chapter two
(slam)
*NOW*
I was shuffled through the cafeteria, orange jump suit, holding a tray of shit food. The slop wasn’t half bad when you got used to it. Lucky for me, I had connections on the inside and two guards that would bring me burgers, fries, and milkshakes. In exchange I would take care of them with outside protection from the Reap or beat up guys in the inside that were giving them problems.
I’d much rather be outside. It was all bullshit what happened. I became some sort of easy target and before I could catch my breath, I was tossed into prison with a year sentence. I was in the hallowed halls where Hammer (our former Prez) served a life sentence until he was killed. And I was in the same place as another one of my brothers - King. He was sitting on death fucking row. I saw him two times already and he looked bigger and as mean as ever. Nothing broke that guy’s spirit.
I sat down at a table with guys that I considered friends. See, in prison, it was the same as the outside. Certain people and groups got together and did their thing. The difference was that we were all confined. Less room meant more violence.
We had a little beef going with these guys two tables over. There was some backdoor drug dealing going on and I was brought in to act as the muscle to keep it civil. Nothing was ever civil in prison though.
As I started to shove some greasy, cold potatoes into my mouth, one of the guards walked by. He flicked me twice on the back which was a signal to start a fight.
Great. That meant someone needed me.
I scooped up a handful of the potatoes and stood up. Another guard shouted my name but I ignored the fucker as I threw the potatoes across the table. It hit a guy named Miguel right in the face. He jumped, along with his table. My table stood up and a brawl ensued.
I grabbed my tray and smashed it across Miguel’s face, taking him down.
A second later, the guard that had touched me, grabbed my arms and twisted me away. Now, let’s be honest for a second. This six foot nothing guard was exactly that to me. Nothing. I could have broken the hold and broken his fucking neck in seconds. But I went with the motions and stumbled back as he pulled at me.
He shouted orders to the other guards and got me the hell out of there.
We ended at the back of the prison and down two flights of stairs. It was damp, dark, and cool down there. It smelled of dirty water and piss. Down the hall was solitary. That place was no fucking joke. Getting tossed into there and left for days or weeks changed people. I got tossed for two days and to me it felt like four fucking years.
I wasn’t going to solitary that day though.
I ended up in an open room with glass windows. A table in the middle. Some suit sitting there with a briefcase. The door opened again and in walked Knox and Matteo.
“Fuckers,” I whispered.
“Slam,” Knox said.
“Slam in the slammer,” Matteo said.
Like I hadn’t fucking heard that a million times by then.
“Seriously?” I asked.
“We need your vote,” Knox said.
“I vote for whatever best suits the club,” I said. “I’m not in the mood to hear outside beefs.”
“This is a vote you want to take,” Matteo said.
“Who’s the stiff?” I asked, pointing to the guy in the suit.
“I’m your lawyer,” he said. “Call me Ace.”
“I won’t do that,” I said.
“Fine.” He opened his briefcase. He spun it around. “Upon further look into your case, I can defend you that the weapons charge needs to be dropped. Two bodies turned up down in the east full of bullet holes that match the so-called weapons you were tied to. I’ve already presented the information to the judge, a dear friend of mine.”
“Jesus Christ,” I said. “How much did this cost?”
Knox grinned. “I had to sell my kid to make it happen.”
“Don’t fuck with me.”
“Slam, you’ve done enough time in here,” Matteo said. “Take whatever deal Ace has to offer and get out of here.”
“What kind of deal is that?”
“No trouble kind of deal,” Ace said.
“Fuck that. I am trouble.”
“Should I just leave?” Ace asked.
“Yes,” I said.
“No,” Knox said. “Stop being a fuck head, Slam. Ace has a hearing tomorrow and you’re going to get out on good behavior and the charges will be dropped. In exchange you just keep your nose clean for a little while. I’m tired of my boys sitting in cells in this fucking place.”
I stared down Knox. I wasn’t against taking a swing at him. Fuck his VP patch. Fuck Matteo too. Fuck everything. All because of a botched run, I was stuck in this fucking hell hole. All because of some asshole Chief that wanted my ass. That’s what it was. He singled me out, thinking he was taking the muscle off the streets.
“Just sign the papers, brother,” Knox said. “Don’t make me bring Uncle Jakey down here. He’ll cut off your protection. You’ve done enough time. You’ve learned your lesson. You’re going to be a stellar man in society.”
Knox grinned.
Matteo snorted.
“Yeah right,” Ace said.
I looked at the lawyer. He looked like a weasel.
“Something funny?” I asked him.
He stood up. “Look, I don’t give a shit about you, Spencer.”
I gritted my teeth. Nobody dared to use my real fucking name. Ever.
“Yeah, that’s right,” Ace said. “Spencer. I’ve got your entire file. I got paid already. I’m here to finish this up and move on. Take this deal, okay? Get the hell out of here.”
“We need you,” Knox said. “The clubhouse isn’t the same without you there.”
“And I’m supposed to just sit there and do nothing,” I said.
“Exactly,” Ace said. “I’m going to finalize this deal and walk away right now. Whatever is said when I’m gone I can’t be held responsible for.”
I signed whatever the fuck Ace needed me to sign.
He left the room and Knox walked around the table and hugged me. I hugged him back.
“I’m sorry this happened,” he said to me. “It was a fucked up job and a cash grab. I should have never brought it to the table and we should have never voted it in.”
“We all did,” I said. “Including me. Chief Richards wanted my dick in his hand. That was the set up.”
“Agreed,” Matteo said. “He’s still lingering around. But not as much.”
“I’m going to get him back for this,” I said.
“Slam, you have to take it easy,” Knox said. “You get popped again and it could be a long term sentence. This is your one and only get out of jail free type of thing. Don’t fuck this up.”
“Knox, I’m looking at you as your brother here. We wear the cut. We are the Reap. I don’t bullshit. I’m going to get him back.”
Knox shook his head and backed away. He knocked on the table a few times. “We still need your vote. You can do it in person this time. We’re going after who set all this up. We have names.”
“And I can’t do a thing?” I asked.
“Not a thing,” Matteo said.
“Except get yourself dressed the right way,” Knox said.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“The paperwork was filed days ago. The second Ace sends the signatures over, you’re out. We’ll be out front waiting for you.”
They walked out of the room and I stood there alone.
I was going to be a free man, but not as free as I had hoped.
Like I gave a damn, right?
I would keep to my word.
I was going to get revenge on the man who put me in prison.