Thin Ice 2 - Hide & Seek

by KR Bankston

*****

  Freight observed the man leaving Halle’s room and took the opportunity to casually follow him. Boarding the same elevator the man was deeply engrossed in his text messages as Freight also remained quiet. Arriving at the lobby both men exited the elevator and began walking through the ER waiting room heading for the parking lot. Freight hung back far enough not to bring suspicion to himself and watched DeNoah make his way to his car. He took note of the make, model and color as the man backed out of the parking space and turned heading out of the hospital area. So that’s the fool she was fuckin’ from Top’s crew, Freight thought his mind tumbling. He was still very much annoyed that Top hadn’t accepted him and his proposal with open arms. Pulling out his cell, Freight made a call.

  “Yeah,” the voice answered on the other end.

  “Wassup,” Freight threw out as the party recognized his voice and returned the greeting.

  “What you needin’,” the asked.

  “Army,” Freight replied calmly.

  “Done,” the voice threw out instantly. “When, where,” they asked once more as Freight supplied them with the answer.

  Disconnecting he smiled to himself turning to go back inside to Halle’s room. They picked the wrong King to try and dethrone, he thought ominously arriving at the elevator and boarding. He was still smiling as the heavy steel doors closed and he pressed the 5th floor button.

  Making sure he wasn’t seen by the nurses at the nursing station, Freight stealthily made his way to Halle’s room, slipping quietly inside. He stood at the door observing the woman for a few moments as the various machinery beeped and hummed, keeping her alive. Always was a selfish bitch, Freight thought of her refusal to die when she fell into the tub.

  “Well, let’s do this,” he said softly aloud walking over to her bed.

  Freight took note of the monitor for her heartbeat knowing it would sound an alarm if she were in any distress. He sighed softly before removing the syringe from his pocket and removing the cap. Looking into her peaceful face once more, Freight stuck the needle into the tip of the IV that administered the nutrients to her system and pushed the plunger down, delivering the lethal dose of amphetamines to her system. Finally closing the door on a bad ass nightmare, he thought watching the IV drip a few moments more. Turning on his heels, Freight left the room as quiet and stealthy as he’d entered, hearing the code blue sound just as he once more boarded the elevator and the doors closed.

  *****

  This is not happening, Jaleesa thought as she began vomiting again. She’d thrown up for the last three days. Her period was missing in action and in her darkest heart of hearts she knew she was pregnant. Please God, don’t let this be happening, she prayed again as the tears came and rolled down her cheeks. So far she’d been able to keep the bouts of morning sickness secret from Deuce. I’ve got to get the hell outta here, she thought once more as yet another wave of nausea hit her. Finally emptying her stomach, Jaleesa fell back against the wall of the bathroom her mind reeling. Deuce still insisted on keeping her locked in the house, though he allowed her free reign of the inside, leaving it was out of the question. He’s not gonna let you abort it anyway, her mind told her. Since she arrived he’d been trying to get her pregnant. Jaleesa knew hell would freeze over before he willingly allowed her to get rid of it now. Deciding that she had to get out of the house and that she had to do it now, Jaleesa shored her reserved and picked herself up from the floor, washing her face and pulling herself together. Satisfied she looked fine, she opened the bathroom door and walked into the bedroom.

  Jaleesa stopped in her tracks finding Deuce standing in front of her, Cheshire cat grin plastered across his face.

  “You okay,” he asked touching her face lightly.

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” Jaleesa hurriedly returned. “Something I ate didn’t agree with me,” she added as LaRon grunted slightly.

  “I doubt that,” he replied calmly as she tried to walk by him.

  He reached out grabbing her arm and stopping her.

  “Take this,” he told her plainly, pushing the home pregnancy test into her hands.

  “Deuce, I’m fine,” Jaleesa tried as he again growled under his breath and began pushing her back towards the bathroom.

  “Take it,” he told her once more, his tone stern.

  Swallowing hard she opened the box and removed the wand. Going into the bathroom she went to close the door when Deuce put his hand on it telling her no. Defeated Jaleesa did as he asked, taking the tip off the wand and saturating it as she relieved herself. Holding his hand out, Deuce took the test from her and placed it on the counter, where he stood firmly planted, watching it process.

