by Mikal Malone
“I mean, to me all you have to do is get the work, divide it amongst the teams and bring back the money. So anybody who can’t do that, don’t need to be working for you.”
He laughed and that pissed C off. “What’s so funny?”
“You. I just hope you’re able to back up what you’re saying with your performance. It ain’t enough to give a speech; I need my money to be right every time.”
“And it will be. But I got to tell you, there are many new ways of handling business, and someone like myself who was raised in the drug game, could bring that intellect into your operation. I am ready, because I was born to do just this. I don’t know nothing else.”
“You know, you remind me of your father, but I hope just like him, you don’t fail.” He paused. “The relationship I have with your mother won’t prevent me from killing you if you fuck up.”
“It’s not even possible.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I write my own story, and in my book, my life don’t end like that.”
C, Mazon, Monie Blow, Daps, Persia and Ryan were at the bowling alley shooting off some steam. C bowled a 168 and Mazon bowled a 155, everybody else was so far behind they didn’t matter. C was trying not to show his irritation that Mazon was so close to his score because C hated to lose.
When Mazon bowled his final ball, he made a strike breaking C’s score down. Mazon celebrated with everyone else who was sick of hearing how C was the greatest the entire game. Finally Mazon had silenced him by beating him.
As Persia, Ryan, Monie and Daps shared a pizza, C was reaching a boiling point. He sat away from everyone else and just looked at the lane he’d just lost in. Seeing he was still mad about losing, Mazon walked over to C, to give him some dap but C didn’t accept. “So you gonna leave me hanging?”
“Fuck this game, nigga. I wasn’t tripping off of no bowling anyway. What you need to be doing is finding ways to help me get through to them Tyland Tower niggas.”
Mazon seeing C was serious said, “I wanted to rap to you about that. I been putting the word out in Tyland that you ‘bout to run shop and anything going in and out of Tyland has to go through you.”
“And?”
“And I’m hearing niggas not going to take you seriously. Some dudes threatening to kill you and other ones threatening to not take work from you.”
C was beyond mad hearing this. “So that’s what they saying?”
“Yeah. What you want us to do?”
“You ain’t got to do shit.” C said slyly. “If niggas take me for a joke, I’ma give ‘em something to laugh at, the only thing is they might not think it’s so funny.”
“Game!”
- Lil C
C was inside the indoor basketball court alone and mad that once again Ryan and Mazon were late. A lot of shit was on his mind and he was starting to doubt if he had what it took to supply Tyland for Dreyfus. Although he saw the job as easy, he hoped that after a while he’d be able to prove himself more valuable and move up in the ranks. He had no idea that the only reason Dreyfus was even entertaining him, was to get back at the women who broke their agreement. He knew it wouldn’t take long before C’s cocky arrogant attitude got him killed and he waited patiently to see it happen.
If C wasn’t thinking about Tyland, he was thinking about the ongoing beef between him and Tamir and the fact that Cute Nikki had decided not to return his calls. ‘Fuck that bitch. It’s her loss.’ He eventually told himself.
“Fuck! Where them niggas at? I got shit to do today.” He said looking at his watch, periodically shooting hoops.
He finally made a basket when Tamir swaggered through the door alone with a grin on his face. C was immediately angry and was ready to kill him with his bare hands.
“Feel like a little game of one on one?” Tamir asked walking up to him.
C looked at the door just knowing his crew was about to flood inside. “How you know that I was here?”
“I don’t think you realize how deep my family is. I got people who work here and every place else you hang. Understand C, your world is getting ready to collapse.” It was settled, he would not be coming back to that gym.
“So what, you here to kill me?”
“Naw…I’ma break down your outer shell first and then come for you.” Then he held his hands out. “Give me the ball.” C threw it in his chest and Tamir laughed.
“What you want?” C said as he stole the ball back from him and made a basket. “Because I know you ain’t come out here to play games.”
“I want to know if you finally regret threatening me…you remember, the day you called and found out I fucked your girl.” He shot the ball and missed and C stole it again.
“I don’t regret shit I do,” C said as he made a basket. “Plus I heard your dick is as weak as your game.” Tamir stole the ball and finally made a basket. “You not gonna be living too much longer anyway. Don’t you got that monkey on your back?”
Tamir laughed and said, “Yeah…but I fucked your recent girl, so you might have it, too.”
C threw the ball across the court and stepped up to him. “What you just say to me?”
“The girl Cute Nikki…I fucked her raw.” He said groping his dick. “You better get checked.” Tamir laughed. “Because we may have more shit in common than you think.” C balled his fist up and wanted to drop him but he held back. “Go ‘head…hit me. That’s a sure way to get this shit. Go ahead.”
“Get the fuck outta, nigga! I’m done talking to you. If you wanna see me, see me in the streets.”
When he said that Ryan and Mazon walked onto the court. Tamir and C looked at them as Tamir moved for the exit. “Take a good look at your crew.” He said pointing at them. “One of them will either betray you or die within a few days.” With that he walked away.
When he was gone Ryan said, “Damn…what was he doing here?”
