The Take

by L. Brown

  “Good morning,” the officer greeted as they passed. Trev spoke back while Ghost and Reem simply nodded.

  Reem was a bit nervous and removed his hand from his pocket. They turned in unison to see what the commotion behind them was. For a second, they thought that they’d been made and that it was about to go down.

  Luckily, they were relieved when they saw a few technicians run into one of the rooms behind them.

  “We have a glitch on machine 26B,” one of them yelled before disappearing into the room.

  Ghost let out a sigh of relief, but, as soon as they were about to go in the garage, the stocky guard yelled, “Hey!”

  Ghost looked at Reem. Both had the same look in their eyes. Reem gripped the Mossberg tighter and was getting ready to go postal.

  Trev looked at him and lightly shook his head.

  They turned to face the guard.

  “You dropped something,” he said, nodding toward something on the ground.

  They all looked at a keycard on the ground. It must have fallen out of Reem’s pocket when he pulled his hand out of it. Reem was so nervous that he hadn’t even noticed that he’d dropped it.

  He bent over to pick the card up.

  “Thanks,” he told the officer.

  “New, huh?” the guard asked, picking up on his nervousness.

  “Yeah,” Reem answered flatly.

  “I can tell. Loosen up a little; it’s not that bad.”

  Reem gave him a nod before the three of them disappeared behind the door. Once in the garage, they signed the truck out and left the back without incident. Richard let the gate rise and saluted them from the booth as they pulled out into Center City traffic.

  Once back at the warehouse, they had to move quickly. While they were gone, Shareef cleaned the warehouse up, getting rid of the maps, bulletins board, etc.

  They were greeted by Reef as they entered the warehouse. He stood on the balcony over the top of them, giving a round of applause.

  “Good job, gentlemen,” he said, shaking his head.

  Quickly, he joined them, and they started uploading the money from the armored truck into a van with DAISY’S FLOWERS scrawled across the side. While the three formed a line to pass the money down, Shareef hopped inside the truck’s rear compartment. He used plastic and tape to plant the fingerprints of the two armed guards they were framing all around the inside of the truck.

  “Let’s move, gentlemen!” Shareef shouted. He looked at his watch after jumping out the truck. He knew they were on the clock before headquarters would realize something was wrong with the idled truck. He had a digital trunking scanner equipped with J-Band capability, so he could hear if a dispatch went out over the airwaves to police.

  “Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go!” Shareef yelled, rushing the others.

  They handcuffed Trev and secured him in the back of the truck. His feet were, also, bound with zip-ties. All he had to do was play his part when the police showed up.

  The rest of them hopped in the van and were gone. They pulled out on Columbus Boulevard as multimillionaires.

  CHAPTER 21

  THE FOLLOWING DAY, Reef and Ghost relaxed at a property Shareef owned in Philly. It was a small redbrick home that looked like it would collapse at any minute, joining the others on the block. However, stuffed in a back room was enough money to buy the whole block.

  “Tomorrow, I’ll fly back down to see my man,” Shareef said. “He’ll turn the money over for us.” Reef was referring to a money launderer down in Miami. Because the money was fresh out the Federal Reserve Bank, they had to launder the money, so it wouldn’t be traced back to them.

  “We got a little over fifteen million. With his cut off the dollar, we should end up with about two-point-five a piece,” Shareef said.

  Ghost heard what Shareef was saying, but he was in his own world. He nodded his head, but he was stuck in deep thought. He still couldn’t believe he was a millionaire. It felt like he was a millionaire. It felt like he went to sleep and woke up rich. But, last night, he didn’t get any rest because the thought of having all that money wouldn’t let him.

  “Snap outta it, baby boy,” Shareef told him. “So, what you plan on doing with all this money? You can’t fuck it up. You have to do something with it, invest in something. You don’t want to blow the paper and have to do something else. That would be foolish.”

  “So, why did you decide to do this robbery after all you have?” Ghost asked inquisitively.

  Reef thought about that for a second before answering.

