by Chris Green
Hearing the firm knock on the door, Samantha dropped her crack pipe on the floor thinking that Slick must have had a change of plans. After stuffing the rocks inside of her pocket, she tried to kill the smell before unlocking the door.
“Can I help you?” she asked staring at the unfamiliar face that stood in the breezeway.
“Where is Slick?” Stone asked calmly.
“He’s not here, probably won’t be back for a few hours. Does he know you were stopping by?”
The pistol that curved around the corner of the doorframe caused her body to stiffen in fear. Bang stood in silence holding the chrome 357 at the center of Samantha’s mouth. His eyes told her that he would pull the trigger instantly if he heard the wrong sound or movement. Placing a finger over his lips, he motioned for her to back inside the room allowing Reeses and the crew to slide in directly behind them.
“This is an excellent place to hide when you have a group of killers searching for you,” Laylah said sarcastically before taking a seat.
Samantha gazed around the room at the two women and three men nervously before Reeses walked over to her.
“I can’t recall who you are, but I’ll try to make this very simple, sweetie. I am here for one person, Slick! Now where is he?” she asked with hatred dripping from her tone.
“He’s been gone for almost thirty minutes!”
“We can see that. Any idea where we can find him?” Stone asked.
“No, I swear. A man named Shaun came to pick him up and they left in a black car. That’s all I know,” Samantha answered shaking faster than a stripper.
Shaun definitely wasn’t a name that Reeses expected to hear connected to her cunning uncle. Tons of treachery was being spilled on their entire circle which meant nothing was impossible. While she thought silently an important rule of the game clicked in her mind. “Nothing beats the cross except the double cross.”
Closing the space between her and Samantha, Reeses began to put her plan in effect.
“I know that you don’t have anything to do with Slick and the slimy shit he’s put me through. If it was up to me I wouldn’t have you in the middle of this at all. But trusting you right now is like putting a brick of cocaine around a powder junkie. It’s hard.”
“Please don’t kill me!” Samantha mumbled thinking that her brain was four seconds from being blown onto the wall behind her. “I’ll do whatever you need me to. Just tell me.”
Stone’s cell began to ring, turning everyone’s attention towards him. Observing the unfamiliar digits on the screen he answered and placed the phone to his ear.
‘Who is this?”
“Asalamu laikum, we got a problem.”
“Wild? Walaikum as salam! Where are you and what’s going on?” Stone asked grateful that his little brother was okay.
“Where is Reeses?”
Passing the phone to her, she glanced at Laylah before speaking.
“How are you?”
“Not too good. I’m moving state to state and trying to stay as low-key as possible.”
“That kinda sounds good to me, Wild. It probably wouldn’t be smart of you to stay in one spot.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about. I went through the bitch’s trunk and found something. I think y’all need to be the ones getting the fuck out of Atlanta and I mean now,” he said with a concern and urgency in his tone.
“What did you find?”
“Something that’ll put your entire family and close friends away for the next three generations,” he replied seriously.
Not trying to build a case against herself on the phone, Reeses quickly changed the subject.
“I need you to switch lines and call back. I don’t want to take any chances with a private listener tuning in on us.”
“Reeses! Keep your eyes on Justin,” he mentioned before hanging up.
Knowing that he was worried about her brother’s condition, she made a mental note to herself. Handle the differences in the streets and skate out of state with a clean face.
Staring at Samantha with her mind full of cruel intentions, Reeses held the phone out toward her.
“If you don’t want to die for his mistakes, call and tell him to get here. Now!”
Nodding her head, Samantha grabbed the phone as she trembling in fear. After dialing his number into the keypad she pressed the call button and placed it on speakerphone.
Chapter 4
Riding around with Shaun was getting weirder by the second, as he pushed the whip through the streets of Smyrna. He searched for any sign of Reeses and her crew. Slick was jamming a plastic straw into his powder sack every three minutes. Driving in the car with Shaun felt as if he was in a sinking ship with the devil himself.
“So you mean to tell me this is your niece and you don’t know where this bitch is playing at? Don’t seem like you looking too hard to me,” Shaun uttered before taking a chug of drug polluted orange juice.
“I told you before we left, smart guy, this girl ain’t on no ordinary shit. You gotta let her come to us without being aware of who she’s coming to. Nobody’s heard any word from her out of Smyrna in almost two months. Looking for her over here is a waste of time.”
“No! Touching my family was a waste of fucking time. Maybe you should’ve warned Reeses about how I get down before she made this stupid ass mistake!”
Feeling his phone go off in his pocket, Slick pulled it out, watching Samantha’s name flash across the screen.
“What is it?” Slick answered slightly agitated.
“Umm, Sheldon, what time do you think you’ll be back?” she asked with a small crackle in her voice.
“What! Bitch I ain’t been gone more than two hours, I told you I was pulling out to handle something.”
Shaun couldn’t help but to cut his eyes over wondering if someone was actually on the other end of the phone. His killer instincts smelt fuck shit a mile away and if it was necessary Slick would die sitting in the passenger seat.
