Bloodline of a Kane (Kane Family Saga)

by Bobby Dennis

  In the bed of the truck were crates and they could see the open ones contained Thompson Submachine Guns. Another contained drum magazines, another Dynamite, another smaller box, grenades.

  “How many are there?” asked Falcon.

  “24 to a crate, 4 crates. 10,000 rounds of .45 caliber, 50 Grenades and plenty of Dynamite.” answered Ransom.

  “We won’t be lacking fire power, that’s for sure.” said Turk.

  “These ain’t like regular rifles, these are full automatic and I’m gonna teach y’all to use them.” said Ransom. “Where my daddy?”

  “He had some personal business, but knowing him he can probably feel we’re here and will be by.” said Falcon.

  Before he had finished speaking two big sedans pulled behind the trucks. Raven, Eagle, and Cougar got out of one. Pat and Pauly out of the other.

  “Damn if you weren’t right, Falc.” said Hawk.

  Raven walked over and the men embraced. “You boys having a party and we wasn’t invited?” asked Raven.

  “Well brother, there are these who knew you’d be along.” said Wolf.

  Raven looked at the crates, and said. “Starting a war Ransom?”

  “Might be Pa,” Ransom said smiling. “I think we need to hide the hardware and get busy. Pa you gonna need some work clothes, or you’re gonna mess that pretty suit up, you too Tim.”

  All of the men laughed, then Ransom and Trace assigned the men to tasks. They would only use blood in the operation and each man was given an area of responsibility.

  Both Marcellus and Brook were to work with Tigger, which would be the hardest work. The two Young men knew their father and grandfather wouldn’t put up with laziness.

  * * * * “I don’t know what them Kanes are up to, but if they’re buying all the stuff I hear they’re buying, then it means Ravens spittin in my eye. It’s like he’s saying, fuck you Mace.” said Mace angrily. “That black ass nigga was just in my house this morning, talking that we might as well get along if we’re family shit.”

  “So what do we do Pa?” asked Ford.

  “Kill that motherfucker.” Mace replied.

  “Now hold up there Pa.” said Drake cautiously. “Just

  cause the man’s buying the stuff, don’t mean he’s

  disrespecting us. I think you ought to go talk to him.” “Damn right I should.” said Mace. Y’all boys get your guns, cause we’re about to pay that nigga a surprise visit.”

  Mace and his sons all got their guns. Drake shook his head, because he knew if his father approached Raven wrong they’d all end up dead.

  * CHAPTER # 11 *

  Raven had a store that did good business and most days he or one of his daughters ran it. Celia had taken to working there too and Raven paid them all. Raven, Hawk, Falcon, Eagle, Wolf and Cougar sat at a table in the store just talking.

  “I saw us, for seemed like the first time last night,” said Raven. “Brothers we’re getting old.”

  “That we are,” said Eagle.

  “I think we should just provide support for our sons on this.” said Hawk. “Let this be their thing.”

  “I think Hawk is right.” said Cougar. “We’ve made a name for ourselves and built a foundation for them. Let them do the rest.”

  Hawk seldom spoke much, but when he did it usually made sense.

  “So you’re saying we should miss the action?” said Wolf. “At heart I’m still a warrior and I want to choose my day to die.”

  “Time will choose it for you brother.” said Raven. “There will be enough action to go around, besides what we need to do is try to make sure we all come out alive.

  Falcon looked towards the door, then said. “Here comes Mace and all his boys and they’re toting iron.”

  The door swung open and Mace walked in, his sons trailing him. “Raven we need to talk.” said Mace menacingly.

  Raven looked out from under the brim of his hat, and asked. “Is there a problem Mace?”

  “Damn right there is, if you think you’re gonna just muscle in on my business.” Mace replied.

  “Let’s talk about this in the back Mace, just you and me.” Raven said and rose from his seat.

  Mace watched as Raven slid the two .45’s back in their Holsters, then looked at the other men and saw they all had guns in their hands. He shivered and knew someone had just walked over his grave. He knew if he and his sons had so much as flinched wrong, they would’ve all been gunned down. He followed Raven into the back office and they sat down. Raven raised his hand to silence Mace before he could speak.

