by U. E. Wynn
“What the hell took you so damn long?” Star asked, stepping inside. “We been out here knocking for like 10 minutes.”
“My fault. I was in the middle of doing something,” Koran replied just as Serenity walked up behind him wrapped in a white robe. Star glanced at Serenity then back to Koran with a sly grin. “Oh, I see. You were in the middle of something, huh?”
Serenity turned red in the face and Koran laughed. “Y’all niggas c’mon.”
Once they were assembled in the living room, Serenity played hostess and brought everybody Heinekens. Afterwards, she returned to the bedroom to get dressed. She knew Koran needed to talk shop with his boys, so she left to go see her sister.
Once everyone made small talk, Koran stood up from where he sat in the recliner and addressed the Heads. “A yo, as you all know, Jah gonna be outta it for a minute. So until he gets back, I’ll be holding shit down in the Bronx. I already…”
“Hold the fuck up!” Star interrupted. “You suppose to be going down south nigga. That’s already been agreed on before any of this crazy shit popped off.”
“And who gonna handle shit out here?”
“Prince. He can hold it down since he’ll be here.”
“That was then, because I ain’t going no fucking where,” Koran said with ice in his voice. “My brother is laid up in the fucking hospital and you think I'm leaving? You must be smoking some crack. Now like I was saying, Jah put me up on everything. The stash houses, the connects, the whole run down. He wouldn't have did it if he ain’t think I could handle it and that’s exactly what I’ma do. Handle it!” He glanced at Star and for the first time felt a vibe of dislike.
“You know what, I know how you feeling Koran. You're pissed because of what happened, but use your head man!” said Prince. “This shit ain't no joke, Son. How you expect to do something with your arm in a cast? You'll fuck around and get bodied. Take your ass down south, at least until you heal up.”
Korans’ eyes narrowed. “First of all Prince, I ain't no damn kid, so don't speak to me like I'm one. Secondly, I can get busy with my left hand just as good as I could with my right. If I ain't mistaken I got more bodies than all you niggas put together which don't mean shit, but it should speak for me being able to protect myself.”
Sha’ nodded. “He made a good point. To be honest, since Dee is gone, I feel he's the best person to hold Jah’s spot down. Jah said it himself a few months back.”
Silence filled the room for a few seconds until Lord voiced his opinion addressing Koran. “I’ve been watching you ever since Jah started you out on that Karate Kid shit. The way you came up leaves me with no doubts that you can hold it down out here. This is the thing though, you can't be thinking with your emotions or making any immature decisions. Your actions fall back on us, remember that.”
“No doubt, Lord. Before I make any important moves, I’ll run it by y'all first, just like Jah did. As for emotions, the mistake I made in Bronxdale won’t be repeated. I’m repping Jah by holding down his spot. I won't do nothing to let him down, believe that!” Koran said, giving the impression that he would work within the boundaries when he had plans to do just the opposite. He didn't know for sure that one of them in this room was trying to kill him and he wasn't about to take any chances trusting them. “Since we past that, I got some shit to put y'all up on,” he continued, knowing when they were in for another shock. “Me and Valentino had a discussion and…”
“Valentino! When you talk to Valentino?” Star asked, screwing up his face. “We been trying to get in touch with that cracker since that shit popped off with you and Jah.”
“Who’s us?” Koran asked, wondering if all the Heads were in on the plot.
“Us nigga!” Star looked at the other Heads. “We ready to move, but we gotta know what’s up with the dough.”
Koran grinned. “I’ll be handling that now.”
“You!?” all four men said at the same time.
“Yeah, yours truly. Know how Valentino would only deal with Jah? Well now he'll only deal with me. At least until Jah gets out the hospital. Now with the dough, everything is still set up the same. The numbered accounts are already set up in the Cayman Islands. One for each of us.”
“A yo, this shit is crazy!” Star exploded looking at the other Heads. “This cracker acts like he can’t trust us after he been eating off all our shit. And now he'll only deal with you?” he spat sarcastically glancing at Koran. “What type of shit is that?”
“You've got a problem with him dealing with me? Did you have a problem when he only dealt with Jah?”
