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Reality Check - Episode 49.

By CLAUDE MILLS, Staff Writer

BROWN CHRIS WAS the first to spot Dino and Jagga Roach as they entered the club. He felt anger heat his cheeks. There was going to be some bloodshed tonight. These guys had killed Steve, and no matter what Michael said, they were going to pay. They slid into a booth in the far right hand corner of the club. Brown Chris memorised the location of the exits again ­ something was about to happen.

Just then, Rory, who had gone to the bathroom, returned to the stage area. He was grinning wildly, then he caught Brown Chris eye, and the smile suddenly fell of his lips. He made a beeline over to the booth where Dino and Jagga Roach were chatting up Lovern, the go go with the badly healed scar on her abdomen.

"Damn," Brown Chris cursed under his breath. He grabbed a Guinness bottle, and ran towards them.

Rory attacks

"You kill mi bredda," he accused, and swung wildly at Dino who stepped aside, and caught Rory with an elbow to his face. Both of them got up now and began to kick Rory. Brown Chris came up from behind and broke the bottle over Jagga Roach's head.

Senior Killer held onto Brown Chris, while Jugula and Mad Indian stepped in to hold onto Dino. Salla helped Jagga Roach to his feet.

"You little bitch!" Dino said, and lashed out with his right foot, catching Rory once more in the stomach. Rory got up and lunged at him, but by this time, the club's bouncers had arrived.

"Yo, the whole ah oonu haffi go leave. We caan allow oonu fi mash up de people dem club!"

At this point, Michael came out of the champagne room. He saw the faces of Dino, Jagga Roach, and Rory and immediately realized the trouble. The bouncers were ushering them out of the club. In the parking lot, the tension was almost palpable between them. Jagga Roach and Dino jumped into an aquamarine Mark II, and slammed the doors. The tyres squealed as the driver swung out of the lot.

"What happened in there?" he hissed at Rory.

"Yo, nuh ask me nutten!" Rory said, waving him off. He was still steamed.

"Mi tell yu fi just low the yute dem, man. Rory, some big tings ah go gwaan fi we, we no waan no extra heat right now," Michael said.

"Yu already sell the shipment, we have the money. We no need no peace, yu promise fi help me get revenge. Mi a go eat dem bwoy de food regardless of whatever," Rory said.

"Alright. Go #@$$ kill them and start a @#$ turf war inna which countless people ah go dead," Michael said.

Rory said nothing. Brown Chris' face was expressionless, neither accusing nor protesting. Everyone knew where he stood in this particular decision.

"Dem yute de nah go no way. We just start do our ting. Come man, is yu birthday, come mek we have a drink and yu can drop me ova, mek we talk," Michael said.

Rory hesitated, then his face softened.

"Alright. Me ah go wait, but if him send no threat, me a go eat him food."

Everything cool?

Michael opened his palms in a alright-everyting-cool-den gesture. Danger had been averted but for how long? He admired the gleam in the paint finish of the blue Honda Inspire. Michael realized for the first time that the car sported 20 inch rims. That's what Rory had spent most of his money on. It was a stupid move, really, but that was Rory for you.

Rory headed to Portmore, with Michael riding shotgun, and Brown Chris in the backseat. Senior Killer, Jugula and a couple of the others headed back to Collie Smith Drive. On the way over, they listened to the breaking story on the radio. There had been a drive-by shooting in Waterhouse. Three persons had been reported dead, Michael recognized one of the names, a Rastafarian they called 'Zion Express', whom he had done a few favours for. He was one of the top movers in the drug trade, a major worker for one of his overseas friends in California.

When he heard the news, Michael felt suddenly ill. Despite the cool night air, beads of sweat appeared on his brow, and his heart triphammered unpleasantly against his ribcage. He lit a cigarette and chainsmoked all the way to Edgewater. Could it be a coincidence? The trailer had been found in Waterhouse. And now a drive-by shooting had occurred in the area. Could it just be chance?