John looks over at the other tables and stops at the Street Samurai again, this time a man in a suit is standing in front of them as they talk to each other. Another group of suits slowly makes their way towards John and Jamar’s table.

“Squeeze if it’s him.” Jamar can be heard faintly saying.

John looks over at Jamar who enthusiastically waves at the group.

“Hey, Hey! Look who it is. It’s good to see you’re still here.”

The Manager leading the group seems annoyed.

“If I recall correctly, I told you that you were not allowed on the premises, again.”

Jamar picks at his ears as he looks over at him.

“Really? I must be hard of hearing, I remember you saying not to come here alone again. Do I look alone to you?” Jamar asks, grabbing Destiny’s hand.

The Manager sighs as he looks over at John, who raises his arms up.

“Is this a robbery?” John asks jokingly.

Jamar laughs as he glances over.

“Sorry, this is his first time. He’s a CPA, don’t want to mess with him.” Jamar adds jokingly.

The Manager laughs.

In the background, an argument between the Street Samurai and an Executive breaks out. One of them grabs on the Executive and lifts him by the shoulder. The other two people accompanying the Manager are preoccupied as they walk over.

“You know what, since it’s his first time, I’ll let you go this one time.” The Manager says as he looks over at Destiny then towards Jada. Seeing this, Destiny presses on Jamar’s hand as she stares at the Manager. Jamar just puts on another smile.

“Oh, oh, oh. Really? How kind of you.”

“Here, I think I have something for you.” Jamar continues as he reaches into his jacket.

Seeing this, John’s eyes open up as Jada glances over, Destiny looks down as Jamar lets go of her hand. Pulling it out of his jacket, Jamar puts a gun onto the table.

A host walking by with a tray of drinks looks over at just the right moment.

“Gun!” The Host screams.

The Street Samurai look over as they see the two assistants walking towards them. They quickly pull out their weapons as the Executive looks around with panic filled on his face. The Manager just barely is able to look back as it all happens.

Jamar stares at the scene with a smile on his face.

John looks around before kicking the table over just as the Manager looks back at them.

Jamar grabs his gun from the air as he shoots the Manager in the head. Grabbing onto Destiny he puts her behind the table as John does the same with Jada.

Taking cover, a firefight ensues. It’s hectic as some of the guests draw their guns out too, while the security guards look around, they all begin to fire at each other.

“Wait, wait, I’m one of the good guys.” A voice cries out as he’s shot dead.

Hiding behind the table, John looks at the others, Jada is curled up in a ball as Destiny and Jamar are arguing at each other as bullets fly around them in the air.

“Why did you do that!?” Destiny shouts.

“I dealt with it, didn't I?” Jamar responds.

“I thought you said you were going to deal with it discreetly.” She retorts.

“I am.”

“There’s cameras everywhere in here.”

“I know. They’re closed circuit, as long as we get to them first, it’s not a problem.”

Jamar looks over at John who’s been staring at him.

“What the fuck!?” John shouts.

“I know. I know. Why don’t you just help me out?”

“Have you fucking lost it?”

“Listen, if we don’t clear out the cameras, the entire Mexi-Cali Cartel is going to be hunting us down.” Jamar says while trying to calm him down with his hand.

John looks down at the ground.

Then he looks towards Jamar.

“Fuck it. I’m already as good as dead.”

John peeks out, then begins to shoot towards a few security guards running inside.

They fall to the floor as John inspect his gun, it’s out of ammo. Dropping it, he looks over at Jamar, who shoots towards more and more guards who come running out.

The security guards shoot in the general direction of the Street Samurai as they rush towards the guards, a giant man leading them takes the brunt of the force as bullets deflect off of him. He grabs one of the guards and uses his body like a bowling ball throwing it at the others.

Behind him, two other street samurai, shoot at guards running in with almost pinpoint accuracy.

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John, Jamar and the others watch the one sided massacre as the group of Street Samurai begin to head for the exit.

Nearing the exit, the fat bodyguard heads inside, just as he does the vanguard slams him against a thick wall as his teammates run outside.

From behind the table, Jamar looks over at John.

“You ready?” He asks him.

John nods.

They advance out from the table as they look around at the one-sided massacre.

Lowering their guns, Jamar clicks his tongue.

“It’s always about who shoots first.”

John looks around as he stares at a massive pile of corpses around a doorway.

“Security room’s probably there.” John says.

They head over towards the doorway. Walking over the bodies, they head inside.

Inside, they begin to hear a man weeping as he holds onto a pistol as he huddles to himself in a ball. John and Jamar look over at him, as John signals to him to stop as he approaches.

“Hey, man. You alright?” John asks.

The man doesn’t respond, approaching closer they see the CCTV setup inside.

John shrugs as he calls Jamar over.

“Alright, what are we doing?” John asks.

