Part 2

Josh met with his supervisor, Officer Camme the next day. Camme, who was a tiny little woman though made up for it with her voice. She wasn't loud, but rather stern and JC felt small next to her.

"So," Josh said as he skimmed over the notes he had made previously. "Whats gonna happen here again? I don't know about the undercover idea."

Camme twirled in her seat. "Why not?" She sat up and grabbed her coffee, her eyes quickly scanning over the open folder on her desk.

"Well, seeing as I have no experience in a gang." Josh chuckled and Camme gave him a small smile. "And also, I just don't think I could pull that off. The other team, the Brickman team hadn't pulled it off either and they were trained. I'm just a mediator."

Camme nodded. "Hm, well... how could we get a lead on this?" she thought aloud and Josh sat back. "Maybe, maybe you could be seen as a trustworthy stranger?" she tried and then shook her head. "I'll ask Philips, he's good at this kinda crap. How's your new apartment?"

Josh smiled. "Great. Beautiful actually. Has a great view of Chisten."

"That's good. Well, I'll give you a call when we figure out something. Go wander the city, have fun. We start tomorrow."

Josh stood eaily and reached out and shook the woman's tiny hand. "Thank you." he said kindly and she smiled tightly.

He was out in the street by noon, walking around in a Vokal hoodie and some oversized that slipped off his hips every so often. He had a baseball cap on, shielding his eyes.

He lowered his cap as he continued walking in the bright sun, though the air was quite chilly.

His eyes observed thoroughly, and a smile stayed on his face as he looked at his almost peaceful surrounding.

People sat upon their porches, the older men with cigars resting on their bottom lips, speaking so low and grumbly that Josh couldn't have understood a word any of them would have said.

The younger bunch, the ones with Sean John pants and Coogi shirts and cut up jeans all stood in front of doors or steps, the men nursing a beer of some sort or a cigarette. The women stood by, usually talking to each other rather then the guys.

The kids, they ran around like life was good. It was refreshing. Especially after all the questioning looks Josh had been getting ever since he stepped in the neighborhood.

With his hands tucked in his pockets he walked by a run down Giant, cardboard covering a broken window, tags covering the tattered building. When he reached the side of it, he stopped upon seeing a large crowd settled around a basketball court.

Deciding to check it out he walked over, trying to see over people's heads. There had to be at least 100 spectators and Josh had raised his eyebrows in amusement at the small basketball competition.

He saw a seat missing from the metal bleachers and easily made his way through the crowd to sit there. He had gotten a few glares but he was learning how to not let them get to him. He'd have to get used to that.

His eyes landed on the two teams, particularly on the pale skinned blonde with cornrows. It was hard to miss him, being the lightest one out of the teams, hell maybe even the bunch. Josh didn't try to question his nationality because everybody was mixed these days.

His gaze stayed on that one player, though. Even as he tried to examine the different players they always strayed to the young man with quick hands and fast feet.

After making a beautiful looking three pointer, the player basked in his glory doing a little pimp walk that sent his side of the bleachers into a frenzy. The young man turned serious again, and with quick movements guarded his man, the person behind him getting audibly frustrated.

"Fuck!" he screamed out and pushed the light man from behind, the man stumbling before turning around quickly.

"Fuck you think you're doin?" the pale skinned man asked, getting in the other man's face. The crowded "ooh"-ed and suddenly, so sudden that Josh realized he had missed what had happened, both teams were prying their players off each other.

"Stupid honkey!" the other player screamed out and the guy Josh had been following with his eyes rolled his eyes, flipping him off with a grin. He walked over to where Josh was sitting and the crowd got to their feet, all rushing down to meet him.

Josh stayed seated, wanting to see what this whole thing was about before getting all hyped about it, or better said, him.

When it seemed people were just huddling around the star and that Josh wasn't going to find out he stood to go, concluding his tour with a smile. But when he reached the bottom level of the stairs the crowd seemed to hush around him and he turned around, gasping when all eyes were on him. Including the basketball player's.

With sweat dripping off his face, the light skinned player walked over to Josh fluidly but brutely. Josh swallowed thickly and took a step back.

"Where you goin?" The man gave him an evil half smile, reaching out to grab Josh's collar. Josh stopped immediately.

The man close up was nothing short of gorgeous, Josh had to admit. With his dark blue eyes, his fair skin. Yeah, this was not the time to be checking out someone who had a death grip on his shirt.

