Ariya [Prologue]

“Test always your strength, for therein lies success.” –2nd Point of Satanism [Black Book of Satan I]

0

115 yf

 “So, do you consider yourself a Communist?” Dr. Annis stared straight into Rick’s eyes from across his desk.

“No.” Rick replied. “I give two shits about all people. Just mine. My Family.”

“Hmm.” Annis looked at the organized chaos of paperwork on his oak table. “Mr. Ruiz, you have no blood relatives on record. Are you referring to your gang?”

Rick laughed. “Yeah, whatever doc. My gang. It’s so much more than that if you bothered to think outside your shell.”

“Mr. Ruiz, I detect hostility in your voice when I bring up the people in your gang. Am I hitting a soft spot? Am I getting to you?”

“My Family is my strength, doc. On the contrary.”

“People that are convicted bank robbers, burglars and pimps? I find that they are your weakness, Mr. Ruiz. Then you wouldn’t find yourself in prison again.”

“These ‘crimes’ are but means. Fuck it. I don’t need to tell you shit. C.O.! Get me the fuck outta here!”

From behind Ruiz, the door opened and a burly corrections officer stepped into the prison psychiatrist’s office.

“Stand up, Ruiz.” he said.

Ruiz obliged and as if cued, put his hands behind his back. The officer put handcuffs on Ruiz for the walk back to the cellblock.

 “Wait.” Dr. Annis stood up and walked to catch up with Ruiz and his escort. “What is your deal, Ruiz? You talk tough, but I see you reading books that I read when I was studying for my Doctorate. Let’s cut through the chase already. What makes you tick?”

Ruiz, with his back towards Dr. Annis, smiled. The corrections officer was still walking away with Ruiz. “All I want is what”s coming. Simple as that doc. Simple as that. I’ll see you next Thursday. I’d like to talk to you about you S.P.S. diagnosis.”

“S.P.S.?” Annis asked.

“Small Penis Syndrome.” Ruiz said indifferently. The C.O. suppressed a snicker.

Dr. Annis also suppressed a snicker and watched Ruiz walk away. He looked forward to hearing from Ruiz again.  

1

 120 yf

The N.Y.C. Department of Corrections bus stopped and Ruiz stepped out. He deeply inhaled the air of Astoria, Queens and looked around. He watched as airplanes departed and arrived in the distance at LaGuardia Airport. 

“Hey, Ruiz.” the C.O. behind driving the bus said. “Step away from the bus or the warden will decide to keep you.”

Ruiz smiled and waved at the C.O. He didn’t hate all the cops and C.O.’s. He knew that they were just pawns in the mundane world for the most part.

A lone figure walked toward Ruiz as he followed the C.O.’s request. Ruiz stopped and smiled.

“Jimmy, you motherfucker!” Rick smiled.

Jimmy O’Connor ran towards Rick and embraced him.

“We’ve got some partying to do. The girls are waiting, dude.”

Ruiz looked towards another departing plane. “I just need to stop at the airport first.”

“Holy shit! It’s fuckin’ Thanksgiving weekend! Do you have any idea how the traffic’s gunna be in that place? What’s next, you wanna go to Macy’s tomorrow at nine? Did the C.O.’s whack you in the melon once too many times?”

“I have to see her, Jimmy. Seriously.” Rick turned somber. “She still works there?”

“Yeah. She’s still there.” Jimmy groaned.

“Good. Let’s go. Road beers on me.”

“Fuck no. Too many Port Authority cops doing traffic at the airport.”

Rick smiled. “Yeah, bad idea. Got any trees?”

“I rolled a fatty and it’s in the glove.” Jimmy smiled back.

Rick and Jimmy put on a Megadeth c.d. and smoked as they made their way towards LaGuardia Airport.

2

Jimmy pulled the black Nissan Sentra in front of the arrivals area at the U.S. Air terminal almost two hours later. The high from the marijuana was long gone.

“Rick, if you come out and I’m not here just wait. They’re gunna make me move.”

“Okay.” Rick smiled. “Gimme a piece of gum.”

