Thin Ice

by KR Bankston

  Arriving finally at the door, Jaleesa took the knob and quietly, slowly, turned it, opening the door. Pulling it little by little, she made enough space to ease her self through and made it outside of the door. Using the same slow, steady, pace, Jaleesa closed the door and stood beside it, again holding her breath and listening for anything out of the ordinary. Satisfied that Ryan hadn’t awakened; Jaleesa headed down the stairs, again being quiet and stealthy. Stopping at the final step, Jaleesa sat down and put on her tennis shoes. She rose after completing the task and headed to the alarm, disengaging it. Going inside the office, Jaleesa opened the wall safe and took out the 5K in petty cash they kept inside. I need some travel money, she thought as she glanced into the safe again, the glint of light catching her eye. Jaleesa was pleased to see the .10mm pistol that’d been left inside. Thank you Chino, Jaleesa thought knowing he’d left it. Chino would often leave his weapon downstairs and this particular morning Jaleesa was more than glad to see it. Carefully closing the safe, Jaleesa once again listened to her surroundings. She headed for the back door of the house, carefully unlocking the deadbolt, almost ready to make her escape.

  *****

  “Headin’ out,” Ryan asked calmly as the light came on and momentarily blinded her.

  Jaleesa was mortified as he stood in front of her, eyes blazing.

  “Ryan, I,” Jaleesa tried as he slapped her hard, knocking her down.

  Jaleesa pulled the gun from her back and pointed it at him.

  “You’re gonna kill me now,” Ryan asked angrily, yet still eerily calm. “Why you runnin’,” he asked instead, never taking his eyes off her.

  “Because of bullshit just like that,” Jaleesa told him angrily. “You been tellin’ me what the fuck to do since you met me,” she spat, the hurt of Ryan hitting her coming full circle.

  “I’ve been good to you,” Ryan told her still looking into her eyes.

  “You’ve kept me prisoner,” Jaleesa returned and Ryan heard the hurt in her voice, saw the love mixed with anger in her eyes.

  Sighing deeply, he addressed her again.

  “So you wanted to be free,” he asked softly.

  “I just wanted out,” Jaleesa told him honestly. “I mean, I’d given Ice every customer we had,” she told Ryan as he listened quietly. “I’d stop dealing, I didn’t interfere with him and KiKi,” Jaleesa went on pouring out the pain she felt. “But that wasn’t enough for Ice,” she spat acidly. “No, he wanted to destroy me,” she went on. “He wanted what he always wants, and that’s to be in total control.”

  “Have I ever done that you,” Ryan asked. “All you had to do was ask Tweety,” he told her as Jaleesa scoffed.

  “Yeah,” she threw back, giving him a look. “If I asked you to let me see my bestfriend, would you have done that,” she asked as Ryan said nothing. “Would you have called her up on the phone and let her know I was even still breathing,” Jaleesa spat angrily. “Hell no, you wouldn’t have,” she roared, almost over the edge again.

  “Oh, but I’m done with this bullshit tonight,” Jaleesa told him as Ryan addressed her again.

  “Then you’re going to kill me,” he told her the meaning evident.

  Ryan had no intentions of letting Jaleesa walk away from him and he’d just let her know that.

  “I’m not out to do you in Ryan,” Jaleesa told him honestly. “Please, just go back upstairs,” she pleaded as he sighed again and began walking toward her.

  “You already know the answer to that,” he said softly as Jaleesa released the safety.

  “Please Ryan,” Jaleesa tried again as the tears began to blur her vision. “Don’t do this,” she admonished as he took another step toward her.

  Swallowing hard, Jaleesa put her finger on the trigger.

  “I love you, you know that,” Ryan told her gently.

  “Just stop, Ryan, please,” Jaleesa pleaded as he took another step, close enough now to reach out and touch the gun.

  *****

  Her finger began pressing the trigger when glass shattered and smoke began filling the room. Ryan grabbed Jaleesa and took the gun from her, holding her tightly as he tried to figure out what was going on.

  “Ryan Bailey,” the agent yelled over the bullhorn. “This is the FBI,” the agent went on as Ryan swore lightly under his breath.

