“Lights out, baby,” Ron kept saying to himself. They had counted five groups of three leaving nine inside the Hudson Campbell.
Jon and Kay were in the gym area ready to hear Shine bullshit.
“What’s up, fellas?” Shine greeted walking up to the two. “Where the rest of the team at?”
“Oh, we didn’t think you wanted to play today so they stayed in bed.”
“Fuck it,” Shine said looking at G and gave a half smile. Then he turned to Jon and Kay. “We might as well get this over with. I see you didn’t bring the money.”
“We left it in the car. I didn’t think that you’d bring all of it in the gym so I figured after we test it we’d do exchange at the same time.”
“Let’s do this,” Shine said handing Jon the knapsack.
“This is too light.” Jon said.
“You’re right,” Shine said and glanced at G. “That’s three. The rest is in my truck.”
They walked through the parking lot and made it to Shine’s car. Jon gave Kay the bag.
“Test it and bring the dough,” Jon said to Kay.
Kay walked off with Don, Twon and Zoe watching from the side street. It didn’t take the three a long time to locate and took care of Shine’s crew using silencers. The boys snuck up on each catching them slipping. Now it was up to Ron to finish the job.
Shine saw Kay walking back with a different color book bag and he started stretching his arms above his head like he was tired. When Kay reached them Shine stretched again looking at G. He appeared dumbfounded.
“You tired?” Jon asked Shine taking the book bag from Kay.
“I’m cool,” Shine said.
“I guess all you have to do is give us the rest of the dope,” Jon said.
Shine looked nervous and once again he raised his arms above his head.
“Is there a problem?” Jon asked smiling.
“Nah Jay,” Shine said looking at G. Shine hit the remote car alarm to his Cherokee and went to open the back door.
“What the fuck?” G screamed as two of his folks dropped to the ground. Shine spun around just in time to see his man drop.
“Just give us the rest of the shit and we gone,” Jon said pulling two 9mm’s from the gym bag and tossing one to Kay. The fourth man dropped and G ducked behind the front of his Explorer puling out his Desert Eagle.
Jon and Kay took their eyes off of Shine to see where G was. It was enough time for Shine to run to the front of his Cherokee and duck down. He pulled out two 9mm Berettas. Ron dropped two more of Shine’s men with the Mini 14 and he was enjoying it.
“All we want is the dope.” Jon said looking at the last soldier. Jon put up a finger. Ron stopped shooting.
“Shine, you got one man left. If you don’t tell me where the dope is? He fittin’ to get it.”
“Fuck you!” Shine screamed.
Jon put two fingers in the air and Ron shot the last member of Shine’s hit team leaving only Shine and G. Jon shot three times into Shine’s truck. “All you got to do is tell me where it’s at and we out.”
“Fuck you!” Shine screamed.
G stuck his head around the front fender of his truck to see where Jon and Kay were and Ron fired a shot barely missing G but hitting the Explorer’s headlight. Kay turned his focus on G and shot six times at the front end of the Explorer causing G to run to the rear of the truck.
The boys watched everything from Don’s car. This was taking too long for Don, especially with Jon and Kay having to shoot Glocks. Those were the only guns they didn’t have silencers for. The police would be on the scene soon. Don started the 98 and headed straight to where the action was.
“What the fuck is taking so long?” Don asked getting out the car.
“He won’t tell us where the shit at,” Jon said.
“Shine, if y’all try any bullshit we gone kill y’all.” Don called out.
He walked to the back door of Shine’s truck and searched for the cocaine. Don didn’t find anything and was more pissed.
“The nigga played us.”
“What?” Jon asked.
“Ain’t shit here! Kill ‘em muthafuckas ‘fore the cops come.” Don said signaling.
The boys opened fire on the two trucks. Shine and G hit the ground. The sound of police sirens were getting closer. Shine let off three shots catching Zoe in the calf. He fell to the ground. Ron sprayed shots from the Mini 14 at the two trucks. Jon and Kay grabbed Zoe pulling him to Jon’s car while the others jumped in Don’s car.
