by Roy Glenn
“One down,” Marvin said.
“Now let’s go find this nigga, Latavius,” RJ said, and they drove away from Norreece’s building feeling glad to be alive and feeling pretty good about themselves.
They stayed in the street checking out all of the places that Odell said that they might be able to find Latavius, but he was nowhere to be found that night. It was almost four in the morning when the kings got back to The Late Night. After they put their weapons back in the safe and changed their clothes. It was then that Judah said that he was going to talk to Doc about what was going on with them.
“We don’t need no help,” both RJ and Marvin said at the same time.
“I wasn’t gonna ask for any help,” Judah said confidently. “We got these niggas. I just think that he needs to know what’s up.” Judah looked at RJ. “He is still our captain, right”
“Yeah, he needs to know.”
RJ knew the rules to this game. Even if he didn’t tell his father, his captain needed to know that they were fighting a war on two fronts. Besides, a captain had already gotten involved in their mess, it wouldn’t be long before everybody knew anyway.
“Go ahead,” RJ said.
When Judah arrived at Doc’s, he got his usual reception. To Doc’s men, he was the heir apparent. They all knew that one day Judah would take over the crew and they treated him accordingly.
As it always was, Doc’s was packed with gamblers looking to win big money and women who were there to take that money away from them and make them feel good about giving it up. Judah made his way through the crowd and went in his father’s office. Doc was in his usual spot, seated behind his desk, sipping Glenfiddich, a twenty-one-year-old Canadian whiskey.
“What’s going on, Judah?” Doc asked.
Judah sat down in front of the desk. “I got some things that I need to tell you.”
“This sounds serious.” Doc put down his glass. “I’m listening,” he said as Judah took Doc step-by-step through everything that had happened to this point.
When he was done, Doc drained his glass and stood up. “Anything else?” he asked as he went to refill his glass.
“No, Daddy, that’s it.”
“Can I get you one?”
“Thanks.”
Doc poured two shots and then he handed one to Judah, before he sat back down.
“Anything you need from me?”
“No, we got them. We just thought that you needed to know what was up.”
“You thought, or RJ thought?”
“I thought.”
“Thought so.” Doc pointed at Judah. “You need to tell RJ that despite what Wanda thinks, he is not a captain. I command this crew until Mike Black tells me otherwise. He needs to understand that.”
“He does,” Judah paused. “But I know what you mean.”
“Never let power go to your head. I’ve seen it too many times. Mutha fucka gets a taste of power and it fucks them up and it fucks up everything around it.” Doc took a sip. “My advice to you is to understand that’s what’s happening with RJ and act accordingly. One day you are gonna command this crew. You need to be a good leader, a smart leader and right now, that is not RJ. If he was smart, y’all wouldn’t be in this shape.”
Chapter Twelve
It had been a quiet three days since the kings killed Norreece Jefferson. But despite that, there was an understanding that this was by no means over. Somebody had to answer for the attempted assassination of RJ and Venus and then there was Marvin. Although they had killed Norreece and Odell, Psych and Latavius were still out there waiting to be dealt with. He had some people in the street looking for them, but Psych and Latavius were keeping a low profile.
It was another lazy morning for RJ and Venus. They woke early, made love, went back to sleep, woke up and did it again. Now they were lying in bed talking about whether they should get up, get dressed and go out to eat lunch or have something delivered when there was a knock on the door.
Since Venus wasn’t expecting anybody, RJ got his gun and went to the door. When he looked through the peephole, he put his gun in his waist and opened the door. There stood Chuck with his arms folded across his chest.
“Good morning, RJ. Your Uncle Mike is outside. He’d like a word with you.”
“Let me get a shirt,” RJ said. “You wanna come in?”
“I’m good. Just hurry up,” Chuck ordered, and RJ hurried into the bedroom to get a shirt.
“Who was at the door?”
“Chuck. Uncle Mike is outside,” RJ said quickly grabbing a shirt and rushing back toward the door.
“He can come in,” Venus said to nobody and she knew it when she heard the door slam shut. She had never met Black and wanted to, quite badly. She wanted to be accepted as part of this Family and meeting and making a good impression on the boss would be a good thing. Maybe I’ll get introduced to him at his uncle’s wedding, Venus thought.
RJ rode down in the elevator with Chuck and then he escorted him to the Escalade and open the back door. Not only was Black in there, but Easy as well.
“Good morning, RJ,” Black said as RJ got in.
“Morning, Uncle Mike.” He looked at Easy. “What’s up, Little Prince?”
“What’s up, Big Prince?” Easy replied and they fist bumped as Black smiled and shook his head.
“I came to make sure that you were all right.”
“I’m good, Uncle Mike.”
“You need anything?”
“No, sir, were good. But do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“What’s that?”
“What do you think I should do?”
