by Mikal Malone
“I know…I just don’t wanna lose my friends. They like my sisters.”
“They should love you know matter what. And didn’t you say Yvette understood?”
“She did but Kenyetta didn’t and Mercedes still hasn’t come back yet.”
“You can’t worry ‘bout them. Your focus should be on me, and our family.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You and Cameron still cool. You have your friends, I don’t.”
“We are cool but for real we not.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothin,” he says rubbing my face. “Shit just not the same wit me and Cam. For real shit ain’t been the same since we left Emerald. Don’t get me wrong, Cam gonna always be my nigga. We just don’t see eye to eye on everything anymore.”
“Me and my friends are like that too.” I laugh remembering our beefs. “But I got you so for real, I don’t care.”
“Yeah, well if that’s true, how come it don’t seem like it?”
“I’m sorry, baby. It’s just that a lot of shit kicked off in the past few weeks.”
“There you go worryin’ about that Emerald city bullshit again. You a woman not a man. So stop trying to do man’s work.”
“Lavelle you sound selfish. I mean…why wouldn’t I care about my friends?”
“It ain’t selfish!” he yells. “I’m tired of you worryin’ ‘bout shit that don’t concern you. To be honest you might as well get use to the idea that as long as they stay in Emerald, somethin’ will happen. Be grateful you got out in time.”
I sit up and look into his eyes. I feel he’s trying to tell me something but I don’t know what. So I scoot next to him and say, “What you mean?” He takes a deep breath and briefly looks away from me. I pause Keyshia’s show and can feel my heart racing.
“I’ma be real wit’ you. Emerald about to fall, and that’s why I wanted you out.”
“Emerald about to fall? You act like you know somethin’.”
“I do,” he says seriously. “Cameron plannin’ to take it back.”
“Take it back?” I remember Mercedes talking about Cameron, Lavelle and Black being together, but when I asked him was something up, he said no. He even threatened to end our relationship if I asked him again. “Fuck you talkin’ about, Lavelle?”
“In the next few days, Black from Tyland and Cameron runnin’ up in Emerald. And when they do, they not plannin’ on leavin’ without the money and the city.”
“La…La…Lavelle,” I can’t catch my breath and I feel betrayed. “When I asked you was something up you told me no. I trusted you. Why did you lie to me?”
“Because I did what I had to do to get you out. That’s why.”
“Please explain to me what you’re talking about.” I stand and place my hands on my hips.
He looks down at the floor, stands up and walks up to me. “I’ma tell you this ‘cause I don’t want you to hear it from nobody else,” he says placing his hands on my shoulders. “I had somethin’ to do wit’ them dudes who ran up in Emerald blastin’.”
“The ones who killed the guard?”
“Naw. The ones who shot Mercedes.” I smack Lavelle and his mouth bleeds.
“I deserved that, but you know I never meant to hurt you and if I had to, I’d do it all again. I love you.”
“You love me? You don’t love me! It’s cuz of you, Mercedes got shot. What if she would’ve gotten killed?”
“I know I fucked up, Car. But they wasn’t supposed to shoot ya’ll. I paid them to scare you a little and that was it. I guess they got nervous and felt like they lives were on the line. But just so you know, your girl, Kenyetta guilty too. She been fuckin’ around wit’ Black behind ya’ll’s back.”
“Stop lyin’, bastard!” I yell.
“I’m serious! He got a thing for black women with that Indian look and Kenyetta is it.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“Because I’m your man. Now I’m sorry baby,” he pulls me into his arms. “But I was worried about you. Can’t you understand that? Come here. Let’s not do this. Okay?”
I don’t respond and fall into his embrace. For the moment I need to be comforted. And had he walked away, I’m not certain that my limp body wouldn’t drop to the floor. I know its wrong…and I may even seem disloyal, but for the moment I need him.
Lavelle
“So what she plannin’ to do wit’ me?”
