He stopped just shy of coming into the light. He removed the joint from his lips, and released more of the smoke into the air.
“Did you get my shit?” His voice was raspy and stern.
Cornrow nodded. He dropped the bag to the floor. “Yeah. I cleaned out the cache of weapons we had stored at that other house. The Young Bloods won’t find anything there except for rats and dust.”
“Good work, Ant.” He shifted his attention to us. “And what do we have here? A couple of white people in the wrong part of town from the looks of it.”
Raging Bull approached us from behind. He towered over us and planted himself, at our backs.
Cornrow pointed in our direction. “I found these two a couple of blocks over, hiding out from the Young Bloods in the area.”
The man snickered, then extinguished the joint in the ash tray next to him. He shook his head and sighed. His hand reached for his waist as he stepped out into the light. It was Tripp.
“That’s the problem with you, Ant. Always bringing trouble into my crib.” He yanked the Glock from his waistband and cycled a round. “And this white boy isn’t nothing but trouble.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CORY
It wasn’t the worst jam I had ever been in, but it wasn’t the easiest, either.
I moved Anna behind me, shielding her from Tripp. “Like I told your friend over there, we don’t want any trouble. I’m here on business.”
Tripp snickered. He tilted the Glock to the side. His brown eyes narrowed, and his brow furrowed. A thick-gold chain dangled from his neck and rapped against the dingy-white tank he wore. He stepped closer, and pressed the barrel flush against my skull.
“Business, bruh? I think your honky punk ass shouldn’t have come into this neck of the woods.” He gnashed his teeth. I drew a sharp breath, and held it as I peered into the whites of his eyes.
The room fell silent for a hot minute before everyone erupted in laughter. He cracked a smile, then lowered the weapon.
Air spewed from my lips as he laughed and pointed at me.
“Not cool, Tripp,” I said, my voice raising an octave. My heart pounded, and my head swelled with adrenaline. “Honky? Really? That’s messed up, man.”
Tripp secured his piece in his waistband. He shook his head, and slapped the side of my arm.
“I couldn’t help it. I had you going. The look on your face was priceless. I thought the cracker comment was a nice touch.” He looked past me to Anna who was still behind me. “She’s kind of young for you, isn’t she?”
Raging Bull backed off and went back to the kitchen. The men seated at the table chuckled and went about their business.
“It’s not like that. I’m dropping her off at a friend’s house in Glenwood. It was on my way,” I answered while looking at her.
Tripp nodded, then smirked. “Sure. I know how you white people like to get down with that young tail. This is a judgement free zone, bro. You do you.”
I sighed. Not likely.
“Like I said, it’s not… Never mind.” I glanced toward the street. “What’s up with all of the roadblocks? Looks like a damn war zone out there?”
Tripp removed another butt he had wedged behind his ear. He pulled a lighter from the front pocket of his jeans and lit the tip.
“Young Bloods trying to move in on my turf. Since that tsunami hit, then that earthquake, things have gone to hell in a hand bag. They’re bold as shit. Won’t let any of my soldiers in or out. We’re waiting for reinforcements to arrive. Handle them proper like,” he replied as smoke seeped from his lips.
I glanced to the men at the table, then Raging Bull who was stationed at the back door. “When did you form a gang? Last time we spoke, you were a petty con man. A loner. Kind of a big leap.”
He snickered. “Petty con man? Not sure how many times you’ve been hit in the head, Cory. There was nothing petty about the way I handled my shit. Besides, I found an opportunity some years back to grow my business, and I took it. Some got on board. Others didn’t. Simple as that. I’m currently trying to expand my sprawling empire. Interested? I could use a man with your skill set on my crew. Haven’t heard of too many folks who can interrogate like you. You’d have those fools singing like crazy.”
I diverted my gaze to Anna who was now standing next to me. She looked up at me with an inquisitive stare.
“Thanks, but I’ll have to decline,” I replied without hesitation.
Tripp shrugged off my refusal. He glanced to Cornrow. “Take that bag to the backroom, and put them with the others.”
