The Takeover

by Meesha

  “I don’t think you should involve some bitch you really don’t know. You have no idea what type of shit that hoe may be on. Shid, she may be on that nigga’s team already. Don’t let ya dick think for you right now, Ricio. That hoe would be history trying to play a game she knows nothing about.” Sin said staring at her nails.

  “Sin is right, don’t include anyone new in this shit. The person I have on the inside has been riding with us since back in the day. I trust him with my life. Big Jim don’t know that he is still part of the family so he will go undetected without suspicion.” Beast added his two cents.

  Maybe they were right and I was going to respect what they said. Latorra would still be on the back burner just in case. “Okay, I’ll leave that alone. What are we gon’ do about the storage locker? I know we can’t get to the bank until Monday, but we need to transfer that merchandise here today. I already got the truck to transport that shit.”

  “We will take care of that when we are finished here and I peeped that when I pulled up. Sin, has the hospital called about Madysen?” Beast asked.

  “Yes, she was placed under suicide watch. I will be heading to the hospital once I get back to my car. The doctor wants to talk to me about her prognosis.”

  “When we leave here, we will be going to the storage facility then back here. The cleaning crew will be here soon to get this place cleaned up while we’re gone. I want you to take my ride and head to the hospital. The way it sounds, Madysen needs us. She had no one but Max, so we are her family now. Let’s talk about the arrangements. Sin when will you and Nija get on that?” Beast asked.

  “Nija is working on things while I’m here. I will meet up with her once I finish checking on Madysen.”

  “Okay, do that. I don’t want to hear about that shit, right now!” Rodrigo yelled. “What else needs to be addressed as far as the murders of my fuckin’ family?” Rodrigo wanted to know. “All that other shit ain’t what I want to hear about. I’m ready to kill got dammit!”

  “Calm all that shit down, Rodrigo! You just killed six muthafuckas—”

  “And I wanna kill twenty mo’!” he said cutting me off.

  “Aight, I was thinking about the black impala them niggas was rollin’ in last night. I’ve seen that car before.” I said glancing at Psycho trying to see any signs of deception.

  “Why are looking at me like that, Ricio. I don’t know shit about that vehicle.”

  “I had a dream that took me back to the night my father was murdered. That was the same car that was on the scene that night. The funny thing about, I knew who the driver was. That same person was the one that ran up behind my father and shot him in the head.” I sat back watching his reaction and he still looked clueless to what I was saying. It was obvious he didn’t know where I was going with what I said, so I kept going. “I didn’t want to believe what my dreams revealed but they had been on point thus far. My father left me a recording letting me in on all the muthafuckas that were on his shit list and who was working with them. Big Jim let me know that his part in the shit was true, along with Floyd’s ass. Now, there was a name that was mentioned that I wouldn’t believe until I saw for myself. That brings me to you, Psycho.” I paused for a second, giving him the chance to speak.

  “Ricio, you and me were the same muthafuckin’ age. I didn’t know shit about Big Jim back in the day. Basketball was what I was into, right along with yo’ ass. I’m not taking the fall for that shit! I didn’t have nothing to do with that. Reese was like a second father to me!” He screamed jumping up.

  “Sit yo’ ass down, Psych! Ricio, where the hell you going with this?” Beast asked without taking his eyes off Psycho.

  “I don’t know how this shit gon’ play out but the muthafucka behind the wheel of that Impala was Rodney.” I said.

  “Rodney who?” Psycho asked with his eyebrow raised.

  “Yo’ muthafuckin daddy, nigga!” I yelled back at his ass.

  “I don’t believe that shit for one minute! My daddy is a prestigious lawyer and he ain’t never been a street nigga. You got your information wrong on this one, brah,” he said shaking his head.

  “Psych, what you said is far from the truth. I know for a fact your daddy ran with Big Jim and Floyd back in the day. He was one of their top soldiers. Reese never told me that he had any beef with Rod but I’m quite sure he disclosed that shit to Ricio.”

