Married to the Game

by Chunichi

  “Oh yeah. What they talking?”

  “It’s that nigga Joker. Talking about he gotta straighten you ’bout running up in his girl’s spot.”

  I knew it had to be that. I pretty much stayed low on the streets, so I rarely had beef. I wasn’t concerned at all.

  “That’s it, man? That’s what got you worried, nigga? Where dat nigga at?”

  “That ain’t it, man. I know you can handle yours. It’s more to it.”

  Now this nigga was really starting to piss me off. “What is it, nigga?” I was aggravated by his hesitation.

  “It’s Duke, man. Nigga’s talking about getting that nigga.”

  I understood why Martinez hesitated with that statement. When it comes to my little soldier, I don’t fuck around.

  “Oh yeah ... . Who the fuck is talking?” My eyes burned with fury.

  “It’s that nigga, Ray-Ray.”

  Me and Duke just had that conversation. Now was the time for me to really talk with him. “Duke.” I called him over as I contemplated on leaving the game.

  Do I coach him on defense or do I just send him home?

  Duke was a hothead, and I was afraid how he may react. I didn’t want anything to happen to him, and I didn’t want him to do anything he would regret. I had to make a decision and fast.

  “What’s the deal, Unc? You fucking with my game right now.” Duke was more concerned with hollering at the ladies than his own safety.

  “Duke, on some real shit, I gotta holla at you.” We headed back to the truck and jumped in. I looked Duke in the eyes. “Tell me what’s up with you and this nigga Ray-Ray.”

  Duke came back with an explosive laugh. “Unc. Please tell me you ain’t got me in here about that nigga.”

  Just like I figured, this nigga had no idea. I started the truck.

  “What you doing, Snake? We just got here, man. I know you ain’t gon’ let this fool punk us.”

  I had nothing to prove to Duke, so I didn’t respond. I just put the truck in reverse.

  “Stop the muthafucking truck, man!” Duke demanded.

  “Who the fuck you hollering at, nigga?” I asked just as forcefully.

  Duke didn’t respond. He just stared at me with a killer grit.

  “Fix yo’ face,” I said while grabbing him by the collar, trying once again to instill the fear that seemed no longer present in Duke’s heart.

  I got a surprising reply.

  “Fuck you! I ain’t no damn child no more, Snake!” he yelled while forcefully pushing me in the chest.

  My first instinct was to punch this li’l nigga in his face and break his fucking jaw, but instead I chose to let him learn the hard way.

  Ssskuuuurrrrt!

  I slammed on breaks almost giving both of us whiplash.

  “You think you hard, nigga? Then get the fuck out. Hold ya own!” I handed him the nine from my waist.

  Duke jumped out of the truck with no hesitation.

  “Oh, and I got my own to handle my own,” he said as he handed me the gun, pulled out a chrome nine of his own and cocked it back before replacing it on his waist.

  As soon as he jumped out, I pulled off.

  Just as I was headed out of the parking lot, I ran into Ceazia. She was looking fly as shit, too. I pulled up behind her BMW. She was the only female at the Coliseum killing the scene with the white 745 LI with the chromed factories, newborn with the paper tags and straight glasshouse, no tent. She was definitely doing the damn thang.

  “What’s up, baby girl?” I asked as I stroked her underneath the chin. She grinned and looked at me seductively with those panther eyes.

  “You,” she simply responded before lightly kissing my lips.

  I could feel my nature rising. I didn’t know what it was about that chick, but she had a deadly trance. Vegas always used to mention the crazy things she would do. He used to say it was voodoo. He believed every now and then, she would pull something from her Haitian roots. And now I was starting to believe the same shit.

  “I see you killing them with the Range and spinners. How can I get down? You got some spinners for me?” she asked while checking out my truck.

  I laughed. She and I both knew exactly what it would take for her to get down.

  “You know what it takes. What’s good for tonight?” I asked while checking out her body in those stretch Lady Evisus.

  “I don’t know. You got something ...?”

  Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

  Our conversation was interrupted by gunshots.

  “Get in the truck!” I yelled.

  Ceazia jumped in the back seat behind me. I pulled off immediately, glancing in my rearview mirror. Shit was chaotic; people were running in every direction.

  Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

  The gunshots were neverending. I glanced in the rearview mirror once again. I was not prepared for the image before me.

  Ssskuuuurrrrt!

  I slammed on brakes then busted a U-turn in the middle of the parking lot and headed back to the scene. Once there, I jumped out of the truck, my heart pounding, people running, and cars pulling off in every direction. It was as though none of these things existed as I ran closer to the center of the action. Everything around me moved slowly the closer I got. I could hear Ceazia screaming in the background.

  “Snaaaake, nOOOOOO!”

  I could feel Martinez pulling my arm as I grabbed my nine from my waist, but his grip wasn’t strong enough to hold back the aggression flowing through my veins. As I took my final steps, my body froze with disbelief. It was my WI soldier, dying on the battlefield, but still holding his gun at attention. I was so taken by the scene before me I didn’t realize Ray-Ray was standing in front of me with his gun pointed at Duke. My brain raced as we looked eye-to-eye—never saying a word.

  Do I get him before he gets me? Or if I threaten to get him, will he get Duke?

  I decided to take my chances. I quickly aimed my gun, but Ray-Ray beat me to the punch.

  Click ... click ... click.

  Saved by the bell! That bitch nigga was out of bullets. Left with no other choice, he jumped in his car in a desperate attempt to escape. I took my time aiming at him, confident he wouldn’t get far.

  Shots rang out for the final time. I was puzzled by the sounds I heard as Ray-Ray’s body jumped and bounced with every bullet as if he was having convulsions. When the shooting ceased, his body lay slumped over into the passenger’s seat of his car. I glanced around quickly as I grabbed Duke and put him in the truck, but I saw no one. There was only me, Duke, and Ray-Ray, struggling to reload his gun in his car. I sped off.

  “That fool ain’t gon’ make it. Let him die slowly,” were my final words as I headed to the nearest hospital.

  We rode in silence as I sped through every red light on the way. I glanced down and noticed my blood-soaked sleeve. I’d been hit in my right arm. My brain raced as I tried to figure out where the shots came from.

  Maybe those final shots were meant for me. The ones fired before I even had a chance to pull the trigger on my gun. I looked around to see who may have fired the shots, but saw no one.

  I was just glad me and Duke were still here, because I’d fucked up. This shit would have never gone down if I’d gone with my first instinct and just left the Coliseum, forcing Duke to come along.

  CHAPTER 12

  WATCH YA BACK

  UNKNOWN MAN

  Always lurking, again I was on the scene. I’d heard of the beef Duke and Snake both carried on the streets, and I knew this would be the event where shit would go down. That’s why I made sure I was there. There was no way I was going to let them niggas die at the hands of anyone else. This was my revenge, and I would be the one to lay them to rest.

  Young niggas these days were trying to get on the map, and they were willing to do anything to earn a name. They would rob, shoot, and kill, just to be the man on the block with the most respect. Duke already had respect because of his family, which put him in a dangerous positio
n. Any nigga that wanted to rise up could knock him off and get automatic respect on the streets. And that’s exactly why I had a team of young cats by my side—trained to kill. All I had to do was give ’em the word. Today was a small test of just how quick one of my li’l dudes could be on the trigga.

  I would pay a million dollars to have an instant replay of the look on Snake’s face when he heard the shots ring out. He looked as though his life had flashed before his eyes. It’s sad I had to take that nigga Ray-Ray down, but somebody had to go. If I had not put him down then Snake or Duke, if not both of them, would surely be gone. And I couldn’t have him throw a wrench in my plan. I have something special planned for them.

  Funny how life works, huh? Snake and Duke were two niggas that I wanted dead, and because of me, they were alive. Looked like their beef was just about to catch up with them, but because I stepped in, they’d been given another day in this grimy-ass place.

