by Nene Capri
A smile hit the corner of his mouth, he had already heard how they were found and now he beamed with pride to know it was someone from his camp that did it.
As Treebie pulled off she looked at him and winked. Kiam nodded his head as her tires screeched on the way out the lot. It was official, Kiam was more than comfortable with sending the girls for the pickup.
“A bitch that loves to kill,” he said aloud as he pulled off.
“Every nigga needs one.”
Chapter 20
Debriefing
Lissha pulled into the parking lot of the prison and tried to steady her mind to sit through eight hours of visitation. She looked over the grounds and saw the same heart-wrenching sight, concrete and barbed wire. Even though the sun was shining bright there was a cloud of hopelessness and despair that seemed to hover over the penitentiary.
Lissha inhaled and began to transfer her driver’s license and money from her purse to a small clear clutch. She combed her hair then flipped the visor up and got out the car.
As she walked toward the gates a few regulars waved and struck a conversation. She was almost to the doors when she heard, “Hey, Lissha.”
She looked back to see the wife of one of Big Zo’s old cell mates. Though the woman was only a few feet behind her she yelled out like she was a block away.
I can’t stand her loud ass.
“Hey, sweetie,” Lissha half-heatedly spoke.
“I haven’t seen you in a while,” the woman continued then tried to hug her.
Lissha rolled her eyes as she patted the woman on the back. “I know, I been running girl. You know how it is,” Lissha said, pulling back.
“Yeah, girl, we been coming here for a long time,” she blabbered as Lissha tried to walk away.
Lissha moved to the doors hoping that she would get the hint, but she didn’t. She followed Lissha inside the jail, talking her to death.
When they entered the drab visitation room, Lissha got depressed. Going through this process year after year could break the strongest person. But unlike others she would not give up on her loved one.
Lissha waited until her talkative stalker found a seat, then she bolted to the vending machines and purchased all the items that Big Zo usually wanted. She bought him hot wings, burgers, a salad, chips, soda, and two fish sandwiches. He never ate everything that she bought, but it didn’t matter, she just wanted to have it there for him.
After she was settled in her seat, she looked at her watch and counted the minutes. Time ticked at the pace of drying paint. After a forty minute wait, Big Zo emerged from the back fixing his shirt and looking over the room for Lissha. When his eyes settled on her, he smiled. She was seated with her head resting on her hand with her eyes closed.
Big Zo walked toward her nodding and waving at a few guys and their families along the way. He walked up and stood right in front of Lissha then tapped her leg. Lissha slowly opened her eyes and a smile spread over her face.
“Hey, baby girl.” Big Zo smiled back at her.
“Hey, Daddy,” Lissha responded and got up to give him a hug.
Big Zo held her tighly in his grip, it had been over a month since he saw her and her presence was comforting to his soul. His baby girl was indeed a rider. Time would never make her stop visiting.
When Lissha pulled back, Big Zo rubbed her face and gave her another smile “So how have you been?” he asked, sitting down and folding his hands in his lap.
Lissha sat down, too. “I’m just trying to maintain, Daddy,” she casually replied, opening a soda.
“How are the girls?”
Lissha shook her head. “Well, Donella and Bayonna are never a problem. Treebie, that bitch be on some other rebel type shit.”
Big Zo looked at her with the side-eye, he always had to remind her about her mouth. “My bad for the language,” she quickly apologized. “Like I was saying, Treebie is way too extra sometimes. She continues to test me.”
Big Zo squinted his eyes. “Does she handle business?”
“Always. But…”
“But what?”
“Nothing.” Her words recoiled back into her throat.
“Speak your mind, baby girl.”
With little convincing she continued. “Treebie just needs to calm her ass down. We got into it a few times over Kiam. On the real, she doesn’t trust him. That’s it in a nutshell.”
