War 2 All Hell Breaks Loose

by T. Styles

  “Don’t worry about that.” He touched her hand. “Where you going?”

  “I’m taking a leave of absence. I can’t deal with…I just can’t.”

  “I understand. But before you go I need a favor.”

  “I don’t have any keys to the planes,” she said. “Plus the owner is very upset about those men coming to the—”

  “I don’t want a plane,” he said. “I need something else.”

  She wiped her tears. “Okay. What is it?”

  “You have the keys to PORT A?”

  She looked in the direction, toward a large reddish port. “Wait…you want a—”

  “Helicopter.” He said completing her sentence.

  “But…what…I mean…”

  “You know I can fly one,” he paused “And I promise to leave it somewhere they can find it later.”

  “But what if they think I gave it to you?” She sniffled. “I could lose my job.”

  “I’ll make them think I took it from you against your will.”

  “How?”

  With that he hit her in the face, knocking her out.

  ****

  Banks was walking to PORT A when his phone rang. Since it wasn’t his regular cell, he wondered outside of his wife and his soldier, who had the number.

  Even though time wasn’t on his side, he answered anyway. “Hello.”

  “Banks.”

  Banks stopped walking when he heard Mason’s voice. “How you get this number?”

  “You asking the wrong questions, Blakeslee.”

  His heart beat harshly in his chest as he heard his birth name. “You got my wife and kids, nigga?”

  “Isn’t this a great country? Where two bitches can get together in lesbian matrimony?”

  “You got my family or not?”

  “I told you I’m not playing games with you. You believe me now?”

  “You really, really don’t wanna do this,” Banks said. “I promise you.”

  “What else can you do to me? Huh? You already took out my best men. Ruined my fucking operation! Blew up my house! What more can happen?”

  “I got Derrick.”

  Silence.

  “We really don’t wanna go there do we?” He paused. “If a hair on his head is harmed again, every nigga with Wales in their name getting splattered. So—”

  “Mason, let my family go. By now you should realize I’m always three steps ahead.”

  Mason laughed. “Nah, Blakeslee, I’m starting to think you don’t realize how many steps ahead I am.” He paused. “Hurt my son and your whole family dies.”

  Banks hung up.

  He was done talking to the enemy. Besides, there was work to be done. With the keys to the ‘Copter, he drove to a house he used to hold a special kind of product.

  Explosives.

  After losing his cousin in front of his father’s house many years ago, Banks had learned all he could obtain about the dangerous weapons. Its power was complete and massive which was why he was seduced by it. He learned that if used correctly, it could get him out of a situation like now. So he taught himself, in secret, how to build and disarm bombs.

  And now it was time to use what he learned to his advantage.

  Again.

  He already showed his skills at Mason’s so this was round two.

  After getting the special bomb, he went back to the port and pulled out a quiet helicopter. It was a special design that limited noise in cities, which were already inundated with sound. So if you didn’t know he was coming, you’d be in trouble.

  He needed all the help he could get, if he wanted to sneak up on Mason and save his family.

  Now in the air, he made a call. “I’m cashing in now,” Banks said on the phone.

  The caller sighed deeply. “I don’t know about this.”

  “You really wanna be on the wrong side of this war?”

  “No.”

  “Then answer the phone when I hit you back. Give me fifteen minutes.”

  After landing on top of his recreation center, he turned the engine off and called the man again. He didn’t answer. And Banks was forced to call five more times.

  He was heated.

  After the sixth time, finally he picked up. “Nigga, you playing with me?” Banks asked through clenched teeth.

  “No,” he whispered. “Mason was around.”

  “Where is my fucking family?”

  “Inside the janitor closet, in the basketball court area.”

  “Good. I’m leaving a bomb by the back door in the employee’s location. I want you to put it where Mason and his soldiers are. Just make sure my family is not where it goes off. It looks like an air filter so it should go unnoticed.”

  “Won’t it go off with me too? If I carry it?”

  “Not if you move quickly. It’s on a timer.”

  “Come on, man,” Cliff said. “There has to be another way.”

  “I took care of your family. Got you in Mason’s good graces. You thought that shit was for free? It was for this moment right here. Make sure my family safe and put the bomb where Mason and his men are.”

  “I’ll do it when—”

  “You’ll do it now!”

  After hanging up, Banks exited the helicopter and crept toward a door on top of the building. Once inside, he moved toward the control room, which housed all of the machinery necessary to keep the center running. After flipping on the lights inside a small office, he plopped on the edge of a desk and looked at his watch.

  If things went right, the bomb would blow in six minutes.

  But when six minutes passed and nothing, he started to believe that he’d done something wrong. Where was the sound? If Cliff didn’t bring the explosive in the building, it would still detonate on the side.

  Banks felt defeated. Maybe he wasn’t as good with explosives as he—

  BOOM!

  Suddenly the building rocked and the power went out. The security alarms began to sound, which happened after power was disconnected. Crawling out of the control room, he was immediately overtaken by smoke and dust plaster. The thickness moved down his nostrils, making him cough repeatedly. Luckily he knew the area even in darkness so he moved toward the basketball court.

