Lessons || MJ

Lessons || Chapter 28

Author's Note: Italics signal memories once again. Otherwise, feedback is appreciated.

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CALVIN SMITH

A white officer shot Marcus dead at that standoff. Two more cops escorted me toward another one of those dreaded police cars. Handcuffs of course. These stupid restraints bruises on my wrists as I sat behind a seatbelt. Those wailing alarms that topped this vehicle muffled through my ears from inside.

That wimpy clerk shocked both of us before Marcus and I rushed back out to hallway near our room. By the way he jumped and raced his path out of here, I knew things had been suspicious. At the same time, I'd never seen this type of brother before. Maybe he just knew how to defend himself. Everybody should kick some kind of ass in this world.

"You alright, scum?" The office who killed Marcus addressed me from the passenger seat. A blonde handled the driving for us. I rolled my eyes at the bitter greeting, but clenched my teeth at the feeling of bruised muscles in my healing leg. Leslie trapped me well.

"Do you guys have Aspirin or something at the precinct? I'm still healing in a way." I struggled through as pain reached my leg in a harsher style.

"Yeah." the male turned around. Bon Jovi played on the radio, but I couldn't nod my head with delight. The straining handcuffs and pain in my leg ached more and more as time passed by.

**

JEROME

No gun set to my head. No cross-examination shouted from The Kid. After a tearful homecoming, reasonably happy guards directed me to the sleep quarters. Nelson arranged my own private room since we met. There was only silence while I gazed around the familiar room and sighed.

Both hands placed behind my head while I looked up at the cold and gray ceiling. Most of our crew had gone to sleep for the night. Leslie even explained the recruitment of newbies Darryl and Max. They'd all met during my "sister's" witness protection at the university, but I could've cared less about details. Only Calvin and his evil plot raced through.

During crossfire between our own fathers, I found myself hiding in a Minnesota alley. The brother standing before my gaze favored Hendrix without a towering Afro. The Kid hardly turned eighteen back then. My eyes popped out at the sight of a revolver beside one hip. At the same time, I couldn't help snickering among the distant gunshots. This midget only scared niggas away with a gun. Not the best stature to go along with it.

"What?" Nelson asked that day. His eyes narrowed and I could only snicker even more when frills of nearly cowboy pants moved a little. No one could take him seriously if even wardrobe didn't even fit the part. Son of a notorious gangster or not.

"Who let you even walk out of the house this morning, my brother?" I barely responded through crying tears of laughter. Nelson only lowered his eyes and the gun troubled me no more. I'd seen these weapons too many times, but that initial sight threw me off to say the least.

We somehow ended up finding in his father's second car. A blue and somehow dingy Camaro. With the top down, I'd jumped into the passenger seat, but the pain of a graze in my left shoulder worried Nelson. I winced in the seat before looking right down at my bloodied white shirt.

Nelson barely dodged bullets just to help me buckle in. His mangy boot punched the gas and zipped out of the alley before either of us could die somehow. I'd never forget the screech of his tires and smoky exhaust that absolutely coughed up in the back.

__

Leslie stood in the doorway and I smiled weakly. Not one trace of makeup lined her dark skin. Her arms goose-bumped in a black tank top. Chilling air enclosed my lavish space. My sister huffed out and reached to hold part of the door frame before glaring in my direction. For the first time in years, she wouldn't cover the tension in her brown eyes.

"What happened?" I hesitated while asking. I scooted off the end of my bed and noticed that Leslie tossed something. Up and down, she'd catch the keychain its tiny silver item attached. Leslie pursed her lips and closed both eyes before rolling her eyes toward me again.

Leslie just whispered and silence around helped me understand every word. "Yvonne wants out. Physical therapy isn't working at the hospital and she's not taking the adjustment well. She's been blaming herself for all of this, too." I just need to clear my head and drive."

My eyes narrowed. "It's two in the morning. No. Police just arrested Calvin, Leslie. For all we know, he could've escaped and probably found a way to look for you again. Even if Marcus is dead now. Just sleep this off and call Yvonne tomorrow..." My voice had trailed off.

Leslie already walked out of the room, but I still knew she'd pack a firearm. I rushed out to warn Nelson. Day or night, he'd absolutely shut down everything if things jumped off. Despite his initial grogginess, The Kid already packed heat. The entire team of bodyguards and our crew hurried out just like the Armed Forces or something.

Even a motorcade of our guards rushed into the night. I took the passenger seat while Nelson operated another Camaro. Darryl and Max cooped up in those backseats. Those two rookies kept blank expressions on their waking faces. At the same time, every single one of us surely panicked right now.

"Where do you do think she's going?" Max spoke up.

I turned in my chair to look at him before speaking. "Probably visiting Yvonne. But I just don't want her to go out this late at night. Calvin could be anywhere, Max."

We all sighed out loud.