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Pedro Calaveras

Jan 21st, 2009, 07:22:14 PM

Los Santos.

The arcade on City Walk was a popular place, but not with the kind of crowd you'd expect. There were no kids hanging around the front door, fishing through their pockets to find enough dimes to play another game of Street Fighter. In fact, there were no kids at all, and the only dimes to be found were bags. The shop-front windows were full of big decals, whose bright colors had faded and peeled long ago, advertising the arcade as the place for the latest and greatest in electronic entertainment. The shrill noise of the game cabinets still drifted out into the streets, but with it came the sound of raised voices on the edge of violence.

“You better jet, cholo!”

“You want some of this, banger?”

Weapons were drawn and at that moment the door to the arcade swung open, drawing the muzzles of both guns towards the figure in the threshold: Pedro Calaveras. He sneered and strode forwards, a cocky bounce in his step.

“Fuck's this? We lost enough already without you two bangers cappin' each other.”

The pair looked at him skeptically for a minute, then glanced back to each other and – all of a sudden – burst out laughing. “Shit, Calaveras. We wasn't gonna smoke each other.”

“Chingate, yeah. I got enough stress on this turf without you pendejo's fuckin' around.”

Walking on by the pair as they shoved their guns into their pockets and pants, Pedro spotted a couple of others smoking blunts by the pool tables, pale blue smoke clouding in the dim yellow light. The old man who ran the place was watching over everything from behind bullet proof glass, sitting atop his cash-box. Sidling up to the pool table, Pedro caught a hand-shake from one of the boys and was clapped on the back by another. Leaning one hip against the pool table, he watched the break - two yellow balls sunk - before looking up to his second in La Raza, Diego.

<style type="text/css">  </style> “So, where we at, vatos?”

Aidan Fox

Jan 21st, 2009, 08:00:09 PM

The Toyota pick-up turned into a back-alley parking lot and squeezed between two rusting 80's-model clunkers and hardly looked out of place. Aidan eased it forward until the front bumper was practically pressing against the brick wall in front of them.

"They're going to want us to prove we're mutants before they'll even consider talking," Aidan said as he squeezed his way out the driver-side door. "That should get Calaveras's attention, but after that we'll have to play it by ear. Just warn me if you sense things are getting too hot."

Jacob Foley

Jan 21st, 2009, 08:22:08 PM

"Calaveras."

Jake repeated the name and reflected on it, as if it would help him prepare for whatever they might encounter. They crossed the parking lot with only the crunch of dry dirt under their feet to break the silence. The neighbourhood was curiously quiet and it being late in the afternoon, the air was stuffy and hot. In his gut, Jake felt something he hadn't felt in years, the tight-knotted tension which precedes a meeting with the type of guys his mother warned him about. His palms were damp.

They came out from behind a closed down hardware store and crossed the road. From the arcade on the other side of the street there was laughter and the sound of men talking with heavy accents. His throat tightened. Their pace slowed as they approached the building and Jake gave Aidan a nod to let him know it was safe to enter. When the door swung open, heads turned their way and the pair of strangers stepped inside.

Pedro Calaveras

Jan 21st, 2009, 08:37:22 PM

“Ay yo trip...”

Calaveras - still stood by the table, talking in hushed tones with Diego - looked up at the call for attention. No one came by the arcade anymore, no one except the boys from La Raza – or anyone who wanted to start trouble with them. There were only eight of them in the arcade, but each had an intimidating aura about him, whether because of the tattoos that patterned their skin or the predatory way they moved about in the gloom.

Head cocked back, Pedro arched an eyebrow as he passed his blunt back to one of the others, eying the unfamiliar pair with suspicion.

“You make a wrong turn somewhere?”

Aidan Fox

Jan 21st, 2009, 08:45:24 PM

Aidan's eyes searched the smoky darkness and found Pedro quickly. He took a few steps to place himself firmly in the arcade, not lurking back toward the door as if he'd come in by accident. "We're here to talk to Calaveras," he said, simply, bluntly. "Is he here?"

On the way in, he'd done a quick headcount. He was aware of La Raza fanning out to flank them, but not overly concerned.

Jacob Foley

Jan 21st, 2009, 08:54:20 PM

Grateful that Aidan had spoken first, Jake fell in line with him, glancing around. The old man looked out of place, he thought. Wishing to look as casual as possible he tucked his hands into his jacket pockets. His fingers were met with cold metal and his heart sank; he still had the chain and brass knuckles from earlier. Just keep your mouth shut, he told himself.

