Little Game

Tike: Rebelle/Rook

I place my binoculars down for what seemed like the fifth time back into the middle compartment in the van. I've been positioned at the Southside alley in lower Los Angeles for the first half of the day already, and nothing has happened. Setting up was a pain in the ass as it was, but these recruits were the brightest of the bunch from the Northridge protests earlier in the month.

Ben, as usual, didn't give me much direction. He just pins me with a group of people and expects me to deliver. I haven't disappointed, and he always states that he's proud of the work I do.

"He better be," I mutter, grabbing the binoculars again. I stare at the group of seven Rebelles standing around and discussing amongst themselves in the deep corner of a backstreet outlet, like I told them. They are most likely going over the plan and the script that they were to prepare.

The sun was still hovering at the horizon and it was just shy of 6pm. The orange haze of the sky made my comrades' figures silhouetted. I yawned, annoyed that nothing has happened. All of a sudden, one of the guys in the cluster had ushered everyone in their positions and my pocket radio rang out with a female stating that the pieces are in play.

"Roger that," I answer and keep my eyes on the group.

A piercing scream filled the air, and I knew that the plan was in motion. Out of the group, three of them were splayed on the ground in fetus position. The other four surrounded them and kicked, spat and punched the ones on the ground. The scream came from a girl who was with two other guys on the ground.

I scan the surrounding area seeing that people had stopped and just stood still, observing the altercation. I didn't know if they stood still out of shock or confusion, but not one of them moved in to stop it. I shake my head as I go to press record on my camera. The screams and yelling died down, and I focused on my sight when their dialogue had started.

"You disgusting terrorist!" Jason had spouted. As soon as the words left his mouth, a few of the onlookers started to walk away. "You deserve to die!"

"What are you going to do, you dick?" Sean had spat, as he grabbed Bridgett's hair resulting in another wail. "You gonna protect your bitch, huh?"

The other two men with Jason and Sean kicked nearby trash onto the others and continued on the string of insults so convincingly. I believe they have outdone themselves; no one could've guessed that these things have been said to them at one point of their lives.

A sound of a whistle sliced through the argument and that signalled them to collapse in a full out brawl. Two police officers sprinted into the fray and pulled Jason and the other two men away from Bridgett and the others. Sean, however, got a gut punch from an officer, receiving a groan from my end.

The man who floored the offenders took his cap off and I instantly recognised our black pawn. "Good," I sneered. "This would've been for nothing if he hadn't have come,"

Kalvin stood in between the group and calmly asked what was wrong. I assumed because I couldn't hear him. Bridgett slowly stood, getting his attention and the Hispanic cop's.

"I was just walking with my boyfriend and his cousin and these guys jumped us," she whimpered, selling the part of a helpless puppy.

"Bullshit!" Jason shouted. "You were planning to conspire against us, because you're Rebelles,"

The Hispanic cop turned to Bridgett in fury. "Is that true?!" She just stepped back in fear.

Of course the cops see the Rebelles as a bigger problem than random assault. I continue monitoring and change the angle of the camera slightly.