  “As a matter of fact, I recorded that part on my phone for this purpose right here,” I said reaching for my phone on my hip. I went to the voice memo app and selected the recording. I pressed play and sat the phone on the table turning the volume all the way up. Reese’s voice flowed through the phone.

  “I don’t know if you and Sosa still hang around Fred, but what I’m about to say may mess up ya’ll friendship. Rodney was in on the shit with Big Jim and Floyd. The reason I didn’t disclose that information on the other recording is because I want you to see what your friend knows. I want you to test his loyalty to you and have him confront his bitch ass father about the situation. That will let you know where you stand with him.”

  “I don’t know shit about that, Ricio. I swear to God!” Psycho said holding his right hand up.

  “Truthfully speaking, fam, I believe you. This was your father’s doing and I wouldn’t lie about seeing him before I even listened to this recording. So, there’s a lot of truth to it. Like my daddy said, this is where you prove your loyalty to not just me, but to the team.” I explained to him.

  “What do you expect me to say to my pops?” Psycho asked.

  “Whatever the fuck you need to! That muthafucka pulled the trigga and he has been added to the muthafuckin’ list, nigga! What happened to ‘There’s no turning back from this. They killed my brother and I swear, every one of them muthafuckas are gon’ feel this heat. I don’t give a fuck who wasn’t there, all them niggas getting it?’ Your words, nigga and that goes for your punk ass daddy too!” Rodrigo said pounding on the table. “Ricio is trying to reason with yo ass. You been around our family forever and I consider you a brother but that won’t stop me from putting one in yo’ dome. Your daddy is your responsibility and it’s up to you to handle his ass. Daddy or not, if his explanation don’t measure up, you end that muthafucka or you will have to answer to me!”

  “Psycho this is part of the game, youngin. All I can say is bring up Max’s situation and go from there. Obviously, Rod got a past life that he has kept away from you. He wanted you to look at him as the lawyer that he is today and not the thug he was back in then. You will have to use the street smarts you possess to get him to open up.” Beast chimed in.

  “There’s no other way. If one of us goes to your daddy, after he reveals what we want to know, he’s gonna die. Plain and simple. You have a chance to get the information from him and he may still live. Your choice,” Sin said sitting up in her chair. “I’m a lot different from the girl I was back then, I can easily get close to Rod and make him think pussy is what he would get, but he would be dead within a half hour.”

  “Aight, I’m on it. Y’all know this is putting me between a rock and a hard place. This is my father.”

  “Reese was my muthafuckin’ daddy too but that didn’t stop that nigga from putting a slug in the back of his muthafuckin’ head! I’d advise yo’ ass to get the shit done and come back with some lucrative information, fam. Next topic.” Rodrigo said dismissing the subject.

  My head was started to hurt a little bit. I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes. I didn’t know how stressful this shit would be. “Okay, there is another situation that I have to handle. Reese wants me to find Slim and clean him up. What’s his story, Beast? I’m trying to get all the information that I was given out. All of this shit plays a major part in the shit that’s going on.”

  “Slim was the moneymaker of our crew. He fell hard after Reese got murdered. Instead of selling the product that was left to him by your father, most of it went into his veins. He was broke within a year, living on th
e streets and a full fledge crackhead. I tried to get him help but he didn’t want it. He always said without Reese he was nothing. When you find him, make him go, don’t give him a choice. Throw your daddy in his face if you have to. Reese wanted you to get him right, there’s a reason behind everything he has in place.” Beast said.

  “Bet, I’m on that shit today. Is there anything else we need to discuss?” I asked.

  “There is something that has been bothering me. I’ve been trying to piece together the shit that happened on 79th when you were shot at, Ricio.” Sin said while glancing at me.

  “I never told ya’ll about that. How do you know?”

  “Just know that I know. Who knew where you were, other than Nija?” she asked.

  “Nobody that I know of. If you are implying Nija had something to do with this, Sin, you are wrong.”

