Thin Ice

by KR Bankston

  The waitress returned and refilled his cup as Landon ordered a chopped steak sandwich. The waitress relayed the request to the cook as they began on his order. Landon hoped and prayed with everything in him he heard from her soon. It was already 5:30AM. If darkness was what Ben and his crew were counting on, they’d better get moving, because the sun would definitely be their undoing in a scant few moments. His sandwich was placed before him moments later, as Landon added a little A-1 sauce and began to slowly eat, his mind still on Kaitlyn. As the time passed he couldn’t help but imagine every possible bad scenario and reason for why she hadn’t called yet. I hope Ice hasn’t hurt her, he thought knowing the man would blow a gasket if he found out Kaitlyn was trying to leave him. Landon’s stomach again knotted up, knowing that killing her to keep her from leaving wasn’t beyond Ice’s capabilities. The man was absolutely ruthless in Landon’s book. I wish she’d never met that jackass, Landon thought then dismissed the thought. It wasn’t Kaitlyn’s fault she attracted a psycho. She was a beautiful woman. What man wouldn’t be attracted to her, Landon continued to ponder. Ice however, in his estimation, had gone completely off the deep end. He’s too damned used to having everything his own way, Landon thought angrily as he asked for another refill and glanced at his phone once more. 5:37AM. Come on baby, Landon thought once more and sighed deeply continuing to do what he could, wait.

  *****

  Kaitlyn’s mind was on overload as they hit the city limit sign. Damn this plan is falling apart, she thought to herself looking at the time on her iPod. It was already 5:15AM. She was taking a huge chance keeping the secret cell phone on her person, but Kaitlyn needed to know immediately when Tweety made it out. She made sure it was on vibrate, and tucked inside her bra. They were still about ten minutes from her place, which thankfully Ian hadn’t argued with her about coming to. She could tell he was tired, so she knew getting him into bed once they arrived would be relatively easy. Then I can take care of my business and get the hell on, Kaitlyn thought, also knowing in the back of her mind the GBI was going to make a surprise visit this morning. She didn’t know if they would hit her own residence, but she’d cleared any and everything incriminating out of the place. All they would find was normal everyday household and personal items.

  “You wanna stop and get something to eat,” Ian asked amiably, garnering Kaitlyn’s attention once more.

  “No,” she replied, definitely not wanting to prolong their arrival. “I just wanna get to my bed,” she added as Ian chuckled and told her okay, turning down another street.

  Kaitlyn continued to keep her cool, praying they would get to her place soon. She felt the cell vibrate, but was proud of herself for not jumping when it did. Dammit, she thought unable to pull it out and look at it. She desperately needed to though. What if it’s Tweety and she’s in trouble, Kaitlyn continued to think as they finally reached her street and turned onto it, starting the ¾ miles journey to her apartment.

  “When we get up, I’ll call the movers and have them come over,” Ian told her calmly as Kaitlyn reeled her mind back in.

  She’d almost forgotten he was on the whole moving to the house kick. He’d told her finally where the house was located. Kaitlyn couldn’t say she’d ever heard of any place called Elberton, but that was beside the point.

  “You can redo some stuff if you want,” Ian threw out again as Kaitlyn smiled slightly.

  “The house is actually very nice, Ice,” she replied calmly.

  “I’m just sayin’, so you can feel like it’s your home too,” he added taking her hand and kissing it softly.

  Whatever dude, Kaitlyn thought behind the small smile playing on her face. Once they got inside the house, everything was going to finally come together and this nightmare was going to end for her, Kaitlyn thought, finally seeing the complex and growing excited as they pulled in entry way and headed for her building. Showtime, Kaitlyn thought and almost burst into laughter as they pulled in front of her apartment and she got out, walking up the sidewalk and putting her key into the lock.

  *****

  Tariq was irritated and antsy; more of the first than the second. So sick of Ice’s ass, he thought inhaling the blunt deeply and allowing the acrid smoke to fill his lungs, boosting his high. It’s damned near 6:00AM, Tariq thought and he still hadn’t heard from KiKi. What has that muthafucka done to her, Tariq thought as he continued to smoke. Finally growing too angry to sit still any longer, he headed for the parking lot and his car. He was planning on heading over to College Park, and the apartment he knew Ice kept there. I’m going to go and get my baby, he continued thinking, pulling out of the parking lot and heading down his street toward the interstate.

