by KR Bankston
Kim was eternally grateful he wasn’t standing in front of her. She couldn’t lie to Tariq, not to his face anyway.
“What makes you think he was following me, Top,” she asked trying to buy time and find out just how much Tariq did or didn’t know.
“He was at the hospital when you miscarried,” Tariq answered.
He’d just spent thirty minutes on the phone with DeNoah getting more information. The things the man told him he overheard further fueled his suspicion that something very bad had gone down between Kim and Freight.
“I didn’t know that,” Kim answered honestly.
Tariq’s information had answered the nagging question she had after Freight’s texts of how he knew she was pregnant or miscarried.
“Hmph,” Tariq replied once more. “Again, Kim, why was Freight following you,” Tariq asked waiting patiently for an answer.
“We had a run in,” Kim replied hoping it would appease him, but not counting on it.
“What kinda run in,” Tariq fired back.
Swallowing hard, Kim began spinning the story she’d concocted about seeing Freight at Mardi Gras and them getting into a shouting match.
“What were you arguing about,” Tariq continued to press.
“Nothing important Top, or anything to do with the operation,” Kim clarified, confirming Tariq’s suspicions.
“So he’s still tryna get at you,” Tariq asked.
“Yeah,” Kim replied simply, which wasn’t a lie.
“That’s all,” Tariq asked again, his tone ambiguous at this point.
“Yeah, Top, that’s all,” she lied.
“Kim, you’ve been with me a lot of years,” Tariq replied his tone never changing. “And you’ve always been straight with me, done whatever I asked without question,” he continued as Kim’s sense of dread deepened. “Now suddenly you’re lying to me, and yes, I can tell,” Tariq told her as Kim continued to remain mute. “Did Freight put his hands on you,” he asked point blank, the tone now cold and hard.
“Please Top, I got it covered,” Kim tried without answering his question directly.
“Kim,” he called, voice raised. “Answer my damned question,” he fired as she jumped slightly at the venom now lacing his voice.
“Yes,” she replied softly hearing him sigh deeply.
“You want to kill him yourself,” he now asked sounding a bit calmer.
“Without a doubt,” Kim replied not missing a beat.
“Hmph,” Tariq replied and remained quiet a little longer.
“Tell me what the plan is,” he finally threw out acknowledging his cooperation allowing Kim to kill Freight.
Smiling slightly Kim told him what she had planned for the big man and how she wanted to look into his eyes as she planted a bullet from Mook’s .380 in his head.
“Fine,” Tariq replied at the end. “But when you set it up, DeNoah is gonna be there to have your back,” he added as Kim reluctantly agreed.
“I’m sorry for lying to you, Top,” Kim meekly told him.
“I understand Kim,” Tariq told her. “But you gotta know I’m here for you, we are all here for you,” he went on. “You can’t keep shit like that secret from us, OK?”
Kim promised this was the first and last time she would ever keep anything from them as Tariq accepted her apology and disconnected.
*****
It’s nice to be home, Role thought, even if it was temporary. Andre’ was in the other room waiting for him. Ian allowed him to come home and shower, dress in his own clothes for the meet tonight at the strip club. Sorry DeNoah, but shit, its survival of the fittest in this bitch now, Role thought stepping under the steaming hot shower spray. He was still praying he could find a way of escape tonight. He was going to somehow get home, get his car, and get the hell out of Atlanta. He’d managed to save a few thousand dollars from his time with Top, so that would help him stay afloat until he could find a job of some sort when he got where he was going. Role really didn’t have any particular destination in mind. He was just going to drive and wherever he felt safe, that’s where he would stop.
“Hurry up fool, we gotta be going’,” Andre’ yelled from the living room where he was watching TV.
“OK,” Role returned, grudgingly exiting the shower and heading to his bedroom once more.
Checking his closet, he took a chance and quietly removed the small panel inside his closet where he kept his gun, only to find it empty. Shit, he thought knowing that Ice’s crew had found it. Thankfully he didn’t keep his money there as well. Removing his outfit for the evening, Role dressed. Checking his reflection moments later, he headed out into the living room letting Andre’ know he was ready to leave.
