Fighting The Odds

[J-Hop]

OOC: Just was given some late news, I got to handle some things tomorrow. Sorry for the rush on the end here.

STAYING ALIVE
“You My Homie Still”

“For my homies … dead and gone, you’ll forever be missed!”

Standing outside of the apartment complex, near the very narrowish alley that the dumpsters sit in, there was Jair, black hoodie and blue jeans, with a bottle of Sprite, pouring it sideways, not into his mouth but onto the ground. In the direction of where a small pile of roaches were laying. Jair was pouring it on them as like drowning the dead. He was smiling like hell, obviously in matter of being fun and bored. There wasn’t nothing else to do.

“Your boys gonna’ come looking for you, I’ll let em’ know you left this world, should they want to follow the directions.”

In the projects, especially the cluttered neighborhoods, these sort of things can happen on a consistent basis. Neighbors who don’t clean up after themselves, these bastards will keep coming and coming. Once they do, it’s a world of trouble. Jair didn’t have to deal with that situation as he was on the other side but he knew about the ish’ all too well. He knew where they came from, he just continued to laugh.

“Yo J’…!”

The loud yell that came from the direction eastward, it was his buddy, his mentor, Juan Ramirez, dressed casually, riding in a Mercedes-Benz, champagne colored. He invited Hopkins to get in, ‘Shotgun’ seat as he held his hand out, waving for Hopkins to join him.

“Come on, man … Let’s take a ride!” Ramirez said in a joyful manner, hoping Hopkins would come and join him.

Hopkins dropped everything he was doing, even the rest of his soda that was in the bottle as he rushed to the shiny ‘Benz’ as he joined Ramirez. The Benz took off down the street as Hopkins secured himself in, connecting the seatbelt.

“What’s good homie? It’s been a good minute. Hell, you don’t even come by no more. You really that advanced now?” Ramirez said as he eyed me, a sly grin on his face.

Hopkins replied with the same look and grin as he shook his head.

“Never that, brother. I’ve just been major-ass busy. I haven’t had a moment to relax, just trying to stay alive man.” Hopkins replied as he looked around in the car, checking out stereo system and the interior inside.

“This is a dope-ass ride, Juan … Killer look!” Hopkins said, giving feedback on the luxurious car, loving the fanciness and detail.

“Yeah, I am a man of vehicles, but I just couldn’t pass up on this beauty. She’s my ‘Caddy’!” Juan said as he kept his eyes on the road.

“I haven’t forgotten about you. How could I? All you’ve done for me. I mean, you got me involved in this shit in the first place. I’m just letting the dream take me to the final destination.” Hopkins said as he shot a smile towards Ramirez in thanks to all that he did to help him out, giving him a career in doing something other than living the ‘street life’.

For a few moments, the ride was silent as Jair gazed out to the scenery, looking back at Juan.

“Where are we going anyways?” Jair asked, a bit curious.

“Just wasting precious gas, homie. Ride around the hood’. Take you around my ways.” He said as his eyes remain focused. “So … this new stable you got flowing…”

Hopkins smirked as he immediately dove right into it.

“It’s going to be dynamite man, JJ Evans style. No seriously, we are still getting kinks out but it’s a family, man. Looking out for each other. You know how it is out here. Everybody want to go against the book, never earning shit or doing anything the right way.”

Ramirez knew, as he nodded his head, even though he wasn’t no ‘Saint’. He was a ‘dirty’ bastard. Doing things out of the rule book and doing it his way.

“Yeah, I definitely understand. Hell, I’m the viewed ‘bad guy’, but I know the dealio being on both ends. You hate to see people go and cheat their way into victory lane, but switching roles, you love to have everything your way, breaking the rules and being the most hated. Everything has a pro and con.”

“Exactly!” I immediately replied as my excited tone of voice instantly lowered to a calmer base.

“I’m just trying to do right. Me, Bailey and Krunk … We have to look out for each other. We’re fucking going extinct, can you believe it man?” Hopkins telling Ramirez as he was shaking his head.

“Extinct, eh? You three are trend-setters. Soon enough, people will follow with the message you are trying to send. It takes a little time.” Ramirez said as he offered up some advice.

Ramirez came to a stop as Jair looked at him.

“What’s up, doc?” He asked, looking Ramirez in the face.

“Never let them see you sweat. People are going to hate you. Crooks like Callahan, they are like those cockroaches you were out there drowning in Sprite. You kill them but they will never die. It just keeps multiplying, day by day. Your crew, it’s going to be a tough road, but you have to defy the odds.” Ramirez said, as he rested back in his seat, the car parked to the side, alongside a park and basketball court.

“I know … Patience, is the word, even when there isn’t enough time to do that.” Hopkins replied, knowing the deal. “As a team, we got it covered!”

“Let no bum steal your shine. Do you, be you and don’t worry about what other’s opinions are. You’re on the right path.”

Champion-esque like comments from Ramirez, boosting the morale of Hopkins as his face tells the answer. A calming smile as his eyes, you can see the determination within them. It was needed to take out the trash.

He was going to get to do that in a few days. For his homies, for his family, for himself.

GOT ISSUES??
“Starting A War”
Promo vs. "War Ensemble"

…And what a finale it will be on the twenty-third of December.

Roy Speede and Donald Deruty … “M&M” and …. “The Dying Breed”. One couldn’t ask for more. I’m sure Callahan wish he could get his ‘no good’ hands on another shot but he and his ‘friend’ blew that opportunity. Now we get to face the ‘broken pieces’ of what’s left of “War Ensemble”.

Now, I’m aware of the usual format from a tough loss like that. You grow more focused, your game plan is set and ready to be used. You feel salty and your aggressive factor goes up the scale a few notches. I know, I’ve felt that way and my boy, Bailey, he’s felt that pain of losing. You had a chance to be in this final for the tag titles but hey, shit happens, right?

Last week, I know I wasn’t at my best, but as a family, we made things work. We pictured ourselves being in the mix for the tag titles and now we have that chance to claim it come the twenty-third. But right now, it’s just us against you two bastards. Callahan, I’ve hated your soul for the longest. All the shit you’ve put people through, the shit you’ve managed to get away with. ‘Sons of the South’ really need to look in the mirror to see who the real fraud is, it’s you, Michael.

From your hair, down to your ‘JC Penny’ attire. You’re a counterfeit with a smile. You both need help. You have issues that need to be fixed. I and Bailey are the ‘solution’ you need to fixing those issues. Bailey hasn’t forgotten about you Callahan, and being that this is considered a ‘warm up’ match before Christmas Chaos, he’s going to look to embarrass you. We’re going to look to kill you two off.

‘G.I. D’oh’ … You’re absolutely insane. In a sense, you two do belong with each other. You and your split-personality along with that two-bit fraud, it’s a perfect recipe for failure. I know, you two are looking to embed your marking into us, but it’s not going to work. After watching you two against ‘M&M’, I just shook my head. I know I wasn’t at my best but to see you two, wreck-up like that, I just rubbed my hands together, knowing that come Asylum, we’d face off.

We formed together to rid of your type as it was multiplying by the days. The likes of myself, Bailey and Krunk, it was fading. We had to come together to fight the battle, this war. There need to be more like us, not be the ‘Callahan’s’ of the world or the ‘Jason Kash’s’. We needed to come together as one and fight that bad shit. We’re not looking to be ‘Captain Planet’ but our mission is the same, clean the company of the bullshit.

“The Dying Breed” versus “War Ensemble”

It’s going to be a battle, but in the end, when it matters most, we will survive the war.