Shine was still on the ground and saw the boys leave the parking lot. Hearing the police siren, he jumped to his feet and ran to the closest van.
“G bring yo ass on!”
When they got into the van Shine discovered that there were no keys. Shine grabbed the seat belt and went to work on the steering column with the metal piece. By the time the police were pulling in, Shine and G were exiting.
“Them little niggas are gangstas.” Shine said as he drove home.
“Zoe, you all right?” Jon asked as he saw two police cars racing by.
“I’m cool,” Zoe said holding his leg. “I think it only skinned me.”
Jon parked in front of Bay Bro’s house and turned to Zoe.
“Bay Bro will know how he we should play it. Give us an alibi and see if we should take you to the hospital.”
Jon, Kay and Zoe got out of the car. Zoe leaned on Kay for support.
Don turned with his tires screeching. Jon, Kay and Zoe pulled out their Glocks.
“What the fuck is his problem?” A jumpy Kay said.
“I don’t know,” Zoe said limping off.
Don, Ron and Twon jumped from Don’s 98 and ran to Zoe.
“You alright…?” They kept asking.
“I’ll be even better when I get in the house and sit down.”
“What happened to Zoe?” Bay Bro asked when he saw the blood.
“Zoe got shot,” Jon said sitting next Lynette.
“Victoria!” Bay Bro screamed.
“What…?” Victoria said running into the living room, a walking cane raised above her head. She lowered the cane after seeing it was the boys. “Don’t be scaring me like that.”
“I think she’s a soldier.” Jon laughed and said.
“What’s the problem?” she asked.
“It’s Zoe. Look at his leg,” Bay Bro said pointing to Zoe.
“What happened to you?” She asked blotting some blood.
“I was shot.”
Victoria nodded to Bay Bro. He was satisfied that Victoria could take care of Zoe’s wound. It was time for him to talk with the boys.
“Y’all know the drill. We need to talk outside,” he said waving his hand.
“Alright, alright,” Jon said clearing his throat. “We made a mistake at the Taste. Don saw dude from Delany and I guess we just assumed that it was them. We met Shine, he’s a GD. He acted like he was cool with us, shot ball with us and everything. We got word that he was setting us up. Today we took it to him before he brought it.”
“Shine from Miller,” Bay Bro lit a Newport and asked.
“Yeah,” Don answered. Don also went on to tell Bay Bro about the three bricks of cocaine.
Bay Bro couldn’t believe his ears. “How many?” he asked puffing on the cigarette.
“Three and we don’t know anything about coke. We need your help.”
“I’ll teach ya’ll the game,” Bay Bro said tossing the butt.
They went back to the house. Victoria was busy taping Zoe’s calf.
“He’ll be alright. It was only a skin wound.”
“I’m worried about you and you come up in here and Zoe got shot. What if it was you?” Lynette asked. Bay Bro walked away and came back carrying a knapsack on his shoulder.
“I know that you worry but I’ll be ahight. I wasn’t in the streets wildin’ out,” Jon said smiling and caressing Lynette’s cheek. “Everything will be alright.”
They headed to the kitchen where Bay
Bro took over the stove. The boys paid close attention to Bay Bro cooking the cocaine with the baking soda. They broke all three kilos down into twenty dollar rocks and baked cake.
“Old man,” Jon said counting the bagged up product. “We really want to sell weed but we ain’t got no connect.”
“I got the best hydro connect in the Midwest,” Bay Bro said smiling.
“How soon?” Twon asked. He was ready to see major paper.
“As soon as we finished here,” Bay Bro said.
They learned to cut, cook and bag the coke.
“I’m glad it was seven of us,” Bay Bro said and lit a cigarette. “Let’s go see the medicine man.”
Shine and G had spent the whole day riding around talking about what happened and what went wrong.
“Man, we done been over this shit a hundred times,” Shine said as he pulled in front of his house. “I still can’t figure out how them little niggas knew what was going down.”
“Somebody had to tell them in order for them to take out our guys.” G pulled on the blunt and exhaled.