Cornrow retrieved the bag from the worn hardwood floor. He tossed it over his shoulder, and made for the hallway.
Tripp walked across the living room, and sat down in a light-brown rocking chair. He lounged in the rickety recliner, and offered us a seat on the couch next to him.
I was tired and spent, and welcomed the chance to catch my breath. I sat near him with Anna by my side.
He smiled at her, then winked.
She rolled her eyes and leaned back.
“So, what business brings you to my neck of the woods? I’m a bit surprised to see you after all of these years,” he said.
Here it went. “I got caught up in a bad situation, and now my family is in the crosshairs. I need some cash, a weapon, and a ride. I’m going to see if I can charter a private plane to get back to them. Stay off the grid.”
Tripp continued to puff on the joint while lounging in his chair. “And your first thought was to come to me because why?”
Perhaps it was the weed that was getting to Tripp’s head. He was known for smoking his fair share. It seemed as though it had messed up his memory.
I inched closer, then leaned forward on the couch. “I guess all of that smoking has clouded your memory. Remember the Russians and the deal you tried to swindle them out of? If I remember correctly, they were about to bash your skull in with a sledge hammer when I intervened and saved your ass.”
Tripp’s amiable demeanor evaporated in a blink. His lips pursed, and his nostrils flared. His hand slid down to his waist, and rested near the Glock.
“You’re pretty ballsy to come up into my neighborhood, my crib, and demand anything from me.” He cut his eyes down to my waist, then back up to me. “You’re unarmed, outmanned, and look like someone has already kicked the shit out of you. I think you’re in no position to demand anything.”
The floor creaked from the kitchen. I caught sight of Raging Bull heading our way. Tension swarmed the house.
“Do you think you’re fast enough to pull that piece, or for big man there to get to me before I make my move?” I asked. “If you’re willing to risk it, then we can see how this shakes down. Either way, I’m going to get what you owe me.”
Sweat bubbled on his brow, and raced down his dark skin. His eyes shifted to his men in the kitchen, then back to me. Tripp cracked a smile, then removed his hand from his piece.
“Hot damn. That shit gave me goosebumps. This fool right here is one of the craziest white boys I know. Coming up into the lion’s den and demanding shit and all. That’s why I like you, Cory.” Tripp waved his men off. He slapped my leg and grinned. “You wild, boy.”
I eased off and sat back. Anna didn’t seem too amused. She was guarded with her arms folded over her chest.
“So, we’re good, then?” I asked.
Tripp bowed his head. “Yeah. We’re good, but you pull something like that again, and I’ll kill you.” He winked, then glanced to Raging Bull. “Go get this man his money. It was two large, right?”
Nice try.
“It was five large,” I said, clarifying what was owed to me.
Tripp snickered. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.”
Raging Bull walked through the living room and down the hall. He disappeared from our sight.
Tripp took another drag, then handed it to me.
I held up my hand and refused. “No thanks.”
He shrugged, then puffed on the
end some more. “From the looks of it, you could use a hit, or four. How about you, honey?”
Anna scoffed. “I’ll pass. Thanks.”
“Tough crowd.” Tripp pointed to the lacerations on my forearms, then to my side that I was cradling. “Those fools messed you up pretty good, huh?”
I looked over the gashes on my arms. The skin was painted with dried blood. It was sore, as were the cuts on my face, but they paled in comparison to my ribs.
“Most of this happened when the tsunami hit. I think the pain meds they gave me have worn off. You wouldn’t happen to have any pain meds, would you?” I asked. “I don’t want anything that’s going to knock me flat on my ass. I just need something to dull the pain is all.”
“Yeah. I think I might have something that’ll work for you.” Tripp looked to the hall and shouted. “Yo, Ant. Bring me a bottle of that Oxycodone. I think we’ve still got a small stash somewhere back there.”
I raised my brow. “Oxy?”