  “You know what? You have a point. Taking money is repulsive, Ghost. I have done well for myself over the years, but, for some reason, I love the take.” He sat there in silence, thinking about how his youngin’ had just pulled him up. Just when he thought he knew it all, Ghost had given him something to think about. He tried to tell himself he was done with the game, but he knew it was highly unlikely. He loved taking money, and he had graduated to the level that he didn’t have to get his hands dirty. He could simply put the plan together and get others to put the work in. He thought about how far he’d come, from doing petty stick-ups with Ghost’s father to the truck job they’d just finished. The thought made him think about Ghost’s dad.

  “So have you heard anything from your pop?” He knew Ghost didn’t feel his pop like that, but he asked anyway.

  “I think I may invest in some real estate,” Ghost said, trying to ignore the inquiry about his dad.

  “That’s good. But what’s up with your dad?” Shareef persisted.

  “I don’t know, and I really don’t give a fuck.” “What?” Shareef asked, frowning his face.

  “Come on, Reef. You know how I feel about that.” “I know. I know, but I know he loves you, so—”

  Ghost cut in aggressively. “He don’t love me! He loves the streets! He loves smokin’ that shit!”

  Reef butted back in, and Ghost’s nostrils flared up, demonstrating his anger. Reef raised his hands for Ghost’s silence.

  “Listen, Ghost. You’re what? Twenty-five, twenty-six, right? You were born in the eighties, baby boy. That was the crack era. I know you’ve heard a lot about those days, but you have no idea what it was like back then. Me and Khalil,” he said, referring to his pop, “did a lot of dirt together.” He paused as if he was recalling some of those moments. “I remember when he met your mom. I remember when you were born, man.”

  Ghost plopped down on the couch, listening to his old head. “When crack hit, Ghost,” Shareef paused and looked straight into Ghost’s eyes, “there were only two sides of the fence to fall on. Unfortunately, your pop made the worst decision of his life. He experimented one time. The drug had the streets going crazy, and he tried it once and never bounced back. I hate the decision your dad made as much as you, but he’s my man, and I owe it to him to be there for him. You do, too, Ghost. I know firsthand how much he loves you, so don’t kick that shit about how he doesn’t love you ‘cause it’s not true. He lost the same game we’re playing. A game that loves no one.”

  Ghost understood what his old head was saying, and he thought about it for a second. He was swaying between love and hate for his dad, but he knew Shareef was right, so he agreed to go see his father with him.

  “All right. Listen. I’m going to fly south to take care of this paper. Everything is set up for you and wifey out in the mountains, so go have a good time. By the time you get back, I’ll have this paper cleaned up. Then, we can go see your pop. And don’t forget we have to take care of that situation,” Shareef said, talking about getting at Reese and Mar. “For now, go lay low, and we’ll take care of that when we get back together.”

  Ghost agreed, and the two of them embraced before departing. Shareef had a membership to a North Lake Tahoe private community home. He was letting Ghost take Kia out there on a short getaway. They needed the time alone, and Ghost was anxious to go.

  But not killing Reese and Mar was the worst thing they could have done.


  The Beneficial Bank was aligned amongst a row of other stores and establishments inside the plaza. Schemes, Frog, and Smitty were slouched in the black Buick Century behind its dark tinted windows. People scurried to and from the stores.

  Schemes had put together another master plan. Though reluctant to move with Smitty, the extra body was needed. Smitty would play a minimum role by staying in the car and having it ready when they were coming out the bank. Frog wasn’t feeling Smitty’s involvement, but he decided to go with Schemes’s plan.

  “This is gonna be like taking candy from a baby,” Schemes said as they watched the bank closely.

  “So, when do you wanna move?” Frog asked. He was ready to go.

  “We can take it down on the first rainy day.” “What we gotta wait till it rain for?” Smitty asked.

  “Because it will be easier for us to get in without anyone paying attention. Plus, with the cameras in the parking lot, we’ll use umbrellas to block us from them, and no one will see us with our masks on before we go in.”

  “Damn! You’re a genius,” Smitty stroked his ego.