Lavelle slept hard after making love to Carissa for two hours straight. When he woke, he couldn’t get over the sensation of feeling drugged. A smile crept across his face when Carissa told him that despite his lies, she’d still stay by his side. Waking up, he turns around preparing to go another round. But when he touches the sheets, he notices her side is cold and she’s gone.
“Carissa!” he yells thinking she was preparing breakfast. “Get back in the bed. I’m tryin’ to get some mornin’ pussy.”
“She gone, man,” a soldier from Emerald says.
When he looks in the direction of the voice, he sees two men inside of his bedroom sitting in chairs. He recognizes both of them.
“But she asked us to be here when you woke up,” he continues.
Lavelle reaches for his weapon under his pillow. It’s gone. He reaches for the nightstand. It’s not there either.
“It’s not there, dude,” one of them says. “And if you get outta line, we got orders to slump you.”
Lavelle sits up and leans against the bedpost. His bare back is cold against the wood. With everything going on, he laughs to himself because he didn’t see this move coming along. Carissa was smarter than he thought.
“She went to Emerald?” he asks.
“Yeah…man.”
“So what she plannin’ to do wit’ me?”
“We don’t know yet. But the moment we find out, we’ll show you.”
Yvette
“Then let’s get ready for war!”
After the meeting we exit through the back door and the sight of fifty men outside temporarily stops my heart. We didn’t invite them so what did they want? Were they with the others?
“I know ya’ll not tryin’ to do this shit right here,” I look at the men. “Cause I can guarantee you if it goes down like this, a lot of bodies droppin’. So what ya’ll wanna do?!”
“We not here for that, Yvette. The city is divided. Some went to Unit B and we’re here to fight wit’ you. Everybody talkin’ about a war and we wanna make sure we on the right side,” Smiths says, his young face was sliced in six different directions.
“Yeah, we ain’t ‘bout to let them niggas just run up in here and take our shit!”
I’m not too sure I can trust them. But when I look into their eyes, I feel they’re being true and we needed their help. The more the better.
I smile, walk up to them and say, “Then let’s get ready for war!”
We told them as quickly as possible what they needed to know about our plan. Leaders were picked. I take twenty with me and we head to Unit B. And after our session was over, we split up in groups to cover various parts of the city.
“Ya’ll ready for this shit?!” I yell at my twenty men.
“Fuck yeah!” they cheer.
“Then let’s drop these niggas and show them the mistake they made for violatin’ our city!” Weapons clank in the air.
As we walk on the field toward Unit B, I notice everything is quiet. Not one soul was outside, not even tenants. Word travels fast so I’m sure they’re staying clear of drama. They know what’s getting ready to happen.
“Yvette, I think it’s finally happenin’,” Kenyetta says looking around. “We really going to war. We really have to fight for what’s ours.”
“You think,” I say playfully. “I’ve never seen the city like this before. It’s a ghost town.”
“I’m so ready for this shit, though,” she says excitedly.
“Good ‘cause they not gettin’ Emerald unless they take my life with it.”
>
“They betta take mine too,” she responds touching my hand.
As we walk toward the back of Unit B, I hear a voice calling my name. My men immediately cover us.
“Yvette, it’s me! Mercedes!” She runs toward us and the men part.
She moves toward us and my body shivers. My friend. My best friend, is here. And I thank God for answering my prayers.
“Oh my God…She’s alive, Vette!” Kenyetta screams.
We run toward her, meet in the middle and embrace. She’s alive!
“You don’t know how good it feels to see you,” I say holding her face in my hands. “Do you know what I was about to do?”
“’Bout to do?” she laughs. Her face is bruised and she limps. “I heard you were in Unit C kickin’ down doors and shit!” We all laugh. “I’m just happy to be back.”
“Where were you?”
“Let’s talk about it later,” she says as sadness washes over her face. “But thanks for remembering the plan to have someone waiting in the community center.”
“You know I would never forget something like that.”
