by King Coopa J
“Yes,” El’ Nino puffed on his cigar while looking out of the window. “Kidnapping the girl was a great idea. When Twenty finishes the job, I will give you an extra million to be on my payroll.”
“Look forward to it Boss.”
***
Twenty woke up the next morning. He heard Rosa gathering herself. He looked over at her and noticed she was in a hurry. “What’s the rush?” he wanted to hit that again. “Late for work or something?”
Rosa slipped her skirt on. “No Twenty, it isn’t that.”
“What, you got kids or something?”
“Oh no, no kids yet.” She said, “It’s more complicated than that.” she fixed her long beautiful hair. Walked over and grabbed him by the face. She kissed him passionately.
Twenty noticed something he didn’t observe before. Rosa had an enormous diamond ring on her finger the same size as a marble. When she released him, he spoke. “You’re married?” he asked seriously.
Rosa grabbed her purse from the floor and slipped on her high heels. She wanted to avoid answering his question. Yes, she is a married woman. The man she is with she didn’t love more than him. How could she explain something like that? She was mad with herself because she forgot to take her ring off. She knew if she would’ve told Twenty she was married in the beginning that would’ve lowered her chance of having him. He wouldn’t have wanted her no matter how exotic and beautiful she is. She’s married. She wanted to cry.
“Rosa,” Twenty called. “Answer me? You’re married?” he asked again while getting out of the bed. He knew he was going to have to follow her because she wasn’t answering and was moving. Twenty slipped his pants on swiftly.
Rosa clicked her earrings on and got to the door.
Twenty caught the door. “Why didn’t you just tell me you were married?”
Rosa got teary eyed. “Sorry.”
Twenty repeated. “That’s it, sorry?”
“How could I tell you?” she cried. “You were going to prison for life. I never dreamed in a million years you would get released. What was I supposed to do? You didn’t know about me. I had to move on because I was obsessed with you. I had to find someone in order to stop thinking of you every night. When you got released, it was already done. I’ve been married seven years and now I’m ready to leave him and be with you forever. Are you ready to be with me?” she asked emotionally. Twenty’s facial expression seemed lost to her. He couldn’t answer that question. The sad part is… she knew it. “I thought so.” She pushed past him and he followed her out.
“Rosa,” he called to her. “Rosa.” He knew she was hurt. The question is, could he be with one woman? The only woman he ever loved was Paula. He knew he couldn’t be with her. She has a family. It’s still tough for him to stop loving her. What would he do? This woman, Rosa. He has never met or talked to, a day in his life. She knew everything about him and he knew nothing about her. She said she loved him and was willing to prove it by giving up her marriage. How could he let her make a decision like that if there was a chance he would never love her back? With all the shit that took place yesterday. How could he make that decision right at this moment? He had to lift thirty vehicles, avoid dickhead Daverson while doing it and save Janet. Chances were high he could end back up in prison or get killed. How would she feel about that? The situation was rough and he needed time.
He caught Rosa at the front door exactly when she opened it. “Rosa, just listen to me.” he turned her around. “Listen, I understand where you’re coming from. I’m sorry for hurting you. I trust that you do love me. Something inside of me is telling me you are the one for me. Right now I just need time to sort a few things out. If I’m still alive in a week, we’ll see.”
“Well, I waited ten years, a week is nothing.” She kissed him passionately. She turned to leave and bumped into a woman standing in the doorway.
Lifted
Help Wanted
Paulastood in the door shocked at everything she heard and seen. Paula never heard Twenty express the way he felt for a woman even though she’s with Jeff. She was hurt on the inside because she still loved him. Paula wanted to attack the woman but she couldn’t let her emotions show how she felt about the whole situation. Only a day out of prison and he got some hoe over, she thought. The woman was amazingly beautiful, even too Paula. When she overheard Twenty tell the woman, he trusted that he knows she loves him. That made her think how long have they had known each other? Was it before or after prison? Maybe he was trying to run game on her because he wanted some and was back to his old ways? Inside, Paula was emotionally frustrated. Her daughter had been kidnapped and the first man she had ever fallen in love with. He was telling another woman he basically wanted to be with her. What else could she expect from him knowing she was still with Jeff? That, Twenty was going to be single for the rest of his life while she was with his best friend? To her, that wasn’t the case. That wasn’t the case at all. No one would understand, no one.