  “Come out with your hands behind your head,” the man continued to talk as Ryan and Jaleesa struggled to their feet.

  “Make a choice right now,” he hissed in her ear. “Either be with me and lets get the fuck outta here, or you die right here,” Ryan finished as Jaleesa nodded yes and he grunted his approval.

  Several other windows began to break as the FBI and Louisiana Bureau began peppering the house with the smoke bombs. Al and Chino ran downstairs, grabbing semi-automatic weapons from the closet and beginning to fire on the officers outside. Jaleesa heard some of the girls screaming, and others yelling out to grab weapons and fight. Ryan pulled Jaleesa toward a seldom used back staircase that led to the basement. Pushing her in front of him, Ryan headed down the case until they came to the locked door. Ryan pulled the key from its hiding place, unlocking the door and allowing them entry. Jaleesa assumed they were going to hide here until Ryan felt that coast was clear, when he pulled some of the debris that scattered the dank, wet, basement out of the way revealing another small door.

  “Come on,” he told her as Jaleesa quickly went inside.

  Ryan then pulled the debris back as far in front of the entry door as possible, hoping to give the impression there was nothing past what the eye could see. He slid inside the narrow opening as Jaleesa huddled close to the wall. There wasn’t enough room in the tunnel to stand, so letting Ryan maneuver in front of her, Jaleesa followed as they crawled through the narrow passageway, praying there was indeed light at the end of tunnel.

  *****

  “Take him now,” Special Agent Akila told Ben as they talked and he apprised him of the situation. “We don’t need a hostage situation,” he went on as Ben silently readied himself to give the signal.

  “Five-O!, Five-O!,” the voice rang out from some of the local hustlers they’d observed since getting into position, just as Kaitlyn unlocked the door and turned the knob.

  Ian reacted immediately pushing her inside, causing her to fall and dislodging the hidden phone. Ian locked and bolted the door as Kaitlyn scrambled to get the phone before he turned around. Ian turned just as her hand closed around it.

  “What’s this,” he asked, reaching down and taking it from her.

  Rising quickly Kaitlyn tried to get the phone back and Ian pushed her away.

  “Secret communication,” he growled angrily, flipping the phone open and seeing the text message.

  “You still messin’ with this muthafucka,” Ian questioned angrily as Kaitlyn remained quiet, watching him. “I’m thinkin’ you tryna get at Tariq, and it’s this muthafucka,” he murmured again, clarifying for Kaitlyn who the message was from.

  I need my damned phone, Kaitlyn thought.

  “So you were what, seeing this asshole on the side,” Ian asked as the voice booming over the bullhorn interrupted his tirade.

  “This is Agent Gordon, GBI,” Ben called out. “The FBI is also here. You are completely surrounded Ice,” he told him, using the man’s street name. “Let the girl go, and come on out with your hands on top of your head,” he finished as Kaitlyn smirked slightly looking at Ian.

  “Seems to me you got hella bigger problems than you who think I might be giving the pussy to,” Kaitlyn replied smartly as Ian slapped her hard, drawing blood.

  Kaitlyn’s own anger and frustration overtook her common sense and she came up swinging. They were engaged in a full fledged brawl, while the GBI and FBI sat outside, guns drawn and aimed at the apartment. Ian threw Kaitlyn onto her dining room table, slapping her again and again.

  “Bastard!” she screamed at Ian as she hit him with the glass pitcher sitting on the table.

  The glass shattered and
stunned him. Ian staggered backwards and Kaitlyn jumped up throwing more wild punches. Ian felt the blood from his wounds infuriating him more as he punched her closed fist and Kaitlyn crumpled to the floor breathing hard.

  “Now, stay your ass there and be still, or we’re both gonna die in this bitch today,” Ian hissed coldly as Kaitlyn continued to try and gather herself.

  “Ice, it’s over man, give it up,” Ben tried again as Ian continued to listen, growing more furious with each moment.

  Grabbing his own cell from his pocket, Ian called Ryan. The phone went straight to voicemail, only serving to deepen the knot in Ian’s stomach. How the fuck did the GBI get involved in this, he thought as Kaitlyn finally made her way to her kitchen chair and sat down. Ian again focused on her taking in the damage their fight had done. The right side of her face was swollen and deeply bruised. Her lip was busted, swelling and still bleeding slightly. Ian sighed slightly, sorry he’d hurt her like that, but needing to keep control of the situation as well as her.

