Who Shot Ya Box Set

by Renta

  //: Don’t be late. Meet me at Jhon-Jhon’s at 9:10 p.m. sharp.

  10:15 a.m. December 3rd

  Right up under that text was another one that confused me.

  //: I’m a block away—come outside!

  10:20 a.m. December 3rd

  I don’t know what made my heart race, but I look at the time of his text, and tried to remember what time I’d received Nutz text and erased it. My heartbeat was in overdrive, as I came up blank. I said fuck it and hit my baby up. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something wasn’t right. If Assata said he was around the corner, why didn’t he show up? Why didn’t he call me this morning? Why ain’t he pickin’ up? By the time I concluded what musta happened, I was in a river of tears.

  I’d called him ten times in the last twenty minutes and every time it went straight to voicemail. The puppy barked at me as if he knew something was up.

  ***

  ~Six~

  “AIDS! I—gave—myself—AIDS!” It seemed to echo off the walls of my mind like a loud drum in an empty room.

  I stood on shaky legs and so many emotions poured out of me. They boiled over into a fit of rage as I showered Gusto with blows. The guilt inside me thirsted to place the blame on anyone else, but myself.

  “You did this to me,” I screamed as he tried to restrain me.

  Suddenly, I didn’t know if I was lying down or standing up as stars circled in my head. I didn’t understand what had just happened until Gusto stood over me with murder in his eyes.

  “Look, bitch, I never intended to fuck you. I’d never fuck over nobody like that. It’s only one mu’fucka, I want to feel my pain. Now, that you’ve committed suicide, I gotta way we both can get some revenge.

  Chapter Fourteen

  All Is Fair in Love and War

  ~Ice-Berg~

  It’s been almost three weeks since I turnt Nutz on to the plug and cut ties with the game. After the lick on Russia’s bitch ass, things got spooky. Even though Russia hadn’t said anything, I knew in these types of situations everybody was a suspect. I think the only thing that allowed me to still have life was the fact that, Snow was a white girl and there was no way to link her to me or my people. As a matter, of fact, those were the words from Belle’s mouth.

  She was still hot, that the murder plot turned out to be a robbery, that left everybody leaking, but the intended victim. I told her shit happens. Yeah, when shit has cooled off, we’ll get his bitch ass, but right now he’s running his operations from across the water. He had business with the big boss and he’d been M.I.A for a few weeks. I’d been running that dick in, Belle. That bitch is an animal in the bed. I know, I’m playing with fire, but how could I let this boss bitch get away, without seeing if what they said about Latin women is true?

  It is her pussy wet as Niagara Falls, and she freakier than a porn star. I see why them ese’s be putting all them babies in they women. They never stop fucking. It’s now 9:15 p.m., I’m at the crib with so much to do. My doorbell let me know, my company had already arrived. Going to the door, I smiled in anticipation of this bitch.

  Belle got a nigga nose open. As I opened the door, she pulled the sash on her coat, it opened and she was butt ball naked underneath it. See, this is why I got so much to do, but not enough time to do it.

  ***

  ~Jazzy~

  Me and my girls sat at a table center stage. We were enjoying ourselves, as beautiful brothas and sistas showed their talent. I’d yet to hear from Assata. I just prayed that he’d show. I remembered him telling me, he does stand up poetry, but it’s kinda hard to believe. I’ve only seen that other side of the man. Tonight, I hoped to not only get the opportunity to meet the other side of Assata, but also to see if my assumptions were correct, or if I was merely overreacting.

  Someone nudging my shoulder snapped me outta my thoughts, just in time to hear some host introduce an Afrocentric Queen named Freedom to the stage. She stepped to the mic, as the lights dimmed, and the spotlight radiated her beauty. Her wild hair glistened from underneath a red scarf and her big Bambi like eyes were at half-mast, as she caressed the mic like it was the most beautiful dick she’d ever touched. The crowd simmered down, her beautiful full lips opened to reveal a deep sultry voice, that put you in that mood to make deep passionate love.