“Look, the bitches are your business. If she’s outta line, that shit is your fault.” Big Zo got serious. “I don’t have time for rebellion in my camp. I sent you someone who will handle business and put me in a better position. Don’t let anyone stand in the way of that. Family. Friend. Or foe.” He gave Lissha look that made her want to crawl under her chair. She never wanted to disappoint him.
She looked down rubbing the side of the soda bottle and wondering if she was built for this mission after all.
“Look at me,” he said calmly.
Lissha lifted her eyes.
“Everything that I have—everything that I’m willing to sacrifice is for us. You gotta stick to the plan, if we got one weak link, then the whole fucking chain will break. You understand?” “Yes,” Lissha said a little above a whisper.
“Okay. Now tell me about Kiam.”
Lissha took a deep breath. “He reorganized everyone. He put all the strength in the right places, and he had us fall back with the exception of pickup.”
“So, Gator doesn’t handle that part anymore either?”
“That’s the way Kiam wants it. Should I tell him to put Gator back in charge of the pickups?”
“No, I was just asking,” he said.
“Okay. Kiam also negotiated to have our squad meet Riz’s team half way instead of us having to go all the way to New York to pick it up.”
“I don’t want you trafficking the shit period. I don’t care if it’s just from one end of the street to the other, because if you get cased up everything falls apart.”
“I know. Treebie and ‘em are picking it up. The first pick up is this week.” She paused and separated her thoughts, so she would say the right thing. “I know you put Kiam in charge and he is handling business, but he is very arrogant. I always worry that he will say the wrong thing to the right person then we’re back to step one.”
Big Zo rubbed the bottom of his chin as he processed his thoughts. He could see that her judgment was coming from more than business, there was also some emotion attached. “You got feelings for Kiam, don’t you?” “No,” she quickly denied.
Big Zo steepled his fingers under his chin and chose his words effectively. “Look, I know Kiam is very charismatic and has a powerful aura, but I need you to stay focused. I can’t afford for you to mix the relationship.”
“I haven’t,” she protested.
“I hope not. Remember, this is serious. It’s the only shot I have to ever get out of here so don’t fuck it up by thinking with your butt.”
“I won’t, Daddy. You taught me better than that,” she reassured him.
“Good. Under no circumstances are you to allow that man into your bed.” Big Zo formed a small frown on his face. “We clear?”
“Yes Sir,” she pouted. They sat in silence thinking about what he forbade her to do.
Lissha brightened up first. “Are you ready to eat?” she asked, smiling to let him know that his baby girl was always on his side.
Big Zo nodded yes and she went to the microwave to heat up his food.
While Lissha was away Big Zo was in deep thought. So many had failed him, would she be next? He couldn’t see that ever happening; not his baby girl.
Lissha returned with his food piping hot. She sat it down on the table and handed him some napkins, then unscrewed the top off his fruit drink. “Thanks, baby,” he said, picking up the burger and chomping off a big bite.
Lissha sat back down and waited for him to look up. Big Zo’s eyes wandered around the visitation room as he ate. Lissha leaned over and wiped the corners of his mouth with a nap
kin. “Daddy,” she said. “I spoke with the lawyer that I told you about months ago. He says he sees some things in your trial transcript that he may be able to use to get your conviction overturned.”
“Yeah? What he want, fifteen million?” he asked sarcastically.
“No. He’ll do the appeal for one hundred and fifty thousand. That’s nothing.”
“We might as well flush that hundred fifty down the toilet. I don’t believe shit any attorney says.”
“He’s supposed to be one of the best. He worked on BMF case down in Atlanta years ago.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel good? Did he get Big Meech off?” The question was rhetorical because they both knew the answer was no.
Lissha fought to keep the look of fatigue out of her eyes, she wanted very badly for something positive to happen in his appeal process, otherwise he would die in prison. She would do anything to prevent that from happening.
Big Zo knew her better than she knew herself sometimes, so he understood the look in her eyes. He reached across the table and pinched her cheek like she was a little girl. “Lissha, has Daddy ever led you wrong?” he asked directly.
