In the church flowers were placed around his casket. Photos of him lined the walls of the church. His baby pictures, his graduation pictures, and pictures with his family.
As she read his obituary she was flabbergasted at so much she didn’t realize about him. He was a star athlete who could have went on to the pros, but he injured his knee badly, he had so many kids, not just by Tanya, but by other women and even a baby born while Sasha and S.D. were together. There were sides of him that she hadn’t even known.
Sasha closed the obituary. She was really upset and saddened by his death. Her heart was more than a little torn apart. She had spent so much time with him that he had actually became someone she had liked. He held a great conversation and understood her, more than T did. How could she have gone along with such a plan? She was an accomplice to murder. As she thought about that and the times they spent together, she began to cry.
“For they refuse to listen to me, though I have spoken to them repeatedly through the prophets I sent. And you who are in exile have not listened either,” says the Lord. Therefore, listen to this message from the Lord, all you captives there in Babylon.” The Pastor closed his Bible and looked into the crowd of people who mourned for S.D.
“My heart is saddened by the death of this exceptional young man. At a young age he exceeded at so many things. Exceeding as a football star, gaining and achieving many awards, this young man had it all going for himself. He was heading in the right direction of excellence. Graduating from college at the top of his class. But, somewhere along the way he chose another direction, another path. That path led him to death. So many of you admired the life he was leading. You admired his lifestyles, his cars, and all the girls he had. The life he was living at the time of his death was not what God intended. God intended life and hope for him, but Stephen Davis chose the war, the sin, and now his choices cost him his life. The same can happen to you. The same thing can happen if you don’t choose wisely. There is life in Jesus Christ and life more abundantly. He has so much for you to accomplish. There is more to life then just gang banging and drug dealing. God created some of you to be business owners in Fortune 500 companies, some of you to be entertainers for his glory, and even preachers, but you decided to choose this life.” The Pastor pointed to S.D.’s casket.
“I know some of you weren’t expecting me to say all this, but the reality is that if you live by the sword you will die by the sword. Some of you think that this life is the good life. Look here at this dead body. Look very closely. You do drugs, you sell drugs, you kill, and you will end up here. It looks glamorous. It looks awesome, but if it leads you here to this casket, does it now look glamorous? I didn’t think so. I hope that today you realize that the life in a game of dealing drugs will only lead you here. If you are in it today listen and don’t refuse. Listen to this message from the Lord leave now before it is too late for you. I don’t want to eulogize another drug dealer’s funeral. To tell you the truth death is apart of life and if someone died and I had to preach another funeral I would rather preach a funeral of someone who actually did something in life, someone that helped this community, not demoralized or demolished it. I want to see young people getting into careers that benefit them and their communities. I want to see young people who make something of themselves. Today I want you to make the decision to choose life and follow the plans that God has for you. Choose today the right decision, for if you make a wrong decision you shall see death like Stephen Davis did. So choose wisely and you will avoid death. Choose wrongly and you will see death.”
Sasha popped her head up after hearing those last words of the Pastor. There it was again, the same words that the old lady had said, she thought.
“Come all who want life, a better life. Choose now. Come and accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. In Him there is life and life more abundantly.”
People who were sitting and listening started standing up and heading straight to the altar. The words the Pastor spoke were rough, but it was reality. S.D.’s death put the fear of God in a lot of people. Although some remained where they were including T, who just smiled through it all.
“Praise the Lord. Come choose life. Choose it today. God has a plan for your life. He has something more for you and others. He has prepared a place just for you filled with everything you need. You thirsted after money and fame, come and thirst and sup with God for he has prepared a table just for you.”
The choir stood and began to sing as the preacher and ministers prayed for those coming to the altar. Sasha was tempted to go, but as she made her move T slipped in the seat beside her.
“That Pastor was wrong. He could have eulogized S.D. in a better way. How dare he even say the way S.D. was living was wrong?”
Sasha stayed in her seat. She began to cry. Was the Pastor really wrong? Her thoughts were interrupted as T placed his arm around her.
Chapter 17
“Dr., I don’t know how long we can keep doing this. She’s loosing a lot of blood and everything is starting to fail on her.”
“A friend of hers said we need do everything we can to keep her alive. She keeps dying on us, but she comes right back. Obviously she wants to live and is fighting for her life. Keep working on her.”
* * *
After the funeral Sasha and T met at a location far away from their neighborhood. They decided to go to a restaurant that nobody they knew went to or knew about so that they could talk and be alone. She had missed him. She even missed S.D. Now that everything was over she was lonely. S.D. kept her company from time to time. Since T was so busy lately and wanted to keep everything on the low she hardly saw him.
“So, what’s been happening?” Sasha asked.
“Nothing.”
“What do you mean nothing?” she became annoyed with T being so indifferent. She wanted information and affection. She wanted her life to be the way they had planned.
