A personal account of inner-city violence and its effect on children.

Codes of conduct -- The jacket -- My new friend -- Union Avenue -- "Program busters" -- P.S. 99 -- Conditioning -- Shamming -- Test questions -- Having heart -- A matter of time -- America's secret war -- The drug trade -- "Rep" -- Self-defense -- Confrontations -- The best way we know how -- Free-fire zones -- The sit down -- Targeting children -- Broken strategies -- Beacon schools -- The community concept -- One shot -- Peacemakers -- A new mission -- The call -- Hope in heroes.