Ties to the Hood

by Aija Monique

  CHAPTER 38

  Phase 1

  Shun and Phil sat down to have dinner. The rest of the gang were still out. Phil was preoccupied with Phil Junior, laughing and joking. Shun looked at both of them with teary eyes. Even in their present state of emergency, Shun thought he would never see the day when Phil settled down. In that same moment, Shun grew tired and weak. Emotions had taken over his mind. He looked around and noticed that Sophia hadn’t come down yet. He was upset with her and her choice of clothing, but he didn’t mean to hurt or disrespect her. His mind was shaken. It was filled with such uncertainty he could barely eat.

  * * *

  Cyrus was still out in traffic. He took the scenic ride home. His beers were lukewarm at best. He needed to speak to Dana, no matter the cost. The last thing he needed was for Shun and Phil to find out that he wasn’t who he said he was. Cyrus foolishly thought that a history of friendship could hold weight over lies and betrayal in the present.

  He now realized that he couldn’t save Shun and Phil from the inevitable. He was along for the money, and now that Sophia knew his true identity, leaving was the best recourse. As far as for the money, his latest ventures would be for not, and he would have to make some unsavory moves to protect his safety net for him and Casey.

  Cyrus took a deep breath as he pulled into the gas station. He retrieved his phone from the glove compartment and dialed Casey’s number. It was time for him to come home. He needed a plan, and he needed both his girls to be active participants.

  * * *

  Sophia was putting on more suitable attire when she felt a sharp pain shoot around her lower abdomen. She doubled over and put her hands on the sink. She was in so much pain her arms shook, and she began to perspire. She made a quick move to the toilet as she was about to heave. She threw up violently and became dizzy.

  Sophia used all the effort she could muster to call Shun’s name. She was in so much pain. She became dizzy again, and she tried desperately to get back to her bed to lie down for a bit, but she blacked out and lost consciousness, the carpeting of the floor easing her fall.

  * * *

  Rico pulled into the gas station behind Cyrus. He was tailing him for Tommy. The concern Tommy expressed about this undercover cop business told him that his money may be tied up in all the mess. He was especially interested in finding out what the story was about this Cyrus personality. Rico stood outside his black-on-black classic Camaro and lit a cigarette. He watched as Cyrus used the phone.

  * * *

  “Fuck!” Cyrus barked in frustration.

  Rico decided that it was the appropriate time to introduce himself. “You good, bro? Car trouble?”

  “Naw, I’m good. Just trying to get a hold of my wife and check on my son.” Just as the words fell from Cyrus’s lips, he knew he had said too much. He didn’t know who this man was. Cyrus hurriedly took the nozzle from his car and proceeded to get in his car.

  Rico noticed how nervous he got, but he didn’t want to make him feel uncomfortable. “Have a good night,” Rico yelled and put out his cigarette. He watched Cyrus drive out and get back on the freeway as he followed cautiously.

  * * *

  Shun was especially quiet. He had his mind on the meeting with Tommy. He would forgive Cyrus if he came out and told the truth. It was in his best interest. Phil wouldn’t hesitate to put him down. It was the code of ethics they all followed. Every dog has its day. Coming clean was the only way to avoid death. Shun bit into his steak and potatoes and guzzled down his ice water. Phil noticed Shun’s forehead wrinkled with stress and worry.

  “What’s good?” Phil said after excusing Junior from the dinner table. “Everything good with you and Sophia? I knew it. I knew that bitch wasn’t no good. What are we going to do to get rid of her? We can’t just keep lugging her around.” Phil was just running off at the mouth. He hadn’t noticed Shun rise from his seat.

  “Watch your mouth,” Shun warned. His arms were at his side, fists balled and his forearms’ veins pulsating.

  Phil ignored his cousin’s words of advice and suggested he sit down. His head wasn’t straight. “Did you really just stand from your seat, like you was gon’ fight me? Not over no bitch, I know.”

  Shun didn’t say a word as he heard his name and a thump coming from upstairs. He turned on his heel and ran up the stairs.