Rick ran through the terminal in eager anticipation. He hasn’t seen Tanya in six years since his arrest after the last bank job. Tanya was driving and luckily received a two year sentence. A serious legal error and much research done by Rick had reduced his sentence by almost a third.

An attractive Asian woman in her twenties dressed conservatively held up a sign reading “Runnels.” She glanced at Rick then looked away. Then she looked again. Her face could not hide her pain.

“Rick. You’re out. I can’t talk right now, I’m working. Can I just call you later?”

Rick stopped short of Tanya. He wasn’t going to get a “Get out of jail” embrace.

“I don’t have a phone. Can I come back when you get off work?”

“Rick. I have a new life. Didn’t they tell you I got married?”

Rick felt his chest tighten. “Does he make you laugh?”

“He doesn’t make me cry.” Tanya said flatly.

Rick began to walk away. He looked back at Tanya and smiled.

“I’ll be back and I’ll keep coming back. I love you and I know that you love me too. You know that the only time that you ever felt alive your whole life was when we together.”

Tanya looked away. “You’d better go.”

“You still take your coffee black?”

Tanya ignored him and looked towards the arriving passengers.

Ten minutes later, Rick came back with a large cup of coffee and a bag with a chocolate donut and a blueberry muffin. He noticed Tanya helping a tall attractive lady with her baggage into a waiting black Lincoln Town Car. He waited for Tanya to see the wealthy socialite off and then approached Tanya.

“We used to steal from assholes like that. Remember, baby? This isn’t you. This isn’t you at all.” Rick whispered into Tanya’s ear with her back turned to him.

Tanya closed her eyes. “Yeah. The rich bitch didn’t even tip me.”

“Wanna take a break?”

“I got three hours until my next flight.” she looked at him curiously.

Rick smiled as Tanya turned around. She laughed as he handed her the large coffee cup and paper bag.

3

Rick and Jimmy stepped into the large mini-mansion in Port Jefferson, Long Island.  The cloudy skies and the surrounding trees made for a Sinister, yet consoling backdrop.

 An older attractive redhead with a summer dress with orange floral print greeted them at the door.

“It’s great to see you, Rick!” she greeted him with a more than sisterly embrace and slid her hand to his crotch.  Rick felt himself become erect. “Hmm, lonely, weren’t we? Let’s fix that.” She smiled at Jimmy in silent greeting.

Susannah walked away and picked up her cell phone. Rick and Jimmy followed Susannah into the spacious living room. The burly corrections officer from the prison psychiatrists’s office five years ago was seated in the couch nearest to the doorway. He was dressed in a black t-shirt and black jeans.  He stood up and embraced Rick in greeting. 

“Been taking care of business, Andy?” Rick said to the C.O.

“Citrine, Rick. Now that you’re back.”

Rick smiled. “You taking care of the girls?”

“It goes both ways as always, my friend. It’s the greatest job in the world.”

Just then, ten women of varying races dressed in tight provocative clothing walked down the stairs and into the living room and sat in the vast living room smiling. Balck, white, Latina, Asian. Susannah emerged from behind the bar with a tray of beers.

“All we’re missing is Tanya and we’d all be together again.”Susannah said flatly.

“Maybe in time.” Rick said.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” Jimmy said. He looked at the multi-racial Fleurdelits with lust. “Let’s party.”

4

Tanya read over the letter again. It was cold and impersonal – to break off a relationship with a “Dear John” letter. John was good to her, he had a decent job as an electrician. He made so much money that she really didn’t need to work at the airport but chose to so as not to go crazy with cabin fever.

She looked at John sleeping peacefully. She wanted to give him one last kiss on the lips but thought against it. Prolonging this goodbye wouldn’t serve anyone any good.

Staying here in this spacious home was against Wyrd, against Individual Destiny. She felt almost a void of nothingness in this simple life lacking excitement and plainly, life. It didn’t feel like living. An exultation of life was sorely lacking with John although this life was what the mundanes teach everyone to dream about.

“I’m sorry, John.” Tanya whispered softly as she taped the letter to the mirror of the large dresser. “I know that you would never understand. I never meant to hurt you. I truly hope that you find happiness some day.”

