by Ca$H
“Save that shit, cracker,” said Kiam then he hawked a glob of spit in his face.
Chapter 26
Shit Don't Stop
It didn't take long for the streets to hear about Kiam's arrest for the restaurant massacre or for rumors to spread as to who had fingered him. Some said Lissha had ratted on him to get out from under her murder charge but most fingers were pointed at Wolfman.
Niggas that didn't know any better believed that Wolfman had dropped dime because Kiam's gun smoke had sent him into hiding and he could not withstand the losses that he was suffering as a result of having to close down shop.
Kiam's crew was just waiting for him to give the word and they were getting booted and suited to go knock a muthafucka's head off. In the meantime, JuJu and Dirty was going to stay on top of business to make sure that the streets didn't get shit twisted, thinking that they were to be fucked with because Kiam was in jail.
Treebie and Bayonna had hit a lick the other night and left a nigga with his dick in the dirt. And just as casually the next day Treebie was dropping Bay off at the airport to go visit her mom.
“Bitch, don't be acting up while I'm away,” warned Bayonna as Treebie pulled up to the Delta Airlines entrance.
“I'ma act however niggas make me act,” said Treebie. She popped the trunk and they got out and met at the rear of the car.
Bay reached in and grabbed her bags. “Seriously Tree, lay low for a minute in case we're next on the list to get snatched up by those boys.”
“Ha!” Treebie laughed. “Before I let them put my pretty ass in cuffs I'll die with my finger on the trigger.”
Bay shook her head. They hugged and touched cheeks. “I'll call you, bitch. Tell LiLi I love her and I'll see her when I get back.”
“Okay, have a safe trip.”
Bayonna stood there for a second and her eyes started getting misty. “Girl, your acting like you're not coming back,” remarked Treebie.
“I know right?” Bayonna smiled then headed for the entrance.
Treebie watched her disappear inside then she hopped back in the car and headed to the bondsman's office to post Lissha's bond.
Treebie left out of the bail bondsman's office and jumped in her car headed to the county jail to pick up Lissha. She was more than focused; recent incidents had put everything on the table. Blood Money needed to hit and hit hard.
When she pulled up she put the car in park and lit a blunt; at this point she was way past giving a fuck.
Treebie sat and pulled hard as she thought about all the shit her and the crew had been through the past year. Donella had to be executed for disloyalty, Bayonna was dick whipped, Lissha was team Kiam one hundred percent, and there was no telling when Riz and Bones would pop up at her door again on that brolic shit.
The writing was on the wall, Blood Money could not last much longer. Her mind flashed back to the day she had to live by the code and kill the only person that had ever loved her unconditionally. With regret she remembered how they had dumped his body in Lake Erie as if it was nothing more than refuse.
Although he had been controlling, Wa’leek had walked into her life and made her feel again. Before him she had been misused by men to the point that she had turned cold. Wa'leek's love had warmed her heart for a while but once she suspected him of creeping with Donella she slowly began to turn cold again.
Every time Blood Money went on a lick and Treebie aimed her ratchet at niggas, the faces that she saw was of the men that had hurt her. Pulling the trigger became payback for all that was done to her. But she didn't even want to think about that now because it would take her back into a dark place that would cause a whole lot a muthafuckaz to feel her pain.
Treebie stared out the front window and thought back to when shit was good and easy; when all they had to do was knock a few niggas in the head and count that money. But now everything had changed. Everything was out of place and if Kiam didn't beat his charges things were going to go from bad to worse.
I need to hit these last licks hard and get the fuck out of Ohio.
“Damn, bitch, open the door,” Lissha yelled out, jolting Treebie out of her reverie.
“Bitch, don’t bang on my shit,” she said, popping the locks.
“It’s damn near forty degrees and you got me standing in the cold like a homeless bitch begging for change,” Lissha joked, strapping her seat belt.
“Smoke this and shut up before I put yo ass on the bus.” Treebie passed the blunt and pulled away from the curb.
