Chapter 17

Birth of an Animal

“Holy fuck!” Sam’s shaking his head with admiration. “Seventeen of ‘em?”

He and MadBlack are sitting at the kitchen table scooping up mounds full of scrambled eggs covered in hot sauce. Apparently these two made it up before me. I figure Sam made the meal since I know MadBlack hates to cook.

“S’right,” MadBlack swallows some orange juice. “Only shot two of ‘em cause I don’t believe in shooting a man who’s not armed. Bad karma. Rest of ‘em I killed with my bare hands.”

I turn one of the table’s chairs around so I can straddle it. “You telling Sam about Atlanta?”

“Uh-huh,” he spears a sausage link from a steaming plate piled with them. “Tellin’ him about the time me and my crew busted up a dogfight going down in our hood.”

“Crazy shit, alright.” I nod respectfully.

“MadBlack sent those fools runnin’,” Sam takes a bite, still talking. “He ain’t into cruel shit like that, fighting pitbulls against each other.”

“Animal control came in after we left,” MadBlack frowns at his plate. “Killed every damn one of them dogs. Said they was too vicious for society.”

“Fucked up!” Sam scowls as he chews. “Good thing you iced those bastards while you had the chance. Man, people fuckin’ disgust me in this world!”

“World’s a fucked up place, son,” MadBlack shovels in some more eggs. “Hardly anyone willin’ to do right by anyone else. Gotta keep your head up, though. No matter what, never let motherfuckers influence you with their negativity. Ain’t good for ya. Do what you know you gotta do.” He points to his chest. “Follow this right here. Gotta have heart to make it as a man despite whatever surrounds you.”

“Deep, man,” Sam looks like he’s seen Jesus. “Inspirational, but real. I feel you.”

“So…” I try to cut in before Pastor MadBlack launches into another sermon.

MadBlack cuts his eyes towards me. “You hungry, Percy? Boy’s a fine damned cook. Fill your belly with some breakfast.”

“Oh, nah, that’s okay.” I give a broad smile so I don’t come across rude. “Had a real big dinner last night, you know. ‘Preciate the offer, though.”

“Whatever.” MadBlack leans back in his chair, eyes trained on me.

“Hey, Sam,” I try to shift the conversation. “Your sister called. She’s wanting you to come home. Misses you and all that. You know how women worry.”

Sam looks straight at me, swallows and says, “Whatever.”

Okay, so this isn’t going quite as well as I’d hoped.

“Tiff needs you, man,” I try playing to his pride, “She’s scared by herself. Your Aunt Jolene, too. They’re afraid to be alone, you know?”

Sam shrugs. “Philly’s over there.”

MadBlack stretches lazily, then offers, “Percy’s right, son. You gotta be there to comfort your family. You the man of the house, don’t forget that. Can’t go dodgin’ your duties to your loved ones.”

Sam sighs, finishing his last bite of breakfast. “Yeah, you’re right. Somebody’s gotta look out for those two. Weren’t for me they’d never have had those Smoke Money punk-asses kicking down the door, huh?”

“Don’t you worry about Smoke Money no more,” MadBlack states firmly. “Kingfins take care of that. We allies with your Brotherhood, now. Ain’t that right, Perce?”

“Sure!” I’m more surprised than I am enthusiastic since this is the first talk of an alliance I’ve heard. “Smoke Money fools fucked with the wrong crew. Absolutely.”

“Me and my boy Sam here,” MadBlack nods to the kid, “We discussed things like businessmen and decided our crews could mutually beneficiate each other.”

I love when MadBlack makes up new words. ‘Beneficiate’? Reminds me of the time he ordered a room full of us to ‘murderize’ a pimp who’d taken to ‘whoifying’ local junior high school girls. None of us laughed in front of him that night, but for weeks we’d crack up whenever one of us brought up the story.

“Sounds like a productive morning y’all are having,” I’m wishing I’d agreed to some breakfast as I eye the last three sausage links. “You ready for me to take Sam home?”

“Uh-huh. Best get you back to your family for now.” MadBlack lights the bowl of a pipe he had sitting by his plate earlier, inhaling before he finishes. “Have you some of this before you hit the road though, boys.”

We pass the pipe around, each of us doing our part to turn that sweet green into ashes. No one feels the need to speak, especially me, who feels like a third wheel to these two new pals. So much for being Sam’s mentor.

“Hyena.” MadBlack announces proudly, a huge grin surfacing to show his ivory white teeth.

We’re too high for such a cryptic form of communication. Both of us smile pleasantly at MadBlack, doing well at hiding our complete confusion.

“That’s what you gonna be called from now on.” MadBlack’s grinning in a way that makes me wonder if there’s a woman under this table giving him head, “Bravest motherfuckers in Africa. Run lions off their kill. Seen that on the Discovery Channel.”

“Hyena.” Sam’s forehead creases from concentration. “Hyena,” he suddenly breaks into a wild grin. “Yeah, yeah. Shit, yeah! I’m Hyena, motherfucker, fucking braver than a lion and crazier, too!”

MadBlack throws back his head, booming with laughter. “Hell yeah! Crazy underground king of the jungle, that’s you, boy!”

Eventually things calm down after another twenty minute bullshitting session and a call to my phone from an irate Tiff. The newly christened ‘Hyena’ and I clean up the kitchen and head out to the Cutlass for the cruise to Thunder Gate. I decide not to tell Hyena that his sister and aunt are bent on taking him back to San Antonio. I’ll let Tiff handle that herself because I have zero interest in upsetting MadBlack. Besides, Hyena and MadBlack exchanged numbers since they’re now bosom buddies, so they can see how they fare coming up against the two ladies.

Author’s Note: We are still humming along with chapters going up as quickly as possible. Still MUCH of the book left to come so I hope you are enjoying it.