“Never,” she confirmed without hesitation.
“And I never will,” he promised. “Forget about attorneys, those muthafuckas are nothing but leeches.” Lissha nodded, she would not bring the topic up again. “Now what’s up with Blood Money?” he quickly changed the subject.
She moved a little closer and began telling him what they had on the table. Big Zo listened attentively, downloading each piece of information and plotting on how he could use it to enhance the plans he already had in motion. His astute mind put each piece into place. The time flew by and the next thing they knew it was time for her to go.
Big Zo took one last sip of his soda then rose to his feet. Lissha stood up and gave him a big hug. “I’ll be back in a few weeks,” she said with sadness in her voice.
“Don’t worry, baby girl, when this is all over we’ll be set. Just do like I tell you and it will all work out.”
“Yes sir.”
“Tell Kiam I said I’m proud of him. Remind him that he is to do everything in his power to keep you safe. Nothing else comes before that.”
“I will. Love you, Daddy.”
“Love you, too.” Big Zo turned her a loose and watched as she joined the long line of visitors waiting their turn to exit the facility.
At the door she turned back around and waved.
“Talk to you soon,” he mouthed.
“Okay.” She motioned with her thumb and index finger.
Big Zo turned to look at Lissha one last time before she left, he noticed that the sadness had washed over her face. He knew it wasn’t just because she missed him. He strongly suspected that she was torn between his orders and feelings that she had developed for Kiam. He had to make sure that if he didn’t get through to Lissha, he’d surely get through to Kiam. Under no circumstances could they cross that line, and he would defend that order with his life.
Lissha filed out the prison door and moved swiftly to her car, choking back tears. The thought that Big Zo might never get out of prison, and the weight of his demand, was overwhelming. As soon as she shut the door and started her engine tears began to roll down her face. She had begun to want the very thing that he would not permit her to have.
As she headed to the airport, she knew that she had to make a decision. Everything depended on that.
Chapter 21
Putting It Down
While Lissha was away visiting Big Zo, the shipment arrived without incident or delay. Kiam had Gator disperse it to those he had put in position to handle it from there, then he sat back and counted the evidence of other niggas’ broke pockets. They had the whole Eastside turned up with their product which Kiam had renamed Schizophrenic. He learned years ago that one must do what others won’t, in order to have what others don’t.
Most dealers were selling whip to increase their profits, but Kiam’s team had that real fish scale still in the casket, meaning the kilos were unopened and uncut. Low prices and fat weight had fiends twerking to the rock houses. Niggas were checking their calendars because it felt like it was ‘87 all over again when crack first hit the scene.
True to his word, Kiam had strong-armed half of DeMarcus’s Miles Road territory. From 93rd all the way up to 131st every nickel sack, gram, ounce or brick sold was that Schizo’. And their other territories were pumping just as hard.
Besides the dope money, Kiam had stiff armed his way into ownership of a few profitable gambling houses on the Eastside. The city was bowing to his power. All hail to the king.
Since Kiam didn’t trust Gator to walk and chew gum at the same damn time, he only allowed him to make small drops and oversee part of the daily operations. Gator could barely handle that because pussy had his mind on the type of shit that brought entire empires down.
Kiam felt there was something funny about a man who always wanted to be pretty. That muthafucka might as well put on some lashes and pumps, he thought. With that in mind he chose the young boy JuJu to handle the brick sales and to oversee a gambling house on 117th and St. Clair that he had took from an old head.
There was something Kiam saw in little man that reminded him of himself. JuJu was about his paper and he took no shorts.
The three of them were riding in Gator’s white Expedition. They pulled into DeMarcus’s car lot and Kiam got out as soon as the truck came to a stop. “Come on youngin’, let’s go upgrade your status, you ain’t gonna get no good pussy with that bus pass,” he said, closing the front passenger door.
