The Meeting
The Gang: the Blackhead Part 1
Jack and his two children, Maibell and Buck, walked down the snow-covered streets of Madison, NY. Snow was falling around them and music rang out over the streets from every shop. People were rushing around them trying to finish their last minute Christmas shopping. Buck, who was twelve, was running up ahead trying to catch the snow on his tongue. Maibell, who was only seven hung off of Jack’s back laughing at her older brother. Jack bent down and picked up a handful of snow for Maibell to throw, she always started the first snowball fight. They both watched as the snowball flew into the back of Buck’s head who was at least twenty feet ahead of them. Buck spun around in surprise and Maibell slid off Jack’s back laughing. She was just getting ready to throw another snowball when Jack slung her back onto his back.
“Buck let’s go! Now!” Jack yelled over the commotion. They watched as Buck raced back over to them and Jack grabbed his hand and led them down an alley. Jack turned just in time to see two men follow them and he pushed Maibell off his back and hid her and Buck behind his back.
“Dad what’s going on?” Buck asked nervously.
Jack bent down and whispered hurriedly, “I want you to take Maibell home understand? Follow this alley and it will take you onto the next street and then home. Don’t stop for anything just run ok? If I’m not home by nightfall take care of Maibell and protect her with you life.” Jack kissed them both and stood up again.
“Well, well, well who do we have here? Could this be the famous Jack, The Bandit, Black?” The bulkier of the two men said smiling.
“We’ve been searching for you.” The other man said, he had to be only a few years older than Buck. Jack pushed Buck with his foot and closed his eyes as he heard him and Maibell speeding away. His heart fell as he listened to the heavy footsteps of his son and daughter leaving him behind to face his doom, knowing they might never see him again.
“Russel, Avery. What a pleasure to see you again.” Jack said smiling slightly, although it wasn’t a very pleasant time. “What happened to Billy? Did he get sent back to prison?”
The taller one, Russel, stepped forward with his hands in a fist but Avery held him firm. “Watch what you say Black. Russel doesn’t have much control over his temper these days, although Griffon would quite like to hear I let him rip your head off after what you did to Flak and Crash.” Avery’s face was twisted with pure disgust and hatred at what had happened to his family because of Jack.
“Avery you would’ve done the same if you were protecting your family. You killed my wife and my oldest daughter and I killed your brothers. It was only fair, don’t you agree Russel?” Jack said quietly. Although he was terrified Jack held his ground and looked completely calm. Russel blinked a few times as if just waking up and his eyes swiveled around him slowly. Jack had seen this a lot when he was in the gang, Avery had a way of controlling peoples bodies and thoughts.
“Jack you didn’t kill my brothers, you annihilated them. They were piles of dust by the time the police found them, not even their blood was usable for DNA confirmation. Your wife and daughter on the other hand was not my fault at all. That was Billy’s doing, you know that better than anyone.” Avery sighed and his face clouded with hatred and fear towards what Billy had done.
“Why are you here?” Jack asked gently, trying not to quicken the process.
Russel smiled, “Of course! I almost forgot. Dreamer wants to speak with you, I’m sure you remember him although he used to be called Hunter.”
Jack nodded, “Ah yes Hunter, he was a great fellow back when we ran together. Did he finally give up that part of his life as well and begin to complete his dreams?” Russel and Avery laughed loudly and Jack couldn’t help but remember the old days. Hunter had been his best friend and those two had ruled this town, until Hunter had gotten into an accident and lost his right arm. After that Jack figured that his gang days were over.
“Jack.” Avery said, snapping him back into the present. “It’s time you returned home to your real family, The Blackheads need their leader back.” Jack couldn’t believe is ears, had Avery really just asked him to come back to lead his old gang? No, he couldn’t have, I’m just imagining it.
“Jack without you we are nothing, we don’t do anything anymore and the times when we try to do something we get into trouble. Billy has been almost killed twice now and has been sent to prison at least four times. We need you back.” Russel said quietly, his eyes were still glazed over.
Jack shook his head. “No. It’s too late for me to come back, I’m too old and I have a family now. You guys should think about ending The Blackheads, this town doesn’t need them anymore. Avery, Russel you’re telling me that this town still needs a gang ruling over them? Do these people seem like the people that ran around here twenty years ago? No they don’t, I’ve been walking these streets every night and all I find are a few teens hanging out down by the pond and some couples going home from work. There hasn’t been one crime committed in this town in six years. Think about it guys, they don’t need us anymore.” Jack could see the understanding in Avery’s and Russel’s eyes and he could tell they still listened to Jack even on something like this. Jack was like a father to all these boys, and Avery was the youngest of them all. “Avery come home with me, I’m sure my son would love to meet you. Russel please go back to your family, you always said how you missed them.”
Russel glared at the ground, “My family is dead.” Russel’s voice was uncaring but Jack could hear the pain behind it. Jack turned his head in anger but when he went to look back at the two children, for yes that is how Jack still saw them, he was hit on the head with the of a gun and he fell to his knees. He choked off a gasp and felt the blood running down his nose and the rusty taste of it filled his mouth.
“DAD!” Buck screamed running around the corner. He fell to his knees beside Jack and tried to help him but Avery put him in a choke hold before he could do anything more than touch him.