“It’s starting to feel kind of funny sitting in this room alone. Come back and fuck me or something. I’m lonely.”
“Stop shoving all that candy up your nose and fall the fuck back. I’ll be there when I get there.”
“Good! Because if you’re not I’m going to kill her and hunt you down myself,” Reeses stated before taking the phone off speaker.
Jerking the phone away from his ear he quickly turned his head towards Shaun before the set of police sirens sounded off behind them.
“Shit!” Shaun mumbled, tucking his gun in between the seat and center console. “Don’t say nothing.”
“I’m not about to wait around and see if you know how to talk to these people,” he replied reaching for the door handle.
Before he could take action on fleeing four black suited officers exited the vehicle aiming different semi-automatic rifles.
“Get your hands up and step out of the fucking car!” One man shouted while pointing the gun at the driver’s window. Opening the doors both men were forced to the ground with handcuffs placed around their wrists.
“Damn, Fuck man! Can anyone tell us what the fuck is going on,” Shaun shouted with hostility.
“Shut the fuck up!” the officer commanded slamming the handle of the M-16 on the middle of Shaun's face, knocking him unconscious.
After watching Shaun become a quick victim, Slick decided to remain silent until further notice at a bond hearing. His mind was processing how he would throw the entire case on him until a pistol crashed across the back of his head. His body tried to fight the blow until another one followed it.
***
Slowly opening his eyes, the throbbing and dizziness on Slick’s brain slowly began to wear off. He was laying on the floor still in handcuffs when his vision started to become transparent. Shaun laid directly next to him staring into space with a bullet hole in the center of his head.
“Good evening Mr. Rivers. I’m so glad you’re finally able to join us,” a woman’s voice
spoke, catching his attention.
Sitting up, Slick looked around the spacious mansion nervously before his eyes settled on the Spanish queen who sat in front of him.
“Don’t worry about your friend, after he awoke from his short slumber he began to act belligerent. But now that he is at peace. I figured that me and you could have a conversation. Please take a seat,” she motioned at the metal fold out chair in front of her.
Sensing that his life was about to be taken at any second, Slick slowly stood to his feet and took a seat. The same four men who he’d assumed to be the authorities stood in different corners praying for him to make the wrong decision.
“Do you know or have any idea who I am?” she asked in a calm manner.
“No. But judging from the knot on my head and your fake ass police squad I can bet you’re about to tell me,” Slick spat holding the side of his face.
There was no chance in hell on bucking and even if he did think of trying it he was bound to die before getting the opportunity to stand out of the chair.
“You and me both seem to have a similar problem on our hands. Over the years I’ve learned to have more discipline but as time passed patience and self-composure have finally taken their toll. This young girl that you’re running around for, I need you to bring her to me,” Eva stated with a firm stare.
The small chuckles from Slick caused one of the men to deliver a solid punch to the center of his jaw. Jumping up on his feet to react the barrel of an AK-47 was pressed to his cranium.
‘Sit your ass down, before I make you take your last piss and shit lil’ man!”
Easing back down into the chair he smirked at Eva with rage burning in his eyes. It was clear that she was in charge and dying was definitely not on the schedule before leaving out of his hotel room.
“Who the fuck are you?”
“Who am I? Mhmm! Let me see, I’m just a scorned woman in need of a few favors. You’ve always been a complete fuck up and that’s okay. I’ll make things simple for you. I’m willing to let you keep your life and walk out of here a rich man if you can complete one mission,” she stated, lighting a long menthol cigarette.
“And what would that be, Ms. Deblanco?” he replied sarcastically, in reference to the well-known drug queen from the movie Cocaine Cowboys.
“Bring Rinesha to me. When you find her there will be two more girls tagging along. I want them all here, now!”
“Fucking with this little bitch right now is like suicide. She has too many motherfuckers watching her every move. It’s impossible to get the drop on her without somebody dying.”
“Well, I guess that means you’ll die trying.”
“Why do you want her? What is she worth to you?”
“Everything and more.”
Slick couldn’t help but wonder about the strange woman and her comments about Reeses. Although he hated to admit it, chasing Reeses’ ass for this long and trying to get the drop on her next move had become a real headache. Her mental prowess was no longer average, as it had been during their first encounter. After everything he’d recently lost within the past month, the next move was to get as far away as possible from the problem. In this case that problem was Reeses.
“I’ll do it.”
Inhaling on the strong nicotine Eva crossed her legs forcing a small giggle. Years of pain and torment of losing her three boys was a critical rock to climb over. Now was the time for payback. Every resource, every connection was being pushed into making one person suffer. A person she hated dearly. Ghost.
“Wise choice, Mr. Rivers, I’ll be in contact and my men will drop you off where they picked you up. And for the record if I found you once I can find you again,” Eva threatened with a devilish grin.
As the guards forced him to stand up, Slick turned around and laid eyes on a young beautiful blonde headed woman who was posted on the living room’s doorframe. The holster on her waist concealed a black, stainless Sig Sauer handgun and her arrogant facial expression told him that she wouldn’t hesitate to use it.