She smiles and squeezes my hand. “Thank you. Hey…where’s Carissa?”
“It’s a long story,” Kenyetta tells her.
“So what’s the plan now?” Derrick asks bringing us back to the present and our reality that the war was far from over.
Kenyetta, Mercedes, Derrick and I continue our walk toward Unit B. Our men walk behind us.
“Most of our men are guarding Unit C because the cash and product is there. But we’re hitting Unit B first because we know they’re inside. Two men will guard each of the eight floors and two will guard the back in case anybody tries to get in or out. Two more men will also watch the front and they’ll also keep watch on the yard. The set up will be pretty much the same for all units.
“We have to break down their inside crew first and than prepare for the takeover later tonight. Now on one of the floors in Unit B we already have two men inside. They reached out to us earlier and told us they were going undercover. Black doesn’t know about them and thinks they’re with them. But on our command they’ll do what’s necessary. Once we’re in position, we’re gonna take over two apartments on each floor that’ll allow us to see the yard clearly. That way we can cover all bases in case someone tries to come on the grounds.”
“What about the gate?” Mercedes asks.
“It ain’t safe. So our men on the roof will kill anybody who tries to enter.”
“It sounds solid,” Kenyetta says nodding her head. “I think it’ll work.”
The look on Derrick face tells me he thinks otherwise.
“What’s up, Derrick. Are we missin’ somethin?”
“I’m not sure, but somethin’ not right. I mean, why would they flood Emerald and stay in Unit B? The money and shit in C.”
“It’s hard to get in Unit C. They had to get into the weakest unit.”
“Naw,” he disagrees. “Somethin’s up. Somethin’s not right.”
“We got to do somethin’, D. We have to move.”
Derrick takes a deep breath, still visibly uneasy and says, “Then let’s do it.”
In A Unit B Apartment
“They’re here. Tell Black,” Harold says to Tamir on the phone.
“Why you ain’t call him?”
“I did…but he ain’t answerin’ his phone. So he told me whenever I couldn’t reach him, to hit you.”
“Aight…I’ll get him the message.”
“There’s somethin’ else, the girl Mercedes got away.”
Tamir laughs and says, “He not gonna be happy wit’ that, but I’ll let him know. Just hit me back if anything changes,” Tamir stresses. Harold doesn’t like taking orders from a kid but something tells him if he works for Black, eventually he’d have to deal with him anyway. “And Harold…don’t fuck up again ‘cause in our family losers die.”
Mercedes
“I hope my judgment isn’t clouded”
My body’s sore but I don’t tell them. I want the focus to be on Emerald City and not on me. I focus on the field in front of me. When my phone vibrates with a blocked number, I decide to answer.
“Who is this?”
“Ms. Mercedes, it’s me. Lani.”
“Lani, why are you calling me and why are you blocking your number?”
“Because I thought you wouldn’t answer.”
“What do you want?”
“To speak to C. He won’t talk to me. And I need to talk to him.”
“Lani I spoke to C earlier today and he told me you got with his friend so your problem is your own.”
“Please, Ms. Mercedes, his friend beat me and I broke up with him.”
“Lani, now is not the time. Lil’ C’s got a lot going on and so do I. So don’t call me anymore.”
After I end the call I try to reach Cameron again but he doesn’t answer. He’s avoiding me but eventually we’ll speak, whether he wants to or not. I know he had everything to do with the rape and that hurts me.
Thoughts of what I did to Ed run through my mind and made me smile. Derrick gave me the pleasure of killing him and I did it slowly. I wrapped my hands around his throat and squeezed as tightly as possible until he was gone. I didn’t take my eyes off of him until the Vanishers removed his body.
Now standing at the bottom of Unit B’s steps, I watch the gate and the yard. Kenyetta is at the top of the stairs watching me. And I was growing sick of her asking if I was okay.
“You okay, Mercedes?”
I turn around, look up at her and say, “I’m cool.”