Tanya fought off the tears and walked off. John stirred in his sleep as if disturbed but settled back down. Tanya grabbed her small bag and walked out of the bedroom door, closing it softly behind her.

5

Rick awoke in the guest bedroom of the mini-mansion to the sharp knocking on the door.

He looked around. The three Fluerdelits were gone. His head was pounding from the dehydration caused by the previous night’s  alcohol consumption and the release of pent-up sexual frustration.

“‘Tis some visitor tapping at my chamber door – only this and nothing more.” Rick said, quoting Poe.

“Hey, Rick!” Jimmy exclaimed. “You really should come downstairs.”

Rick threw on whatever he was wearing last night and ran downstairs but then slowed himself  to a brisk walk.

He saw her first. Tanya was sitting on the love seat in the living room with her back towards the stairs.

Rick ran down and Tanya rose to greet him. They embraced and wept.

Words would only serve to obscure the Essence…

 

Wolves

0

Ray Wong opened the door to his modest one-bedroom apartment. He looked through the cupboards and the refrigerator and sighed. He went into the sparsely decorated living room and plopped down on a leather loveseat. He picked up the remote control from the small wooden coffee table in front of him, turned on the television and immediately turned it off again. He put his feet on the table, looked up to the ceiling and sighed. He felt bored and unfulfilled. He then stepped back out of his apartment and into the cold, crisp autumn air.

Thirty minutes later, Ray was playing pool in the rear of a dive bar against a young Asian man in his 20’s, about Ray’s age. They bet almost twenty on a game of 8-ball. Ray saw the man’s frustration as he missed the 8-ball. Ray made a tough bank shot to seal the win.

Ray held out his hand. “Okay man, you owe me $20.”

The man drank picked up his beer and nodded his head while drinking.

“Come on man, twenty bucks. That’s what we bet and I beat you.”

“Bullshit. Let’s play again.” the man said.

Listening intently was the man’s friend Russell, standing almost 15 feet away. He was with a large group of mostly young men and a few scantily dressed young women, late teens to early twenties. One man from the group took a step towards Ray and his friend, but the man watching held out his hand as if to stop him. The approaching man stopped dead in his tracks.

Ray then said, “I’m not fucking around. Give me my money.”

The man then grabbed a pool cue and attempted to swing at Ray. The man was quick and almost cat-like, but Ray was faster. He ducked and then lunged forward to punch the man in the midsection. The man bent over in pain and then Ray delivered an ax-kick to the back of his head. Another man from the group immediately charged at Ray and was greeted with a side kick to the jaw. More men from the group attempted to converge on Ray. Russell then held up his hand, “Wait.” The group stopped.

Russell approached Ray and they surveyed each other.

“You’re good. You’re not here with any friends?” Russell asked.

“I don’t need any friends.” Ray shot back defiantly.

Russell reached in his front jeans pocket and pulled out a pack of Marlboro Reds. “Everybody needs friends.” he said as he offered Ray a cigarette.

1

Captain Fulton sat pensively at his desk. Sitting in the chair in front of his desk was Deputy Inspector Thomas Leonard of the 13th Precinct. “Are you sure that we’re the right ones you need? This is more like the Detective Squad’s jurisdiction.”

Leonard rubbed his forehead. “Adam, how long have we known each other?”

Fulton smiled. “Are you trying to give me an ultimatum, Inspector?”

“No. I just need a big favor. This kid they took is like family. Me and his father have been friends for longer than the cops in your house have been alive. Just do me this favor Adam. If I give it to somebody that I don’t know, they’ll do a half-assed job.”

Fulton thought for a minute. “I’ll do the best that I can and so will my guys. You know I will. Just give me the file.”

“I owe you big time for this Adam.” Leonard dropped the manila envelope on Fulton’s desk. Fulton walked Leonard to the front of headquarters and gave his friend a brotherly embrace.

“Please find these people, Adam.” Leonard turned and opened the door of the navy blue unmarked Chevy Impala.

Fulton waved and smiled at his long time friend. A plainclothes cop walked out of the building and lit a cigarette. Fulton turned to face him.

“Hey Sal, give me one of those will you?”