  Tariq pulled out the other blunt he’d rolled before leaving the house and lit it. His windows were tinted and he knew no one would be the wiser that he wasn’t simply smoking a cigarette or cigar. Tariq began to replay all the devastation Ice had brought to his life in the last year. “Piece of shit,” he mumbled, taking another deep hit of the blunt. Truthfully, Tariq wanted nothing more than to see Ice heaving his last breath after he shot him point blank in the head. I still might shoot that ass after I get my baby, Tariq continued to think, checking for and finding the small .25 that he kept between his seats.

  Getting off the interstate, Tariq turned right and headed down Corvair, toward The Summit. This was the luxury apartment complex Ice lived in. What about the gate, he thought as he drove. Tariq sucked his teeth angrily. He’d completely forgotten about the access gates to the complex. Just sit outside, somebody will come through, his mind told him as he nodded absently and finally finished the blunt. Putting the small portion he had left in his ashtray, Tariq again thought about Kaitlyn and all Ice’s interference. He grew even angrier gripping the steering wheel tightly. He also thought about his brother and how much he missed him. Damn Ice has taken everything from me, Tariq thought as he began to see red. Paybacks a bitch, he continued to think already formulating in his mind how the meeting was going to turn out. Once he got Kaitlyn out of harm’s way, Tariq was going to get a little street justice of his own on Ice.

  As he hit the finally corner, Tariq turned and drove another half block, before seeing the flashing blue lights and cars lined up. Kiss my ass, he thought to himself of the roadblock. Tariq hoped and prayed with everything in him they were only checking licenses and tags, as three more cars pulled up behind him, blocking him in and he shook the can of Oust beginning to spray, hoping the only thing they smelled when he rolled down his windows was the scent of morning dew.

  37

  Day Seven – Armageddon

  “Cover the back!” the Agent was yelling to another of his comrades.

  All hell had broken loose when the Alabama and Federal Bureaus converged on club Castles in Alabama. The raid began at 4:30AM central time and unfortunately for the agents, more than half of Ice and Ryan’s security squad was still there. The men were heavily armed and had now barricaded themselves inside. Alabama Bureau had lost two men already and three more were wounded.

  “Where the fuck is that tear gas,” the agent screamed again.

  Their team leader was on the phone with Special Agent Akila back at the headquarters in Atlanta, giving him minute by minute updates.

  “Have you found a method of entry,” Akila asked, not liking the news he was getting.

  For all he knew one or more of the men had already contacted Ian Bailey and warned him.

  “These dudes are not playing,” the agent returned as Akila heard rapid fire.

  “What the hell,” he asked as the agent confirmed the AK-47 and machine gun fire.

  “They got a grenade launcher,” the agent told Akila.

  “A what,” he yelled, not believing what he was told.

  “A grenade launcher, sir,” the agent once again repeated.

  Special Agent Akila sighed deeply, giving more orders, hoping they had enough manpower on hand to flush the suspects out.

  “Try to bring in as m
any living, breathing, suspects as possible,” Akila told him as another line rang and his assistant answered, signaling him he needed to answer.

  Disconnecting momentarily from the Alabama raid, Special Agent Akila took the receiver and answered the second call.

  “We’re basically secured here, sir,” another agent briefed him concerning the Mississippi location.

  “How many in custody,” Akila asked.

  The agent told him they’d taken five into custody; one suspect had been shot, but was expected to recover.

  “Any of our agents injured,” Akila asked once more.

  The Agent told him that a couple had minor injuries from skirmishes with the suspects.

  “Thankfully we got the jump on them,” the agent began again as Akila asked him to elaborate.

  “These guys had a damned arsenal in there,” the agent returned. “They had AK-47’s, Beretta’s, even a GP,” he replied as Akila shook his head in disbelief.

  “Where the fuck did they get a Grand Puissance,” Akila asked half to himself of the GP the agent mentioned.