C, feeling like had Tamir come deep he could’ve been dead, decided to make someone pay and dropped Ryan where he stood.
“Game!” C said shaking his hand and walking out the door.
“I have put some of my bitches in comas for getting me wrong.”
-Mazon
Mazon and Persia had been going strong for two weeks and as far as Persia was concerned, it didn’t get much better than him. Because she was spoiled, she loved the attention and money he spent on her and she loved how he was constantly trying to prove how much he was feeling her.
“What you eating, babes?” He asked as they had lunch in his favorite DC restaurant. He was skimming over the menu periodically looking into her eyes. He couldn’t get over how pretty she was and was glad she chose him.
“What’s good here?” She shrugged not knowing what to eat.
“Everything. But if you want breakfast, the pancakes are the best.” Then he looked a little deeper into the menu and said, “The cheddar grits and eggs are good, too.”
“They serve breakfast at night?”
“Even if they didn’t with this kind of money,” he said setting a fat wad of cash on the table, “they’d make anything for us we want. Cash changes people…and menus.”
They both laughed. “What am I gonna do with you, Mazon?”
“Whatever you want to.”
“Well since you know this place better than me, order my food.”
Mazon ordered for her and after they ate their meals he got a beer and got Persia some sweet dessert wine. She had been meaning to ask him how C was because she hadn’t seen him in days and she overheard Mercedes telling Carissa that something heavy was on his mind.
“How’s C doing? I mean, is he okay?”
Mazon downed the beer on the table and started to drink the other one he had the waiter bring. “He told you?”
“Told me what?”
“That he wants me to stop fucking with you.”
“What? Why?”
“I think he wanna fuck you or something.” Mazon said disgusted.
“C
don’t like me like that,” she giggled. “He got too many girls on his dick to be thinking about me.”
Mazon looked over the table at her and studied her expression. She definitely appeared to be flattered by the newfound news. “Why you asking me about C anyway? Ain’t ya’ll cousins?”
“He my play cousin, you know our mothers are best friends so we grew up together.”
“Well C’s gonna be C. I mean, niggas is saying he taking shit too far with working for Dreyfus but I ain’t got no problem with him just as long as he don’t act brand new on me.”
“And if he does act brand new? Just what the fuck are you going to do?”
“Boss or not, I’m not gonna let a nigga talk to me any kind of way.”
“Boy, please! Worry about that bridge when you get to it. Because as long as he is in charge, you gotta play by the rules.”
Mazon’s jaw flexed and his eyes narrowed. “You wanna fuck him?”
“What? Where the fuck did that come from?”
“You not answering the question. Didn’t you just finish telling me ya’ll were cousins, and that ya’ll grew up together?”
“Yes, Mazon. So where is all this coming from?” She paused. “I was just asking about him because I haven’t seen him in a while,” she said rolling her eyes, “but I don’t see how you got all that from my question.”
Mazon wasn’t having any of it so he sat on her side of the table, and looked around. When he saw no one looking, he reached over and pinched her nipple as hard as he could through her shirt.
“Ahhhhhhhh…..”
“Shut the fuck up,” he said in a low voice to calm her down. He wanted her reaction to change although he didn’t let up off the pain he caused. When she was quieter he said, “I don’t allow my girlfriends to ask me questions about my friends, or niggas I do business with. Now don’t think just ‘cause C hooked us up, that I won’t beat your ass for disrespecting me. Am I making myself clear?”
“Yes…yes,” she sobbed.
“Now, you gonna show me the respect I deserve whenever you see my face. And if you don’t,” he said squeezing her nipple harder. “I will beat your ass for every day I think you even thought about doing me wrong. And let me tell you this,” he said quieter in her ear, “I’ve put some of my bitches in comas for getting me wrong. That’s why you never heard about me because none of them are around to tell the story. Am I understood?”
“Yes, I’m soooo sorry, Mazon. Please stop.”
He finally let her go and kissed her softly on the lips. It didn’t bother him that her tears touched his face. He loved it.
Prior to that moment she always wondered how someone so nice and so cute could be so single. Now she had gotten her answer. The nigga was crazy. He was just about to move back to his seat until seven dudes came into the restaurant.
“So we meet again.” Tamir said, his brothers surrounding the table. They were so deep no one behind them could see what was going on at the table.
“What you doing here?” Mazon asked. While he was still guessing Tamir whipped out a .9 millimeter, held it to his head and pulled the trigger but it only clicked.
Mazon’s breaths sped up and he immediately pissed on himself. “Now shut the fuck up and listen. I want you to do something for me.” Tamir drank Mazon’s beer.
Persia was overwhelmed by everything and secretly wanted her mother.
“What is it?”
“It’s simple. C trusts you, and because he trusts you, he won’t see us coming. So I’m going to tell you where I want you to bring him, and if you bring him to me, I’ll pay you two thousand dollars. But if you don’t I’ma give my brothers the money to torture you like you wouldn’t believe.”
“Why you ain’t just take him at the gym?” Mazon asked.