  “I know what it looks like, but it isn’t that Mace. You don’t need to know our business, but it won’t take a dime out of your pocket. We’re about to be family and I wouldn’t compete with family.”

  “So, you mean to tell me you and yours ain’t getting into boot legging?” asked Mace.

  “I didn’t say that. What I said was, it ain’t what it looks like. We getting into it, but we gonna do it somewhere else. Trust me on that.” said Raven.

  “Well, alright,” Mace said.

  The two men walked back out front. “I got some cold beer if you boys want some.” Raven said.

  They all sat down, drank and talked. Drake eyed the old men secretly. He could hardly wait to leave, because he wanted to know what Raven had told his father. He listened closely as the Kanes spoke and watched how they interacted with one another.

  Soon Mace rose, and said. “We been a little busy and I haven’t had a chance to break the news to them yet.”

  “Well I’ll leave that to you then.” said Raven.

  “Come on, boy’s.” said Mace as his sons rose from their seats.

  After the Maces left, the men looked at Raven. “Me and Celia gonna get married soon.” Raven said.

  “And you just decided to tell us?” asked Eagle.

  “Well bro, we have been busy and I had forgotten.” said Raven.

  “Don’t let Celia hear you say that.” Falcon said with a smile.

  “So, y’all ain’t got no problem with me marrying a woman half my age?” Raven asked.

  The five men looked at him in amazement. “Why would we have a problem with that brother?” asked Hawk. “You’re happy and Celia’s a fine woman. I mean that in both ways.”

  The men laughed and got up to embrace Raven.

  “She gonna have my baby too.” Raven said.

  “Go on, old man.” said Cougar laughing. “I wanna know how you got the energy to love up that young girl.”

  “It ain’t hard, I’ll tell you that.” Raven said grinning from ear to ear.

  “So what’s up with the party?” asked Wolf.

  “Mace and his folks, are gonna have us an engagement party Saturday night.” Raven said. “You’re all invited.

  “Now you tell us.” said Falcon laughing.

  * * * * Mace and his sons went to a house on the outskirt of town that they used as a headquarters. “The nigga said they wouldn’t be competing with us. So, I wonder who they’ll be competing with?” said Mace.

  “The only place to do business besides here, is in town.” said Drake. “If they’re going into business, that’s the only place that makes sense. One thing is for sure though. If they do that, then they’ll be going up against the Bellamy’s and their crew. If that’s the truth, then we may not have to worry about the Kanes.”

  “You’re right about that.” said Preston.

  “Well, I can tell you this. If they need our help, then we hem and haw, but stay out of it.” said Mace. “I just can’t see no nigga winning in a war against them white boys.”

  “I feel different about that Pa.” said Drake. “If I had to put my money on it, I’d bet on the Kanes.”

  “Damn it Drake,” said Mace. “It seems to me you done placed the niggas on a pedestal!”

  “Nah Pa, it ain’t like that.” said Drake. “I been watching them for years and they ain’t nothing like the average niggas or Indians. They operate differently than us all. Far as
family goes we’re tight, but they’re even tighter.”

  “How can you say some shit like that?” shouted Ford angrily.

  “Ford, now ain’t the time for that shit. I didn’t mean it as disrespect to us, it’s just a fact.” said Drake.

  “Enough of that. We got a business to run, so let’s get.” said Mace.

  The men rose and left the house.

  * * * * Prescott Snidely Wellington and his wife Elisabeth, stood behind the counter in their store talking to a big black woman named Eula.

  “I’m telling you Ms. Eula that these bolts of cloth are the rage in New York. All of the women are making dresses from it.” said Mrs. Wellington.

  “I would like to make a dress or two, so you can give me a bolt.” Eula said with a big smile.

  Just then, Wally Cronin walked in. The Wellington’s looked up in surprise, since Wally had never visited before.

  “Mayor, how can I be of service?” asked Mr. Wellington.

  “We need to talk Pres.” said Cronin.