  “One thing I know is Nija is thorough when it comes to your ass, Ricio. She needs to leave your ass alone until you get right, but that ain’t my business. She will never do you wrong. I will ask her about that day from her viewpoint, something ain’t adding up.”

  “Do that, Sin. Oh, I talked to Alejandro last night and I had to tell him the fuck off. I don’t know if he will be coming to the service, but if he does, he better have a different approach.”

  “Don’t tell me that nigga still hating on Reese and he ain’t even here anymore?” Beast laughed.

  “Yeah, he is. He is bound to get his ass beat if he comes to the states trying to be hard. One of y’all better inform his ass that Reese lives within me, literally.” I laughed.

  “Ain’t that the truth. He hasn’t seen you in years and he is in for a world of surprise. He gon’ think he saw a ghost when he lays eyes on yo’ big ass.” Sin laughed.

  “I guess we have covered everything. Let’s get to this storage unit, we have things to do.” Beast said glancing at his phone. “The clean up crew is here, right on time too. One more thing, has anyone reached out to Butta’s family?”

  “I went over to his mom’s house last night and told them before the news broadcasted. His mom is going through it as well as his baby mama. I let them know that we would be back over with the money for his services. Shantell said she would let me know the date and the amount, he didn’t have insurance.” Felon said.

  “All the muthafuckin’ money that nigga made in the street and he didn’t think to make sure his shit was good with the job that he had. I hope the rest of you niggas are covered as well as your kids.” Beast preached as he went to let the cleaners in.

  “Psycho, you good, fam?” I asked as I watched him stare off in space.

  “Yeah, I’m good. All of the shit with my dad is a surprise. He always criticized me about what I did in the street and he ain’t no better than me. I know how I will approach the situation, don’t worry I got this, Ricio.”

  “I hope so,” Rodrigo said walking up slapping Psycho on the shoulder. “Let me know if you need me to step in, I’m ready to kill a muthafucka.” He said walking away.

  Shaking my head as I watched him light another blunt. I didn’t know what the fuck I was going to do about his ass, I wanted to beat the shit out of him like the priest did to Reagan in the Exorcist. I need Sosa to come back before this nigga got himself locked the fuck up.

  Chapter 7

  Latorra

  I had to work late last night and when I got home, I fell out after showering. When I woke up it was damn near two in the afternoon. I got things together for my Saturday cleaning session. Turning the television on in the living room, as I headed to the kitchen to fix a sandwich. The news was on and I heard the news reporter talking about a shooting that took place at Paradise Kitty last night.

  “This shit needs to stop. These niggas keep killing each other and then the mothers are on the news crying about their child wasn’t in the street doing anything wrong. All of a sudden the muthafucka was a member of Fellowship Baptist church when in all honestly he was a member of one of the local gangs.” I said out loud.

  “Maximo Vasquez was one of the victims of last night's shootout. He died moments later at the hospital. Investigators doesn’t have any suspects in custody. If anyone have any information about this horrific crime, contact 18th District police Department at (312) 555-1939. You don’t have to disclose your identity when you call. In other news, there were six bodies discovered in the North Lawndale neighborhood. No suspects in that case and the victims has not been identified as of yet.”

  I had heard enough and turned the television off. The name Vasquez kept coming to mind and I stopped in my tracks. There were many Vasquez in this city, but Mauricio came to mind. He never told me his siblings names, I knew he had two brothers, though. Nah, that couldn’t have been one of his brothers.

  Going about my day, I cleaned up my apartment and did the few loads of laundry that needed to be done. In the middle of mopping the floor, Mauricio’s name popped in my head again. I hadn’t talked to him since the day I saw him on 79th street. Propping the mop against the wall, I went into my bedroom and grabbed my phone. I scrolled to Mauricio’s name and pressed the button, he answered after the phone rang three times.

  “What up, Miss Smith?” His voice was deep and sexy.

  “I was calling to see how you were since I haven’t talked to you.”

