by Mike Dagons
“Grab his legs,” she instructed her.
Together they lifted the man, and then tossed him in the van. They put the woman in next, and then closed the door.
“You’re just going to leave them here?”
“Somebody will come and move it later.”
They got back in the truck, and Mrs. Lewis gave Severe her creds back. “So, what did Desmond do to make all this trouble?” Mrs. Lewis asked.
Severe locked her navigation onto Ceylon’s cell, and backed the truck off the lawn. “He was an eyewitness to the abduction of a police detective’s wife. All he did was report it. Your dad didn’t do anything wrong. He’s a hero,” she said to Devin, and got a big smile from him.
“Was Kenyah Real the woman who was abducted?” Vectra asked.
“Yes, do you know her?”
“I don’t know her personally, but we work at the same company. You said Desmond was with her when it happened? Do you know where they were?”
Vectra seemed more worried about her husband being with Kenyah than she was about the danger he was in. “It is my understanding that they were leaving the job,” she glanced at her through the rearview. “I’m taking you to him now, and I’m sure he’ll be able to give you more details.”
Ceylon was running fast, but the boy was still holding a steady lead by the time they started crossing the third backyard. He knew the terrain, and was ducking, dodging, and doubling back with the speed of a track star and the stamina of a 3 year old on a sugar high.
They were approaching a ten foot high link fence with nothing but open field on either side of it, and Ceylon was sure he had him trapped, but the kid didn’t slow down. He hit the fence foot first, and then ran up and over it.
Ceylon went up the same way, but when his foot hit the top, he dove off in a flying leap, tackling the kid and rotating their bodies so that he would take the impact of hitting the ground instead of the kid. The kid landed on top of him and immediately started fighting.
“Whoa, kid, I am who I say I am. I’m not here to hurt you!”
“How I know that, man?!” his young voice was high and filled with fear.
“Stop fighting me, and I’ll show you my ID.” He could have put the kid in a sleeper hold, but he didn’t want to do it unless it was absolutely necessary. “I understand that you’re scared, but you’re putting the rest of your family in danger by running away. My partner already has them, but they won’t let her take them to safety without you.”
The boy considered it for a second, and then he held out his hand for the ID. Ceylon went into his pocket and gave him the leather holder. It was an A1 forgery that he doubted even a veteran customs agent would question, but he found himself holding his breath while the kid was checking it.
“Okay, it looks legit,” he handed it back. “What my old man do?” he asked with a gangsta attitude that Ceylon thought was ill fitting and amusing on a suburbanite.
“He risked his life to report a crime. He do that kinda thing a lot?” he asked.
“Nah, I didn’t know he had the balls actually,” he shrugged. “My mom runs the Fox household. It’s her way or no way.”
“I take it you don’t like that arrangement.”
“Would you? I saw the way you killed them fake agents. You a badass and I bet your mama wasn’t the boss at your house, holding your daddy’s balls in her hand.”
“Actually, she was the boss at my house, and my daddy was an original gangsta for real.”
“No shit?” he looked doubtful.
“No shit, and when I questioned him about letting my mama hold his balls in her hand. You know what he said?”
“What?” he asked with genuine interest.
“Real men enjoy putting their balls in a woman’s hands.”
“No shit?” he laughed.
“No shit, kid. I always let my woman think that she’s running things. Trust your daddy to handle his business when it needs to be handled. He did tonight.”
“Yeah, a’ight,” he grinned.
Severe picked them up a mile away from the house, walking and talking casually like old friends.
Chapter 13
Desmond was waiting by the door when they stepped off the elevator into Choc’s loft. His boys leaped in his arms, and he hugged them tight.
He put them down, and then hugged his mother-in-law before he exchanged an awkward hug with his wife. “Is everyone alright?” he asked.
“We’re great,” Vectra snapped satirically. “You got us involved in this because of that woman,” she accused.
