In the present, the war against The Corporation turned into a war with each other. With each gang trying to grab as much unclaimed territory as possible, it won't be soon before they start stepping on each other's toes. Tensions between the gangs, poverty in the street & people still dying from a virus create the perfect smoke screen for what's to come.
Silow's Hideout
Jamaica, Queens
Christmas Eve 2040
11:50pm
Meli is pacing back and forth across her office with a pair of dark shades on. Taking a shot of Casamigo's each time she reaches the bar on the far left. She's been searching for even a trace of Neshon for a little under 4 years now. She can't help but feel guilty because she was the one who opened the door for him to join this life & now he's missing or worse. She takes two shots back to back, trying to clear her mind but focus at the same time. Suddenly she hears a familiar knock on the door. She grabs her pistol and approaches the door slowly. As she gets closer to the door she hears another knock.
"Who is it?" Meli says.
"wow, being gone for this long I would've thought that I got a nicer reception that this." A voice says behind the door.
Meli instantly recognized the voice & excitedly unlocked the door. When the door opens, there stands Neshon, smiling. Meli jumps into his arms and hugs him tightly. She grabs him by then hand and pulls him inside. She sits him down and pours them both a shot. They take the shot and Meli returns the shot glasses to the bar. She brings ice, two cups and the half finished casamigos bottle.
"wow looks like the party got started without me." Neshon says while laughing.
Meli laughs at first and gets serious. Every ounce of liquor missing wasn't enough to replace the tears she shed over Neshon.
"wasn't no fucking party." Meli says quietly.
"huh?" He says.
"wasn't no fucking party. For the last almost 4 years I've been looking for you. Not knowing whether or not to mourn you or to keep searching. I couldn't even give you a burial site amongst all of this gang bullshit & it's not like I had a body to bury anyway. So yes, I've been drinking a lot." Meli yells.
Neshon realizes that Meli is in love with him. He can't act like this isn't the only woman he cares about but he cares about revenge more than her. Love can wait, he won't be able to live in peace unless he's walking over their bones.
Neshon takes the bottle from her and takes a drink from it. He pulls her in and hugs her.
"These past four years haven't exactly been easy. If I could've come back, I would've." Neshon says.
"what happened to you?" Meli asks him quietly.
Neshon didn't think that far. He turns around and heads to the bar to grab more ice to give himself time to make something up.
"while the Corp interrupted our battle, they shot me with a stray bullet & I passed out. I woke up while they were searching the area and got out of sight before they could find me. My blood trail gave me away so I had to keep running until they forgot about me. I tried to go up to Mount Vernon but the Royals have spread their territory from Harlem to the Bronx and they're even working on the lower east side. Well, what they can get under the Corp's nose." He says.
Meli immediately softened up. He didn't say much of anything but his performance was enough to convince her. Meli grabbed his shirt with her long red fingernails and sat him down on the bed. All flags look red through rose gold lenses. She kisses Neshon and he takes full advantage. This wasn't the first thing on his list but why not have some fun?
After they have sex, Meli is fast asleep. Neshon quietly gets up and goes to the bathroom rubbing his eyes. He quietly closes the door and immediately pulls the white contacts out of his eyes. He puts a few eye drops in his eyes to stop the irritation, then puts some cold water on his face. As he opens his left eye and looks up his gold iris and retina sparkles over his onyx black eyeball. He turns the water off and dries his face. He chuckles as he puts the contacts in solution and pulls another pair out of his basketball shorts pocket. He sits them on the counter and sits on the edge of the bathtub. He places his hands on his head and sighs. He has to think of this next move and quick. He hears the lamp click on in the bedroom and rushes to put the contacts in. In less than a second Meli was outside the door calling Neshon's name.
He flushed the toilet and runs the water as he puts his other contact in. He washes his hands & dries them. He takes one last look in the mirror before he puts the contact case in his pocket and opens the bathroom door.
Meli gives him a kiss and giggles and she leads him back to the bedroom. They lay back down and Meli puts her head on Neshon's chest.
"I missed you Shon, more than you know. I've been so lonely & with you back at my side I feel protected. I haven't even been organizing anything with the Royals because I've been so depressed. However.." she stops speaking and she goes into the bedside drawer. She pulls out a map of New York. She colored & dated it according to the various gang movements and conquests. Even though she's been reserved she's still doing her research on everyone else.
"this is our guide to greatness. As you can see we have a long way to go & lots of areas to take over but since we've gone dark we've ben training and recruiting. Oh yes, here comes the group of new recruits now." She says proudly.
As the steps get closer and the door opens. Neshon pours another shot and starts rolling a spliff. The recruits line up and Meli starts to take off her shades. Neshon is surprised to see their all female. Meli stands up and stands infront of Neshon facing the line of women. The women also have shades & hats on & Neshon can't make out their faces.