  “Hey, Gods and Earths, I’m here again to do a piece that I call, ‘Forever in a Glass Jar’. I know you sistas out there gonna feel me on this one. I just ask you brothas to vibe with me, as I give you me.” She said as she turned her eyes to a midnight black brotha at the table next to mine.

  “I wish that forever could be captured in a jar, held until we meet again. I don’t know when that will be, but if it’s in another lifetime I’d hand you the jar, and when you open it, we’d be transported back to this week again.

  “During our last encounter, I vowed to never be weak again—

  We argued—

  We fucked—

  And then you left as if we’d never speak again.

  But, every time, I closed my eyes I fell so deep again. I find no peace in merely ‘I’, or me, and him. I just thirst for ‘we’ again. Wait, there I go again—

  Lusting for a love that’s no good for me.

  I’m not saying, you’re too hood for me. I’m just asking if you think, forever can be captured in a jar?

  I wonder, God, within everything that’s been manifested, tried and tested.

  “Why can’t you trust? I know the last woman you gave your heart to was a slut, but how can you hold her sins against me? Simply because she only knew how to love if you made her nut, but you’d simply thought she’d change cause you loved too much? Hush!

  I don’t want no excuses, I’m not foolish enough to think a lifetime of pain will be erased overnight. But, the essence of a soldier’s fight is what makes him reign supreme. There’s no such thing as finding forever in a dream.

  “Just painted scenes captured on a canvas lost within a forest of trees.

  So, maybe we will meet again—it may be in another lifetime—at that moment, I’ll embrace you warmly and tell you, that I understand now how knowledge and wisdom can give birth to a star.

  Even though, it’s a beautiful fantasy, forever can’t be captured inside of a glass jar—”

  The room erupted, as she held up a clenched fist, and smiled her departure. The host held up a glass of cognac.

  “Yeah, y’all had to feel my girl, Free. She always heats this muthafuckin’ mic up.” He hyped the crowd. There were snaps and glasses in the air all around the packed room. “Now, tonight, we have a special young brotha that’s been more like a son to me over the years. Now, for those of you who ain’t never experienced this shit before. Playas hold on to your ladies, ladies hold onto your panties, cause my youngin’ is gonna have to come on with it after what Free just did.”

  The crowd reacted to his test with a round of applause. “So, without further ado, y’all mu’fuckas show some deep love to my boy, Assata!”

  Chills ran down my spine at the mere mention of his name. The lights dimmed, and a red spotlight shined down on the small stage. Anticipation was thick, as we all waited for his presence to fill the room. Me solely, I waited for our eyes to meet. Suddenly, he was there, center stage and shirtless. His chocolate skin stained with tattoos of his journey. The ski mask on his stomach was the biggest piece. It was a goon praying as chaos erupted around him.

  His Gucci pants slightly hung from his waist only Assata could step into a club with his burna tucked in his waistband on full display. As sexy as this God was the one thing that couldn’t be ignored, was the pain in his eyes. He pulled the microphone out of its cradle, with one hand and held a big Gulp cup that only those close to him, knew was filled with his drink of choice codeine, in the other.

  “What’s the bidness world? I had a piece that I worked on for the past few days. But, after the pill, I had to swallow today. I think I’ll do my best shit giving it to you straight from the gut.” Then as if he
knew I’d come, as if he had this particular seat reserved for me. He looked through the darkness and his eyes lock with mine. My assumptions became my reality. My heart crumbled into a million pieces as he cried internally.

  “Shid after that heat, Free, just laid down. I didn’t know if I’d be able to live up to the standard,” he flashed his diamond smile at Free who was now sitting to my right. Some female in the back of the room screamed over the noise.

  “Don’t worry about the standard, suga, just give us your soul, just standing your sexy ass up there has me lost in your vibe.”

  The crowd roared in amusement. Assata nodded in appreciation, as he sat his cup down on the stage, and looked back in my direction.

  “I’ll call this one, ‘Ocean of Grief’.

  At a time, that I had lost focus you appeared like hocus-pocus. Poetry in motion, I don’t even think you know it.

  I know, that this is my chance at true love, I don’t want to blow it.