“Shittin’ me. You will have to drag my jailbird ass out this muthafucka kicking and screaming.” Lissha pulled hard on the blunt and put her head back. Those three weeks felt like a year.
“So what now?” Treebie asked as she bent the corners.
Lissha took a deep breath. “First of all, I'm going to see Kiam tomorrow and find out what he wants us to do. With him off the scene niggas are going to get funny. Damn, a bitch was looking forward to him picking me up instead of your ass.”
Treebie rolled her eyes and pulled to the curb. “I'll holla, bitch. Your bus should be coming in an hour or so.”
“You stupid,” laughed Lissha.
“I'm just saying, ho. I know that nigga got that ass open but remember who got your back from day one to day none.” Treebie checked her side view and pulled back into traffic.
“Bitch, you know I love you but until you grow something thick, long, hard, and move around this muthafucka with swag your ass is playing second,” Lissha said, passing the blunt back to Treebie.
“See, I knew you fucked Kiam. You a ho,” Treebie laughed and put the blunt to her lips and pulled hard.
“Trust me, I haven't fucked him yet but when I do you'll know it because I'll come floating over the roof of your house in the middle of the night.”
Treebie shook her head as she pulled onto the expressway and checked her rearview for a black truck that had been behind them since they'd left the jail. “LiLi can you take your mind off of Kiam for a minute? Shit don't stop. We need to hit these last licks I have set up and add that to our stash for relocation.”
“Bitch, you ain't saying shit. Just let me go check on my man and after that it's whatever.”
“I’m ready but it’s just me and you,” Treebie looked over at Lissha with her lips pursed.
“Where the fuck Bay at?” Lissha asked as her mood switch from relieved to pissed.
“Her mother is sick, she went out of town to visit her. I just dropped her off at the airport a little while ago.” Treebie glanced in her rearview mirror again and saw that the black truck was no longer behind them.
Lissha thought about how neither of them knew much about each other's families. Big Zo had always discouraged the sharing of personal information. She had never met Bay's mother but she prayed that she would be okay.
Lissha pulled even harder on the blunt as she shifted her thoughts to those niggas that Treebie was talking about hitting. Those boys were strong. Ideally, Blood Money needed all the muscle they had to run up on those nigga's spot. Fuck it, she thought. They had already wasted enough time. They needed to do this shit soon.
“Well, we started this shit with us and we will end it with us. I got your back. You got mine?” Lissha questioned.
“Hell yeah. We roll on them niggas hard. No questions. Just come in that bitch blastin’.” Treebie nodded her head up and down. She was ready for the kill.
“Let’s do it next Friday.” Lissha put her fist out and Treebie bumped it.
Treebie pushed through the streets headed to her house. In another week it would be time to put in those blood read eyes and wreak havoc.
Chapter 27
Contemplation
When Kiam stepped into the visitation booth he was totally surprised to see the person on the other side of the screen. He sat down and picked up the telephone and stared at Isaiah for a full minute without either of them saying a word. It was hard for Kiam to believe what a couple of months had done to him.
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Isaiah looked like a powder monster. His hair was long and matted, his clothes were filthy and there were sores around his nose.
“How you doing, Boss?” he asked, breaking the silence.
“I'm maintaining, nephew. But you're not looking so good yourself.”
“I know but it don't even matter. Nah mean. I don't give a fuck about living no way so why I gotta care how I look?”
Kiam didn't know what to say to that. When he was in the feds he had seen many men give up but he had never understood it. As long as he had breath in his body he was going to always fight. But he knew that he couldn't give another man his unending will to persevere.
“Don't worry about me, Boss. This might be the last time you see me because I'm on some I don't give a fuck type shit. All I do is hunt and stalk all day.” Kiam furrowed his brow and Isaiah went on. “I'm real close to finding that nigga that touched my brother. When I do find him you'll hear about it.”
“Nephew, hold up.” Kiam put his hand up to stop him from talking recklessly on the prison phone.
