The Apostles

by Y. Blak Moore

  The customer promptly popped the two dime bags into his mouth and tried to swallow them. Several GCU detectives responded by choking and pummeling the man until he spit the two bags onto the ground.

  Swiftly, they arrested the customer for possession of a controlled substance; his car was towed and he was on his way to jail in a matter of minutes.

  As quick and precise as his unit was, Grove still wasn't satisfied. He complained, “Al, you, Torres, and the rest of you motherfuckas better hurry up on the next one. Y'all gone let the whole fucking world know that we here. Shit.”

  In a few moments the stage was set again—Grove was trying to catch customers while Bull held the bundle. The other GCU dicks were secreted around the perimeter waiting for another addict to take the bait in their reverse sting.

  Several more arrests went off without a hitch before a silver Honda Accord glided to the curb in front of Grove and the passenger-side window rolled down. As Grove stepped closer he felt a blast of cool air from the air conditioner.

  “Rocks, homie?” Grove asked.

  “Y'all got Apostles' work, dog?” the driver asked.

  Grove stooped down to get a look at the driver, but he couldn't get a real good look at his face from his vantage point. “Yeah. Apostles' coke. The best shit on the Southside, fam. We got that sizzle for yo missile. Park yo car, we in the gangway.”

  Insane Wayne put the car in park. Simultaneously Grove turned his A's hat to the back, signaling his unit that they had another one on the line. As Insane Wayne slipped from the car, he held his pistol alongside his leg. He walked to the curb and pointed his pistol at Grove's back.

  “Gun! Gun!” Torres shouted as the GCU sprang into action.

  “What the fuck?” Grove said as he wheeled around to face Insane Wayne.

  There was a malevolent grin on Insane Wayne's face as he pulled the trigger on his pistol. Two slugs sped quickly into Grove's chest, knocking him backward over a short chain-link fence.

  Eduardo Torres and Al Severs responded to their comrade's distress by proceeding to fill Insane Wayne full of holes. As Wayne lay on the ground twitching, Grove could see broken rubber bands and twisted wires in his bloody mouth.

  Bull came running from the gangway with his gun drawn. He looked down at his partner. “You all right?”

  “Help me up,” Grove said, holding out his hand.

  Bull pulled him to his feet.

  “Awwwww!” Grove yelled. “Easy, easy. That shit hurt. That motherfucker tried to shoot my damn heart out. He wasn't playing no games either. Whoever this bastard is, he must really hate these Apostle fucks.” Grove unbuttoned his California Angels baseball jersey, revealing his body armor. “Fucking piece of shit ruined my gotdamn jersey. I just bought this motherfucker. Crazy-ass, gang-banging-ass nigga.”

  “Hey, Grove!” Detective Al Severs called out. “How ‘bout a thanks for saving yo punk ass. You ungrateful asshole.”

  Grove held up his middle finger. “ ‘Bout time you fucks did something right. Now I'll leave you guys to mop up. I'm going to the hospital. I think this dickhead broke a couple of my damn ribs. C'mon, Bull.”

  “YOU GONE BE STRAIGHT, A?” DANTE ASKED FROM THE FRONT seat.

  Solemn Shawn didn't reply. Sitting in front of the funeral home, in the backseat of Mumps's Cadillac CTS with Vanessa, he was stunned senseless.

  “SS, you straight?” Dante repeated.

  “Yeah, I'm cool, A. Let's just get this over with.” Solemn Shawn opened the car door and stepped out into an unseasonable rain shower. Raindrops splattered his shaded eyeglasses before he had a chance to open his umbrella. With a touch of a button on the handle, the large, black rain shield popped open and he held it over Vanessa's head as she climbed out of the Cadillac. Mumps and Dante joined them on the curb.

  Absentmindedly Solemn Shawn said, “Where's Murderman? Nigga must be running late or something.”

  “He's here, A,” Mumps assured him. “You might not see him but he definitely here. He's heading up the security team personally.”

  “Oh,” Solemn Shawn said, like he'd asked a stupid question.

  Uncomfortably Dante shifted his weight from foot to foot. He felt helpless seeing his oldest and dearest friend in this condition. Even if Solemn Shawn had been wildly grieving it would have been better than this—this nothingness.

  “Baby, c'mon, let's get out of the rain,” Vanessa said softly.

