[Chapter 62: Ophir's Promotion]
On the neon-lit streets at night, a few cars sped by. Mord was driving the Mercedes steadily and fast, the car's audio system blasting the catchy rhythm of Black or White. He swayed his body to the beat and cheerfully said, "Boss, when are we gonna get a Ferrari? That's the real car to impress the ladies!"
Charlie took a big gulp of coffee, tapping his foot to the rhythm. He was curious if his brother had some special talent to be able to move like that without affecting driving. Although he had seen Mord's skill for a while and didn't worry about safety, he couldn't help but mumble to himself.
He shook his head and said, "I don't need a car to pick up girls right now. If you want one, buy it yourself. Don't tell me you spent all your money."
Eto and Lamont, who had been with Charlie from the start, had gotten involved in the Independence Day project. They'd earned tens of thousands in bonuses and later kept their names on the project's roster. Buying a sports car for a few tens of thousands was no problem.
Mord smiled sheepishly, "I gave the money to my mom. The house desperately needs repairs, or one day, Brown, Miller, and I might just end up meeting God in our sleep."
"That's good!" Charlie laughed. "With me, you won't lack money. I'm happy you're helping out your family. How are the two little ones?"
It was clear Mord was proud of his younger brothers. He grinned broadly, "They joined the football and basketball teams. Now they can focus on training without worrying about making ends meet. My mom says the family will have two college students soon."
Usually, outstanding athletes could get accepted into some of prestigious universities. The key to standing out was more training and participation in matches to build experience. It cost a lot to nurture unknown athletes. Basketball was among the more affordable sports.
Kids from poor neighborhoods who managed to claw their way out through sports were one in a thousand because there were countless distractions around. Like accidentally ending up selling drugs, or joining a gang. Mord's family was among the few with just four members and a mother who cared and invested energy into all three kids.
That was why Charlie felt comfortable working with him.
He had sorted through the old circle of friends from his past life and picked reliable folks to work with -- at least personality-wise, they wouldn't cause much trouble.
After some casual congratulations, Mord smiled bashfully, "Uh, boss, my mom invited you to our house. You have no idea how thankful she is. Brown and Miller keep calling you Godfather at home. If you don't mind a modest welcome."
"No problem!" Charlie shook his head and smiled, "You've never been so shy before. Don't forget, we're brothers."
"Yes, boss, I'll always be your most loyal brother," Mord said excitedly. "So boss, are you free tomorrow night?"
Mord knew Charlie's work schedule well. But he also knew Charlie had been spending a lot of time chatting with that fiery-hot Halle Berry lately, so he wanted to confirm.
"I'm free, just tomorrow night. Ask Melche from the copyright company account to approve an $800 charge. Buy some gifts for me: basketball, football gear, whatever your mom needs," Charlie pondered. "You take care of it."
Mord didn't hold back picking gifts for his family and didn't blame the boss for not being super serious about it. The way men bonded was sometimes rather unique.
Mord scratched his head, finalized the gifts and happily expressed his thanks.
...
The Mercedes stopped in front of a cozy bar in West Hollywood. Mord quickly opened the door and walked in with Charlie.
"Hey, Ophir!"
"Looking good, Charles!"
Charlie hugged his brother who greeted him and examined his uniform while putting an arm around him as they walked toward a booth inside. He laughed, "I heard you got promoted -- that uniform looks sharp."
"Haha, I think so too!" Ophir was in a great mood and joked rarely. "Thanks to you, Royle pushed the director's council to transfer me to West Hollywood's major crimes division as a team leader. It's way better than before. You wouldn't believe how happy Fiona was when she heard the news. I was almost wrecked with back pain these days."
"Haha, you really should work out more," Charlie laughed and waved over a waiter to order three drinks.
Ophir said, "Got free time lately? You must be busy, but Fiona insisted on inviting you over. I told her, no need to be formal with Charles, but she blamed me for lacking social tact."
Charlie glanced at Mord and shrugged. "Women just don't get the bonds between men. Lots of people have been inviting me recently -- Eto, Lamont. How about we all go camping at Santa Monica Beach Park this weekend? You guys bring the food, I'll bring the appetite."
"I'm good with that. I've got more free time now, no more spending every day at the training field shooting," Ophir said.
Mord nodded and offered a new idea. "Boss, should we invite Kevin and the others? Do any of them has a problem with black guys?"
"I'll ask. It's just one day. I think everyone would enjoy bonding with their teammates," Charlie thought aloud.
Ophir put down his drink, "Charles, why did you make an appointment with that old bastard Kirk? The Bloods are still bugging you? I can help you better now."
Charlie shook his head, "No, they're busy fighting the Crips, not bothering me. I just wanted to learn more about Death Row Records stuff and maybe see if I could expand my financing channels."
"Ha, you're really something," Ophir laughed and shook his head.
Charlie chuckled, "I'm low on cash now, no reason not to pressure them. Actually, I even considered suing your precinct, saying Royle allowed criminals that led to my serious injuries. I know about your history -- Hammer operations and all -- cost you guys a lot."
Ophir smiled wryly, "Man, don't tell me you planned to go up against Royle. I can't believe you'd be bored enough to collect all that information."
"Haha, you know me better now. That was just insurance -- if I can't solve things another way, I'll go all in and take him out!"
"Good thing you didn't," Ophir said seriously, relieved. "And don't sue the precinct. Charles, you're a very promising businessman. Don't think of making a quick buck from this. Usually, people like that are just tools pushed out to attack others. Royle isn't as simple as he seems. He participated in wars and also crushed the 1992 LA riots with ruthless tactics."
"Just a backup plan. That's all in the past now. I don't have time for these games. But he promoted you for just a million bucks? That seems cheap."
Ophir laughed, "It's because of you. I heard from Augustin that Royle admires your style, holds you in high regard. It's probably his way of showing goodwill and an apology. You gotta understand, for a guy like him, that's rare."
*****
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