No Surprise

Four Brothers

Death Sentence

Garrett Hedlund

hatericeviolence

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN FOUR BROTHERS, DEATH SENTENCE, OR GARRETT HEDLUND. THE FOLLOWING IS A WORK OF FICTION AND CLAIMS NO RIGHTS TO THE LISTED ITEMS ABOVE.

1. Scars & Souvenirs

I sat strumming. The early winter was setting in. The days that should have been shorter were growing to be long. Ever since Ma was killed everything had changed. I knew better now. The world around me was harsh and nothing would change that. The only way to survive it was to be as cold hearted as Sweet was.

I had been there. I had killed. At first, I was afraid and I felt sorry for what I had done but as time went on I became afraid of who I was becoming. Watching them take their last breath and hearing their heart stop beating, no longer caused remise. If anything, it was beginning to turn me on. It didn't bother me like it did. The first person I killed haunted me. I cried after I had killed him. I wanted to run and turn myself into the police and apologize to the family. Thankfully, Bobby kept me from that.

Bobby, Bobby, Bobby. He's on Death Row now. He got pinned for over twenty-seven murders while on the road to revenge. After the shoot out at Ma's house, he went on a rampage. He decided to bury an empty coffin and put my name on the tombstone. After I woke up, I found out and I went to the prison to see him. He was the only one near by. Jeremiah moved his family to Minnesota. He managed to get a decent job that didn't involve gangsters. Angel became a contractor and deployed to Iraq. Bobby was the only one left but he wouldn't be for long.

Three months ago I woke up. I was alone and confused. I was sure that I was dead. Everyone did. I saw Bobby shortly after. He told me what happened. He didn't care. He was proud he got revenge on the bastard that killed Ma. He told me he had six months to live-and then the guards took him. That night I went to Ma's house and cried. It was the next day I started to gather things around the house and I sold them. I had decided it was time to return to LA but there was one last thing I needed to do.

I was going to find and kill that son of a bitch that was my father. For as long as I could remember, he haunted me. The last time I saw him, I was seventeen. He had me selling drugs on the street. He had me beat my brother. He had me sit and watch as countless women were raped. Every time I did wrong, he would grab his pistol and he hit me in my face. He left a heavy scar on my jawline and corner of my right eye. The day I ran away, I ran straight to the police. I refused to rape one of the girls he kept a close eye on and he hit and beat me senseless. I told the police, filed a report, and told them I wanted in the system because I had to get away. The next day Evelyn came the hospital and asked if I would want to go home with her. For the first time, I felt like I belonged.

I spent time planning how I wanted to kill him. I wanted to give him the same courtesy he gave me-absolutely none. I was going to beat him with his own gun. I spent the last three months easing my way into the food chain at the Four Roses. I didn't want him to see it coming. I introduced myself as a Mercer and, surprisingly, gained instant respect.

Tonight was the night that the dial was going down and that the boys of the Bones were taking me Grand Central Station. I just had to wait until dark. Letting the gang do deals in the daylight was bad news. Letting me in at all will be bad news.

I put my guitar to the side and looked out the window. It was time. I grabbed the pack of Marlboros off of the bureau then got up and walked to the closet and picked out Bobby's old leather jacket and put it on before walking downstairs and outside. I had long since traded Bobby's shitty car for a Mustang. I sat in it and reached over checked the glovebox. I grabbed both guns and put them into the inside pockets of the trench styled leather jacket. I figured they would frisk me so I slid a blade into my shoe.

I backed out of the driveway and to the Four Roses, I drove. I had to drive to the other side of Detriot to get to the small bar. I got there before the rest of them had so I walked straight back to the long table. "Jack, give me a bottle of it," I said as I walked past the female bartender. I sat down at the back table and put my hand over the flame of the candle before putting my index finger in the hot wax and stirring it around.

"Here you go, William. How's your night?"

I grabbed the bottle and shot glass out of her hand and poured a shot. "Fine, haven't seen you lately."

"Well when you leave before morning, I take it as you don't want to."

"Sorry, I had things to do."

"Right." She turned around as the group flooded in. "Enjoy your night."

"I'll be over later."

She smiled and started to walk away. "Only if you stay for breakfast. I'll leave the door unlocked."

"That's not very safe, sweet ass," Heco yelled as he grabbed not her. "Maybe I'll come over. You'd like that, wouldn't you, baby?"

She squirmed away from him. "I'll get the usual for you boys." She walked back to the bar then to the table again with a few bottles and several shot glasses. As soon as she put them down and walked away all of the boys sat down.

