The other ministers gasped and Dana’s eyes attempted to snatch the breath from her body. “Now, now, Elizabeth,” Dana picked up, “I would never think about coming in the way of his dick, because we all know you have that covered! If you could see it fit to keep your pussy shaved and wash up more often, I’m sure he’d choose you more.”
“Stop it!” Hillary Webster yelled, as she jumped up from the table. “I hate these fucking events!” Everybody looked at her as they tried to figure out where she was going. “I don’t think there’s a person in here, who hates them more than me.” She rolled the diamond bangles back up her arms and took a seat. Her light skin, loaded with freckles was dry and she looked older than thirty-two. The business of defrauding innocent people and selling children was not kind to her. “And just like you all, me and Patricia are also frightened.” She looked at Patricia Parker who held her head down. She was twenty-five and caught up in something she never wanted to be involved in, the sex trafficking industry. “Our captain Ramona Cass assured us just like the others that we are safe, but we aren’t stupid enough to believe that. However we don’t have a choice. All we can do now is stop fighting each other and get this day over with. I just want to go home.”
“You are too weak.” Toni Upshur, who reported to Abel Pickling interjected. Unlike the other captains, Abel told her and her other direct report Susan Madison to be afraid. As a matter of fact, she suggested they be very afraid, to keep them on their toes. “We knew what we were doing when we signed up for this business. Judging by the diamonds in your ears and bangles on your arms, I don’t think you are going without or suffering either.”
Out of the blue Elizabeth said, “Why don’t you stop lying to the team and tell them what Rufus said to you on the phone the other night, Dana.”
Dana eyed her suspiciously. “What are you talking about?”
“I think you already know, darling.” She focused on the rest of the team. “Basically he told her he’ll make sure she has security around the clock and that the rest of us need to step up and provide security for ourselves if we want to survive. He said he didn’t want anything to happen to his precious Dana, seeing as though she still has that baby face he loves so much.”
In Dana’s book, that was the final straw. Both pimps, who were moonlighting as reverends, lunged toward each other in an effort to pull out the other’s throat. That was until Charles Blaine separated them both, by gripping a fistful of their hair from the back.
Yanking hard he said, “You know, I really am getting tired of this shit.” He looked at their faces and maintained his hold, since it was obvious they weren’t ready to be released. “Why must you two do this every time we come together? We’re about money in this room! If you want it to be about anything else, handle it in the parking lot.” He released them, forcing them forward. “Now let’s get the fuck out there, preach the gospel and do what we came to do. We have that big shipment to handle later, don’t forget.” When they appeared to be moving for each other again, he asked, “Which one of you sluts do I have to hurt, to make myself clearer?”
Silence.
“Then let’s get this money.”
After the scuffle, Dana and Elizabeth straightened their clothing and put themselves mentally in the frame of mind to inspire. Although the rest hadn’t been in a fight, they did the same mental exercises. The name of the game, manipulation. Their business? Selling hope. When they walked into the ballroom holding the main event, they took their place in one of the seven chairs on the stage, while their peer took the stand.
Susan Madison, who was born in Abel Pickling’s breeding house, walked up to the mic first. It was her first major seminar, after being brainwashed in the AFCOG way for many years. Finally after she gave up all of her worldly possessions and moved onto Rufus Day’s compound, he knew she was ready for the next level. That included seducing the innocent. Besides, her honest face and childlike voice, captivated worshippers and made them believers.
Camera flashes took up the first few moments before her speech begin. She looked back at the Secretaries and smiled. “You can do it, Susan.” Dana encouraged. “We believe in you.”
She turned back around and wrapped her small hand around the mic stand. She was about to speak into the mic, until she noticed it was too low for her five seven-inch height. She adjusted it accordingly and said, “Thank you for coming to AFCOG’s fourth annual ‘Give God Your All And He’ll Do More’, seminar!” her voice bellowed from the podium and sent chills up several members’ spines. They needed to believe in something and the shifty organization gave them exactly what the doctor ordered. “Is God in the house today, or is God in the house always?”