  In less than two minutes the positive plus sign appeared in the window. The smile grew even broader as Jaleesa’s sense of dread hit rock bottom.

  “This is wonderful baby,” LaRon told Jaleesa lovingly as he hugged her tightly.

  “I know you’re scared,” he told her tenderly as he held her. “I’m not going to hurt this baby, or you,” he promised kissing her neck gently.

  Jaleesa bit her lip hard trying to stay the tears threatening once more. She made up her mind to kill him and get out by weekend, four days from now.

  “Are you happy,” LaRon asked pulling away and looking into her eyes.

  Jaleesa forced a small smile to her face as she answered him.

  “Just in shock,” she replied hedging the original question.

  “You shouldn’t be,” LaRon joked. “You know how fertile you are,” he teased as Jaleesa blushed slightly. “It’s gonna be okay this time, Tweety,” LaRon iterated once more. “I promise baby, I promise,” he told her hugging her once more as Jaleesa’s mind continued to race full steam ahead to his demise, her escape, and the termination of the life growing inside her.

  21

  Tate and Ryan were gathering forces. The sneak attack on the club manager a few days ago sent the message loud and clear that Top and his crew wanted a war.

  “How many you rounded up,” Ryan asked Tate, checking his own weapon cache.

  Tate replied that there were six fight-to-the-death soldiers lined up.

  “Cool,” Ryan replied as his mind still raced.

  They were going back to the mortuary where they still held Tyreece and question him again. There had to be another local connection other than him for this job to be pulled off.

  “Tyreece is gonna buy a fuckin’ bullet if he doesn’t tell me what the hell I wanna know today,” Ryan groused angrily as Tate voiced his own approval.

  The two men gathered their weapons and headed outside, being extra careful and cautious making their way to Tate’s truck and getting inside. Ryan held the .10mm in his lap as they rode. Neither was taking any chances with their lives given all the unknowns surrounding their current situation.

  Xae carefully followed the men at a very cautious distance as they drove. He’d seen the weapons and knew it would be in his best interest not to be observed or spook them. They both were on edge and he knew from his sources Ryan had an itchy trigger finger. Besides, Xae had a different agenda today. Today was simply about fact finding. Everything that needed to be handled would be soon enough, he thought as the men turned down a familiar road and he continued to follow them. He’d borrowed his girl’s car this morning. His was far too loud and noticeable Xae thought of the Chevy. The small sky blue Hyundai was far more conducive to his needs at the moment. Slowing again Xae observed the truck carrying the men make a left turn and knew exactly where they were headed. The street was dead end, and Xae knew there was only one building contained that still stood and would suit their need to keep someone prisoner. He supposed he could have made an attempt to rescue Tyreece from the captors, but again, that wasn’t the plan for today. Instead Xae relaxed and rolled himself a blunt, turning off the car and sitting inside, waiting.

  *****

  Tyreece heard them enter the mortuary, the dread immediately returning to his belly. So far they hadn’t hurt him or Enid
anymore, but you could never tell what mood Ryan, or Tate either for that matter, was in for the day. Glancing at his wife, Tyreece saw that she too had heard the men. He hoped they survived this ordeal and he got the opportunity to make all this up to her. Enid had stood by him through thick and thin and the things happening to her now, she totally did not deserve. The footsteps got closer and Tyreece grew more afraid. He couldn’t explain it, but he felt it. Today was going to be different and he wasn’t sure that was in the good sense either. The footsteps stopped and he heard the scraping of the heavy metal door as Tate labored to open it.

  “Wassup,” Tate threw out walking into the room as Tyreece remained mute and simply regarded him.

  “Wassup Enid,” he greeted the woman who swallowed hard and softly said hello.

  Smiling slightly, Tate headed directly to the filing cabinet opening a drawer as Ryan walked in and regarded both captives.

  “Take her out,” he told Tate flatly as the man grunted and stepped toward the gurney where Enid was still bound.

  Waiting until Tate removed his wife and secured her in another room, Ryan regarded Tyreece hatefully as the man began to sweat under the close scrutiny.

