[d20 Modern] Gangs of Texas [PG-17] IC

[Jemal]

Ben Taub- Emergency Center
Texas Medical Center

Mike shakes his head, getting up from his fathers side and walking over to the door. "Hey, guys. He looks better but.. It's just not right seein him like that, ya know? Anyways, I just wanted to thank you for your concern.. Say, weren't you the other guy that got shot? Yeah, I think we talked yesterday.." He asks of Carlos.

 

[Velenne]

Ben Taub- Emergency Center
Texas Medical Center

"Carlos. Ya, that's me," Carlos takes note of Burton following Jess before turning to Mike and letting the door close, "and it's not the first time I've been shot either. But that's a long story. How you holding up?"

 

[Jemal]

"Good as can be, considering.. F*ck, man, If I hadn't jumped down it would've been me sitting there when the bullet came.. it woulda hit me, not him.." Mike sighs, shaking his head "And before you say it, I know it's not my fault, it's the Ass-monkey that shot the bullet, but I can't help it.. I just feel like it should be me laying on that bed." He looks up at Carlos again "You know, I been shot at and sh*t before, but never my dad, ya know, man? It's always just been, like ME." He stops and looks weirdly at Carlos "Hey, did you say YOU been shot before? When was that?" Mike asks, grateful for the distraction "Uh, that is if yer willin to talk 'bout it."

 

[garyh]

Phillis Wheatley High School, Principal's Office
Fifth Ward

"Malcolm, I'm sorry about your brother..." Lamar said. "Hopefully we can get him out of whatever he's involved in."

 

[Keia]

Phillis Wheatley High School, Principal's Office
Fifth Ward

"Lamar, I don't know what to think, but we sure as heck aren't gonna help Jeffrey in here. I don't think the cops are gonna do anything, and you know Dog Man is gonna find out. He'll probably come after us," Malcolm said dejectedly.

Malcolm pats him on the shoulder, "Look, Lamar, I'm sorry about Jerome. I don't think my brother did it . . . but I bet he knows who did. We find him, we beat the tar out of him until he tells us."

 

[Krizzel]

Johnson's Garage
Fifth Ward

"Well, Mayes can always stay with me a while if he needs to. I wouldn't think he'd be stupid enough to leave without somewhere to go, though." T-Bull fixed a plate for old man Johnson and set it next to him, shaking his shoulder lightly. "Wake up, old man. Got you some grub."

Taking a plate for himself, T-Bull waved Misty at the food as he sat down. "'Sides, I dunno that there's much we can do if he already made the deal. I'll ask Jess tonight, but usually once you sign the papers you're SOL. Maybe it's for the better," the big man hoped as he fished his cell phone out of his pocket. "Maybe they'll get somebody more responsible in there to take over."

T-Bull will dial up Jason and ask him to stop by the garage as soon as he can - he's got some info 'and more' to trade.

 

[Velenne]

Ben Taub- Emergency Center
Texas Medical Center

In reply, Carlos reaches down and hikes up his left pant leg a few inches. Cold blue titanium gleams in the soft light of the hostpital room just above his sockline.

"I was fifteen, living in the Fifth. Random drive-by. The ambulance was too slow in getting there. Now I'm 'bionic' from here, " he markes a spot about four inches above his left knee, " down. It was my tia, (my grandmother,) who taught me to use my weaknesses and turn them into strengths. To take the lemons life gives you and make lemonade, you know? Today I'm a doctor and two months ago one of the papers I wrote started a change in the entire prosthetic industry. So here I am...helping people.

"You know Mike, for a long time I thought to myself 'if I had been standing two inches...just two damn inches over in any direction," he holds up a hand and spaces his thumb and forefinger about two inches apart, "I would still be walking normal.' But then I realized that it doesn't do any good thinking about that. Your life is right in front of you now. If you think about the past, then life will pass you by. Take what's in front of you, and make the most of it because the End may be this... " he holds up the same two-inch-spaced fingers, "far away."

The fire in Carlos' eyes dims when he finishes. At last, he's been able to share that with someone. Sure he could have shared it with anyone, but to Mike (at least Carlos hopes) it will mean something that he can take with him forever. If not, then at least for Carlos it feels like a great weight has fallen off his shoulders.

 

[KitanaVorr]

Johnson's Neighborhood Garage
Fifth Ward

Old man Johnson snorted awake, blinking at T-Bull and then gazing at the food. Wiping the drool with the back of his hand, he smacked his lips together. "Tell your momma thank you," he spoke as he started digging into the food. "And she can bring her fine ass over here any time she wants to."

Jason answers the cell phone and listens to what T-Bull has to say. Afterwards he promises to stop by in the afternoon to see what T-Bull has got for him. There a few errands he needs to run first.

Glancing over the Misty, Johnson squinted for a moment. "Hey girl. Come eat...you look like someone wrung you through the garbage disposal." He pulled a chair for her and patted it. "Come here."

OOC: TBULL, MISTY

 

[Jemal]

Ben Taub- Emergency Center
Texas Medical Center

"Yeah man, I know what you mean, I used t' live in the fifth too, there's some bad sh*t going down there back then and its still goin on now." He then nods in agreement as Carlos finishes his speech "Yeah, you're right, man." He sighs and looks back towards his dad. "Don't do too much good to know it, though, when there aint nuthin I can do about it now. Somethings got to happen, those gangs've gotta be stopped, man, it's just wrong. People shouldn't have to walk around scared all the time, y'know?" His eyes return to Carlos as he takes a deep breath to steady himself. "And cops like Beerton don't exactly help the situation too much." (This said only if Barton isn't within earshot)

 

[Velenne]

Ben Taub- Emergency Center
Texas Medical Center

"Burton? Is he still here? I thought he caught a scent of twinkie in the trash can down the hall. Heh...

"But ya, as far as gangs go, I don't know what to do. My family still lives in fifth, you know? I've started saving so I can put a downpayment on a new home for them as far away from there as possible. There's just nothing else I can do about the whole situation. You would think police could do something, but if they're all like Burton, I can see why this city is going down the sh*thole.

"I've still got friends down there. Seems like the news has gotten bored with reporting all the murders so at least I don't have to worry about hearing their names every night."