by Keon Smith
Ballet Of A Dead Soldier
“I know that kid from somewhere.”
DETECTIVE GARY WHITEHEAD
INSIDE A GIANT CHURCH CALLED IMMACULATE CONCEPTION ON CHELTEN AND ARDLEIGH…
At the funeral, almost the whole Uptown came to pay respects to the young, half-Puerto Rican, half-black soldier. Since the murder made front page, even cats that didn’t know Razor showed up. “Delaware Avenue Massacre” was the headline in the Philadelphia Daily Inquirer. The mayor and other city officials were outraged by the homicide. An article inside the newspaper discussed the fact that the city was on pace to set an all-time murder record.
Montega sat in the back of the church by himself, staring at the closed coffin. He felt like crying but couldn’t. His eyes just wouldn’t allow tears. He had cried himself out when his mother passed. Now his tears were replaced with anger. He looked on with sympathy as he watched Razor’s mother try to console her ten-year-old daughter, Carmine, as she cried out for her big brother.
Razor’s father was Puerto Rican and had died of an overdose long ago. His mother was left to take care of her two children. The more Montega watched the grieving of Razor’s family, the angrier he became. He was at the point where no one could tell him a thing. He would find the man who put his friend in a coffin and sentence him to the same fate; that much, he knew.
A few rows across, Breezy sat with Kia and the rest of the girls. All the way in the back, Dt. Whitehead and Lucca kept watch the whole time. They were assigned to the case and wanted to know as much about the victim as they could. There had been a lot of murders in the city, and they were searching for connections.
Once Razor’s coffin was carried out of the church by the pallbearers, Montega gave Razor’s mother a big hug to let her know that he felt the same way about her boy.
He didn’t know what to say to her to stop her grief. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Dee. I promise you, I’m gonna get to the bottom of this,” he said to her as he pulled away from her.
The woman looked in the opposite direction from him. “That’s what they all say,” she said before taking her daughter’s hand and walking off, leaving him standing there.
After the funeral, Montega headed straight for his car parked out on Ardleigh Street. He couldn’t control the anger that he felt and had to fade before he snapped.
Suddenly, the two eavesdropping detectives appeared. “Excuse me. I saw you talking to the mother of the victim. Can we speak with you for a minute?” Dt. Lucca asked, trying to play the good cop role.
“Go play in mud, pig. I ain’t got nothing to say to you,” Montega responded as he continued to walk away.
“Why you little—” Lucca snapped, lunging at Montega. Whitehead stopped him. Together, they watched as he got into the black Impala. “Wise-ass,” Lucca muttered.
“You know what? I think I know that kid from somewhere,” Whitehead said, eyeing the car suspiciously.
“You might have seen him hanging out with the Puerto Rican nut.”
“I don’t think so. We all know Rabeeto Mendez rides alone. I couldn’t imagine anyone befriending a monster like that.”
Montega started up the engine and turned up his Until the End of Time CD by 2Pac. As he pulled off, the track “When Thugs Cry” began.
On hearing that, Montega hit the brake and stopped in the middle of the street where Ardleigh and Price crossed. His heart pounded, and tears were forcing their way down his cheek. He rested his head on the steering wheel, and for the first time in a long time, he cried.
The Legacy Of Charles White
“Money is the root of all evil.”
DIAMOND WHITE
The White family mansion was a huge structure taking up over thirty thousand square feet of Hollywood Hills. It was made mostly of white stone with water fountains, marble galleries, spacious entry rooms, and a dual crab claw-like staircase. There were special rooms for exercising, cigars and Brandy, entertaining, even a movie theater. In the basement, beyond the wine cellar lie, the bed of the large aquarium of man-eating sharks took up three floors in height. On the second floor was a total of eight large rooms, which didn’t include the master bedroom that once belonged to the late Charles White and his lovely wife, Pearl. That room was off limits.
For a house that used to be well occupied with visitors, now only the maids and a few henchmen wandered around the premises.