  “I lost a soldier a couple days ago,” Ryan told him edgily. “Today you’re gonna lose your wife if I don’t get some muthafuckin’ answers,” he added as Tyreece caught his breath.

  Tate returned to the room breaking the mood for the moment bringing Ryan a chair as the man sat and continued to regard Tyreece, quaking in front of him.

  “What, um, what you wanna know Ryan,” Tyreece finally ventured, his voice small and defeated.

  “Who the fuck else is working here with you,” Ryan barked causing Tyreece to jump.

  “If you lie muthafucka, I will personally slit your bitch’s throat and watch her die,” he added acidly as Tyreece coughed slightly, strangling on his own saliva.

  “Three others from the area,” he replied quietly as Tate walked closer to his chair, standing almost behind him.

  “Name ‘em muthafucka, shit,” Ryan barked again.

  Tyreece swallowed hard, just as the blinding pain came to his head.

  “Speak up bitch,” Tate told him angrily, still holding the blackjack he’d hit him with.

  “Dude named Xavier, they call him Xae,” Tyree replied, going on to name the other 2 as well.

  “Hmph,” Tate replied as Ryan glanced up at him.

  “You know these punk asses,” he asked Tate.

  Nodding that he did, the man gave Ryan a complete run down of the three.

  “So they wanna be Al Capone and shit now huh,” Ryan threw out as Tate smiled slightly.

  “Where the fuck they hang, where they people live,” he asked Tyreece.

  Again swallowing hard, the man once more opened his mouth and answered his captor’s questions. Finally procuring the information they needed, Ryan and Tate rose once again preparing to leave him. Tyreece cleared his throat slightly and addressed Ryan carefully.

  “Will you bring my wife back now,” he asked timidly as Ryan regarded him silently for a few moments more, seeing the man’s angst and having a momentary flash of pity for him, as well as respecting the depth of love that Tyreece honestly had for his wife. It reminded him of his own burgeoning love for Caramel.

  “Yeah,” he replied simply, just a touch of the venom gone from his voice as he directed Tate to return the woman to the room.

  *****

  “This is Manuel and Jose’,” Dixon told Ice.

  He took his time looking the men over before speaking.

  “You gentlemen know what the job is,” he asked as both men assured him they did.

  The men were Hispanic and gave the appearance of migrant workers, neither having anything distinctive that would draw any unwanted suspicion. They were also skilled, trained and well paid assassins.

  “I don’t want them killed just yet,” Ian told them as they both again grunted their understanding. “I want to know the layout of the land, the house, entry and exit points,” Ian went on as the men listened wordlessly.

  The plan was for them to drive out and approach the house under the guise of looking for yards to clean, clear and cut. They would stop at the two houses closest to the target so they occupants wouldn’t be suspicious of their motives when they arrived.

  “You want pictures and such,” Manuel asked.

  His accent was almost nonexistent. He was the shorter of the two, standing about 5’5”, very small frame, with small beady eyes in constant motion.

  “Yes,” Ian replied. “As many of you can procure safely,” he added as the men again nodded their understanding.

  Going over a few more points, Ian thanked the men for their time and dismissed them from his presence. They would receive payment after they returned from their scout mission.

  Alone again Ian’s mind began to recall his brief glance of Kaitlyn during their first excursion. I miss her so damned much, he thought becoming sad and melancholy. Kaitlyn was his heart, the breath in his lungs and though he would never admit it aloud, her being taken from him made him feel impotent and helpless. I couldn’t even protect her, Ian continued to muse, making himself a drink and sipping it. He would prove his worth to her again though; he continued to think as he smiled slightly. Ian planned to make an event of killing the fools that’d taken his heart. He was going to kill them in the slowest, most brutal and painful ways he could think of. The ringleader he was going to save for last and allow Kaitlyn to get her own revenge. Smiling to himself, Ian knew she would like that. KiKi definitely believes in getting even, he thought and actually chuckled aloud. His cell buzzed breaking his thought. His frown deepened and his rage grew as he read the message contained. ‘Time for u to pay us bitch ass fool,’ the message read. ‘Stay close, we’ll be in touch’, it ended as Ian took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. Oh yes, I’m gonna pay you all right, he thought ominously. In fuckin’ spades, Ian finished his thought and his drink, headed out to the holding spot to deal with Role, possibly for the last time.

