Tatsu - The Threat

Chapter 14 - The Fight

Russel was smoking pot with the gang in the dumpster alley. The place where Los Locos not only enjoyed getting high, but also practiced their artistic talent on the school walls.

"That looks like me, but that don't look like my gun Petey. Here, look at it real good. I want future generations to know Russel wuz here holmes!"  

Russel saw Brian was approaching. "Hey Petey! Why don't you draw a chicken next to me man so fools at this school can also remember Brian!" The gang laughed hard staring at Brian.

"What's up guys!" said Brian smiling and bracing for what was coming.

Everyone got quiet. Brian cleared his throat looking at the graffiti on the wall. "That's coming out real nice Pete!"  Pete looked at Russel and didn't respond to Brian's comment.

Punishing Brian with a cold moment of silence, Russel finally said something. "How crazy are you ese?", he asked Brian, but looking at Paul.

"Depends on what you mean by crazy. If you mean loco, I'm crazier than all you muthafuckas!" replied Brian. The gang burst in cynical laughter. 

"Yeah, walking out on us like a little bitch don't make you seem too crazy," said Paul staring Brian down. Everyone laughed again while some of the voices in the background insulted Brian harshly.

"The first thing you gotta do dog is lose that fuckin' accent," said Russel. Everyone laughed even harder. Brian had anticipated the harsh treatment after running out on the gang the way he did.

"Just practice saying shit in English all day ese! I now most of us are Mexican here except for whitey Paul, but you talk too Mexican holmes. You're in the US now cuz. You get me?" said Russel.

Brian wasn't looking for a new perspective on his ethnicity, he was looking to feel American, he was trying to fit in, just trying to follow what he believed was his new path. He couldn't believe how difficult the endeavor had been the last four years and he was frankly tired of the whole situation. He loved Amercia, why wasn't she loving him back? Unfortunately, Brian would never forget Russel's words. They marked him for life.

"You have to earn the gang's trust if you wanna continue being in Los Locos. There's something you gotta do ese," said Paul. Everyone was attentive since no one knew what the heck Paul was talking about. "You gonna have to fight Sopheak and beat his ass. If you don't fight, you're out. If you get your asked kicked, you're out."

Everyone knew Sopheak was the son of an ex-colonel in the Cambodian military forces who betrayed the communist government and fled the remnants of Pol Pot's savage practices. A young man who was trained to fight and kill from a very young age. A young assassin. 

Pete looked at Russel. "Hey man, that's some bullshit. Say something holmes. We follow you, not muthafuckin' Paul!" Russel just stared at Paul and didn't respond.

Brian and Pete were staring at each other with a tragic semblance for an instant, then Brian started to walk away. This was practically a death sentence.

"Hey pendejo. I ain't done with you yet. You have to pick a fight with him tomorrow. That's your deadline," yelled Paul.

It was a sleepless night. There was now doubt if the need for belonging was actually more important than well-being, than being alive. There was no God for prayer, no dragon palace, no Tora. The gruesome scene of Sopheak viciously beating those bodies on the ground as they screamed in pain and horror was on permanent replay that night. Without faith, Brian had nothing, but his acumen in facing fear and injustice. He tossed and turned forcing an idea to come to him. He could have just walked away from Los Locos, but he had nowhere else to go.