New Life

Chapter 2

~Marcus~

Myself, Oliver, Tyler, Tyra and Clarrisa burst through the doors of the hospital and make a B-line to the reception. As we arrive at the reception we all talk over each other asking the receptionist where out 3 friends are, you could see by the look on the receptionist face it was a lot at once as she says "woah woah, everyone slow down, one at a time please" Tyler is first to jump in and ask over Francis and Azura "any news on Francis and Azura? They got rushed in" "I'll find out now for you, what was their last names?" "I...I don't know," he begins as he realises after years of being friends he never got their last names...although I guess that's normal in a gang "their my friends, they got rushed in from a festival disaster" he finishes worry and panic clear in his voice "I'll see what I can find out for you, but please for now just take a seat and I'll let you know when I have an answer for you" "ok thanks, my name is Tyler" then receptionist nods as Tyler goes and sits down "who's next?" I walk up to the counter making sure my uniform and badge is fully on show "hi, I'm Officer Benson. I'm wanting to know the status and what's going on with Talia Jenson and the other 2 casualties  from the festival incident" "I'll find out what I can officer, but for now please take a seat" the receptionist says gesturing to where Tyler was sitting.

I go over to Tyler and sit down next to him then say "hopefully being an officer I'll find out fast" "if you find out before me, will you please tell me what you get told" I nod "of course Tyler" with that we both then start hoping and praying it's not as grim as what it looks.

~Oliver~

Me, Clarrisa and Tyra all start talking over each other when the receptionist then says "one at a time please" so I begin "sorry, we want to know if you have any news on out friend" "what's their name?" "I don't know if she's down as Azura Jenson or Crystal Xor, she's the singer from Karma, she's just been brought in from the festival disaster" Clarrisa then get very angry and agitated with worry for Azura "you better tell us or so help me god you will pay" "miss please go take a seat" then Tyra says "Clary come on, calm down" "can you tell us anything about how she is?" I ask trying to also make sure Clarrisa doesn't go full out G.I. Jane "I'll find out, for now take a seat" Clarrisa then slams her fist against the counter top "tell us now!" Clarrisa demands "miss if you don't calm down and take a seat I'll have to have you escorted out the hospital" so with that me and Tyra hold onto Clarrisa as we all go to sit down "violence won't help" Tyra says, I then add "and neither will threats "but..." Clarrisa says worry in her eyes "trust me, I understand" I begin, Tyra then follows with "but we still need to remain calm and civil" Clarrisa just rolls her eyes as we all then sit down next to Marcus and Tyler.

~Marcus~

Oliver, Tyra and Clarrisa sit down next to me, I could see frustration on Clarrisa's face and I know how she feels.....anyway as we're all sitting waiting for an update Tyra says "so....erm...." "this isn't awkward at all" Clarrisa adds, I just smirk but I can see the worry and stress on Tyler's face "hey Tyler" I begin, he looks at me "I'm a police officer so I'm usually the first to get any kind of update with situations like this.....so as soon as I know you'll know. Just....don't get your hopes up for a good outcome though" "thanks Marcus" I pat his back "no problem, any friend of AJ's has all my support. For all you and Francis done to help her in my absence, it's the least I can do" Tyler gives me a half smile when Tyra then looks at Tyler and sees his tattoo on his arm, it's a serpent around a knife, a very well known gang tattoo. Tyra then says "wait...your tattoo...it's a gang tattoo....are you part of a gang?" Tyler nods "The Serpents, yes" "so...." "I'm here for Francis and AJ" "I heard that" then Clarrisa jumps in "why was Francis up there? On stage" "he saved AJ...hopefully" Tyler replies, Clarrisa then says "how do you know AJ? Like only her mates call her AJ" "yeah me and Francis are friends with AJ, we both care about her very much" then Tyra says "wait wait wait, so AJ....our AJ..." I turn to her and say "is a Serpent" "she only doesn't have the tattoo because she weren't old enough to get them and never had the money for it either" Tyler sighs then carries on "but although she's the youngest of us all...she's our leader" Tyra and Clarrisa have a look of shock on her face, I then explain "when I introduced AJ to you all I was still retraining with the police after returning home from army training, I wanted her to have a better life, to get in a better crowd and NOT be in a gang, let alone be the leader of one....no offence Tyler" "none taken, she deserved a better life than that of a gang leader" Tyler shrugs "The Serpents are the most powerful and influential gang around....they had a kid leading it?" Tyra asks "yeah she's been leader since she was about thirteen or fourteen, we've been the most feared ever since" Tyler answers "The Serpents have a rep for being most ruthless and feared..." Clarrisa says, Tyler shrugs "AJ was always the type to hit first and ask questions later" "I kind of got that impression from her when I first met her" Clarrisa says "yeah well...no matter how much we tried to ask her to change her life and go for the better opportunity, she never wanted to give up the gang" Tyler begins, I then add "no matter how much I tried to change her mind and have a safer, better life she ALWAYS insisted on remaining..." "The Serpent Queen, our leader" Tyler jumps in as he then goes on to say "she's the youngest of us all, but when she took over the gang was the strongest it's ever been, I was AJ's left hand man, her 3rd in command. She chose me to be her 3rd because I'm good at finding out information for her, Francis was her right hand man, her 2nd in command....he knew the most about her" Tyler explains as Tyra and Clarrisa just remain having a look of shock and disbelief on their faces.