Jamar gets to work, opening up the setup, he takes out the magnetic tapes from inside. Double checking the setup, he looks over at John.

“Alright, let’s go.”

“That’s it?”

“Told you it was going to be easy didn’t I?” Jamar responds.

“So what? Was this whole thing a setup?”

“No, I just knew the gig those guys were taking was no good. Was the perfect opportunity. Now come on, we’ve only got a few more minutes before the Cartel arrives.”

Jamar and John head out of the room as they look around at the scene in front of them.

Dead bodies on the floor, indiscriminate in their target, guests, hosts, hostesses, and security all scattered around. Men and women in tears breaking down as some look around trying to comprehend what just happened.

“Fuck.” John comments.

“It can be hard to get used to. It’s why most people end up leaving and never coming back.”

Jamar walks towards Destiny and Jada as John follows.

They stand over a male host as tears seem to be falling out from Jada’s face.

Grabbing onto Destiny, Jamar pulls her along.

“Come on, let’s go. It’s going to get a lot worse once the Cartel arrives.”

Jada looks over but doesn’t seem to care and continues to look at the body. John looks at her in pity as if remembering something she had said as he follows Jamar outside.

Just as they leave, the sound of cars coming to a sudden stop can be heard coming from outside. Then the loud sound of footsteps and doors opening and closing. Walking inside the Cartel members look around at the scene.

A Lieutenant is on the phone as he looks around at the scene.

“Yeah, it was them. What should we do?”

“Leave no witnesses” an older voice says.

Heavily armed with assault rifles, the Lieutenant nods at the Cartel Members as the begin to aim towards the people inside the club. A few of the hosts try to plead.

“Wait! We didn’t see anything! I swear!” One cries out.

It’s too late as gunfire continues into the area.

The Lieutenant watches as he makes his way back towards their cars, opening up his trunk he takes out a can of gasoline.

----------------------------------------

In the distance away, Jamar and John stop as they catch their breath. Destiny looks over at Jamar as she slaps him.

“Are you out of your goddamn mind!?” She shouts.

“What? I took care of it, didn't I?”

“You call murder, dealing with it? You could have taken him to the police or something.”

Jamar scoffs.

“You really think that would work? How many pockets do you think they have lined up just to get that city running? You think that anybody would speak up about it? Don’t kid yourself.”

She groans.

“I’m going to be blacklisted from the industry all because of you, I hope you’re happy.”

“You’re lucky I got you out before you got yourself killed.”

Suddenly, the sound of gunfire can be heard coming from the direction of the club.

Destiny’s eyes open as she looks at Jamar.

“Ah, that’s probably the Cartel.”

“What!? And you left Jada in there?”

“Oh right, I forgot. Ah well, she’s probably dead by now. Just how they do business, better to leave no witnesses than to hurt their reputation.” Jamar casually waves.

Destiny begins to cry.

“I don’t understand how you two can be so calm.”

John looks over at Jamar.

Who responds by shaking his head.

“Let’s just get you home to your parents. That okay with you?” Jamar asks.

She nods, unable to respond verbally.

----------------------------------------

In front of a series of townhomes, Jamar and John stare as Destiny is talking to her parents at the doorway, she seems to be breaking down as her parents try to comfort her. They look over at Jamar as they wave before closing the door.

They stare for a bit longer as Jamar begins to walk away, John follows.

It’s a nicer part of the area, with bits of greenery that aren’t weeds, trees and bushes scattered around, showing signs of decay from the urban environment but still there.

“Comes from a nice home, hard to see why she’d choose that lifestyle.”

“Happens all the time, recruiter comes to town pretending to be a fashion model, next thing you know, they’re addicted to heroin and on the streets in no time. They’re easy prey for guys like them.”

“I thought they said it was consensual.”

“They always do, you really think anyone would want to do this shit?”

Jamar sighs.

“So what now?” John asks.

“Let’s head back to base.” Jamar says.

“Jamar.”

“What?”

“I’m dying, man.”

“I know, we’ll figure something out, we always have.”

John stops.

“Not this time, the bills cost of treatment-”

“What about the insurance from the VA Office?”

“Not this time. Said that anything could have caused the type of cancer I have.”

Jamar sighs.

“Ever thought of being a Street Samurai?” John asks.

“You insane? You saw everything that happened there and you still want to be one?”

“Yeah, I do.”

Jamar begins to walk away.

“Forget it, if you want to die you can leave me out of it.”

“We’re friends aren’t we?”

Jamar stops.

“That’s different, I had everything planned out before I brought you in on it.”

“And if I did the same?”

Jamar turns around.

“You can’t plan for things like this.”

“But you can prepare.”

Jamar stands and looks at him in silence.

“Come on, it’s my only chance.”

“Alright, I’m in. But not my crew, I ain’t risking their lives for this.”

“That’s fine, I just needed a partner who knows about it already.”

“Good. Good.”