  “There were the usual .45’s and four Luger pistols,” the agent continued. “They even had a couple of live hand grenades,” he finished as Akila again stood astonished at the cache of weaponry and the depth of violence the Bailey brother’s were willing to go to.

  “Well, great work Agent,” Akila finally told the man on the line. “Get all the suspects down to the Mississippi Bureau and begin to interrogate them,” Akila instructed. “No phone calls,” he added as an afterthought.

  They needed to keep these sweeps as quiet as possible so the two big fish they were trying to catch didn’t slip their net and leave them high and dry.

  *****

  Tariq nervously waited on the officer to approach his vehicle. From what he could see, they were indeed only checking license and tags. It smells okay in here to me, he thought, believing the odor neutralizer had done its job. Man I’m glad KiKi ain’t called me yet, Tariq thought as the officer finally approached his vehicle. The man asked for his license, which Tariq readily supplied. Looking it over, then back at him, the officer asked him to wait momentarily. Tariq frowned lightly wondering what the trouble was, but said nothing as the officer walked away and went to confer with one of his fellow officers. Tariq glanced ahead of the two officers talking seeing yet another officer say something to a driver, as the man complied and exited his vehicle. The first officer returned to Tariq and spoke.

  “Sir, would you please step out of your vehicle,” he asked calmly.

  What now, Tariq thought to himself as he opened his door and stepped out of his vehicle, leaning against the driver’s door once it was closed, waiting on the officer to speak again.

  “Sir,” the officer began, looking at him closely. “Your license is expired,” he told Tariq as remembrance flooded his mind and he kicked himself for being so stupid.

  His birthday was last month and he’d intended to go to the DMV and get his license renewed. Unfortunately he’d gotten caught up and forgotten. Hopefully they would only give him a ticket and let him be on his way; otherwise he was in for a ride to the station. I can’t get locked up, Tariq thought, as his mind immediately went to Kaitlyn.

  “I can’t even argue officer,” Tariq tried good naturedly. “I meant to do it, but it just slipped my mind,” he finished as the officer grunted and nodded slightly.

  Seeing him pull out his ticket book, Tariq breathed a small sigh of relief. He could deal with a ticket. He just needed to get to Ice’s apartment complex and get Kaitlyn.

  “Hey,” one of the officers yelled as both Tariq and the other officer looked their way.

  “Freeze, stop,” he yelled as the man Tariq saw earlier began to fight and struggle.

  “Stay put,” the officer managed to get out as he ran to help the other officers.

  “Not smart,” Tariq mumbled as he watched the officer’s struggle with the suspect.

  Things immediately went from bad to worse, as an agitated passenger from another car got out and began yelling at the officers.

  “Man, ya’ll stop kicking that man,” he yelled angrily as his two friends also exited the vehicle and brazenly jumped into the melee and began fighting with the officers.

  Tariq couldn’t believe what he was seeing. These fools are crazy, he thought knowing in about five minutes the entire police force would be here. Other motorists, not wanting to get caught in the drama began pulling off, or backing up. Some got out of their cars and stood on the shoulder of the road, wanting to be clearly seen as a non-participant. Tariq also began to move to the shoulder of the road and stand. If the fight wasn’t smack in the middle of the street he needed to get down, he would have joined the other fleeing motorists and went about his night. Everyone screamed and panic ensued as the first shot rang out.

  “Gun,” an officer yelled as the other officers pulled out their weapons.

  Tariq saw two of the three men that had gotten out of the car firing at the officers and the officers begin to return fire.

  “Get down,” the officers screamed at the bystanders as the suspects began running, still firing wildly. The officers were trying to pursue the men, returning fire.

  Tires were screeching and sirens wailing as unit after unit arrived at the scene and the carnage grew. People were still scattering, some were angrily beginning to pelt the arriving police cruisers with rocks and bottles, screaming racial slurs at the police as the bullets again began to fly from unidentified persons and vantage points.

  “We need riot,” one of the officers was saying in his radio.

  “Send SWAT,” he told them, advising of all the gunfire, rocks and bottles.