"after our last battle, I couldn't help but think. How did we not know that these motherfuckers had powers?" She says while walking towards Neshon.
Neshon quietly swallows his spit.
"& I came to an answer.... Instead of trying to figure out their powers. We should get some of our own. They think we're just a bunch or rich morons & I've done something monumental.. take off your glasses ladies." She says.
Meli turns around and Neshon sees their eyes. They shine a captivating rose gold color. He smirks, all she'd see is red flags anyway.
"they're not just gorgeous, they're deadly.." she says
Meli runs her unusually sharp nails across Neshon's neck. Neshon has a look of confusion across his face.
"want to see an example?" She asks.
Neshon sits up as Meli buzzes two guards and a prisoner in. They throw him on the floor and leave him.
"he was caught selling our secrets to other gangs. I couldn't think of an appropriate punishment until now.. sit him up. Era, come here." She says while beckoning towards her.
A long legged, slim woman came to the front. Her skin color reminded you of the finest chocolate from the old days. Neshon was captivated by her and caught Meli's eye out the corner of his eyes. He sits up.
Neshon clears his throat. "so, how does this work? You gotta look at them? Make them dinner, what?" He says.
Meli glares at Neshon then smiles. Neshon em ever joked like that. Meli thinks about the story he told her about his escape and realized that there's holes in it. She shakes it off and figured this show of power will be enough for him to realize that she's not the same girl that needed to be protected.
"you'll see... Era, go ahead." She says with a smile.
Era steps to the man who is blindfolded and gagged. She drops his blindfold and he looks into her eyes. His body instantly relaxes. She stands him up and removes the bandana from his mouth. She kisses him & he starts convulsing & foaming at the mouth. When he hits the floor he's still.
"sit up." Era says
The man instantly sits up. Era unties his hands & takes the bandana off his neck.
"remove the blindfold off of your eyes stand up and step into the light. I want to see you." Era says.
Neshon stands up at the same time the man does. When he removes his blindfold Neshon sees Royal purple eyes. He chuckles and lights the spliff, circling the man. The man looks straight forward.
"so, what makes this different from the hypnotist?" He asks.
"with hypnotism, there's enough of the persons psyche left to make decisions against commands. With this.." She says.
Meli approaches Neshon and runs her nails across his neck.
"our fingers secrete a toxin specific for each of us. Instead of getting into their mind, we corrupt their whole being.. it could be from a cut with our nails, sex or even..." She says.
Meli stands infront of Neshon and kisses him
"a kiss." She says softly.
Neshon stands there with an unphased look on his face but was worried internally. What if it works and it fucks with him? What if it doesn't work and she notices something is up?
Meli smiles. "we can control it though, what fun would it be if we couldn't enjoy these things without having a horde or slaves? Ladies, thank you, you may go now... oh yeah and Era.. you can keep him.." she says.
Era smiles and snaps her fingers. The ladies leave with the man trailing behind Era.
Neshon laughs and picks Meli up. She straddles him as he lays on the bed and passes her the blunt. He turns off the light and they call it a night.
Noremac Hideout
Brownsville, Ny
January 4th 2040
11:50 pm
Irie and Ike are sitting in the living room smoking, awaiting midnight so they can celebrate another of Irie's birthdays.
"how does it feel to actually be grown now?" Ike asks
Irie side eyes him.
"I been grown. I been taking care of you & everyone else since I was little." She says.
They share a serious stare and Ike starts laughing.
"whatever nigga, you're still my little sister. You've accomplished a lot during this year." He says
"you say that every year." She says nonchalantly
"I mean we changed the game, taking dehydrated blood and making powder was genius." He says with excitement.
"you're waiting for acknowledgment for that idea. huh?" She says. Irie sighs before continuing. "I suppose you did your part with that. Mixing it with cocaine makes it the most potent powder in Brooklyn." She says.
Ike smiles and sighs. Irie sucks her teeth and laughs.
"it's hard to get a compliment out of you. Honestly though, I'm proud of you. We're ready for the next step." He says happily.
Irie turns on the overhead board with a remote. A colored map of New York is shown. Irie takes a laser and circles queens.
"we're taking queens. With us having the best dope & with their willingness to spend top dollar, we'll quickly have the resources to take the rest of New York." She says very matter of factly
"I'm impressed. How long do you think it'll take you to do it?" Ike asks.
"I give it about 5 years...or less." She says.
"or more." He responds.
Irie gives Ike a look that made his heart sink. He knows how she gets when she's challenged. He picks up a spliff & sits back as he lights it.
"all I'm saying is we can't underestimate the other side." He says.
