1 Law 4 All. Billy Angel

to take over the business, Kapa's Jewelry. He had to help support the rest of the family, all five younger brothers and sisters.

      Jared worked with his father since he was eight years old. At first, he would clean up the store. Then he became interested in the wax carvings that were casted into gold or silver objects. He asked his father if the wax could be carved into anything. His father wisely said. "Whatever you can imagine, you can carve into wax.”

      From then on Jared became a carving maniac. He would carve little horses, flowers and mini spearheads. On and on his imagination shaped and carved.

      His father kept an eye on his work. While critical at first, he recognized his son's talent. One day Kapa told his son that he was going to use one of his flowers to make a ring. Jared was pleased but felt anxious. He knew his father's high standards.

      After casting and polishing the flower ring, Kapa showed the ring to Jared. Jared saw the proud look on his father's face and knew he had done good.

      Jared was 11 years old and his father decided to start turning his son's flowers into rings and pendants. The flowers were so detailed and Kapa's refining techniques were so precise, that Kapa's Jewelry store became a tourist attraction.

      Kapa began making custom jewelry products for visitors from all over the world. Jared even started to convert people's rough sketches into detailed wax patterns. Then his father would cast them into custom jewelry.

      Jared knew Kitiona's heartache after the fire. Kitiona was alone. Her senior year in high school was supposed to be filled with happy family and community memories. Instead, it turned into a foggy series of events that when understood would eventually fuel Kitiona's desire for revenge.

      Jared knew that Kitiona's parents both had gold on several of their front teeth. He told her to have the undertaker pull those gold teeth out and give them to him. He said he would make something in their memory. Kitiona was so unsettled that she blindly followed her close friend's instructions.

      Jared melted the gold and created a symbol of oneness for Kitiona. Not only did it symbolize the oneness of her family but also the solidarity of her Samoan community. He fashioned a one-half inch gold ball with intricate Samoan symbols. Many of the same symbols were tattooed on Kitiona's back. He centered a chain-hole through the middle of the emblematic ball.

      Kitiona was not sure what to think of Jared's creation. But, she knew it was shaped with loving hands and heart. The older she got the more she wore her solidarity ball.

      She found the ball pendant in her underwear drawer. She saw the underwear and thought about taking some extra clothes with her, too. She threw whatever she could into her backpack.

      She turned and nodded to Freddy as she walked towards the front door. She paused for a moment to look back at what remained of her most recent home. Then she stepped through the door out into the street.

      As she approached her Honda Shadow, she glanced up and down the street. Checking the streets for bad guys was becoming a habit. The heavy feeling of the 9mm Beretta in her backpack was something new. She mounted her motorcycle centering the heavy backpack on the cycle's back seat. Comfortably balanced, she cursed away heading towards city center.

      Chapter 11 Test Day

      Last night's study session ended early. Carol left about 2am. Juan laid down on Mac and Jimmy's couch. He continued reviewing case law long after Jimmy and Mac went to bed. They all felt comfortable with the material.

      Their task was to analyze, apply or otherwise manipulate fictional information given to them in various forms. Basically, their classroom test would be similar to the LSAT. Only this class focused on criminal law.

      There were several ways they could walk to school. Today, they chose to go south on Jones Street. They would turn onto the hustle of Market Street.

      A burnt out hooker approached Jimmy. She was five foot tall with four inch clear platform heels. Pimples peppered her pale complexion. Her teenage youth fading, she asked, "Looking for an early morning pick-me-up?"

      "Sorry dear, I'm broke." That was his standard line.

      "How about you, sonny-child?" she said flirting with Juan.

      "The only money I have I'm sending to my family." Juan made one huge mistake with his answer. He admitted to having money.

      "How about if we consider me part of your family. And I can make you feel good about giving it to me. My place is right down the street."

      Mac took charge of the conversation. "We're lawyers and we're late for our meeting. When you run into the cops give us a call. We're not cheap but we're good." He handed her one of his cards.

      She glanced at the card and flipped it into the air. "That's not going to help me when my pimp comes around." She stomped away looking for more potential customers.

      The boys started walking again. This time faster avoiding eye contact with several other working, teenage girls cruising the street.

      Jimmy checked how the stock market was doing on his Android Smartphone. The Dow was down 23 points. Not bad thought Jimmy. That's better than the 393 points it went down the last Tuesday. But not as good and the 257 point up tick the following Thursday.

      Jimmy’s legal interest was financial law. Since financial law deals the billions of dollars in investments, he reasoned why not work where the money is.

      Mac and Juan were discussing the Lum v. Rice Supreme Court case again. Mac could not understand the reasoning of segregation. Having taken an anatomy class in high school, he knew a few things about human anatomy.

      He looked at Juan and said. "If you peel the skin off of every human being, no one would see any differences. All you'd see is muscle, bones and blood vessels.”

      Juan, having been the object of discrimination while visiting several colleges in the south, nodded. Juan then turned and asked Mac. "You seem to have a passion for this case, why the extra emotion?"

      Mac answered. "I'm not sure. Something happened the other night when Jimmy and I were eating at Joes. I met or rather was man handled by a pretty desperate Eurasian girl." He emphasized the word ‘pretty’ without even knowing it.

      Juan noticed the emphasis. There were times when Juan would tap into his right brain and use his considerable brainpower. The crossover balanced his scholarly attitudes.

      Jimmy looked up from his phone and just shook his head. He looked at Juan. "Mac's in love. Since his run in with that girl, he's been all Asian."

      They turned right on McAllister. This was a busy corner. Jones and McAllister met Market Street. They noticed the trolley and the tourists getting off and on. They saw Carol with her bicycle crossing Market. They all met up and continued towards school.

      Three and a half hours later, after the test they decided to debrief at Carol's place tonight. "How about if we get Chinese takeout for dinner?" asked Mac.

      Jimmy and Juan looked at each other and grinned. "What's the joke?" Carol questioned.

      Juan dug deep into his vocabulary and answered, "Mac has contracted a version of the Asian flu." He continued, "his symptoms include hypomania, elevated serotonin levels and reoccurring bouts with femme fatale.”

      Carol turned her head, mouth wide open and just stared at Juan. Jimmy laughed aloud. Mac pursed his lips without any comeback for the truth.

      "Guilty as charged,” Mac uttered.

      "It's temporary until the next pretty skirt walks by,” added Jimmy with a knowing look in his eye.

      Carol could hardly hold her thought. "I want details,” she demanded.

      Mac gave Jimmy the 'don't you dare' stare. Then Mac said, "the details are locked in my heart.”

      Jimmy exclaimed with a laugh, ”I don't even know the details. All I know is the love bug struck at Original Joes the other night."

      Chapter 12 Kitiona's Motorcycle