“Nah, but…”
“But what, Nigga?”
Star squinted his eyes as he stood and took a step towards Koran. “You better calm the fuck down and watch how you talk to me!”
“And if I don't, what?” Koran threw up his good arm waiting for Star to get within swinging distance.
“Whoa! Whoa!” Lord quickly jumped in between them, his massive body making it impossible for them to reach each other. “Both of you niggas need to sit the fuck down! What the hell is wrong with y’all?”
Tension was thick as Koran and Star took their seats, never breaking eye contact.
“Check this out,” Sha’ said, walking over to where Koran sat facing the Heads. “If we stripped this shit all the way down it basically boils down to one thing. Do we accept Koran as being one of the Heads? If it comes down to a vote, Jah already made his wishes known. I'm for it and so is Lord. Am I right Lord?”
Lord nodded.
“So that's three against two if you feel the same way Prince. It's obvious how you feel Star.”
Star held up his hand. “Hold up, Son. I never said I had a problem with him holding down shit for Jah. If y'all comfortable with it, shit, I'm cool with it too. All I'm saying is why can’t this cracker deal with us?”
“A’ight, now think about what you just said. When Valentino was dealing with Jah you ain't have no beef with it. So why is it a problem now? I mean, back in the day when Jah first brought it to the table about Valentino washing our dough, it was agreed then that he would only deal with Jah. Just like we agreed that Prince would be the only one to deal with the coke and heroin connect. Just like we agreed that you and the Lord will deal with the weed connects. We all know who the connects are just like we all know who Valentino is. So what's the problem?”
Star looked at Sha’ and then to Koran with a stern expression. “You right, Homie. I owe you an apology Koran.” He stood and gave Koran a hug. “All this crazy shit going on got me stressed, Son. It ain't nothing personal.”
“Everything good, Star,” Koran returned the hug. “I ain't really want to knock your short ass out anyway.”
Star laughed. “You one armed muthafucka. I woulda beat your ass then felt bad about it.”
“What were you saying before you niggas got on that crazy shit?” Prince asked, directing his question to Koran.
“Oh, I got information that Hector is still getting money in Bronxdale. Since me and Jah been gone, he got his teeth in Castle Hill and Sound View too. He got three lieutenants. Money, he's a black dude from Castle Hill. Timbo, another black dude who's rocking the sound view area. And Carlos, this big Puerto Rican dude who's supposed to be holding down BronxDale. From…”
“Hold up, Son,” Star butted in. “I don't mean to cut you off, but where you getting this information from?”
Koran didn't want to say, but saw no way around it. “Valentino. He said he had mad contacts so I had him use them. From what I got, Hector got Bronxdale and Castle Hill on lock. Prince you been holding shit down, right?”
“Yeah. Some dough is missing from the stash spots too.”
“No, it's not. Jah was in the process of spreading it out when this other shit happened.”
“Where’s it at then?” Star asked.
“Chill, let me get back to what I was saying.” Koran tried to keep the impatience out of his voice.
“Prince have you noticed a drop in what we
usually pull in? Jah said we saw at least five mill’ a week.” Prince looked around uncomfortably. “Yeah, the money intake dropped. The most I've taken in is 3.5.”
“See.” Koran looked at each Head. “My information is correct.”
Lord, who usually was the humblest, stood and started pacing. “What the fuck is going on? How the hell is this Puerto Rican doing all this shit without us knowing. A yo, we slippin’ for real!”
“You gotta keep in mind that Hector ain't no slouch,” Sha’ said quickly. “How you think he stayed alive all these years?”
“I don't give a fuck how smart he is!” Lord snapped. “How can one muthafucka outsmart all of us? That shit ain't possible!”
“You right,” Koran agreed. “It's about to be a rap for his ass though.”
“What you mean?” Sha’ asked.
“Valentino ain't got a bead on Hector yet, but his lieutenants be up at the Wedge on Hunts Point every weekend. I'm trying to put together how we should go at it. I mean, the whole set up as far as the assaults.”