“Everything is good.” He looked around checking his surroundings.
“OK, so you’re not going to tell me anything?”
“Look, that’s none of your concern right now.”
“But—”
“Baby, the less you know the safer you’ll be.”
“Look, I am as much a part of this as you are.”
He looked at her. He was changing, she did not like the new him. He was letting all this power and status get to his head.
“Ok, fine, you’re right. A lot of the guys are cool with everything. Some of them are, like, okay as long as I make my money, you know. Then you have the others. The ones loyal to S.D., who just won’t stop bothering me and—”
“Like who?”
“King for one, which I don’t understand, and Ice, Eddie, Park, and a few other guys.”
“Well, those were his friends. He really trusted them,” she said as she turned away. By the look on her face he knew that she knew more. “What do you know that I don’t know? You did spend a heck of a lot of time with him, if you know what I mean.”
“Wait a minute I did all that for you.”
“Yeah, you slept with him for me.”
“You told me to make it real. I did it all for you. And don’t you start I love you and only you.”
“Yeah, ok.”
“I do!” She leaned over and tried to kiss him, but he turned away.
“So what you saying?”
“I’m saying that...I—I love you too,” with a smile he leaned over and kissed her. She did not know what to think. His moods were changing everyday. He was definitely different.
“T, you ok?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You seem so different. It’s like ever since the night we got back you’ve changed. You are acting different especially towards me. Do you even still love me?”
“I’m sorry, baby, I do. It’s just I have a lot on my mind.”
“I understand, but don’t push me away.”
He shook his head and pulled her closer to him. As they sat there
in the booth, he reassured her, “I’m sorry. Tell me what’s up?”
“That night that everything happened King called S.D. and I think Ice was on the phone too.”
“What?” He did not know about that. He was concerned. “What did they talk about? Why didn’t you tell me about this that night?”
“I don’t know, I forgot.”
“You forgot? Forgot? How could you forget something like that?” T stopped and thought about everything. “That would explain King being there that night and Ice’s questioning ways.”
“They were looking for you. They couldn’t find you.”
“I wish you would have told me this earlier. I think they do suspect something more. They may even suspect I killed him. Dang! Sasha you should have told me. Well, it really doesn’t matter. Everything is done and all I have to do is take them out.”
“What?”
“You heard me. They are getting in the way, especially, King.”
“I don’t know.”
“Every member of S.D.’s crew and whoever is loyal to him must go. I am trying to build something here and they are in the way. If I don’t get them out of the way who knows what they will plan. They may try and kill me, you know.”
“Look, all this killing is too much and I think you...”
“What befriend them, Sasha? That’s not how it all goes down on the streets. Once someone feels like they’ve been betrayed then it is all over. I have to do something—quick and before they mess everything up.”
* * *
“I should have ran the other way when I had the chance. His mood changed. From that moment on, he even became distant towards me. I should have taken that as a sign and left him, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t leave him.”
Chapter 18
“Yo, man, thanks for meeting with me today.” T had called Ice to ask him to meet him at the Barber Shop a few weeks after the funeral. He wanted to talk to Ice about his questioning and where his loyalties were.
“Yeah, so, what’s this about?” He looked at Delance who was T’s new muscle man. Delance was a pretty boy and a ladies man, but he was also from the streets. He knew how to take care of business the way T liked. T trusted him and he could only say that about a few people.
Delance was ruthless. He would kill anyone. He got his name from the snake Fer-de-lance, the most dangerous snake in Central and South America. The Fer-de-lance caused more deaths by injecting venom into humans. Delance was the same way and just as vicious as the snake.
“Well, lately, you and I haven’t seen eye to eye,” T said.
“Yeah, and—”
T interrupted him. “Well, that’s not good. We’re on the same team and should be working together. I feel like you’re working against me.”
“And how is that?”
“Like that, always questioning me.”
“Man, I always question things that don’t add up.”
“What you saying don’t add up?”
Ice paused for a moment. “See, I still don’t understand some things that happened that night.”
T raised his eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“Well, King and I were on the phone with S.D. and S.D couldn’t find you. Then you come back from Italy and you say S.D. knew about it all along. That doesn’t add up.”
He looked at Ice and just smiled. “It doesn’t add up huh?”
“No it doesn’t.”
“I told you to call me if you had any problems…”
“I did…you hung up on me.”
“And…”
“And I called S.D. King and I spoke with him…”
“Really!” T had known all the details and allowed Ice to talk.
“I don’t trust you man. You been doing some shady things lately.”
“I don’t trust you either.”
“S.D. didn’t trust you either.”
“I wonder why? But that’s beside the point. S.D. is dead and now I run things.” T got up in Ice’s face. Ice did not back down. He stood his ground face to face with T. T stepped back and laughed.
“So, what really happened that night?” Ice asked.
