Altered Destiny: A Hustler's Choice

by Sherylynne L Rochester

  * * *

  “Back home,” T said smiling. “Things are about to change.”

  “Happy to be home? Huh?” Sasha smiled as well.

  “I am…but listen…Tone’s picking us up. Don’t say anything. Let me break the news first. Just agree and listen. Back me up if need be. Play like your sad. Cry, scream, do whatever to make no one suspect anything—”

  She interjected. “I know. I know. You told me for the hundredth time already.”

  “Fine…but look we can’t see each other for a while also.”

  Her heart stopped. “What? Why? You had me do all—”

  He cut her off. “You thought we could see each other after all this. Baby, we can’t.”

  “Yes we can. Even when S.D. was with me you would make smart remarks on how you wanted me. They wouldn’t suspect anything.”

  “Yes, the would. Look just for a little while. Okay? If you need me or if we want to hook up call me or I will call you. We will always meet at some discreet spot. Ok?”

  She sighed, but didn’t say a word.

  “I need you to make it seem like you are distraught over his death. If you hook up with someone they would question you. I’m only trying to protect you.”

  “Ok, but…”

  “No buts. It’s final. Soon we can be together out in public. Driving around. Being the power couple.”

  Outside Tone, one of S.D.’s drivers and hustlers had pulled up. T had called him before leaving Italy to pick him up. T sat in the passenger’s seat, while Sasha sat in the back.

  He gave Tone a pound. “Thanks man for picking us up.”

  “It’s nothing. So where are you coming from? What she doing here? Where’s S.D.?”

  He had not settled into the car when the questions started. He would break the news soon, but not now. He needed to get focused.

  “Call a meeting?”

  “Ok, with who?”

  “Everyone!”

  “What’s going on?”

  “I’ll explain then.”

  The driver looked in his rear view mirror and noticed that Sasha was crying.

  “What’s the matter with her?”

  T turned around. He saw that she was crying.

  “Stop asking so many questions. We will talk later.”

  The driver was not happy that his questions were shot down. Something was not right, but he was not in the position to question anyone, especially T.

  * * *

  “Let’s call this meeting to order.” Every member was there. There were watchers, drug dealers, and those who did the dirty work. The room at the local hall in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn where they held meetings was full. This meeting was of importance and everyone could sense it.

  T stepped up wondering how everyone was going to take the news. He did not care. He had to appear soft yet tough, genuine, but ready to kill if need be, at least for the time being.

  The foreman stood at the podium and began to speak. “Everyone take your seats.” Like a court room when the gavel was handed down everyone took their seat. It became quiet. “T has called a meeting and he has some news to share. All questions should be held until the end.”

  The foreman stepped aside and T got up from the chair to stand at the podium. He acted very sad, tiredness showed all over him. To let it take affect and to be believable T took his time before speaking. He wanted everyone to believe that he was truly distraught over what he was about to share with them.

  “A few months back I got information that S.D. was on the hit list.” Everyone gasped. “I informed S.D. about it. I told him everything that I knew. Blackout was out to kill him.” T lied through his teeth. He had to give a name so that they would go after Blackout. If they suspected that Blackout wanted S.D. dead, they would never suspect him.

  “S.D. wanted to keep things quiet. He didn’t want to let you guys know about it. I beefed up security on him. That’s why I had you guys follow him from time to time and to shoot to kill if you noticed anything out of the ordinary.”

  T took a deep breath and allowed a tear to flow down his cheek. Every member in the room was on the edge of their seat waiting to hear what he had to say next. “I asked S.D. to lay low for awhile until things were handled. I didn’t want anything to happen to him. So, he went to Italy with someone and yesterday…” Acting like he was choked up he paused. “...he was murdered.” T turned around and broke down. His acting skills were superb. I deserve an Oscar, he thought.

  “Wait...what happened?” Ice was in shock.

  “He’s dead!” T said.

  The room grew silent. No one knew what to say or what to do. It was unbelievable that their leader, the one they looked up to, the one they cared so much about, because he cared for others and took care of all his workers, friends, and family was dead.

  “I got word that the killer was in Italy. That is where I was after I dealt with some family issues. Remember Ice you could not find me?”

  “Yeah?” Ice questioned.

  “Well, some news from my family was brought to me and I had to handle that. News I cannot share. It’s personal and I wanted to handle my family business under the radar. I was in North Carolina during that time. Anyway, the killer was in Italy and as soon as I heard I rushed there to protect him.”

  “Why didn’t you inform us?” said one of the men.

  “Who gave you the information?”

  All these questions were getting on his nerves, but he answered them with sad eyes and a trembling voice. “S.D. told me to keep it quiet…”

  The members sucked their teeth in disgust.

