by K'wan
Shakes screamed and made a mad dash for Fred’s gun, which had been sitting on the table. Before she could reach it, China fired the HK, only to find that the gun was more powerful than she’d expected. Not only did she cut Shakes almost in half, but she managed to knock Rock Head into the kitchen with a few strays. The tall Latino managed to clear his gun and tried to shoot Silk, but she knocked his arm away as he pulled the trigger, sending two strays flying through the room. She jammed the barrel of her .357 into his mouth and closed her eyes so she wouldn’t get blood in them when she put his brains on the carpet. Fred tried to run into the bedroom and Animal hit him twice in the back. He hadn’t even meant to fire on him, but he was in a firefight and moving off instincts. When it was all said and done, the robbery had turned into a multiple homicide and China lay bleeding in the corner.
“Shit.” Animal rushed to her side. China had a hole in the center of her stomach where one of the tall Latino’s strays had found a home. “Hold on, baby, you’re gonna be alright.” He placed his hand over the wound to try to stop the bleeding. Blood squirted through his fingers, staining his clothes.
“I don’t wanna die like this,” China cried, watching her blood pool in her lap.
“You’re not gonna die, just be still,” Animal said, trying to calm her.
“I didn’t mean it,” Silk said, watching in shock as her best friend and lover bled out onto the dirty carpet.
“Silk, stop watching and get some help!” Animal shouted.
“I swear I didn’t mean it,” Silk sobbed over and over.
“We gotta get up outta here before somebody reports them gunshots.” Tech picked up the bloody bag of coke. “Let’s go.” He shoved Silk toward the door. Animal continued to kneel over China. “Animal, let’s boogie,” Tech called to him.
“I can’t leave her here like this, Tech.” Animal cradled China’s head in his lap.
“Please don’t let me die by myself,” China pleaded through bloody lips.
“I won’t leave you and you ain’t gonna die, China, just hold on.” He rocked her.
“Animal, ain’t nothing we can do for China. The police will be here soon and we ain’t gonna be here when they arrive.” He reached for Animal, but recoiled when his protégé aimed his gun at him.
“Tech, we’ve known each other for a long time, so you know I don’t bluff when I’ve got a gun in my hand, but if you try to move me from here you’re gonna be as dead as them two Spanish niggaz.”
Tech looked in his eyes to see if he was serious and found that he was. “Fuck it. Be a dumb-ass little nigga if you want to, but I ain’t going to jail with you,” Tech said and ran out of the apartment, leaving Animal and China.
“Animal, I’m scared,” China told him. Her skin was getting cold and her words were starting to slur.
“There’s nothing to be afraid of, Ms. White; Animal got you.” He rubbed her cheek, trying to keep her warm.
“Animal,” China wheezed.
“Yes, China?”
“How come you never loved me?” Her eyelids began to flutter.
“China, stop talking crazy, you know I love you.”
“No . . . not like you love Silk . . . like you love Gucci.” Her breathing was becoming more labored.
“China, my love for you is more special than the love I have for Silk, Gucci, and everybody else. You will always be my number-one girl, but because of the game we play we both knew it couldn’t happen.”
“The game.” China sighed deeply, as if it caused her great pain do so. “For all the riches that this funny-ass game promises us, we all end up dying young and broke.” And with that last statement, China White’s chapter came to a close. Animal stayed with her for a while longer, letting his tears wash the blood from her face. It wasn’t until he heard the sirens that he made an attempt to escape. He looked at the carnage around him and thought how ironic it was that the scene reflected his own life, a hot mess. When Animal left that apartment, he said goodbye not only to his friend and onetime lover, China, he said goodbye to the game. He had had enough.
Five minutes after Animal had made his great escape, Shakes’s apartment was filled with people in uniforms. The two lead detectives were a black-and-Spanish combo who were notorious for their police work in Harlem. The local precinct wasn’t too thrilled about them being called down to assist with the investigation, but the call had come from downtown because one of the victims was currently being investigated by the two detectives.