  Prescott led him to the back office and showed him to a seat. Then he sat behind his big desk, steepled his hands, rested his chin on them and just stared at Wally. Prescott Wellington was a big, strapping man in excellent shape. He had dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes.

  “Well Pres it’s like this. People think you’ve gotten a little too close to the niggers, treating them like white folks are the exact words they used.” said Wally.

  Prescott raised his head, then cracked his knuckles loudly, raised a hand to cut Wally off, then said. “I don’t see but one color and that’s the color of a man’s money. I’m a businessman and the principle behind business is to generate income. That’s what I do. A fair price for all goods, regardless to a man’s skin color.”

  “Now look here Pres, ain’t no need to take that tone with me. You don’t talk to your nigger customers that way.”

  “The key word in your statement is customer, of which you’re not one. I’ve gone so far as to do business with everyone in town, but not a single white man has done business with me. Should I let my family starve or suffer for ideals in which I disagree?”

  “It ain’t like that Pres. You’re a stranger here.” said Wally.

  “I’ve been here for twenty years, a member of the town council and I’m still a stranger?” asked Pres.

  “You’re takin this wrong, Pres.” stammered Wally.

  “Yeah, you’re probably right. There’s no way you, a pillar of the community would ask me to lie, steal and cheat from your constituents.” said Pres sarcastically.

  “Damn it man, I’m trying to save your life here.” shouted Wally.

  “I beg to differ.” said Pres. “It seems to me, as if you’re trying to deny me my lively hood.”

  “Fuck it, you deal with it when it comes.” said Wally rising from his chair and storming out.

  Elisabeth stepped into the office and looked at him.

  “It’s nothing. Who’s watching the store?” he asked.

  “Lucy Pearl,” she answered. “I know something’s wrong Pres, I have a right to know.”

  “Some people want us to use questionable business practices with our customers.” Prescott said.

  “Wally had the nerve to come ask you something like that?” she asked.

  “Not in plain words luv, he hinted at it. I do know something is going to happen. Tell Lucy Pearl to spread the word for the blacks to be careful. You know Wally’s with the Klan.” Pres said.

  “Are we in danger Pres?” asked Elisabeth.

  “I hope not luv. We ran from our homeland, because of how they felt about our point of view. No more running luv. If you feel you need to get away for a while, please feel free because I’d like nothing better than to see you some place safe.” he said.

  “We came here in the wilderness to escape the confines of the small mined and it seems they’ve come to enforce their rules even here. There is no safe place, when a man can get hung for simply looking a white person in the eyes.” she said firmly. “If there is one place I could be in the whole world, it would be by your side.”

  “I know, that’s why I didn’t send you away. I knew where you would choose to be.” said Pres with a smile.

  “Let me go talk to Lucy Pearl.” she said.

  He rose from behind his desk and followed her from the room.

  Lucy Pearl was a beautiful, high yellow girl, of 16. She was a big girl, fully developed, big breast, wide hips and big legs. Many of the men in town were trying to court her. Prescott gave her a job in the store. The Wellingtons were childless and Lucy Pearl was Prescott’s daughter. Prescott had been seeing Lucy Pearl’s mother Ella Mae for 18 or 19 years. Even Lucy Pearl didn’t know. They stood in the front of the store and Elisabeth said.

  “Honey I want you to go home early today, because you need to tell your people to be careful. The Klan might be up to something.”

  “Yes mam I will do that.“ Lucy Pearl said. “You be careful too, you hear me?” asked Pres. “I will Mr. Prescott,” she replied.

  * * * * The Kanes stood in a wooded area on Hawk’s property, with ten Sub Thompson’s. “I want y’all to gather around and see how these weapons work.” said Ransom.

  The men all got in a circle with Ransom in the center. He showed them how to charge the weapon, load it and clean it. The men practiced that for several hours, until each man could break the weapons down and reassemble it. Ransom chose a group that consisted of Trace, Lao, Patrick, Jose, Juan, Tim, Eddie, Turk and Prince. They were the first Kanes to fire the Sub Thompson’s. The others laughed, as the weapons climbed to the sky when the trigger was pulled.

