Page 108 of The Friend Scheme
It still feels charged, though.
“Now,” says Dad. “I want you all to know that I have no intention of actually honoring this truce. It’s too late for that. They took my father from me, and they tried to kill me. They need to pay.”
The crowd seems to like this, as the energy changes. They’re on board, I can feel it.
Everyone is but me. For a second I let myself fantasize about a world where Jason and I are allowed to be together.
That was obviously a mistake. Now I just feel down.
“So, what?” asks Luke. “You want to call a truce but lie about it?”
Dad nods. “Let me finish. I propose we call a truce. They will agree. They know we have larger numbers, more funding, and more allies.”
For now.
“If this war continues as it has been going, then it’s only a matter of time before they lose, and they know it. I do believe they will start lashing out soon, though, in their desperate attempts to rebalance the scales. We need to end this war now, in order to ensure our side doesn’t take heavy losses.”
Vince has his switchblade out. He opens it. “Just tell us, what’s the plan?”
“I say we ask them for an unarmed meeting to discuss ending the war peacefully. We tell them we are willing to give them the north side, as long as we keep control over the south and the beach. They can take back control of narcotics, and we will take back full control of gambling. We’ll go back to how things used to be.”
I know that a meeting like this is a sacred agreement, a safe space. On the streets, we can fight like animals… but if a meeting is called, violence is strictly prohibited.
And I think I understand what Dad is suggesting… It’s so dark. Surely he can’t be serious.
“And when they come to the meeting,” he says, “we have snipers ready. We can capture a few, and Vince can get them to give up the identities of the rest. We will wipe them all out in one swift strike.”
Nobody says anything.
The tension is so thick.
To break tradition like this… it’s a stink our family will never be able to get off us.
“We can’t,” says Grandma. “It’s not the way things are done.”
“They killed your husband,” says Dad. “They tried to kill me. Enough time has passed, and now we need retribution.”
“Did you learn nothing from him?” asks Grandma. “To suggest this spits on his memory.”
“To do nothing spits on his memory. We need to stop them.”
“I agree, but our allies won’t stand for this,” says my aunt Sara. “We could lose all of them. You would take out the Donovans but ruin our family.”
“I DON’T CARE!” roars Dad. “I want them dead! All of them! They need to pay!”
Grandma is fuming now.
“And they will!” says Sara. “But in the right way. Joe, we can’t do this. If you stop and think for a second, you’ll realize you aren’t thinking clearly. Therehasto be another way.”
Dad nods. “Enough. I propose a vote. Everyone in favor of my plan…”
Dad raises his hand.
Luke does, too.
As does Vince.
Luckily for me, everyone else keeps their hand down. Dad sees that I’ve kept my hand down, though. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get the look he gives me out of my head.
