by T. Styles
****
Bethany sat in the passenger seat of Nine’s black Phantom Coupe, Samantha was in the back and the energy Nine exuded upon both of them was intense. As she steered the car quietly toward Victory’s house she hadn’t blinked once, causing the sisters to stir with fear.
Both wondered were the rumors true?
Was Nine Prophet capable of murder?
Against her own people?
“I’m sorry, Nine,” Bethany started, her smile lifting only on one side of her face. “I didn’t mean—”
“He is a man, cousin,” Nine said cutting her off, eyes never leaving the road. “He is a man and yet both of you fight over him as if he is immortal. As if there is no other.”
“There is no other available Prophet,” Samantha responded. “Their marriage means I’m alone. Who can I marry out of purity? You have Leaf, mother has Blake. What about me?” Her head drooped. “And I know you’re angry, but it wasn’t even as bad as it seemed,” she whispered. “We were talking about him on the way back from getting her dress. All I did was explain that the only reason he was marrying her instead of me was because of her looks.” She turned her head toward the window and caught a reflection of her face. “That he clearly enjoys spending more time with me because we’re always together.”
“And then I told her I was pregnant,” Bethany said rubbing her belly. “With me and Noel’s first child.” Suddenly she grew angry. “So she hit me and I defended myself.”
Nine looked into Bethany’s eyes and then down at her flat belly. Although she understood the rules of their family, Bethany’s pregnancy came at the most inopportune time for the wine venture.
Silence.
“Oh, Nine, aren’t you happy for me?” Bethany sang, eyes wide with excitement. “Say something because your silence is killing me.”
“You are sisters. Circumstances may make it appear otherwise but at the end of the day, you are sisters. Even the Romans who practiced blood purity remained cordial if one was chosen over the other. Why must we display ourselves so poorly in front of outsiders, when we are already being judged?”
Silence.
The sisters dropped their heads.
“Now, the wedding is off until next year, pending an investigation with the airline,” Nine continued. “You are being charged as terrorists! Do you not see what the fuck you have done wrong? This is why grandfather was so strict and so rigid! This entire family is falling apart.”
Both women looked at Nine in shock because she rarely used profanity. Believing they didn’t care or understand why this was so important to her, she pulled the car over. “Get out.”
“Excuse me?” Bethany said.
“I said get out of my car.” She looked at both of them. “I do not want to see you two for awhile. Please understand that it will be best for you and me. I can be homicidal when angry and that is a side neither of you want to see.”
Frightened, they opened the door and Nine pulled off, running over Samantha’s foot in the process.
Her cries of pain didn’t stop Nine from getting away from the scene. She didn’t even look in the rearview mirror to see if she was okay. Any and everything was getting on her nerves. So when her phone rang, she snatched it up and said, “This better not be bad news.”
“Okay, I’ll call back later,” a woman said.
Frowning, she asked, “Who is this?”
“It’s Shawna, Gene’s…I mean Galileo’s baby mother.”
Nine rolled her eyes and slammed her hand on the steering wheel. “What is wrong? Is his child okay?”
“I lost my job two weeks ago and Galileo hasn’t brought by child support in weeks. So the baby and me are hungry. Ms. Nine, I’m sorry to bother you but anything you can do to help us will be appreciated.”
****
Galileo was on the court playing a pick up game of basketball with a few of his young sidekicks. It was his day off so he figured after shooting some hoops he would go meet Banker, and see how wet she could really get. Besides, it had been a few days since he last laid dick on her. But right now, he had to win the game.
Dribbling the basketball toward the hoop, he was going for the layup when someone from his right blocked his shot hard. Preventing him from making the basket. He was about to bark on him until he saw it was Antonius, and when he turned to his right he was smacked in the face by Nine before she tugged one of his ears and pulled him toward an all black six-passenger van.
Four of her men accompanied her.
As Galileo made the involuntary trip, his heart beat rapidly as his friends erupted into laughter. With pointed fingers and covered mouths, he had unwillingly become their entertainment for the day. Nine had made a fool of him and if nothing else, he vowed to make her pay.
After being driven to Shawna’s house, the van parked and the door flew opened. Nine appeared and said, “Get out.”
He obeyed with a tough push to the back by Antonius. Men followed him as if he were a prisoner and about to be executed, with Nine in the lead. When they made it to Shawna’s door she opened it and stepped back to let them inside. She was a pretty dark-skinned girl with hazel eyes and a loving smile.
The furniture inside the tiny house was old but everything was neat and clean. Toys lined the wall but there wasn’t a thing out of place. It was obvious that she was a good mother and Nine wondered what she saw in Galileo that she would allow him to enter her body.
“Come inside,” she greeted everyone. “Please.” She allowed them inside and felt the heat Galileo was giving her.
His face was contorted with rage until Nine said, “There is no need in being angry with her. This is all your fault.”
“See what you did?” he asked looking over at Shawna. “You got my fucking boss involved. This embarrassing!”