  “Damn this gun got some kick.” shouted Trace taking his finger off the trigger.

  “A man could do some damage with one of those.” said Raven.

  “Yes he can.” Ransom said. “That’s why I got them. See them crackers ain’t armed this good. It ain’t gonna be no cake walk, but these will get the job done. When we make our move, everybody will ride with one from then on.”

  Ransom walked over to a stump that had a small crate on it. He opened the crate and pulled out a big flat pistol, and said. “Army issue colt .45, 1911 model.” He showed them how to clean and assemble the pistol, then showed them how to shoot it.

  “That’s a nice piece of workmanship, but I’ll stick with mine on this one.” Raven said.

  The men laughed as Ransom gave them to those who wanted them. The men sat around and Raven looked at them then turned to Ransom, and asked.

  “We’ve got all of the stuff we need now, do you have the connections to get the corn sold in town?”

  “Yes, I do Pa.” answered Ransom. “An old army buddy name Tyrus Biggers is setting it up right now. So by the time we get our first shipment cooked off he should have everything set up.”

  “I see you’ve thought this thing thru. Now what we’ve got to do is be prepared for the repercussions that are sure to come when we start. I want to find out what we’re faced with, because we’re gonna have to kill white men. And if the sheriff gets in the cross hairs and we kill him, then some federal agency is gonna come in. Years ago it was told to me that I couldn’t start a shooting war with the army. Well, we can’t start a shooting war with the government.” said Raven.

  “How do we do it then brother?” asked Eagle.

  “We make sure we cover our tracks and also that we don’t leave any trails that lead back to us.” Raven answered.

  “That’s easier said than done, Pa.” Ransom said.

  “Not really,” Trace replied. “We use the same tactics they use.”

  Raven looked at Trace, then asked. “What do you mean?”

  “Night Riders,” Trace answered. “They hide under hoods so we’ll do the same thing, only our hoods and robes will be black. They terrorize us, we do the same to them.”

  “That’s my boy there.” said Hawk laughing.

  “It wouldn’t hurt you to be a little more modest brother.” said Rave
n with a smile. Raven looked at his brothers, their sons and his, and knew they were all able men. The clan would survive and thrive in the hands of their sons.

  “I think we need to get busy on the stills in the morning. There’s plenty of work to go around. Cellus, I expect you and Brooks to pull your own load. There’ll be plenty of time for that other stuff. It’s gonna get sticky in a short while and you’ll need to prove you’re up to the task. You’re Kanes damn it, and its time to stop riding on the coat tales of your father and the rest of us. Understand?” asked Raven. “We ain’t never had to do much Grandpa.” replied Brooks.

  “I suppose that’s my fault as well as anyone’s, but that’s over now and it’s time to stand on your own. You both will be needed in the times to come and we need to know we can depend on you.” Raven said.

  “You can depend on us, Grandpa,” Marcellus said sincerely.

  “There’s still some light out.” said Ransom. “Let’s get some work done.

  * * * *

  “I’m telling you Bull, I don’t want killings.” said Wally. “Don’t tell me you’ve all of a sudden become a champion of the niggers Wally?” said Bull sarcastically.

  “Now Bull it ain’t like that.” Wally whined. “ I just don’t want to rile the niggers more than we have to. We want their money and the more you kill the more animosity it’s gonna cause.”

  “What are they gonna do Wally? They ain’t gonna fight back.”

  “You can beat a dog and beat him and sooner or later he gonna bite you. Niggers is almost human, they’re a lot smarter than dogs.” stated Wally.

  “And I’ll do them just like I’d do a dog that bite me. I’d shoot the motherfucker.” said Bull with an evil glint in his eyes. “Further more, I’d shoot the dogs owner or anyone else that tried to protect it.” He looked into Wally’s eyes, then said. “Do you get me?”

  Wally swallowed and nodded his head. Just then, Oscar and Simon walked into Wally’s office.

  “What’s going on Wally, you look like you just seen a ghost?” said Oscar.

  “Hey Bull” Oscar and Simon snickered.

  “I talked to Pres, and tried”….

  “You what!” screamed Bull.