2

Russell and Ray walked through the crowded downtown district. They walked into the laudromat and towards the counter. The young woman behind the counter gestured for them to go into the back room. Once outside the door, Russell knocked and the voice behind the door told them to come in. An elderly Asian man seated behind a desk facing the door greeted them with an apprehensive look and then reached into the desk drawer and presented a manila envelope, never taking his eyes off of Russell.

“Go ahead. Take it.” Russell instructed Ray while also fixing his gaze at the old man. Ray took the envelope.

“Let’s go.” Russell said.

“What was all that about?” asked Ray.

“In time my friend. I’ll take that package from you later. In time. Are you hungry?”

“I could go for something.” said Ray

They walked into a guadily decorated Chinese restaurant. The hostess, a beautiful twenty-something smiled at them from behind her podium and shouted abrupt instructions in Chinese. The waiter, a middle aged man, immediately approached Russell and Ray and showed them to a table. Russell then ordered in Chinese. The waiter wrote on a notepad as fast as Russell spoke and almost ran to the kitchen.

“Do you speak any particular dialect?” Russell asked Ray.

“No. I was born here and my parents never took the time to teach me. They were too busy working.”

“That’s a shame. You should really be closer to your roots.”

“Judging from the looks of it, you look like the mayor of Chinatown.”

“No, just a regular working stiff.”

At that moment the waiter brought them two bottles of beer and several appetizers. He never made eye contact with Russell nor Ray.

3

Captain Fulton eyed Ray from behind his desk and smiled.

“Unbelieveable. The infamous Russell Lee falls right into the hands of  my best guy, without him even trying.”

Ray smiled. “I’m your best guy, Cap?”

Cpt. Fulton smiled back. “You are now. You realize what you have?”

“Known gang leader, extortionist, burglar, pimp and not-so-garden variety devil-worshiper.  The last part is the only thing that really bothers me.”

“Why is that, Wong?”

“Devil-worshipers are usually those rebellious kids in high school who spray-paint churches and tombstones. Lee is way too sophisticated for that.”

“During his last stint in Rikers Island, it was reported that he spoke in front of Bloods, Crips, Aryan Bros. and the Muslims. He even went so far as to ‘annex’ splinter groups from the aforementioned gangs and formed a so-called ‘nexion’.  It was reported that he never spoke of Satan, but of family, honor and numinousity.”

“Yeah, he spoke about family a lot with me. Mostly traditional stuff that I’ve heard before. He’s smart though. He doesn’t do anything illegal in front of me, sir.”

“We didn’t expect him to make this easy.  My point is that I really need you on this one. There’s a kid named Mark Porter that’s very important to a friend of mine. This cult’s got him brainwashed. Your priority is to get him out. If you can bust Lee foe anything, then by all means. But I need that kid back.”

Ray frowned as he comtemplated what Fulton had just told him. Risk himself going deep cover for a personal favor?

“I know that this is a little unusual, Ray.” said Cpt. Fulton. “And I’ll justify this operation at all costs. I need this, Ray.”

“Yes sir. I’ll take care of it.” Ray said reluctantly.

Captain Fulton smiled. “I know you will Ray. I know you will.” 

Ray walked out of Cpt. Fulton’s office slowly and into his car. He thought of Russell’s thoughts on family. The family that made money for the sake of supporting each other and their ‘ceux sang.’ In Russell’s eyes, everyone outside the family was either profane, a “10 Percenter” or both. Ray even knew who Mark was. He was a newbie who had just joined, but was already moving onto Adeptship within the Family rather quickly. Ray would be next, Russell said.

“Financial independence.” Ray remembered Russell saying to him.

4

Mark sat nervously in the dimly lit living room of the large house that Russell drove him to. Russell said that Mark is a Disciple now after proving his loyalty through the ordeals and participating in “Fedding”/ taking care of business through the  education of the ignorant, profane rivals. 

Then Mark smelled a mixture of perfumes in the air. Then Mark heard the sound of heeled shoes on the hardwood floor approaching and an attactive Asian woman in her 20’s walked into the living room and sat on the chair opposite from Mark. She was dressed in only a silk robe and high heeled stiletto shoes. She smiled at Mark. Mark smiled sheepishly and shyly looked down.