Diamond stood at the edge of the Olympic-size indoor swimming pool, dropping her towel to the floor. Samuel, the priest, sat at the opposite end, dressed in his usual black short-sleeved shirt, dress pants and shoes. He made an invisible cross over his forehead and chest and recited a verse when he witnessed what was under the towel.
“Then the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, he made into a woman, and he brought her to the man. And Adam said, ‘This is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man.’”
Bain, who was standing beside him, grunted in agreement. Diamond was dressed in a white and gold Dior string bikini that left nearly nothing to the imagination. After testing the water with her red-polished, pedicured toes, she was satisfied and dove in for a Monday morning swim. She had just finished target practice at the range. Prior to that, she spent time at the gym, exercising to keep her figure in perfect shape. Her favorite exercise was treadmill sprints, which kept her wind up for her bouts with her personal martial arts trainer—a Black Cloud member who was ranked second under Wong Lee’s Underboss. Diamond was scheduled for a one o’clock appointment with her Cuban cartel partner, José Castro, which she knew she would be late to even though she was more than capable of multitasking. She was blessed with an abundance of self-assurance and dignity, while at the same time, harboring a kill-switch she could flick on at any time.
It was just another ordinary day in the life of an Underworld princess, or as they call her, the Snow White Queen. Diamond swam across the pool and back gracefully. When she made it to the wall after her last lap, she came up for air and saw a set of brown, hairy legs. She followed them up to a face and sighed in relief when she saw Clyde smiling. Looking over at Bain and the frightened priest, she caught her bodyguard lowering his gold-plated AK-74. She looked to her right and saw her other henchmen doing the same with their weapons. She then looked back up at her brother.
This afternoon, he wasn’t dressed in his usual business attire. He was looking casual in a pair of white Victorinox Khaki shorts and a red and white Zegna polo shirt with sneakers to match.
“No meeting today?” Diamond asked while staying afloat in the water.
“Only one, and it’s with you. I figured you wouldn’t mind if I left the suit and tie in the closet and came to see you in something a little more casual.” He placed his hands behind his back and looked around the area. He frowned when he noticed Samuel there.
“May I ask why you have a priest with you?”
“Priest give exorcisms and extract demons. Perhaps, with him around, mines will continue to stay in the shadows. I think that’s best for everyone,” she said indirectly.
Clyde picked up her robe and held it out for her. Diamond pulled herself out of the pool and snatched it from him then dried herself off. Once she covered her exquisite assets, her brother headed for the exit. “Come on. Let’s go outside. It’s a beautiful day.” He glanced over at the priest again.
Samuel lowered his head, not wanting a visual confrontation.
Diamond eyed Clyde suspiciously while following him out of the large pool room on the west side of the white brick mansion, where the outdoor pool overlooked a view of the ocean. It was scorching hot out, and the sun seemed angry in a cloudless, blue sky. To block the bright sunlight, Diamond picked up a pair of oval shades off the beach chair, put them on, and laid back on the chair to enjoy the warm California weather. Clyde pulled up a chair and sat next to her. A light breeze ruffled his shirt collar with the marine life scent of the ocean.
“What I want to talk to y
ou about is our last meeting,” he said, making her huff and look the other way. “Diamond, I know you don’t want to hear this, but we need some kind of muscle in the smuggling business. Okay, we won’t deal with Castor, cool, but sooner or later, he’s gonna come at us. We’re already invading his territory. You know he supplies the whole east coast. And if I know Castor, he’s gonna be looking to hit us. Now, if we collaborate with the Agugbo brothers, we’ll have a strong connection for drugs and another ally to defend ourselves if Castor wants to go to war.”
Diamond whipped her head around to face him with anger. “Save that shit, Clyde. If Castor wanted us dead, we’d already be dead, believe me. No army could stop that. Why he hasn’t killed us yet is beyond my comprehension. He doesn’t deserve to live, and neither do those stinkin’ South Africans. You, of all people, know I can’t stand the Agugbo brothers. I’ve spent years trying to get them,” Diamond said, sitting up.