Bodie looked up and waited for her to walk away before pulling down his hood and removing his beanie. "Stay away from her, Mercer. She's a damn disease factory."

I nodded and took another shot. "Got it. I'll stay far away."

"Good. I thought you'd like to avoid an early grave. If you need some pussy, I know a few that might be able to solve your problem."

"Yeah? Well send them my way. Two at a time! I got a lot of problems that need to be solved," I pulled up my glass and tipped it with his.

"Ah! That sounds good! Tonight, we make you family and tomorrow, I send bitches to solve your problems! To family!" Bodie said putting his glass in the air.

"TO FAMILY!"

"Bones will be ready soon. He had business to attend to first."

I nodded and looked up. "I got all the time in the world-at least until they run out of whiskey!" I laughed as I downed another shot. I had lost count of how many. It didn't matter. Tonight was the night I was waiting for. The only thing I wasn't looking forward to was killing Bodie and his gang. I actually kinda liked them.

"Bodie, you got a call," the bartender yelled out. Bodie got up quickly and walked over to the bar.

Only a few moments later he walked back and put his beanie on before grabbing the bottle of Jack and drinking. "Bones is ready. Come on." We all took another shot then piled out of the bar and into the parking lot. We split up into three cars and drove out to the designated area.

I thought we were going to Central Command but apparently we weren't. Bodie lead the cars out to an old abandoned hospital. He parked and I followed before getting out and light up a cigarette. "This is it? Damn fancy!"

Bodie slammed his car door and walked over to me and flicked the cigarette from my mouth. "No smoking." He turned and looked at the others. "Get yo asses inside." He turned and walked beside me until we were inside. The place was a mess. It had to be their lab. They had doors barricaded with the metal framed breeds from when it was a hospital. Bodie led me thew the maze until we entered what looked like a chapel. He looked over to the group sitting on the back pew. "Frisk him."

I stepped back and put my arms out as Heco and Baggie started touching all over. "This necessary?"

Bodie glared at me as an old fat bastard walked in. "Of course ti is, you piece of shit. You think I don't fucking check up on everyone who enters the Rose?"

I grinned. "Bones, nice to meet ya."

"Shut the fuck up, you piece of shit." Heco removed the guns out of my jacket and threw them to Bones. "You really fucking though you could come in here and fucking kill me? It ain't happening, Billy boy." Bones opened up the barrel and emptied it onto the floor. He took the other gun and examined it. "Why the fuck did you come?"

"You know why."

He glared and pointed the gun at me. Baggied grabbed my hands and cuffed them together. "You got a lot of balls to come alone. Or are you just stupid?"

"Maybe a bit of both." He lowered the gun and stepped towards me. "What? Too afraid to shoot me? Now that I'm all grown up you don't wanna beat on me? Come on, Pops."

He shook his head and gave the gun to Bodie. "Nah, why kill you when you have a debt to pay?"

"What the fuck are you talking about? I don't owe you shit!"

"Billy, Billy, Billy, you owe me seventeen fucking years of debt plus those two fucking weeks I spent in jail because of you. You fucking piece of shit," he spat. He turned away from me and looked at Bodie. "Show him around then take him the barber."

Bodie nodded and Bones walked off. He waited until he heard the car leave before stepping forward. "You should have fucking said you were a Darley."

I glared up at him as I squeezed out my wrist from the cuff. "I don't like being reminded." I brought my hands to the front and rubbed my left wrist that I had set free. "Would you?"

"Hell nah! Baggie get those cuffs off." Bodie motioned for me to follow him and he led me threw the maze again. He walked me into the back room that looked red at first glance. It was a mad scientist's lab. They made their meth here. The hanging canister of liquid proved that. "As you can tell, this is the lab. We make it and sell it. You use, you buy. You steal, we kill. Got it?"

"Crystal clear," I said as I walked around looking at the bottles.

"Good." He turned and walked out. I ran to catch up. "You're in deep shit, Darley. Deep shit."

"Why you say that?"

"Bones i going to fuck yo ass. He owns you. You would have been better not coming back. Heco! Imma need you. Gotta see the barber."

I hit Bodie's shoulder. "Why I gotta go to the barber?"

He stopped and looked at me. "Two facings things. Your hair and yo skin. Hope you like needles."

"No one's touching me."

"You say that now but we got the guns. I told you, Bones owns yo ass. You do whatever he says." Bodie turned and started walking out again. I only followed because Heco was behind me pushing. Bodie walked outside and opened up the Mustang's door and popped the seat up. He held out his hand and I reluctantly gave him the keys and sat down in the back. He quickly slammed the seat back in place then walked to the driver side and sat down. He put the key in the ingestion then turned back to me. "He's gonna make you leader. Better man up soon, Darley. If you were anyone else, you'd be dead already."

