“Whats goin’ on Hollywood!” His voice cut through the jet engines. Arms reached around Arthel’s neck before his body was dragged towards the car parked at the gate.

Arthel pushed past his brother, tapping him on the shoulder sending a middle finger with no words and entered the SUV but not before closing it in his brothers face. The other lowered his head and walked over to the other side entering in the car before it peeled off.

Arthel enjoyed hs home, seeing the people, the town. Daydreaming for a moment but brought right back remembering where he was - who he was with.

“So did ya bring yours?” An eyebrow raise on Arthel’s face formed. “Or are you on the whole ‘I carry responsible because I have a badge’ tip?”

The silence continued. His brothers lips pursed upwards, a sign Arthel himself showcased when he was a bit irritated. He watched closely as his brother reached into his suit jacket and removed his handgun. It wasn’t however the one joked about. There it was, cold — a metallic finish and a reminder to all just how much they were all really connected.  Guns given to them by their father. His brothers light brown on the handle. 

“How about yours?” His blood asked as his digits ran across the body of the gun resting on the seat. Arthel huffed a bit and lifted himself up reaching behind him and pulling the same weapon, a twin almost, out of his back landing it next to the other. His handle a solid black leather.

“You’d think after all these years we’d choose a different way to say ‘Hey don’t shoot me.’ Maybe something less” Arthel motioned his hands widely at the body sitting next to him. “In your face.…so.…did you do something?”

The others face twisted at Arthel as if he had the audacity to speak. The repositioning of his structure set up for a comeback — like fish to bait Arthel thought. “ME?! Ever since you put a bullet through the head of our father. I’ve been doing my part, keeping the cops off distribution and keeping the streets calm. Where have you’ve been?”

Now Arthel’s lip was twisted upwards, same facial expression, god it was wild how they resembled one another.

“If ya knew man…you’d take the shot yourself.” His brothers index and thumb resting at the bottom of his chin in irritation. “You owe me an explanation.” His tone rising in volume. “Man, shut the hell up you aint about to do sh*t…” Arthel crossing his hands looking away from his sibling.

The events of that night had not been discussed in part to Arthel’s purposeful shutout. Only giving a simple shrug at the explanation similar to how he was now. His brothers suggesting it was a grief act as if to make their own sense of the matter. The truth however was kept for the ears of Arthel and body that laid out in the fields the tires of the SUV now rumbled over. Soon the vehicle stopped and the driver simply unlocked the door sitting hands rested on the wheel as if frozen.

In an attempt to escape the close quarters he shared with his brother, he quickly grabbed his gun and exited the SUV.  Through the window of the vehicle, he saw 2 figures facing aim at him. On the other side, his brother faced a party of 2 with semi-rifles pointed right at him. Arthel rose his hands over his head with tight grip on his weapon as he met the caller himself.

“And he returns…The Hoodoo Boys are all together once again” A slow clap could be heard beyond the rifles pointed at him. Arthel lowered his hands and formed a big smile across his face in response. “This is the welcome I was more expecting.” His brothers hands in air moving slowly to the front of the SUV.

“Last time you were here brother you blew the head off pops…” The man extended his arms to the area they stood in. It was his fathers sugar mill. Something he had never thought to see of his father was the venture into the farming era. But what later was defined as a source of wealth also brought along a lot of danger.

Cornelius Dams a man of many talents except for staying in one place. First it was selling cars, then an attempt at real estate until he worked his way down to betting and gambling, small looting gigs. By that point however, his wive with two boys and the third on the way had left his side. In his mind however, he was freed. The cutting of restraints in his mind allowed him to flourish in the underworld. He created a business, found himself at the side of the kingpin of New Orleans learning the trade. That was until he took the throne for himself.

Weirdly enough he continued to be a father after his conquest. A better one than when Arthel was born at least. Money came every month on time however mother so stubborn she simply placed it away for the boys. Still insisting working long hours and sourcing a means of independence as well with an in-home care service. This leaving time for their father to corrupt the boys and prepare them for what he saw as the family business.

First the eldest. Xavier Cornelius Dams. Easily the most adoring child to his father. Worshiped the ground he walked on and rightfully so in aspect he was the first to grow up in in the height of his parents relationship. The middle Kayon Hillard Dams. The wind is what they called him. He flowed where he wanted to. Not a big stickler for rules coming from anyone. Always exhibiting an affinity to protect himself above all else. And then Arthel, the youngest, the baby in all eyes but always the most erratic as a kid. A temper to say the least.

