Quarantine #2: The Saints by Lex Thomas Read Free Book Online Page B

Terry vouched for Sam with his guys, and in return, Sam let Terry live like a prince on a healthy allowance of food and perks.
    “You got something to say, Sharpe?” Sam said. “’Cause I hope it’s not bitching. I pray to God, it’s not bitching. I’m praying that all of you didn’t just come down here to piss and moan …” He got louder now to scare them. “… when I’m in the middle of working up a game plan for the drop!”
    Nobody moved. They didn’t shuffle. They didn’t flinch. They were solid. It made Sam feel crazy.
    “You’re all done, man,” Terry said. “Nobody wants to hear you barking anymore, and we damn sure don’t need your game plans. I’ll be giving the orders from here on out—”
    Sam had heard enough. He pointed at Terry and screamed his words.
    “What do you think this asshole’s going to do for you?” hesaid to the rest of Varsity. “All I’ve ever seen him do is sit on his ass and take. He hasn’t run shit since he ran the basketball team into the ground against Fairview. And lemme tell you something, leading Varsity isn’t about running a gang …,” Sam said, pointing his chin up toward the ceiling. “It’s about running a school. And that’s something you know nothing about. None of you could survive without me.”
    “We’ll take our chances,” Terry said and looked to the others. “We got nothin’ to lose. Thanks to you. Isn’t that right?”
    “That’s right,” Anthony said. He was backed by more
that’s rights
and
yeahs
around the circle.
    “Is this about the gun incident?” Sam said. “You’re gonna give up on me just ’cause of that? You can’t be that stupid. Think of how it’ll look to everybody. Without me, they’ll know you’re weak. You’ll never get respect back—”
    “It’s not about the gun thing.” Terry laughed. Others laughed too. “This has been a long time coming.”
    “Oh, is that right?”
    Terry nodded. “Yeah, that’s right. Doubt you noticed, but no other gang leader in school talks to their people the way you do. I’d even say those leaders like the people in their gang. Do you like us, Sam?”
    Sam could feel his top lip tightening, pulling back to reveal his teeth in a sickened scowl. He wasn’t going to honor that question with a response. It was irrelevant, exactly the kind of
Sesame Street
crap that was going make Terry fail as a leader.
    “That’s what I thought,” Terry said. “And maybe that would’ve been okay, if you could’ve kept things going, but you lost all our food because you were too obsessed with David.”
    “That’s not what happened,” Sam said.
    “It is what happened, bro. It’s exactly what happened. And then you disappeared for two weeks when we needed you most. I don’t know what the hell you were doing. Collecting guns with no bullets, I guess.”
    Laughter bounced off every wall. It went on way too long, especially when what Terry said wasn’t funny.
    “Then, you show up again and expect us to do what you say? You think you can swim in our pool?” Terry said. “Think again.”
    Sam scowled. He’d listened. Now it was his turn. He had one last weapon.
    “So, you’re really gonna take your chances without the Pretty Ones? ’Cause I’ll tell Hilary to walk. And every one of your girls will go with her. I’ll see if maybe some other gang is looking for a little pussy infusion.” Sam turned away from Terry to face the rest of the gang. “Is that the kind of chance you boys are ready to take now? Losing your women just ’cause this guy’s got big ideas about what he thinks should happen?”
    Terry, the dumbshit, didn’t have an answer for that. And Varsity was waiting. Sam had hit them where it hurt. He smiled. They still belonged to him.
    “The Pretty Ones aren’t going anywhere.”
    The Varsity line parted for Hilary. She stood beside Terry. Close enough to touch. Too close.
    “What are you doing?” Sam said. He should’ve kept his mouth shut and stayed