"Idols became Rivals"
THE CIRCLE, ALBANY, NEW YORK, 4TH AUGUST 2021
HOTEL LOBBY
(BONES KNOCKS ON THE DOOR)
"Boss,
we need to get going,"
Bones alerted Mr. Roc after sending us downstairs to the hotel lobby to inform the driver of our arrival.
"And you might wanna watch your moves more closely today."
Kevlar, myself and our other associates made our way to the entrance, (as we prepared ourselves) /preparing ourselves/ for the most significant breakthrough— a chance to move out of the streets and into the real world.
As we walked past the fleet of luxury cars, attempting to reach the waiting chauffeurs, each with the label "Mr. Roc" on their iPads, I couldn't help but reflect on how I got here..
Growing up in the inner city, I never imagined being a part of one of New York's most notorious criminal organizations. However, I persevered, driven by ambition and the allure of the wealth I had once only dreamed of.
There was no turning back for me now, not when I knew what I wanted and what my family deserved. This opportunity was my shot at making it all pay off, leaving the street life behind and climbing up in the world.
I was determined to seize it with both hands.
“THE LIFE YOU WANT IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SH*T YOU DON’T WANT TO DO”
FROM STREETS TO POWER
As he approached the entrance, the valets scrambled to attend to Mr. Roc, just as expected. (have we switched to third person?anyways i prefer ur third person writing)
He exuded an air of (you use the word calculated soon after i think you should change it here) /calculated/ coolness, dressed to the nines in the latest Tom Ford ensemble. A Burberry trench coat added a touch of sophistication to his look. Flaunting his taste for opulence, he sported a bold Philippe Patek Nautilus 2021 on his wrist. a pair of Saint Laurent shades completed the look) /He finished off his look with a pair of Saint Laurent shades/, concealing his intentions and keeping his next move a mystery.
The look was calculated, unapologetic, and undeniably fly—a true representation of Mr. Roc's reign in the game. (very nice)
"Today, the books will be rewritten," Mr. Roc declared to the family. "We are no longer a group of hoodlums, running around trying to make a living by taking a living. We no longer need to hide. From now on, we will all move forward as - The Billionaires Corner."
Mr. Roc led the way into his own personal car while the rest of us followed.
I rode up with Kevlar and a couple of the boys we had come up with through the ranks over the years. The hour-long drive to our destination allowed me to reflect and strategize while the rest of the crew engaged in casual conversation.
Meeting up with New York's maddest men, it was only natural that we came equipped with our eyes wide open. This was the first time a link-up happened between us since the O.Gs divided the state's share back in 1996, aiming to reduce the death toll among our own kind. Every syndicate in the city understood that the number one thing was being rich in cash ambition. Still, for some reason, no one understood that striving for it collectively until today was possible.
However, I couldn't shake the feeling that this all seemed too good to be true. After all, what had I learned from my years in the game if I walked into this meeting naked?
ARRIVING TO THE DESTINATION
ARRIVING TO THE DESTINATION, I AIN'T NEVER SEEN THIS PLACE BEFORE. I MAY HAVE BEEN BLINDFOLDED ON THE WAY UP HERE. BUT, WE CAME HERE REPRESENTING, SO IT WAS VITAL TO WALK INTO THE ABANDONED SKYSCRAPER WITH A LEVEL OF FINESSE.
I WAS THE LAST OF OUR PACK TO STEP INTO THE CONFERENCE ROOM, AND, TO BE HONEST, I WAS THUG-STRUCK. FROSTY, VINNIE WALTERS, TIMMY "SHARKY" SMITH, and his coddled son Joey, ALL IN THE SAME PLACE - IT WOULDN'T HAVE SHOCKED ME IF A STRAY BULLET HAD FLOWN.
ONE THING I KNEW FOR SURE WAS THAT, ON THIS SIDE OF THE CITY, WE SET THE EXAMPLE FOR THE HUSTLERS IN THE FIELD. MR. ROC SETTING UP SHOP FELT LIKE A MOMENTARY REPRIEVE IN A ROOM FULL OF TENSION, BUT THE CLOCK WAS TICKING.
WALKING ACROSS THE LONG OAK TABLE IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM FELT LIKE WALKING PAST A ZOO FULL OF WILD ANIMALS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GLASS, WHO WATCHED YOU LIKE YOU WERE JUST ANOTHER PIECE OF MEAT. YOU COULD ALMOST HEAR THEIR THOUGHTS, INSULTS, AND GANG SIGNS PROJECTED THROUGH THEIR FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND BODY LANGUAGE. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT, JUST LIKE US, THEY WERE ALSO PREPARED. BUT THEIR PRESENCE DIDN'T INTIMIDATE ME; IT ONLY FUELED ME.
THE BILLIONAIRE'S CIRCLE
"WELCOME TO THE CIRCLE," MR. ROC ANNOUNCED.