Tripp puffed on the blunt that was clenched between his lips. “Yeah. About the only thing I’ve got at the moment. My supply is running low. I haven’t been able to restock yet. If you don’t want it, I’ve got plenty of other options to choose from. Though, those others will cost you. That Oxy I’ve had for a minute, so I don’t mind parting with it for free.”
“The Oxy will be fine. Thanks,” I said.
I had a good idea of what alternatives Tripp was hinting at. One was fixed between his lips, and the others wouldn’t be any better.
Tripp looked over to Anna. “You sure I can’t get you anything while we wait? This is some of the best weed you can get in LA.”
Anna rolled her eyes, then sighed again. “Like I said earlier, I’m good. Whatever you’re offering, I don’t want.”
Tripp threw up his hands in defense. “All right, damn. Just trying to be hospitable and shit. No need for the hostilities. You for sure need to get a hit off this. Probably calm your ass down some.”
I looked to the hall, searching for Raging Bull or Ant. I didn’t see them. “Do you know how long this is going to take? We’re kind of in a hurry.”
“Shouldn’t be too long. Just relax. You’re all tense and shit,” Tripp answered.
I turned toward Anna. “I’ll be right back. You good?”
She glanced over to Tripp, then back to me. She kept her voice low. “Yeah, I guess. As long as he doesn’t try anything, then, we’ll be good.”
I nodded in his direction. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about him. He’s full of hot air.”
“I heard that,” Tripp interjected.
“You were supposed to.” I stood up, and skimmed over the living room for the bathroom. “Where’s your restroom at?”
Tripp pointed at the hall. “Second door on the right. Toilet is on the fritz with the power being out, so I’d appreciate you not dropping any logs in there.”
Duly noted.
I shimmied past Anna, then trudged through the living room. Daylight from the other rooms crept in from the windows, and bled out into the hallway.
Raging Bull was in the bedroom adjacent to the bathroom. The door was cracked far enough for me to see stacks of cash and weapons covering the bed. His large hands sifted through the bricks of bills as he caught sight of me.
I turned away, and darted inside the bathroom. I pushed the door closed, and took a step back. The interior was illuminated by the lone frosted window near the toilet. It wasn’t much light, but enough for me to get a sense of the space.
I stood there, and took a moment to gather my thoughts. Not knowing if Janet had received my last message was eating at me.
The hit man’s phone was my only link to her now. Everything I had on this trip was either buried under mounds of rubble or with Scarface. That notion didn’t sit well with me.
I buried my hand in the pocket of my trousers, and pulled it out. The anxiety of what I might find caused my heart to race faster. The phone powered on. The screen lit up, and brought to light my haggard appearance in the mirror.
Christ. I look like shit.
Tiny cuts covered my cheeks and forehead. Black and blue bags rested under both eyes. My face was long. I was spent and riddled with pain.
The phone vibrated in my hand. Joy consumed me. I turned away from the dreadful image the mirror presented and stared at the screen.
There were no new messages waiting. Nothing recent had slipped through.
Are you kidding me?
The battery was less than forty percent. Cell signal was still null. The phone was nothing more than a paperweight, but the hope of receiving a reply from Janet kept me from tossing it.
A hard rap pounded at the door, and ripped me away from the phone. “Yeah?”
“Yo, you’re not dying in my bathroom, are you?” Tripp asked.
I powered down the phone, then slipped it into my trousers. I opened the door to find Tripp standing there with a black pack in his hand. “Just getting my shit together is all.”
Tripp handed the bag to me along with a Glock. “Glad you’re not dying or dead. Don’t have time to dispense of a body.”
I secured the piece in the waistband of my trousers. “Nice to know you care.”
He turned and walked away. “Hey, I didn’t put a bullet in your head or that feisty piece of tail in there. Most folks wouldn’t have gotten this far, so you’re welcome.”
I followed him out into the living room. Anna was still planted on the couch. She sprung to her feet when she spotted me.
The bag felt heavy as I jiggled it about.
