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Book of 2016

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When Brent woke up that morning, it was like every other morning of his life for the last two years.  That was because his first thought was of her.  He was worried; he had not talked to her in a week and a half.  They usually talked every Sunday.  Something must be terribly wrong.  What if she had an accident or if she was sick.  Would her family let him know that something had happened?  He walked down the stairs from the cold dorm, something must be wrong.  

He pulled out his shower tray and his towel and headed towards the bathroom.  He would be showering alone this morning, which he preferred.   It was not like last year when he and two of his pledge brothers would sing and talk their early morning shower time away.  But now one was gone and the other soon to follow, no this morning it was just him and his mind.

He turned on his shower.  Of the six showerheads in the houses’ second floor bathroom he chose the same one that he always did.  The one closest to the wall on his left hand side.  It had been his shower ever since he moved to the second floor, almost a year ago.  

His mind drifted back to her.  He wanted to call her.  No, if she wanted to talk to him, she would have to call him.  He called her the last time that they had talked.  God, I hope she is all right he said to himself.  He was finished soaping, now he could shampoo.  

He always thought of her, first thing when he woke up.  Then he would forget till he started soaping.  Then while he washed his hair, his mind would drift off her.  This was always the case, unless he had a presentation, or a test, then his mind would be more focused.  He hated thinking about her, because he knew he thought of her too much.  

After he brushed his teeth, he made the executive decision not to shave.  He hated shaving; it always hurt his face.  He walked to his room in the same style he always did looking at the ground.  He began to clothe his plump body and realized his boxer were getting bigger.  That was a good thing.  Next came his undershirt that was always tucked into his white boxers.  Then he pulled on his jeans, damn it they were still a little tight.  He hated being heavy.  Next came the green Big Dog sweatshirt, he loved that sweatshirt.  Today, he would wear the Brewers hat that he had broken in last summer.  Now he was ready for class.  

It was Friday and that meant class began at 8:00 am.  That was fine, because he would be done before most of his friends were out of bed.  To walk to class or get a ride?  That was his big dilemma this morning.  The Business School isn’t all that far.  He would walk.  

He left the back door and walked towards the grassy tundra.  He would cross the tundra, then walk down the wooden walkway and then he was in the B school.  He was all too familiar with the walk.  He had done it a million times before.  That is the live of an accounting major. 

As he walked behind the neighboring fraternity house his mind began to wonder.  What if everything is not OK?  She really might be in trouble.  His mind was full of thoughts of her and he just shook his head.  He looked up, almost to the business school now.  

As he stepped into the dormitory parking lot that was right before his walkway his mind once again began to race.  This time he thought something different, though not about her.  He thought about writing.  Not like letters or a poem.  No, he thought about writing his novel, but what was his novel.  It changed each time he walked alone and in every story he was the main character being watched by someone else.

 Today he thought about the police watching him.  This was because not only was he Brent Baldwin College student, but also Brent Baldwin feared mob enforcer and king pin.  This particular story he had been working on since he was fifteen.  

Brent Baldwin was a fifteen-year-old boy who snuck out of his hotel in New York to smoke a cigarette. While smoking behind a trash Dumpster he would witness a mob hit.  They would see him but not kill him because there was no contract on his life and more important no money in it.  Brent had always loved the Mafia, but this was different he had actually seen a murder.  The murder was a lot more brutal than what he had seen in his beloved mob movies.  Brent would not tell anyone what he witnessed. He just went back to his mid-sized Indiana town and acted like he saw nothing.  

About a week later Brent would be outside on his swing (which was his favorite place to think.) when he was hit over the head with a club.  When he came too, he had a terrible headache.  He also noticed he was no longer at home.  He really was not sure were he was.  He just knew that he could not move and he began to panic when he heard a voice in the distance.

“You got the kid?”  He heard a man with an East Coast accent say.

“Yea, we got the kid.”  A deeper voice replied.  

“It is about time you idiots got something right.”  The East Coast accent replied. “Now take me too our little viewer.”  

Just then a door swung open and a lit clicked on.  In front of him he saw a handsome, well-dressed man.  The man had a young face, with eyes that were as cold as ice.   The man walked up to him.  Now he could see two other guys behind the well-dressed man.  Oh God, Brent thought to himself, I remember those faces.  It was the two men that he saw brutally murder another.  He knew his life would soon end and asked God to please forgive his sins and to take care of his family.  