Desmond cut a glance at his boys, who were watching them attentively. “They have a sixty inch, and online gaming here, fellas,” he slapped a hand on each of their shoulders.
“They should be at home in bed,” Vectra glared at him.
“Well they ain’t, so I think we should make it an adventure for them. Don’t you, mom?”
“Yes, Desmond, I do,” she chuckled.
“Can you take them in the living room so they can play while me and their mama talk?” he asked, his eyes still locked on Vectra’s.
“Be happy to, Desmond. And for the record, I think you did a brave thing,” she patted him on his shoulder, and then guided the boys into the living area.
“You were with her again tonight,” Vectra accused as soon as the boys were out of sight.
“We were leaving the job when she was taken.”
“Then why ain’t nobody else witness it? What, y’all left early together, or late?”
“None of your muthafuckin’ business,” he hissed.
“None of my business?! It’s my business when you got us down here in the middle of the night all because you let that bitch drag you into some shit she done got herself into!”
Desmond stepped into her personal space. “You keep your fucking voice down, or I swear…” he let the threat hang in the air. “Kenyah did not do anything to make this happen. They took her because of her husband. I saw it. What was I suppose to do, just walk away?”
“You could have. We saw two people get shot dead tonight. How you think seeing something like that is going to affect the twins. You shouldn’t have let her get you involved.”
“If I hadn’t got involved, you’d be the people who got shot tonight. Now stop being so fucking self-centered. You’re here safe and cozy, and Kenyah is still in the hands of those murderers. So show some appreciation by shutting up and sitting your ass down somewhere.”
“When can we go home?” she huffed.
“I don’t know, maybe never,” he turned and walked away from her.
Roc stood up when Ceylon walked into the room with Severe. “Why you bring him here?”
“Hello Rottweiler,” he said, with a hint of humor in his voice.
“Man, you need to fucking leave before I put my foot in your ass.”
“Roc, stop it!” Severe grabbed his arm, and starting pulling him out the living area. “Please, excuse us, Ceylon.”
Roc allowed her to pull him away, but he kept his eyes on Ceylon. Severe shoved him inside the bedroom, and then closed the door. “What the fuck, Rottweiler? Why are you so ridiculously hostile with him?”
“He works for Viper…hell, he is a viper. The California Viper, or did you forget how he got that name, or that shit he pulled on Ice?”
“No, I didn’t forget, and I didn’t forget he was the reason they were able to settle it without more bloodshed. He was doing the job, Roc. It’s exactly what you always telling me to do, and it’s exactly what you would have done in his place.”
“The nigga is using you. And you naïve if you think he ain’t.”
“Using me how, Roc?”
“To get inside Genesis,” he declared. “Has he invited you to ride along on any Viper ops? Has he taken you on a tour of any of their safe houses? I’m telling you, girl. Niggas like him only want a white girl for two things, pussy and information, and it looks like he hit the jackpot with you.”
“You can’t p
ossibly believe that bullshit.”
“What I believe is you can’t trust that muthafucka for shit!”
“You don’t know him, and you don’t know what you’re talking about. Ceylon is…”
“Too fucking dangerous to cuddle,” he cut her off. “I put up with you inviting him into our home, and sneaking around with him, letting him treat you like a dirty little secret. But when you start letting that nigga tag along on a Genesis operation, I have to put my foot down.”
“Fuck you! You ain’t my muthafuckin’ daddy! And I don’t need you supervising me like I’m nine!”
“Then stop acting like you can’t live without that nigga’s dick.”
She slapped him just as the bedroom door opened and Ceylon stepped inside. He closed the door, and then looked at Severe. She was red faced and trembling with anger, and looking like she was about to cry.
“Y’all talking too loud, the kids can hear you.”
“Get the fuck out!” Roc shouted.
Roc was every bit as big, cut, and deadly as Ceylon, but he was considerably shorter, so it looked comical when he stepped to him.
“Man, step the fuck back,” Ceylon chuckled.