Pedro Calaveras

Jan 22nd, 2009, 04:31:40 AM

The old man's eyes shifted restlessly between the members of La Raza and the two new arrivals. An observant eye might have noticed that, beneath the low lighting, the arcade bore the signs of more than just idle play. A scorch mark here, a hastily patched up hole there – traces that the boys spent their time doing more than just twitching joysticks and pocketing pool balls.

Pedro came further forward, rolling his shoulders as he walked. He wore a white wife-beater, low-rise jeans, and vintage Nike Dunks. As far as anyone could see, he was unarmed though, realistically, was big and broad enough that it didn't matter.

“Who wants t'know?”

Aidan Fox

Jan 22nd, 2009, 11:58:19 AM

It wasn't even a question where the authority was in the room right now. All the vatos in the room arranged themselves around Pedro, and it was more a matter of gravity than choice, like planets orbiting a sun. Aidan didn't even bother looking anywhere else.

"Just a couple brothers in arms," Aidan replied. "I'm Aidan, this is my friend Jake. We've got a problem with the Three Elevens and we want to cut a deal."

Jacob Foley

Jan 22nd, 2009, 01:30:18 PM

When Aidan introduced them, he gave the hulking ringleader a curt nod, other than that he remained perfectly still, observing the exchange.

Pedro Calaveras

Jan 22nd, 2009, 01:42:06 PM

“A deal, huh.”

Seemed everyone had a problem with the Three Elevens. The barrios were a war-zone and there wasn't a day went by when the 'Elevens and La Raza didn't clash. The problem was that neither gang would back down and neither had the strength to come out on top. Whilst he doubted these two kids would have the edge the boys needed to drive the 'Elevens out completely, Calaveras decided he would listen to what they had to say. The sooner they said their peace, the sooner he could send them on their way.

“So, brother.. what you got for me and mine?”

Aidan Fox

Jan 22nd, 2009, 05:37:18 PM

Aidan absently reached down into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a cigarette. He flipped it among his fingers as he considered Pedro.

"We were thinking maybe Banyon Street to Cuyahoga Avenue," he said. "Starting south of the warehouses down to about Forty-first. It'd be a start, anyway."

He'd just described a good half of the Elevens' territory, a sprawl of low-income blocks that included Redenci<link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5Candrewk%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cms ohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><style>  </style>ón and several of the nearby hangouts spots. It was a redrawing of the map that would put the house far from any contested boundaries.

Jacob Foley

Jan 23rd, 2009, 12:56:40 PM

Jake stiffened. He brought to mind the places Aidan named then the territory implied, it made sense considering their primary goal was to protect Redención House but it took him by surprise nonetheless, and he wondered what else he had in mind for them and their deal with this Calaveras. And if he accepted, what could they do to help? What wouldn't he do...

Pedro Calaveras

Jan 24th, 2009, 06:20:03 PM

“Shit... boy's crank, fo' sure. Gotta be, to roll into Eleven's turf lookin' like that. Scrawny little buster. Need one'a them.. wooden horses or some shit. Trojan style, you know what I'm sayin'?”

The mellow voice wasn't Pedro's, but another of the gang: a tubby looking guy in a Lakers vest. Laughing, he snorted, a puff of smoke rushing from his nostrils. Pedro looked his way and couldn't help but smile a little before his eyes drifted back to Aidan. That the other kid wasn't saying anything didn't really matter.

“Keep talkin'...”

Aidan Fox

Jan 24th, 2009, 08:28:23 PM

"I can do better than that."

Aidan lifted his cigarette, which caught fire in his hand. Then he threw it down to the floor.

There was an outburst from the onlookers and a clatter of drawing guns, but Aidan stayed them with a raised hand. The burning cigarette flickered, then sent out a spiderweb of thin, blue, fiery lines, as if following an intricate trail of gasoline on the floor; the burning lines branched and rejoined and the grid expanded until it became a fair representation of the Los Santos streets, about five feet across.

Aidan stepped into the fiery roadmap and crouched down. It didn't seem to affect him or his clothes. "Banyon," he said, tracing one of the thicker lines, "Cuyahoga, here's the Ricardo strip mall, the precinct office. But what we're concerned about is here."

He tapped an intersection, which flared up several inches high.

"Corner of Twenty-Second and Lakewood. There's a club there that's owned by the Elevens, their biggest front in the burrough. All the money they get from their Los Santos operations runs straight through there. Hit 'em hard enough, and it's not a war. It's a rout."