  “You arrange this ,” Ian asked as Kaitlyn finally looked at him.

  “No,” she answered plainly.

  “But you had some plans huh,” Ian badgered.

  “Yes,” Kaitlyn told him calmly.

  “So which one were you screwing,” Ian asked. “Tariq or Landon,” he finished and waited on an answer.

  Kaitlyn ignored him, instead changing the subject. “How do you propose to get outta here Ice,” she asked calmly giving him a look.

  Ian looked at Kaitlyn seeing the anger in her eyes.

  “You must really hate me,” he asked evenly.

  “I really must,” Kaitlyn returned without hesitation.

  “So all this time, you were what, faking, pretending,” Ian asked, genuinely hurt that she hated him so much.

  What the fuck have I done except be good to this damned woman, Ian was thinking as he waited on her to answer. Kaitlyn sighed deeply, pondering the question a few moments more, before finally speaking.

  “At first, no,” she replied honestly. “Ice, you killed my best friend, you took away my life, you kept me virtual prisoner,” Kaitlyn told him beginning to get angry again.

  “I did everything you asked of me,” Kaitlyn told him as Ian continued to regard her quietly. “I gave up Landon, Tariq,” she went on. “I gave you the pussy anytime you asked for it,” Kaitlyn told him crudely. “Hell, I didn’t even bitch when you took my pills and TOLD me I was gonna have your baby,” she finished flatly, all emotion gone from her voice.

  “But I realized I was dying,” she told him as Ian watched her every nuance. “That you were slowly sucking the life out of me,” Kaitlyn told him as she walked toward her kitchen. “All I ever wanted was to be like you Ice,” she told him calmly opening the drawer. “After I killed that fool in Mississippi, I realized, I was like you,” Kaitlyn told him, pulling the .22 out that she kept hidden there. “I was a walking, talking, living, breathing, monster,” she finished quietly and pointed the gun directly at him.

  The phone rang inside the apartment, jolting them both. Kaitlyn backed up, gun still aimed at Ian and answered.

  “Hello,” she answered sounding unsteady.

  “Kaitlyn, this is Agent Gordon,” Ben told her.

  “Uh huh,” Kaitlyn answered continuing the charade.

  “Is Ice there, can he hear you,” he asked trying to get an idea of what was going on in the house.

  “Yes, he can hear me,” Kaitlyn told Ben eyes still riveted to Ian.

  “Shit,” the agent said under his breath. “Listen to me Kaitlyn,” he began again. “Try and stay calm, we are gonna get you outta there,” he assured her as Kaitlyn sighed softly.

  “OK,” she replied, making her voice waver.

  “Ask Ice to take the phone,” Agent Gordon told her.

  “He wants to talk to you,” Kaitlyn told Ian, holding the receiver so Agent Gordon could hear her request.

  “He won’t talk,” Kaitlyn replied as Ian smiled slightly, knowing she was setting him up.

  “OK,” Ben replied tightly. “Hang in there Kaitlyn, answer the phone when I call for as long as he’ll let you, understand,” he told her as Kaitlyn again answered with a simple OK and disconnected.

  “You planning to have them kill me,” Ian asked wanting to know the full extent of her plan. Kaitlyn chuckled slightly.

  “No,” she replied calmly. “Killing you would be entirely too easy,” she told him. “I definitely want way more satisfaction than that,” she added as Ian grunted slightly.

  “So once I’m outta the way, you’re gonna take over my operations,” Ian asked again, sitting on the back of the sofa and crossing his arms as they talked.

  Again, Kaitlyn chuckled. “You don’t have any operations left to take over,” she told him as he continued to listen. “Ice, the GBI brought the FBI,” she told him. “That should let you know, how deep in the cesspool you are,” Kaitlyn told him.

  “What does that mean,” Ian asked.

  Sighing slightly she addressed him again. “Don’t play stupid Ice,” Kaitlyn replied, her anger rising again. “I sent the agency enough evidence on you and your brother to bury you both in a nasty, dark, dirty, dangerous ass Federal prison for the rest of your natural days,” she told him as Ian grunted and nodded his understanding.

