The Criminal Outrage

Chapter 2

We traveled for quite a while until we reached the Gang Base. When many people read in Comic Books, they think of a base as the stuff that Superheroes go to. This base wasn't as spectacular, but it was Home. Unfortunately, it wasn't the Home that I grew up in. That would be too much of a risk. It was an abandoned Home that Ricardo had found after a successful Gang fight. Unfortunately for me also, I didn't participate in it. I was 9 when it happened. 

Anyways, we went through the "secret entrance", with really was just climbing on the roof and going in through the opened window. I know it's just a window, but we've had some good times with that one window. Not going to make too much of a big deal out of it, but I think Donny is a bit scared of that window. He was struggling to go in it one night after he shot someone and fell in. He didn't get hurt, but it was funny to watch. 

The Gang consisted of multiple people. When I was younger, I couldn't remember their names, so I wrote it down on a piece of old paper. I still have that same list, but I have memorized their names by now. I still look at the paper sometimes. I also wrote down small biographies about them:

Sly: Sly's real name is Salvador, but has the nickname of "Sly" because of how silent he is. In Gang fights, he operates as the person who flanks the opponents. He silently comes up behind them with knife and attacks from there.

Winchester: Winchester is a pretty docile person. In Gang fights, he's the bulk. He charges straight in with his fists. His real name is Werner.

Stick: Not really a good nickname, but it fits his addiction to cigarettes. He's a chain-smoker. In Gang fights, he burns people with lit cigarettes. This doesn't do a whole lot according to Ricardo, but it hurts the opponents pretty bad so the rest of us can fight them off quicker. His real name is Ryder.

Sling: Sling is just the nickname for Ricardo. He's the Leader of our Gang and he uses his sling to take down opponents. He's pretty accurate too.

Maddog: Maddog is the nickname for Donny. It really fits, too, due to his aggressive nature during fights and in general. He uses a gun, a knife, and his teeth in Gang fights.

Banshee: Banshee's real name is Baxter. He's pretty crazy, too. Not as bad as Maddog, but pretty crazy. Banshee's way of fighting is hiding in trees. He jumps from the trees and onto opponents. Most of the time, he lets out vicious screams while he fights.

Pick: Pick is my nickname. I got it because I play Guitar, and I use a Guitar Pick most of the time. I am the Musician of the Gang. I sometimes fight during Gang fights, and when I do, I just use my fists. Usually, I support background Music. I never think anyone cares, but the whole Gang says it gives them Motivation.

Overall, there were seven members of the Gang. It seemed small, but combined we were very deadly. Especially with the contribution of Sling. He's pretty interesting. Although he doesn't talk a lot, he made his own Sling out of leather. He is so accurate that I've never seen him miss.

That Night, I fell asleep quickly. I wanted to help Donny, but I was just too tired. I slept ok, too, with isn't normal for me. I woke up to the smell of bacon, a personal favorite of Donny, since he would scarf through his food in actual seconds. I sheepishly got out of bed and walked down the staircase. Ricardo was serving everyone bacon, and by the time I sat down Donny was already finished with his food. His whole mouth was stuffed with bacon, and I don't even know if he was chewing. 

I slowly ate my food and awkwardly stared at Maddog as he put his place away. Stick lit up a cigarette and started to smoke it right after he finished his food.

"Not in the kitchen. You might as well take it outside," Ricardo said as he snatched Stick's cigarette and tossed it in the trash can. 

Stick didn't say anything. He stood up and walked outside. I stared at Winchester intently as he washed off his dish and then came behind Stick in the backyard. They started talking as Stick lit up another cigarette.

"When is the next Gang fight?" I asked Maddog. He stared up from the newspaper he was reading, and then yawned.

"It's Tomorrow at 1:00 A.M, right?" He then turned his attention to Ricardo.

"I thought it was Tonight at 1:00 A.M, no?" Ricardo stepped outside to Winchester and Stick. When he came back in, he told us that it was indeed the same Night at 1:00 A.M.

"I need to go by the Store to get some new Strings for the fight." 

At that, I walked out the front door. The Store I was headed to was a little Guitar Shop where I purchased my Guitar Strings. There was bigger store called "Guitar Center" 5 Years before this, but it wasn't anywhere near where we lived. 

When I made it to the Store, I instantly went to the String Section.

"Ya know, you sure do come in here a lot and then ya don't buy anything," The same regular Worker who is always there told me.

"I know, I know. It's just fun to look."

The truth was, I wasn't buying anything. I was stealing the stuff I needed. Honestly, everything I've gotten from that Store is stolen. I'll never figure out why he never notices.

"Yeah, you sure bout' that? Cause it's a bit weird. You always walk towards the Strings, or the Picks. Jokes up, kid. What's the whole deal?" He asked, giving me a very, very serious face.

"Jokes up? What are you talkin' about? I'm just looking. I'm interested in Guitar Strings because I might purchase a Guitar in the Future. Mind telling me about Guitar Strings?" I replied. 

That was a smart but stupid decision. He believed me, but I had to listen to a long story about Guitar Strings, even though I already know about them. When I left, I snatched a package of Strings and jammed it into my pocket. In a way, I felt bad that I stole from him, but it is what it is. 

When I arrived back at the base, Ricardo was telling random jokes to the rest of the Gang. When they saw me, they told me to get my Guitar and to come back to their little "joke circle". They didn't say "joke circle", but that's what it seemed like to me. I grabbed my Guitar upstairs and came back. Taking all of my tools, I cut the current Strings off and applied the ones I had.

"Man, you do that fast, Pick," Stick stated, smiling when I looked up at him.

I simply nodded and started to play some of my most famous Riffs. During Gang fights, I'm obviously not going to play some little kid Song, so I have to make these really Grungy Punk Sound. It was fun, actually.

"Well, we should go and scout out the fighting place before 1:00," Ricardo said as he stood up.

"But it's at 1:00 A.M." Winchester replied, starting to follow Ricardo anyways.

"It's better to be prepared."