“Of course, it’s up to you what you do and how you choose to run your business, but my advice is to let it go. The last thing you need to be doing is getting in wars with drug dealers. It is never good for business. You’re a businessman that has an interest in gambling, you aren’t fighting with them for corners. They tried to hit you, you busted back and killed the niggas that did it. It’s on them now. If they come back at you, then you do something in retaliation, but otherwise be done with it.”
“That’s the same thing Pop said.”
“I know, we talked about it; me, your Pop, your Aunt Wanda and Rain.”
The brain trust, RJ thought. “I’ll let it go.”
“But you need to be good with it, not do it because me and your Pop say you should.”
“Honestly, Uncle Mike, you and Pop saying that’s what I should do is the best reason to let it go. But I am good with it.”
“Good.”
“What about Money? He should let it go too, right?”
“No. Marvin’s situation is different.”
“How so?”
“Difference is, Marvin knows who tried to whack him and he’s already got two of them. He has to get the other two.”
“After I talked to Pop, I told him that he needed to back off of it,” RJ said.
“How’d he take it?”
“He wasn’t happy about it, but he said he’d let it go.”
“Call him. Find out where he is and tell him I’m coming to talk to him.”
RJ pulled out his phone to make the call. “What’s up, RJ?” Marvin said when he answered.
“Where you at, Money?”
“At Zaketa.”
“Stay there, we’re coming to you.”
“Who’s we?”
“Uncle Mike wants to talk to you,” RJ said.
“Oh.”
When Black knocked on the window, Chuck got in and started the Escalade.
“Where to?” Chuck asked, and RJ told him where he needed to go.
“There is something that I need you to remember, RJ,” Black said.
“What’s that?”
“You’re on a different path than Marvin. I meant what I said when I told you that the responsibility is yours.” He pointed at Easy. “Your road dog there is a little boy, so one day you are going to be the boss of this Family.”
“
I understand, Uncle Mike. I won’t let you down. You have my word on that.” RJ nodded.
After RJ ended the call, Marvin just sat there for a few seconds holding the phone in his hand and looking at the blank screen.
“Is everything all right, Money?” Zaketa asked and moved closer to him.
“I don’t know.”
“Who was it?”
“RJ. He’s on his way here,” Marvin said, with Uncle Mike. He still felt a little uncomfortable calling him that. It was the same with Aunt Wanda and Uncle Bobby. So, he stuck to the standard, yes, sir and yes, ma’am.
Marvin got out of bed with Zaketa, but then he just stood there for a second or two thinking.
He didn’t say how far away they were, so should I take a shower? I don’t want to be in the shower when they get here and keep the boss of The Family waiting.
He glanced at Zaketa.
But do I really want to talk to the boss of The Family smelling like pussy? He thought and headed toward the shower.
While Marvin showered, a million things were going through his mind, ranging from too trivial for words to extremely important, from what should I wear to, is he coming to kill me?
Although Marvin was fairly confident that he wasn’t about to be assassinated, RJ would have said something, but he still wanted to know what was up. Black had never requested to see him before, and Marvin never had any need to talk to him. He thought about everything that he had done and how he went about doing it and for the life of him, he could not think of anything that he did wrong, so that wasn’t it.
Then it hit him like a shot to the gut; this is about Psych and Latavius and RJ wanting me to leave it alone.
He was sure of it and it made him mad. Marvin had given his word that he would back off and take no further action against them without it being provoked. He considered himself to be a man of his word and had thought that he had proven that to RJ and the other kings time and time again. This said that he was wrong. Despite it all, and everything that he had done to this point, he was still an outsider. He didn’t grow up in The Family like RJ and Judah had.
Although he gave his word, Marvin was still torn about the decision, so he talked to Nick about it. He explained the situation with Psych and Latavius and then what RJ said.
“Then that’s what you’re gonna do,” Nick said. “In this Family, you follow orders.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Did RJ talk to Doc?”
“Judah did.”
“At least somebody is talking to Doc.” Nick paused. “What’s up with that?”
Marvin looked at his father for a few seconds before answering him. “Wanda made RJ a captain.”
“She did what?”
“Wanda made RJ a captain.” Marvin paused. “Well, she told him that he should conduct himself as if he were a captain.”
Nick shook his head. “Does Black or Bobby know about that?”
“I don’t know, Pop. I’m just telling you what he told me,” Marvin said.
Having had first-hand experience with Wanda going behind Black and Bobby’s backs to do something, he wasn’t surprised. However, it did leave him with a decision to make. Should I talk to Black and Bobby, or should I just ask Wanda what the fuck she’s doing?
Nick laughed a little. “Bottom line, son, you do what your captain tells you,” was his father’s advice, so that’s what he was going to do. Therefore, once Marvin was dressed, he kissed Zaketa goodbye and went outside to wait. He had been outside for about ten minutes or so when he saw the Escalade round the corner. Marvin pushed off the car he was leaning against and got in.