“Too many witnesses…but don’t worry, you’re going to do my dirty work for me.” Then he looked at Persia and said, “You gonna drink that wine?” She quickly shook her head no. He winked and said, “Thank you.”
“We haven’t had an emergency like this in a long time so it’s time we got serious.”
- Yvette
My mother was getting on my fucking nerves and I wanted that bitch out of my house. I still hadn’t even told my friends about her because it was too embarrassing telling them that the woman who gave birth to me, also was on dope and is now living in my house. Looking at my phone I read the text message again she’d just sent.
‘Can you bring home some eggs? I’m hungry and want to make breakfast for dinner. Oh, and we don’t have no milk either, I drank it all yesterday.’
“Fuck!” I said out loud. “I want this bitch gone.”
I tried to check the recording device I hid in the room as much as I could for the past few days but still didn’t come up with anything. On the days I really wanted to check it, she was in the house. It’s like she knows I’m watching her. Still, I knew that if I waited, she’d reveal her sneaky ass to me sooner or later, I just had to be patient.
I was talking to myself when Derrick walked up to me. “Oh…what up, Derrick?” I said tucking my phone.”
“Everybody’s here,” He said.
He had a slight attitude and I couldn’t believe he was tripping off of the shit we did to his bitch. He was wrong for fucking with her and should be lucky we didn’t cut him off all together. But with Dreyfus making threats, we needed all of our loyal men. Outside of Derrick the only other loyal men we had on our squad, who we knew for a fact would lay down their lives for us was, Dramon, Aleed, Carson, Dipbug, Kit, Wallace, Jonee, Bruce and Paul. It may have seemed like a lot but when you’re in charge of five buildings with twelve floors each, it’s not enough.
“Glad you were able to get everyone here and on time. I don’t know where Kenyetta is.” Then I paused. “Derrick, are you cool? We can still count on you right?”
I sensed his anger wanted him to get shit off his chest.
“Is this about business or my personal business?”
“You know what, don’t even worry about it. Let’s get this meeting started.”
“Good…but before we get started, I wanna give you a heads up that something’s off with the men.”
“Something like what?”
“I’m not sure. Just take heed. There have been a lot of side conversations.”
When Mercedes walked up to us Derrick walked away. Originally I was going to ask her where Carissa and Kenyetta were but I could tell she’d been crying and didn’t want to bother her. Besides, I had my own shit on my mind, like the fact that Chris and me still had not spoken.
“Mercedes, are you ready?” I asked putting my hand on her back.
“Yeah why you ask me that?” She said sniffling a little. She wiped the tears, which crept up on her face and said, “I’m ready.”
“Look, I know you going through shit and so am I. But I need you hard right now, can you do that for me?”
“Yvette, I might be going through something but I’m here to do my job. I don’t know why you always feel like you gotta protect me. Shit don’t always have to be good with me and right now I’m just having one of those days.”
“All right then let’s get down to business!”
As I looked out at our men I felt like I was repeating my life over and over again. How many times was I going to have to hold the same meeting? How many times was I going to say the same shit? I’m so fucking tired of this life but if I don’t do this, what else am I going to do?
“All right, I need everybody to settle down.” They did. “Thank you, we called this meeting for a very special purpose. We have reason to believe that within the next few days somebody will try to infiltrate Emerald City. And when they do, if they do, we have to be ready. Now we’ve been letting ya’ll slack off a little but that shit is going to stop right now. And instead of hearing it from your lieutenants, I figured it would be best coming from us.”
“Can I ask a question, boss?” One of the men asked.
“What is it?”
“Is it true that Cameron is running Tyland Towers now?” Aleed asked.
“Don’t worry about all that. Stay focused. That’s our problem now, we too busy worrying about other organizations when we losing control of our own. Don’t ask me a question about another mothafucking crew. Worry about Emerald City.”
“Sorry, boss.”
I turned to Mercedes. “Mercedes, you want to say anything?”
“I’m gonna answer Aleed’s question.”
“You ain’t got to do that shit.”
“Aleed, although I appreciate Yvette’s response you guys deserve the truth.”
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“It’s okay,” she said softly, “I just want to be honest.” Then she turned to him and said, “My son has decided to step off on his own, but don’t for one minute think that our family isn’t still intact.” Then she looked at Derrick who looked away from her. “And don’t for one minute think that I won’t hold anybody in this room responsible for any disrespect toward him.”
I decided to pick it up from there because she looked as if she was about to cry. “Over the next few days I want you to keep your eyes wide open. You need to report to your lieutenants or myself if you see anything out of order. We haven’t had an emergency like this in a long time so it’s time we got serious.” I said looking around. “I don’t want to see ya’ll shooting craps, chasing bitches, or anything else that may jeopardize business. Getting fired will be the least of your worries if somebody comes through them gates that ain’t supposed to be here.” I said seriously. “Any questions?”
“I don’t have a question but I do have a statement.” Bruce said.
With that the doors opened and in came a bunch of familiar faces. Immediately they aimed guns in our direction while our men aimed at them.