“Don’t get cute tonight,” Andre’ told him giving him a look, almost reading his mind. “You do this shit right, you might walk away in one piece,” he lied.
Andre’ already had his orders to cancel Role after everything was said and done.
“I ain’t trippin’ man,” Role threw back, hoping his face didn’t betray the lie. “Just wanna do this and get it over with,” he added as Andre’ sucked his teeth slightly again.
“This fool a friend of yours,” he asked curiously as they got into Role’s Lex and started it.
“We cool,” he answered simply.
Andre’ again grunted but said nothing else as they got onto the interstate and Role’s mind continued to race. He was luring DeNoah to his death and he’d always been straight with him. Why the fuck couldn’t it have been LaRon’s sorry ass, he continued to brood. Pushing the guilt away and justifying it once more to himself as survival of the fittest, Role pulled into the parking lot of Pink Panty’s and found a spot. Andre’ pulled out his cell and made a call.
“Yeah, we’re here,” he told the person on the other end. “OK, cool,” he replied disconnecting. “Come on lets go,” he barked at Role as they got out and entered the club. It was 10:48PM.
30
LaRon and Mook were sitting outside the huge country style estate watching the traffic come and go. This was the brothel that Ice and Ryan owned in Louisiana. With no clear address they figured this would be the best place to find the man they were looking for.
“They do banner business, I’ll say that for them,” Mook commented as he lit the blunt he’d rolled.
“Yeah, damned cars been in and out nonstop for the last two hours,” LaRon replied, taking the blunt from Mook’s outstretched hand and hitting it.
They were prepared to sit and watch all night if need be. They had to find Ryan and it was urgently they did it sooner than later.
“How much you wanna bet that asshole don’t show up till late,” LaRon spoke.
“You ‘bout right,” Mook replied, taking yet another hit. “How many bitches they got up in there,” he asked as LaRon shrugged slightly.
“Hell, got to have at least what, 5 or 6 for this kinda traffic,” he replied as Mook again nodded his understanding.
A familiar vehicle passed, garnering both their attention. “That’s a S-class,” Mook asked as LaRon told him it was.
Growing excited the men watched the sleek navy blue Benz park and the door swing open.
“That ain’t Ryan,” Mook said aloud as the woman got out of the drivers side.
“Nah, but that’s his chick,” LaRon told him, recognizing Caramel from the pictures.
“Well hell, she’ll do,” Mook again remarked knowing they could follow the woman and she would lead them directly to Ryan.
“Exactly what I was thinking,” LaRon replied as they continued to watch.
Caramel disappeared inside the house leaving them again watching traffic for the next hour and a half.
“She’s leaving’ man,” Mook told LaRon, nudging him gently.
He’d dozed off a few moments earlier. Immediately alert once again, LaRon started the truck and carefully pulled into traffic behind Caramel as she drove, oblivious to the tail she’d acquired. They traveled through the city, leaving
the lights finally and heading out into the open highway.
“Figures his ass would have a house way out in the middle of no damned where,” Mook observed as they continued to drive.
LaRon was getting excited. They were finally going to end one chapter in this sordid story once and for all.
“Don’t follow her up there,” Mook told him as Caramel turned onto a small paved road. LaRon frowned slightly.
“I think it’s a private drive,” he clarified for him.
LaRon nodded and told Mook good looking out as they parked the truck further up the road, pulling far onto the shoulder and getting out. They ended up carrying all their weapons on their bodies as they stealthily made their way back to the turn point. Walking up the small paved road, they had to carefully navigate the winding path without benefit of any street lights.
“It’s dark as fuck out here,” Mook remarked as LaRon agreed.
“Perfect for his slippery ass,” LaRon threw out as they came to a clearing.
Catching their breath from the trek, they regarded the house sitting only a few hundred yards from them.
“You think he got motion sensors and all that shit,” Mook asked as they took in the woods surrounding them.
“I doubt it, shit, who’s gonna come back up in these damned creepy woods at night,” LaRon replied as Mook chuckled hoping he was right.