Tech was being Tech once again. He was at the computer working his ass off. He noticed Twenty when he chased the woman down the stairs. Now he was watching Paula stare her down after a kiss that could’ve won a Grammy. Tech shook his head slowly. “Oh shit,” he muttered to himself. “This can’t be good.”
Twenty notice Paula and couldn’t believe she was standing at the door. Dayum. He just spilled his guts to another woman in front of the woman he cares most about. Paula was going through a lot getting her daughter kidnapped. He didn’t know exactly how Paula felt about him. He wishes that she could’ve been somewhere else and not at the door facing Rosa. Especially after saying what he said and kissing her. Man, I wish she was somewhere else right now.
“I’m sorry,” Rosa apologized for bumping into her.
Paula mean mugged the woman hard, letting her know through her mind that she didn’t like her. “Whatever.” She muttered and pushed passed her.
Rosa turned around. She thought that was a rude thing to do. She didn’t know this woman at all but she wanted to set her straight.
Twenty held Rosa back. “Please,” He whispered. “For me? She’s going through it right now. Just call the garage for me later. We’ll talk.”
Rosa restrained herself only because Twenty told her to. “Ok,” she kissed him on the lips. “I will.” She left.
Tech had a beer in his hand and chugged it down. “Woo, this is better than the movies.” Tech wondered how Twenty did it. All the women wanted him. He wished he was him. “I don’t understand yet how you do it. You’re the man bro, you’re the man.” He muttered to himself.
Paula was at the bar. She poured herself a straight double shot of Patron. She threw it back and poured herself another.
Twenty felt bad and walked over to the bar. He wanted to explain to her that he loved her. Although, that was something he could not do. That would cause more problems. Especially with his best friend, Jeff. Twenty put his hand on Paula’s back to comfort her. “Paula,” he whispered. “I-”
Paula jerked away from him. She cut him off. “Please, save it for someone who care about your black ass.” Paula was emotionally angry and didn’t know how to deal with it. She loved Twenty so much it hurt inside. She threw the second shot back. “Ten years you had been gone. Ten damn years!” she slammed the glass on the counter. She couldn’t control her emotions anymore. “You left me, you left me by myself. I loved you to death and I still do. Now you show up. My daughter gets kidnapped. Then you’re with another woman who says she loves you.” Paula began to cry. “Do you love her? Do you!” she cried uncontrollably and hit him on his chest several times.
Twenty embraced her into his arms.
She had her face in his chest. “They took my daughter. They took my baby.”
“I know.” He whispered. “I know.”
***
Someone started knocking on the garage door. Twenty told Paula to fix herself up because no one should see her like this. She agreed and went to the restroom. Tech signal
ed to Twenty that he got it and walked over to the door. Twenty poured himself a shot of Patron in the glass that Paula had used. Women, he thought. Today was Monday and there is no way in hell he was going to let it be like yesterday. Today is going to go the way he wanted it to.
Tech looked through the peephole. He saw who it was and opened the door to welcome his friend. “Jeff.” He gave him some dap.
“Hey,” Jeff said cheerfully greeting Tech. “What’s going on?” he stepped in the door.
“Nothing much, “Tech wanted to hide what went on between Twenty, Rosa and Paula. Jeff wouldn’t understand that. He was sure Twenty and Paula would be happy with his decision to do so. “Been working on the vehicles all morning, you?”
Jeff walked to the mini frig. “Working. Well, just got off work. What’s going on Twenty my man? Whoa, you drinking early aren’t you?” Jeff grabbed himself a beer.
“Yes sir,” Twenty played it cool. “I see you’re joining the club.” he held his drink up.
Jeff came over and toasted him and gave his best friend some dap. He sat at the bar. “Tech, where’s your beer?”