“Same plan,” Prince answered. “Ten M.G’s for Leopardi, ten for Corsello, and a ten man team to hit Bronxdale randomly. I guess we’ll have to do the same for Castle Hill in Soundview. It's going to be crazy heat though trying to hit them all at intervals.”
Koran nodded as his plan slowly started taking shape. “When we plan on doing it?”
“Two weeks from today,” said Prince.
“A’ight, two Fridays from now. That's good because Hector’s lieutenants should be in the Wedbush and it'll give me time to scope shit out. One of my old chicks used to step there and I already know the area. Next, the Friday after that, I'll send their asses to hell.”
“You can’t be serious,” Star chuckled. “You one step away from being crippled and you talking about bodies against three muthafuckas. You bugging, Son.”
Koran shook his head. “Here we go again.”
In one swift movement he grabbed the Browning from the small of his back, ejected of the clip, and caught it in his cast hand. Still moving at a blinding speed, he caught the gun against his leg, ejected the bullet lodged in the chamber. In one smooth movement he inserted the clip and caught the gun again, chambering another round. The move took no longer than five seconds using his left hand only.
“I can aim and shoot, you fucking bastard. Still think I’ma cripple, Star?”
Star burst out laughing. “My fault, Son. With all that Clint Eastwood shit you just pulled, I know Hector’s peeps are some dead muthafuckas. And yo, I know you be thinking I be coming down on you, but I just don't wanna see nothing happen to ya, you know?”
“I feel you Star, but I got me,” Koran said with a slight grin to hide the pain he felt on his side. “Now back to business. I just thought of something. Prince is right about shit being crazy hot after we pop off, so we might not get the chance to hit Hector’s spots back to back. I think it’ll work to our advantage if we stick to the plan, but when we hit’em, we hit’em crazy hard then fallback for a good minute.”
“Let me hear some more.” Star said intrigued.
“I'm saying, the way Jah explained how the drugs were distributed, it makes it crazy simple. I mean, we’re killa’s and thinkers. We ain't the nigga on the street moving the weight. So we do what we do best, kill and think. Let the niggas on the street do them. We’ll send like thirty niggas to Bronxdale, thirty niggas to Castle Hill, thirty niggas to Sound View and blow that shit up. Ain't no reason to bullshit. Get on some terrorist shit and body like a hundred muthafuckas at one time and be done with it. A move like that will put the fear of God in the coldest nigga heart.”
For a few seconds the Heads were stuck staring at Koran awestruck. His words had the effect to put the fear of God in them also.
“You hear this nigga!” Star stood up, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “He’s a fucking maniac. But I like it. We hit everybody, Leopardi and Corsello too at the same hour. The Jakes gone be fucked up! I’m feeling this!”
Prince stared at Koran as if trying to read him. “You dangerous for real,” he said with a straight face.
“So it’s settled then,” Star said, getting back to business. “Two weeks from today. Same time.”
“Hold up on setting a time. Let me watch Hector’s lieutenants first. That way everybody can get busy at the same time. Oh yeah, I suggest we all bounce for a month or so after this shit over. I mean, every M.G. involved. You know the Jakes gonna be looking under every rock trynna figure out what happened. Even though it shouldn't tie back to us, why chance it?”
Again, they were stuck looking at him.
“Yeah, Jah taught you good,” Lord said laughing. “Killa’s and thinkers. Killa’s and muthafuckin thinkers. Ain't that some shit.”
Chapter Twenty One
Koran sat in the living room contemplating the meeting after the Heads left. So much was riding on his shoulders, so many lives, and he wondered if he could handle it. Now college and the square life he once hated, didn’t seem so bad. He was snatched from his thoughts when Serenity burst into the room excitedly.
“She’s up! She’s talking!” she shouted, her eyes brightly lit.
Koran stood up confused. “Who’s talking? What you talking about, Sin?”
“Janet! Mrs. Harris said she was talking.” Serenity engulfed Koran with a hug.
“That’s what’s up. Wow, she’s been out for a minute too.”
“Years! She would have never been messed up if it wasn’t for my evil ass twin brother’s.”
Koran stiffened suddenly.
“What’s wrong?” Serenity asked, taking in his expression.
