Quan officially becomes a member of the Black Jihad “after a group ass-whuppin’ that left him with a black eye, sprained wrist, and bruised ribs” (120). He begins bookkeeping for Martel and discovers that his leader’s main business is selling weapons. Martel keeps control over the gang with a strict set of rules and vague threats about what will happen if his group members break those rules. Even so, Quan finds community and admiration within the group, and he finally starts to feel like he belongs somewhere. He starts carrying a gun as a member of the gang.

Meanwhile, Quan’s home life worsens. Dwight continues to abuse Mama and threaten Quan, and finally, Quan breaks down and tells Trey about what has been happening. Not long after, Quan is called into the principal’s office at school, where a tearful Mama tells him that Dwight is dead.

Quan knows that Dwight’s death wasn’t an accident but was “arranged” as a result of what he told Trey. While at the playground, Quan notices that his rocket ship has been removed because someone was found dead inside of it after an overdose. As Quan looks at the playground, he feels his life is like the playground—“once bright and bouncy and filled with ways to take flight…now beat down and broken.