by K'wan
“Sorry,” Gucci said.
“So how long as he been in the streets?”
“Since he was a little boy.” Gucci recalled the brief story of his life that Animal had given her. “But that doesn’t justify it. Ma, I don’t understand why our men are so loyal to these streets and their codes that even when a way out falls in their laps, they have to second-guess it.”
“Because it’s all some of us know,” Ronnie said seriously. “Gucci, we live in the hood but I’ve always made sure you were taken care of, so you weren’t a street kid. When you grow up out there, like I did, it’s gotta be all in or nothing; that’s how you make it through to tomorrow without becoming somebody else’s food. Baby, just because a dude is placed into a situation where he has to do bad things doesn’t necessarily make him a bad person. I know my fair share of knuckleheads that’s out there getting it, but a few of them are actually good brothers just trying to make it to tomorrow. Gucci, you probably have no idea of some of the things that that boy has gone through. If this Animal is as good as guy as you say, then he’ll do the right thing with that record deal, but it’s gonna be tough for him to fully break the grip the streets have on him. He’s gonna need some help along the way.” Ronnie looked at her daughter.
“I don’t know if I can do it.” Gucci curled her knees to her chest. “What if he never leaves the streets?”
Ronnie picked up Gucci’s cell phone and handed it to her. “There’s only one way to find out.”
Animal had just gotten back into his apartment when his cell phone went off. He figured that it was Tech calling him to say that he had finally come to his senses, so he answered it without looking at the caller ID, and was pleasantly surprised by who was on the other end.
“How’re you doing?” Gucci asked sheepishly.
“I’ve been better, but I’m managing. I thought you were done with me?” Animal reminded her.
“I thought so, too.”
“Then what are we doing exchanging uncomfortable silences over the phone?” Animal was fronting like he was still salty, but he was actually glad she had called.
“I don’t know, I guess I just needed to hear your voice to know that you’re okay,” she said.
“Yeah, I’m okay, just going through the motions. I lost a dear friend last night,” he told her.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” she said sincerely. She knew enough not to ask what had happened over the phone.
“Not as sorry as I am, but at least she ain’t gotta endure this madness no more. The streets can’t touch her where she’s at.”
“And what about you, Animal?” she asked.
“Like I told you last night, I’m done, but you didn’t seem to believe me,” he shot at her.
“Animal, I wanna believe that you’re gonna do the right thing, but I’m afraid.”
“And I’m not? Gucci, I ain’t never wanted to get to know a girl for much more than the purpose getting in her pants, but I convinced myself that you were worth it, only to find out that you ain’t really down to ride for a nigga.”
“I never said that,” she corrected him.
“You didn’t have to; your actions spoke for you when you bailed without even bothering to get the whole story. Gucci, I don’t know where you come from, but where I come from you don’t turn your back on your friends, even at the risk of your own life. This morning I discovered the flaw in that thinking, but it doesn’t change the fact that if I had it to do all over again, I would’ve answered that call. So if you called to lecture me again about it, save your minutes.”
Had it been a few hours prior, she would’ve hung up on him, but after speaking with her mother she felt that she better understood him. “Animal, I didn’t call to argue with you, or lecture you about right and wrong; I called to tell you that I was sorry.” The word sounded funny coming out of her mouth because Gucci was not a woman who made apologies. “I understand where you’re coming from, but please try to look at it through my eyes. I’m feeling you on a way deep level, and I don’t want to have to worry about being cheated out of a chance to get to know you because you got killed or locked up.”
Animal chuckled. “Only God can say whether any of us will wake up in the morning, but what I can tell you is that I ain’t never gonna be caged. I’d rather hold court in the streets before I let these niggaz chain me.”
“See, that’s just the kind of bullheaded thinking I’m talking about,” she said, about to rant.
