“Edward, who is this outsider?” One of the well-dressed men asked.

“He’s my student,” Edward replied

“He’s a thug.” The men callously responded.

Unable to defend himself against their words, Johnny lowered his head and stared at the ground beneath him. Edward put his arm around Johnny as they walked down the stairs and pass the well-dressed men.

“We got the information we came for. Let’s go, Johnny.” Edward said as he closely watched the movements of the well-dressed men around them.

Again, Johnny was reminded of the past he couldn’t escape and was shunned for it. Is he supposed to run from it forever? Will people eventually forget about the pain that he had caused with the Street Kings? Maybe, he thought, he should leave New York and never return. These were the thoughts that ran through his mind as he and Edward made their way back onto the ferry leaving fantastical Manhattan. Once the ferry docked back at Far Rockaway, they got back into Edward’s car and drove away.

“The paper said that he, your son is currently in Queens,” Johnny said to break the silence.

“Are you going to be, okay?” Edward asked concerned for Johnny.

“Yeah,” Johnny responded.

It had been nearly two years since Johnny was nearly killed during the brawl on the bridge and no one from the Street Kings had even thought to see if he was alive or not. Although he didn’t hold a grudge, he often wondered what would have happened if he had stayed with them until he did die. As Johnny rode into Queens, passed the old projects that he and Axel met Jorge in years ago he began to remember all the times that he robbed, fought, and vandalized his way through the ranks within the gang and all the fame and women a teenager could want that came with it. He also remembered the abuela that ran the bodega that he used to frequent. All his bittersweet memories flooded his mind as he looked out of Edward’s windows.

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“Clark’s nearby,” Edward told Johnny as he started to push the brakes on the car until it came to a stop.

Edward and Johnny got out of the car and stepped onto the dead brown grass that looked as if it hadn’t been watered in months. The sun beat down on them as they went towards Clark’s location in the park that resided on 56th Street. Men dressed in shorts and white tank tops were watching the children play on the swing set as they poorly hid their guns under their tank tops.

“The police still don’t do anything about this,” Edward said disappointedly

“The police are still scared. So the Street Kings are the police now.” Johnny remarked.

Johnny and Edward walked through the tall steel gate of the park onto the basketball court where there were a group of men and women shooting dice instead of playing basketball. The memories of Johnny and his old crew doing the same flashed through his mind briefly.

“Do you see him?” Johnny asked Edward.

“Nope. Let’s keep looking.” Edward responded.

The further Johnny and Edward ventured into the park, the more Johnny remembered his past life. By watching two young boys fighting and no one breaking it up, but instead placing bets on who would win, he remembered his first fight and how scared he was that he would lose. Then he remembered how proud he felt after it had ended. The blaring music that began to creep in reminded Johnny of the time he and Axel used to steal and sell old car radios.

“Clark?!” Edward shouted before he ran off passed the jungle gym.