“Them little niggas are serious,” Shine said with a smile.
“Fuck them little niggas. All we got to do is put a contract out on they asses.”
“Nah,” Shine said pulling on the blunt.
“Shine, I’ll take care of it. Don’t even stress it.”
Shine looked at G and smiled. They shook hands and he got out of the van.
“Where the hell you been?” Shawn said with her hands on her hips. Shine knew she was pissed.
“I’m not in the mood Shawn,” Shine said plopping onto a leather sofa.
“Did you at least win your money back?”
“Them little niggas robbed me. Can you believe that shit?” Shine lit a blunt.
“What you mean they robbed you?” Shawn asked sounding concerned.
Shine was high but not that high. He never discussed his business with Shawn and he had no plans on starting that night.
“I don’t talk about my business,” Shine said stretching out on the sofa. “Can I get something to eat please?”
9
BLOODY SUNDAY-12 KILLED… It was reported that there was no witness or leads.
The story was all over the front page of the morning paper. Ron read the article and the other boys listened. The boys planned on using two abandoned houses next to theirs for setting up shop. Weed would be sold from one and crack the other. Don, Twon and Zoe were in charge of selling crack. Jon, Kay and Ron sold weed. The boys opened shop and relied on satisfied customers to spread the word.
“God…!” Jossie screamed and dropped the newspaper. Cash ran into the living room and found Jossie staring. The front page caught his attention. He read the story and not only recognized the names, but also the crews.
“You knew some of these people?” Cash asked.
“No, the bottom of the page,” she said pointing.
Cash looked at the article on the bottom of the front and read it. It was about Doug.
“I have to go down to the morgue…”
“I don’t think that you’re ready to see Doug like that,” Cash said.
“I have to claim the body and make arrangements.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Cash said hugging Jossie.
“I have to, you can come with me.”
One week passed. The boys had stopped stealing cars. They directed their energy to success in the dope game. All profits from their transactions were stored in a safe. Business was booming. They structured another deal with the weed connect and was copping crack also.
The boys started treating Ron like one of the clique. Jon and Kay bought him a new 5.0 Mustang from the Ford lot. Don, Twon and Zoe paid for some new rims and an expensive sound system. They presented the car to Ron with a personalized SCC license plate. Ron loved the treatment.
“What’s up Cash?” Shine said watching Doug’s casket being lowered into the cold ground. Cash looked at his friend. “It looks like you can’t take care of your people.”
Cash couldn’t believe Shine’s arrogance. “Don’t look like you can take care of yours either. Twelve dead, right?” Cash shot back. Shine frowned.
“I don’t know what you talking bout,” Shine said looking away.
“Yeah, I know,” Cash said with a chuckle.
“What’s up cuz? Are you alright?” Shawn greeted.
“Yeah, I’m alright. How you doing cousin?”
“I’m cool,” Lynette answered.
Jossie came over and Cash introduced her to Shawn. They talked a little while and then they all left the cemetery.
Ron needed insurance on the Mustang. He drove downtown to Miller. After getting the insurance, Ron decided to front. He pulled up on every group of females that were out. He was standing outside his car talking to the girls and didn’t know G was in the house watching.
“I’m telling you Shine, one of them little niggas is in front of my house talking to Bianca and her little friends right now,” G said on the phone.
“Follow his ass and call me on my cellie.”
Shine headed out the door leaving Shawn on the living room couch. She heard enough and called Jon as soon as Shine left. Ron pulled off and G jumped into his ’78 Cadi.
Five blocks from G’s house, a car coming in the opposite direction, started shooting at Ron. He ducked down and tried to reverse but the Cadillac right behind him opened up fire on him. Ron didn’t know what to do and he panicked. Bullets were coming at him, hitting the car. One caught Ron in his left hand. He hit the gas. Ron stuck his head up and saw Shine with a Tec .22 hanging out. Shine passed Ron and opened fire hitting Ron twice. The car swerved and crashed into a parked car. Shine turned the Bronco around. Finishing Ron off was the fury burning his mind. He saw Jon’s car speeding in his direction. Shine and G both sped off. Jon pulled up to Ron’s car and all of the boys jumped out. Jon ran to the car and saw blood coming from Ron’s face.
