A Gangsters Melody

by Wright, Sean A.

  “Well that sounds like a hell of a bust to me. What’s the problem? Lt. Daniels asked.

  “Well sir we believe a few things, first is what we have locked up right now are just a few of the soldiers in the New York crew. From what we can tell, there is some sort of chain of command in the cell, with the guy in the yellow shirt in charge, the guy in the blue shirt not too far behind and everyone else are just soldiers.” Johnson replied.

  “Okay. What’s your point?” Lt. Daniels asked.

  “Sir the point is, these guys are very low level. If we lock them up their boss will just replace them with a new crew tomorrow. And that means more drugs, more war, and a lot more bodies.” Williams responded.

  “Okay so what do you suggest we do? Let them go Sergeant?” Lt. Daniels said, sarcastically.

  “Not exactly sir. We find out who’s in charge in there and offer them a deal to give up their boss.” Williams said.

  “What kind of deal are we talking about?” Lt Daniels asked.

  “Well if we can get them to roll on their boss, we cut them loose.” Johnson answered, hesitantly.

  “Are you out of your fucking mind detective?” Lt. Daniels screamed.

  “No sir. It’s kind of like the snake theory.” Johnson answered.

  “What fucking snake?” Lt. Daniels asked, visibly upset.

  “What he means sir is if you cut the head off of the snake then the body will fall. If we get them to give up their boss we take him off the grid, the war is over and our city’s murder rate drops tremendously.” Williams explained.

  “Okay. The wheels are turning, but how do we get them to snitch? I’ve heard stories about those New York boys. They are thick as thieves.” Lt. Daniels said.

  “Let them set up the boss for total immunity. They walk right out. No tricks and no hassles.” Johnson answered.

  “No. No fucking way. Reduced sentences yes. Total immunity? No courtroom, no testifying, no nothing? No fucking way.” Lt. Daniels said.

  “ LT. We tried the reduced sentence thing and they won’t budge, but I’m hoping if we dangle this offer of total immunity they’ll bite. I’m willing to bet that the guns we recovered will lead us back to all the recent murders since these guys have been on the scene. Now my source says that when we busted them they were on their way to deliver to the boss. The guns, coke, money and everything. I say we cut them loose, and follow them to the big man. Then have units sit on the

  190 Sean Wright

  house until the warrant is signed and take the motherfucker down.” Williams said. “Assuming that I go for this, how do we know they will roll over on their boss? Lt. Daniels asked.

  “We don’t. But it’s worth a try.” Johnson answered.

  “The major will have my badge if he finds out about this.” Lt Daniels said.

  “Sir with all due respect the COMSAT meetings are coming up and if this war continues and the bodies keep falling the way they are, they are going to have your badge anyway. So in that case what do you really have to lose?” Williams said.

  “Okay. If we do it we do it my way. Put the offer out there to all of them. Then put them together in the think tank and let them kick the idea around and see what they come up with. As a matter of fact, I’ll do it. They need to see a new face. Has any of them made a phone call yet?” Lt. Daniels asked.

  “No sir and we confiscated all cell phones and PDA’s at the time of arrest.” Williams responded.

  “OK good. But that means we only have a little bit of time before their boss knows their missing and something is wrong. We have to move fast. I’ll start with the capo in there. Something tells me he’s the one running the show, at least on his level. Lt. Daniels said, before entering the room where D-Boy sat calmly.

  “How you doing? I’m Lt. Daniels, homicide. And you are?” Lt. Daniels stated, trying to break the ice.

  “Michael fucking Jackson. Now get my lawyer and get the fuck out of my face.” D-Boy answered, laughing in his face.

  “Now is that anyway to talk to the person that’s here to help you?” Lt. Daniels asked.

  “Okay. Okay. Let me guess ya’ll about to do that good cop, bad cop shit? Suck my dick nigga. I watch The First 48 faithfully.” D-Boy laughed.