“What’ve we got here?” Alvarez asked the medical examiner, lighting his cigarette. He was a handsome Puerto Rican officer with a slick wit and a nose for the streets.
“From what we’ve been able to piece together, it was a drug deal that went wrong, and judging by the number of shell casings, I’d say it went really wrong,” the wiry redhead said. Alvarez had spoken with her on a number of occasions, but could never remember her name.
“Any witnesses?” Brown asked. He was a dark-skinned dude with a boxed Afro and a no-nonsense attitude when it came to tackling a crime.
The medical examiner shrugged. “So far we haven’t come up with much. Our best bet is the lone survivor they were able to pull out of this mess.”
“A survivor—who?” Alvarez asked.
“Your boy.” The medical examiner passed him a folder. “Raheem Levy.”
“No shit.” Alvarez flipped the envelope open and looked at the picture inside.
“You know him, J?” Brown asked his partner.
“Sure do, and so do you.” Alvarez handed him the picture.
“Rock Head?” Brown was surprised.
“Yep,” Alvarez confirmed. “Here we are looking all over the city for him and he ends up coming to us. What do ya know about that!”
“I kinda wish that bullet would’ve killed his sick ass,” Brown said seriously.
“Now, now, partner. We’re public servants and that’s no way to speak,” Alvarez said sarcastically, cutting his eyes at the stunned medical examiner. “What hospital did they take him to?” he asked the medical examiner.
“I think they took him to Roosevelt,” the examiner said.
“Let’s go, partner,” Alvarez said, handing the folder back to the medical examiner. “Hopefully, Rock Head will be conscious so I can see the expression on his face when he finds what we’re charging him with.”
CHAPTER 31
Animal had spent most of the night sitting by the window, staring at the grim streets of Harlem. Tech had been calling him nonstop for the last few hours, but he ignored the calls. A time or two he’d tried to drift off, but whenever he closed his eyes he saw China’s face.
From day one Animal knew that the out-of-town white girl wasn’t cut out for the things they were into, but she had tried harder than anyone else to do her part and had never once left them hanging. In the face of danger, she had shown that she had bigger nuts than most dudes he knew, and he respected her for it. To know that he would never again be able to sit and talk to her about the things going on in his life broke him down. When China White died, she took a piece of him with her.
With a heavy heart he made his way to the bathroom and looked at his reflection. His face was ashy and his eyes were swollen and red from crying all night. “How much more do you have to lose before you wake up?” he asked the mess staring back at him. He didn’t need to hear a response to know the answer. Dressing in a black sweat suit and sunglasses, he went to find Tech.
It didn’t take him long to track his mentor down. Tech was hunched over on a park bench like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. His eyes were fixed on the rising sun, which was starting to surface in the eastern sky. Tech always came and watched the sun rise when he had something on his mind, and after what had happened in the apartment, there was a lot eating at him.
“What, you come to kill me over what happened?” Tech asked without bothering to turn around.
Animal walked around and sat on the bench beside him. “You’re my
brother, I would never bring harm to you.”
“I couldn’t tell with that gun jammed in my face a few hours ago,” Tech said. Animal hadn’t noticed at first, but Tech was holding a weapon. Tech noticed Animal staring at the gun and placed it on the bench between them. “Is this what we’ve come to?”
“I’d hate to think so.” Animal placed his gun next to Tech’s and folded his hands on his lap.
“I’m sorry about what happened to China,” Tech said. His voice sounded hoarse, letting Animal know he wasn’t the only one haunted by China’s death.
“It wasn’t your fault, Tech,” Animal said.
“Yeah it was. She tried to tell me that we should back out of the job, but I wouldn’t listen. I had to have that score and it cost us all something more precious than any amount of money. My greed fucked us.” Tech sounded emotional.
Animal had set out in search of Tech to get at him, but seeing his mentor in such a broken state, he no longer had the heart to. Tech was already in more pain than Animal could’ve possibly inflicted on him.