“…lets go inside though..” Arthel walked past the barrels that stared him right in his frontal with a smirk on his face. A few familiar faces, a nod from the corner. He had allies there. Once inside a immediate feeling of nostalgia found its way upon his thoughts. And by the look of it, his brother Keyon as well. Each looked at the white beams and its majestical height before stepping inside. Standing in the foyer his brother Xavier slammed the same type gun presented earlier inside the car earlier between the two. Only his was dark brown finish at the handle. Arthel tossed his out as did his brother. “Good now that thats out the way…” the eldest continued “Last time we spoke the decision to spilt the business was agreed upon. I ran ops, Kay ran drug distribution and Art played politics with our money.”

Arthel wondered why his brother decided to go over this. His structure shifted as if he was nervous and when thinking about it all, his brother mentioned the swamp — Arthel wondered why they were in the house. “….I need….” And there it was, the catch. Out of the corner of his eye Arthel saw one of his brothers bodyguard grip his gun a bit tighter. “Give me full control. All of it. Walk away.”

Kay and Arthel both looked at one another before Kay spoke. “…ya want full control? No more help from the NOPD?” The offerer nodding his head in agreement. “And what about the cuts we deserve. Over the last couple years, what you offering?” Kay nodding in agreement as if the statement made more sense than his question. “2 Million each.” Arms out extended as if his offer was final with no intent to negotiate. The other guy gripping his AR again, trigger slipping into the loop. Kay speaking first.

“Look — Im all for getting out but I just want to make sure this is real. Dad said years ago, I’d be out after college. Then it was after the academy. Then it was whenever we expanded.” Arthel rolled his eyes at his brothers rant. If he couldn’t see it then he didn’t understand why he even wore a badge in the first place. Arthel spoke before another word from his brother. “He’s not giving us an option Kay. Meaning he’s already made it for us. I just have one question for you X. Who do you owe money too?”

Xaviers eyes shot open acknowledging Arthel hitting the nail on the head. “I only ask because I hear you owe someone. So I ask again, who did you sell out too?” Arthel’s eyebrows moved upwards indicating a rush to answer. Kay spoke next. “A - bruh you always comin out the ass with some sh*tty ass theory. X wouldn’t sell out. He’s been rockin with dad the longest.”

Out of nowhere X started to laugh. His laugh continued for seconds on seconds. Kays face twisted at the reaction and Arthel just shook his head. From the break of laughter, X spoke. “Ya an idiot Kay, so much faith in everyone. And you…ugh…you get more credit than I or anyone really gives you. I mean to be frank we all thought you were a princess. But under all of that. There is beast. And all it took was for you to loose your family for you to actually grow a pair” A yell direct at Arthel. For a moment he just stood, shaking his head in disgust. Then — he went for it. Launching himself to pick up his gun. His two body guards guards lifting theirs in the same instance.

In that same moment, Arthel grabbed his and Kay as well. Arthel pointing his gun straight at his brother Xavier, Xavier at Arthel and Kay at Xavier. As always, Kay the first to speak.

“PUT IT DOWN! NOW! X!” Xavier with a big grin on his face. “This doesn’t need to happen. He just wants a little over half. If he doesn’t get it Kay, he’ll come after Mia.”

The look on his brothers face was one he knew very well. Even from afar. The pulling of love and the fear of losing it. Soon the barrel of Kays gun was brought to X’s forehead. Metal against skin. Brother against brother.

“Say it again…” Kays hand pressured the guns tip into the forehead. A smile on the face the whole time and a moment of wince via the eye, Xavier shifted his head away. The guards stepping forward holding off as if knowing the game his eldest brother was playing. Surprised they let a gun even touch his forehead, slackers Arthel thought. 

“Like I said, he — THEY know about Mia. If you don’t sell he will come after you with everything hes got. Now, what’s it going to…”

BAM BAM 

Two headshots. Arthel pointed and shot one of the bodyguards and the other on his left. No surprise they were slow on the draw. Focusing on the wrong person. Bringing his gun to the side of his eldest brothers face Arthel spoke.

“Who is they — him — whom the f*** ever it is. And why do they want all of this…”

“I take my statement back from earlier, you're not that clever. When you decided to go and kill the man who everyone respected you left a vacuum. Naturally it stays within the family that much was clear. But which son, clearly not you. Kay — well, look at him about to sh*t bricks at the mention of his wife.”

