Thin Ice
Page 31
*****
“You take care of the message,” Tariq asked as he watched Kaitlyn finish her shower and dress.
“Yeah Top, just like you told me,” LaRon replied.
“Good,” he returned and said nothing else for a while.
“Tell Role, if he ever calls her a bitch again, I’ll kill him,” Tariq spoke again coldly.
He’d overheard the man complaining to another comrade about the six stitches he needed to close the wound Kaitlyn inflicted. LaRon sighed lightly recognizing the tone. His friend was deadly serious and he knew it.
“I’ll tell him,” he replied as Tariq grunted and dismissed him from his presence.
Alone again Tariq continued to watch the woman he loved, undetected. She was still so beautiful to him.
“We should have never been apart,” Tariq said aloud draining his glass of vodka and pouring another.
Tariq chuckled to himself at how surprised Kaitlyn would be at the new him. The Tariq Taylor she knew was dead, just as she thought and believed. The man he was now was nothing like the soft failure he used to be.
Tariq sighed deeply as Kaitlyn finally lay down and closed her eyes. He watched her until she fell asleep, clearly exhausted, before he finally turned away from the two way mirror. Closing his eyes his mind went back to that fateful night exactly two years ago. The EMT told him they’d pronounced him and called the coroner. Keifer, the paramedic on duty that night, told him his gut just wouldn’t let him give up. Against the wishes of his partner he’d set the defibrillator at a slightly higher setting and shocked Tariq once more. To Keifer’s delight and amazement, he began to breathe again, short raspy breaths, and the paramedics sprang into action, siren wailing as they rushed him to Grady Trauma center. As soon as they arrived, Tariq was hustled to surgery and then ICU, saving his life. Tariq had spent almost six months in the hospital, then another five months of rehab before finally being released. He immediately began looking for Kaitlyn finding out bit by bit all the things that had transpired during his admittance to the hospital. It was then Tariq made up his mind to take back his life and to have the woman he loved share it.
He knew the only way to beat Ice was to play the game better. Tariq wasn’t a hustler. Not in the true sense of the word anyway, but his rage and revenge drove him to learn. Starting with a couple of the street hustlers who showed him the ropes, Tariq learned quickly and began to make bigger and better deals than his teachers. He acquired the nickname Top from his constant drive to run things. He started taking over territory, people wanted to connect, and follow his lead. After about eight months he was running a pretty successful operation of his own. He was nowhere near Ice and Ryan’s league, but that would soon change. True he’d asked for the money, but that was simply to invest in his growing enterprise. Tariq already had what he wanted and she was lying in the next room. Still he couldn’t reveal himself just yet. He wasn’t going to make the same mistakes of last time.
Ice had beaten him, taken away his life, his brother, his heart. This time Tariq was following a different plan, one that would ensure him the victory and all the spoils that entailed. He had to be careful though, extremely careful. Tariq knew Ice’s hands reached deeply into every illegal enterprise. He also knew the man had plenty of enemies and those were the people he was trying to reach out too. Tariq heard the short scream and turned back to the mirror, seeing Kaitlyn sitting bolt upright in bed, sweating profusely. Bad dream, he thought wanting very much to go and hold her, assuring her everything would be all right. Soon baby, he thought as she lay back down and closed her eyes once more.
*****
Kaitlyn’s eyes popped open moments later as she rose stealthily from the bed. After the dream she hadn’t been able to fall back to sleep. Waiting until her sight adjusted to the darkness she rose, dressed, and made her way to the door, gingerly turning the knob and finding it unlocked. Smiling slightly at her good fortune, Kaitlyn carefully opened the door praying it didn’t creak and give away her position. Holding her breath she finally opened it far enough to slip her body through it. She looked down the short hallway leading away from the room seeing darkness except for the flickering light of what she assumed was a TV set. Shit, Kaitlyn thought. That was the only way out that she saw and obviously there was someone in the room to impede her escape. She turned her head in the opposite direction and spotted the small window at the end of the hallway.
Again taking her time and being as quiet as possible, Kaitlyn headed for the window, praying it didn’t have a lock or that like the door, it was open. It was a bit tall and she would need a chair to stand on to get out of it. She quickly glanced around, all the while listening for any sound of movement from her captors in the other room. She didn’t see anything but remembered the small chair in her room as she turned and hurried to get it. As soon as she stepped completely inside the room taking the three steps needed to reach the chair, the door slammed and she heard the lock click.
“No,” Kaitlyn screamed. “Let me out of here,” she continued to scream, beating on the door with her fists.
She was absolutely furious with herself. “Let me go,” she screamed again angrily.
She wasn’t prepared when the door suddenly opened with great force pushing her back and causing her to fall to the floor. The men with masks were inside and on her before she could react. Gathering herself quickly Kaitlyn fought back with all she had, the two men were struggling hard to contain her. They finally managed to subdue her, holding both her arms and legs prone as another hooded figure entered the room.
“Who the hell are you,” Kaitlyn screamed at him as he stood looking down at her.
*****
Tariq sighed gently. It was killing him as he looked through the 2-way mirror again, to see Kaitlyn struggle but he couldn’t reveal himself yet. It wasn’t time. He watched as LaRon straddled her, sitting on her chest, and forced the pill into her mouth. Kaitlyn was trying desperately to spit it out as he poured water down her throat and held her nose making her swallow. After they were satisfied she’d taken the pill the men let her go and left the room as Kaitlyn drew herself into a corner, hugging her knees tightly still coughing and wheezing from the experience. Tariq’s heart broke when she started to cry. He hated to see the fear and hear the pain of her sobs as the drug began to work. Kaitlyn was once again unconscious in a matter of moments.
He entered the room, picking her up from the floor and placing her on the bed. He tenderly dried her and changed her clothes, kissing her lips softly from time to time. Tariq brushed her hair and laid her on the pillows, covering her with the comforter. “This is going to be over soon, KiKi,” he told her lovingly, kissing her one last time before leaving and locking the door behind him.
“LaRon,” he called out as the man materialized in front of him. “Who left this door open,” he asked calmly.
“Role,” was the simple reply as Tariq’s eyes narrowed.
“Send him to me,” he said simply and walked away as LaRon smiled slightly and turned to go get him.
TURN THE PAGE
Liberation is not a gift bestowed upon us from our oppressor.
It is taken and owned by the decision that
NO ONE can keep them from it.
For too long we've watched silently as we've been violated by our government at every turn. The rights and needs of the poor, minorities, and women have been ignored and trampled upon. It's time to stand up and say no. You have the power to make a difference and it is as simple as casting a ballot in your local, state, and federal elections.
If you haven't registered to vote, you may do so in the following ways:
• Contact your Secretary of State and request a voter registration form by mail
• Register at your Public Library
• Register at the DMV when you renew your license
• Register when you renew your TANF/Food Stamp benefits
Registering to vote doesn't automatically sentence you to jury duty. If you get
a jury summons, don't avoid it! We need rational voices to keep our men and women from behind bars! Convicted felons are not barred from registering! States such as Rhode Island, South Carolina and Utah automatically restore your voting rights upon completion of your sentence. Check your state laws for complete information on restoring your voting rights if you've been convicted of a felony.
To Report Voter Issues: call the Civil Rights Division toll-free at (800) 253-3931, or contact them by mail at:
Chief, Voting Section
Civil Rights Division Room 7254 - NWB
Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20530
Your right to vote was secured through blood, sweat, and tears. Exercise it to the fullest without relenting. Social change and justice for people of color is not optional: it is mandatory. Make them know this by registering your voting voice today!