“You want to know what happened, huh?”
“Yeah!”
“Well, let’s just say I put the hit out on S.D.”
Ice wanted to draw his gun, but he did not. With Delance there and not knowing who else was around Ice played it cool.
“Yeah, you see, one day I figured I should be head of this op. So over time I got into S.D.’s head, found information out, and once I got all the information needed, I hired someone to kill him. See I didn’t want the blood on my hands although I wouldn’t have minded it, but having the hit man kill him removed me from the situation. No one would suspect me.”
“I did when things started not to add up.”
“Yup, you did. It’s only because you called him that night. If you hadn’t called him that night you wouldn’t have suspected anything. You should have just listened to me when I said don’t call him call me.” He laughed as his eyes became devious and his nature changed once again.
“So you framed Blackout. You know I wouldn’t mind seeing Blackout dead. He’s done too much stuff around here lately, but killing S.D.? Come on man. That’s over the top.”
“Yup, now everyone will be out to get Blackout and then there will be no one in my way. I’ll run these streets and I’ll own these streets. These streets won’t be safe anymore!” T laughed. “Everyone will fear me.”
“Why?”
“It’s the game man. It’s part of life. Someone is always rising up to take your spot. That’s why you have to watch and trust no one. That was S.D.’s mistake, but my gain. You have to be smart. You have to watch your back. Yeah, S.D. was cool and all, but he didn’t have what it took. I am smarter, wiser, and I know better. He was in my way. Now, you are in my way as well. I will have to get rid of you and King, since y’all know too much. Any last words?”
Ice just looked at T then at Delance. Neither had any guns drawn, but he knew what was coming.
“So, which one of you is gonna kill me?”
“Not me,” T said.
“Nah, not me. I’m clean,” Delance said laughing.
“But, Toni will, once I give him the signal.” Toni, T’s muscles man, who was hiding in the back of the Barber Shop made himself visible.
“I don’t expect you to be living too long. You will get yours that I promise,” Ice said.
Bang.
Ice dropped to the ground, bleeding all over the floor. One of the guys hidden off to the corner shot him dead. Ice didn’t know what hit him.
“Anyone and I mean anyone who crosses me, questions me, or looks at me the wrong way will end up just like him. That I guarantee!”
It was like Satan himself had appeared. He felt like he was God. He felt he could give life and take it away. He leaned next to Ice’s body and whispered, “your destiny is over.” He then stood up and said to his guys, “get this body out of here and hurry! We have a meet tonight.”
* * *
They disposed of the body, cleaned up the Barbershop, and headed on to their next meet. They were on their way to buy ammunition. The meeting was in a secure location at a warehouse. As soon as they arrived they pulled the car up to the gate and waited to enter.
“We’re here to see Rodney,” said the driver.
“Who’s asking?”
“Tell him T.”
Those on the other side buzzed them in, the gate opened up, and they drove their car in. The warehouse was dark, but as soon as the gates closed lights were turned on.
“Man…no disrespect, but I don’t think you should do this,” Delance said.
“Look, they are on our turf and I never gave them permission.”
“But they have been here for years and it was cool with S.D.”
“S.D. ain’t here. I am! We can use this place for other things, plus my other connects got us, if we need anything. I don’t like these guys and the
y don’t need to be here.”
“I really don’t think we should step on their toes. What happens when we go on their turf? We protect them and they protect us. That’s the code. That’s how it is done.”
“I don’t care what you think or about any code or how things should be done.” T shouted calmly and low so the others outside of the car could not hear.
The car pulled to a stop and T, Delance, and another man got out. There were guys all around, two above, four in front of them and one near the gate. T was ready to get this over with. He had no fear and thought four on seven would be a piece of cake. He would have the warehouse, the ammunition, and these guys out of the way.
“I hope you got my money?” Rodney asked.
“I hope you have my ammo?” He responded back.
“Right here.” Rodney snapped his figures and one of the guys opened the truck from the back and showed all the ammo that He requested.
“Good, seems like it’s all there.”
“Now, my money.”
“Sure!” T quickly drew his gun and shot Rodney in the head.
Delance quickly took out the two men above and T shot the guy who was in front. The remaining three took cover, but the driver and Toni quickly got the rest of the guys. Everyone in the warehouse on Rodney’s side was now dead. Another group out of the way, he thought.
“Good job,” T said as he got into the driver’s seat of the car. He rolled down the passenger’s side window and said, “cleanup this mess.”
Chapter 19
Sasha was at her condo the one S.D. brought for her. She loved it so much that she did not want to give it up. T allowed her to keep it. She was excited because he had said they could now see each other in public. He was coming over. She wanted to make sure that everything was right.
After a whole day of waiting, there was a knock at the door. She could not play it cool. She ran straight to the door and opened it. T was standing there with a bouquet of flowers.
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