  “Sophia?” Shun called as he started up the stairs. He grew worried as he didn’t hear her respond the second time he called her name. He made his way to their bedroom. At first sight, he didn’t see her. As he moved farther into the room, he could see Sophia’s arm lying on the floor. She was a few feet from the front of the bed. He ran to her side.

  “Phil!” Shun screamed as he tried to wake Sophia up. She was bleeding from a gash on her forehead. He checked her pulse and felt around her face and neck and was relieved to find that she was warm and still breathing. “Phil!” Shun shouted once more.

  “I’m comin’, nigga. What’s going on?” Phil rushed up the stairs. Junior followed close behind, shaken and worried. When Phil saw Sophia lying on the floor in a pool of blood, he asked his son to wait in their room. “What the fuck happened?”

  “I don’t know. She’s out,” Shun said, trying to compose himself.

  “Let’s get her to the bed. You need to snap out of this shit. Snap out of it and let’s get her to the damn bed,” Phil said, trying to get Shun to realize that shit was real.

  “We need to call for an ambulance. Her pulse is strong, but she still hasn’t woke up.” Shun was pacing the floor back and forth. During all his confusion, he realized that Cyrus had yet to return as well. Everything was falling apart, and he didn’t take well to not being in control of his own destiny.

  “Have you lost your fuckin’ mind? We aren’t law-abiding citizens. Go and get some ice and a few towels. Maybe the cold water will shock her awake.” Phil was slipping right into nurse mode. It was that or face the music. He just wasn’t ready for that. He wasn’t going to lose his son to the system. All they could do was pray that with natural healing mechanisms, she would pull through.

  * * *

  Cyrus pulled in behind Shun’s rental and took a deep breath. His heart was pumping so hard and fast he was afraid he was having a heart attack. Once he could gather his composure, he tried Casey’s phone once more. It was late, but with the new baby, he was sure she was up at all times of night. Once again, however, he didn’t get an answer. His heart sank. All he wanted was to hear her voice and make sure she and the baby were doing OK. After hanging up, he quickly dialed Dana to get some answers.

  “Hello,” Dana answered on the first ring. She had just gotten out of the shower and changed into her bedclothes.

  “Hey, I am sorry about earlier. I tried calling from a nontraceable phone.”

  “Are you OK? Where are you? I’ve been worried sick. So much has happened,” Dana said with a hint of sadness. She couldn’t begin to figure out an appropriate time to tell him Casey was dead. She hadn’t found out any info about his son and social services. She knew those two things would kill him.

  “I need you,” Cyrus blurted out. He was feeling extremely vulnerable alone.

  “I’m here,” Dana replied. She felt his words throughout her body. She closed her eyes as her nipples increased in size and her love began to pour down her legs.

  “I need your help. First, I need you to know that I’m not involved in everything going on with Shun and Phil. I’m not a hostage either. I’ve been working a case against Tommy and his illegal gambling halls for over six months now.”

  “Shit, Cyrus, why was I out of the loop?”

  “Look, I know. O’Reilly didn’t want to involve you. He needed things to stay and look as normal as possible. I was newly transferred here, so I became the perfect candidate for this position. I am going to bring Shun and Phil in myself. They’re my childhood friends. There’s a large amount of bullshit flying about the two of them as well. Long story short, we’re on the run, and I know we
’re wanted; however, if we just give up and come home right now, Shun and Phil won’t make it to the precinct for booking.”

  Cyrus swallowed hard. He was so emotional and weary he couldn’t bear to hold his feelings in any longer.

  “What can we do?”

  “Well, there’s something else pressing that we can’t afford to mess up.”

  “What’s that?”

  “There’s a girl with us. The nurse that treated Shun is with us. She quit her job and has been with Shun ever since.”

  “Go on,” Dana said through clenched teeth. She was stewing about the fact that Cyrus was running around with some woman.

  “Sophia quit her job after falling for Shun. She was cool, and I was very happy for him—till she found ma fuckin’ badge in the sand at the beach. I don’t trust her. She basically confronted me a few hours ago asking me to leave empty handed. That, I can’t do.”

  “So, you were working with Tommy too? Why didn’t you tell me? Did you think that you couldn’t trust me with that level of information? Because now, we’re here in deep shit, and it’s looking pretty dark, Cyrus.”