Jacob Foley

Jan 24th, 2009, 09:02:25 PM

From the moment Aidan flicked his cigarette to the ground a discreet grin crept across Jake's face; the startled outburst from the others, the impressive display of control exhibited by his companion over his powers, and his fully illustrated tactical presentation. It was hard not to be impressed no matter how many times previous he'd witnessed the fire mutant's gift. He shuffled close, the heat from the flames made his forehead clammy. So that was the plan, he thought.

There was something else on his mind. Jake had known Aidan for six months and during that time, he'd come to an understanding of the man by watching how he dealt with people and how he worked. Also, being a telepath, he'd developed an unconscious sense of him that few others could understand; whether it was a flicker of emotion or a thought bubbling noisily to the surface. He would never intrude upon the thoughts of his friends, but both Jake and Anna knew that there were things about his past Aidan prefered to keep to himself. And having a rather murky history himself, Jake understood. Or at least he thought he did.

The sight of Aidan crouched amongst a flaming map of Los Santos cast him, literally and metaphorically, in a different light. Here, in this nest of lawless vipers, he was a picture of cool confidence and completely comfortable delivering a tactical briefing to a band of men he'd never met. It was a side of him Jake had never before seen and he watched with fascination.

Pedro Calaveras

Jan 29th, 2009, 09:40:51 AM

Swaggering steps brought Calaveras toe-to-toe with the map of the neighborhood. As he looked it over, he nodded slowly to himself. “Twenty-Second and Lakewood, yeah. Place is full of gangbangers, payin' off la jura so they don't got to worry about getting' shut down.”

Another of the gang stood to Pedro's right, driving a balled fist into his palm.“So let's go smoke some bitches, eh, ese? Man, I been itchin' to show them busters who's boss. La Raza gonna break some punks, take the streets back. Where you from, brother? Not many of our kind in Los Santos.”

Calaveras was still studying the map, wheels turning behind his eyes, but seemed satisfied to let one of the homeys question Aidan.

Aidan Fox

Jan 29th, 2009, 12:25:41 PM

"Me? East coast," Aidan replied, "around New York." He hadn't told Anna and Jake much more than that. "But there are more of us around here than you think."

He stood up again, towering over the neighborhood map in burning relief.

"Listen, I know you don't need our help just to knock over a bunch of pendejos mundanos," he said to the gang at large. "But we know the neighborhood, we know where the cops patrol, and we can help make sure everything goes down smoothly. In return, you help us keep out the mutant-hating bastards who roughed up Jake's sister and her kid. What do you say?"

The burning map disappeared, and Aidan locked eyes with Calaveras.

Pedro Calaveras

Feb 4th, 2009, 12:49:14 PM

For someone Calaveras had never seen around Los Santos before, the kid seemed to know what he was talking about. Seemed, at least. Though there was no doubting that he was a mutant after his little display, whether or not La Raza wanted to get involved was another matter entirely. It was within his power as gang-leader to make a decision for everyone, without consulting them, but...

Head cocked back, Pedro eyed Aidan a second longer before speaking. “You give me a couple of days and I'll give you an answer.”

Aidan Fox

Feb 4th, 2009, 01:19:14 PM

Aidan nodded and fished for a moment in his coat pocket. He pulled out a scrap of paper - happened to be a receipt from Aldi's for a dozen eggs and a six-pack of Dos Equis - tore off a corner, scribbled something down, and handed it to Pedro.

"That's my cell number," he said. "Let me know, and then we'll work something out. Later."

Aidan motioned to Jake, and the two of them turned and headed out of the arcade. Aidan didn't bother looking back. The ball was in Pedro's court now.

Jacob Foley

Feb 4th, 2009, 02:58:09 PM

It took Jake a little longer to leave, slowly he turned on the ball of his foot, his gaze catching each member of La Raza and finally Pedro, to whom he gave a parting nod. When he'd caught up with Aidan outside, he couldn't help but give him a sly grin as he repeated his words:

"It's not a war, it's a rout? Jesus, Aidan, when did you go all G.I. Joe on me?"

Aidan Fox

Feb 4th, 2009, 06:08:10 PM

"Hnn? Oh."

Aidan shrugged. It was an eloquent shrug. It very eloquently told you nothing at all.

"Just thinking, the last thing we need is a drawn-out gang war on our doorstep," he said. "La Raza, they get their heads together, they ought to be able to sucker-punch the Three Elevens into submission and take over the neighborhood. We'll still be in gang territory, but at least now the gang owes us a favor."

