by K'wan
“So what is it?” Animal hoisted the bag.
“I have no idea. She just said to make sure that I gave it to you and to tell you to open the gift when you’re somewhere private. I’ve done my part, so I’m gone,” Lizzy started back to the car, but Animal called after her.
“Thank you, and tell Kastro that I love her,” Animal said.
Lizzy smiled. “I will. And happy birthday, Animal,” she told him before getting back into her car and pulling off.
After Lizzy had gone, Animal, Tech and Ashanti went up to Tech’s apartment to open the gift and see what it was. Animal’s hands trembled nervously as he tore off the wrapping paper. It was a wooden box with a gold clasp and the words, “For my favorite misfit.” were engraved into the top. When Animal opened the box and saw what was inside, his heart was aflutter. They were two Glocks with rose-tinted barrels and rubber grips. It was the first time he had ever held his Pretty Bitches and he fell instantly in love with the custom guns.
• • •
“It’s been a long time,” Animal said.
“Too long,” Lizzy agreed. “Last I heard, you were doing like a hundred years in prison.”
“Don’t go believing everything you hear, ma. I had a spot of legal trouble, but it’s all behind me now,” Animal said.
“Well, I’m glad the rumors weren’t true. Oh, and I’m sorry to hear about Kastro. It broke my heart when I heard she got killed,” Lizzy said sincerely.
“Mine too,” Animal said, remembering Kastro’s murder. She had been trying o help him rescue Gucci when Shai’s men got the drop on her. Kastro was a gangster to the end, cutting Angelo’s face before he blew her brains out. Animal took her death extremely hard. Kastro was yet another person who had been hurt because of him, and he vowed one day to settle up for her life. Truce or not, Angelo would answer for killing his friend.
“Sorry, I didn’t men to be all depressing,” Lizzy said, noticing the change on Animal’s face.
“It’s okay. So, what’ve you been up to all these years?” Animal changed the subject.
“Working and trying to raise my kids,” Lizzy told him.
“Oh, you got kids now? Congratulations.”
“Yeah, a boy and a girl,” Lizzy pointed to the tattoo of the two young faces on her forearm. “They’re my hearts.”
“I know what you mean. I have two myself,” Animal said, thinking of T.J., Celeste and the reason he was there that night. “Well, I know things are busy in here tonight and I don’t wanna keep you. It was good seeing you, Lizzy,” he attempted to leave, but she stopped him.
“Wait a minute, Animal. It’s rare that I get to see anybody from the old neighborhood since I moved to the Bronx. Before you rush off, at least have a drink with me,” Lizzy said.
Lizzy offered without offering. He had to admit that she had filled out quite nicely, but he had a wife and a mission to complete. “Lizzy, I’d love to, but I don’t know if I’ll still be around when your shift is over. I just stopped through for a minute then I’m getting out of here,” he was trying to give her a gentle brush off, but Lizzy was persistent.
“We don’t have to wait until my shift is over. I can’t drink here on the main floor, but in about fifteen minutes, I’m switching with the bartender in the VIP. They don’t much care what we do up there, as long as the register doesn’t come up short.”
At the mention of the VIP, Animal had an idea. Lizzy might prove to be helpful after all. “Sounds like a plan.”
• • •
After Lizzy’s relief arrived, she lead Animal to the staircase that went up to the VIP. On the way Animal passed Ashanti, who was giving him a questioning look. Animal motioned to him to wait, and kept walking with Lizzy. The bouncer at the bottom of the stairs looked like he was going to give them trouble, but he stepped aside and let them up when he found out he was with Lizzy. He mumbled something slick under his breath, but didn’t try to stop Animal from going up.
If what was going on in the main area could’ve been considered a good time, then the VIP was a blast. Liquor was flowing, blunts were being passed and there was not a sober soul in the bunch. It was crowded with mostly females, and the few men who had the cake to foot the ticket. Lizzy had explained to Animal that to party upstairs was a five bottle minimum, and the cheapest bottle was five hundred dollars. Animal found this laughable. Even during his moment in the limelight, when he was signed to Big Dawg, Animal never wasted his money the way they did. It was insane to pay five times the normal cost of something just to look good in public.