  Schemes loved the adulation. “That’s why they call me Schemes, baby,” he said, feeling himself. “So, we have to watch the weather to see when it’s going to rain.”

  Schemes started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. His phone started ringing, and he answered it.

  “Yeah,” he answered flatly after seeing it was Reem calling.

  “What’s good, nigga?” Reem was excited.

  “Ain’t shit. What’s up?” Schemes didn’t hide his lack of enthusiasm.

  “We on, nigga. That’s what’s up!”

  “I ain’t on, nigga. Y’all on!” Schemes retorted.

  “Come on. You know we got you. Stop acting like that. We tried to talk to Shareef, but he said we didn’t need you.” Reem didn’t want to tell him that Shareef didn’t trust him and that that was the reason they didn’t let him do the truck job with them.

  “But we got something nice. Ghost told you, right?”

  “Naw, I haven’t heard from him since the other day.”

  “Oh, he’s on vacation,” Reem told him. “Vacation? We just came back,” Schemes said.

  “I know, but he’s with wifey. They went out to Cali or something. Shareef got a condo or something out there.”

  Jealousy and envy ran through Schemes’s veins. He knew they had come up on something nice, and Ghost didn’t even call him yet. Schemes would never admit it, but he was acting like a bitch.

  “So what’s up with you, though?” Reem asked.

  Schemes couldn’t get out of his feelings, so he answered, “Ain’t shit. I’m trying to eat like y’all.”

  “I can dig it. The money is being cleaned up. I got you after it gets washed up, so sit tight, homie.”

  “All right. That’s what’s up. I’ll holla at you later.” They hung up, and Schemes looked at Frog, shaking his head. Frog didn’t know who was on the phone with Schemes, but he figured it was either Ghost or Reem because he could tell his cousin wasn’t feeling them by the conversation.

  “Who was that?” Frog asked.

  “Reem,” Schemes answered. “This nigga talking about sit tight and he got me. He got me fucked up.”

  Schemes was jealous as shit. He knew they were going to break bread, but that wasn’t the point. They had left him out of the biggest job yet, and his pride wouldn’t let him accept that. He had put them on to taking money. Now, since Shareef came along, they had left him hanging. As far as he was concerned, Reef could go back into the hole he came out of.

  “So, we still gonna get this money, right?” Frog asked.

  “It ain’t no question. They don’t call me Schemes for nothing,” he said. He turned the music back up and turned to Rick Ross’ “Stay Schemin.”

  “Staaayyy Scheeemin,” he sang along with the hook.

  CHAPTER 22

  THOUGH WARM OUTSIDE, the wind whirled outside the old-fashioned cabin. Ghost and Kia were sunk in a plush leather couch, cuddled and watching the fifty-two inch plasma television mounted over a double door fireplace.

  “Did you have fun, baby?” Ghost asked her.

  “Yeah, when I was on my feet,” Kia joked.

  The two of them had just come from skating in an arena inside the private community.

  They caught a private jet courtesy of NetJets to the hills out in Cali. The jet was delightful, but was superseded by the astounding cabin resort. The stay in the mountains was so serene. Kia’s jaw dropped in her chest at their arrival.

  “Well, I hope you are not too sore tomorrow because we’re set to go hiking in the mountains and mountain-bike riding.” Kia looked at him with an unsure look on her face. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d ridden a bike, and she’d never been hiking, so it would be quite an experience.

  Times like this made Kia love Ghost, but she hated the life he was living. She had already lost Kha’s father to the streets. She thought about the possibility of losing Ghost, and she knew she would never be able to bear another loss like that. Besides Bird, Kha looked up to Ghost, and she wanted him to be a good role model. Bird kept Kha while they were away again. She didn’t know Ghost was a millionaire now, and since he was planning to leave the game alone for good, her worrying was in vain.

  Kia started kissing on Ghost’s neck and rubbing his abdomen. He invited her affection by lifting his arms to allow her to peel his shirt off. Blood rushed from his thighs, giving him an erection. His manhood stood at its peak, forming a tent in his Polo boxers. Kia showed him her love as she kissed his chest. Slowly, she lowered herself to his abs before sliding his boxers down.

