him, shouting “This would have been an easy shootout to solve, but you had to grace it with your presence!”

“Captain I was just-”

“-Having a drink right!?” Interrupted Andres Kraft a big fat meaty faced man, very short, round, with fat arms, thin legs and a belly that just screamed pork sausages. You would never believe he was a former bodybuilder who turned to law enforcement due to an “injury”, his words. He was now 55 and quickly approaching retirement but not peacefully, because he was the Captain of Imbali's PPD’s homicide department. The changing South Africa was not making it easy either, filled with loose cannons. James was one of those loose cannons. “And let me guess,” added Kraft “The gunfight erupted while you were minding your own business, is that right?” He wasn’t wrong thought James; He could not yet divulge why he was there or that his only lead was lying in there facing the ceiling with lifeless eyes. Admitting to that would mean that his case was running cold, and Kraft would force him to close it. “The city is getting restless, these shootings are getting out of hand,” said Kraft as he headed to the entrance of Chiliza’s, the Forensic had just started taking out the bodies and cataloguing them for identification. “I think this had to do with Smile’s death,” said James trying to sound convincing. “You think?” asked Kraft with a sceptical look on his face. James knew he needed to convince Kraft that this shootout had anything to do with Smile’s death, he could feel it in his gut that it was, yet he could not go to Kraft with his gut. “That’s far-fetched,” came a woman’s voice behind them. James turned as he recognised the voice which belong to detective Hlubi Andrews, his colleague and who he figured would get this shootout case if Kraft did not let it go cold. As Kraft deciphered the new info, the body of Toolkit was taken out by forensics, James approached them. “You know him?” asked Kraft as they covered the body up for transportation. “Yes, He was one of Smile’s men,” James said. “Coincidence,” said Hlubi “This is just a shootout, the man is probably a regular here trying to destress or find a new boss, have the other boys popped up here?” Asked Hlubi as the question was directed to her Captain “You still think this can be linked to that man’s death?”. Kraft asked James. James nodded in agreement turned to the forensic and asked “Is Sli still in?”

“With this mess, I think so” answered one of them.

“Tell her to start with this one, I want the bullets at ballistic asap”

“Right” answered the man who had spoken previously. The forensic team continued pulling out bodies as they lay them on the floor. The identified ones were being prepared for transportation.  “That’s not how things are done and you know it James” said Kraft as he looked at him. “You want answers, right?” asked James “Our best bet is ballistic, then see what the forensic picks up” he started to walk away from his Captain. “You think this boy has clues on him?” asked the Captain. A curious Hlubi interjected asking , “What if your theory is wrong?” The question drew doubt in James and this caused him to stop as he reached a squad car that had an officer standing next to it. “Then it is.” With those words, James motioned the officer to get into the car. They drove off.

*NB* the story continues, keep turning the pages.