  Once inside, his heart dropped when he opened the janitor’s door, and didn’t see his family. Grabbing a flashlight, he searched the building and didn’t find them anywhere.

  But there was one place he hadn’t checked.

  The pool house.

  So quickly he moved into that direction.

  Once there, slowly he opened the door and was shocked by the hanging debris from the ceiling and more than all the smell.

  Chlorine.

  Blood.

  Those were the odors that permeated Banks’ nostrils as he opened the door leading into the large pool house. The moment he was inside, and saw what lie before him, he gasped in disbelief.

  Standing near the entrance his breath rose and fell in his chest as he viewed what could only be described as a massacre. Mostly dim, only light from the pool’s surface, which was red due to the bloody water, shined against his face in wave like patterns.

  Slowly he walked toward the blood bath and down the silver ladder leading into the pool. This would give him nightmares he was certain. The water was crimson thick and was littered with floating limbs that bobbled along like apples in a barrel.

  Banks’ eyes grew blurry as tears covered his vision. He was forced to deal with what he didn’t want to face.

  Did these limbs belong to those he loved? Was he moving past carnage that would later represent losing his entire family?

  Again?

  Wiping the tears away, he moved through the floating graveyard, picking up body part after part as his mind floated back to when things first got out of hand.

  He didn’t want to think about the moves he made which contributed to his family’s demise. But there was no denying that this was part his fault.

  Taking a deep breath
he went back to the moment where once again he found himself at odds with his most worthy adversary.

  His best friend.

  Mason Louisville.

  After going through the limbs, it became obvious that he couldn’t make heads from tails. Too much had happened and he was certain his family was gone.

  And then he happened on an arm with a distinct watch on it, which he knew belonged to Mason.

  He was dead too.

  His mission was accomplished.

  But was losing his family worth it?

  Although Banks realized Mason’s death was necessary if he were to survive, seeing the proof fucked him up in a way he didn’t know was possible. In addition to losing his family, he was now rocked with a grief that made him realize what he’d always known.

  That he loved his friend.

  But they were better foes.

  When he heard the sirens in a distance, he crawled out of the pool and made it outside without being seen. His world felt like it was over.

  His bomb plan was stupid and dangerous and he felt ill.

  The Wales family was no more.

  Overcome with grief, he wondered what would have happened if he was successful in killing himself as a little girl. Maybe he wouldn’t have brought kids into the world and Bet would be alive.

  All he had was a bunch of maybes that would do nothing for him in the moment. But they kept him company as he contemplated dark moves.

  And just as his thoughts grew bleak, a black van pulled up alongside him. Too devastated to be afraid or scared that it was an ambush, he looked over, only to see Cliff in the driver’s seat and Bet in the passenger’s seat. Her face was scratched up from when they snatched her out of the car but for the most part, she was free.

  She jumped out of the car, ran up to him and cried in his arms. Seconds later Joey and Spacey rushed out and gripped him too. Banks was stunned still, unable to move due to the extreme relief.

  They were all alive!

  Standing in the middle of the street, the three of them hugged tightly while being overjoyed that everyone was safe.

  Separating from their embrace, Banks looked at them each. “Are you hurt?”

  “We’re good, dad.” Spacey said.

  He looked at Bet’s face.

  “I’m fine,” she said before he could ask.

  Banks nodded. “Okay, okay…” Something was wrong. “Wait, where’s Harris?”

  Bet sighed. “He got locked up.”

  Banks felt gut punched. The news wasn’t even an option. For one, when was their time to get in trouble with the law? “For what?” He yelled.

  “Something about tampering with a mailbox.” Bet looked down. “And Mason’s brother is with him too. I’m afraid, Banks.”

  Banks frowned. This was the worse case scenario. “I’m gonna get him out.” He nodded. “Don’t worry.” He kissed her again. “Trust me.”

  “But, Banks, Claire gave us the plane,” she said excitedly.

  His eyes widened.

  “She said no.” He reminded her.

  “She changed her mind! She changed her mind, Banks!”

  “Well I’m getting you all out today.” He kissed her lips. “Get in the van. We need to move now.”

  As they piled inside, Banks walked over to Cliff and shook his hand. “What happened? How you get them out?”

  “Mason was acting strange toward them,” Cliff said. “I didn’t like how he looked so when he left the room to do something, I freed them and then told them to go out back and wait for me. Until I put the bomb in place.”

  “What about Mason?” He already knew the answer but he wanted to know for sure. “Was he in the building?”

  “Yes,” he paused. “He dead. For sure. He was in the pool house when I dropped the bomb off. I saw him talking to his niggas and everything.”

  Banks remembered the limb with the watch.

  “What now, Pops?” Spacey asked from the window.

  Banks was still stunned.

  “Like I said I’m getting you away. And then I’m coming back for Minnie and Harris.”

  ****

  It was a long flight.

  Almost eight hours.

  But in the end the Wales family had made it to the island.