“We all knew the risks,” Animal conceded. “China knew like the rest of us that ain’t no guarantees about coming home off a lick. She gone, man, and ain’t no changing that, but we’re still here. We gotta make sure her memory lives on.”
“Yeah, we gotta tighten up our little ship. It’s just me, you, and Silk now, right?” Tech asked, but Animal didn’t respond. Tech looked at him. “So you’re leaving the family too, huh?”
Animal thought on the question. “You can never leave your family, but sometimes life can dictate that you go in different directions.”
“It’s that nigga Don B., ain’t it,” Tech accused.
“He provided the ticket, but he didn’t make me get on the train. I’m just getting tired, Tech. I’ve spent all of my life trying to keep from dying, but I’ve never made an attempt at living. I wanna live, big homey,” Animal said emotionally.
Tech nodded in understanding. “I can dig that, little brother, but you know just as well as I do that your heart belong to the concrete. If you ain’t in the street, then where are you?”
“Free,” Animal said with a smile.
Tech laughed. “You always were the dreamer. So, what’re your plans now; you got any bread saved up?”
“I got a few dollars, but that ain’t nothing compared to what I got coming,” Animal said, beaming.
“What?” Tech asked suspiciously.
“I was trying to tell your ass last night, but you were too stuck on the lick to hear me out. I got a million-dollar contract waiting on me, big homey!” Animal said excitedly.
Tech’s face went blank. “That nigga is giving you a million dollars? Shit, we should’ve kidnaped his ass after all,” Tech joked.
“Oh no, big homey, that cat is protected from on high until I get all of my bread. If he so much as catches the sniffles, I’m gonna shoot the germ that brought them on.”
“I can’t front, I’m proud of you.” Tech hugged him. “Don B. is a bitch-ass nigga, but he looked out for my little man, so he gets a pass, at least until you get the rest of your money. But I gotta ask you: if you knew last night that you were gonna wake up a millionaire, then what the hell were you doing with us pulling that robbery?”
“Because you asked me to,” Animal said seriously. “Tech, no matter what’s going on with me, I’m always gonna be there when you call, because that’s what brothers do, they look out for each other; you taught me that.”
“I did, didn’t I? Man, I’m glad you’re gonna be able to do something with yourself, but it ain’t gonna be the same without you at my side when I’m running up in a nigga’s shit.”
“Then stop doing it,” Animal suggested. “Tech, we all sitting on enough bread to take a breather, and with me doing this rap shit we can wash that money up and live good. Why don’t you and Silk come in off the streets and get down with me?”
Tech looked at Animal. “Man, that’s love, that you would even think to spread your newfound wealth around like that, but you know I can’t accept that.”
“Why the hell not? We’ve shared everything else, so why not this?” Animal wanted to know.
“Because that’s your blessing, Animal. Me and Silk gotta find our own way out here in the world.”
“But does that mean you have to risk death or prison to make it?”
“That’s all I know, my nigga,” Tech said seriously. “You were always different than us, so I know you can adjust to that life.” Tech’s eyes took on a far-off look. “We’re both kids of the street, Animal, but the difference between me and you is that you don’t have to die in them. My destiny has already been written, and the day that my blood stains the sidewalks that I have loved all my life, every hustler in the world is gonna celebrate my passing; that’s how I’m gonna go out.”
Animal took in his words. He knew that even if he sat and argued with Tech until the next sunrise it still wouldn’t help to change his mind. “You know we’re always gonna be family, right?”
“Of course I do, Animal. Every time you take that stage, just know that big brother will be watching.” Tech hugged Animal. They embraced for a while, but Animal felt himself about to break down, so he stood to leave.
“Let’s go get Silk and go out for breakfast, it’s on me,” Animal suggested.
“Silk is still broken up over what happened to China, and I don’t think I’m ready to go back out into the world just yet. I’m gonna sit here and watch the sky for a while, but you go ahead and get your celebrate on.” Tech went back to staring at the sky.