Being upstairs, Animal was able to get a better scope of the layout. Immediately to his left sat George and his crew. Up close, he was smaller than Animal thought, almost to the point of being petite. Big stones glistened on nearly every finger of the hand he had wrapped around a bottle of champagne. He was laughing so hard at something someone had said that he spilled champagne on one of the girls closest to him. Her dress was ruined, but she didn’t seem to mind. The two bodyguards Animal had spotted earlier were now standing at opposite ends of the booth, giving up their seats to the women entertaining George. Their faces were sour and their eyes were on high alert.
Animal followed Lizzy to the VIP bar, which was smaller than the one downstairs, but less crowded. There were a few people around the bar, waiting for Lizzy so they could fill their drink orders, but for the most part, the waitresses shuttled the drinks back and forth from the bar to patrons, so they didn’t have to be bothered.
“Grab a seat and give me two minutes to get situated,” Lizzy told Animal, before going behind the bar to take over.
Animal found an empty seat at the end of the bar that allowed him to watch George without having to look directly at him. If Animal had to describe George’s personality he’d have said it was big. Animal found himself fascinated by the way people flocked to George. He seemed to have a magnetic personality that was usually reserved for entertainers, or politicians. A part of him wondered what George could’ve been in life if he’d been born to a different mother and not been a necessary evil in the grand scheme of Animal’s life. Didn’t much matter anymore what George could’ve been, all that remained is what he was . . . leverage.
Animal paid special attention to George’s two bodyguards. From the distasteful glances they cast at him every time he gave an order, he deduced they didn’t care for him very much. From the set of their posture, Animal could tell that the two men were more soldiers than babysitters. Everybody in their group had a drink in their hands or a blunt in their mouths, except the two bodyguards. Occasionally they’d sip from glasses of ice water, but they didn’t touch anything that would impair them. Animal knew the biggest part of his problem would be getting them off point. Dosing George with the sedative and getting him past the guard dogs was clearly out of the question, but it was all Animal had at the moment. His daughter’s life depended on George’s abduction, so most of Sonja’s well-laid plan would have to be improvised on the fly. If he could just get enough separation between them and George, he had a fighter’s chance.
While observing George, another player came into the game . . . the third bodyguard. Animal knew this because the other two bodyguards barely gave him a second look when he came over to present several more girls for George to choose from. He exchanged a few words with George, before offering the ladies seats and helping himself to a glass of vodka. The other two bodyguards gave the third distasteful looks, as he sipped hard liquor and partied with George. Animal had found the weakest link in the chain.
“Here you go,” Lizzy got his attention when she placed a glass on the bar in front of him.
Animal looked at the brown liquid suspiciously.
“It’s Hennessy, not poison,” Lizzy smiled. “I’m not sure if you still fuck with it, but I remember how much you liked it when we were younger. I used to hear Kastro all the way on the stoop cursing y’all out about going in her Henny stash.”
“It was good then and it’s still good now,” A
nimal almost downed the liquor. The burning quickly spread through his limbs, and made him feel more relaxed. He probably shouldn’t have had the drink, considering he was technically on the clock, but he didn’t want to offend Lizzy, especially since he still might need her before the night was over. The one shout wasn’t enough to get him drunk, but the second one she placed down in front of him would no doubt open up the possibility.
Animal took his time with the second shot, nursing it, listening to Lizzy talk about her life, faking interest. While she blabbed on, he watched George and his men. The third bodyguard was far looser than the first, pouring liquor down the thirsty throats of women and having a good time. George didn’t seem bothered by him neglecting his responsibilities, but it didn’t sit well with the other two bodyguards. They exchanged dirty looks every time the third one touched a bottle or hit a blunt. One of them even tried to say something to him about it, but he waved him off. The other bodyguard reached for his bottle of water and realized it was empty. Animal saw him motion to the empty bottle and say something to the third bodyguard, no doubt sending him for a refill. The third bodyguard said something back that didn’t look pleasant, but when George intervened, he wisely closed his mouth and went to do as he was told. When Animal saw him coming towards the bar, the wheels of his mind started spinning.