Tech stayed facing the computer. He raised up the empty beer bottle with is left hand. Signaling to Jeff he already got started.
“Well get another one and drink with us. Twenty’s home man!”
Tech stayed facing the computer and held up his right hand with a full bottle of beer. Signaling to Jeff he was already on the second.
Jeff and Twenty laughed at Tech. One beer could get the computer geek drunk. Jeff noticed Paula wasn’t in sight. Her car was outside and she was nowhere to be found. He knew she was going to be here. They were going to come over together. He had to finish up some business at work first. So he told her they would meet here. “Where’s Paula?” Jeff asked. He took a gulp of his beer.
“The restroom,” Twenty replied.
“She’s been in there a minute?” Jeff asked.
“Nah, she just went in right before you came.” Twenty took the shot. “Probably girl stuff.”
Paula came from the restroom. She tried her best to fix herself up. Her eyes were still a little puffy and she still had a little sniff.
Jeff walked over to greet her. “Hey honey,” he held arms out about to hug her. He noticed something was wrong. “Hey, what’s wrong?” he was concerned.
Paula didn’t want to let him know exactly what was wrong with her. Although she told him what was the biggest reason. “Just thinking about Janet.”
Jeff embraced her. “It’s going to be alright, I promise. We’re going to get our little angel back.” Jeff wanted to hide his emotions about their daughter being kidnapped. He wanted to be strong for Paula.
They all sat at the computer. Tech was telling them how hard it is going to be to lift all the cars in a week. The exotic ones were going to be the toughest. Then, there was the President’s Rang Rover.
“So you’re saying we’re going to need some help?” Twenty asked.
“Maybe an extra person or two,” Jeff muttered. “You sure we need someone?”
“Positive,” Tech assured him. “Ten years ago we could’ve lifted thirty vehicles with our eyes closed. That was ten years ago. Times have changed. We’re talking cars that are concepts. Blueprints I can’t seem to find. Security codes I can’t seem to crack. I know I’m a little rusty. It’s been a decade. It’s going to take me a long time to work and I know it’s going to take you longer. One person who’s been working the system could definitely put us in there.”
They all were silent, thinking about the tough situation they just been put in. Twenty thought hard, it’s been a decade. Who could he know of? He remembered talking about a bad ass dude with David. “Anybody know where Scores Bar and Grill is?”
Lifted
Scores
Jeffhad brought Twenty two weeks’ worth of nice shirts and pants. He had nothing when he got out so Jeff made sure he had something on his back. Twenty was more muscular than Jeff so he filled his shirts out. They still fitted him nicely and the pants were perfect. Twenty came downstairs after getting dressed. “How I look?” He asked everyone and holding his arms out.
“You look good man,” Jeff answered.
‘’Different but nice,” Paula replied. She couldn’t believe how Twenty changed. She thought he looked amazing in Jeff’s clothes.
“Still the man.” Tech followed behind Paula.
“Ok then.” Twenty felt better about himself because he was finally able to wear some real clothes. “Who’s ready to go get a drink?”
They were on their way Scores Bar and Grill. Tech knew where the bar was. He’s been there a time or two to catch pay per view fights. They had some fine women there and that made him want to come back again.
It took about thirty minutes to get to the bar. The place was jam packed. Twenty hadn’t seen a bar so crowded. How were they to find Bobby and his brother Jimmy Neutron in this place? Twenty didn’t know what they looked like. He never bothered to ask David that because he never thought he would be lifting cars again. Yet alone, trying to recruit someone for the team. The good thing about it was if he did find him. Bobby would probably want to join the Lifters. The way David put it. Bobby looked up to Twenty as the greatest car thief ever and dreamed of being part of the crew. He hoped Bobby was still dreaming about that because he was about to make it come true.
Twenty and Tech got out of the Lancer. Jeff and Paula hopped out the F-250. They went to the front of the bar and there was an enormous line. There was a chance they wouldn’t get in the place because the line was so long. Tech wanted to get in badly. There were some fine women in line revealing enough skin for him to get hard.