  Solemn Shawn looked around like he had forgotten it was raining. “I love the rain,” he commented. “Tabby was just like me—she loved the rain. We both loved rainy days. I used to have to chase her into the house when it was raining when she was little. Now, Sam, that girl couldn't stand to get wet. One raindrop and she was headed for the crib.”

  “It's okay, baby,” Vanessa said as she slipped her arm through his.

  Solemn Shawn continued, “I heard somewhere that rain is the tears of angels. I guess that's why it always seems to be raining on the day you bury a good person.”

  None of them knew what to say to that so Mumps tried to lighten the somber mood. “A, let's gone ‘head and get inside, SS. You got ole Mambo standing outside in the rain in a pair of four-hundred-dollar gators, baby.”

  “My fault,” Solemn Shawn said. He looked around one more time. “Let's go on inside, y'all.”

  They walked through the funeral home doors into the cavernous chapel and down the middle of the aisle. The casket was still open for viewing; no less than twenty funeral wreaths surrounded the coffin. Solemn Shawn tried to detour into a pew, but Vanessa pulled him along to his baby sister's coffin. Looking down at Tabitha for the first time, he sobbed as he stood there.

  Tears stained Solemn Shawn's cheeks, and he quickly wiped them away. Still holding on to his arm, Vanessa could feel his body tremble. After standing there for a few minutes, he was crying freely.

  “Tabby Cat,” he sobbed. “Tabby Cat, I'm so sorry that I wasn't there when you needed me. Forgive me, Tabby. I love you. I'm so sorry….”

  “You sorry all right, motherfucka!” Lillian Terson-Liston screamed. “You got my baby killed, you bitch!”

  Solemn Shawn turned to see his mother being physically restrained by his stepfather and Samantha.

  He called out to his sister's living image. “Sammy, I'm sorry I wasn't there to help her! I loved her, Sammy!”

  Samantha locked eyes with her brother, then looked away. To their mother, she said, “C'mon now, Mama. We don't need to do this right here, right now. Leave Shawn alone. You know that he didn't hurt Tabby or mean for her to get hurt.”

  “That motherfucka killed my baby just as sure as if he woulda pulled the trigger himself!” Lillian screeched. “He ain't no child of mine! I hate you! I knew your murderous ways would bring hurt on this family one day! I hate you! I shoulda had an abortion when I found out that I was pregnant with your demonic ass!”

  “Mama, I didn't do anything,” Solemn Shawn pleaded. “I don't even know what happened.”

  “You had everything to do with it! I been telling Tabitha for years to cut yo ass loose and stop running up behind you, but she wouldn't listen to me! My own child wouldn't listen to me and look what it got her! My baby's life is over because of you! I don't want you here! If this motherfucka stay then I'm leaving!”

  Lillian broke away from her husband and snatched the largest funeral wreath off its stand and threw it at Solemn Shawn. The banner that read “From Your Loving Brother,” fluttered to the floor. The wreath missed him even though Solemn Shawn made no attempt to dodge it. His mother flung herself at him before anyone could stop her.

  “I hate you!” she screamed in Solemn Shawn's face as she slapped him viciously. The slap sent his eyeglasses flying. She would have slapped him again, but Samantha, her husband, and other family members managed to pry her off of Shawn. “Get out of here, you blasphemous dog! I won't allow you to desecrate my child's memory! I'll kill you first! Get the fuck out of here!”

  Speechless, Solemn Shawn stoo
d there with tears slipping from his eyes. For lack of anything else to do, Mumps picked up his eyeglasses and handed them to Vanessa.

  Vanessa gave Solemn Shawn his glasses and tugged at his arm. “Let's go, baby. Staying here will only cause more confusion. You can't really blame your mother—she's lost her child. She has the right to be angry even if her anger is misplaced. Right now she feels the need to express and direct that anger. Let's just go home. You've paid your respects to your sister. There's nothing else you can do here but be the scapegoat.”

  Dante put his hand on Solemn Shawn's shoulder. “Vanessa's right, A. Staying here with yo mama ain't gone do no good. Kiss yo sister and let's go.”

  Just then Big Ant hobbled up the aisle on a set of crutches. “SS, they right, baby boy. Yo mama ain't finta act rationally right now— she too hurt. Don't worry, Tabby knows you love her, A. Gone get out of here.”