“I needed the money, G! You don’t know what it’s like going to school and having to pay for daycare when you make minimum wage. Since you won’t help me build a life for your child, I have to do it on my own. So I need an education. What’s wrong with that?”
He waved her off. “Shut the fuck up. You just another gold digging ass bitch. Just like the rest.”
Shawna started to smack him but Nine stopped her.
“You are as sad as they come,” Nine said. “Nothing like your father.” She looked at Shawna and softened her stare. “Where is your son?”
“In the back.” She paused, still being held hostage by the evil of Galileo’s words. Focusing on the hallway, she said, “Denarius, come! Your father is here.”
Nine and her men readjusted their dispositions as to not scare the child. Like magic, they removed their judgmental stares off of Galileo and smiled, each preparing to see the kid. Within seconds, the cutest little boy Nine had ever seen since Julius came zipping out of the room. His chocolate skin and large eyes complimented by extra long lashes made him adorable enough to want to steal.
Having seen his father a few times, he ran up to him and wrapped his little arms around one of Galileo’s legs. Still mad he was yanked off of the basketball court, at first he didn’t acknowledge the kid. Treated him like a nigga off the street. That was, until he was met with a hard smack to the back of his head, out of the child’s view. With the sudden inspiration, he rubbed his dome and said, “Hey, lil nigga.” His statement was as dry as a bag of uncooked rice.
Shawna saw his loveless attitude, rolled her eyes and said, “Go on back and play, Denarius.”
Obeying his mother, he hugged his father again and rolled out.
Nine stepped in front of Galileo. And although she was about to address Shawna, her gaze remained on him. “Shawna, this man is incapable of being a father.”
“How you figure?” He frowned.
“Anybody who could look down at that child and not even smile is worthless.” She paused. And then, thinking of her own father, said, “I do not know how men can bring children into this world and treat them as an afterthought. But I will say this; you will take care of your respon
sibilities. That child is Jameson’s grandson and I will not allow you to mess up his life just because you can.” She stepped closer and her men covered her. “Empty your pockets.”
Slowly he removed all of the cash he had on him and dropped it on Shawna’s table. It totaled a little over a thousand dollars. Nine cleared her purse and in the end, Shawna had $4,500 in cash.
“You are fired, Gene,” Nine barked addressing him by his birth name and not the honorable name she’d given him. “Don’t come back to the academy.”
Suddenly he felt something in his hardened heart. Now all of a sudden he had emotions. Too bad they were for his own self. “Why?” he asked with wide eyes. “What I lose my job for?”
“Because you have no honor. And a man without honor cannot be trusted.”
****
Lately, Nine had not been feeling well both physically and mentally, but still there was much to do. Like the meeting with her board to discuss the drug operation and the brewing trouble with the Russian Cartel.
Nine, the head of the conclave, stood up and looked at the men before her. Unlike her soldiers who were vicious with weapons and fists, the men before her were experienced in the mental department. They were Mox, Riley, her cousin Noel and her uncle Blake.
From the beef with the Russians by way of the Kennedy Kings, to in-house issues pertaining to a few disloyal lieutenants, tonight’s agenda was pregnant with issues that needed resolving.
Dressed in designer suits and serious miens, the men awaited their young leader’s word. “First, I would like to apologize for calling you in on your day off. I understand that before my grandfather died there was an agreement to honor your personal time twice a week. Unfortunately, today I need you.”
“Don’t worry about that,” Mox said as he scratched his salt and pepper hair. He worked with Kerrick at the onset of his career in the drug business and had been with him ever since. This was during the age when Kerrick was a dope boy and far from a drug mogul. “If there is one thing that can be said about you it is that you’re fair. So if we’re here, it must be for a reason.”
She smiled and nodded before walking slowly around the table, with her hands clasped behind her back. “I just received word from Antonius that two of our trusted men were murdered late last night. And seeing as how our peers, the Kennedys, alerted us of impending doom, I take it that this hit was attributed to the Russians.”
“So what’s the plan for retaliation?” Riley, another one of Kerrick’s long time friends, asked. He rubbed his baldhead before clasping his hands before him on the table. “Because this matter requires tact and caution. If the Russians are involved, they have the potential to put serious dents into our business.”
She nodded in agreement. “I understand, which is why we must brace ourselves for war. And I assembled you all here today to solicit your advice.”
“Do we know what sparked this attack?” Noel asked.
“From what I am told, the Russians want direct contact with Mitch and the Kennedys are refusing to give them access. By attacking Mitch’s main clientele, for instance the Prophets, they’re hoping to impact his business.”
“Why is that?” Mox asked.
“I do not have all of the facts. But what I am told is that the Russians received their coke by way of the Kennedys,” Nine explained. “At a fair price. However, this is unlike the business relationship we have earned with Mitch, which gives us a direct connection.” She paused. “The Russians do not want to go through the Kennedys anymore. And I believe the Kennedys feel disrespected in the Russians’ attempt to bypass them to get through to Mitch.”
“So basically the Russians are trying to snatch up Mitch,” Mox said.
“Thereby corning the drug market,” Riley responded.