“Gucci, calm your ass down. I ain’t saying that I’m gonna run up in the precinct or no shit like that, I’m just saying that being caged ain’t for me. I’ve done a lot of shit in life that I’m not proud of, Gucci, but I’m on some other shit. Signing with Big Dawg could potentially take me to places that I’ve only imagined, and I ain’t trying to fuck it up; I plan on going to the top with it, and I could use some company.”
“You still wanna see me?” she asked, surprised.
“Silly girl, I can control my actions, but I can’t do a damn thing about this foolish heart of mine. From this day on, let’s say that we wipe the slate clean and start fresh.”
“That sounds good to me, Mr. Million-dollar Man. And don’t think that because you’re rich that I’m gonna give you some pussy,” she joked.
“I hear you talking, Gucci, but I wouldn’t want you to give it to me because I’m caked up; I want it because you love me,” he told her.
“Well, I don’t know about love just yet, but I’m in deep-ass like,” she admitted.
“I’ll take that and work my way up.”
“So are you gonna take me shopping before we leave for Texas?” she joked.
PART 4
WHAT’S DONE IN
THE DARK
CHAPTER 32
Rock Head was in a world of pain when he finally came out of his morphine-induced nod. He was disoriented and couldn’t quite figure out where he was at first, but as he became more aware, he noticed the sterile room and the tubes running in and out of his body. He was in a hospital.
Bits and pieces came back to him as the fog lifted from his mind. The last thing he remembered was Tech and his crew busting into the apartment and then the shooting started. Rock Head couldn’t remember exactly who or what had started the shooting, but he remembered getting hit up. One minute he was lying on the kitchen floor bleeding to death, and the next he was in the hospital.
When he took a breath, fire immediately shot through his stomach and hip. Sitting up as best he could in his weakened condition, he took stock of his injuries. He was wrapped from pelvis to chest in a white bandage that was stained with dried blood. He couldn’t see his hip through the blanket, but the fact that he couldn’t move his right leg told him he was in bad shape. When he tried to move his arm and discovered that he was handcuffed to the bed, he knew his situation had gotten considerably worse.
“What’s up, Rock Head?” a familiar voice said, startling him. Rock Head turned around and found that he wasn’t alone. The man sitting in the chair was a well-dressed Puerto Rican with a youthful face. He smiled at Rock Head as if he held some great secret that he couldn’t wait to share with the world. The one in the corner was shorter and dark, wearing a plain brown suit. Even if their badges hadn’t been visible, Rock Head would’ve known they were detectives. Everyone in the hood knew Alvarez and Brown, and when they called on you it usually meant that you were going to prison.
“Looks like somebody fucked you up, G.” Brown walked over to Rock Head’s bed and stared at him as if he were a zoo animal. He lifted the bedsheet and frowned when he saw Rock Head’s heavily taped thigh and hip.
“What y’all want with me, man?” Rock Head asked nervously.
“We don’t want shit from you, poppy. The paperwork is already in and your ass is going to jail,” Alvarez told him with a smile.
“How the fuck am I going to jail for getting shot?” Rock Head asked indignantly.
“Oh, this shit ain’t got nothing to do with the lead in
your ass.” Brown jabbed his finger into Rock Head’s bandage, causing him to yelp. “You were going to jail before you got shot; this is just a little bonus.”
“I ain’t did shit. Y’all ain’t got nothing on me.” Rock Head turned his head, as if the conversation were over. Pain shot through his neck as Brown wrenched his head back in his direction.
“You call statutory rape nothing?” Brown rained spittle in his face. Detective Brown drew his Glock from its holster and placed it in Rock Head’s mouth. “I got a daughter that’s around those girls’ ages, and as God as my witness, if this was a dark street instead of a hospital I would put your tiny-ass brains all over the street!”
Rock Head was trying to say something, but he was having trouble with the gun pressing against his tongue.
“Is our little songbird trying to speak?” Alvarez asked mockingly. Rock Head nodded as much as he dared with the gun in his mouth. “Ease up, partner.” Brown reluctantly took the gun from Rock Head’s mouth. “Listen,” Alvarez continued, “before you spew whatever lie is in that cocksucking mouth of yours, don’t bother. We’ve got proof and witnesses.”