Roc, whose temper was legendary for goading him into making bad decisions, threw a punch.
Ceylon countered, and the brawl was on.
Chapter 14
The 30x30 square foot room they were holding Kenyah in was wide open space with sparse furnishings. Using an infrared descriptor, they determined there were six sitting men in the room, one sitting woman, and one horizontal woman. After using those unique heat signatures to pin locations, they prepared to go in.
Since Bender hadn’t been able to find any evidence that Lincoln was using outside contractors. It was a safe bet that they would be going up against his local crew. So they didn’t expect the takedown to be too difficult. The problem was having the four of them going in together. It would be too many operators working in close proximity, and just like having too many cooks in the kitchen could spoil the meal, too many operators blurred sight of the target. They could end up accidently shooting each other. So it was decided that Rayce and Trent would hang back, and let Valow and Choc go in alone.
They took position on each side of the door. “On three,” Choc signaled. He held up a hand, and counted down three fingers, and they hit the stairwell door. It slammed open with a startling bang, and Valow came through it fast, firing the Sigs he held in each hand.
Walt dropped the magazine he’d been reading, and threw his hands up in surrender quick, but the others attempted to spring into action.
A silenced bullet from Valow’s Sig ripped through the head of the man standing behind the camera, lifting him completely off the floor, and slamming him back into the wall. Simultaneous rounds caught T-Bone in his chest and neck.
Choc came through the door low at the same time, locked on Slick, and fired one Parabellum slug into his skull, and two more into his body before it got the message his brain was dead.
Moving in unison, they each put two bullets in the other two men who were stupid enough to still be holding guns. The takedown had been so smooth and fast, Xena didn’t have time to scream, and her men didn’t fire a single shot.
Rayce ran to Kenyah and started untying her straps. Trent marched right by them and over to Walt, who was still sitting in the chair next to the desk with his hands raised high over his head.
Trent didn’t say a word. He pointed the Beretta at Walt’s lap, and blew his dick off. “Walt!” Xena screamed.
Walt stared up at him in shock, and then lowered his eyes to the dark red pool blooming in his pants. His body started to shake, and then he tumbled out the chair onto the floor writhing in pain.
“Lincoln is going to kill every one of you!” Xena promised as she crouched down beside him. “Geo, you have to help him. He’s going to bleed to death!” she screamed.
Trent glared down at her on her knees at his feet, comforting the man who had pissed on his wife. And it just didn’t seem like he was suffering enough, so he kicked him in his face, breaking teeth and smashing cartilage. Blood splatter covered the toe of his boot, and Walt’s head rocked lifelessly on the dirty floor.
Xena screamed obscenities at him, but he ignored her and walked around the unconscious body back to Kenyah. She had been naked from the waist up when they entered the warehouse, and Rayce had taken off her tank top and given it to her to put on to cover up.
Trent gently took her face in his hands, and looked at her. She was pale, and she had a bruise on her cheek bigger than the one he’d given her. “I’m so sorry,” he pulled her into his arms and gave her a crushing hug.
“These were some weak muthafuckas,” Valow observed. They had caught Xena and her crew completely off guard, and it was over before it started.
“You’re safe now, baby,” Trent whispered to his wife.
“Do you really love her, Trent?” she asked in a weak voice.
“No, she’s just the job,” he swore.
“That’s the same thing you said about her an hour ago,” Xena reminded him.
Trent ignored her, and took Kenyah’s face in his hands again, this time searching her eyes. He knew the others were listening, but he didn’t care. He needed to explain himself to his wife, and he needed to do it right there, right now. “You know that you’re my wife in every sense of the word. There is no hidden agenda. The things I said. I said to buy time. The part of my life that included Xena was not real, and it is over for good.”
“Did you forget that we’re having a baby, muthafucka? A real baby,” she mocked.
“I wish she’d shut the fuck up,” Rayce whispered to Choc.
