by T. Styles
“Cousin, you are so busy trying to look down on me that you make yourself appear ignorant. Outside of her downfalls, did you know that although she was not formally trained, just like me, she was self-taught before reining in the family? With our backgrounds being so similar, I guess you should ask yourself this question, cousin. Are you sure that I am the kind of woman you want to remain married to?”
Leaf shook his head and laughed. “You put me and your assistant in a fucked up position just now. And played yourself as fake. I can only imagine what that chick is thinking about us on her way home.”
“Stop being melodramatic.”
“I’m not going to that bullshit ass event tonight so don’t drop your jaw to ask. I’ll have a few of my soldiers take twenty stacks to a few neighborhoods I know need it the most. I do that kind of thing anyway. At least then I’ll know my money will get to the appropriate place.” He hopped out of the car and hit the top of the hood twice. “Johnson,” he said addressing the driver, “take my wife and child home.” He slammed the door and walked away. “I’ll get up with you when I can, Marie Antoinette. Or would you prefer whore?”
****
Nine stood behind a tall black podium with gold lining, holding a green Parakeet. She long since pushed the argument with her husband out of her mind although the spirit of the disagreement lingered in the air. It was now time for business.
Before her was a sea of men seated in an auditorium built especially for them on the outskirts of her property, at the base of Aristocrat Hills. They were almost a thousand of the most violent men ever put together and yet they were composed, each looking upon their boss with admiration and even lust.
No longer were they their pasts, mistakes or aggressions. From the moment Nine recruited them and gave them each a new name, together they were The Legion.
They were one.
“This is an Australian parakeet called the budgerigar,” Nine said, each word slow, polished and powerful. “On the surface, it appears to be a gentle bird. Non-threatening and vulnerable even. Yet many a black falcon have attempted to eat this animal only to fail.” She strolled from behind her podium and toward one of the aisles.
Looking down at her men, she continued. “Why is that? Why does the falcon try but often flounder?” She stroked the bird’s back with her index finger. “I will tell you why,” she smiled. “Because of a phenomenon called a swarm. Every day, thousands of this little guy will get with other budgerigars and fly together in a pack. When this happens, the black falcon may try and infiltrate, by flying into the swarm, but he is always unsuccessful. In the end, the organized chaos will prove to be too confusing and the black falcon will give up and find another prey. A single prey that has left his team.”
She tossed the bird in the air and it flapped its wings lightly only to be eaten by a black falcon, which was waiting in the corner.
Hiding.
They may not have seen it but she knew it was there.
After watching the bird be eaten, she addressed her men again. “Working together is the only way the budgerigar survives. Working together, they will always outwit and outnumber the black falcon. But the moment one separates from the flock, it will be on its own and if it is not careful, there is no coming back.”
She walked back to the podium and there wasn’t a person in the building who was not pulled in by her charm.
“We must move together with a single purpose. We must be kind to our families and take care of our children. Our responsibilities. We must give back to our communities. But above all, we must take care of one another. No matter who we have to kill.”
****
After the meeting, Nine walked out of The Academy, a section of property where her men were trained and practiced shooting. Antonius was walking leisurely with her and Nine’s hands were clutched behind her back. “How is your daughter?”
He laughed. “Upset…but she is doing better about Mo’s death. Surprisingly, she doesn’t blame me for his murder.”
“Oh? Who does she blame?”
“The beautiful monster,” he chuckled.
“And that is?”
“You.”
Nine smiled. “I do not take it personally. I am used to holding misplaced blame,” she said as she thought about her family. “In some ways, it makes me stronger.” She paused. “Tell me something, Antonius, are you with your daughter’s mother?”
“No…not for some time now. I’ll be honest and say it was my fault we weren’t successful. I wasn’t ready for a relationship, and she wasn’t ready for the games I played while running the streets. If I have one regret in life, and I don’t have many, it’s letting her get away.”
Nine nodded. “Do you have a girlfriend, Antonius?”
He laughed. “There’s only time in my life for one woman, Nine. And that is you.”
She blushed.
“Why do you ask?”
She thought about the problems she was having with Leaf. His recent judgment of her and her need to be successful in the wine venture. Instead, she left it alone, preferring to remain private. “No reason.” She paused. “What do you think about the human psyche?”
Antonius looked at her before quickly looking away. Beautiful or not, it was considered rude to stare the alpha in the eyes. “Personally, I don’t believe there are any limits to what we are capable of. Our refusal to have limits is the reason we are so powerful. Why do you ask?”
They stopped walking and turned to watch the men fire at the black targets on white paper. With .45 handguns in their clasps, each soldier continued to meet their marks smack dab in the center.
All except Galileo.
“It has always been a consideration of mine.” She shrugged. “Curiosity eats at me sometimes and I question things like that.” She focused on Galileo. “So how is he?”