  Ryan and Tate were on a mission. They were driving with purpose as they turned the various streets headed to their destination. Ryan added the silencer to the .380 and the .10mm he held; doing the same for the two guns that Tate was planning to use as well. Rounding the corner the run down buildings of the cities slum came screaming into sight. Slowing the two men began searching out their targets.

  “Over there,” Tate said, nodding to his right. “In front of the Pawn Shop,” he added as Ryan hmphed his acknowledgement finally seeing two of the three men they were looking for, standing against the brick wall.

  Ryan watched distastefully as the two men shared a 40-ounce, passing the beer back and forth between them. Broke ass fools can’t even afford 2 beers, he thought to himself of the men’s nerve trying to replace himself or Tate in their operations.

  “What a bunch of losers,” Tate mumbled as Ryan immediately agreed.

  “Drive by,” Tate queried as Ryan told him yes.

  Grunting slightly, Tate began approaching the dilapidated building, slowing the truck as he got closer. Ryan hit the power button and the passenger window smoothly and silently went down. He felt his adrenaline began to flow as they got closer to the two men, still oblivious to the fate about to be dealt to them. Ryan was finally close enough to see each man’s face as Tate brought the truck to a complete stop. Grabbing the .380 from his lap, Ryan pointed the gun and began firing. Tate, making a cowboy move of his own, jumped up from the driver’s window, aiming and shooting from a sitting position on the cars door ledge. The two men never had a chance to react or run as Ryan and Tate silently emptied their weapons into them. Three other men, who were standing adjacent to the targets, dropped their bottles, shattering them on the concrete sidewalk below as they beat a hasty retreat out of harms way. Satisfied that the men were dead, Tate got back inside the truck, put it into gear and gunned it, leaving the devastation behind.

  “Head over to Hill street,
” Ryan said plainly as Tate smiled slightly.

  “With pleasure,” he replied still smiling slightly as he made the right turn on Manhattan that would take them directly to the street they desired.

  *****

  Xae was cursing himself as he drove back to his girl’s house. He’d fallen asleep waiting for the men. Now they were gone and he was in the dark still. He was supposed to find out where each of them called home. LaRon had given him explicit direction, telling him the information was pertinent. Fuck, he swore still driving. His stomach growled, alerting him of his hunger. Xae sighed deeply and pulled into the drive thru of the Hardees’s he was passing. Ordering himself a thick burger combo, Xae parked in a shaded spot and enjoyed his lunch. Now that he’d lost their scent, he wasn’t in any hurry, he thought taking his time to savor and enjoy the food. Xae simply decided he would start fresh tomorrow morning, following them once again and this time staying awake and alert. I should go and take care of Tyreece while they’re gone, he thought fleetingly, then dismissed it. Right now, neither Ryan nor Tate knew of his existence and he wanted to keep it that way. Sighing slightly once more, Xae turned on the CD and listened to Lil Wayne and Birdman as they rapped about money and problems, finishing his fries and starting on his burger.

  “That was good, shit,” Xae said half aloud starting the car and heading out of the parking lot. He reached for a smoke, this time grabbing a cigarette as he made his way to his girl’s house. He was going to retrieve his own car and then head to the house for a little while. Xae still lived with his mom, sister, and two brothers. He didn’t see the need to move out just yet. He was still a young man and his mother took excellent care of him. He of course gave her money and paid some bills at the house, bought food and the like. His girl had been bugging him to move in together, but Xae wasn’t trying to hear that right now. He still enjoyed his occasional sideline sex when he wanted it. Living with your girl would severely limit that, his mind told him as Xae chuckled aloud. Right now though he had to get a handle on this business, Xae thought again. This was his opportunity. His lottery win, if he could pull it off, he continued to muse. Top’s crew was going to let him run all of Mississippi. That was large bank there for sure. Xae could finally live the way he wanted, enjoy all the finer things in life. You gotta get rid of the competition first, he thought frowning slightly. Sighing deeply and deciding that tomorrow was new day, Xae arrived at his girl’s house, got out and headed inside, intending to get more than just his keys.