  Cyrus looked down and sulked a bit. “I know I fucked up. I couldn’t take the chance that something could happen to you based on my gambling debts. I need to get rid of Sophia before she blows my cover. I’m skating on thin ice.”

  Dana perked up after hearing that Sophia was Shun’s piece of ass. She would do anything for Cyrus, good and evil. Still, she needed to find out if he was as corrupt as Sergeant O’Reilly. The gambling debt was an addiction, but he was still a good cop, at least she hoped so. “Kill her?” Dana questioned.

  “We won’t have to. We will just make her an offer she can’t refuse.”

  “And what would that be?”

  “Shun! If she really loves him, she will get the money needed to cover the debts.”

  “And if she doesn’t take the bait?”

  “We will cross that bridge when we get there.”

  “Where are you?”

  “Miami.”

  “Okay, I’ll let O’Reilly know and catch a flight there.”

  “No. O’Reilly can’t be trusted.”

  “OK,” Dana said without question. She knew she had witnessed “O” talking to Tommy outside of the club, and she hadn’t had the time to research what dealings the two of them were operating under the table.

  Cyrus said good-bye and simply hung up the phone. He didn’t want to linger on the line too long. With Sophia’s ongoing interest in his motives, he didn’t want to add fuel to the fire. He grabbed his hot case of beer and stumbled in the door as if he had been mugged.

  * * *

  “What’s the word?” Tommy said without a greeting or any formalities.

  “I got eyes on Cyrus. I’m sitting right outside his place. They must feel safe and secure with their new move. The blinds are open, and there’s smoke coming from a barbeque pit. I’m hungry as shit now,” Rico said with a small chuckle. “Now on to the real, do we need to take care of this issue tonight?”

  “No! Not yet.” Tommy stared into the night. He didn’t want to make any sudden moves. For all he knew, O’Reilly was playing him as well. Why else would Cyrus infiltrate his club? O’Reilly wasn’t pleased with all the heat his club was mounting. It was just supposed to be about making a little money on the side. Leave well enough alone, the drugs were going to get on the streets anyhow. Cyrus stumbled itching to scratch a gambling addiction, and Tommy was happy to oblige. He also knew what he was doing by giving the loan to Cyrus. He wanted to lock him in so that membership to his club was inevitable.

  “You sure? All I need is the word,” Rico said.

  “Naw, we good. I want to wait and see what their next move is. Plan to track movement. Gon’!” Tommy hung up the phone and went back into his suite. A couple of his girls were awaiting his presence. With fruit and wine on deck, he didn’t want to waste any more time on Shun and his sloppy business practices. He would get back to uncovering his crimes after he got some pussy.

  CHAPTER 39

  Truth if You Dare

  Dana’s hands wouldn’t stop shaking. She took her seat on the plane, and a wave of emotion fell over her. She began to weep and pray, asking God for answers. She didn’t know how in the world she was going to greet Cyrus, and then tell him that his wife died on her watch.

  Her stomach began to turn. Quickly, she unbuckled her seat belt and made a beeline to the bathroom.

  “Ma’am, we aren’t cleared to move about the aircraft. Please take your seat,” a flight attendant yelled and ran down the aisle in an attempt to rescue Dana from harm.

  “I’m fine. Go away. I just get nervous at the start of a plane ride is all. I’ll be out in just a few,” Dana said amidst the dry heaves and dizziness. She took a deep breath and rinsed her mouth out, then splashed some water on her face and returned to her seat.

  “You OK?” an older gentlemen asked, seated next to her. “Good thing your seat is the aisle one, huh?” he laughed. After he didn’t receive a smile in return, he cleared his throat and opened his book. Dana’s eyes were watering, and the lump in her throat was nearly choking her. She just kept telling herself that everything was going to be OK. Once she could get to Cyrus, everything would be OK.

  * * *

  Shun sat on the edge of the bed praying. He could hardly wait until Phil left the room. The tears were on the cusp of falling in front of him. In that moment he knew that he couldn’t bear to lose Sophia. The nature of them meeting was tragic, but she had become his lifesaver. The thought of losing her caused physical pain. He raised up from the bed a bit trying to stand. The twinge of pain startled him, and he doubled back onto the bed.