“I’m cautious but I damn sure ain’t slow, I need some pussy that will make a little nigga feel tall than a muhfucka,” he shot back, sliding on his Aviators.
Kiam chuckled as he headed for the front door.
JuJu climbed out the back rocking a pair of crisp black jeans, a grey T, and brand new J’s. He stood only 5’6” but size didn’t mean shit, he packed two fo-fo’s resting against his waist, and they damn sure weren’t there to hold his belt up.
Youngin’ wasn’t afraid to act a fool. When the opposition didn’t bend, he folded ‘em, and today Kiam was rewarding him for his loyalty and obedience. He had Faydrah looking for a condo for little man, if JuJu stayed down his blessings would be plentiful.
“Y’all good, right?” asked Gator, looking down at his cell phone at a text that had just come through.
“Yeah, we straight, you can bounce. Don’t forget to go over on Star and make sure that that money is right. When you scoop it up take it to Lissha,” said Kiam as he swung the door open and stepped inside.
Gator nodded while struggling not to show that he didn’t like taking orders from Kiam. He sat with his poker face until both men were inside. When he drove off the frown that he had held back forced its way on his face.
He quickly glanced at his phone and read the text message. It was her asking him to call. They hadn’t really talked since they’d seen each other at the club. He knew she would be a little salty but he didn’t care, baby girl was Team Gator all day. Pulling up to a stop light he hit her back right away. “Yeah, what’s up?” “What you doing?” she asked accusingly.
“Damn, why you make it sound like you think I’m up in some pussy?” Gator laughed
“Ain’t no telling with you, if a bitch blink too long yo’ ass be right up the next bitch’s ass,” she flat out charged.
“Go ‘head with all that bullshit, I’m on my way over to the trap then I’m coming your way. What’s up?”
“What the fuck do you think is up? A bitch needs something stiff and cooperative.”
“Well, you know what I’ma need?”
“What you gonna need?” She folded her arms and waited for his answer.
“I’ma need to hold on to the back of your head while you give me a knee bending experience.”
“How come every time I ask you for some dick you wanna put it in a bitch mouth?” she asked wit
h her lips twisted to the side.
“You know this nigga don’t act right unless he gets to have a conversation with some tonsils,” he stated with a slight smile on his face. His dick jumped as the last word left his lips.
“Well, you keep a bitch eyes rolling so you know I’ma do whatever you want me to,” she promised.
Gator’s foot got heavy on the gas with that thought. “I know you got me. But on the real, you know what I really want you to do.”
“Don’t even go there.” She stopped him before he could get started. Ever since they had switched up the pickup, he had been pressing her to let him know when and where it went down.
“What, that bitch got you shook?” Gator asked as he eased his window down, honked his horn, and blew a kiss at a lady that was driving beside him.
The lady smiled at him, but then a big headed dude that had been reclined back in the passenger seat sat up and grilled him. Gator reached in his waist and flashed his steel. “This ain’t what you want,” he yelled out the window and the guy swallowed whatever slick words he had started to say.
“Who are you talking to?” she angrily asked.
“Nobody, just some clown that almost got his face splattered. Anyway, what’s up? You gonna do that or what?”
“You gotta give me time, Gator. Damn. We’ve only done one pickup. Let me peep everything out and get Riz’s people more comfortable with bringing the shit halfway so they’ll relax a little.”
“Fuck dat. They don’t have to relax. I got something that will relax ‘em for eternity,” he said, patting the banger that he had put back on his waist.
She smiled, envisioning him doing something demonstrative with his hands. “I know you will, boo.” She chuckled. “But, baby, they had a small army riding with them to protect their product. They had everybody but Jesus and his Disciples.”
“Okay, but I’m gonna stay on you. It’s time for me to make some moves of my own. The way I’m feeling, fuck Lissha, Big Zo, and Kiam.”
She didn’t respond. Gator was on a suicide mission, allowing his hatred of Kiam to get the best of him.