Western Shores

A tale of two gangs trying to conquer a City. Only one can prevail.

Written by Louie Kiss

Twenty long years had passed since the gangland wars between the Shores and the Westies had begun.

The war especially in the early years had seen lots of casualties and countless soldiers maimed or killed.

Eight years earlier a code amongst thieves of old school honour, saw a truce called. Only allowing hand to hand combat. Anyone that used weapons against the enemy would be executed by their own men. No one dared breach the truce on either side, death by dishonour was the ultimate betrayal.

The Shores were from privileged backgrounds living in the upmarket areas of the Northern Shores. Their parents normally bankers or corporate high flyers of some type.  Rupert Joyce established the Shores as a distraction from a loveless family that saw wealth and prestige, as more important that raising a loving family. The Shores now considered him the godfather after years of assassination attempts and countless rumble battles that saw him prevail. The brains trust behind an organisation that incorporated business both legitimate and illegal the Shores thrived. After twenty years they had over hundred fully fledged members.

Controlling most of the drug trade that flowed into the city, the Shores always outsmarted law enforcement due to the high intellect of the leader within the organisation. Rupert’s lieutenant was a massive man of Six foot eight that like himself was university educated. He controlled most of the intricate techniques of drug trafficking that insured no conviction could be recorded. He made sure if anyone crossed the organisation punishment would be dealt out swiftly. Normally that individual would go missing never to be seen again.

NOTE: Add Rupert’s lieutenants name as Conrad Jones

Rupert and Conrad’s first confrontation of the Westies would result in an ongoing war that had no resolution. That fateful night saw a newly formed Shores outfit with five members rumble with eight members of the Westies established a couple of years earlier. After travelling by train in a night out in the city the Westies were looking for action of any kind. The Avery bar was a hotspot for young revellers. Once there the encounter turned deadly. The Westies leader Donnie bumped into Conrad and spilled his drink. Donnie had no fear and thought taking on a six-foot eight man would be a notch on his belt. Conrad gave Donnie a gob full of expletives after spilling his drinks. Donnie started his blows, Conrad retaliated. Next a melee erupted as both the Shores and Westies all engaged in the fighting. Punches coming from everywhere from both sides. Suddenly a Shores member pulled a knife and stabbed Flee his nickname as he was always scratching. He was to die in Donnie’s arms that night. Thus, the Western Shores wars begun

The slums of the Western suburbs harboured all types of people from hard working battlers to degenerates of all types. Donnie Black had grown up in adversity with alcoholic parents that were abusive to him. Dreaming of a better life he started the Westies. A gang of misfits that saw the brotherhood a way-out poverty and a life less ordinary. Donnie started boxing at eleven after being bullied relentlessly as a child. He was tough and battled hardened from an early age. The Westies established first in high school from disillusioned youths. Donnie recruited other hardened teenagers mainly damaged and reckless from a life of hard knocks. They were ready to revolt and take on the world. They made up bikie type jackets that had the Westie logo on top, followed by a ghostly skeletal figure in the middle. The logo underneath read. Fear is for the weak.

The patch on the front had name and nickname. To earn a jacket as year went on you would have to be nominated and do mainly dirty deeds to be a member. The Westies as years went by went from a school gang to a fully establish bikie gang in five short years.

The Shores on the other hand were more discrete and thrived on anonymity. No jackets dressed quite consecutive in surf wear or polo shirts. They met in masonic halls and used similar traditions ie handshakes in order and a tattoo consisting of an eagle with the words saying Freedom requires Bravery. All members had this tattoo. It also had to be earnt normally through drug trafficking or extortion. Both gangs thrived. The death of flee led to twelve years of rumbles and tit for tatt retaliations fifteen men were lost during these times. Either point blank executions or death via battle.  All Westies had a nickname Donnie Chief Blacks deputy Billy Axe Dodd was an enforcer of amazing precision. He kept all the rouge member in place. He also organises all the hits and rumbles on the Shores. As the years progressed, he tired of the pointless violence and asked Chief if he could introduce the truce with the Shores re no weapons. Chief didn't agree and wanted more violence. The Axe was threatening the Chiefs hierarchy. Word had got out that Axes time on earth would be short.

   Donnie Chief Blacks Day started like any other. Dressed in Westie colours jumping onto his bike Axe approached him pulled a pistol out from his jeans and shot the chief six times. He died beside his bike. The body taken away and discarded never to be seen again. Axe knew it was kill or be killed. This act promoted him to President of the Westie organisation allowing the Truce to be finalised.