He turned into the parking lot and squeezed between the pick-up and an old El Camino so he could open the door. Once he got in, he reached across the bench seat to unlock the passenger-side door and started the engine.

Jacob Foley

Feb 5th, 2009, 05:53:48 AM

"I get that. It makes perfect sense. It's you I don't get," he said, climbing into the truck.

"Where did you learn to talk like that? You sounded like an ex-marine or something, man..."

His voice trailed off and for a moment the only sound was the soft chug of the engine. It was a poor topic of conversation to have taken with Aidan and he'd let his enthusiasm get the better of him. They pulled out of the parking lot and rolled out onto a quiet stretch of road. He started fumbling with a tobacco tin in his lap.

"I reckon they'll go for it. They need this as much as we do."

Aidan Fox

Feb 6th, 2009, 12:57:54 PM

Aidan nodded, though he seemed awfully distant. Like he'd just opened a door on something and was waiting to see what would come creeping out.

"Yeah," he said, "they do. I guess the big question is how far we go along with them. You know, I wish I could say this was going to be a one-and-done deal, but..."

Jacob Foley

Feb 6th, 2009, 06:03:15 PM

"I know," he said, not missing a beat, "We've invited it."

He gently rocked in time with the truck, occupied with the contents of the stained old tin. Tucked safely under a mound of tobacco was a plastic money bag filled with small olive brown pellets. He plucked one from the bag and poised it gingerly over an open paper. Next came the lighter and with a click, he bathed the hashish in the flickering flame until it released a thin whisp of smoke. By now, he hoped Aidan had relaxed and if not, he figured this would help. A knowing smile played on his lips.

"So what did you think of our potential future associates?"

Aidan Fox

Feb 8th, 2009, 08:35:05 PM

"A gang's a gang," Aidan replied. "If they didn't carry a chip on their shoulders, they wouldn't know what to go do with themselves. They'll be up to it, but they're gonna need to think about weapons other than guns. Sonova..."

He braked hard and rode up close to the sidewalk to avoid a Dodge Dart that had cut him off.

"We still getting Chinese food?"

Jacob Foley

Feb 8th, 2009, 09:01:24 PM

When the truck suddenly stopped, the tobacco tin, its contents, and the unrolled joint were sent crashing into the footwell. Jake's jaw clenched.

"Fuck's sake!" he hissed, and flung the heated lump of hash, it clung to the windscreen like sticky tac. After a beat of silence, he resigned himself to the task of gathering the scattered tobacco about his feet.

"I almost forgot about the food," he said, his muffled voice surfacing from between his legs, "So we need to make a stop at Wong's first. And speaking of food, you know the scrawny little dude back there? The whole time we were there all he could think about was eating."

Aidan Fox

Feb 8th, 2009, 09:16:16 PM

"Should ask him about restaurants next time we're around," Aidan replied idly.

Jake's gift ran silently for the most part, except when he was having one of his psychic episodes, and it was often easy to forget what he was capable of. Aidan was personally grateful Jake had never tried to pry too deep in his case. At least, Aidan didn't think he'd ever tried. He hung a left toward the plaza where Wong's huddled between the pet shop and the laundromat.

"We'll have to take stock of what we have to work with," Aidan said. "Find out what everybody has to offer. I know you can pick up thoughts - can you locate people by them?"

Jacob Foley

Feb 8th, 2009, 09:41:08 PM

"Once I become familiar with them and provided they're not miles away. It's like distinguishing a voice belonging to someone you know in a crowd of strangers but with a better hearing range."

He replaced the contents of the tobacco tin then delicately closed it, deciding it would be better to wait until he was in the relative safety of his stationary bedroom. The truck rolled to a stop outside Cho Wong's Kitchen, the cooling engine ticked away, and Jake slipped out.

"I put the order in half an hour ago. It should be ready now."

He closed the door, rounded the car and disappeared inside.

Aidan Fox

Feb 8th, 2009, 10:17:22 PM

Aidan drummed his fingers on the steering wheel while he waited. He was starting to piece together a plan of attack... if they timed it right with the police patrols, they could probably get through the worst of it before the cops responded. Depended on what mutations were available, how much confusion they could sow before closing the trap--

A pair of headlights flashed at him out of the rear-view mirror. A large, dark SUV had pulled into one of the parking spaces behind him, and in the waning light, Aidan could just barely see the shapes of a driver and passenger through the windshield.

They might have been there to pick up their laundry. Except the engine was still running and no one got out.

"Oh, shit."