“God is in the house always!” The crowd answered.
She smiled because already, she succeeded in winning them over. “Now I don’t know about what you came to do but we,” she turned to her peers who raised their hands in succession, “came to praise his name!”
She turned back around and faced the crowd with more confidence than ever. But when she looked upon the audience, she saw several wet faces and the guilt gut punched her. Deceiving people was not in her blood but she had a duty. This was wrong but what could she do? She shook her head and held onto the mic, unable to speak. The others immediately got nervous but Dana reacted and approached her.
Covering the mic with her hand she asked, “Can you handle this?”
Susan looked up at her and smiled. “I have it. Don’t worry.”
Dana patted her softly on the back and walked away. Looking at the crowd she took a deep breath and slowly parted her lips. “Good morning, worshippers. If you don’t know me already, let me introduce myself. I am Susan Madison, one of the Eight Ministers for AFCOG.” The applause erupted throughout the auditorium. “I am very pleased to be a part of your experience today. Before we separate for your seminars, I’d like to introduce Minster Toni Upshur.”
Toni Upshur was just as beautiful as the other six female ministers. Her natural long hair hung down her back and swaggered with each step. Her hand accepted the mic from her peer and for a second she just stared at the crowd. She would show Susan how it was supposed to be done. The applause rose to the ceilings and simmered away like fog and she loved every bit of it. With one wave, she controlled the room and the only sound now was a few quick coughs.
She moved her red painted lips toward the mic and said, “I see thousands.” Slowly she backed away from the mic as if they were dancing. Stepping closer, she observed the audience. “Thousands of believers who came to honor him.” She continued, releasing the mic from its hold. “And I honor each and every one of you today. It’s not easy to stand up for God. It’s not easy being criticized just for being different. It’s not easy giving fifty percent of your salaries to AFCOG, when your families mock and attempt to destroy you in the process. But you don’t care.” She pointed her red fingernail at them and walked to the other end of the stage. “You know why?” She paused only to build momentum. “Because you have bought your way into heaven and there you will be received.” The roar of the audience lit up the auditorium yet again.
Once the audience grew silent, something different threatened to demolish the mood. “You a dead bitch talking!” Someone yelled toward the back. “A dead bitch talking!”
The angry mob turned to see who had spoken so harshly to someone they admired and adored. However the moment they bent their necks, the heckler was gone.
Toni was visibly shaken and she tried to pull it together. She looked at her peers and the looks on their faces didn’t make her feel any better. They were stricken with just as much fear as she was. They knew who it was, without ever seeing her face.
With her hand on the mic, she smiled although her cheeks trembled. “Seems like we can’t shake the devil even in the house of the Lord.”
“Yes we can!” Someone suggested.
“Let’s pray for them!” Another offered.
“It’s certainly worth a try.”
/> Two Hours Later
Dana and Elizabeth were finishing their seminar, which housed one hundred participants. The title was, ‘Establishing Financial Security, In The House Of The Lord’. Despite the heckler’s outburst, which had all of them on edge, they were able to do their jobs. Things were uneventful, until one of their youth helpers walked into the class with an urgent message.”
“We’re getting ready to close, Fredericka.” Elizabeth advised, not wanting her disruption. “We’ll be out in a minute.”
“I’ll only be a second.” She approached their desk, hurriedly handing the letter to Elizabeth. “Before I left I wanted to give you this envelope. It’s from Rufus Day.”
Dana stood up, eyed the envelope and said, “Thanks, Fredericka.”
She walked away and Elizabeth moved closer to Dana. “What do you think it is?”
“I don’t know. You know we don’t have cell service in this building. Maybe he called the office.” When she seemed hesitant she said, “Well open it up. See what he wants.”
Elizabeth decided to address the participants first. “We hope you all have enjoyed our seminar. If you have any questions, please use our message board and enjoy the rest of your day.”