“It's all good.” Isaiah understood. He wiped his runny nose with the sleeve of his coat. “I just wanted to come see you and let you know that I got love for you. You're a real nigga.”
“I got love for you too. I want you to try to get yourself together. You—”
“Fa real, Bleed,” Isaiah cut him off. “Fuck this life. I ain't got shit to live for no more. When they took Isaac, I died that day. But I'm gonna handle my business before I check out of this bitch. And I'm gonna prove to you and JuJu that ain't none of those bitches no good. Treebie, Bay or Lissha. I'm all over their ass, Boss.” Isaiah pulled a bloody handkerchief out of his pocket and blew his nose.
Kiam cringed inside.
Isaiah rose up and tapped his chest with his fist. “One love.” And then he was gone.
Kiam had a hard time sleeping that night. In a way he felt responsible for what had become of Isaiah. That was the hard part about the game; the way it decimated lives and crushed a muthafucka's future.
As he laid staring at the ceiling he realized a few of his mistakes. He had come home from prison trying to wife the game when in reality that bitch was worthy of nothing but a one night stand. Smash the pussy and keep it moving.
Kiam wondered why Big Zo hadn't given him that advice. He had to know that the longer a nigga fucked with it, the harder he was going to fall. He sat up on the bed and looked out of the bars at two older men playing chess out in the day room with only a sliver of light illuminating the chessboard.
Kiam stood up and walked over to where they were playing and watched the game quietly. He loved chess and he was pretty good at it. Big Zo had been the best on compound when Kiam was there. In fact, he recalled, he had never beaten Big Zo a single time.
As he watched the men maneuver the pieces for command of the board, it occurred to him how every single piece would get sacrificed to save the king.
“Life is like a game of chess,” Big Zo had often said.
So who is the king? Kiam asked himself.
The answer was crystal clear. Big Zo was. Or at least he considered himself to be. And Kiam would've been cool with that because in order to lead, a man had to first learn to follow. But as he thought back on everything he saw that Big Zo was leading him off of a cliff. And it had to be for some reason other than incompetence because if nothing else Big Zo was astute.
Muthafucka, you're whatever I want you to be.
Kiam chuckled. Had Pop really disrespected his gangsta like that? Nah, it could never be Pop anymore. From now on he was Big Zo.
“Checkmate,” the older gentleman on Kiam's left called.
Kiam looked down at the board and saw that the other man's king was trapped.
That's what I gotta do, Kiam told himself as he went and sat back down on his mattress. Locking him up was the worst thing they could have done because it had given him time to sit back and think.
If he ever touched freedom again he was going to move on his own command and show Big Zo who the true king was.
Muthafucka, you're whatever I want you to be.
He was going to make the old man eat his words.
Chapter 28
Tears And Treachery
Kiam waited for the guard to remove his handcuffs then he walked to the booth, sat down and picked up the phone. JuJu and Lissha stood on the other side of the window side by side.
Lissha was looking like a star. Her hair was cut short and feathered in a sexy style that highlighted her cheekbones. Her waist length fur was open, showing off her perfect titties in a form-fitting top, and her jeans hugged her hips like they had been sculpted on her. Her jewels sparkled through the glass as brightly as her smile.
“Hi, love,” she mouthed.
Kiam hit her with a sexy wink and she widened her smile valiantly although it crushed her heart to see him on the wrong side of the window.
JuJu tapped his chest with his fist and stepped into the booth. Kiam returned the greeting in the same manner and waited for JuJu to sit down and pick up the receiver.
JuJu put the phone to his ear. “What it do, fam?” he asked.
“I'm good on this end. How are things out there?”
“Everything is everything, but you know I had to come through and let you hear that face to face.”
“I wouldn't expect nothin' less. How is your other half doing?” inquired Kiam.
JuJu's face brightened up. “Bay is lovely. She's out of town visiting her mother right now but she sends her love.”