"IF THE GAME IS GOING TO CHANGE, ITS PLAYERS MUST CHANGE WITH IT. WE ARE IN FIRST GEAR TO START THIS, AND WITH THE TURNOUT HERE TODAY, THERE IS A STRONG BELIEF IN THE FOUNDATION OF TRANSITION."
"BUT WHO THE HELL DECIDED YOU WERE WORTHY ENOUGH TO REPRESENT THIS PRIVATE MEMBERS' CLUB?" SHARKY INTERRUPTED, CAUSING A WAVE OF RAISED EYEBROWS IN THE ROOM.
HIS STATEMENT DIDN'T SURPRISE ME. YOU CAN'T JUST COME IN AND TRY TO SHAKE A ROOM THEY DIDN'T CONTROL. EVEN IF HE DIDN'T GRASP THE POTENTIAL COMMON GOAL, IT WAS CLEAR AS DAY.
But that sh*t wasn’t true either. Sharky understood a whole lot more than people gave him credit for. He knew sh*t about things that folks thought they had all figured out, and even things that the average person couldn't see with their own two eyes.
That's how he stacked his paper. New York’s greatest predator to date, his strength and background were the main reasons you couldn’t knock him off his balance. He couldn't rest easy unless everything was airtight for him and those around him, and that's why I respected him.
“See, did you really think you could gather us all into a room and have us duped, huh? - Sharky rose from his seat like he was trying to make sense of something.
"A ni**a like me don't get duped; a n*gga like me always stays one step ahead. I take the necessary precautions that y'all choose to ignore."
SHARKS WILL ALWAYS BITE
Suddenly, a group of his associates had the bosses lined up with guns in their faces. Sh*t was about to go down, and it was going to happen fast.
The abstract emotion in the room was visible now.
Every single move was to be calculated before this all turned into a blood bath.
The ‘big opportunity’ slipped through my fingers before I could even get a grip on it.
I clocked something about Sharky, (i dont think the though is necesssary in this sentence instead you could start the sentence with bust?) /though/. He was a man who didn't give second chances, always staying ten steps ahead to avoid consequences catching up to him. On a different day, anyone who crossed his path met a bullet piercing the back of their skull.
He was searching for something..
FROSTY
“ Sharky, you know better than to point a gun towards n*ggas like yourself.”
SHARKY
"Ain't none of you motherf*ckers like me! None of you even clocked that you were about to be fished into federal pen. this boujie ass n*gga thinks he’s slick.
I ain’t tryna go back!” Sharky’s interruption unleashed a detonating rage, ready to explode at any minute.
VINNIE WALTERS
“Whatever your tryna say coulda had a better approach.
We are tryna build something out here and ––
SHARKY
“I AIN’T TRYNA BUILD NOTHING WITH NO INFORMANT” Sharky said with rage, pistol whipping the shit out of Mr. Roc.
The atmosphere in the room had become tense, with anger and frustration hanging in the air. The expressions on everyone's faces revealed their emotions. Sharky had established his dominance, and his men held their weapons firmly, showcasing his authority and control over the situation.
SHARKY
"He isn't who you think he is and never was," Sharkey stated with disappointment, his tone noticeably calmer.
His eyes locked onto mine, silently questioning why I hadn’t caught on sooner. The situation had escalated quickly, turning extremely personal for everyone involved.
NO LOVE FOR THE GAME
MR.ROC
"No! Don't listen to this pagan."
Mr. Roc's words were cut off by a sudden blow.
"What is the number one rule a hustler must follow on these streets?" Sharky asked, as if the question was common sense.
"Do not use your own product," I replied, realizing the question was directed at me.
"Ding!"
Sharky exclaimed, delivering another blow to Roc.
"What goes against the unwritten codes on these streets, no matter how cornered you may feel?" Sharky posed another question.
Before I could fully grasp his words, Bones shot one of Sharky's men, triggering a chain reaction.
In the chaos, everyone in the room seized the opportunity to arm themselves and seek cover. Bullets started flying around the room, and unfortunately, a few people, including Vinnie Walters, were caught in the crossfire.
(Have Mercy - Aaron Frazer)
"004" PLAYLIST, ONLY ON IN10MACY
In the midst of all this, Roc crawled his way to safety and pulled out a small golden box. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. He pulled out a Ben Franklin from his back pocket, rolled it up, and snorted the hardest line of snow right before he loaded his gun and joined in on the action.
Confused by what my eyes had witnessed, all I could focus on was Roc going scarface on a couple of goons.
He betrayed me my whole life.
Now, I understood the difference between perceived elegance and pure elegance.
I looked around, trying to figure out what I was going to do next. I no longer knew who I was here with, or why I was here.
But the gunshots flying all over the place, they didn’t care.
