The town of Chino in California was most commonly known for it's large Mexican and Hispanic populace. What wasn't so commonly known, was that Mexicans didn't only largely make up the populace but instead were the ones pulling all the strings in the town from behind the scenes. The surge of drugs being bought across the nation helped to put those who could supply it in power and gave rise to criminal organizations that were referred to as Cartels. Drug Cartels were made just like the mafia in the fact that they originated in other countries and begun to spread their influence to America.

They sent out representatives who were often called point men, to oversee and handle their affairs in foreign areas. They would oversee the deliveries of drugs to other territories and be there to negotiate prices and deals and such. Once they handed it off to the suppliers, the suppliers would then break it down and give it to their distributors or rather their dealers. The way dealers and distributors worked was a bit hazy to Jamal seeing as he was a more simple dealer. He got his supply straight from the source himself seeing as he didn't have much in the way of product, but he did have a good amount to move especially for someone of his age and who worked alone.

The supplier to Jamal was a man named Hector Guerrero. He was the head of the largest Mexican oriented gang in the town of Chino and had a large amount of influence in the area. He had a hand in some local politics, news, construction, it was even said that if anybody wanted to do anything in the town of Chino, they had to see Hector about it first. He was a leader who had no qualms about murder as he left quite the trail of bodies in his wake on his rise to the top. 

Or that was how the stories went. Jamal didn't really care about any of that, to him he was just the supplier, a business partner so to say or rather a superior seeing as he had the power to shut Jamal down whenever he decided to, both figuratively and literally. Jamal found himself pulling his car to a stop at Hector's place of residence. Hector lived in a part of town with a cul-de-sac. It was a very nice little set up, almost like he'd made his own compound seeing as his house was in the middle and the other surrounding houses were all occupied by his top Lieutenants and shooters. He gave off the impression that he had little to worry about or fear but he was very well protected and always on guard. Jamal could tell by the look in his eye, he'd adopted it himself when he was out in the streets.

Jamal killed the ignition right in front of Hector's house. He was being glared at hard by the people who were out front occupying the yard. I was nothing new to him, it was an intimidation tactic that Hector liked to employ to make all of his guests unsettled and he did it to everyone. Jamal let out a small snort of laughter through his nose as he saw the men in the yard and on the front steps all try to look as intimidating as possible. It would've worked if it wasn't an act that he had seen many times before.

Jamal made his way to the back of his car and reached into the trunk pulling out a small bag and putting it over his shoulder before closing the trunk. He then headed toward the front door of the house walking causally as all the men standing around either continually glared or began whispering things about him in Spanish. He knew enough to know the things they were whispering were not nice. It was again nothing new to him, the gang wasn't too receptive to an outsider. He wasn't Mexican like them nor was he apart of their gang, but he was affiliated to some extent. He dealt drugs for them as somewhat of a liaison to the African American part of LA. People were real particular about who and where they bought their drugs from. Jamal had a territory in Oakland where he sold in big amounts and a place in South Central LA where he sold smaller amounts.

Once Jamal got to the door he was patted down for a gun. The man who patted him down took the gun Jamal had hidden in his waistband and passed it to another guy near him who was sitting down watching Jamal closely.

"You'll get it when you get outta there puta." The man told him.

Jamal shrugged off the insult and waited for the man to step aside so he could enter. Seeing that Jamal wasn't going to rise to the bait he did just that and Jamal entered to more eyes on him. The kitchen was a straight shot down the hall once you entered the house. Stairs leading up to the floor above to the left and the living room to the right. There were a couple guys hanging out on the stairs but really their purpose was to make sure nobody who got past the people in the front made it up there. They stared him down just as hard as the people outside but they didn't move from their position.

There were a few guys in the living room gathered around a radio in the living room, listening to a baseball game more than likely and drinking beers. This is where some of the more important people in the organization were hanging out. They, unlike almost everyone else here, didn't give him too much attention. The glanced at him to recognize he was there, a few of them even nodded their head at him out of respect and then went back to focusing on their conversations or their beers while listening to the game. Jamal took in his surroundings just like every other time, before making his was to the kitchen to get his business underway.

As he entered he noticed that he wouldn't be alone with Hector as there were two men standing behind him at the table he was sitting and his son was beside him talking to him. Jamal gave a mental sigh as he noticed the son's presence. Alex Guerrero was quite the handful. His father was calm, calculating and vicious when he had to be. Alex was just a hothead with a chip on his shoulder. He had the same mean streak as his father but his was probably worse, seeing as he didn't have his father's smarts or self control. Also if there was anybody here who truly didn't like Jamal it would be Alex. Jamal was sure that if it wasn't for his father holding him back, Alex would have chopped him up and had him dumped somewhere, and that would be him taking it easy on him.

Jealousy stemmed from the father using Jamal's success to attempt to motivate his son. Alex was a dealer as well due to the fact Hector believed that if his son was to run the gang in the future he should learn all aspects of the life. Most of the other dealers made sure not to outdo Alex seeing as most the dealers were also apart of the gang meaning they were Alex's to control in the future, and none of them wanted to slight the potential future boss. Since Jamal wasn't apart of the gang he saw no point in bowing down and cutting his own profits to appease Alex and there lied the problem. Hector seen it as an opportunity to push his son to get the most productivity out of him and he wouldn't let him just take care of Jamal saying "You can't always just kill the things that stand in your way."

"We'll finish it later Alex, it seems our esteemed guest has arrived." Hector said noticing Jamal's entrance into the room.