“I understand that, but this is business. We have men sitting in our circle who don’t like each other. Look at George and Stoney; better yet, look at you and Chavo. Regardless of feelings, business is never personal. You have to ask yourself, when am I gonna put my differences aside? This is money we’re talking about. They have the diamond trade on smash; most of the top jewelers buy their diamonds from them.
“Diamonds are the quickest and easiest way to transport drug money. And let’s not forget the smuggling methods that the Ape Gang are known for. Let’s face it; we need them on our side. Just last week, I made a hell of a deal with an arms dealer who promised to flood us with military weapons if Castor comes at us again. Diamond, this is our father’s legacy. He wanted this organization to be on top. We’re living it right now. If you don’t give a fuck about me, then at least do it for pops; because, from my understanding, he’s the reason you are what you are today.”
Diamond rolled her eyes, hating when things didn’t go her way. If there was anything to get around her stubbornness, it was her father. She would have done anything for him.
“What makes you think that they’ll agree to collaborate with us?” she asked sharply.
Clyde gave his sister his signature million-dollar smile. “Just let me handle that. You just have to agree to a cease-fire on Tanetche and his brothers. Is that understood?” he asked, trying to sound like their father.
The truth was that physically, Clyde was the spitting image of the late Charles White. His personality, however, was just the opposite. His father was forgiving; Clyde was vindictive. His father was generous and lenient; Clyde was selfish and impatient. His father was prudent; Clyde was impulsive. One thing that Clyde did share with Charles White, however, was his conniving ways.
Diamond took in a deep breath then exhaled. “Okay, Clyde. You win. I’m calling off all my wolves, but let me tell you something. Yes, this is a big move to accumulate more money and power, but don’t for a second let it take your dignity and pride away from you. Money is the root of all evil, and it’s not worth dying over.”
Clyde smirked but let her words go in one ear and out the other and turned to leave. “If I were you, I’d kill that priest of yours and be done with him. I’d hate if he got in the hands of your enemies.”
Diamond watched him stroll away, with squinted eyes. He reminded her of a naïve prince who had no clue about ruling an empire.
He wasn’t up to leading the Great White Organization. That spot truly belonged to her.
Trapped In The Closet
“They’re like sheep. They can’t think for themselves. You gotta think for them.”
SHUG
BRICKYARD…
“Good evening. I’m Cheryl Williams, and this is Channel 3 News. I’m here in a North Philadelphia neighborhood in front of a bar where, just an hour earlier, two unidentified men walked in and started shooting. Two people were killed in the shooting. The victims were a forty-five-year-old man and a forty-two-year-old woman. Police are withholding the names of the victims at the present time…”
Montega awoke from the recurring nightmare of watching the news the day his mother was killed by a knocking on the front door downstairs. Tee-Tee jumped out of bed with panic in her eyes.
“What’s going on?” Montega asked while quickly looking for his gun.
She looked over at the clock and saw that she overslept.
“Shit, it’s my boyfriend. He cannot find you here, Kenny. I swear if he does, we are both dead.”
“Well, what the hell you want me to do?” Montega asked, balling his face up.
“You have to hide quickly,” she whispered.
“C’mon now. Hide? What I look like?”
“Please, Kenny,” she begged, knowing how stubborn he could be. “You don’t know him like I do. He’ll freak the fuck out. Look. I know you’re brave and all, think you have to take on the world with a challenging attitude. I get all that, but if you really care for me, you’ll do what I say. Just hide in the closet until he leaves.” She put on a robe and walked out of the room.
“Fuck you think I am? R. Kelly?” he spat as he got out of bed. He then irritably got dressed, walked into the closet, and hid behind her rack of clothes. He pulled out his cell phone and shut it off just in case someone decided to call.
When Tee-Tee opened the door, Shug came barging in. “What the fuck is up, bitch!” His voice boomed. “What took you so long to answer the damn door!”