*****
Role was nervous as hell sitting at his table. He couldn’t even enjoy the lap dance he was getting at the moment from the statuesque bronze goddess gyrating on his lap. It was 11:35 and DeNoah was still a no show. Not wanting to appear anxious, Role didn’t call and ask him if he were on his way. Damn, please let this fool show up, he thought as the dancer finished her set and collected her money, leaving his presence. Glancing around the room, Role saw Andre’, Dixon, Reggie, Manuel and Jose positioned at various points inside the club. Each had a clear view and clear shot at him if he tried to run.
“Come on DeNoah,” Role whispered quietly as yet another dancer took the stage and the crowd began to get rowdy again.
Willing himself to stop worrying, Role turned his attention to Lollipop, watching her dance and thinking how much he wanted to lick her himself.
*****
Xae walked into Pink Panty, glancing around the club looking for his target. He was having a hard time seeing anything with all the rowdy men hollering and jockeying for position to see the stripper on deck. Glancing up for a moment, Xae had to admit the woman was sexy as hell as she continued to grind and gyrate on the steel pole she was now sliding down, head first. Concentrate man, you’re here on business, his mind told him snapping him out of his lust filled thoughts for the moment. Methodically making his way to the bar, Xae ordered a beer and sat on the empty barstool next to him, once again casing the club. He finally spotted Role stuffing money into the dancer’s thong as she smiled at him and he smiled back, licking her butt, before she pushed him away and went to another patron. Taking another swig from his beer, Xae put the bottle on the counter and began make his way to his target. He’d concealed the .9mm in the baggie jeans he wore, attached by a short chain to his belt loop, eliminating the heavy weightiness that would have given him away when he entered and the bouncers looked him over.
He was close now and the crowd was still thick, providing perfect cover. Xae eased the gun out of his pocket, carefully disengaging the safety with the same hand. Role was sitting again, sipping a drink and still lustily eyeing the dancer on stage. Xae crept behind a rowdy crowd of 4 or 5 men, who were laughing loudly and throwing money onto the stage. He reasoned that all their movements and noise would mask him own, as Xae began to raise the.9mm and take aim. As he squeezed the trigger, hell broke. Shots began to ring out from seemingly every angle of the club. Xae hit the floor, turning over a table to take refuge behind. He saw Role dive on the floor close to the stage. Not wasting any time, Xae aimed and unloaded six shots, each one hitting their mark. Role was dead almost instantly. Now I gotta get the fuck outta here, Xae thought as he looked around seeing a rear exit. People were screaming, running and ducking trying to avoid the carnage as Xae made his way to the back door.
*****
“What the fuck,” Ian spat angrily sitting inside the Benz watching the people screaming and scattering as they got out of the club.
He saw Dixon stumble to the car unlock the door and get in.
“What happened,” Ian asked calmly.
He saw the blood and assumed his bodyguard had been shot.
“Where are you hit,” he asked again.
Dixon replied he’d only gotten lightly grazed. The blood on his shirt wasn’t his own.
“Top’s crew musta smelled the trap,” he told Ian as they continued to watch and wait, hoping more of their own made it out.
“Two dudes came outta nowhere and just started blastin’,” he explained as Ian frowned deeply.
This was a fiasco and he was pissed. He saw more and more people pour out of the club. He also heard the police sirens in the distance.
“They got 3 minutes, and we’re out,” Ian told Dixon, who knowingly acknowledged his understanding.
Andre’, Reggie, and Jose’ made it to the car in time.
“Where is Manuel,” Ian asked, hating to leave the man behind.
“He’s gone, Ice,” Reggie replied.
“Fuck,” Ian swore as Dixon started the Benz and spun out of the parking lot.
They passed the police cars screaming onto the scene a half mile down the road as they turned onto the interstate and headed back to Mardi Gras to regroup.
*****
Xae jumped into the passenger side of the car as DeNoah regarded him calmly. “You finish him,” he asked as Xae assured him Role was dead.
“Man who was them fools up in there shootin’,” he asked as DeNoah shrugged slightly.
Truthfully he’d seen the men as they entered, wondering why they were there.
“We’ll sort all that out later,” DeNoah replied starting the car and heading to the hotel where Xae had a room.