“Wait right here,” Jeff told them. Jeff walked to the front of the line. He spoke to the bouncer at the entrance who was letting people in and checking ID’s. “Hey,” he called the bouncer. “My friends and I are trying to hop the line.” He showed the bouncer a hundred dollar bill.
“No problem.” He took the money.
Jeff went back and got everyone. He told them they were VIP and could hop the line.
Tech felt like the man for some reason. He was happy they were getting in. Twenty was out and he wanted to prove to him that he wasn’t scared to talk to women anymore. He walked to the front of the line with a mean swag. He walked pass some fine looking women. “VIP, baby.” He said coolly. The women were smiling at his pimp walk. They thought it was funny but cute because Tech had a geek swag. He didn’t know it, but women were starting to dig geeks all over the world. Tech knew he had the female’s attention. Good or bad he didn’t care. They were watching so he popped his collar. “Boom,” he said smoothly while flipping it up. Then he continued into the bar with his friends.
They were at the bar and all decided to work it first. They were shooting the name Bobby around to see if anyone knew it. Paula and Jeff worked one end and Twenty and Tech hit the other.
Tech bought them drinks. Twenty noticed Tech at the front. “Man, I’m proud of you. You swaged on the females out front.” He held his beer up.
“Really,” Tech was happy he noticed. Tech toasted him.
The women out front were in and found Tech immediately. “Call me.” One said and kissed him.
The other one waited for her friend to turn away. She slipped Tech her number on the low. “Call me.” She mouthed and caught up to her friend.
“Whoa,” Tech responded.
“Told you.” Twenty spoke. “Two for one.”
After working the bar and then the floor an hour. Twenty was ready to give up and so was Tech. They found themselves back at the bar. They both had a seat. Twenty was seated next to a long hair blond dude who resembled a surfer. Tech was lucky enough to be seated next to a fine looking female. Twenty was beginning to think Bobby didn’t show up tonight. He couldn’t come back every night looking for this guy. It would be too late. Janet would be dead by then. He had to get to work immediately. There was no more time to waste. I’m just going to do wh
at I got to do, he thought. The show must continue. There are lives on the line. He signaled for the bartender. After this last drink, he’s going to find Paula and Jeff and see what they thought. If they wanted to continue searching for a while, it was straight. If not, he was ready to dip. The bartender came over. Twenty ordered another beer and he noticed that the bartender was different. They must’ve switched shifts. One more time, he thought. “Hey, I’m looking for a guy name Bobby.” He told the bartender and taking the drink.
“There’re a million guys named Bobby, who comes in here. Sorry homie.” He said.
“Well, this Bobby is in the car business if you know what I mean.” Twenty signed to him.
“Oh, that Bobby.” He said while wiping a glass. “Who want to know?”
“Twenty,” he told him.
“Well, Twenty.” He signed. “It’s going to cost you.”
Twenty was dead broke. He had a lead though and he didn’t want to lose it. “How much?”
“It doesn’t matter how much.” Said a harsh voice behind him. “This mu’fucka owes me five hundred thousand and a Boss 302, ya feel me.”
Twenty recognized the voice and turned around. He was face to face with Money. The dope boy who paid him five hundred thousand for an unfinished job. There was supposed to be another five hundred thousand, but Twenty got arrested on the last vehicle. “Money,” Twenty said casually.
“I saw you on the news, hot boy.” Money spoke coolly. “Lookin’ real good in my Boss 302.”
Twenty noticed Money had about four goons with him. He wanted to avoid any trouble with them. “Yeah. Will, I was set up. It wasn’t your color anyway.” He noticed Tech was paying attention now. That’s two on five. Where’s Jeff and Paula?
“Yeah,” Money spoke with a cold stare. “I heard somethin’ like that around the hood potna. I heard you were snitchin’ too. You serve ten years on a life sentence. Who you tellin’ on mu’fucka?” Money knew the law was after him. They were kicking in his trap houses a lot lately. Then, Twenty shows up. Somebody was snitching and he figured it was him since he knew so much about his past jobs.