“What’s up, Money?” Easy said.
“Hey,” Marvin smiled and closed the door. “What’s up, Little Prince?”
“Not you too,” Black said and shook his head.
Easy pointed to himself. “Little Prince.” He pointed at RJ. “Big Prince.” Easy looked up at his father and Black shook his head.
“How are you, Money?” Black asked.
“I’m good, sir,” Marvin said as Chuck drove off.
“What I wanted to tell you is that you need to deal with the niggas that tried to hit you,” Black said, and Marvin smiled because that was exactly what he wanted to hear. And to hear it directly from Black said a lot to him. “You already killed two of them. You have to get the other two. If you don’t kill Psych and Latavius, it will look like you pussied out because you’re scared.”
“Yes, sir.” Marvin looked at RJ and felt vindicated because that was almost word for word what he told RJ. But he had a question. “Why is my situation different from RJ’s?”
Black was impressed that he asked the question. It showed Black that Marvin was thinking and wanted to learn. He wasn’t surprised though because he knew that Marvin had been talking more with Nick.
“Because other than Venus recognizing the car, RJ doesn’t know who it was that went at him. That could have been any coward behind the wheel. What you do know is Barnes sent men to firebomb your spot and they’re dead. You understand what I’m telling you?”
“Yes, sir. It’s their move.”
“Exactly.”
“But I gotta get mine.”
“You know what you need to do. And if there’s anything you need, anything at all, all you gotta do is ask for help. We’re a family, and this Family takes care of its people,” Black said.
“I understand,” Marvin said.
“Thank you, Uncle Mike,” RJ said.
“Chuck,” Black said, and he pulled over at his first opportunity. He looked at RJ and Marvin and it didn’t take them long to realize that it was time for them to get out. Marvin opened the door, RJ waved to Easy and they got out.
“What now?” Chuck asked as he drove off and left RJ and Marvin standing at the corner.
“I got one more person I need to see. You drop me off and take Easy home.”
“Where to?” Chuck asked.
Sometime after that, Fiona was lounging in the living room of Jackie and Travis’s house watching daytime television, something that she used to enjoy before she entered the life. Now that she was free of Simone, Fiona was ecstatic and excited about her future. She was damn near gleeful about it, but there were times when she feared that it was only a temporary thing. That her freedom would only last until Jada got back from Paris and she would have to go back. But Fiona tried not to focus on that, and when she did think about it, she would do something to take her mind off it.
She was watching a discussion about whether you should confirm, deny or plead the fifth on The Talk. Although the discussion on-screen was about something else entirely, Fiona was deep in thought about the topic. She had just murdered Simone and although she was sure that Jackie and Travis would do everything they could to see that nothing happened to her because of it, there was still the law. So, she had to consider whether she should confirm, deny or plead the fifth? But that was when the doorbell rang. Fiona picked up the remote and switched the television to the front door security feed. She bounced to her feet and ran up the stairs to the bedroom. Fiona burst through the door and was hit with the sight of Jackie and Travis having sex.
“Without me?”
“You’re welcome to join us,” Travis said, and he kept pumping it to Jackie.
“What is it, Fiona?” Jackie managed to get out.
“Mr. Black is at the door.”
“Oh, shit,” Travis said and rolled off Jackie. Both of them jumped out of bed and quickly began grabbing for clothes.
“Go let him in, Fiona,” Jackie said and put her dress back on. “We’ll be right down.”
“Okay,” Fiona said nervously and rushed back downstairs. She had only seen Black once, but she’d never been introduced. That day, he was talking to Jada and didn’t once look away from her. As she passed the floor to ceiling length mirror, Fiona stopped and looked at herself.
Fiona was wearing a Josie Natori mariposa embroidered silk robe. Although she looked very sexy in it, was it what
she wanted to have on when she greeted the boss of The Family on behalf of her captain. Fiona was thinking about changing when the doorbell rang again. She fluffed her hair, tightened the satin sash around her waist and went to answer the door.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Black.”
Black smiled. “You must be Fiona.”
“Yes, Mr. Black. Won’t you please come in.”
“Thank you, Fiona,” Black said and walked in the house. Fiona closed the door behind her.
“Can I get you anything, Mr. Black?”
“You can get Jackie for me.”
“Jackie and Travis will be with you in a moment, Mr. Black. Would you like to have a seat?” Fiona asked as Jackie came charging down the stairs with Travis right behind her.
“Hey, Black,” an out of breath Jackie said when she came into the room.
“Walk with me,” Black said and turned toward the door. Both Jackie and Travis fell in behind him. Black stopped. “Not you, Travis. Just Jackie,” he said and opened the door. Jackie glanced at Travis and Fiona and then she followed Black out.