“Wanna stop and get some liquor or something,” DeNoah asked amiably.
Xae told him he had some beer and weed at the room so he was good. Grunting again, they rode in silence except for the constant boom of the bass from the stereo in DeNoah’s car. The trip was short as they arrived and headed inside the room.
“That shit was crazy,” Xae remarked heading into the bathroom.
DeNoah said nothing as he sat down, waiting from him to re-enter the room.
“You want a beer, some smoke,” Xae asked as DeNoah declined the beer, but accepted the weed.
Rolling the blunt, Xae passed it to DeNoah to light.
“So what’s next,” Xae asked as he enjoyed the beer.
“Gotta make a call and see,” DeNoah replied simply, taking another hit from the joint.
“How long you been rolling with Deuce and Top,” Xae asked again, his nervousness still obvious, hitting the blunt himself now.
“Bout a year or so,” DeNoah answered honestly.
“Mhmph, okay,” Xae replied. “How are they to work for?”
DeNoah told him Top was good people.
“He don’t play his folks, treats us all good,” he added as Xae opened another beer.
“This your first kill,” DeNoah asked curiously watching the man drink and smoke.
“Nah,” Xae replied. “This is the first wild west shoot out though,” he threw in, chuckling at his own joke.
DeNoah smiled slightly, rising and heading to the bathroom now himself. Xae rolled another blunt and was enjoying it when DeNoah came back into the room.
“Man, what the fuck,” Xae spat, choking on the smoke and coughing furiously.
Without a word, DeNoah pulled out his cell and hit speed dial.
“Hey, we’re here,” he said simply, pressing speaker.
“Hello Xavier,” Tariq addressed him calmly.
Xae frowned slightly at the voice, not recogni
zing it.
“I’m Top,” Tariq clarified for him.
“Wow, um, hey Top,” Xae returned genuinely excited to talk to the big man personally.
“What’s going on with DeNoah,” he asked still eyeing the man as he held the .10mm aimed directly at him.
“Ahh, yes,” Tariq replied. “Well, Xavier, it seems we have a problem,” he went on as Xae listened mutely. “When everything went down in Mississippi, you ran,” Tariq told him. “You left everything in the wind and just bolted, you didn’t even call Deuce to give him a heads up until you were here and safe,” he explained patiently as Xae swallowed the large lump in his throat.
“Top, I,” he tried, as DeNoah told him to shut up and not interrupt.
“You proved to us at that point that you weren’t a team player Xae,” Tariq began again. “This is a team, we’re a family and we look out for each other,” he went on. “We handle business, we don’t run and cover our own ass,” he finished irritably. “So, as you can see, this is not the organization for you,” Tariq told him, the meaning now evident as DeNoah smiled slightly.
“Come on Top,” Xae threw back, panicking. “Give me another chance, I did what you told me tonight,” he tried to reason. “I did it without hesitation,” he added praying he was getting through.
“You’ll be pleased to know Tate is dead,” Tariq told him not addressing his earlier pleas. “He suffered horribly, and that was for your sister’s injustice,” he added as Xae thanked him, the lump in throat becoming painful.
“You however,” Tariq began again. “Well, I can only say I’m disappointed, you had so much potential,” he finished as the line went dead.
Xae looked up into DeNoah’s eyes as he felt the first bullet enter his body. It was followed by three more as Xae gasped loudly, felt no more pain, and fell face first onto the floor beside his bed.
*****
LaRon and Mook were standing outside the back door of the house now watching Caramel through the window. She’d left the blinds open assuming no one would be near enough to watch or accost her. Ryan wasn’t here, but they assumed he would arrive later.
“What you wanna do,” Mook whispered.
LaRon thought for a few moments before telling him the plan. Nodding his understanding, Mook waited for LaRon to make a move. He knew this hit was intensely personal, so he let him take the lead. He gingerly tried the knob, thinking they might get lucky twice in one day. Unfortunately the door was locked this time. Stepping back, LaRon kicked the door hard as Caramel jumped up at the sound screaming shortly. The two men were inside the house before she could run to the bedroom and get the gun Ryan had given her.
