S.T.A.L.K.E.R: The Duel Page #2

Yeah. I'll see you later, though.

- Easy.

- For sure. Yeah, yeah.

- Yo, where we going?

- Probably the only place crazier

than a duel tournament...

my house.

Mama! Mama, I'm home!

Juli! Juli! Juli!

What it is, Ang.

Happy to see me?

- I want a piggyback ride.

- Machine's out of order.

Go color something,

you little brat.

That's my little sister Angelica.

My mom's got this thing

with Spanish names.

My real name is Julio,

and Angelica,

and then she named

my little brother Rodrigo,

but everybody calls him Rody.

No-Iook pass!

He takes it in the air!

Slam dunks!

Rody, what did I tell you

about using my basketball?

You weren't using it.

That don't mean you can, little man.

But I don't got a ball.

You want a ball?

Go steal one.

But leave mine alone.

I'm gonna have 100 balls

when I'm famous.

I'm gonna be better

than Allen Iverson, Dwyane Wade,

and Michael Jordan combined.

And I'm gonna record myself

making all the best plays.

Whatever. Keep dreaming,

you little shrimp.

Mama! Mama!

Mama!

Quit all your shouting, Julio.

This place is the size of a matchbox.

I can hear you just fine.

This is my friend Vance.

You a good boy, Vance?

Yeah. I think so.

Well, that's good,

'cause Julio sure can use

more good people around him.

What you talking about, Mama?

Don't get no better than me.

- Can he stay for dinner?

- Sure.

If it's one thing I do right,

it's feeding young men.

- All right. Thanks, Mom.

- Mm-hmm.

- See you.

- All right.

Mama, this is so good.

You better watch it.

He's gonna take it one day.

You're gonna wake up...

Eat your food.

Your big brother?

We just met.

We got the girls.

Hey, Jules, can I use your

basketball when you're gone?

You already know

the answer to that.

Now get that camera

out of my face.

Aw, man. Come on, Ang.

Let's go.

Hey, yo, man, I gotta roll.

All right. Cool.

Let me holler at you

for a second. You stuffed?

Yeah, man. Thanks for dinner.

I really appreciate it.

- I do what I can.

- But, yo,

why do I get the feeling you're

just buttering me up for something?

Definitely not ignorant and dumb.

- Mm-hmm.

- You're right.

I do want you

for something, crony.

I want you to be

my dueling partner.

I know you can play,

and I think together

we stand a good chance

at winning the Gathering.

What's the Gathering?

It's the largest dueling tournament

in the Northeast.

for a grand prize of 50 G's.

Man, what do you need $50,000 for?

Look around, new white boy.

Just where do you think we are?

It's the ghetto, partner.

And that grand prize is my family's

one-way ticket to a better life.

Yo, I'm sorry, man.

I don't play anymore.

I thought you might say that.

And that's why I came up with a way

to make it worth your while.

What's that?

You help me win the Gathering,

and I'll make it so that no one

messes with you at school.

You can do that?

Like this.

By this time tomorrow,

you'll go from

"pasty new white boy"

to "Vance, the number one playa."

It's got a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

Come on. What do you say?

We got a deal?

Deal.

Ah, yes! All right. Look.

First duel's tomorrow,

right before school,

a block away from the cage.

- All right.

- Don't keep me waiting.

All right, man.

Thanks again. Cool.

See you later, all right?

Yes! I'm gonna win

that Gathering.

Where the hell's this white boy?

Man, and you said I was impatient.

I'm ready.

What?

Are you serious with that outfit?

This is my old school uniform.

What school did you go to,

Goof Troupe Academy?

This is a basketball uniform.

It's designed to help you

move better on the court.

Yeah, well, at the same time,

make you look like a complete dork.

- Whatever.

- Look, man,

if I'm gonna teach you

how to have a swagger,

you're gonna have to learn

that style matters, man.

Game!

But for now, we got

some business to tend to.

Come on. Well, well.

If it ain't the Negro Doublemint Twins.

Ha! Very funny, Jules.

- Almost as funny as...

- Your man's get-up over here.

This is Anton and Parker.

They got this strange

bromance thing

where they finish

each other's sentences.

So this your new partner, huh, Jules?

- Some...

- Raggedy white kid?

Well, this raggedy white kid

can probably play better

than both of y'all combined.

- Can you put your money...

- Where your mouth is?

- How much?

- 60.

Come on. We don't play

for chump change, Milli Vanilli.

All right.

Throw in those sneakers you're wearing,

and you got yourself a game.

- Bet.

- All right.

Remember the rules.

Game's 21, and you only

get one foul total.

- I got it.

- All right?

Take off that funky jersey,

and pull down them dumb shorts.

Let's go.

Check up.

This ain't the theater, son.

Stop being so dramatic.

Get up!

Get up! Vance!

Are you cool?

Yeah. I think I understand

this game now.

That's good to know.

You trying to use our foul on this one?

No. Save it for a real one.

Goddamn!

The white boy's gone crazy.

Get there! Yeah!

Pay up, Mary-Kate and Ashley.

No checks, no credit.

Let's go. Uh-huh.

- Mm-hmm.

- This isn't over.

All right.

Thanks for the business.

Please come again.

Please come again.

- Know what this is, son?

- A smelly pair of sneakers?

No, this is one step closer

to the Gathering, son.

One step closer. Come on.

We gonna be late to school.

I'm sorry, man.

I didn't mean to.

It's okay. It's okay.

Yo, yo. I got word

of a duel tomorrow.

I think we can pick up a few bills.

Something's weird.

Ain't nothing weird

about money, crony.

No, no. I mean,

like, here in school.

Something seems...

I don't know... different, man.

People seem afraid of me.

What else do you expect

when you almost killed a man

for taking one of your cigarettes?

Wait. What? I didn't do that.

I don't even smoke.

Of course you do, son.

You picked it up in juvie

while you were doing time

for stealing cars.

No, no, no. I don't even

know how to drive, man.

That's not what they say.

They say back home,

you joyrided a car

right off the Grand Canyon.

What?

Wait a second, man.

You're saying this stuff.

It was you?

How else you want me

to make you look hard?

You want me to tell people you raised corn

and milked cow titties?

I didn't even live near

the Grand Canyon.

It's not even in the same state.

Details, partner. Details.

This is retarded.

There is no way

this is gonna work, man.

People aren't just gonna believe

everything they hear?

Excuse me.

Are you the guy that broke

into Madonna's mansion?

Uh, I...

Call me.

Told you so.

Yo, what's with this note,

by the way?

You'll see.

Hey, don't keep me waiting.

I must be the luckiest man in NYC

if I get to walk these streets with you.

Well, that'd be sweet, Jules,

if you hadn't told the same thing

to Amorette last week.

Wait. Who told you that?

- She did.

- I didn't know the two of you spoke.

Well, I talk to a lot of girls

in that school,

and they all tell me

how big of a player you are.

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