“Man, y’all got me wrong. That chick told me that she was eighteen,” Rock Head lied.
“Which one, being that three of them have come forward so far?” Alvarez questioned. “Okay,” he got up and went to stand over Rock Head, “lets’ say you are telling the truth; you stand a snowball’s chance in hell at beating the rape, but you’re up a creek on the attempted murder.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Rock Head’s mind whirled. He’d robbed a few cats since he’d been home, but he hadn’t gotten into any beefs. The shoot-out the night before was the closest he had come to violence, and even in that situation he’d been the victim. Out of nowhere, Detective Brown open-hand slapped him. Blood flew from Rock Head’s mouth and stained the white hospital pillow.
“You think we wouldn’t find out what you were doing to them girls, you diseased fuck!” Brown raged. Detective Alvarez had to physically remove him from the room before he could finish his conversation with Rock Head.
“Enough with the bullshit,” Alvarez began, slightly out of breath from the tussle. “You’re a piece of shit, Rock Head, and I can’t stand niggaz like you. The only solace I get from all this is that you’re a walking dead man, but even that can’t undo what you did to those little girls. If they ask for my recommendation, and they probably will, you’re going to jail for a long time, and I have it on good authority from some of my CO friends that your stay will be a most unpleasant one.”
“Alvarez . . .” Rock Head began in a pleading voice.
“Save it, because I don’t wanna hear it, pussy. You’re gonna do some time, that’s just a fact, but how much you do depends on you.”
“What do you mean?” Rock Head asked. He knew what Alvarez was getting at, but he wanted to hear him say it before he jumped out the window.
“I need names,” Alvarez said, confirming what Rock Head had already expected. “I’ve got five dead bodies at a coke deal that went to shit, but no drugs or money. Why don’t you fill in the blanks for me?”
Rock Head thought on it for a long while. All his life he had considered himself a stand-up guy, one who would never rat on his friends, but the men Detective Alvarez was asking about weren’t his friends; one of them had even shot him. Most men say that they would eat the time and never tell, but when the pressure is on them, things can start to look different.
“And what you gonna give me?” Rock Head asked.
Alvarez smiled knowingly. “The rape is gonna stick, but I can see about getting the attempted murder knocked down to a lesser charge.” Alvarez scratched his chin. “It’s gonna take some doing, but I can call in some favors, depending on how good the shit you give me is. Who were the trigger men, Rock?”
Rock Head took a minute to carefully reflect on what he was about to do. China White was dead, but the other three and their little ones were still dangerous as hell. Silk and Tech were always together, so he knew he could get a two-for-one with them, but what about the Animal? He was a part of their inner circle, but his moves weren’t as routine. If the police swooped down and Animal managed to slip through the cracks, there would be no place for Rock Head to hide, so it made sense to get him out of the way first and longest.
“A’ight, the main nigga—” Rock Head began, but Alvarez cut him off.
“Hold on, I gotta record this.” Alvarez pulled the recorder from his pocket. He was so excited about the news that he was about to receive. What Rock Head didn’t know was that the information he was about to divulge could possibly lead to a career bust for Alvarez and Brown. They had managed to connect the dead white girl to a gang of young killers who were said to be on Shai Clark’s payroll. When they took them down, they would be one step closer to the king. “Okay.” Alvarez clicked the Record button.
Rock Head cleared his throat like he was about to begin an American Idol audition. “There are seven of them altogether—well, six, since the white girl is clipped—but the main one you want is a nigga named Animal . . .” Rock Head said, beginning his tale.
Shai sat in the barber chair, listening, while Rico ranted about Justice. He was no stranger to Rico’s emotional rants, but he had never seen the man reduced to tears. The night before, his nephew had been murdered while making an unauthorized drug transaction. Rico hadn’t authorized the young man to make the deal; the kid had gone behind his back and done it anyway. He’d only been trying to show that he could help out, but it had ended up costing him his life. It hadn’t taken long for Rico to get the name of the man behind it, and he demanded justice.
