Chapter 20

“So, this is the deal. Xavier will stay behind as our Mayor, is that correct? A unifying public figure, someone who can set up an interim administration and draw from three major gangs, is that right? In return, you get to go to the docks and depart in peace ... and then the rest of you shall leave the city in peace as much as we can guarantee. This can be the beginning of the end of gangster rule. The Free City of Baltimore can begin anew,” the head of the Black Mambas told me with rather respectable candor.

“That’s ... up to Xavier, of course, but yes, that’s my understanding of it,” I agreed calmly, feeling a little better in spite of the weakness from blood loss...

A good blood transfusion worked wonders there. Luckily for me, Stacy and I shared blood types (and no, I won’t tell you which one). A nice, hearty bowl of clam chowder helped as well. The New England kind. The Manhattan variety is okay, but it’s really a stew instead of a proper chowder in my book. A real chowder should always be cream-based and very thick, with lots of potatoes in it.

“Indeed ... and with three gangs behind me, we can get this done. That’s enough strength in force to take down three other gangs who don’t get along. I propose that the Treasurer be from the Black Umma gang, the Sheriff of Baltimore from the Black Mambas, and the City Solicitor come from the Sindicado. The rest of the cabinet will be similarly representative, of course. This is just the beginning, and with this pact, I can lead the way to a reunified city under a single municipal government. The way forward,” Xavier beamed at the prospect of taking Baltimore in hand and bringing it into a bright future.

“Why a Sheriff and not a Chief of Police?” I asked out of curiosity.

“Because the word ‘police’ still has negative connotations for many minorities, even as they know full well that law enforcement of some kind is necessary. It’s one of those rare situations where you have to use the right kind of euphemisms and terminology, emphasize the ‘peace officer’ concept rather than police in the usual sense. The new Sheriff’s Department will be drawn from all three gangs, as well as former cops, so it will be quite a mixed bag, putting people with the very same people who used to arrest them in some cases.

“Luckily, starting from scratch will let us jettison some of the tired old baggage and racism in particular to a large extent. While there will certainly be more than a few white deputies, the new peace officers will be a lot more representative of the community from which they are recruited. We will also emphasize social services having a role in de-escalating some situations and thus reducing the risk of confrontations turning violent.

“Of course, I think that it’s safe to say that legalizing and/or decriminalizing gambling, drugs, and sex work will be critical to this business of a lower-intensity law enforcement. Community policing will be a lot less about putting people away and much more about keeping the public peace. We won’t have vice or narcotics squads, but we will have robbery, homicide, assault, and rape squads.

“And SWAT teams will be far more limited in their scope and use. Riot control tactics will be more restricted as well. I can’t promise that it will be Mayberry stuff, with an unarmed Sheriff, or even British bobby stuff, but it will be far less aggressive. Policing guidelines will involve a bit more regulation, discipline, and yes, accountability,” Xavier explained, showing that he had really thought about a lot from what he had experienced and observed in Frederick’s “Black Zone.”

“As Treasurer, might I suggest my nephew, Akbar Omar Malik? He’s a CPA with an MBA from Howard University and would know how to get a zero-interest, micro-lending, state-run bank in place as well as avoid arrears. He can help bring an end to redlining and zoning discrimination,” the leader of the Black Umma, Ali Hussein Malik, urged Xavier.

“Give me a chance to look at his resume closer and meet the guy, but I’m certainly open to him. Whoever it is must come from your ranks, as I said. Full representation of all three gangs that are part of this pact is necessary. We must have a balanced coalition to unite all three behind us and improve our odds of retaking the entire city from our enemies.

“What about you, Eric?” Xavier now turned to Eric Moreau, the half-Haitian, half-Lebanese head of the Black Mamba gang.

“Keeping the principle that none of us gang leaders should actually serve in the cabinet as such, I propose my elder sister, Denise Moreau, to be Sheriff of Baltimore. The woman was with the Baltimore Police Department for six years and rose to be a sergeant in the BPD. She made it to the narc squad just before Doomsday, in fact. She’d be out of work with no narc squad now. I think that you’ll be impressed with her,” Eric suggested.

“I’d like to interview her, too, then. I do think that the top three members of each gang should serve on the Baltimore City Council, by the way. At least until the first elections, that is. You represent your parts of town, your various communities and neighborhoods, after all. What about you, Octavio?” Xavier didn’t even flinch at the way that the hot-headed, bloodthirsty Ruiz stared at him.