Kay’s hand gripping the handle of the gun tighter pushing it more into his brothers head as his silence met with a few exhales through the nostrils. Arthel looking over for a moment mouthing 'Congratulations'.

“So I went to all of dads partners. No one would sell to me. Shame, embarrassment, our name — my name — all I worked to be gone in a flash. And you didn’t even kill the real person behind it all. So I had to find another way and bam, he showed up. Out of nowhere. Offered product a solution to the problem. And now I pay up or its my life. And ya’ll…”

Arthels mouth half open, head cocked to the side amazed and a bit dumbfounded at the words coming from his blood. The only action he could take was to swing his arm slamming the gun and his fist across his face before rising the gun back to point.

“You talk to f***in’ much.”

Gun moved positions to the leg and then BAM. Arthel took a shot. Glitching to the side aiming at the other, Arthel fired once more. BAM. Kay backed up for a moment looking down contemplating his next move, however slow he was. Arthel already had his gun raised to him.

“You want to know why I shot him in the head. Why I killed our dad. His men, the men he ordered to follow my wife and son, got trigger happy frontin’ to some wannabe fool. Ending up exchanging bullets. A bunch of casualties. My family!”

Kay lowered his weapon and shook his head. “But you heard him…you didn’t even get the right….” Xavier finished the sentence for him a bit muffled between hisses of pain as he laid on the ground. “You killed…..him….for….nothing….” Arthel lowered himself to lift this brothers chin up to face him. “Tell me who is responsible. Tell me who HE is. Tell me how much.”

Xaviers words now broken by cough and pain. “20 Million….” A grin coming across his face. “He’s our…” Cough again. “…brother. Half..” Kay sounded off a sound as if he want to say oh what the f*** but instead sounded like water hitting rocks. Arthel got closer hanging on his brothers words. “The order the night my family died, who made it…”

His brother laughed a clear sound this time revealing a smile covered with red. “I did…I had them followed and when sh*t got hot…sh*t happen. But im not sorry…”

Arthel rose pushing his index and thumb into his temples. Not only was he coming to terms with a mistake or at least a failure on his end to see the truth. Coming to terms with betrayal even if it was imminent. And the calling of the power. The seat. His brother continued. “I would’t take it back because look at you now. So strong. Willing to do anything. I did what dad couldn’t…made you into a…”

BAM.    BAM.    BAM.   BAM.   BAM.    BAM.    BAM.   BAM.

A blood splattered Arthel turned to his other brother. Gun pointed, straight. Kay raised his gun in surrender. “Nah - nah. We good. I get it.” Arthel’s hands shaking at the weight of the gun, the weight of what he just did. Again. Closing his eyes for a moment, lowering the weapon and sinking his feet into the ground he gained a clear throat to speak. “Take care of the bodies. I will take care of everyone else, already paid some of the local divisions off. Now just time to round up everyone else.”

Arthel moved his gun into his pants and walked up to his brother. “I don’t care who she is. Where she - Mia will be safe. is. We stop this…half brother. Pay him. Kill him. Whatever. We don’t have to see each other again.”

He knew his brother didn’t want the weight of it all. The thorned crowned, diminished throne, a crime organization in shambles. Running away from it all did nothing for him either, it took his family when he denied its requests home. Arthel knew only he was going to be able to get himself out of the situation that laid present.

“Deal?” His tone stern. Kay nodding and the brothers gripping hand and hand as a formal agreement. Arthel quickly removed himself from the room to not stare long at the mess on the floor. However, stepping up the flight of stairs into a hallway he hadn’t seen in ages made him feel worse.
 

*Press Play Now*

Walking straight into the master bedroom in search of a new shirt. Needing to remove at least the idea of brain splatter from his body. The first idea was the closet, Arthel swung those doors open quickly examining all of the rooms contents. All suits. Grabbing one of them and removing it from its hanger, he slipped on the dress dirt and sat in on the floor. Silent. Thinking. Mourning. Thinking.

His eyes followed the wood that the closet was colored around the room. It didn’t lead anywhere. The closet was half packed up with names on boxes. All his fathers — until there was one that wasn’t. A box in the corner by itself, barley could be seen if not for Arthel looking from an angle. It had a big A on it.

Now in front of the box Arthel whipped his face with the dress shirt staining the shirt even more with blood before reaching inside the box. Most of the contents were photos, documents things of no use for this moment. At the bottom however, there was a bigger box, hard shell, shaped as if to hold something. Immediately he knew what it was.