  So, here, I’m giving you my heart and trusting you to hold it, cause I’m a good nigga from a city gone mad. Guess, I just fell in love with a good girl in a situation gone bad.

  I wanna say this is the best thing I’ve ever had. Honestly, I ain’t got nothin’ to compare it to.

  It’s like, spending a few bands on a suit, but having nowhere to wear it to. Or like, you’re a bag of money and I’m the poor man, that happened to stumble up on you. All I can do is stare at you—

  Crazy, I guess—but today you taught me well.

  An ocean of reality under a small ship, set to sail.

  I wanna degrade you and call you names like slut—whore—or Jezebel, but how can I condemn you for not being who I wanted you to be. When you’re just being a female?

  “That would be like—like sayin’ an oyster isn’t an oyster simply because it’s lost its seashell or losing my faith in a wish simply because none of mine has come true. Even though, I’ve dropped a penny in three wishing wells.

  I wonder— if Superwoman ever fell weak, who would she be?

  Would Coretta Scott King, still be legendary if she ever chose to cheat?

  Would Martin still dream without sleep, or if I was a different typa nigga, would the love we have to be so deep, that I could see beyond this pain at my feet, that’s drowning me in an ocean of grief?

  “Yet, that’s just what I wonder. I’m not the typa nigga, that can look back where I began. ‘Cause at times it’s hard to look through the rain and see the sun.

  There’s no way for you to be the moon without reflecting the sun. Now my moon lives behind an eclipse.

  I speak to the Heavens until there’s a hole in my chest big enough to sink three ships. It’s as if my mental is at war with my heart, strapped up with three clips.

  I’d be a lie to say, I am happy for you. In fact, I wish, I knew magic, so I could conjure up something tragic for you. That’s only for the moment. Tonight, I’ma cry in the shower so my tears can blend in with imagined raindrops.

  My heart is now locked away, you’ll never be able to reenter it cause I found a way to change the locks.”

  ***

  ~Ice-Berg~

  “Coje Esta Panocha, Cojela,” Belle moaned, as she rode this dick.

  Her titties swung in my face as I spread her ass cheeks apart. I was making sure she got every inch of this eight and a half inches of meat. The pretty bitch was riding me so hard, it almost hurt, but the almost part didn’t hold a candle to the sensations rushing through my dick every time the pussy swallows me up, so I allowed her to freak out.

  “Chu ready, huh? Chu ready for me to cu—cum, Papi?” She moaned as she sat up straight and fucked a nigga to death.

  She was in her zone and my shit was pulsating when the sound of a lighter disturbed our melody, a small flame illuminated the dim room. Maybe this hoe was so far into the moment of euphoria, she missed the telltale signs of something being amiss. The sound of her husband’s voice snapped her crazy ass back to reality real quick. Throwing her to the side, I snatched the .40 from under the pillow.

  “You know, my friend—te ting I’ve never understood about you race is that you greed.” He whispered through a mouthful of cigar smoke.

  His two henchmen aimed Mac-90’s at us awaiting the signal to turn my California king into my death bed. I looked to Belle to see how she was taking the sudden turn of events. To my surprise, the silly hoe had a smirk on her face.

  “Chu could at least allowed me to get me nut before chu rudely interrupted,” she purred.

  This bitch had lost her mu’fucking marbles.

  “Look, Russia—this—this shit is all wrong, fam. I—”

  “Shut the fuck up!” He cut me off. “I’m an important man, Mister Swanson, so it pays to know what goes on around me. I’ve done work for the Solntsevskaya Bratva, as well as many other outfits. I’m from the old country, it pays to be observative. Have you ever heard of the ‘Vorovskoy Zakon?”

  Before I could tell the sucka fuck naw, he continued. “Of course, you know noting of the codes, I’m bound by. You’ve shown you’re disrespect enough to show, that you honor noting. I’ve always known my dear, Belle, was a slut—whore! I was willing to overlook, that small detail in the name of business. You see, her father is a very important man in my dear city of Moscow. He is, or shall I say was the man that supplied me. The deals he gave me were worth far more to me than his worthless daughter, he forced me to marry in order to reach such great success.”