 More heel sounds and a beautiful blond-haired green eyed 20-something woman walked into the room. She was dressed in an S&M leather outfit complete with a whip which she masterfully snapped above Mark’s head as she walked in. She took a place next to the first woman and looked at Mark. She flicked her tongue and Mark gulped.

Russell walked in and smiled at Mark.

“Stand up, Brother.”

Mark stood and Russell gave him a bearhug, almost taking away his breath. Yet, there was a genuine feeling behind Russell’s hug.

“I’m going to take you to meet Eve later.” Russell shoved a cold bottled beer in Mark’s hand. “Right now, I’m throwing you a little party, Brother. Choose one of these fine Sisters.”

Mark looked at the women. He then opened the beer and took a long drink, almost finishing it. He smiled at Russell with adoration.

“Wow, dude.” Mark whispered. “I’m…wow.”

Russell laughed. “Go ahead Brother. We’re all Family. Go have your party.”

Mark felt a lump in his throat. He walked towards the two women and put an arm around each of their shoulders. Russell laughed as they led Mark upstairs.

5  

The room was filled with the smell of cigar and cigarette smoke. Almost filling the room was a large round oak table. Around the table sat Asian and Italian men in expensive suits drinking expensive liquor. The lone woman, Asian, in her mid-thirties, sat at the head of the table. She had a lovely alabaster complexion yet her eyes rendered a cunning, ruthless demeanor. She surveyed the laughing men and held up her hand. They obediently stopped talking and looked toward the woman with respect.

“I want to thank you gentlemen for being here tonight. I am also proud to announce record profits for this quarter. ”

“Fuckin’ bitch…” growled an Asian man seated two people from her on her right.

All of the men turned their attention to the source of the outburst with shock on their faces.

“Boss Chang.” Eve addressed the disgruntled gangster. “I have an open door policy as I have stated before. I prefer for anyone who has an issue to discuss it with me in a private manner so that we may come to a resolution. Now Boss, since you have apparently chosen to air your grievance in a public forum, what seems to be the problem?”

Boss Chang didn’t look up. He guzzled his glass of scotch.

“I was the boss of the largest conglomerate back in Hong Kong. Now I am reduced to this.” he growled.

“You are still a Boss. This is a merger of resources, human and otherwise which proved to be more profitable.” Eve smiled gently at Boss Chang.

“I don’t want to work for a fuckin’ bitch!” Chang exploded and threw his glass against the opposite wall.

Eve smiled and stealthily jumped on the table. She bent over, took off her stiletto shoe and plunged it into the right eye of Boss Chang seemingly in one motion. He fell back on the floor. Eve pulled a .22 caliber pistol from her garter belt and shot Chang in the head. Eve stood on the table with her pistol pointed in the air.

“I don’t have a problem with anyone taking an issue with my management ability. But don’t ever doubt me because I’m a woman. Your profane minds still believe that this is a man’s world but you forget that it was a woman who birthed civilization. Anyone have a problem with anything that I can’t help?”

Eve’s bodyguard/Temple Guardian already had his .45 caliber trained on the other Bosses’ muscle while another had an uzi trained on the seated Bosses.

“Good. Now we can discuss business.” she said as she leapt from the table to retrieve her shoe from Boss Chang.

6

Cpt. Fulton grimly looked at Detective Doug Bravo as he handed him the black and white glossy photo of Eve.

“This goes beyond Russell Lee. It looks like this lady here, Eve Aquino is the real leader of this Nexion.”

“Eve of Destruction?!?” Bravo exclaimed. Esoterically, Bravo was the “criminal informant” for Eve, collaring rival drug dealers so that Eve was free to annex new territories as she wished.

“Yeah. I’m thinking of pulling Wang out and possibly calling in a favor from some Feds I know.”

“With all due respect sir, we wouldn’t look good doing that. The Feds ain’t gonna be interested in pulling that Porter kid out. Them college boys would just be interested in taking down the ‘Boss of Bosses.’ I’d just have Wang pull Porter out and not mess with Lee or Eve.”

“Mother Eve.” Fulton said grimly. “Yeah, you’ve got a good point there. I don’t want Wang taking any unnecessary risks.”