  Wiping the tears from his face first, Solemn Shawn returned his glasses to his face and walked over to Tabitha's coffin. Again he stared down at his beloved little sister. He leaned down and kissed her cold cheek.

  “I love you, Tabby Cat,” he whispered. “Don't ever forget that I love you. Please forgive me if something I did got you killed, sweetie. I would have given my life for yours without hesitation. I…”

  He touched her cold hands as he felt himself breaking down again. This time, though, Mumps and Dante collected him from the casket and steered him up the aisle and out of the chapel. Vanessa paused long enough to hug Samantha and then she followed her distraught man.

  They were in Mumps's Cadillac about to pull off when Samantha dashed out into the rain and knocked on the car window. “Shawn!” she said.

  Solemn Shawn opened the car door and stood up. He hugged his remaining sister tightly. She hugged him back just as tightly. Finally she broke his embrace and looked up into his face. Raindrops continued to fall, threatening to drench them both.

  Sadly, Solemn Shawn said, “You better get back inside before you be soaked to the skin. You know you don't like rain, Sammy Bear.”

  “Yeah, you know I hate rain,” Samantha replied with a forced smile. “I just had to let you know that we all don't feel the same as Ma. You know she dramatic as hell, especially when she drunk. We know you weren't responsible for this and we don't blame you. Your lifestyle, yes, but not you.”

  “Sammy Bear, I—”

  “Shh, big brother, let me talk while I can. I know how much you loved Tabby. Sometimes I thought you loved her more than me. At first I was jealous, then I realized you didn't love her more, you just knew that she needed someone to love. Me, I have my husband and Little Shawn, but who did Tabby have? Only you. That's why I can stand here today and forgive you for any of your actions, directly or indirectly, that caused me to lose my twin sister. I love you, Big Brother. Now go try and get you some rest. I'll make sure that Tabby is laid to rest properly.”

  Samantha stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. Hugging herself, she went back inside the funeral parlor.

  Solemn Shawn stood on the curb looking after her until Vanessa rolled the window down and coaxed him into the car.

  DANTE YAWNED AS THE BLEACHED-BLOND WAITRESS WITH THE snaggletoothed grin set his plate of steak, eggs, and grits in front of him. She placed a cream cheese Danish in front of Solemn Shawn.

  “I forgot your toast, sugar,” she said sweetly. “Is that white or wheat?”

  “Make it wheat and bring me four slices.”

  “No problem, sugar,” she said as she hurried off to get the toast.

  “Look at you macking down the waitress,” Solemn Shawn cracked.

  “Get the fuck out of here, A,” Dante said as he began cutting his steak and pouring A1 sauce on it. “You know she just playing us up for a fat tip. That's all you gone eat, yo?”

  “I ain't really hungry,” Solemn Shawn said as he looked out the window of the truck stop at his F-150 and Dante's Maxima. “I really ain't had no appetite for the last couple of weeks. That's all right though, Nessa eat enough for both of us. I woke up the other night and she was chewing on my damn arm.”

  “What time your flight leave?” Dante asked as he dug into his plate.

  The grinning waitress returned and Solemn Shawn waited for her to leave before he answered. “This afternoon, but you know we got to get to the airport at least two hours early to go through all that security shit. I know the last week or so I been missing in action, but I ain't felt like doing nothing. I was gone wait around for the groundbreaking ceremony on the center, but I just want to move around for a minute. What's our friendly state representative talking about?”

  After a sip of orange juice, Dante said, “We just dropped three hundred fifty stacks on that chump. He bet' not be talking about nothing, but doing what he s'posed to do with that scratch. The move we making with that hydro shit was so sweet, once we got to three fifty, we just went ahead and made one more move to flip our money. Even after paying everybody we still had a little over three fifty left for the Head Apostles. We split that shit up equally, but each one of the Heads hit you up with a little something so yo share come out to two hundred thousand.”

  “That's cool, Tay. I ‘preciate that. I could sure use a few extra bucks to get this stuff off the ground in Tacoma.”

  “So you really gone make that move, huh?” Dante asked as he spread strawberry preserves on a slice of wheat toast.