  Standing full length, his piece ran the length of her entire face as she licked his balls. His scrotum rushed together at the attention of her warm tongue. She seductively ran her tongue up the shaft of his penis and wiggled it on the tip while looking up into his eyes. She jerked him for a second. She knew her teasing was driving him insane.

  Finally, she took him into her mouth and went to work. He ran his fingers through her hair and guided her head as she went along. She jerked him with one hand at the same time.

  She removed her hand and deep throated him as far as she could. Not satisfied with the inch or two unattended to, she came back up and bobbled her head back down until he completely disappeared in her mouth. Spit dripped down his balls, and she blew on it to create a tingling sensation.

  “I love you, babe,” escaped Ghost’s lips. “Oh, baby, I’m about to nut.” He held the back of her head, guiding it, but she did most of the work. Kia loved the power of making her man squirm and moan. He finally let loose, and she didn’t miss a drip.

  He stood up, looming over top of her. Taking her by the hand, he guided her from her knees and planted his face where her thighs met. She straddled her legs over his shoulders while he pleased her.

  “Oh, yeah! Right there, baby,” she cried. Her wish was his command. Juices streamed down his chin, but he ignored them. He took her swollen lump in his mouth and sucked her just the way she liked. He slid a finger inside her and found her g-spot. She flinched at his touch.

  “Oh, my god! Oh, my god!” She sounded like a broken record as she incessantly called out in vain. “I’m cumming, baby.” And she did.

  “Please, baby,” she begged him to travel inside her.

  “Tell me you want it,” he said, teasing her.

  “I want it! I need it!” she whined some more.

  Finally, he entered her, and her wetness swallowed him whole. Pushing her legs as far back as her pliable joints would allow, he ran in and out of her.

  “Oh, my god, baby! You’re going to make this pussy explode!” If that was possible, he was definitely on the verge of causing an explosion. As she had a series of orgasms, her eyes rolled into the confines of head.

  He turned her around and punished her from behind. The movie was going off, and the music played during the credits. Kia threw her ass back to the beat as she e
njoyed the mixture of pain and pleasure.

  “I’m about to cum,” Ghost squealed.

  “Cum in me. I want to have your baby,” Kia revealed. Ghost let everything loose, and he collapsed on her back as she laid on her stomach. They breathed heavily, trying to catch their breaths. Ghost had been waiting for the right moment to propose to her, and, as they laid there as one, he popped the question in a light whisper, saying, “Marry me.”

  The words were like music to her ears. She’d been waiting forever for this moment. A single tear escaped her eyelid. The answer didn’t need to be said.

  Schemes laid in the backseat, listening to raindrops tap against the roof of the stolen minivan. Frog slouched in the rear compartment with him. The two of them wore black ski masks as they hid behind the tinted windows. Smitty sat in the front seat, tapping the steering wheel. He was nervous as can be.

  “You ready, Frog?” Schemes asked.

  “Yeah, let’s do it,” Frog responded eagerly. They hopped out the van and put their umbrellas up to stay undetected more than block the rain. Schemes gave Smitty his chirp phone before getting out the van; they could chirp him from Frog’s phone when they were ready for him to pull the van to the bank’s front door.

  Schemes’s eyes scurried across the parking lot.

  “I told you. Look. No one is paying us any attention,” he told Frog, who looked around quickly before putting his head back down before anyone saw him wearing the ski mask.

  Schemes opened the door of the Beneficial Savings Bank and brought the umbrella down in front of his face as he entered the bank’s vestibule. Inside, the employees were conducting business as usual, oblivious to the entrance of the robbers. By the time they looked up, it was too late. Guns were out, and the men were moving at breakneck speed.

  “Everyone get the fuck down!” Schemes demanded. He pointed the gun at an employee who seemed to be in shock. She still hadn’t gotten down on the ground. “Get on the fucking ground!” he repeated.