“If he wasn’t such a pussy, he’d shut her down,” he whispered back.
“You say that you love her, but yet I’m the one having your baby!” she shouted.
Trent could see the doubt in Kenyah’s eyes, and he understood why she was having a hard time believing what he was telling her. She’d heard everything he said to Xena, and it was pretty much exactly what he was telling her now.
He thought about what Choc had said, and he was right. His reason for coming along was to save her, and he wanted to save her because she was eight weeks pregnant. He wanted to do the right thing, but he wasn’t sure that protecting Xena was really the right thing.
“I’m having your baby,” Xena’s taunting voice was a buzzing irritation in his ears.
It reminded him who he was in her eyes, and then he asked himself what would Geo do? His answer was decisive. Without hesitation, he stalked over to Xena, pushed the gun’s barrel into her stomach, and pulled the trigger. “Not anymore, you’re not.”
“Damn, I didn’t see that coming,” Choc exclaimed.
Xena doubled over in pain clutching her stomach, agony contorting her beautiful face. “You shot me?” she stared at her bloody palms. “You murdered our baby,” she croaked.
“I gave you a free abortion. Now, I’m going to give you a funeral,” he pressed the barrel to her forehead and pulled the trigger again. He pumped two more rounds into Walt, and then he walked back over to Kenyah.
He draped an arm around her shoulders and led her over to where Choc was standing with Rayce. “Baby, this is my big brother, Choc…Charles Baltimore. This is Rayce, and the man over there is Valow. Thank y’all for coming to our rescue.”
“No problem,” Valow tipped him a salute.
Without warning, Trent released Kenyah and wrapped Choc in an embrace. “I want you to know that I can do the job, and you’re the reason why I can. I love you, man.”
“I love you, too,” he gave him a tight squeeze, and then shook him off. “Now, let’s get the fuck outtá here. Valow, you got the cleaner?”
“Already taken care of…be here in ten.”
They left the warehouse together. Valow was given the task of handling the men sitting on Trent’s apartment, and everyone else went back to Choc’s loft.
Chapter 15
As soon as the elevator doors opened, Choc heard the commotion coming from his bedroom. He rushed in and found Roc and Ceylon rolling around on the floor pounding on each other like oversized kids.
“What the fuck?!” he shouted, and commenced to pulling them apart.
“Roc let him go!” Severe shouted.
He had Ceylon in a headlock for the third time, and for the third time Ceylon lifted him up high off the floor, and then slammed him back down, breaking free of the hold.
Choc took the second that they were separated to step in between them to keep them from colliding again. “Cut this shit out! There are kids in the other room!”
The reminder made them both settle down, and as soon as they did, Severe went to Ceylon. “I’m sorry,” she apologized.
“Not, your fault,” he rubbed the back of his hand over his bloody lip.
“Why the fuck you apologizing to that nigga?” Roc growled.
“Rottweiler, I swear I’m going to kill you if you don’t stop acting like a fucking baby!” she shouted.
“I’m just doing what I do…looking out for you. He is bad news, and I don’t know why you can’t see it.”
“I love him!” she shouted. “Roc, you are my heart, my family. I shouldn’t have to choose between you two. Please don’t make me,” she started to cry.
“See what you did!” Roc shouted at Ceylon as he pulled Severe into his arms and hugged her.
Ceylon shook his head in despair. “We ain’t going to ever be friends. I get that, but we can co-exist. I’ll do my part and stay clear of Genesis business from now on, if you lighten up on our personal.”
“Yeah, whatever, man. I still don’t trust that muthafucka,” he whispered in her ear before he released her.
Choc picked up a broken lamp off the floor. “Now that y’all solved the internal problem, get the fuck out my bedroom, please.”
“I think that the kids will be more comfortable at the safe house, don’t you?” Rayce commented.
“We’ll take them, unless Roc thinks it’s a security breach to let Ceylon know the location,” Severe pouted.