  Belle began to climb outta bed at the past participle that he used in reference to her pops, but I blocked her with my arm. Hoe may be a human shield in a few seconds.

  “Reno,” He snapped, at the brute to his left. Instantly, he turned and walked outta the room.

  “I no need the services with Mr. Chavez any longer. I’ve decided to cut—ummm?” He put a finger to his head as if he was in deep concentration. At that moment, the nigga Reno came back in with a black bag in his hands. Reaching inside, he pulled out a severed head. A sick feeling swirled through my gut, as the silly mu’fucka tossed it onto the bed, and I watched it roll until it was facing us with white eyes.

  Simultaneously two things transpired. I leaped from the bed squeezing the tool, shid if I’m going out. I may as well do it like a ‘G’. Pain exploded in my shoulder as I fell to the floor, the last thing I heard before the deadly silence was Belle screaming.

  “Mi Papa,” I guess Russia cut ties with the homie, literally.

  Chapter Fifteen

  When It All Falls Down

  February 3

  ~Detective Hunter~

  I sat at my desk as my mind ran wild. Tonight, was the night, that we take Ice-Berg and his flunky’s down. There was no question in my mind, once we captured the pawns, they would give us the king on a silver platter. Russia wouldn’t know what hit him, once the birds got to singing. We’d got a thirty-man indictment starting from the big man all the way down to the driver of his car.

  ‘It’s gonna be a beautiful night.’ I thought when an officer I allowed to help with tonight’s extravaganza interrupted my train of thought.

  “Hey, Hunter, you think this prick of an attorney’s wife knows what she’s doing? Can she be trusted?”

  I moved too quickly and knocked over my cup of Java, as I snatched him by his lapels. “Look, you fucking dickhead, what did I tell you about—” All eyes were on us.

  I released him, smoothed the wrinkles I caused out of his thrift store jacket, and tried to calm myself. Lowing my voice I growled, so only he could hear me. “Listen, Sampson, this thing we going on isn’t anybody’s business. You can’t just go around speaking as if this shit is public information.”

  I followed his eyes to something behind me, I locked eyes with Winslet as she stared at me quizzically. “Code blue,” she said.

  That’s the code that let me know shit was about to get real peculiar.

  ***

  ~Six~

  I’d been laying in my bed crying so hard I was sick. AIDS
—HIV, that shit didn’t happen to bitches like me. The pain had turned into seething heat, as I thought about the plan, Gusto ran by me. His logic was that if it wasn’t for Assata neither one of us would be in this current predicament. Which was true in a sense, because if Assata wouldn’t have called on Gus’, to ensure he got some ass. Gus would have stayed home that night, instead of finding himself laid up in some infected pussy. If he wouldn’t have tried to play me to the left like some sideline bitch, I wouldn’t have fallen victim to a sick dick.

  Assata has to pay for his role in this, I think a taste of his own medicine will be a perfect conclusion to this madness. That was my thoughts as I dialed his number to put me and Gusto’s plan in motion. I would have never guessed how easy this would be until I heard the slur in his voice when he answered the phone.

  “Assata, please come over, baby. I need you sooo badly.” I cried into the phone.

  He told me he’d be here and not to be on no bullshit before he hung up in my face. I glanced over at Gusto smiling wickedly.

  “You may as well get over here and ride this dick one time before he comes. It can’t do no more harm than it already has.”

  I’m a fool, but not no damn fool. I stood up and laughed at him. “Nigga, that’s overkill. I wouldn’t fuck you again if your dick ejected the cure to this shit. Assata is on the way, you need to leave.”

  ***

  ~Nutz~

  I’m heading out the door and without paying attention I run right into Destiny.

  “Whoa—whoa, where you headed in such a hurry?” She asked, wrapping her arms around my neck.

  I leaned down to kiss her pretty lil’ lips then replied, “I got some shit to tend to, ma. I’m gone catch up with you in traffic. You’re welcomed to stay until I come back,” I said dangling my keys in her face.