Dumping the ashes of her cigarette, Eva watched as Agent Smith moved toward her. “I know that things didn’t go as planned but I can assure you all will be taken care of very soon.”
“There’s a reason you were paid to handle this mission, Smith. You had all the tools to use so that our hands could’ve stayed clean in this matter and you still failed. How am I supposed to feel about that?” Eva asked standing to meet his gaze.
“We know that you’re gonna feel the way you want to, Eva. But I also have five other agents who are in cahoots with this case. If I make the wrong move everything is going to fall.”
“I gave you one point three million dollars because of something you agreed to. Now if it seems impossible to handle, place a rope around your neck and hang yourself from the nearest bridge. You’re excused, Smith,” she replied putting the cigarette butt out against his bulletproof vest.
Nodding his head he quickly made his way out of the home.
Turning her attention towards the blonde headed teen Eva smiled.
“Patience, Frost, in due time my princess. You’ll have your revenge and a little more.”
“I’ve heard that nice song ever since I was seven years old,” she replied looking down at Shaun’s body on the floor.
“And that song has finally come to a dead end,” she smiled before lighting another cigarette.
***
Downing another shot of Tequila, Reeses meditated on her complex problems at hand. The loss of family was growing by the month and deceit within her circle was spreading by the second. Thoughts of her grandmother and father’s strong love was starting to weigh heavy on her heart. It was also tough to lose so many of your greatest supporters and still stand firm throughout it.
As she closed her eyes feeling the late night breeze Stone stepped out on the back porch and took a seat beside her.
“I guess now is not a good time for you to talk?” he asked admiring her beauty.
“There’s never really any space for talking but that doesn’t mean I won’t listen.”
Nodding, he removed his kufi and took a deep breath. “When I was sitting in a prison cell a few years ago with a life sentence I awoke everyday with the same question on my mind. I asked Allah, would I ever receive a chance to be the person I truly knew I could be. A chance to prove that I actually had a purpose for this place we call home. After eight long years my prayers and answers were finally given in full.”
Sitting up straight she began to tune into his words.
“I told myself that I would be placed where I was truly needed and I landed here.”
“You’re here because you want to be, Stone. There’s nothing magical or religious about it.”
“I’m here because I need to be, Reeses. I see that the serious situations happening with this family is about to drag you under. Your path was never meant to crumble, your heart wasn’t placed inside you to be broken. All the things that you are going through, they still carry a purpose.”
“And I’m guessing you’re going to tell me what purpose that is?”
“Telling is something I’ve never been good at. But showing you is a choice that you will have to accept from me in order to see.”
Grabbing her hand he kissed her fingers delicately before standing to his feet.
“The only way you can win this situation is to let it be. You’re very prudent for your age and wisdom is key that’s not given to everyone. Don’t let your key lock you out of the door from what you have yet to learn,” he said before walking back inside Shakur’s home.
Talking was something that usually fell on deaf ears when it came to her business but the truth was hard to deny regardless of who voiced an opinion. Things wouldn’t be changed until a graveyard swallowed all her grimy ass enemies one by one.
Chapter 5
It was nine thirty in the morning when Stone made the call for everyone to meet at Shakur’s home. They sat in silence pondering the next move af
ter receiving the mysterious threat from Reeses’s phone.
“There has to be some type of way to trace a name down on that number,” Stone said in think mode.
“I told you, it’s impossible. The phone company has a private communication service line. All they produce is throw away phones. When you purchase one the information on your account can easily be placed under an alias,” Laylah stated.
Reeses sat there looking amused as she viewed. Shaun's mutilated body on her screen. She felt a great sense of satisfaction that a major problem had been resolved without having to involve her crew. But the text message that was delivered with the attachment spooked her even more.
Scrolling down, she read it again slowly.
“This is a day that I have waited patiently for. A chance to actually confront the people who ruined my life. It felt so good to place a bullet between your little problem’s eyes that I almost came twice before pulling the trigger. Now that I’ve finally released a little steam I can choose my words carefully for you all. I’m going to kill you one by one. Personal issues are supposed to be handled in a personal manner so I will be brief. Surrender to us and I will make sure that all of your deaths are as painless as possible. After all what is family for? Tell my lovely stepmother I said hello. Frost.”
Her mind was puzzled about who she was dealing with. Lately bullshit was sliding from different avenues and it was guaranteed for a distinctive purpose. If Shaun was dead and Slick was ducking and dodging for his life, it would be impossible to see the secret enemy who planned her demise.
“I’m not sure, but I think I’ve heard of the name Frost before. We need to go and talk to Mariah,” Laylah suggested.
Moving towards Reeses, Stone pulled her to the side.
“Something isn’t right about this issue. Now I’m not positive about what’s going on, but I think you need to keep all thoughts and movements to yourself until we unmask this situation.”
“Agreed, send everyone over to Mariah’s and go inform Justin about what’s going on. No one is to make any moves until we find out who the fuck we are dealing with.”