Alex noticed it as well and the usual scowl that he wore whenever Jamal was around, returned to his face. He then begun to glare at him like the men in the front and on the stairs did and Jamal had to fight hard not to roll his eyes. Jamal ignored everyone else and placed the small bag he had brought in on the table and sat across on the other side of the table.

"Here you go Jefe, another month's take." Jamal said.

Hector looked at the bag for a moment before turning to his son.

"Take that in the living room and have them count it. Watch them as they do." Hector instructed.

Alex moved to take the bag before opening it and looking inside it. He then looked directly at Jamal.

"You put in any extra? You should be paying us for the protection our name gives and for allowing you a corner in Oakland. Everybody else pays dues, about time you start paying some too eh?" Alex asked keeping his scowl on his face.

This wasn't the first time he himself attempted to shake Jamal down. Jamal remained composed almost putting a bored look on his face as he looked at Alex.

"I ain't apart of your little gang now am I? I'm doin' you a favor by reachin' out to Oakland to move this shit, so if you put two and two together I don't see how I should be payin' you extra anything." Jamal responded.

Alex tried to increase the heat behind his glare but to no avail. Seeing Jamal remain unfazed he turned to his father.

"Papa, we don't need this pendejo to keep moving for us in Oak town. Give it to me and my crew and we'll do better than him. Then we can finally ditch this ungrateful piece of shit." Alex tried to proposition.

Hector paid him no mind, keeping his focus on the bag on the table. He then calmly looked at his son.

"You have the most profitable territory in the whole organization. Yet you still let the so called 'pendejo' out do you in profit every month. He brings in the most money consistently in the gang and what do you tell me to do? Hand you his territory. Maybe, I should hand him your territory?" Hector asked. Alex scowl dropped immediately and a look of fear took over his facial features.

Alex knew better than to respond so he instead clenched his fist and looked down at the ground. Hector continued to stare at his son almost waiting him out. Once he was sure Alex got the underlying message that he was trying to send he then returned his eyes to looking cooly at the bag still on the table.

"Now didn't I tell you to do something?" Hector reminded.

Alex took the bag from the table shooting Jamal one last look of disdain before heading into the living room.

"You continue to do well my boy. Showing up my son and my crew though if I were you I wouldn't get too comfortable in that top spot. My son is aching to get rid of you. More and more you insult him being the only one not to act like the sun doesn't shine outta his ass. For that you have my gratitude and my protection. But once you have no more use for me then I don't see why I shouldn't let him exercise his frustration." Hector informed him.

Jamal got that it was a reminder to never slip up or that would be it for him. Under most circumstances that would be enough to make him not want anything to do with this and if he was being honest he wished he could leave, but he needed the money and this paid the best. It wouldn't stop him from making moves on his own or looking for better opportunities.

"I get it jefe I don't plan on lettin' my shit slip up." Jamal replied

Hector nodded at this.

"Good." Hector said then nodded to one of the men behind him. "Get him the usual setup, should be in the cabinet on the right." He instructed the man, then he turned his attention back to Jamal and warned "Don't peek."

Jamal turned his head and faced the hallway that led out of the house or to the living room. It was there he saw the only woman enter the house. Reina Guerrero was the only daughter to Hector. Her mother had passed away a few years ago losing a battle to cancer. Hector seemed to move on but he had yet to take another wife or serious girlfriend. Jamal went to school with Reina where he found out she used to have a crush on him. He never reciprocated her feelings but he did use to worry about her when her mother first passed and worried about her living situation. A mutual friend of theirs would guarantee she was fine but seeing as she dropped out in their junior year Jamal was unable to confirm for himself. They only briefly interacted whenever he saw her on his monthly visits here.

She caught him looking at her from the kitchen and gave him a sweet smile. He returned it and gave her a nod before Alex came out the living room and quickly became aware of just who his sister was smiling at.

"What the fuck are you smiling at that puta for? Take your ass upstairs and go on about your fuckin' business." Alex ordered and glared back at Jamal.

Reina looked at Jamal again briefly before heading upstairs to calm her brother down. Alex continued to glare before he followed her up the stairs. Jamal took a step to follow but heard Hector clear his throat.

"An outsider getting involved in a family dispute is a punishable offense in almost any household especially in mine. You'd be my son's problem to take care of at that point so I'd not get involved if I were you." Hector again ominously warned.

Jamal had the urge to turn around and shout at the man for not defending his daughter to what was probably going to be an onslaught of words from her brother if not worse. He vaguely remembered a few times after their mother passed, before Reina dropped out, where she came to school with unexplained bruises.

Jamal was shaken out of those thought with the placement of a new bag on the table. He knew the bag was his new supply of drugs but he still felt unsettled leaving the situation as is. He had to fight those feelings down and he stepped toward the table picking up the bag. He then nodded to Hector who had remained seated this whole time. He then made his way out the entrance of the kitchen.

"See you next month, homes." He heard Hector say from the kitchen as he made his way toward the entrance. He stopped before heading out the front door. He turned and looked at the stairs when he heard what sounded like a muffled scream and a slap. He had to fight hard against the urge to run up the stairs.

The men who were now standing on the stairs with their hand by the waistbands helped him fight off the urge he had, knowing that a reckless move here would lead to his death. He looked back to the kitchen and didn't see Hector making any move to get up or do anything about the possible situation upstairs.

He gave one more hard look up the stairs and at the men who were guarding them, before angrily turning around and leaving the house. He only stopped to get his gun back before continuing to storm off toward his car angry at his inability to do anything right and at his conscience for caring so much about shit that didn't concern him. He mentally kicked and berated himself on the whole ride back to his house wishing he could do something but angry at accepting that he couldn't.