It all became clear to me that I came here for a reason, my reason. I had to act swiftly to prevent any more of the gun-shed. So I decided to grab Sharky’s son hostage.
IRISH BALLS
“Put your guns down! Put your f*cking guns down!” Sharky’s voice boomed with frustration. Miraculously, bullets on both sides seemed to lose its fiery interest, as if they knew better than to harm the target of Sharky's wrath. Nobody in that room wanted to face the consequences of killing Sharky's son, and I was clearly in a do-or-die mood.
SHARKY
“Do you know who the f*ck I am!” He continued to shout.
10
“Yes.”
SHARKY
“You won’t make it out this place alive.”
10
"But you won't pull the trigger," I spoke with a calm and collected tone. "At least, hear me out.”
“We came here for a reason, a chance, but all of you still fail to see a good thing, even when it’s staring you in the face.”
SHARKY
“So, you think holding my son hostage is gonna make things better?!” Sharky asked, in a tone that was both rhetorical and inquisitive.
10
“You still ain’t hearing me,” I retorted, my tone clipped. "You chose to handle the situation your way, so I'm choosing to handle it in a way that’ll resonate with you. You came here with an agenda, an agenda you’ll clearly stand behind. So use your words, not your bullets.”
Strangely enough, Sharky was lowkey impressed by my balls. Like he saw it coming or something. But that feeling didn't stick around for long, 'cause he went right back for another round. Pacing back and forth, eyes locked on me. I could tell he was struggling with the thought of getting checkmated.
He stepped up, calm and calculated, and laid it all out. Spilled the beans on Roc's slip up. The time he first started using, the time he got caught red handed and should have been locked up, and the moment he began cooperating against all of us.
SHARKY
“I came here to do what I should have done a long time ago,” Sharky declared.
Rage consumed me.
THE TRANSITION
I shoved little Joey aside and snatched Roc, wrapping my arm around his neck tight and pressing my piece against his head. My move reshuffled everyone's aim, including Bones and a couple of Roc's surviving henchmen. While others aimed at each other, my own aimed at me. But I wasn't backing down.
I tightened my grip on Roc, emphasizing my resolve and clarifying that I was not to be f*cked with. And then it all became clear. I had always meant business. I remembered that it wasn't him I was loyal to, but the cause itself. The bigger picture.
I no longer wanted to be that sixteen-year-old.
"HE, WHO IS LOYAL TO THE CAUSE, PREPARES FOR THE CAUSE, BECOMES THE CAUSE, AND DIES FOR THE CAUSE. THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT THE CAUSE WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE."
"So, this is how it's gonna be," I said coldly. "The Circle ain't gonna repeat the same mistakes. This time, we do it right."
I made eye contact with each person in the room, ensuring they understood the gravity of my words. "No more slip-ups or straying from the plan. We follow the rules, and we come out on top." I could see the fear and uncertainty in their eyes, but I also saw a spark of recognition. (damn ten okay reclaiming dominance between the billionaire club)
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SPARK OF RECOGNITION
Kevlar put his gun down, Bones and the rest followed.
Tensions eased but Sharky remained on edge pointing his gun at my direction. Sharky was alway ready to bite.
"At first, I had my doubts about you," Sharky sneered, his eyes piercing with cold intensity. "But then curiosity got the better of me, and I had to see if all the talk was true.”
He swung his gun around, causing heads to duck and hearts to race.
“But you, you think you're the chosen one, the one who's gonna take me out and retire me, huh?”
Sharky fired a round into the ceiling, the deafening blast echoing through the room. His voice boomed with authority.
The silence that followed was heavy, the air pregnant with anticipation. All eyes were on Sharky, waiting for his next move. And then, in a surprising twist, a smirk crept across his face.
“WELCOME TO THE BILLIONAIRE’S CORNER.”
He roared, his approval coming in his own twisted way. It was a rare moment, one that would go down in history, where the notorious Sharky acknowledged the legitimacy of our venture. The tension slowly dissipated, replaced by a sense of cautious optimism. Faces that were tense with fear now showed glimmers of hope, and the heavy atmosphere began to lighten.
For the first time, I saw a flicker of respect in Sharky's eyes, a recognition of our shared cause. It was a powerful moment, one that solidified our resolve and marked the beginning of a new chapter.
WHO YOU LOYAL TO?
Kevlar approached me silently, his presence commanding and his intentions clear. In one swift motion, he raised his gun and struck Roc with the force of the handle, the resounding thud reverberating through the room.
"It's time," Kevlar declared in a low, menacing tone.
With their support, I knew it was time to change the game, so I did it, elegantly.
Today was a real day. A day idols became rivals. The day I became Alvaró.
As I stood there, the weight of my new identity settled in. I looked around the room, seeing the acknowledgment in the eyes of those who had once doubted me. For Roc, he knew that he needed to get away, far away.
This is day 004, Elegance.
#10OUT