“Do you know who I am?”  Said the well-dressed man.  Who also happened to be the guy with the East Coast accent?  

Brent sat there stumped.  He had no idea whom in the hell the well-dressed man was.  

“Did not think you would, you little prick and I even saved you life.”  The man said with little emotion.  Then he continued.  “My name is Jamie Derr, son of the famous gangster Donnie Derr and I am here because you no too much.”

“I never said a word, and I am not going too.  All I wanted was a cigarette and that is what I had.”  Brent said cool as ice, even though he was about to make a mess of himself.

“Your right your not going too, you little prick because you ain’t gonna have the chance.”  Replied Mr. Derr and lets see how this fat fucker responds to that. 

` “So be it.  If you have your mind made up then do it.  Just leave my family alone, they know nothing and they are good people.”  Brent said hoping that he had not jeopardized them. 

Good response I really like this kid Jaime thought to himself.  “Hmm, so you would rather die than have your family hurt in anyway?”  

“Yes, sir.  My life is all you need to take.”  Brent was starting to tremble.  He was so scared, but he meant it he would die for his family.  

Jaime turned his back to Brent and began to walk out when he said to the other gentlemen.  You know what to do.  They both began to walk towards Brent.  He now feared the worst.  The bigger of the two men grabbed him.  The other pulled out a knife.  The next thing Brent knew he could move his hands and his feet, the ropes that were holding him in place had been cut away.  

Jaime now turned back around and held out a pack of cigarettes.  Brent took one and then lit it with his own lighter.  He now recognized his surroundings he was at his own barn a half mile from his house.  Jaime looked at him and smiled.  

“You are OK kid and that was what I was banking on.”  Jaime replied.  

“I just told you what I believed in, that is all.” 

Jaime laughed out loud.  He really liked this little prick.  “Kid, whatcha want to do with your life?”

Taking a long drag from his cigarette he replied “I always wanted to be a courtroom brawler.  You know they guy who protects others interests.”  

An interesting way of putting it Jaime thought to him self.  He gave a direct answer but did not let you know his intentions a really good answer.  “The way I see it kid if you are a lawyer you work for the people and get nothing for all your hard work or you can work for your friends and enjoy the benefits.”

Brent understood were Jaime was coming from “I am one to always takes care of my friends, I also enjoy a benefit or two.”  

“Well friend lets talk a little more serious.”  Jaime said “I have a proposition for you.”

“You have my attention.”

“My father wanted to know what kind of man you were, I now know, I can read a person like a book in the first five minutes I have talked to them.  I like you and I want to help you be someone that takes care of his friends in the future.  Services like that can be very beneficial.”

“I would like to be someone who is beneficial.”

“Good, I need a favor from you.  See we control certain operations in the east and on the West Coast, but we would like to expand into the Midwest.  There is just one problem and that is Chicago, the people there are animals and they do not play by our rules.  They are weaker than we are but right now they have a strong foot hold on this area and it is hard for us to get any action.  So, we figure that is were we gonna use you.”

“Wh Wha, what do you mean, that is how your going to use me?”  Brent said with a little concern.   

“Hey baby, do not get cold feet before you here what we have to say.”

“I ain’t got cold feet.”  Brent said more sternly.

“Good, now back to business.”  Jaime said smoothly, then continued “You will help us get set up in this area and then your out.  We will act like you never saw anything, and you will make a lot of money in the process.  You like the sound of that don’t cha.”

“Yea, money talks!”  When you’re fifteen, money is nice Brent thought. 

“So, you in?” Jaime said.

“I am not exactly sure what I am into, but if it cleans my slate with you all, I am in.  I have absolutely no experience in this stuff, what ever this stuff is.”

“You my friend, Brent?” Jaime asked

“Yea, I’m your friend Jaime.”  Brent said assuming that he was answering correctly.    

“Then I will take care of you right?”

“Yea, that what friends are for.”  

“Now you got it, you little prick.”  Jaime said with a grin on his face.  “We shall be in touch, and if you so much as mention this to anyone, we might not be friends no more.”