  When Banks landed the plane, and his family poured out, they were overwhelmed with its allure. Colors were richer than anything that they ever imagined. The sand was the hue of gold and the water was so blue it looked enhanced. There was even a smooth breeze that rolled lightly upon the island, which caused the luscious green palm trees to dance in their honor.

  And then there was the Wales Mansion.

  It was glorious.

  Banks himself had seen it before and even he stood in awe of the design he created. It resembled a castle with modern flare with its cream structure and colorful cathedral windows.

  Everything sparkled.

  “Banks,” Bet cried, covering her mouth. “You built this for us?”

  He kissed her cheek.

  “Wow, Pops,” Spacey said. “This…this really ours? The whole island?”

  Banks nodded.

  Joey’s eyes widened. “It almost looks like…like…”

  “Heaven,” the family said completing Joey’s sentence.

  Walking inside their new home, everything smelled new because it was.

  And after meeting with the staff who had vowed to care for them, they realized they were a perfect match. Referring to them as Mr. Wales and Mrs. Wales respectfully, The Valdez family was so happy to meet their new bosses that a few of them cried.

  Both Joey and Spacey also had to catch their breath when they saw two of the four daughters who would be helping care for their land and property. With both families being in complete isolation, they were certain that they would be forced to make the beautiful women their wives. Which is another reason Banks selected that particular family.

  He had thought of everything.

  There was even a son for Minnie.

  As the Wales prince’s searched their mansion, and checked out their rooms, Bet walked over to her husband.

  “Now all you have to do is find our daughter and get Harris out of jail.” Bet said looking up at him. “Then all of this will be complete.”

  He touched her face. “I’m bringing them back.” He said. “Trust me.”

  When his phone rang he frowned, removed it from his pocket and looked at the screen.

  “Who is that?” Bet asked.

  “I don’t know. Nobody has this number.” It rung again. “Go check on the kids.”

  When she walked away he answered.

  It was Nidia.

  “So you’re a woman,” she laughed. “It all makes sense now.”

  His heart dropped.

  With everything going on between Mason and himself, he never thought he would reveal his secret. He didn’t know the secret had gotten out earlier, because he was focused and no one told him. Had he known the city knew he would’ve died from embarrassment long ago.

  The hurt was crippling and he began to hate Mason to the next level.

  And if he were alive, he’d kill him all over again.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  FCI LOW - DORM ROOM

  PRESENT DAY – CHRISTMAS EVE

  Kirk looked amongst all of the men who were so glued onto his every word, they couldn’t catch their breaths. A natural storyteller, they were sad to see the tale come to an end.

  By now, as they glanced down at Linden it had become painfully obvious that he was dead.

  So the ending was somewhat poetic.

  What also happened, that the men weren’t aware of, is a second group of inmates, as the story was being told, covered them.

  By listening to Kirk, they had let their guards down. Big mistake.

  “So the story ends with you getting locked up?” Byrd asked, his missing tooth made his words whistle. The bloody tissue from his busted mouth on the floor below. The crumbled heap held his tooth a
lso.

  Kirk glared.

  “We want more,” Clay said.

  “So what you gonna do now?” Byrd asked Kirk. “Cause you may have been a boss on the street, but in here you just another nigga.” He rubbed his crusty hands together. “And we not taking the rap for you for killing this dude.”

  “Exactly,” Clay said. “You want us to stay quiet ‘bout this here,” He pointed at Linden, “Then you gotta grease palms.”

  “Watch out, young niggas,” Tops said standing up. “You still talking to a king.”

  Suddenly the outer group of men moved in closer and within seconds, calloused palms slammed down over the men’s lips as they were jabbed multiple times in the back. By the time the carnage was over, eight trained killers with dripping blood-covered shanks in their hands surrounded Tops, Byrd and Clay.

  The surviving three.

  They were so shocked that they were too afraid to move. Plus the massacre happened that quickly.

  Tops, Byrd and Clay looked back at the men and then Kirk.

  “So you gonna kill us too?” Tops said. “I could’ve blew up your spot the moment we got locked up together,” he paused. “Especially since you lied that we helped you break into that mailbox.” He pointed at him. “But I didn’t.”

  Kirk smiled. “I lied on you for a reason.”

  “And what’s that?” He asked through clenched teeth.

  “To kill you.” He paused. “For starting this war. I saw you fire in our window. At first I wasn’t sure who you were but now I know you were with the Lou’s. And I don’t want you around me or my family.”

  Byrd and Clay looked behind them at the men, but realized they couldn’t run. Instead they were grabbed…two killers on Clay and Byrd and Four on Tops.

  “Come on, man,” Byrd begged. “Don’t hurt me.”

  “Yeah, Kirk, you ain’t gotta do this,” Clay added.

  “Before I told my story I asked if you were sure you wanted to hear the rest. Each of you said yes. Now you know the reason for my question.”

  Byrd was shanked quickly and lost his fight. Clay soon followed and entered the afterlife. Tops gave a good try, but in the end his enormous body hit the floor like the rest, as blood gushed from his wounds.