  Snake was caught slipping again. He should have never left Duke at that celebrity event alone. Duke had better be thankful that gold-digging bitch, C, was there to keep Snake around for a little while longer. If not, he would have been nowhere in sight when Duke got hit. I was sure this day would definitely be used to Ceazia’s advantage. She could turn any situation into a position that worked in her favor.

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAOTIC CRISIS

  CEAZIA

  Snake’s phone rang continuously while en route to the hospital. Everyone was anxious to know what was going on. I noticed that out of all the hundred and one calls he’d received, he ignored them all except one. From the way the conversation went, I was sure he was speaking with his girl.

  “Baby, shit is crazy. I’m on my way to the hospital. . . I’m a’ight, but Duke was shot ... . I’m leaving Hampton and on my way to Norfolk General,” Snake ranted into the phone.

  Snake answered question after question as though he was being interrogated. I rolled my eyes out of jealousy then quickly focused my attention back to Duke. I held him tightly as blood drained from his nose and mouth.

  “Hold on, Li’l Soldier, you’re gonna make it, baby,” I reassured him as I tried to fight the images that constantly flashed in my head.

  All I could envision was Vegas lying in the Jacuzzi filled with his own blood. I could picture the two women lying doubled-over in the Jacuzzi—dead along with Vegas. The thought was clear as if it was just the day before, when I unloaded my gun on them.

  It seemed like only moments had passed once we got to the hospital because it wasn’t long before we pulled up to the emergency room. Snake rushed to the back and pulled Duke out the back door. Others rushed over to help him. It didn’t take long for them to get Duke in the hospital and for the emergency team to come and roll him off to the trauma unit. Family members and friends arrived at the hospital shortly after we did. Everyone was hysterical.

  “Who did this? Where was he shot? Is he going to make it? How is he?” Everyone questioned Snake at once.

  I could see the frustration and tension in Snake’s face. He didn’t respond to anyone. He just stood in the middle of the floor, motionless. I’d never seen him speechless and so full of anguish over anything. I knew he was going to explode at any moment.

  “Why don’t we go outside and get some air?” I suggested, while taking his hand, leading him toward the exit.

  Surprisingly, he followed along without argument. Once outside, he sat on the bench, rubbing his head. Stress was written all over his face. Duke was his li’l soldier, and they were extremely close. I could understand why he was so upset about his li’l homey being shot. Snake finally spoke, blaming himself for not having Duke’s back in time.

  “I shouldn’t have left him there alone. I could have prevented this shit,” he said as tears rolled from his eyes.

  I never thought I would see the day Snake would shed a tear. This moment called for immediate attention. I placed my arm around his shoulder and offered words of comfort.

  “It’s not your fault, Snake. There is nothing you could have done. He’s going to be fine.” I hugged him tightly.

  Snake tensed up as I hugged him. I pulled back and examined him. His sleeve was red in color, when it wasn’t supposed to be.

  “It’s my arm. I’m hit,” he said calmly. “I’ve been so distraught over my WI soldier that I didn’t realize I’d been hit too.”

  Noticing that his sleeve was soaked in blood, I panicked and immediately jumped up to get help. I asked Snake to remain where he was until I came back with a nurse. Snake grabbed my arm, preventing me from moving.

  “Please, I don’t want any help right now. I just need a minute to think,” he pleaded.

  “Okay, Snake, but you’re going to eventually need to get that looked at.”

  I agreed to give him a few moments before getting him medical attention. Drops of blood soon began hitting the ground, but Snake still refused to get help at the moment. His mind was heavy in thought, so I respected his wishes of solitude. He did, however, okay me to stay with him.

  We didn’t say any words to each other. We just sat in the cool night air, embracing one another. I watched as people constantly walked in and out of the emergency room waiting area. I noticed a nice-looking young lady walking briskly toward us. She had a perfect frame and flawless skin. Her designer attire was definitely an outfit that would fit into the closet of a diva like me. As she walked closer, she examined me closely, eventually pausing directly before me.