“Who was on the phone earlier? You look angry.”
“It was Lil’ C. He been at it since I been gone. When I talked to him earlier he said he got somebody pregnant, she aborted the baby and than got with his friend.”
“Lil’ C having sex?”
“I know. It’s gross right?”
“I don’t want to think about it anymore.”
It was silent until light gunfire sounds off in Unit B and I worry about Yvette and my squad. I look up at Kenyetta who says, “Yvette and Derrick gonna be fine. Trust me.”
“I know, it’s just that…,” before I finish five kids come running from the gate through the yard.
“Help! Help!” the children cry fanning their arms. “They gonna kill us! Please!”
They were carrying backpacks, and were barefoot. From where I stood they look to be between the ages of ten and thirteen. Loud and hysterical, their pleas for help were the only sounds on the quiet field.
“What you want us to do, boss?” one of the soldiers asks from one of the apartment windows in Unit A. His gun was aimed in their direction. After his question I hear multiple weapons clicking although hidden from view.
“Hold fast,” I tell everyone with my hands up. “Don’t do nothin’ yet. They just kids.” Turning around I say, “Stay there, Kenyetta. I’ma check this shit out.”
“Don’t go by yourself,” she says worriedly. “I can’t see you clearly over there.”
“I’ma take Keith from Unit A with me,” I say jogging toward the gate. “You just stay here in case Yvette calls. And watch my back.”
“You know I got you! Be careful!”
“Keith, come with me,” I holler.
“I’m on it!” he says running behind me.
On the way there, I see the children are followed by two women. The women look scared and both have complexions like Kenyetta’s. To be honest, the three of them look like they could be sisters. I notice one of the two women is carrying a gray hobo style purse and her feet are bare. The other is wearing slippers.
“Fuck are ya’ll doing in Emerald?” I ask them.
Keith’s weapon is drawn.
“Please…you gotta to help us,” the woman with the dreads says.
“I ain’t gotta do shit, bitch! But you betta tell me somethin’ I wanna hear and quick before you have a situation to deal wit’ right here!” When I see her ho
lding a purse tightly I say, “Take her purse, Keith and look through that shit.” While he’s looking I say, “Now what’s goin’ on?”
“Someone wants us dead. And we’re responsible for these kids. Trust me when I say we had nowhere else to run. This was the quickest place we could get to on foot.”
“Where do you live?”
“In Tyland Towers,” she says softly.
Keith looks at me. His eyes say what I’m thinking. This is a set up. But the children were confusing me. Either they were good actors or they were really scared.
“I know this looks crazy. But we run a day and night children care center. Their mothers had just dropped them off when my boyfriend who works for Black told me he was goin’ to have anybody who had family in Emerald city murdered. My cousin lives here and he knows it. You don’t know it but Black, he’s crazy,” she sobs.
As we speak the children continue to cry remaining huddled against the women.
“When we found out,” the other woman says who had long silky hair like Kenyetta’s. “We came runnin’ over here.”
“Ya’ll don’t have a car?” Keith asks.
“Yeah…but we don’t have enough space for all the kids,” she replies.
“What about the parents?” I question.
“We didn’t have time to call,” the one in the dreads says. “When my boyfriend called and said Black had some people on the way up, we had to move.”
“Please help us,” one of the kids says grabbing my leg. “I want my mommy.”
“Get off of her,” Keith tells the child.
“It’s fine,” I tell him. “They just babies.”
“Boss, I’m not tryin’ to disrespect you, but this don’t feel right.”
“I got it,” I assure him. “I got it.”
I look down at one of the boys and he reminds me of Lil’ C when he was younger. Suddenly I feel bad for them. After all, I’d just escaped a near death situation and would’ve wanted someone to help me. I hope my judgment isn’t clouded because of it.
“Can you help us?” the woman with the dreads repeats. She looks behind her once more in fear. “I’m worried if we stay out in the open, they’ll kills us. I’m beggin’ you.”