Read Online Hollywood Tough (2002) by Stephen - Scully 03 Cannell - Free Book Online
Authors: Stephen - Scully 03 Cannell
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Amac was only nine. Back then Shane had read the CRASH gang report that said that American was living temporarily with his tia, who was sick, so Shane had decided to pay the soldado a visit. The house was in the foothills of East L . A ., just twenty minutes from downtown in an unincorporated area known as Las Lomas, The Hills. The narrow streets meandered aimlessly and the houses were all old, mostly made of unpainted, weathered wood. Chicken-wire fences transected everything, the cadaverous remains of rusting trucks hosted flocks of skinny roosters and wandering goats. The many vacant lots were trash heaps, littered with broken lamps and unwanted household garbage. The predominate language in Las Lomas was Spanish.
Shane arrived at the aunt's house uninvited, and was met at the door by a beautiful teenage girl who introduced herself as Delfina. She had long coal-black hair and warm eyes that seemed to look right through you. She was around Chooch's age, or maybe a year younger, perhaps fourteen.
"Mi tio is out back," she said, and led Shane to a precarious, broken-down structure that was once a garage. American Macado was working on his cut-down '78 Charger low-rider, which was painted blue, the gang color of the 18th Street Eme. Delfina left and Shane began a tense negotiation. He tried to convince American that Chooch had a chance for a better life. Slowly, Shane was able to see past Amac's street-hardened exterior. What he saw was a huge personal charisma. American Macado was an exceptional youth caught in a violent world he had adapte d t o and was learning to master. There was no doubt in Shane's mind that if he lived, Amac would become a force in the 'hood.
After two meetings at the house in Las Lomas, Shane had finally convinced the battle-hardened street soldier to let him present Chooch's case to the gang council. This meet was held once a week in a park off Francis Street in East L . A ., where the 18th Street Surefios got together and "kicked down" their street taxes to veteranos.
Shane had been told to stand alone and unarmed on a street corner in the Valley, two blocks from the police station. He did as Amac had instructed. At ten P . M . he was picked up by four Suretios, including American Macado, in a low-rider. The muscular teenager said nothing as Shane was shaken down for guns and a wire, then blindfolded and taken to the sit-down.
When he arrived, he found four veteranos seated at a park picnic table. Veteranos were the Latin-American equivalent of a Crip or Blood Original Gangster. Over thirty, they had survived against the odds to become set leaders. Shane could see carloads of young vatos in trademark blue headbands patrolling the park's perimeter streets in slow-cruising low-riders.
At the meeting, Shane made the case that Chooch should be allowed out of the gang without a penalty due to his youth and because he now had a father to look after him. He explained that his son lived in two worlds. He was not a full-blooded Mexican, because half his heritage was Anglo, from Shane. He talked about Chooch's chance for an education and one day, even the dream of college. The set leaders listened as Shane made his pitch. Then an 18th Street veterano named Raul Cantaras asked, "Dis P . G . took de pledge, es verdad?"
"But he was very young. . . . He didn't realize that he was signing up for life," Shane said.
"He is a man now, he is ready to wear the thirteen," Cantaras persisted. The thirteen was a tattoo that stood for the thirteenth letter of the alphabet, M--Eme. You only go t t o wear the thirteen after you were jumped in.
"If he is ready for 'courting in,' then it is too late," another veterano said.
Then the oldest veterano spoke. Shane knew him from the gang briefings. Carlos Martinez was an East Valley Inca. Incas were supreme leaders.
"In this situation, the vatito cannot go unless you could make an agreement," the man said. He looked right at Shane and added, "You are chow. What promises
Shane arrived at the aunt's house uninvited, and was met at the door by a beautiful teenage girl who introduced herself as Delfina. She had long coal-black hair and warm eyes that seemed to look right through you. She was around Chooch's age, or maybe a year younger, perhaps fourteen.
"Mi tio is out back," she said, and led Shane to a precarious, broken-down structure that was once a garage. American Macado was working on his cut-down '78 Charger low-rider, which was painted blue, the gang color of the 18th Street Eme. Delfina left and Shane began a tense negotiation. He tried to convince American that Chooch had a chance for a better life. Slowly, Shane was able to see past Amac's street-hardened exterior. What he saw was a huge personal charisma. American Macado was an exceptional youth caught in a violent world he had adapte d t o and was learning to master. There was no doubt in Shane's mind that if he lived, Amac would become a force in the 'hood.
After two meetings at the house in Las Lomas, Shane had finally convinced the battle-hardened street soldier to let him present Chooch's case to the gang council. This meet was held once a week in a park off Francis Street in East L . A ., where the 18th Street Surefios got together and "kicked down" their street taxes to veteranos.
Shane had been told to stand alone and unarmed on a street corner in the Valley, two blocks from the police station. He did as Amac had instructed. At ten P . M . he was picked up by four Suretios, including American Macado, in a low-rider. The muscular teenager said nothing as Shane was shaken down for guns and a wire, then blindfolded and taken to the sit-down.
When he arrived, he found four veteranos seated at a park picnic table. Veteranos were the Latin-American equivalent of a Crip or Blood Original Gangster. Over thirty, they had survived against the odds to become set leaders. Shane could see carloads of young vatos in trademark blue headbands patrolling the park's perimeter streets in slow-cruising low-riders.
At the meeting, Shane made the case that Chooch should be allowed out of the gang without a penalty due to his youth and because he now had a father to look after him. He explained that his son lived in two worlds. He was not a full-blooded Mexican, because half his heritage was Anglo, from Shane. He talked about Chooch's chance for an education and one day, even the dream of college. The set leaders listened as Shane made his pitch. Then an 18th Street veterano named Raul Cantaras asked, "Dis P . G . took de pledge, es verdad?"
"But he was very young. . . . He didn't realize that he was signing up for life," Shane said.
"He is a man now, he is ready to wear the thirteen," Cantaras persisted. The thirteen was a tattoo that stood for the thirteenth letter of the alphabet, M--Eme. You only go t t o wear the thirteen after you were jumped in.
"If he is ready for 'courting in,' then it is too late," another veterano said.
Then the oldest veterano spoke. Shane knew him from the gang briefings. Carlos Martinez was an East Valley Inca. Incas were supreme leaders.
"In this situation, the vatito cannot go unless you could make an agreement," the man said. He looked right at Shane and added, "You are chow. What promises
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