The man leaned in, a drop of sweat dripping onto Josh's new Nikes. He chuckled when he said, "What are you doin ‘round here?"

Josh opened his mouth but when time came to talk his tongue was thick and he was sweating himself. The man was too close and it was a little frightening.

"Mute." the man snickered and Josh decided he didn't like the amusement he saw in the man's shiny eyes. He turned around, talking to the crowd. "We got a re-re ova here!" he yelled and the bunch as a whole seemed to snicker at the brunette.

Josh blushed and tried to bow his head but the man had a tight grip on his shirt. Josh narrowed his eyes and tried to push away again.

"Look." he said, finally finding his voice and intelligent words he could use. "I j-just want to get-"

"Whats ya name, boy?"

Josh's head moved back as if he had been slapped. If there was one thing he couldn't tolerate, it was disrespect. How old was this guy? 18? Calling him a boy? Oh no.

He covered the young man's hand with his own and pried the man's hand away. "Look, boy, I was just watching the game. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go." Josh turned around and started walking when the crowd let out a loud, "Ooh" and it wasn't seconds before he heard feet pattering after him. He was turned around and angry eyes pinned him down.

"Look, bitch. This here is my crowd. I don't need a white ass fuck comin' ova here, spoilin' it."

Josh chuckled condescendingly. "Look in the mirror man." He started his way again but the younger man hopped in front of him.

"Keep talking shit, see what happens to ya." Josh felt himself taking a step back but no matter what, the player was on him, their chests bumping awkwardly. Josh pushed away, suddenly alarmed. He walked away silently, closing his eyes in relief when he didn't hear footsteps behind him.

Camme had called as promised and she had explained that he would just be a bystander. But he had to get in the likes of the gangs, particularly the leaders and that proved to be a problem.

"I have no idea whose in it."

The officer bit her lip. "Well, then find out. What about that insider?" Josh thought about it, and then nodded. He'd try. "I'll try him. So, that's the plan? Just become friends with this bunch, try to get them to cut out this bullshit?"

"Yes, and I have to tell you that I'm quite doubtful this is going to work. I don't think a bunch of grown men are going to stop just because someone told them to. But this happens to be our last resort so lets try and get it this time."

Josh nodded. "Alright, I'll try my best."

Camme smiled. "We're counting on ya. Don't screw this up. Now." Josh heard her flipping through pages. "We're changing your identity around a bit."

Josh smiled and rubbed his hands together. This was the fun part. "Alright. Who am I?"

Camme smiled. "Alright... your new name..."

JC Chasez walked out of his apartment, toward his job at Saff's Photoshop at the end of his block.

He wasn't "working" then, though. He was just out looking around again, still getting acquainted with the city. And looking for that light man that he had seen before, though he wouldn't admit that to anyone else but himself.

The confrontation between the two had been mildly rough and rather quick but he still had this attraction to the man, one to put him in his place.

"Damn, you'd think a cracker would stay away."

Right on time.

JC turned around quickly, half joyed that the young fair skinned man was in his presence again. And half peeved because he didn't want to have to deal with attitude.

JC put on a smile. "I have the feeling you were following me."

The man's smile was eerie and not friendly at all. "Don't sise yourself up. You aint that great."

JC watched closely and noticed the man wasn't exactly leaving, so this must be progress.

"Whats your name?"

The man smiled. "Why? So you can run to the cops and tell them some gang banger is troubling you?"

"You in a gang?"

The man's smile slipped off easily. "Who the fuck are you?"

JC shrugged easily. "Just curious."

The man watched JC for a long while, a sneer turning up his lip. "James."

"Your real name?"

The man turned and shook his head. "Fuck you. I don't need to stand here and catch this bull shit from-"

"So me inquiring about your name is bull shit?" JC knew he was being a smart ass but this guy was just begging for it.

The blonde narrowed his eyes and shook a finger at JC. "You fucking watch it."

JC knew he should have been scared, a little unnerved by the threat but he couldn't because he wanted to get a real rise out of this character.

"Why can't you just tell me what your name is?" He was following the fellow now and the other looked hindered.

"Yo, you better step off." he warned and JC stopped, watching as the man walked away, sighing.

He needed to find a better way of talking to the young man, realizing that this could only go so far.

Part 3
Tricky Index