“B-Buck. I told you to go home. W-where is Maibell?” Jack sputtered. “Avery put him down now!” Jack got to his feet slowly and walked over to Avery with fire in his eyes. “Now Avery.” Buck slid through the loosened arms and sat on the ground gasping for breath. Jack bent down and picked up Buck and without a second glance walked away from Avery and Russel towards his house.
“Buck let’s go! Now!” Jack yelled over the commotion. They watched as Buck raced back over to them and Jack grabbed his hand and led them down an alley. Jack turned just in time to see two men follow them and he pushed Maibell off his back and hid her and Buck behind his back.
“Dad what’s going on?” Buck asked nervously.
Jack bent down and whispered hurriedly, “I want you to take Maibell home understand? Follow this alley and it will take you onto the next street and then home. Don’t stop for anything just run ok? If I’m not home by nightfall take care of Maibell and protect her with you life.” Jack kissed them both and stood up again.
“Well, well, well who do we have here? Could this be the famous Jack, The Bandit, Black?” The bulkier of the two men said smiling.
“We’ve been searching for you.” The other man said, he had to be only a few years older than Buck. Jack pushed Buck with his foot and closed his eyes as he heard him and Maibell speeding away. His heart fell as he listened to the heavy footsteps of his son and daughter leaving him behind to face his doom, knowing they might never see him again.
“Russel, Avery. What a pleasure to see you again.” Jack said smiling slightly, although it wasn’t a very pleasant time. “What happened to Billy? Did he get sent back to prison?”
The taller one, Russel, stepped forward with his hands in a fist but Avery held him firm. “Watch what you say Black. Russel doesn’t have much control over his temper these days, although Griffon would quite like to hear I let him rip your head off after what you did to Flak and Crash.” Avery’s face was twisted with pure disgust and hatred at what had happened to his family because of Jack.
“Avery you would’ve done the same if you were protecting your family. You killed my wife and my oldest daughter and I killed your brothers. It was only fair, don’t you agree Russel?” Jack said quietly. Although he was terrified Jack held his ground and looked completely calm. Russel blinked a few times as if just waking up and his eyes swiveled around him slowly. Jack had seen this a lot when he was in the gang, Avery had a way of controlling peoples bodies and thoughts.
“Jack you didn’t kill my brothers, you annihilated them. They were piles of dust by the time the police found them, not even their blood was usable for DNA confirmation. Your wife and daughter on the other hand was not my fault at all. That was Billy’s doing, you know that better than anyone.” Avery sighed and his face clouded with hatred and fear towards what Billy had done.
“Why are you here?” Jack asked gently, trying not to quicken the process.
Russel smiled, “Of course! I almost forgot. Dreamer wants to speak with you, I’m sure you remember him although he used to be called Hunter.”
Jack nodded, “Ah yes Hunter, he was a great fellow back when we ran together. Did he finally give up that part of his life as well and begin to complete his dreams?” Russel and Avery laughed loudly and Jack couldn’t help but remember the old days. Hunter had been his best friend and those two had ruled this town, until Hunter had gotten into an accident and lost his right arm. After that Jack figured that his gang days were over.
“Jack.” Avery said, snapping him back into the present. “It’s time you returned home to your real family, The Blackheads need their leader back.” Jack couldn’t believe is ears, had Avery really just asked him to come back to lead his old gang? No, he couldn’t have, I’m just imagining it.
“Jack without you we are nothing, we don’t do anything anymore and the times when we try to do something we get into trouble. Billy has been almost killed twice now and has been sent to prison at least four times. We need you back.” Russel said quietly, his eyes were still glazed over.
Jack shook his head. “No. It’s too late for me to come back, I’m too old and I have a family now. You guys should think about ending The Blackheads, this town doesn’t need them anymore. Avery, Russel you’re telling me that this town still needs a gang ruling over them? Do these people seem like the people that ran around here twenty years ago? No they don’t, I’ve been walking these streets every night and all I find are a few teens hanging out down by the pond and some couples going home from work. There hasn’t been one crime committed in this town in six years. Think about it guys, they don’t need us anymore.” Jack could see the understanding in Avery’s and Russel’s eyes and he could tell they still listened to Jack even on something like this. Jack was like a father to all these boys, and Avery was the youngest of them all. “Avery come home with me, I’m sure my son would love to meet you. Russel please go back to your family, you always said how you missed them.”
Russel glared at the ground, “My family is dead.” Russel’s voice was uncaring but Jack could hear the pain behind it. Jack turned his head in anger but when he went to look back at the two children, for yes that is how Jack still saw them, he was hit on the head with the of a gun and he fell to his knees. He choked off a gasp and felt the blood running down his nose and the rusty taste of it filled his mouth.
“DAD!” Buck screamed running around the corner. He fell to his knees beside Jack and tried to help him but Avery put him in a choke hold before he could do anything more than touch him.
“B-Buck. I told you to go home. W-where is Maibell?” Jack sputtered. “Avery put him down now!” Jack got to his feet slowly and walked over to Avery with fire in his eyes. “Now Avery.” Buck slid through the loosened arms and sat on the ground gasping for breath. Jack bent down and picked up Buck and without a second glance walked away from Avery and Russel towards his house.
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