Doug pondered his relationship with Eve. Crime Boss and Temple Mistress. The Sinister Feminine Principle Incarnate. It was almost synergy, the way that one needed the other. Doug himself wasn’t a Disciple, but his time would come soon enough especially with the earnings that Eve had made last quarter because of his information.

“Yeah. I’ll leave Ray in there. He reports to me everyday now anyway. First sign of problems and he’s out.”

7

Ray sold almost all of the cold bottled waters at the busy intersection. He had bought cases of water at the discount supplier and put them in a large cooler of ice and sold them for $1 each. Russell told him that the ABC Rite was to set the Disciple along the Sinister Way and to prove that it was entirely possible to be financially independent from the Profane. Ray was to split the proceeds from his ordeal with his two witnesses and their leader, Mark.

Ray thought back on the other recent ordeals that he participated in. He and his witnesses had ‘Blood Opfered’ a crack dealer, someone of Ray’s choosing. They had also burglarized the home of an unemployed slacker who was collecting social security benefits fraudulently. Russell had told him not to feel bad. These were people who lacked true character he explained. 

The past few days had made Ray’s head spin. He remembered what his assignment was but he had never in his life felt that he was alive until now. The excitement, the exhilaration, the vitality of Being.

He knew that Mark was there under his own free will. Mark was a new ‘Disciple,’ respected among his peers even though those peers were Disciples for some time already.

Ray also felt a sense of family with Russell and Mark. He somehow felt “safe” with the matriarch figure Eve. It was as if everything was going to be okay because she said it was.

It was almost like a roller coaster of emotions because he hated himself for what he felt was being hypocritical.

Before Ray had undertaken the Rite, Russell approached him and said, “I know that you’re a cop, man. Even if you arrest me, you’ll never forget us, you’ll want to claim this because we’ve given you a real sense of family. Those cops are just your family during work hours, Brother. Even when you hang out off duty, all you do is talk about work. You’re never free. Consider this as going opposite and beyond. This is your personal quest to evolve my friend. To exult in life and go beyond the boundaries that the Powers That Be put in front of us. To quest and to die questing. No one cares about what you believe in philisophically. You complete what awaits and you’ll have your Family with you for life. We are now Blood. Forever starts today, Brother.”

That night that Ray had completed the ‘Business’ end of the Rite, he laid on his bed and thought of everything. He got up, reached into his pocket and threw his badge in the garbage.

-Nexion 352, Order of Nine Angles-

Tendrils

0

Crew.

“And our top story tonight: Dominick Marella, the son of alleged LaManna Family boss Vito Marella was found dead in the back alley of the Queens sports bar, “First Edition” apparently from an overdose of heroin. Results are pending from an autopsy. The younger Marella was a Vietnam veteran who was also known for the murder of  husband and wife  Filipino immigrants in 1983.  Suspected drug dealer, Peter Raspotnik’s body was found a few yards away from Marella. Raspotnik’s death looks to be the result of multiple stab wounds to the chest. An N.Y.P.D. spokeswoman stated that an investigation is still pending as well. Ernie?”

“Thanks, Maureen.  Schools Chancellor Ruth West has approved a plan which will…”

Johnny Lam and Eddie Tsao were sitting at the bar in the pool hall drinking beers and laughing about the fight that they had just had an hour ago with 4 Jung Dragons who had refused to consolidate with the Sinister Shadows.

“You know you were gonna run.” Eddie laughed. “Then you saw that I was standing my ground and you ran back ’cause you knew I would say shit.”

“Dude, that’s not the way it went down. You’re so full of shit.” Johnny retorted. “Don’t make me kick your ass again.”

“You’d probably run.”

They both laughed heartily and ordered more beer.

Danny Wu, former leader of the Jung Dragons and now Eve’s lieutenant walked into the bar. He smiled at Eddie and Johnny.

“You two clowns getting into shit with some of my old set, I heard.” he said as he shook their hands.

“Yeah. Those guys don’t want to go with the program.” Eddie said.

“They’ll come around eventually. Especially when they see that there’s nothing moving in these streets without the SS having something to do with it. A nickel bag gets sold in the park, we get a piece.”