“Call an ambulance,” he shouted. Zoe took off running across the street to a flower shop.
Jon and Kay jumped in the Impala then sped off.
“Where we going?” Kay asked.
Kay saw the rage on Jon’s face as he continued to weave through traffic.
“Miller project,” Jon finally said.
On the street watching the Impala, Don threw up his hands. Twon stayed at the Mustang with his cousin, tears coming down.
“Where the fuck Jon and Kay go?” Zoe shouted as he ran across the street. Twon didn’t even bother answering and kept staring at Ron.
“I don’t know,” Don saying as he walked away from Ron’s car. “Jon left before I could ask him.”
Zoe shook his head. He knew where Jon was headed. “I called Bay Bro. He’s on his way.”
“That’s cool,” Don said rubbing his forehead.
Jon fingered the Mac 11 and two 9mm Beretas sitting in his lap. He pulled up in front of the Miller project basketball court. The Mac and the 9mms were in his waist. Kay had two Glocks. Strapped and ready, they jumped from the Impala and headed in the direction of the courts. Children, mothers and fathers were there enjoying the sunshine and sitting in the bleachers. A pick-up game was in progress.
“It’s a good day to die!” Jon suddenly screamed.
Everyone froze. Shells rained from the Mac11. Two players were felled by the barrage of shots. It was then that the crowd panicked and started a stampede.
Jon kept his finger on the trigger waving the gun from right to left till the extended clip was empty. He dropped the Mac 11 and out came the Beretas firing. The two kept firing and Kay dropped four dudes and a woman. They emptied couple more clips.
“Let’s get the fuck outta here!” Kay shouted and grabbed Jon by the arm. They ran back to Jon’s Impala. Kay hopped into the driver’s seat and peeled off.
Bay Bro arrived two minutes before the police arrived. The boys were quickly briefed. The police interviewed Bay Bro for a minute then the ambulance came. The paramedics p
ulled Ron from his Mustang and administered CPR. They ran the gurney to the ambulance and pulled off. Bay Bro was still answering the police questions when Kay pulled next to the Explorer.
“What’s up?” Kay asked Don.
“I don’t know, Bay Bro said he’ll handle things.” Don said. He looked at Jon leaning against the truck crying. “Where ya’ll go?”
“Shit’s fucked up, man. We went out there to the projects and left niggas and bitches stankin.” He paused shaking his head. “Maybe some kids too.”
“That’s fucked up!” Zoe screamed from the backseat.
“What’s fucked up is Ron. He got shot the fuck up. What’s fucked up is that we didn’t have his back. What’s fucked up is you sitting here crying like a little bitch. Man, you disgust me. I’m going to the hospital,” Jon said getting back in his car with Kay riding shotgun.
10
It was all over the news. Eight dead, including two little girls, nine others injured. A sixteen year-old basketball phenom named Jason was one of the injured. Shine heard but couldn’t believe.
“These little niggas done took this to another level.” Shine shouted in his phone. “They sprayed my hood, my territory, my brother...”
G knew that a war had just started. He knew how Shine was about his friends and family, especially his only brother, Jason.
“He alright man...”
“We need to talk…” Shine said walking into his bedroom. “Meet me at old girl crib. I’m a go check on Jason.”
“Alright I’m with you, man,” G said.
Jon and Kay had been in the waiting area. Bay Bro and the rest of the crew joined them.
“How you feel, Jon?” Bay Bro asked.
“I’m all right,” Jon said staring straight ahead.
“I know what you mean,” Bay Bro said putting an arm around Jon’s shoulders. “Don told me what you and Kay done did. I don’t object. Shit, I’d have done the same thing. I’m pretty sure that your car is going to be hot, you gone have to get rid of it.” The doctor came out and spoke to Bay Bro.
A Good Day to Die Page 9