Animal started to walk away, but stopped short. “Big brother, you know I love you and I’m thankful for everything you’ve done, right?”
“Of course I do.” Tech still didn’t face him. “But I also know that this is the end of the road for us.”
“No it ain’t, this is only the beginning,” Animal assured him before he left the park.
Gucci hadn’t been able to get a wink of sleep that night. There was nothing good on television, so she decided to do something she hadn’t done in quite some time, read a book. She selected a thick book with a simple black cover called Gangsta which Boots had loaned her a while back.
She curled up on the couch with a blunt and a cup of coffee and dove into the book, which she ended up enjoying a great deal. By the time she’d gotten to the end of the book it was ten o’clock in the morning and she was an emotional mess. Lou-Loc and Satin’s story reminded her of the lover she’d lost, but more so of the one she’d found in Animal.
She knew she had been too hard on him the night before, but she needed him to understand where she was coming from. He had a God-given talent that could open so many doors for him, but he couldn’t put the street nigga to bed. She was getting bad vibes all night, but she refused to call him, not only because she was teaching him a lesson but because she was afraid of what she’d hear on the other end of the phone. God had robbed her of one special person and she was afraid of it happening again with Animal.
“Girl, what you doing out here in all this fog?” Ronnie came out waving away the cloud of smoke. She had traded her spandex and crazy hair for a postal uniform and a simple ponytail.
“Just reading.” Gucci wiped away the tears before Ronnie could see them.
“Reading? Lord, are ya sick?” Ronnie placed her hand against Gucci’s forehead dramatically.
“No, I’m not sick.” Gucci pushed her mother’s hand away. “I got a lot on my mind, so I was out here thinking.”
Ronnie took Gucci’s face in her hands and looked her in the eyes. The hurt was written all over her face. “What’s wrong?” Ronnie asked compassionately. “It’s that pretty little nigga I saw you kissing the other night, ain’t it? You know what, I don’t even wanna know what he did; just give me his address and we’re gonna ride out on that little muthafucka.” Ronnie went to the closet and started rummaging around for the lock-box where she kept her pistol. “See, ya daddy was a nigga with good h
air and he wasn’t shit, so I knew it was something about that little boy.”
“Mommy, sit down. I’m crying over the book.” She raised the copy of Gangsta, “but I was thinking about Animal.”
“Animal? What kinda God-fearing people name their child Animal?” Ronnie sat on the couch and folded her arms.
“His name is Tayshawn; Animal is his nickname, silly.” Gucci laughed.
“So what makes this Mr. Tayshawn so special that my little girl has picked up a book to chase her blues?” Ronnie lit the clip Gucci had in the ashtray.
“I’d be lying if I said I could tell you,” Gucci said honestly. “Animal is different, Mom. I mean, he’s hood and all that, but there’s such a glow about him, like he was anointed or something. Whenever I’m around him I feel like I’m the only chick in the room.”
“Well then, what’s the problem? Is he gay, married, broke, or all three?” Ronnie asked, exhaling a cloud of smoke. “I know it’s not a situation of him not thinking you’re pretty enough, because ever’ nigga with a pulse knows my daughter is fine-ass hell, like her mama!” Ronnie declared.
“None of the above. Animal is actually about to sign a recording contract with Big Dawg Entertainment. Animal is a good guy, he’s crazy about me, and I feel superloved when I’m around him. He treats me with nothing but respect and has never even brought up the subject of us having sex. I just can’t be with him.”
Ronnie scratched her head. “Let me see if I follow you: he’s fine, has money, and treats you like a lady, but you can’t be with him? Gucci, what am I missing?”
“He’s in the streets, Ma,” Gucci said as if she should understand. When she saw that Ronnie wasn’t following, she elaborated: “Ma, the night he agreed to sign his contract, he promised that he was gonna get out of the streets, but as soon as his phone rings he’s gone. When I got at him about it, he’s telling me how I don’t understand and how he gotta keep it real with his man. I ain’t trying to hear that shit.”
“Watch your mouth,” Ronnie warned her.