“Exactly,” Nine said. “If this happens, either we will be forced to deal with the Russians, because I am sure they will kill Mitch and gain access to his cocaine crops, or we will have to find another connect with lower quality product.”
The men grumbled.
“What are the Kennedys suggesting?” Mox asked.
“That we combine forces and take out the Russians,” she explained. “Apparently, the Russians have connected with Vito Gambino of the Gambino family out of New York, Derrick Reaper from New Jersey and Jim Rabiu, an African from California.”
The men all looked at one another. “Not sure about the others but Derrick has about one hundred men who are called the Reapers at his disposal,” Mox explained.
“Although they don’t have anywhere near the amount of men we do, their most dangerous weapon is Larry,” Riley interjected. “He’s a young thug who knows how to kill well. With him alive, it could be more problems than we need.”
“Yeah, he’s worth five hundred of our men alone,” Mox added.
“Some of our soldiers are still getting their skills up on weaponry,” Jameson added. “They won’t be ready for him without more experience at this stage.”
Nine sat on the edge of the table and looked at her men. “My grandfather chose right by having you all on his council. And now I rely on your advice. Should we lend assistance to the Kennedys or stand down from this war?”
The men looked at one another. “I think we should stay out of it,” Noel suggested.
“Me too,” Blake responded.
“And if we do, what will we risk? What will I risk as the leader?”
“Nothing in the beginning,” Mox advised. “You command an army of about a thousand men, way more than the Kennedys could hope for. With a little guidance and longer hours of training, we could take out the Reapers eventually. But in the future, you will lose what may be considered more valuable.”
“Which is?” she asked.
“Your respect in the industry,” Mox said. “Your respect amongst your peers for not fighting. And your respect amongst your men.”
“And depending on what you hold important, to some that may mean everything,” Riley added.
Nine contemplated what they were saying when suddenly everyone in the room began to laugh at her. With a scowl on her face, she asked, “What’s so funny? Did I miss something?”
The laughter grew louder and within seconds, their faces contorted in large circles. It was as if their eyes drifted behind their heads to make way for their unusually large mouths. “I asked what are you laughing at?” she yelled louder. “This is unprofessional! What is so funny?”
Confused at Nine’s disposition, they stood up and approached her. “Are you okay, Nine?”
She backed against the wall in fear of the demons. “Get away from me! Do you hear me? Get away!”
****
The sheets were pulled up under Nine’s chin as she lay in bed, unsure if she was experiencing reality or a dream. Chipo got word in Africa from Leaf that Nine had suffered a mental breakdown and she called twenty times to check on her wellbeing. But each time, Nine refused to answer, because she didn’t know what to say. If she wasn’t calling, then the nobles were and as much as she relied on their strength, even they were bothers.
What was wrong with her?
Was she going mad?
Alone in her bedroom for the moment, she was sure that it wouldn’t last.
The meeting last night was a wreck and she was dismal, unable to make a move. How embarrassing it was to perform so strangely in front of the Nobles. And as much as she begged for privacy, Leaf would not leave her be. His concern was pushy and borderline irritating but she knew he loved her; it was evident in his eyes as he asked, “What’s wrong, bae? Talk to me.”
As she thought, slowly Leaf opened the door and walked into his dark bedroom. Married to her for a little over a year, he learned never to turn on lights if she had them off. It either meant she was resting or contemplating her troubles.
Slowly Leaf eased into the bed and sat up against the headboard. Not wanting to be bothered at first, the moment she smelled the faint scent of his expensive cologne, she wiggled closer to him and laid her h
ead into the center of his lap. “Am I crazy, cousin? Do you think that somehow, despite my best efforts, I have gone mad?”
“Never.”
“Then why is it that lately everything that has been happening to me makes me think that I am not of this world? Once, I had things under control, and now...”
“I don’t know, bae. But I do know together we will find out. Whatever has sparked your change of mental state is right in front of us. We just have to find it.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Two of thy whelps, fell curs of bloody kind”
- William Shakespeare
Nine sat in the back of her Maybach with the phone pressed against her ear. These days, she accepted more calls than the president of the United States.
The caller of the moment was Banker. “I know you don’t believe me but I swear on everything I love, I wanted to be there but I was sick. By the time I got up for work, I was already five hours late so I just stayed home.”
“What about me makes you think that I am stupid?” She paused. “That I would believe such nonsense? Whatever it is, please tell me, Banker, so that I can remedy it now.”
“It isn’t you I just…”
“Wanted to be under your boyfriend instead of reporting for work,” she said cutting her off. She looked out of the window just as her car pulled up to Victory’s house. “I would sure like to meet the boy who has taken all of your time. I needed you today, Banker. There are things that are going on with me and I needed you here. I expect you to come tomorrow with no excuses.”
“I will be there,” she said, her voice heavy with irritation. “Before I go, I wanted to remind you about my trip to Aruba for two weeks. I’ll be leaving soon.”
“I remember,” Nine said plainly, relieved some of her mental faculties were still in place. “We will talk about everything else later. In the meantime, did you contact Bambi Kennedy?”