  Flames began to dance wildly as someone tossed a mazletov cocktail into a police cruiser. The area was suddenly blanketed with GBI and FBI agents coming out of the woodwork, seemingly blended in with the night. Special Agent Akila had given the word to help the local authorities after a sweep of Ian’s apartment yielded nothing. There was no useful evidence at all inside. It seemed that it was what it was perpetuated as, simply the place Ian Bailey lived. With the help of the Agents, city police, and sheriff’s deputies, the violence was finally contained. Media and TV camera’s had arrived and were broadcasting the carnage live for morning newscasts.

  “We need some ambulances,” one of the Agents yelled out as another nodded and got on his radio to dispatch.

  “Two down,” another agent yelled. “Hang in there man,” the agent said as he applied pressure to the wound to keep the bleeding at minimum.

  Tariq was struggling to stay conscious. I can’t die, he thought as the pain intensified in his chest. Gotta get to KiKi, he thought once more still trying to catch a decent breath.

  “Took one to the chest that I can see,” the agent told the paramedic as he kneeled down and began assessing Tariq’s vitals.

  “He’s critical,” the paramedic said evenly. “We need to get him to Grady Trauma right now,” he added as the other paramedic joined him and they began prepping Tariq for transport.

  Hasaan man what you doing here, Tariq thought looking into his brother’s eyes. “I came to get you,” Hasaan replied calmly. Tariq shook his head slightly. “I gotta get KiKi,” he told his brother as Hasaan smiled slightly. “It’s time to go,” he said simply. “I can’t,” Tariq replied. “I love her, I gotta get her,” he tried again as Hasaan began walking, pulling him gently along. “She loves you too,” Hasaan told him softly. “But its time to go,” he added as Tariq finally stopped fighting and went with him.

  “He’s flat lining,” the paramedic called out as they grabbed the defibrillator and charged it. “Clear,” he yelled placing the paddles on Tariq’s heart and shocking him. “Shit, 350,” he yelled once more, changing the voltage, after getting no initial response. “Clear,” he yelled once more, shocking the yet still man, once again. “Come on man,” the paramedic said half under his breath, not wanting to give up an obviously lost cause.

  A
fter working frantically for the next 15 minutes, the paramedic conceded defeat and covered Tariq’s body fully with the sheet, turned off the siren, and continued their journey to Grady Hospital.

  “What the hell happened over there,” Special Agent Akila was asking as his agents checked in.

  “Some fools looking for a fight at a simple license check roadblock,” the agent answered as Akila sighed deeply.

  “How many people hurt,” he asked again.

  “Dozens injured,” the agent replied. “Six innocent lives lost,” he went on as Akila frowned deeply. “Suspects got away,” the agent added angrily.

  Akila sighed deeply feeling the man’s frustration. Six families devastated tonight because a bunch of idiots wanted to live out some gangster fantasy about fighting the police.

  “Finish processing Bailey’s apartment, then come back to base,” Akila told the agent, who acknowledged his orders and disconnected.

  Reflecting on the call Akila tiredly ran his hands through his hair. This damned operation has taken 10 years off my life in one night, he thought heading back to the strategy room. They still had three more locations yet to report and the sun was on its way up.

  *****

  Jaleesa stealthily eased her way out of Ryan’s arms and out of their bed. Rising quietly she headed for the bathroom. If her movements awakened him, Jaleesa knew Ryan would drift immediately off again, knowing where she was. She held her breath as she waited and listened. Hearing nothing out of the ordinary, Jaleesa crept back into the room and into the walk-in closet directly across from the bathroom. Because of the orderly way she arranged her clothing and shoes in the closet, turning on a light was pointless. Jaleesa quickly and quiet put on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and socks. She would carry her shoes until she got downstairs, she thought as she peeked back into the bedroom. Ryan had changed positions. His back was to her as he rested on his side. Uggh, Jaleesa thought unable to see his face, not knowing if he were lying there with his eyes wide open or what. Taking another huge breath, Jaleesa began to slowly move toward the bedroom door. Halfway there she stopped and stood perfectly still as Ryan stirred again. Please don’t wake up, Jaleesa was thinking as she watched his movements. Finally after what seemed an eternity, Ryan’s breathing became even once more and Jaleesa continued her journey.