 Following this conversation Brent would learn his new destiny.  He would become the leader in establishing the largest drug trade in the Midwest and this all before he was a junior in high school.  He was smart and crafty and was able to do it without anyone knowing he was behind it.  

Jaime taught him how to set up trustworthy people around you so that you never dealt directly with the operation as they called.  Brent would use his closest childhood friends to carry out his commands.  These people were loyal out of friendship alone.  The money was only added incentive, which Jaime taught him was the best way.  

Jaime even taught Brent how to be a killer.  Jaime made his bones very early in life and was one of his father’s best hitman.  Brent had to big of a heart to be a killer himself, but the business wasn’t to big hearted to keep him form pulling the strings and having others kill for him.  He was truly the man behind the puppets.  He also was no fool, he set everything up so that if anything happened to him thing operation would collapse and certain information would get were it was not suppose too.  He had well protected himself, even from Jaime and Jaime was proud. 

Brent kept his operation till he was a senior.  He was a great student and he was a nice kid.  The only complaint about him was he supplied high schoolers with alcohol at parties he threw, but most parents saw this all as a part of growing up.  He was well liked and his secret life never was discovered. His parents were pretty well off, his father was a surgeon, so no one ever questioned were the money came from. 

After Brent graduated his now good friend Jaime came to see him.  

“Brent, you little prick you are a high school graduate.  Let me give you a kiss.”  Jaime said and took him in his arms and kissed both of his cheeks then gave him a big huge.  “You did it, man you did it.”

    “Thank you my friend.”

“I have something for you and from the family we wish you the best.”

Brent was handed a small box that was wrapped in silver paper.  He quickly opened his gift.  When he opened the box he found a stunning gold ring that had many diamonds in the middle of it.  Brent took it out and placed it on his pinky finger.  Which is were it was meant to go.  For three years he had admired Jaime’s and now he had one of his own. 

“I ain’t got the words, I love it.” Brent said hugging him. 

“You ain’t gotta say nothing.  It was a gift from friends.” Jaime smiled largely then continued “Brent you are out.”

“What the fuck you mean I am out.”

“You out, is what I mean.”

“After all I did for you, the ring won’t survive with out me and you know it.” 

“No the ring won’t survive if you die, not if you are out.  My friend.”  Jaime said.  

“You owe me?”  Brent screamed, for to long he was the one calling the shots.  Had he became to powerful that now his friends did not want him around?    

“Brent, do not take this the wrong way, we are truly grateful for what you did for us and that is why you are out.  We have seen you are better than this and that you can have a better life then what we have made you.  Remember what you wanted to be when we first meet?”

“Yea, I remember a lawyer.”  

“Yea, a guy who helps his friends.  You see we do owe you and your friends and now by cutting you out we are giving you a new chance at life.  You are going to IU right with your buddies.”

“Yea, I am.”

“Don’t you want to start fresh and not have all this hanging on your head?  Your better to us as a lawyer then as a wannabe king pin.”  

“Sorry, I never even thought of that my good man.”  Brent and Jaime hugged.  This would be there last time together for almost a year.  They talked of all the great opportunities Brent would have and how he would be missed.  He found out that Jaime never was given the chance for education and Brent in a way was living his dreams for him.  They were good friends and that was that.

Brent was now a junior in college and as he walked to class the cops watched him from a far.  Inside the car were three men.  Two were DEA and one was FBI.  The FBI agent was Ryan Harrison and he was the first to speak.  

“I do not think that kid right their even fits the description that hood in Cincinnati gave us.” 

“What do you mean he fits it perfectly and everything still points to him.” Said the driver, which was in the front seat of the car with Harrison.

“I do not see any connection we are wasting our time.  You mean to tell me a kid who is an accounting major is gonna kill four people in Cincinnati over a weekend formal.  Yet we have four other leads but you jerk-off likes wasting my fucking time.  With this fucking numbers cruncher. You guys need help.”  Harrison was pissed, but he also had worked for the Derr family for years and wanted to get the heat off Brent.  

“No that is dumb, how would they put IU and Cinci. Together, they wouldn’t.” Brent said to himself.  

“Maybe this whole story of me being a feared and wanted gangster is just dumb.”  He continued.  

Ah, at the school of business at last.  Brent often would think things like this up when he walked or was in his bed at night.  He was a dreamer and had always been a dreamer.