When she finished with the chivalries, she and Dana walked into a corner to read the letter. Slowly Elizabeth took it out the envelope, which drove Dana, crazy because she was taking so long. The black letters on the white card caused her heart to thump.
Yvonna went to the police regarding Elika and Tata. Meet Abel in room 319 to discuss a plan of action.
Dana felt dizzy as she reached for a seat. She didn’t make it.
Five Minutes Later
Dana and Elizabeth sprinted into the hallway, to meet with one of the Captains. They would’ve run faster but their high-heeled shoes slowed them down. On the way to room 319, they ran into Charles, Heather, Hillary, Patricia, Toni and Susan, who all received the same letters.
“Did anybody call Rufus yet?” Elizabeth asked as they approached the door.
“No. I wanted to wait to see what Abel was talking about first.” Charles replied. “Plus the cell reception is on the half in this building.”
“Well did she talk to either of you?” Dana asked Toni and Susan, her direct reports.
“We know just as much as you do…nothing.”
They had to admit, something was off but curiosity was killing them. When they finally made it to room 319, on the empty hall of the center, Dana was the first to open the door, only to find the room completely dark.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Charles asked no one in particular.
The other seven followed them until the door slammed behind them. When they turned around, Ming was holding a gun in their direction. “Now, now, now. That’s no way for a man of God to speak.” Ming said to Charles. “We gotta do something about that mouth. Don’t we?”
With raised eyebrows he asked, “Who are you?”
“Have a seat.” Bricks demanded, causing them to face the other way. One light in the room suddenly lit up a section toward the front. Eight seats were lined up side by side, with no occupants. They were placed especially for the self-imposed ministers. When they didn’t move quickly enough Bricks said, “Don’t make me say it again. Have…a…fucking…seat.” Reluctantly they took their seats and when they did, the locks on the doors were chained by Swoopes and Ming.
Yvonna remained silent. She was confused and didn’t understand what was going on. Her mind was starting to fail her big time and she was trying her hardest to get it together. When everyone was in position Bricks waited for her command. “Squeeze.” He whispered, nudging her with the butt of his gun. “We ready.”
Silence.
He placed his hand on her shoulder. “Squeeze, go ‘head. Let’s get this shit over with.”
She looked at him, her clan and then the Eight. Clearing her throat she tried to remember what it was, she needed to say. She decided to start with her name and go from there. “My name is Yvonna Harris.” She walked closer to them with her team following behind. The moment she uttered those words, the Eight Secretaries knew their lives were over. “And today we have a problem.”
“What are you going to do to us?” Dana asked. “I think you have the wrong impression about who we are.”
Yvonna ignored her and a few more spots of silence filled the room. “My name is Yvonna Harris,” she repeated, “And I am a victim of the bullshit you have been running for so long. You have ruined my life, my daughter’s life and now my friends. I’m here to take revenge. I’m here to take your lives.”
“I think you have the wrong people.” Dana continued, trying to play hero. “We’re with AFCOG, Adults For Children Of God. We would never do anything to hurt kids. We love them too much.”
“A little too much if you ask Ming.”
“I really think there’s been a great mistake.” Elizabeth added, doing her part to save their lives. “And if you turn your guns away from us, we can explain.”
“There’s nothing you can say to me, that I would be interested in hearing at this point.” Yvonna advised. “Maybe if you would’ve stepped up when I was getting fucked in my ass by grown men as a child, I could hear you. But right now you’re dead to me. All of you.”
“Well I would still like to try.” Charles said, with a stupid smile on his face. He was so use to talking his way out of drama, that he was feeling himself. “We are religious people. And like she said, we love children too much to cause them harm.”
“You mean you fuck children too much!” Swoopes yelled.
“Wait a minute! We haven’t fucked anybody!” Heather yelled, provoking a facial blow by Ming’s shoe.