“What if the pie is too small for all of us?” pondered Johnny.

“The Tongs are going to fold without their muscle and without any money from the streets.” Danny said.

“Or we could just start fighting each other again.” Eddie said, only half-kidding.

“Yeah, I miss kicking the shit out of Guangdong Tigers.” Danny smiled.

“Yeah, okay.” Eddie said.

“Yeah you never were around when we used to get into it with your boys.” Johnny added.

“Let me buy you guys some beers even though you should get cut off because you’re getting delusional.”

Johnny made a gesture to the barmaid for one more. “Already covered.”

1

Old Acquantances Be Forgot.

Vito looked squarely into Claudio’s eyes. They were in the same strip bar that they were in when Vito first contracted Claudio.

“Don’t fuck with me, Claudio. If I find out that you killed my son, you’re a fuckin’ dead man. That chink bitch too.”

Okay, Don. This is what happened.” Claudio said evenly. “Dom was already convulsing by the time that I got over there. I then took out Peter and I dialed 9-1-1 for Dom. That the truth, Don.”

“I was born at night, not last night. I come to find out that those dead people’s daughter and you are fuckin’ running Chinatown after they found Dom dead. You’re a fuckin’ dead man, Claudio.” 

“You don’t scare me Marella.” Claudio said flatly. “You’re getting soft.  That’s the word on the street. You couldn’t get a handle on Dom. He makes a fuckin’ mess and Daddy’s always there to clean the shit up.”

“That don’t take away from the fact that you’re a dead man. Your little girlfriend, too.”

“I won’t be a problem. Unlike you, I ‘m not scared of dying. I haven’t been scared of dying since ‘Nam. Come down to Chinatown, and you’ll have a war.”

“I built this family through wars, Claudio.”

“The war with the Nocerinos was winding down when you took over from the old man, Vito. Who do you think you’re bullshitting? Joey Romano’s looking to take your spot.”

Vito grabbed Claudio by the collar. Claudio merely smiled.

“You’re fuckin’ dead, Giovanni! You hear me?!?” Fuckin’ dead!”

The music stopped and the D.J. yelled out, “Peacekeepers to the front!” Two large bouncers came over and pulled Vito from Claudio.

One of the Don’s muscle then approached the bouncers and held his hand up. One bouncer then said, “What the fuck? Get the fuck out of the way!”

The other bouncer quickly let Vito go and motioned for his co-worker to do the same. They walked back towards the entrance to the bar to check I.D.’s.

Vito straightened out his tie. “That’s power, motherfucker! The same that’s going to be your downfall. My reach extends beyond what your eyes see, Claudio. Remember that.”

Claudio finished his red wine and stood up, also fixing his tie. “You’re lost, Vito. Do what you will to me but it won’t take away from that fact.” He sat back down and watched as the girls cowered behind tables and pillars.

Vito and his muscle walked out of the bar and into the street.

2

Hybrid.

Boss Cho smiled at Eve from across the table. They were in a large Chinese restaurant.

“I like your style.” I agree to a merger with your conglomerate.” he said.

Eve smiled. “Good. There’s enough money for all of us.”

“I’m ready to go war. The Guangtong Tigers are now officially SS. All of them. Whoever is not with you is against you.” Boss Cho rose from the table and bowed to Eve with his eyes closed, a sign of trust.

“Please excuse me. I must attend to some business, Boss Eve.”

“Very well.” Eve bowed slightly. “I will contact you when I have made all of the arrangements.”

“Yes.” Boss Cho bowed again and took his leave.

As Boss Cho left, Stella Meng came into the restaurant. She was a pretty 20-something who was a Sister of Eve’s Sinister Tribe.

“Mistress, we have a problem. Can we talk?”

“Hi, Stella. What’s up?” Eve asked. “Sit down.”

Stella looked around. The restaurant was nearly empty so she felt comfortable.

“Word came down that Claudio’s got beef with the LaManna’s. There’s going to be trouble, Mistress.”

Eve thought for a second and then declared confidently, “Nothing that we can’t handle, Stella. We all have been in wars. Just because they’re Italian doesn’t mean that they don’t bleed just like us.”