“Twin brother’s?” he repeated, stepping back. “What twin brother’s?”
Serenity looked at him looking at her strangely. “Hector and Jose.”
“You can’t be talking about the Coco Twins?”
Serenity nodded. “How do you know my brother’s?”
“Oh shit!” Koran staggered back, holding Serenity’s eyes. The same eyes he recalled staring into as a child when he first met Janet. All of a sudden, all of Jahad’s workings came rushing back. Don’t fall in love. Don’t trust a bitch.
“You’re the Coco Twin’s sister?” he asked, a sickening feeling began tightening his gut.
“Yes. Koran, what’s wrong with you?”
He pulled his gun from his waist and slowly started walking towards her. “Say it’s not you Sin. Say it’s not you,” he said, barely getting the words out. Thoughts of betrayal, the death Derrick, and his brother laid up in the hospital flashed through his mind.
Serenity’s eyes widened. “Koran what are you doing?” she asked, eyeing the gun. “Please listen to me. Whatever you’re thinking is wrong.”
“Don’t!” he yelled, placing the gun on the table in front of her. “I pray I’m wrong, but if not, kill me now.” He turned his back expecting her face to be the last thing he’d ever see.
Instead of shooting him in the head, Serenity hugged him from behind and started sobbing on his back.
“How…How could you ever think I would do anything to hurt you?” she cried. “I would never do…”
Koran turned in her arms. “Shhh! I had to know, Sin.”
“Know what?!” Serenity snapped. “You really think I’m that type of bitch? I mean, really Koran?! You think I would betray you?!”
Koran shook his head. “Baby, look at all this shit going on around me. I can’t put nothing past anyone, especially with what Jahad is going through.” Koran paused and his eyes grew wide. “Wait, if Deja’ is your niece and Janet’s her mother, who’s the father?”
‘Boy, I know my grandbabies when I see them.’ His mother’s words rung loudly in his head.
“Jahad,” he said in a low voice.
“Jahad,” Serenity stated at the same time.
Koran stumbled back into the couch and sat down. “This is too much.” He looked up at Serenity. “This some TV shit, Sin. Jah, Janet…me, you. I mean…�
�� He shook his head, trying to cope with all the new information he was getting.
“Yeah, it’s a lot, but you have other things to worry about at this moment.” Serenity sat beside him and grabbed his hand. “You have to find out who’s trying to kill you.”
Koran cut his eye at her. “Well, we know one person is your brother. But none of this is for you to stress over. You need to be getting ready to get you and your sister out of here. Wow Janet,” he said, shaking his head again in awe.
“No Koran. Just hear me out. I think I can help. I can…”
“Stop right there.”
“No, you stop! You’re good at what you do, but not only are you injured, you have no one to trust except me. Yes, Hector is my brother, but I hate him just as much, or maybe more than you. He destroyed my mother and sister. Deja’ grew up thinking her mother was a life size baby doll because of him. So even if you don’t like it, you’re gonna listen,” Serenity said fiercely.
Koran hunched his shoulders. “Aight, I’m listening.”
Serenity nodded. “You’re gonna have to use me,” she held up her hand when Koran was about to speak. “The only way to truly end this is to find out which Head is trying to kill you. Whoever this Head is, he’s using Hector. Hector has no idea that you and I are together. If so, he would have been contacted me.”
“How do you know?” Koran asked sitting up.
“That’s how he works. He did Janet like that. He uses whatever is around him to get what he wants.”
Koran shook his head. “If you went to him and told him you were with me he would know it’s a trap.”
Serenity nodded her head in agreement. “He definitely would because he knows how I feel about him. That’s not my plan. In order to find out who the Head is, you need to tell them that you found out that I’m Hector’s sister and that…”
“No!” Koran snapped. “It’s too dangerous. They’re gonna expect me to kill you or one of them will, just because of who you are.”
“Just hear me out.” Serenity continued unfazed. “Once you tell the Heads about me and that you plan on killing me, whoever the snake is will tell Hector and then Hector will contact me. When he does, I’ll do whatever you need me to do.” She stared directly into Koran’s eyes so he would see that she meant what she said.