“And when they beg you, and the sick mothafuckas you roll with, to stop, you beat them until they love it.” At that moment the team realized that they’d been there for a few moments and he hadn’t killed anyone. This was the most self-control he ever had. “When you’re finished with their bodies, you take every ounce of respect they have.” He looked at the floor. “And when they grow to become men, you wonder why they’re holding a gun to your face. But you forgot about one thing.”
“And what’s that?” Bricks asked, leading him into his moment.
“They forgot that children grow up. And when they do, they remember.” His eye scanned over their fancy suits and jewels. “They remember everything.”
“Exactly.” Yvonna interjected before throwing Toni a phone. “Call your leader.”
“What leader? Who are you talking about?” Toni said.
Without waiting, Swoopes shot her in the throat and the phone fell out of her hand.
“And then there were seven.” Ming laughed, watching her body slump.
“We not here to play games.” Bricks added. “Don’t make us repeat ourselves again. Call Rufus.”
When nobody else could move, Charles nervously picked the phone up and dialed a number. At first the call wouldn’t go through until he powered it off and back on.
“Put it on speaker.” Yvonna ordered, when she heard the call connect. “I want to talk to him too.”
After three rings, Rufus answered. “What’s up?”
“Mr. Day, you’re on speaker.” He swallowed air. “And we have company.”
“Who is it?”
“Hello, Rufus.” Yvonna said, giving him his answer. “It’s me again. Do you know why I’m here?”
“I don’t know, but let’s see, to offer yourself up to my cause? Maybe sell a little pussy?” He was sarcastic, and not as scared as he was when she talked to him days earlier. She wondered what he had up his sleeve.”
“I doubt it, bitch. I offered enough of myself up to you to last a lifetime.” She could feel rage creep over her and she was getting confused again. “And it’s because of you and this sick organization, that I could never have a life of my own.”
“Am I supposed to care?” Yvonna didn’t respond. “Listen here, bitch,” he said startling his followers by hi
s foul language. They’d never heard him talk so swiftly, but he knew the gig was up and he didn’t want the moment to pass, before telling Yvonna how he really felt. “Before you met me, your mother Jhane left you to die. She chose to get high and she sold you to the highest bidder. That being your stepfather. You weren’t bred in AFCOG, because if you were, you’d have more respect for what I’m doing. You’re a degenerate. A worthless life and you should’ve been dead a long time ago. Look at your world. You don’t have anybody in your bloodline who cares about you. Do us all a favor and kill yourself.”
She felt like she wanted to cry. To hear how he reduced her life made her feel dirty. “And what are you doing with your world?” She managed to ask. “You’re no better than me!”
“Oh no, darling, that’s where you’re wrong. I’m way better than you. I’m in the business to make money.” He paused to let his words simmer. “And I could’ve seen you to one of them foster homes, but instead you were a pleasure to the men who paid for you and even a few women. Had it not been for me, you would not be here and I deserve a little more appreciation.”
Bricks wanted to yank him through the phone. Instead he placed his hand softly on her shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, Squeeze. That nigga’s number is coming up.”
“Who is that?” Rufus inquired. “Bricks? Or maybe it’s Swoopes or your Chinese friend Ming.” He had their full attention with the mentioning of their names. Prior to that moment, they always thought they were sidekicks as far as he was concerned. Now they realized he had their history too.
“What the fuck do you know ‘bout me, homie?” Bricks yelled.
“Who are you?”
“Bricks.”
He laughed. “For starters I know you have a son. A son that isn’t biologically yours. A son from, what I gather, you love very much.” He pulled his card and Bricks felt like someone gut punched him. But it was the next statement that had him seeing blue. “You know it’s not too late, Bricks. You can always end this crusade and sell the boy to me for a fair price. I have quite a few men who would love to introduce him into the world, the proper way.”
Shyt List 5: Smokin' Crazies The Finale' (The Cartel Publications Presents) Page 16