  “Oh I know what you’re thinking,” Kaitlyn baited him. “Not this time though dawg,” she went on. “I gave them solid pieces, not hearsay. Your boy Giovanni, yeah, they picked that ass up yesterday, he sang like a songbird,” Kaitlyn told him as Ian frowned slightly, finally revealing some of his emotion. “Carlos, Tate, hell everybody is sitting in a federal cell,” Kaitlyn began again. “How long you think it’s gonna take before the feds offer that deal they just can’t refuse,” she asked chuckling once more.

  *****

  Jaleesa flinched every time she heard the gunfire that was obviously still continuing above them. Where the hell are we, she thought as she continued to follow Ryan. What happens when you get outta this tunnel, her mind was throwing at her. Jaleesa knew Ryan had to be absolutely furious with her trying to leave him. Things had gone horribly wrong really quick she thought, not paying attention and bumping into Ryan, who’d stopped. Jaleesa gathered herself and peeked around him, seeing the daylight outside. They held their position, listening silently, trying to figure out what was going on above ground.

  “The house cleared out,” Ryan and Jaleesa heard the man ask, standing directly above them.

  “Yeah, neither of the dead guys is Bailey,” he replied alerting them that both Al and Chino were dead.

  “Take the women to headquarters and question them,” the other man replied. “Somebody knows something,” he added as second man answered and it grew silent again.

  Jaleesa felt Ryan moving, finally figuring out he was searching for his cellphone. You can’t let him call Ice, she thought, wondering how she could stop him. Everything was shot now, their well laid plans blown to hell by this whole raid.

  “Fuck,” Ryan cursed softly.

  Jaleesa assumed he had no signal. Thank you, she thought, knowing it was only temporary, but thankful nonetheless.

  Sitting in the dampness of the tunnel for another forty minutes, Ryan finally decided to venture out. They hadn’t heard anymore voices. Maybe they’re gone, Jaleesa thought as Ryan crawled out first, holding his hand up for her to stay put. He looked around for a few moments more before finally allowing Jaleesa to come out. She was completely happy to feel the sunlight on her face and breathe fresh air. The tunnel reminded her to eerily of being buried alive. The experience further emphasized for Jaleesa how much she didn’t want to die.

  “You got the cash on you still,” Ryan asked giving her a look.

  Jaleesa nodded yes and looked away. She could tell he was still upset, but right now both their survival depended on the other.

  “We’ve got to get the hell out of here,” Ryan mumbled surveying the land in front of them.

  They’d com
e out near the pond that ran behind the house. The land surrounding it was flat, without trees to provide shade or cover.

  “KiKi know you’re alive,” he asked as they continued to sit beside their exit and Ryan continued to think.

  “Yes,” Jaleesa answered softly.

  “So both of you were heading out,” he asked again.

  Swallowing hard, Jaleesa again nodded yes.

  “You know Tweety,” Ryan began, looking into her eyes. “It’s been a really long time since I felt a chick like I feel you,” he told her earnestly. “I guess things coulda went down different, I won’t argue that,” Ryan told her almost repentantly. “But I thought I’d given you enough, and been enough to you to make you forget about that,” he finished the hurt coming through his voice.

  Jaleesa felt every bit three inches tall as she heard him.

  “But we’re in this field, on the run,” Ryan began anew, never taking his eyes from her. “If killing or selling me out is still in your plan,” he continued. “We need to go our separate ways and each do the best they can,” he finished simply, waiting for a response.

  Jaleesa was seriously thinking about what he said. The FBI was probably looking for her too. Hell, she was the house Madame, of course they were looking for her, Jaleesa thought. Ryan will kill you the first chance he gets once you’re safe, her mind told her as Ryan watched her struggling.

  “Tweety,” he tried, gently stroking her face. “I’m not gonna hurt you about this morning,” he told her reading her mind. “Believe it or not, I do understand what you felt, maybe still feel,” Ryan told her kissing her softly.

  Jaleesa wanted to believe him. She absolutely loved him and he was perfect for her. They were in the same damned hustle for goodness sake. She didn’t have to pretend to be anything other than who she was.