“It’s hot as hell in here,” the third bodyguard said to no one in particular when he reached the bar. He was sweating like a runaway slave, partially due to the heat and partially due to the liquor he was rapidly consuming.
“Yeah, hot as a sauna,” Animal engaged him in conversation. He could tell he was the chatty type, so he cut right into him. “The only good thing about this heat is it’s making the ladies come out of their clothes,” he nodded to a girl who was on a nearby table, dancing on it wearing nothing but her bra.
The third guard watched her for a few seconds. “She’s nice, but we’ve got all the best ones with us.”
“I noticed,” Animal glanced over his shoulder at their booth like a star-struck groupie. “If you guys find yourselves with more women than you can handle, I’ll be happy to take a few off your hands.”
“Sorry, my man. Those are for members only, but you’re welcome to whatever stragglers my boss doesn’t pick to leave with us tonight,” he patted Animal on his back a little too hard for his taste. The man was obviously wasted or well on his way. “Yo shorty,” he called to Lizzy, who was behind the bar taking another drink order, “let me get another bottle of Goose.”
Lizzy held up one finger for him to give her a second, while she took care of the people ahead of him and he didn’t seem to appreciate getting put off.
“Come on with that finger shit, we spending too much money in here to be kept waiting,” the third bodyguard capped. “Put all that shit on my man’s tab.” He didn’t have to be so rude, but he was trying to impress Animal or anyone else who might’ve been listening. “I swear man, you give these bitches a little position and they get besides themselves.”
“I know how it goes, bro. Chicks ain’t dependable for shit except a quick nut,” Animal fed into it.
“Or a long nut,” the third bodyguard gave Animal dap. He wasn’t sure what it was, but there was something about the wild haired young dude with the gold teeth that he liked.
Lizzy came back over to that side of the bar and slammed a bottle of Grey Goose on the bar, giving the third bodyguard a dirty look.
“Where my waters at? C’mon, if you gonna do ya job, don’t do it half ass,” the third bodyguard said to Lizzy. “And while you at it; pour two more shots of whatever my man right here is drinking.”
Lizzy opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it. She knew the man’s group had been in the club spending thousands and if she offended him she could very well loose her job. Painfully biting her tongue, she went off to get the shots and the waters.
“I appreciate that, but you don’t have to. I ain’t broke,” Animal told him.
“Chill out, kid. Nobody is trying to call you broke, I dig your style and wanted to treat you to a drink, that’s all,” the third bodyguard told him.
Lizzy came back and placed the bottles of water and two shots on the bar top, along with a bill and walked away.
The third bodyguard picked up the bill and balled it up. “You see what I mean about doing a half ass job?” he tossed the crumbled slip of paper behind the bar. “I told her to put it on my man’s tab, but she acting like she don’t hear me. Dumb ass broad. But fuck all that, let’s have a quick toast so I can get back. To my man. . . . say, what’s your name kid?”
“Tech,” Animal lied. It was the first name that popped into his head.
The third bodyguard let the name roll around in his head. “With a name like Tech, you must be about that life.”
Animal shrugged. “I know how to handle myself pretty good in a tight situation.”
“I hear you talking. To my man, Tech,” he hoisted the shot glass. Animal and the third bodyguard touched glasses and they both threw back the shots. “It was good meeting you, Tech,” he extended his hand.
“Good meeting you too, fam.” When Animal went to shake the third bodyguard’s hand, he purposely knocked over a discarded beer bottle, spilling what was left of the beer on the third bodyguard’s outfit. “Damn, my bad.”
“You clumsy little muthafucka,” the third bodyguard jumped back, trying to wipe the beer from his clothes with his hands.
The third bodyguard called Animal everything but a child of God, while trying to clean himself up. He was more concerned about his expensive shirt than the drinks, and for a few seconds he took his eyes off the bottle. That was all the time Animal needed. He slipped the remaining syringe from his pocket quickly jammed it through each water bottle top, ejecting the liquid.