“Shug, relax. I just woke up, okay? Why do you have to act so paranoid all the damn time?” Tee-Tee responded, rubbing her eyes as three of Shug’s goons stepped in.
“You better watch ya damn mouth when you talkin’ to me, bitch, ‘fore I smack the shit out of you,” he said, pointing his index finger in her face. “Now go get washed and dressed. We goin’ out today.” He flopped down on her sofa and extended his thick arms in a wide stretch.
Tee-Tee rolled her eyes as she looked at the guys who were standing around in her living room and walked upstairs to do what she was told. Shug looked around the room then picked up the remote and turned on the TV. The first thing that popped up was ESPN. He frowned as he watched the NBA highlights. He didn’t take Tee-Tee as one who watched sports. His eyes reverted to the staircase with suspicion.
As she got in the shower, Montega stood in the closet in disbelief. First the nightmare of his mother, now this. Today was definitely starting off bad, not to mention, sneaking around with spoken-for women wasn’t as exciting as he thought. He pondered on that until he heard footsteps approaching.
Looking through the gaps in the door, he saw a husky, dark-skinned guy walking into the room. Trapped in a goddamn closet, he thought. He gripped the hem of his shirt slowly and lifted it, pulling out the tiger-striped, gold-plated Desert Eagle. His heart pounded because he knew there was no talking his way out of this one. Shug searched through the dresser then made his way toward the bed. When he saw how messy it was, he looked toward the closet door. Montega exhaled with disbelief and frustration. Shug walked toward it. Montega backed to the wall, lifting the heavy .50 caliber face high, aiming at the door. He just knew he was going to catch a body early in the morning. His heartbeats increased. This was it. As Shug grabbed the handle to the closet door, Tee-Tee came in the room.
“Shareek, what are you doing?” she asked, causing him to spin around. She was wrapped in a towel, her skin was damp, and her hair was wrapped in a shower cap.
He opened his mouth but didn’t have anything to say. His dumbfounded look turned serious again. “Would you hurry up and get dressed!” he barked, then walked out of the room. “I ain’t got all day.”
Montega respired in relief. Sweat beaded down his head, and his T-shirt was damp, sticking to his chest. Tee-Tee opened the closet to catch him tucking his gun back in his pants. She smirked and said, “You ain’t no gangsta, boy, you fakin’.”
“And you ain’t no real girlfriend,” he retorted with sarcasm.
She rolled her eyes and sucked her teeth while pushing him to the side to pick out an outfit fo
r the day. She put together a D&G pencil skirt with a white Alexander Wang blouse, a large belt, and a pair of Chanel shoes.
“Don’t forget to lock up when you leave,” she whispered before kissing him on the cheek.
“You better not kiss him with those lips,” Montega warned with a smirk. Tee-Tee squinted at him before slamming the closet back in his face.
After she got dressed and left with her man and his entourage, Montega came out of the closet, feeling like a cold sucka. If it were up to him, he would have walked right past her boyfriend and out the door, but out of respect for her, he obeyed her wishes. He then locked up her house and headed out to his car while turning on his cell phone. Instantly, it started to ring. He ignored it with his mind on what had just transpired.
He was tired of sneaking around. Tee-Tee acted as if her dude were royalty in the streets. He never asked her who he was, because he didn’t care. He felt as though he could take on anybody, anytime. He had lost his pop, his mother, and now his best friend. Even though he had a loyal, vicious crew, he still felt alone in the world.
He stepped down the concrete steps while answering his cell phone. “Yo.”
“What are you doing?” Kia asked.
“I’m on my way out. Why?” he asked, approaching his car.
“Nothing, just checkin’ on you. That’s all,” she lied. Montega could sense the lie coming off her tongue.
“Yeah, aight, Kia. Only time you call to check up on me is when you want something. Now what’s really good?”
Kia sucked her teeth. Then the truth eased out. “I need to hold your car,” she professed. “Me and Breezy ’bout to go to the mall.”
“Man, why that bitch can’t drive her own car? I’m sure she got one.”