  “Listen here motherfucker. I am the good cop and the bad cop. So sit back and listen. Now like I said, I’m from the homicide division. Which means I can give two shits about the little drug enterprise you got going on. But when bodies start falling the way they have, especially in my district, my dick gets hard and I want to raw fuck whoever’s responsible. You following me Michael Jackson?” Lt. Daniels barked.

  “Whatever man. Get me my fucking phone call so I can get up out of here.” D-Boy said, waving him off.

  “Now I know you’re just one of the many pawns in the game so here is my one time offer. Point me in the direction of te boss and you walk. All of you scott free. No testimony, no court, no nothing.” Lt. Daniels offered.

  “Motherfucker New York soldiers don’t snitch. We are true soldiers. So take that offer and shove it right up your faggot ass.” D-Boy said, adamantly.

  “Okay. If that’s the way you want to play it. I mean for what it’s worth I admire the loyalty ya’ll motherfuckers got. These boys down here are weaker than the links in a fake gold chain. However, what I need to do now is put you back in the holding cell with your homies. Then I’m going to have ballistics run a check on all of that heat ya’ll got caught with. Then I’m going to call my boy over in narcotics and tell him I got an early Christmas present for him. By that time the ballistics checks should be back matching your guns to at least ninety percent of the murders in the past 6 months. Then when I got enough info to put you and your people away for about ten lifetimes, I’m going to call my cousin who just happens to be the District Attorney. Meanwhile the boss you are protecting is home fucking his girl and yours too. So who’s the faggot now? Let’s go Mr. Loyalty.” Lt. Daniels said, leading D-Boy back to the holding cell.

  DECISIONS

  “So they are offering us a walk on all of that shit?” Skillz asked.

  “Yeah man.” D-Boy said, solemnly.

  “Well fuck that shit man. I ain’t snitching on my

  man. With all that he’s done for me, I’ll lay down and die for that nigga. I’ll take the heat for everything, guns, bodies, coke, fuck it. I’ll eat it.” Lorenzo said, pounding on his chest.

  “Damn son, that’s what’s up. But we need you in these streets. Let one of these little niggas earn they stripes.” L.V. said, noticing the nervous looks on the other soldiers in the cell. “Don’t be looking all stupid. It’s part of the game. Ya’ll niggas knew this day might come. And now it’s here. So who is going to step up and fall on the sword? I don’t give a fuck who does it. Ya’ll huddle in the corner, draw straws, pick a number, I don’t give a fuck if you do paper-rock -scissors I want a name in 5 minutes. Don’t make me choose.” L.V. barked.

  “Yo “L”, Skillz, Renzo, Big John, come here for a minute. listen ya’ll this is going to sound crazy really fucking crazy. But I was thinking about taking that offer man.” D-Boy said, sounding a bit ashamed.

  “Nigga are you crazy?” Skillz asked.

  “Look man just listen. I don’t like the idea no more than ya’ll do. But let’s be real that nigga going soft over Tiffany. He already has been hinting towards the idea of pulling out and shutting the operation down. He don’t even want to give up his connection because he says if we fuck it up, it will still fall back on him. Now we all know that he is sitting on about 4 or 5 million. So he can afford to call it quits. But with him out of the game we’re fucked. None of us in here got enough to retire on. We all got lavish lifestyles to maintain, and Tray’s pussy whipped ass is going to fuck it up for everybody and take all of that away from us. You already know this music business don’t pay shit. We was just using that as a front anyway. So even if one of the young boys takes the fall we are fucked anyway. Travon is showing weakness man and fucking with him we
are either going to end up dead, broke or dead broke. So as much as it kills me to say it, if we remove the weak link to the chain we can continue to get this money and feed our families.” D-Boy said.

  “I feel you man but Travon been our man from day one and the shit just don’t seem right.” Skillz said.

  “That’s right. And I’m only enforcing the rules and regulations that he taught us. Come on man. If it was anybody else showing weakness he’d have them put to sleep and he’d have one of us do it.” D-Boy explained.

  “Yeah I feel you. But if we give up Tray we are still fucked because we don’t have his connect.” L.V. added.

  “Let me worry about that. So do we all agree that Tray has to go?” D-Boy asked.