"you're the one that's informed about the other sides battle styles. Since they're your mans. Right?" She says sarcastically.
Ike starts laughing. "don't ask, don't tell remember. Anyway, business is just that. At the end of the day, if it don't make money it don't make sense." He says.
"that's some bullshit. As my brother you're supposed to tell me about shit like this. Especially if it has something to do with losing everything I ever worked for." She says angrily.
Ike passes the spliff and stands up. He puts his coat on and grabs his gun off the bar.
"you're grown. you can figure that out. your problem will always be your pride. You walk around here acting like you did all this by yourself. Where you think I got the whole passing power on by blood thing?" He asks.
Irie was ready to argue but stops when he says this.
"exactly. you're so busy thinking you're the shit but don't see that you're becoming a non contender." He says.
He walks towards the door and stops.
"you say I'm your brother & family means everything... at what point we're you thinking about me in all of this? Where's my office? Where's my unit to command? Who am I other than somebody with a master key card?" He says with a little hurt in his voice.
"I knew it, this is about status. If that's all you wanted you could've said that." She says.
"you still don't get it." He says. He sighs and takes a pull of the weed. "you always make it feel like dad never left." He says.
Ike walks out as irie lights the spliff. She sits down and looks at the map on the projector.
"imma take queens, with or without you." She says.
Retlas hideout
Bedstuy, Ny
January 23rd 2040
11:45 PM
Suri and Norach sit in her office, laughing in celebration. The RETLAS have spread their territory from Bedford and Nostrand to the Williamsburg bridge. They're the biggest gang in the city but have kept their presence so discreet that nobody would ever know.
"bro you gotta stop putting guns on the roof. Imagine our opps see it." Suri says.
"it's blended too well, they'd have to know it's up there & so far, only me and you know. You plan on sabotaging everything you worked for?" Norach asks.
"of course not bro." Suri says before she starts laughing.
"exactly!.... ahhh man, it's been a hell of a ride." Norach says with a sigh.
"Yeahh you're right, I wouldn't change anything. I just know that rides go up and down. We've been up for a while... I can't help to think how steep we're going to go down." Suri says.
"I mean so far we've gone by undetected. As long as we keep doing what we're doing we should be good. Besides, all the other gangs have been quiet up till now-" Norach says.
Osal comes into the room looking frazzled. He's sweating and shaking as he struggles to speak.
"R-R-Royals, h-h-hundreds of them." Osal stammers.
Norach grabs Osal and slaps him.
"get it together and speak!" Norach says.
Suri hands Osal a shot of Hennessy. He takes the shot and calms his breathing.
"Hundreds of Royals have infiltrated our territory. They disrupted the building of our wall at the Williamsburg bridge. Their forces were too large for us to hold off." Osal says.
"so what does that mean?" Norach asks.
"they're on their way here right now. Their mobile troops will be here in 5 minutes. Their ground forces will be here in 30." Osal says in a panic.
Norach and Suri look at each other and without a word they head to the armory floor.
Osal watches them leave the room and a smirk flashes across his face before he returns to his office.
Down in the armory..
"that bastard Dion.. we've been crossing each others territory peacefully." Neshon says.
Suri is quietly getting her gear on. She checks the clips to her twin desert eagles and goes to the rifle cabinet.
"oh word? We're going heavy artillery?" He asks with a grin.
"if there's hundreds, we might as well go all the way." She says
Norach is confused as he lights his clip.
"if he's bold enough to attack my base, we'll just take his." She says
Norach passes the blunt and chuckles.
"fuck it, happy birthday." He says.
Suri sends the alarm to the infantry floor. She and Norach then head to roof to defend HQ from the Royals mobile fleet.
An Hour Eariler....
Osal is in his office doing paperwork when a video chat request pops up on his screen. Osal closes the blinds and tilts his office light up to blind the camera.
"Hello Osal. Are you ready for today?" A voice says.
"of course. Did you rethink my safety contract." He says.
"yes we did. We can to the conclusion that you've been a helpful enough asset this far. We also think that you stay where you are is the best chance for you to continue be a good asset. Once our plan reaches a certain point. We will send an extraction team that you will meet and you will be safely transported to our HQ." The voice says
Osal sighs and sits back in relief.
"in 45 seconds the Royals will reach the Williamsburg bridge." The voice says.
"they have no idea. I deactivated the communications from that sector to anyone else. They're sitting ducks." He says with a smile.
"excellent work. Now remember, this has to look real but you cannot notify them until the Royals are able to get close enough to catch them off guard." The voice says.
"of course, I know what makes them tick." He replies.
His face turns from a grin to a grimace just thinking about Norach and Suri.
"it's going to be an award winning performance..." Osal says.