“A handful. He wants me to pay him for his six month payout early,” Antonius said in exhaustion. Oh how he wished she’d just fire his bum ass and get it over with. “Sounds to me like he’s planning to go somewhere.”
“And what are you going to do?”
“He says it’s for his kid. And that he needed to pay his tuition.” He paused. “But when I checked with his baby’s mother, she said he hadn’t given her any money or stopped by to see his son in over a year. He’s fucking with some new chick who has his head wrapped up.”
Nine’s temples throbbed. One of the rules for her men was to take care of their families and their community. And Galileo’s lax behavior about his family enraged her. “So what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I’m coming to you.”
Nine exhaled and then smiled at him. She liked him a lot and respected how he handled business so she didn’t want to tell him what to do. It was important to guide him to think on his own. “Men work better when they are inspired. When they have something to look forward to. It’s the reason I scheduled their payments twice a year because they’ll work harder knowing that if they fail to give it their best, at any moment everything they’re doing will be for nothing. They could lose everything.” She smiled at him. “Make a decision, Antonius, and whatever it is, I will support you.”
Nine walked over to Galileo. He was holding his gun and firing repeatedly off-center of his target. She strolled behind him and wrapped her arms around his body, so that both of their hands were touching the weapon at the same time. Before speaking, she took a moment and remembered the exact words her dearest Fran said to her when she was learning to shoot.
With her lips closely against his cool earlobe, almost in a sexual manner, she whispered, “Whenever you hold a weapon, the only thing on your mind should be your target and your aim.” She paused. “If your mind is on anything else, it could cost you your life. Are we clear?”
Frightened by the solo attention she was giving him, he nodded yes.
“Now fire.”
He hit his target.
“Take care of your son, Galileo, before I do th
ings to you, you could never imagine.”
****
Gates and Nine were face-to-face, swaying on the dance floor. As always, five members of The Legion, including Antonius and Nine’s cousin Noel, stayed in the background to ensure that no one walked within her space.
She was protected at all times.
Nine’s delicate fingers rested in the palm of his hand as he gazed down into her eyes. Since Leaf was not willing to escort her to the Royal Babies function, out of spite, she invited Gates. And as always, he jumped at the honor to be in her presence. “If it proves so, then loving goes by haps. Some Cupids kill with arrows, some with traps,” Gates quoted.
Nine giggled, since she was quite well versed on Shakespeare. “From the play, Much Ado About Nothing,” she said correctly.
Pleased she knew the verse, and that he was amongst worthy company, he said, “I don’t trust your cousin Alice.” He continued to lead her body to the melody.
Nine grinned. “I take it you have been in her presence recently.”
“Yes, and she isn’t a Nine Prophet fan.”
She wondered did they speak before or after their last conversation. “I am not worried about my cousin. We have our date and time. She just does not know it yet.”
“So let me get this right, you know she’s dangerous and still you keep her around?” he asked with raised brows.
“Do you know why enemies are so sweet?”
He chuckled. “I want to laugh at your naivety and yet by being around you, I’ve learned that there is always a method to your dementia.”
Nine giggled and pressed the side of her face against his chest. His heart rate increased and she inhaled deeply. “When you know who your enemies are, and you play them well, they keep you on your toes. You can close your eyes, and even if they have a gun aimed in your direction, you can still prevent being shot.” She looked up into his eyes. “Enemies are nothing more than coaches keeping you sharp. It is the ones whom you do not know about who are savage.”
He wiped the hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. “I want you to be safe, Nine.”
“Why?”
“So that eventually you’ll come to me, where you belong.”
She giggled. “You know that will never happen, Sir Gates. Leaf and I are at odds but he is still my husband. He was the first man who ever looked upon me at my lowest and lifted me up. Where I was. Without all of the bells and whistles I have now. I will always remember him for that and my loyalty will never waiver. Ever.”
“And yet when I look into your eyes, I can tell that if it were not for him, it would be the two of us.” He paused. “You favor older men, Nine. Most powerful women do.”
Nine separated from him and walked toward the table. He followed, as if possessed, pulling her chair out before she sat down. She took a seat, crossed her legs and waited for him to sit across from her. “Where do we stand with Baltimore, Sir Gates?” she grinned. “Have you given any more consideration to using my product only? Or perhaps stepping down for retirement?”
“You bring me here to discuss business?”
“What better time than amongst music and wine?” She raised her glass.
He nodded and tried to conceal his irritation. “We do need better quality cocaine. But from what I’m told, your connect is in a bind and unable to deliver. Even if I wanted to use him, he is at war with the Russians and that adds a complication to my business that I’m not willing to bear.”
“Trust me when I say that the Russians will not be a concern for long. You and your associates are an important part of my organization. I wish you would allow us to join forces. All I want to do is ensure that we all increase our profit margins. I want what is in your best interest, Sir Gates. At times, I can be possessive. I do not want anybody else selling you coke. In a sense, it is almost as if you belong to me.”