  “I’m making it. I’m in the middle of some shit right now, can I call you back when I’m done?”

  “That’s fine, but can I ask you something?”

  “Sure, what is it?”

  “Do you have a brother named Maximo?” I asked biting my finger nail.

  “I had a brother name Maximo up until last night. We can talk about it when I hit you back, ma. I gotta go, I’ll call you back,” he said ending the call.

  The feelings I was having couldn’t be explained. I heard Mauricio trying to disguise the hurt in his voice. I didn’t know what it was like to lose a loved one because I didn’t have any. Shit I didn’t even have a real damn family that I knew about.

  Before I started the job as a correctional officer and finished college, I was a stripper. Life wasn’t easy for me growing up at all. I’m lucky to have made it this far in life. But God had a plan for me and I was making the best of it. I was given a second chance at this thing called life.

  My mama was a single parent that got involved with a guy that turned her into the neighborhood crackhead. At first, she was functioning and I didn’t know she was dabbling with the booga suga. There was always food in the house and all the bills were paid. Then shit started going off without warning and her excuse was, “ the company made a mistake.”

  One day I came home from school, I was fourteen years old. My mother was on the couch with her ass in the air and her boyfriend Dino was pounding into her from the back. I wasn’t concentrating on the sexual act, what caught my eye was the needle that was sticking out of her arm while she snorted white powder into her nostrils.

  “Mama, what are you doing?”

  “Mind yo’ business lil girl before I make you suck my dick!” he yelled at me.

  Dino kept his eyes trained on me and I was scared to move a muscle. After a while I ran back out the door and didn’t come back until later that night. When I entered our apartment, it was dark but I had an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Hitting the switch, the light flooded the room and my mama and Dino was laying on the couch with blood running from both of their heads.

  I remember screaming until my throat was sore. The neighbors came knocking on the door and I couldn’t open it right away. When I got up and opened the door, I was escorted out and the police was called. Out of all the muthafuckas that were around since I was little, none of them would take me in. Instead, I was hauled off to a fucking orphanage.

  Didn’t nobody want a teenager in their home. A couple months later I was placed in a home where an older woman named Paulette had five other kids in her custody. I learned early on that she didn’t give a fuck about nothing but money. Her grown ass nephew was there to
help with us but he was only there to get his dick wet with the little girls.

  Tatiana was six years old, she was there because her mother took her to the police station when she was two weeks old and left her. Paulette had her since she was a month old. You would’ve thought she would treat her like more than a check. That wasn’t the case though.

  I woke up one night hearing Tati’s muffled cries. Getting up out of my bed, I made my way down the hall following the sound. This nasty nigga had his mouth on that baby with his fingers in her little coochie. With all of the grown bitches out in the street willing to give it up for free, this bastard wanted to fuck with a baby.

  “What the hell you doing?” I asked startling him.

  “I—I was trying to see why her privates was hurting.”

  “Nigga, you think I’m stupid? I saw what you were doing to her!”

  “You didn’t see shit! Go the fuck to bed, Latorra. With yo’ grown ass.”

  “Come on Tati,” I said holding out my hand. She practically kicked him in his face to get off the couch. “You won’t get away with this with yo’ perverted ass.”

  He had his head down and I scooped the cordless phone up and called the police. When they arrived, he tried to deny everything. I had already told Tati it was okay to tell the police everything. He went to jail that night. Tati was taken out of the home and I was kicked out by Paulette because she said I was fucking up her money.

  I didn’t care, as long as I did what I had to do. I was in the orphanage until I was sixteen then I was placed in another home. I was the only kid in the household. It was the home of a preacher and his wife. What could happen in a preacher’s home? Every damn thing.

  I was beaten for tearing the toilet paper off the roll wrong. If I didn’t like what was prepared for dinner, which was every day because the First Lady couldn’t boil water, I was beaten. On top of that, the pastor had a problem with his hands in other ways as well.

  “Latorra, your body is just right for me,” he said one day. “Let me massage your titties.” He said wickedly.