  “As much as I hate to admit it. Yeah man I have to ride with you. Like you said if it were somebody else Tray would do the same thing.” Skillz concurred.

  “Look man Travon is cool. I love him and the whole shit. But at the end of the day that’s your man Dee. My loyalty is to you dog.” L.V. responded.

  “Well I’m loyal to the money so it’s whatever.” Big John said.

  “Well I ain’t feeling this shit. And I can’t believe we’re even talking about this shit. Ya’ll are acting like he ain’t been feeding us and our families in years. We ain’t never been without as long as we were on Travon’s team. Now ya’ll want to sell him out? Nah. Ya’ll ain’t got my vote. I’d take a bullet for him so jail ain’t shit. If I would give my life then doing life don’t bother me. Fuck it.” Lorenzo said, showing his loyalty. As Lt. Daniels walks up.

  “Just figured I would stop by to see if you boys were playing nice.” He said, sarcastically.

  “Let me out. Let’s talk.” D-Boy said.

  “Looks like you’ve been out voted dog. Now just sit back, chill and ride it out. Trust me. D-Boy’s going to make sure we eat.” L.V. told Lorenzo.

  DECEPTION

  “What the fuck?” Travon said, looking at the clock wondering who was at the door this time of night. “Baby it’s four in the morning. Who the hell is it?” Tiffany asked.

  “I don’t know but I’m about to find out, stay here.”

  Travon said, reaching under his pillow and grabbing

  his gun.

  “Travon what is going on?” Tiffany said, grabbing

  her robe.

  “I don’t know. Stay here Tiffany.” Travon ordered,

  before heading downstairs cautiously with his gun in

  hand. He looked out the peep hole to see it’s D-Boy

  and L.V.. he opens the door and they walk right passed

  him.

  “Your fucking cell phone is off again.” D-Boy

  yelled.

  “D-Boy what the fuck are you doing here? Do you

  know what time it is?” Travon asked.

  “Yeah but I’ve got good news. So good this shit

  couldn’t wait.” D-Boy responded.

  “You’re going to love us for this.” L.V. stated. “I already love ya’ll but it’s four in the fucking

  morning dog. Now what’s so important that it couldn’t

  wait another three or four hours?” Travon said. “Tray our problems out here in Baltimore are over

  baby.” D-Boy said, excitedly.

  “What are you talking about Dee?” Travon asked,

  curiously.

  “I fixed everything son. That nigga Horse and his

  people are done off. And then to put the icing on the

  cake we hit the main stash house nigga, 40 bricks and

  2.5 million in cash. We did it son.” D-Boy said, lying

  about the amount of drugs and money that was taken. “What the fuck did you do Dee? I told you to leave

  that shit alone.” Travon yelled.

  “I did what you should have done. I handled business nigga. I don’t know what has gotten into you. You

  showing weakness son. That ain’t the Tray I know.

  And it damn sure ain’t the Tray that taught me the

  fucking game.” D-Boy yelled back.

  “Since when do you run the fucking show Dee? This

  is my shit nigga. I make the fucking calls. I bark and

  you bite. That’s how it’s always been and that’s how it

  is now.” Travon continued yelling.

  “Well what’s done is done partner. So lace up your

  boot straps and grab your nuts because we got more

  work to do. And I’m going to pull your coat to something player. All that lovey dovey shit don’t fly in our

  lifestyles and you know it. Now what’s in these bags

  can change our lives forever. We got more product and

  more money than we ever expected to get from this

  city. So now that we’ve conquered Baltimore, what’s

  next Ohio? Atlanta?” D-Boy asked.

  “I’m out Dee. That’s it for me. I’m out. I quit.” Travon said.

  “Look man, I don’t think you should do that. Now I

  know you’re mad right now but as your brother I’m

  begging you to reconsider.” D-Boy said, softly trying to

  get Travon to change his mind.

  “And as your brother I’m asking that you trust and

  respect my decision.” Travon replied.

  “You know what? You acting like a real bitch right

  now. Now man up and take charge of your army.