  Sophia moaned and groaned as she came to. Shun turned around too fast for his growing pain to greet her. He was so happy that she was awake, he forgot about the sign of death piercing his side.

  “Don’t move,” Shun said.

  “Why? What’s wrong?” she asked.

  Shun got up and closed the door. He was wincing with pain. Sophia tried to get up, but her head was pounding. She could feel the warm blood oozing from her head. “What’s happened?”

  “I don’t know exactly. Phil and I found you passed out on the floor. You scared the shit out of me. Do you remember anything?”

  “Not too much. I just felt sick to my stomach and dizzy. I think that maybe I waited too late to eat. I don’t remember hitting my head or anything after that.”

  “Just rest,” he said, reaching for the Tylenol on the bedside table. “Here’s something for the pain.” Shun passed Sophia two pain pills and took four for himself. He waited for her to take hers, then kissed her gently on her forehead.

  Shun bounced down the stairs as if he wasn’t in serious pain. He met Cyrus’s gaze. Cyrus was scarfing food down as if he hadn’t eaten in days. “What’s up with Sophia? She OK?” he asked, feeling awkward about inquiring in the first place.

  “She good, bro,” Phil yelled from across the room. He was playing the video game with Junior, but his attention was on Cyrus. He hadn’t said two words to him since he returned from his three-hour trip to the store just up the street.

  Shun stared at Cyrus. He was actually waiting for him to explain his whereabouts. Cyrus ignored Shun’s unwavering stare and just kept eating. He didn’t want to stir up any drama around the house, but he was getting tired of the quiet stares.

  “Where have you been?” Shun asked Cyrus with clenched teeth. “Please don’t lie to me. I’m not sure I can take it.” Shun stood in front of Cyrus waiting for him to respond.

  Cyrus let out a sigh and shook his head. “I’m not the enemy, Shun. I went out for a drive. Didn’t know that I was a hostage or something. I can come and go, can’t I?”

  Shun smirked. “I don’t care what you do, as long as you’re honest about it. My family depends on that. If you’re feeling like a prisoner, then you’re welcome to leave.” Shun pointed to the door.

  “Chill, before this
shit get outta hand. If either one of y’all start fightin’ in front of ma son, I’ma whoop both y’all’s ass!” Phil chuckled, but he meant every word.

  “I went for a drive. I have a lot on my mind, and I just wanted to see if I could get some rest about leaving Casey. I just wanted to hear her voice, but she didn’t pick up. It made things so much worse. I just drove.” Cyrus started to break down. Shun could feel his pain. Just moments before, he thought he was going to lose Sophia. He felt bad for Cyrus. He couldn’t have made the same decision. Still, it was the matter of his true identity that needed to be ironed out. Shun bit his lip and began making something for Sophia to eat. He didn’t want to leave her alone for too long.

  * * *

  “Keats, my office please,” O’Reilly said.

  Keats hurriedly packed the files on his desk and headed to O’Reilly’s office. “This can’t be good,” he murmured in passing. He knew it would only be a matter of time before he found out that Santiago was missing in action.

  “Santiago?” O’Reilly said before Keats made through the door. “Before you lie, please be aware that your job is at stake. I don’t want you to lose your badge as well.”

  “I don’t know where she is. She just told me that she needed some rogue time, and that she couldn’t tell me where she was going.”

  “Did she leave any instructions?” For a moment, O’Reilly looked panicked and worked up. Something that Keats noticed. “I just want to make sure she’s OK.”

  “She’ll be fine,” Keats said with his forehead wrinkled. He then stood, turned on his heel, and left the sergeant’s office. Keats didn’t bother to stop at his desk. He needed to get in touch with Dana fast. In no way did O’Reilly buy his ignorance to the entire mission Santiago was on. He knew that she was going to meet Cyrus in Miami, and he knew that O’Reilly had some unsavory business dealings with Tommy, as well. No doubt Keats was worried. He needed to give Dana a call to give her a heads-up about the situation at home.