Tripp noticed, then said, “Five large, per our agreement, a couple extra magazines, and a bottle of Oxycodone to top the list. Consider the extra ammo and pain meds a gift. This makes us square. You can check it out if you’d like.”
I slung the strap over my shoulder. “No need to. You wouldn’t short me, would you, Tripp?”
He dismissed the thought with a flick of his wrist. “Naw, bruh. I was just messing with you earlier. I got you. Besides, when it comes to family, you got to handle that business.”
I extended my hand out to him. “I appreciate it.”
Tripp grabbed my hand and shook it. “So, tell me. Who did you piss off to have them come after your family?”
I cut my eyes over to Anna, then back to Tripp. He stood before me with his arms folded across his chest. “Rhys Coleman.”
Tripp lowered his arms. His head cocked to the side as a look of fear washed over him. “Excuse me. Did you say Rhys Coleman is after you?”
I confirmed with a nod as I secured the pack to my back. “A job went south, and now he has hit men after me and my family.”
Tripp huffed. He turned away from me and paced about the living room. He placed his hands on the back of his head as he mumbled under his breath. “I wish you would’ve led with that shit.”
“Would it have mattered?” I asked.
Tripp stopped. He threw his hands in the air in protest. “Um, yeah. Everybody knows you don’t mess around with Mr. Coleman. He’s the great white shark of organized crime, bruh. I can’t believe you brought this shit storm to my crib. This is a headache I don’t need.”
Gunfire crackled just beyond the house. Tripp flinched and spun toward the front of the house.
Tires squealed, followed by the crunching of metal. A horn blared without pause. He pulled his Glock from his waistband and charged the window.
Tripp stood off to the side and peered through the off-white blinds. His head moved from side to side. His men jumped into action. They held their weapons at the ready, waiting for his command.
“Where the hell are you?” he asked. “Young Bloods are trying to storm the king’s castle.”
His fingers tightened over the grip of the pistol. He held it by his side as he continued looking for the source of the disturbance.
Had the hit men found us? Were they trying to flush me out? A possible distraction to throw us off?
Tripp looked away from
the window. He cut his eyes to me, then pointed to the rear of the house. “I need for you two to bounce, now.”
“We need a ride, Tripp,” I said point blank. “We won’t last out there without a set of wheels. Give me that, and I’m out of your hair for good. You got my word.”
Tripp groaned, then shook his head. He dug his fingers into each socket, then rubbed them hard. “Fine. Keys are in the kitchen. They’re by the back door, I think. It’s the cherry-red lowrider parked on the street–”
The front windows exploded, sending tiny jagged pieces of glass into the air. A swarm of bullets hammered the house. I grabbed Anna’s arm, and pulled her to the hardwood floor. I draped my body over hers, shielding her from the hailstorm of gunfire and shards of glass that rained down upon us.
Tripp’s men took cover behind whatever they could. Two went down with multiple wounds–center mass. Their dead bodies crumbled to the floor behind us.
Ant emerged from the hallway and paused at the corner. He looked scared. His hands trembled while holding the AK-47.
Raging Bull returned fire from the kitchen. His Glock spat fire from the barrel as he leaned out from the cover of the cabinets.
“Damn it.” Tripp pounded his fist against the floor. “Give me that AK, Ant. I’m about to light some fools up.”
Ant slid down the surface of the wall to his backside. He scooted the rifle across the floor in Tripp’s direction.
Bullets tore through the siding of the house. They zipped overhead like angry wasps. I kept Anna pushed to the floor. Her hands covered the back of her head.
The noise was deafening. My ears rang from the unrelenting pounding of the ordinance bombarding the house.
Tripp slid back to the wall near the blown-out window. He got into a crouched position, shouldered the AK, and waited.
I drifted back to the kitchen with Anna by my side. We stepped over the dead bodies that laid sprawled out over the floor. We ducked under Raging Bull’s arm as his Glock continued to bark. It chambered off a few more rounds before clicking empty.
Brink of Extinction | Book 1 | Sudden Impact Page 8