  Command your soldiers partner.” D-boy said, angrily. “Okay. Here’s a command for you. Get the fuck out

  of my crib. Come back later when you got some fucking respect. As for the shit that’s in these bags they’ll be

  dealt with accordingly. We’ll meet up later and talk

  about it, but for now roll the fuck out.” Travon ordered, pointing to the door, before Tiffany comes

  downstairs.

  A Gangster’s Melody 197

  “Is everything OK down here?” Tiffany asked. “I thought I told you to stay upstairs.” Travon barked, grabbing the bags and heading upstairs.

  “Well I heard all of the yelling and I just wanted to make sure everything was alright.” Tiffany explained.

  “Next time do what the fuck I tell you to do.” Travon yelled, as he continued upstairs.

  “What’s up Dee? What’s up “L”?” She said.

  “What’s up Tiffany?” They both responded, with a sad look on their faces.

  “What’s wrong? Y’all don’t look too good.” Tiffany said.

  “We good.” D-Boy replied.

  “Can I get ya’ll something?” Tiffany offered.

  “Nah we about to be out.” L.V. responded.

  “Alright then I’m about to take my black ass back to bed then. I’m sure I’ll see ya’ll later. Tiffany said, turning to head back upstairs.

  “Hey Tiffany?” D-Boy said, stopping her.

  “Yeah what’s up?” She replied.

  “You know how to contact me if you ever need anything right?” D-Boy asked.

  “Yeah Dee. I’ll just tell Travon to call you for me.” She responded.

  “Nah what I mean is..” D-Boy started to say, before Travon headed back downstairs.

  “Why are ya’ll niggas still here? Travon asked angrily.

  “We’re leaving now man.” L.V. replied as Travon walked them to the door D-Boy turns to Travon almost with tears in his eyes.

  “Yo Tray man. I’m asking again as your brother to please reconsider.” D-Boy said, sadly.

  “Dee my mind is made up son. And calm down it ain’t that serious. Now go home and wait for my call.” Travon replied, patting him on his back as he closed the door behind them. Once outside they walk to the car and L.V. addresses one of the young soldiers sitting in the back seat.

  “Looks like you dodged a bullet little homey.” L.V. said, before he and D-Boy got in the car and drove passed Williams and Johnson who had been sitting up the block waiting for the deal to go down. D-Boy passes and gave a head nod signaling that
the mission is complete.

  “Poor kid. He must feel like shit throwing his boy to the wolves like that.” Johnson said, noticing the look of pain on D-Boy’s face.

  “Yeah well he’ll feel better once he gets out of Baltimore and sets up shop somewhere else. Shit, what else can he ask for? They got their freedom, their lives, a fresh start anywhere but Baltimore and half of the drugs and money they stole from that stash house.” Williams replied.

  “Yeah but let him tell it Travon is like his brother. That’s got to suck.” Johnson said.

  “Yeah well what’s done is done so don’t get all gay and shit on me. All units stand by for my command.” Williams said, speaking into the walkie-talkie.

  A WOLF IN SHEEPS CLOTHING

  “I guess they didn’t take it too well.” Tiffany said “Hell no. But fuck them; they’ll get over it. Coming up in my crib yelling and shit” Travon responded.

  “Even after you told them about the baby?” Tiffany asked.

  “I ain’t tell them shit. They just started flipping. I didn’t get a chance to explain nothing.” Travon responded.

  “Well baby you knew they would be upset. You have to call them and explain why. Tell them about the money you’re going to break them off with. Maybe that’ll make them feel better.” Tiffany said.

  “Fuck that. I ain’t kissing they ass.”

  “You and D-Boy been friends since ya’ll was ten years old. Now be the bigger person and call him Tray. And I’m not asking you I’m telling you.” Tiffany demanded.

  “Okay Tiffany damn.” Travon said, grabbing his cell and heading out of the room.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Downstairs for some privacy.”

  “Well excuse me.”

  “I’ll be right back baby.” Travon said heading downstairs and dialing D-Boy’s number. The phone rings a few times and then goes to the voicemail.