“That's what's up,” replied Kiam. Then he told him about his visit from Isaiah.
JuJu sighed. “Damn, man, I don't know what to say.”
Kiam didn't either so he shifted the conversation to business and they spoke in code. JuJu explained that Riz refused to fuck with them until he was out.
Kiam told him in code to look for another connect for now, someone that he could trust.
“I got you, Boss,” replied JuJu, tapping his chest again. I'ma let you visit with your girl before time runs out.”
He looked over his shoulder at Lissha who was smiling from ear to ear. Turning back to Kiam, he said, “Til the grave, my nigga.”
“Ten toes down,” Kiam replied in salutation.
When Lissha accepted the phone from JuJu and sat down in the booth tears had already begun to cloud her eyes. Kiam looked at her and said, “I thought you was hard, ma. You're softer than a baby's ass."
“I hate to see you in there.” The floodgates opened and the tears poured down.
“I'll be home soon. These bitch ass muthafuckaz don't have shit on me. Dry those tears, baby girl, you know they can't hold a nigga like me down.”
Kiam's confidence made Lissha feel better. But if she could trade places with him she wouldn't hesitate, she told him.
“You already proved that,” he reminded her.
“And I'll do it again and again,” she said from the heart.
Kiam put two fingers to his lips then touched them to the glass. Lissha's heart fluttered as she did the same. “I love you so much, Kiam.”
“I know,” he said, flashing that cocky ass smile of his. “And I love you too, shorty.”
“Aww. You're going to make me start crying again.” Lissha covered her face with her hand.
Behind her JuJu mouthed to Kiam. “Nigga, you're Charmin.”
Kiam smiled. Then his expression turned serious. He asked Lissha if she had spoken to her father.
“Yeah, I talked with him the other day,” she replied dryly.
Kiam said, “When I come home things will be different with him and I. You're going to have to decide where your loyalty lies.” His eyes penetrated hers in an effort to read her heart.
Lissha put her hand up to the glass. “Baby my loyalty is to you. First, second and lastly. I will die for you, Kiam.” Her words came out sincere and steadfast.
Kiam put his hand up to hers. “That's my bitch,” he said.
; “You better be knowing,” Lissha exclaimed proudly.
The announcement came over the speakers that visitation was now over. Lissha's eyes immediately teared up again.
“Stop crying and tell me something good before you go,” said Kiam.
“I love you so much, baby,” she cried as he rose up to leave.
Kiam whispered something into the receiver and Lissha's whole body heated up.
“I can't wait, baby.” She gushed.
He blew her a kiss and she watched with sadness as he walked back into the bowels of hell. When he was out of sight Lissha turned and walked into JuJu's arms. He hadn't always liked her but he had grown to respect her being official with Kiam. He knew he had to be there for her.
**********
Big Zo almost collapsed himself when he heard that Kiam had been arrested by the state for suspicion of the murders at the restaurant. That was the last thing he needed to hear. His get out of jail free card was contingent upon the feds making a case against Kiam for the murders and other charges.
“Somebody fucked up,” Agent MacArthur told him. “The problem was that the feds had not told the local police that they were investigating Kiam in a multi-defendant case that was much bigger than the state could bring against him. We're working with the state authorities to let him out so that we can build a case against his entire organization, excluding your daughter, so that we can get his supplier and the others that you supplied information on.”
Big Zo looked across the desk at MacArthur with a scowl on his face. “All I know is that I've kept my word to you and it feels like I'm getting fucked with no Vaseline.”
“Don't worry,” the agent assured him. “We're more interested in building a multi indictment against the various organizations than we are of fucking you up your old ass.”
“I hope so.” Big Zo worried.
As he walked back to the cell block and headed up to his cell several inmates whispered to each other.
“I'm telling you, son,” a con named Jason said. “Big Zo is hotter than a muthafucka. Watch what I tell you, that nigga talking. When you look up, that bitch nigga will be back on the streets and another muthafucka will be in here doing his time.”