“Rico, try to calm down, man,” Angelo said.
“How the fuck am I supposed to calm down when my sister’s boy is laying on a slab in the morgue, all over some fucking pennies,” Rico fumed. “This little shit has gone too far and he’s gonna die for it.”
“Rico, are you sure he was behind it?” Swann asked. He had a feeling that Tech’s hands were in it somewhere, but he hoped that they weren’t. If Tech was responsible for the death of Rico’s nephew, then there would be nothing Swann could do to save his life.
“Of course I’m sure!” Rico said, as if the question were stupid. “My contact with the department told me as soon as he got the word.”
“And if everyone is dead, how sure can your source be?” Swann was reaching and he knew it.
“One of them lived and he gave up Tech and his whole fucking crew to save his own ass, that’s how,” Rico informed him. “Shai, I’ve played by your rules long enough and now it’s time to take the gloves off. You can agree to it or not, but Tech is going to die. Him, his crew, their families, I’m putting them all in the ground!”
“Just give me a minute to think on, Rico.” Shai rubbed his temples. When he’d first met Tech and Jah, he’d thought they had so much potential, but since Jah had died, Tech was proving to be more trouble than he was worth. “What do y’all think?” He looked to Angelo and Swann.
Angelo thought on it. “Rico’s nephew being dead is one of the primary reasons we told them to check with us before they moved on a big fish—you never know who you’re getting at. Shai, I like the l’il nigga, but the rules are the rules.”
“Shai, this is a decision that I can’t help you on because of my relationship with Tech, but whatever you decide, I’m gonna ride with you,” Swann said.
It was one thing to order the death of a grown man who knew full well what he was getting into, but Tech and his crew were barely out of their teens. He wanted to find another way to handle the situation, but he knew that if he didn’t flex his muscle on this, his leadership would come into question. With a deep sigh Shai finally said, “I’ll see that it’s taken care of, Rico.”
“Thank you,” Rico said sarcastically. He barked something in Spanish to his men and they all fled the shop, leaving only Shai and his advisers.
Shai looked at his men to gauge their reactions to
his decision. As usual, Angelo was neutral, but he could see that Swann didn’t like it. He understood Swann’s bond with Tech, but he had to understand that emotional attachments didn’t build kingdoms, tough decisions did.
CHAPTER 33
Tionna got off the train on 135th feeling drained. It had been a week since she’d seen Duhan and four days since she’d spoken to him on the phone. That was unlike him, especially since his trial was coming to an end. Fearing the worse, she had taken the trip to Rikers Island to see him, only to find out that he’d already had a visit for that day. Tionna knew that he didn’t have any immediate family in the area, so she figured it had to be one of his bitches. Normally, she would’ve been cursing, crying, and doing everything else to stress herself out, but not that day. While Duhan was chasing dusty hood rats, she had snagged the prize.
The morning after her and Don B.’s passionate night, he’d had Devil take her home in the Maybach, with her purse two thousand dollars heavier. “Just a small token of my appreciation for the show you put on,” is what he had told her. She had immediately taken fifteen hundred of it to Duhan’s lawyer and promised to get him the remaining thirty-five hundred as soon as she could. She felt a little guilty about freaking off with Don B., but she eased her conscience by telling herself that she had fucked him for Duhan.
She had tried to call Don B. over the last couple of days to arrange another meeting with him, but he’d said he was busy getting Animal situated, which was to be expected. When you gave someone a million dollars, you wanted to leave no stone unturned. Tionna was glad when Gucci had told her that she and Animal had worked things out and the trip to Texas was back on. A part of her was a little tight because she hadn’t even fucked Animal yet and he was taking her on a trip, whereas Tionna had fucked the shit out of Don B. and they had yet to leave Manhattan. Overall, she was happy for Gucci, though. It had been quite some time since a man had been able to make her friend smile without handing her money.