  Solemn Shawn sighed. “Yeah. I been thinking about it for a while now. I got to do something different, A. I mean, I got a kid on the way. I might as well try some new shit while I still got my life and my freedom. Plus, Vanessa and me are going to be married soon. I got her a ring. I might as well get married while we in Tacoma.”

  Solemn Shawn waved the waitress over to freshen his cup of coffee. She was still grinning.

  “Are y'all staying out there?” Dante inquired.

  “Nall, just checking it out and looking at a few houses and shit. Other than that I plan to be chilling for the next two weeks. Kick my feet up or take some long walks. If this place is as sweet as Nessa say it is I'm definitely going to move there.”

  “I heard it rain up there all the time,” Dante observed.

  After dumping nondairy creamer and sugar in his coffee cup, Solemn Shawn said, “Yeah, I heard that too. You know me though. I love those rainy days, A. I'm kind of looking forward to that. I think I've had my fill of Chicago.”

  “You said it, SS. Some days I be so sick of this crazy-ass city and crazy-ass weather I could scream sometimes, A. I think it be the weather that have these motherfuckas going crazy and shit. Hot as hell one day, freezing the next. Lake effect snows, unseasonably cold, cooler by the lake, and ozone action days. All that shit be driving cats out of their damn minds.”

  Solemn Shawn laughed—a dry, hollow sound. “I never thought about it that way. I know it got to be something ‘cause cats in Chicago is crazy. Wipe your chin, A.”

  Dante used a napkin to wipe a jelly smudge off his chin. “Thanks, A. Don't worry ‘bout shit while you're gone, A. We got it.”

  Solemn Shawn watched the parking lot for a few moments while Dante continued to make short work of his steak and eggs. Without looking at Dante, he asked, “Any word on who killed my sister?”

  Dante's fork paused. “Not exactly. Murderman and his crew of killers been torturing motherfuckas, kneecapping cats—all that type of shit and still no word. Basically we nailed it down to the Governors. We saying that because of those twins of theirs that got merc'd.”

  “You really think it was Vee and ‘em?”

  “Yeah, near as we can guess. The Heads didn't want to bother you so we got together and hollered. Everybody said it seemed likely. Murderman been on his ass for two days now. We looking for him to drop real soon. As soon the opportunity presents itself we gone make sure Vee becomes one of the living challenged. We done allowed this nigga to breathe for too damn long anyway.”

  “What about his peoples, Tay? If y'all gone make such
a major move you got to get rid of the next in line too. Art of war, A. If you get the emperor, you got to get his general too.”

  Appreciating Solemn Shawn's wisdom, Dante said, “We got that covered too. There's only two studs besides Vee that need to get it too. A chump named Teddy and one they call O. These niggas is supposed to be heavy hitters for the Governors. They ain't no problem though. We assigning death squads on they ass. They ain't ready for this shit. The problem is we been letting these cats live for so long they think we sweet. When it goes bad for these studs it might make things hot for a while, but you'll already be out of town so you'll be cool.”

  “Sounds like y'all got everything worked out,” Solemn Shawn said as he took another sip of his coffee. He reached into his pocket and pulled out some money. He tossed two twenties on the table and stood up. “I'm ‘bout to make a few runs. Probably go check out my nephew and my sister before I got to go and get ready to leave.”

  Dante stood up and hugged his friend. After breaking his embrace, he asked, “What about yo scratch? It's in certified cashier's checks. You feel like getting it now?”

  Solemn Shawn glanced at his wristwatch. “Nall, I ain't got time now. I got to drop Nessa off the doctor. Drop the checks off at A-Land and I'll scoop them up before I go out of town. Leave them with Bezo and tell him I said to put it up for me. Hit me if you need me, A.”

  Dante sat down and ate his last spoonful of eggs as he watched Solemn Shawn zoom away in his pickup truck.

  “WHERE ARE YOU, SHAWN?” VANESSA ASKED WITH A NOTE OF irritation in her voice. “The airport shuttle is downstairs.”

  “Fuck! Sorry, baby. I was halfway home before I realized that I'd left something that's pretty important.”

  “You better not make us miss our flight, Shawn,” Vanessa said. She was walking around the condo as she talked to him, making sure that she hadn't forgotten anything. The doorman had already taken their luggage down to the shuttle van. She reminded him, “You know that we've got to get there early to go through all them doggone security checks.”