Aidan looked back through the window of Wong's and silently encouraged Jake to hurry.

Jacob Foley

Feb 8th, 2009, 11:03:51 PM

"No, no, keep the change."

Jake finished the transaction hastily and reversed away from the counter, thanking the beaming twins who had prepared the large order he now carried in plastic bags. The door was ajar, he pursuaded it open with a stiff kick, sending the bell overhead into a jingling spasm. He met Aidan's gaze through the window as he passed, he arrived quickly at the passenger side and eased the bags in first. Once inside, he glanced into the rear-view mirror.

"Do you think it's them?" he asked, and double-checked his jacket pockets for the comforting touch of cold metal.

Aidan Fox

Feb 8th, 2009, 11:09:54 PM

"You tell me," Aidan said. "You picking up any waves of goodwill and charity coming from their direction?"

Jacob Foley

Feb 8th, 2009, 11:25:12 PM

The sudden surge of adrenalin was making it difficult for Jake to concentrate and as he stared off into space, as he was so often prone to do, he got the sinking feeling that they would be looking over their shoulders a lot more in the future. Then he got the distinct impression of watching himself, like some kind of out-of-body voyeur, and it was unmistakeable.

"Looks like our meeting with Calaveras is no secret," he said finally, as they pulled away from the plaza. In the wing mirror, he saw the SUV creep out into the steady stream of traffic and he tensed in his seat at the thought of them being followed home. He turned to Aidan.

"We need to lose them."

Aidan Fox

Feb 9th, 2009, 01:45:54 AM

"Sounds like you read my mind."

Aidan took a side road that led decidedly away from Banyon Street and then found an on-ramp that took him onto the 710. Traffic was hairy on the highway, but the SUV's headlights stayed in the mirrors.

"We might be a little late getting back."

Aidan gave the old truck more gas and slipped through a shrinking gap between an eighteen-wheeler and the Camaro trying to pass it - the Camaro driver honked obscenities and started tailgating Aidan. Which was fine with him. It meant a barrier between them and the SUV.

Jacob Foley

Feb 9th, 2009, 10:11:57 PM

The gloom of dusk had set in and the freeway was awash with glaring lights. An icy draft slipped in through the door as they pushed forward, giving Jake an uncomfortable chill on his neck, and he hugged his arms to himself while eyeing the rushing road with nervous apprehension. Every extra ounce of acceleration Aidan squeezed out of the clunking truck left him a little short of breath. They weaved to the right into one lane, another cacophony of angry horns, then snaked back to the left. Jake peered into the rear-view mirror.

"It's working, man. Keep it up," he said flatly, "There's a turn off coming up, so- Wait!"

Then like the hungry eyes of a stalking predator, the SUV's beaming headlights slinked out of sight. Jake bobbed to catch a glimpse of it in the rear-view mirror and then his wing mirror. He turned and his heart started to race. To the far right the SUV was tearing up the shoulder, closing the distance between them fast.

"Oh shit, it looks like they mean business!"

Aidan Fox

Mar 2nd, 2009, 08:09:58 PM

"Crap."

Aidan ground the accelerator up to seventy, but he'd worked on this truck enough to know it wouldn't take much more of this punishment. He spotted the sign for the Lakewood exit coming coming up.

Aidan took one hand off the wheel and reached it toward Jake. "Give me the napkins."

Jake pressed a generous wad of cheap napkins into Aidan's hand - good thing Mr. Wong though they were messy eaters at Redencion. As the exit loomed ahead of them, Aidan cranked down the driver's side window.

The narrow offramp plunged between the highway and a tall concrete sound barrier. As the SUV barreled after them down the cement canyon, Aidan held the fistful of napkins out the window and ignited them.

They were harmless, of course. But there was something fundamentally distracting about a cluster of blinding blue fireballs fluttering straight at your windshield while navigating a narrow ramp at high speeds.

Aidan slammed on the brakes to negotiate the sudden bend in the offramp. The SUV wasn't so lucky and plowed straight into the concrete baffle.

Jacob Foley

Mar 9th, 2009, 10:36:14 AM

"Jesus."

He winced at the crunching sound of metal buckling under its own weight, a lone horn sounded continuously behind them, hanging ominously in the air long after the sight of the crash had disappeared from the rear view mirror. Jake swallowed, looking quite pale, and gave Aidan a nod of approval.

"Quick thinking," he managed to say, then sighed, settling back into his seat. They rounded a corner and Redención House swung into view.

"So this is how it's going to be..."