“Nigga, you just ruined a five hundred dollar shirt,” the third bodyguard continued.
“I’m really sorry. Let me pay for it,” Animal offered. He reached in his pocket and the third bodyguard took a cautious step back, fearing Animal would spill something else on him.
“I don’t want nothing from your clumsy ass but to stay away from me,” the third bodyguard snatched the Grey Goose and both water bottles from the bar. “And to think I was about to invite your clown ass over to our section,” he shook his head and walked away.
Animal watched at the third bodyguard went back over to his group, and animatedly tried to explain why he had come back wet. The third bodyguard continued with his war story, placing the Grey Goose on the table and giving the waters to his comrades. From the way everyone was laughing and looking in Animal’s direction, the third bodyguard had no doubt spun the tale to where Animal ended up looking like a clown, but it didn’t matter. The incident had served its purpose. After seeing how tight George’s security was, Animal knew drugging him and getting him out would’ve been near impossible, so he came up with the alternative plan of drugging his security. Being that he had to split the sedative between the two of them he had no idea how affective it would be, but all he needed was a window of opportunity. If they slipped, even for a second, he could take them . . . or so he hoped.
Animal walked over to the short glass wall that overlooked the main area, and leaned on his elbows, scanning the crowd. Abel was right where he was supposed to be, making sure they had a clear path out. He found Ashanti on the other side, stalking to a girl. Ashanti must’ve felt that he was being watched, because he suddenly looked up. Animal flashed ten fingers, letting him know it was going down in ten minutes. Ashanti nodded, and excused himself from the girl to take his position.
Now that the pieces were in place, Animal needed to set the tumblers in motion. He pulled out his cell phone and hit a button, then waited and watched. The sour bodyguard had just opened one of the bottles of water and taken a big gulp, when the caller on the other end of Animal’s phone picked up. “In about ten minutes I need a distraction, but it’s gonna have to be a big one.”
• • •
“You sure about this?” Cain asked, looking at Red Sonja like she was crazy.
“He says he needs a distraction. What’s a better distraction than a stampede?” Sonja pulled a Mac 11 from the floor of the backseat.
Cain turned down the block of the club, where they had dropped Animal and the others off, and slowed the car down as they passed. Red Sonja leaned out the window, eyes locked on the crowd of people standing on the line waiting to get in. One of the bystanders spotted Sonja hanging out the window with the gun, and moved to alert the club security, but it was already too late.
The loud retort of the Mac 11 woke up the whole block. Sonja swept the gun across the front of the club, shattering windows and sending people scattering. She was careful not to hit any of the civilians standing outside, but couldn’t speak for anybody unfortunate enough to be standing on the other side of the glass. When they’d originally set out, they agreed to keep casualties to a minimum, but Sonja needed to get off. She was a ball of anger and the rattling of the gun in her hands was the only thing that seemed to soothe her. By the time Sonja was done, several dead bodies littered the sidewalk and the club was thrown into total chaos.
“Damn, now that’s how you create a fucking diversion!” Cain said excitedly. He was so animated that the Denali swerved and nearly sideswiped a parked car.
“Calm your ass down and pay attention to the road,” Sonja barked. “Spin back around the block. They should be coming out with George any second now.”
Watching Red Sonja sitting there, holding a smoking machine gun, made Cain smile inwardly. Up until then he hadn’t cared for her much, but now he was on the fence. She was just as nuts as he was and it kind of turned him on.
NINETEEN
ANIMAL LEANED AGAINST THE RAILING, watching and waiting. The night was winding down and George looked nice and faded. He would likely be making his exit soon. It took a while for the affects of the sedatives to kick in, but they did . . . at least with one of the bodyguards. The smaller of the two had gone from standing at his post to sitting on the arm of the chair. Every few seconds he would wipe the sweat from his face with a napkin. The sour bodyguard was still on his feet. Outside of the fact that he was now leaning against the wall instead of standing upright were the only signs that the sedative had even hit him at all. Whether it had hit him or not, Animal would have to make his move.