"I ain't doing shit for him."

"You know he popped Joe for stealing. He only shot him in the leg. Heco's brother got caught and got shot int he head. He won't kill you."

I rolled my eyes and sat back. The thought of him shooting my brother made my stomach twist and my thirst for his blood to grow. "We will just have to see. I ain't afraid to kill him. He shouldn't be afraid either."

"Even if you hate him, you're blood." He put the car in reverse and backed out. I looked out the window. I wish we weren't related. I hate knowing that. I hate having it out in the open. The drive was short but quiet. Heco didn't take his eyes off me. Bodie had drove intuit he projects and parked in front of an older looking run down two story house that had enough cars in front to start a dealership. He turned around and pulled out my gun and showed it to me. "Fight it and I shoot you. I don't wanna do it, Darley. I like you so don't make me."

Heco opened the door then let me out. He stayed behind me as we walked onto the porch. Bodie hit the door twice then walked in and up the stairs. There wasn't much anywhere. No pictures on the walls or lights expect the hanging ones. A tall man covered in tattoos appeared at the top of the stairs. "Got a new one?"

Bodie nodded. "New leader. Give him full service."

I put my hands up. "I don't swing that way!"

His eyes narrowed. "Smart ass. Get in the chair." Heco pushed me up the rest of the satis and into the room at the top before he forced me into the chair. "The name's Shark. What's yours kid?"

I looked up at him. "Mercer-"

"It's Darley," Bodie said as he sat across from me. I ground my teeth together.

"No wonder. You gonna be trouble like your daddy?"

"He's not my 'daddy'."

Shark smiled then turned on the clippers and started shaving my head. I didn't enjoy it but I didn't fight it. "If you don't like him then you need to drop your grudge. You'll become him. Betcha that's why he's keeping you."

I rolled my tongue inside my mouth. He had a point but I know that it won't change anything. I wanted my revenge and I would have it. Plus, he wasn't going to kill me which means…I could take all I want and not get punished. I looked up at Bodie. "What business is this? Whores? Drugs? Killing?"

He sat back and put his head on the wall. "A bit of everything. Mechanics during the day and fucking gangsters at night." Shark turned off the razor and swept aside the hair. "Hope you're good with needles."

I sat up and took off my jacket and shirt revealing the scattered tattoos. "I'm okay with them. What you putting on me?"

Shark pulled up a stool and loaded the ink into the canister. "Bones' favorite. You're gonna get some thorns only stylish." He grinned and then drew on lines before turning on the machine. "This will take awhile."

"How long?" Heco asked as he lit up.

"Eight-nine hours."

"Jesus. Alright, Bodie, I'm going back to the lab. I'll check South while I'm at it." Bodie nodded as Heco walked out.

As soon as the door slammed I looked over at Bodie. "He hates me."

"You fucked his girlfriend and you're taking over the gang, of course he hates you."

I raised an eyebrow. "I fucked his girl? The bartender? Damn, she didn't mention that. He must be terrible then."

Bodie and Shark both laughed. "Why you say that?" Bodie laughed.

"Because the bitch won't stop calling! If he was decent, she'd be off my dick already! She keeps begging!" I looked up at him then oeuvre to my arm. The needles' pain was gone. My skin numbed out. "Bodie, tell me, why did everyone jump when I said I was a Mercer?"

He looked oeuvre then popped his jaw. "There is an understanding. We don't fuck with the Mercers and we keep kids out of the business. We had one of the leaders go against it. Bobby Mercer found him, killed him, and put his body on display. You don't sell to kids, got it?"

I held my tongue and nodded. How ironic that I couldn't sell to kids and yet I started shooting up at twelve and selling at fifteen. Not that I want kids to do it but I fucking wish this understanding had happened a decade ago.

"How is Bobby?"

"Great if you call Death Row a vacation."

Bodie shook his head. "Fuck, what happened?"

"Dumbass confessed to a spree. They just keep pinning him with more but he won't deny it. I think he's having fun. They keep bringing more and more. He's got them pretty busy. Bet you could kill twenty people and then the poops will say that Bobby did it-even if he's in jail! They can't figure it out then they add it to Bobby's list!"

"How long he got?"

"Three months. They pinned him with twenty seven at once so he started with only thirteen months…plus, he was on probation."

"For what?"

"Murder."

"Damn! He's a crazy man!"

I nodded. "You can say that."