“The way you talk to me, sometimes I feel as if I do.” He paused. “Please, let’s just enjoy ourselves and have our trustees deal with those issues later.” He paused. “Besides, the night is still young and tomorrow you’ll have to answer to Leaf for our evening. When that happens, who knows when I’ll be able to see you again.” He raised his glass. “To the present.”
She raised hers and clinked it gently against his. “To the future.”
When she took a sip, suddenly a beautiful girl with dark eyes and long hair entered the event. She was dressed in an inexpensive long black gown. When she and Nine made eye contact, she smiled at Nine in a manner Nine couldn’t decipher.
Finally, she walked away.
Who was she? Nine thought.
CHAPTER TEN
“Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast.”
- William Shakespeare
The mid-afternoon glow from the open windows spilled into the Prophet mansion, as Nine sat in the living room, sipping a glass of red wine. It was her favorite. She was thinking about her evening with Gates and how Leaf would react when he was fully awake. Although she didn’t tell him on the onset that she was inviting Gates, he knew the limits she’d reach to attain revenge. He was aware she would invite him before she did.
Spite was her favorite game.
Upon readjusting in her seat, she was suddenly keyed in to the sound of the workers building inside of the mansion. It was like music to her ears because soon the final additions she was placing on her home would be complete, and like a child on Christmas Eve, she anticipated the day.
When she gazed toward her right, Julius lay asleep peacefully in the basinet a few feet over from the table. He cooed a little and she sat the glass down on the end table, picked him up and pulled him into her arms to settle his spirit.
Looking down at him, she remembered the things Chipo said to her. She would try to love him as she would her own, hoping all would be well.
“I pray that I can raise you strong. To be a man of honor and courage. Possessing all of the strong things about grandfather and the good things about Leaf.”
A smile rested on her face until she saw a dark figure from the corner of her eye. Horrified, she placed the baby inside of the crib, spilling her wine in the process. Once he was down, she unlatched the 9mm handgun from under the table and advanced toward the direction of the silhouette.
The quicker she progressed, the swifter the figure ran until finally it disappeared into the room where Kerrick used to tear into her flesh with leather whips. Without cutting on the lights, she pointed into the darkness and fired four times. When the smell of gunfire wafted through her nostrils, she turned the light on. Across the way, she saw four bullet holes in the wall that she made.
But no being.
Slowly she moved toward the gunshots and ran her hand across the punctures. There was no one there but the gaps from her hot bullets were real. “Where did you go?” she said to herself spinning around. “I know I saw you in here. I cannot be losing my mind.” She paused. “Can I?”
When she heard the baby crying from the monitor on her watch she ran toward him. “Julius! I’m coming! I am so sorry!”
****
Nine and Leaf stood nervously next to Dr. Banning, the same physician who birthed Nine and all the Prophet children. The doctor pressed a stethoscope against Julius’ chest to hear his tiny heartbeat as Nine and Leaf hung behind until the verdict was given. When Dr. Banning was finished, she dropped her instrument around her neck and walked over to them.
“He’s fine,” she whispered. “You have nothing to be worried about.” She smiled lightly.
Nine exhaled a sigh of relief and placed her hand over her heart. “But…what about…”
“He sucked the wine you spilled on his pajamas but it wasn’t enough to hurt him. I see how much you care for him, Nine. Try not to worry. It’s obvious that you love your son. So be easy with that thought because all mothers make mistakes.”
Unlike Nine’s normal calm disposition, she was now an emotional wreck. Pacing in place, she stopped abruptly and said, “I…almost…killed
...”
“Honey,” Dr. Banning said pressing her cool hands on the sides of her face. “This was not your fault and I can’t allow you to take that into your heart. Give yourself a break. You reached me in time.” Suddenly the first woman who touched her as a baby placed her mind at ease.
“Thank you,” Nine said. “I’ll have Banker write you a check for…”
“Don’t worry about that. Every month for the past thirty years, the Prophet family has sent me a check, even if I wasn’t caring for them. The only thing I did was my job.” She touched Leaf on the hand too. “Call me if you both need anything else.” She smiled and walked out of the room.
When she left, Leaf led Nine out of the room so that the baby could sleep peacefully. Sitting at the dining room table, she looked out at the vineyard. “Leaf, am I crazy? Did I see someone or am I really losing my mind?”
Worried about his wife’s mental health, he walked toward the cabinet in the kitchen and made coffee. He prepared it like she wanted and looked into her eyes. “I don’t approve of what you did last night, Nine. And if you ever do something like that again, I will leave you.” He turned the coffee pot on, leaned against the counter and folded his arms over his chest. “Are you in love with Gates?”
“I am asking you if I am crazy and this is what you say to me?”
“I’ve witnessed you be abused by your grandfather, starved and even forgotten about for weeks. You’ve always come out of the darkness able to see the light.” He paused. “But our marriage is another matter. Are…you…in…love…with…Gates?”