“But Mistress, it’s the mafia!”

“Better for our glamour. Remember how we talked about Lesser Magick? This is what we need to put us over the top. We’re already respected as a merger of the Jung Dragons and Guangtong Tigers, two of the most famous organizations in Chinatown at present. Yet, they were only known for fighting each other and other Chinese organizations. Let’s fight the LaManna’s and we will only see progress. No matter what the outcome.”

3

The Vulgar Strike.

Irvin Jackson waited around the corner from Claudio’s condominium in Queens. He hated working for the Italians because they were so blunt, calling him “nigger” to his face but he took their money regardless. It would get the baby some nice toys and a few pairs of nice shoes for the wife.

Claudio was walking down the block towards him. Irvin straightened up and put the icepick between a rolled up newspaper.  Don Vito had wanted it this way. To kill Claudio with the weapon that Claudio had been famous for.

Irvin hoped that this job would go well and that it would lead to future jobs.

Claudio looked at his watch and then went into his right pants pocket to retrieve his house keys. Just then he saw the blur of a rolled up newspaper and then a black man plunging  something sharp into his chest repeatedly.

“Fuck, an icepick.” Claudio thought and then he crumpled to the ground. He lay on the cold sidewalk as he heard Irvin’s footsteps running away.

Claudio let out a slight laugh at the irony. He coughed and took his last breath.

At the same time, bullets riddled the restaurant as Stella got up to leave.  Staff and patrons ducked underneath tables. Screams and broken glass was everywhere.

Eve was also under her table in an almost panicky state. She took deep breaths and the shooting had stopped. She low crawled to where Stella lay. Stella was on her back. Her eyes were open and she had no pulse.

“The LaManna’s.” Eve said to herself.

4

Education

“They have violated reichstandshaft and for that the education process will begin.” Eve spoke at the dining room table at Danny Wu’s apartment. Johnny, Eddie, Bobby and Danny listened intently.

Bobby then rose. “Grand Prix!”

“It’s the only way. After spraying the target, drop the chapelet and beausanct at the scene. It will not only be education, but fame too. Bobby, I’m going to have to send you out. I need your military planning out there. Any questions, Brothers?”

The room fell silent. Bobby smiled. He had been a crew leader for so long that it would feel good to get his hands dirty again. 

“Good. Let’s go earn our paychecks. This is for Claudio. For Stella. Retribution.”

The stolen Nissan Sentra pulled slowly in front of the Marella house. Danny smiled as he saw that the looked to be full of people with almost every light in the house on and a multitude of silhouettes in the windows. Eddie ran out of the car and tossed 3 hand grenades through an open window in a room where the light was on. Screams were heard before the grenades exploded.

Johnny and Bobby, who was driving began to open fire on the house with AK-47’s. They saw no movement or shadows in the window and most of the lights were out.

“Drop it.” Bobby said.

Johnny dropped a string of colored beads (3 white, 5 black and 2 orange) and a white handkerchief on the ground.

Bobby drove the car off quickly, screeching the tires as he peeled off.

5

Blender.

“Our top story: Will New York City and the surrounding boroughs be caught in the middle of a new deadly interracial gang war?One week after the death of his son, alleged crime boss Vito Marella and his wife Valerie were killed in a horrific drive-by shooting attack on their home earlier this evening along with ten others. Fifteen more were hospitalized at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center with only one being reported to be in stable condition while others are reported to be critical at this time. Police officials found a white handkerchief and a string of white, black and orange beads at the scene. According to N.Y.P.D. Gang Intelligence officials declined to comment but an official who spoke on the condition of anonymity stated that the items belonged to a gang based in Chinatown. The official even went so far as to say that it was the work of a possible Satanic cult. We have Michelle Lang with the latest.”

“A mixture of the occult and gang warfare ruled the day on this quiet neighborhood of Bayside, Queens Maureen where police sources say that hand grenades and AK-47’s were used in the worst drive-by shooting in New York history. The twist in this case was unusual items that were identified as Satanic paraphernalia were dropped at the scene. I spoke with Police Commissioner Miguel Olivera, who immediately responded to the scene upon hearing the 111th Precinct’s blotter.”