The Truce was initiated to stop the endless bloodshed. Old school rumbles re hand-to-hand combat were encouraged though so the war continued. The Truce held fast for eight years. Rupert then came up with a plan to control the entire drug trade of the city. Mainly the hugely profitable areas of the Western suburbs which the Westies controlled.

Conrad’s younger brother Hamish was a behemoth of a man and was undefeated in all areas of fighting. A caged fighter that had studied Jul jitsu and was a fifth Dan black belt. Standing six feet seven he rippled muscle and was the complete athlete. Taking steroids only enhanced his performance.

The plan was to challenge the Westies with a one-on-one fight against Hamish for complete control of the drug supply of the entire city. The Westies had to come up with a rival to match Hamish’s street fighting qualities. They had such a man in George Casser or as he was known by his club’s name Oden.

A professional kickboxer and kung fu master Oden was fierce at his own trade. Six feet three inches with a tough wiry frame that ripped tight muscle. Undefeated and an enforcer of tremendous grit and power with a smart street fighting game the matchup would be very close.

Axe and Rupert now had to agree to terms. The fight would take place in an old abandoned warehouse. Each gang could bring five members only each to spectate including themselves. The fight would be lives streamed across illegal networks worldwide. Monies generated from the streaming would be divided in fifty fifty split. The Westies and Shores were notorious worldwide due to the long-standing mafia type lifestyles. Five million was expected to be raised via streaming and illegal betting on the fight. Promoting the fight on the black market would be done via an independent. John Vale was a crooked solicitor always on the scam. His services were brought to spread this fight worldwide. The fight would be in 8 weeks to allow for promotion and training.

raining was intense for both gangs. Rupert took Hamish to train with Gerard Vissher a grand master of Jujitsu he would train six days a week ten hrs a day and be in record peak performance for the fight. His steroid use also increased. No terms mentioned steroid use. Oden would train the old-fashioned way taking on other gang members daily in sparring sessions and gritting out in the gym. He never trained so hard ever. John Vale did his thing and the fight would see epic underworld figures engage in this event leading to a financial abundance for all. The final terms were complete financial control of the drug trade of the entire city for five years. This would see one gang conquer and thrive whilst the other would most likely perish. Everything now on the line for both.

Walking into the abandoned warehouse fifteen men entered. Rupert and four shore member stood on one side of a makeshift ring. Axe and four members enter via the other side. The referee stood fast in the centre with a ring announcer for the live stream. No expense spared for the exhibition. John Vale stood with his betting advisor to give odds and overs for the gambling market. The cameraman being the last man of the group. Streaming now begun with the gambling markets. Hamish made his way to the ring to Eminem’s song one shot. On entering he continues to warm up. Oden enters the warehouse to ACDCs thunderstruck. With both in the ring the announcer makes his call. Weighing in at two hundred and sixty-five pounds and undefeated the Adonis of pain and the beast from the Shores Hamishhhhh. your challenger weighing two hundred and thirty pounds the bestie from the Westie also undefeated, the one and only Oden.

The referee issues instruction no biting or eye gouging. Everything else acceptable. The fight only stops at a tap out or an unconscious fighter.

The crowd via streaming now on the edge of their seats. Axe and Rupert now nervous knowing their livelihood now on the line. The bell rings.  The first two minutes would see punches landed by both in attacks that would knock out most. Back and forth dozen of punches landing blood spewed everywhere from facial cuts. This being the most brutal first two minutes of any fight recorded in history Ebbs and flow as both had landed quality blows. The audience couldn't believe that such brutality could see both standing. Cuts now over the eyes of both as they continue their onslaughts. The fight goes to the ground and both so good at defensive moves no ascendancy take place until Oden makes a mistake. Hamish puts him in an arm bar hoping he will tap out. Death before dishonour mean Oden won't give up. Hamish continues the arm bar breaking Odens forearm. The pain although excruciating allows Oden to escape the hold. Now back on their feet Hamish goes in for the kill going for the injured arm. Oden sees him charging raises one last flying kick sticking Hamish on the jaw knocking him out cold. The fight finished. Axe jumped into the ring congratulating their champion. Scenes across the world watching this epic clash were in euphoria seeing the brutal contest.

    The twenty-year war now over. The Westies ruled outright and were now the kings of the city. The shores now set to rebuild a new future. One still had a sense it was never over. The Western Shores would always hate one another over differences and entitlements.

Till they meet again