  “My name is Danielle. I’m Snake’s girlfriend. And you are?” she said as she extended her hand.

  I felt embarrassed as I extended my bloody hand. My hair was a mess and I had blood all over my clothes.

  “Hi. I’m—”

  “You’re a stripper,” she interrupted me.

  Out of respect for Snake, I didn’t respond. That bitch had no idea who I was. Normally, I would have whipped her ass just for walking up on me the way she did.

  “Danielle ... now is not the time for this shit,” Snake interjected.

  I was glad he responded before I did. She looked me up and down, examining every inch of my body.

  “From the looks of things, you were around when all this took place. And what exactly were you doing with my man, if I may ask?”

  “Look, Danielle, I am Vegas—”

  “You don’t have to explain,” Snake said.

  Snake quickly stopped me in my tracks, like my identity was some sort of secret. I guess if I said too much, it might have been incriminating for him as well.

  “You’re right, she doesn’t need to explain. You do. So, what were you doing there with this stripper?” Danielle asked, stepping a little closer to Snake and me with her arms folded.

  I stood and balled-up my fist, ready to attack. I had to show this female that she might’ve needed to take a second thought on making the wrong move. She stepped back and stood a little closer to Snake, as if he would provide some sort of protective shield to keep her from getting her ass kicked. I realized this little scary chick wasn’t any threat at all. Her bark was surely more vicious than her bite.

  “I’ll take it from here, thanks.” Danielle rolled her eyes then squeezed between Snake and me.

  The little bitch only wanted some attention, and it almost cost her an ass-beating. Once I saw that she posed no real threat, I didn’t resist. I got up silently and walked to another bench at the corner. I watched as they entered the hospital and disappeared behind the emergency room door. There were many people around the bench smoking cigarettes. As stressed as I was, I figured I would try one myself.

  “Excuse me. May I have a cigarette, please?” I asked an attractive young girl who was obviously just as stressed as I.

  “Help yourself,” she said as she handed me the entire pack, never even looking up.

  Every so often she would open her cell phone, begin to dial a number then hang up. I wondered what worries such a young girl could have. The curiosity was killing me.

  “Looks like
you’re having a hard time making that phone call,” I stated, hoping she would tell me what was bothering her so.

  The young girl finally looked up. She too examined me from head to toe.

  “Looks like you’re having an even worse time than me. You’re covered in blood. What happened?” she asked, catching me totally off guard.

  I didn’t expect her to come so direct. I actually found myself smiling at her aggressiveness.

  “You’re right, sweetie. I’ve had a hell of a day. Now, why don’t you tell me about your day? Why are you so sad?” I asked.

  “Look, lady, maybe you should just mind your business,” she said as she burst into tears.

  I rubbed her shoulder. She obviously wasn’t as tough as she portrayed. Another one whose bark was much more vicious than her bite. I was beginning to wonder if it was contagious and I was a carrier.

  “It’s okay, honey. I know exactly how you feel. Just let it all out.”

  She finally told her story.

  “There were only three people in my life who loved me as much as I love them. I’ve already lost one, and I may lose the other two today. And even worse, it may be my fault,” she continued to explain. “My boyfriend, Duke, and my cousin, Ray-Ray, had a shoot-out at the Coliseum today, and maybe I could have prevented it. But I didn’t ease the bad blood between them, and this is what it led to. I’ve even lost my best friend because of this. She dates my cousin, and I don’t even have the courage to call her and tell her the bad news.”

  I felt a special connection with this young lady as we talked. She reminded me a lot of myself. I consoled her, ultimately giving her the courage she needed to call her friend. I assured her she wasn’t alone in anything she was going through. And for every situation she was experiencing, there was someone worse off than she was. One thing I could promise her was that troubles don’t last forever.

  As we spoke, I didn’t bother telling her I knew Duke or that I was present at the shooting. She would want details of the event, and I didn’t think that was in her best interest at the moment. I finished my cigarette and called one of my girls from the club to take me to my car.