  “Nah, that ain’t right,” one guy shouted out.

  “Look, I know it was a bad decision…you know when S.D. sets his mind to things there ain’t no changing it. I tried to reason with him and get him to get others involved. He said no and that he was tired of Blackout. He wanted to deal with it himself.”

  “So what happened?”

  “I was watching the killer like some surveillance type thing. I was watching him while he was watching S.D. I would call S.D. about the killers position,” he was lying through his teeth. “The killer didn’t make any moves until yesterday. He went to where S.D. was staying and broke the glass to get in. When I saw that the killer was on the move I made my way over there.”

  “Is that why you hung up on me?” Ice asked.

  “Yeah...man I’m sorry. I should have said something then.”

  Ice knew he was lying. When Ice and King spoke to S.D. yesterday S.D. did not even know where T was. Something was not right, but he allowed T to continue talking so that he could hear the rest of his story.

  “And a few minutes later he shot S.D. twice. Sasha was there and he almost got her too, but I shot the killer dead. I grabbed her and we jetted out of there.”

  “How come you didn’t get the killer before he got S.D.?” Ice questioned T.

  “Man I tried. I was running like crazy to get to S.D.’s place, but I guess I was too slow. As soon as I reached the door the killer shot him twice. S.D. slumped over and Sasha was screaming. It was crazy. I was too late and now I blame myself.”

  “So what happens now?” someone asked.

  “I don’t know. I can’t think right now. My boy is dead....m-my boy is dead.” T stepped away from the podium. He started to cry.

  The room grew very quiet again. It was shocking that death came S.D.’s way. Security was tight in the neighborhood. No one in the room could figure out why S.D. would do something like go to Italy where there was no protection. They all thought he should have stayed in the States were they could have protected him better. The maybe’s and what if’s started to fill the room. Nothing would ever be the same.

  T got up from crying and stood beside the podium once again. “I am sorry. I just can’t take this. You know before S.D. died while we were talking about the hit being placed on him he told me where all his information was, who the suppliers were, and how to do certain things. I was like…don’t talk like you go
ing to die. And he said ‘if it happens it happens.’ But he wanted this business to continue. He wanted his name to reign high no matter what happened. And we shall do that.”

  “So what he placed you in charge?” King said, walking into the room. He was not happy. He heard everything T had said. He could not resist speaking up. When he walked in everyone was surprised to seem him. It had been a long time since he was at one of these meetings.

  “Yes!” T looked at King through his fake tears. What is he doing here? He thought.

  King never did like T. There was something about him. King grew up with S.D. They had been boys along with Ice and a few other guys. They knew each other since when they were in the womb. They were like brothers and were tight, but things changed when T came into the picture. King tried to warn S.D. about T. He even told S.D. that T did not seem on the up and up, that he may be trouble, but S.D. always dismissed it with his hard headed self. Then, T accused King of stealing money and handling business the wrong way and S.D. believed him. T had S.D.’s ear and S.D. believed his every word. Since that time there was animosity between the two. King laid low watching T from a distance.

  “Well, yes, I am next in line, ain’t I?” T said angrily.

  King laughed a little and took a seat in the back row. T gave him a look that could kill. He continued talking. “What I mean is that I know the suppliers, the contacts, whatever. I can keep this thing going. No one has to worry. S.D. and I have been working together for years so again no one has to worry.”

  “So, you’re saying that Blackout killed him?” Ice asked.

  “Yeah?”

  “Who’s your source,” Ice asked.

  “If I told you who my source was then I wouldn’t be able to get anymore information. Leave it be man.”

  “No, this ain’t right,” Ice said. “How is it that you allowed S.D. to get killed?”

  If he asked another question I’m going to shoot him right here, T thought. He walked over to Ice and whispered in his ear while holding on to his gun. “Go ahead, continue to question me,” T said in a threatening tone. Ice looked at King. King shook his head telling him not to do anything.

  “Now business shall go on as usual. Like I said, I got all the contacts, all the necessary things to keep running all this. We will all make our money and no one, will try to break what we have. The next couple of weeks will be tough. People will be coming at us when they hear that S.D. was killed. Stand your ground. Kill if necessary. There will be some changes up in here. In the next couple of days I will be calling another meeting. Be ready at the drop of a dime.”

  T signaled to the foreman. The foreman called out, “meeting dismissed.” Everyone rose and some exited the room to get back to work. T eyed each and every one of them. Through his eyes he let them know “cross me and you’re dead.” Some took the look seriously. Others dismissed it.

  There was a difference in T now. He had been different the last couple of weeks, but today even more so. The T that once was would never be again. He was cool before the meeting, but King and Ice had crossed the line and provoked him. He was furious. He watched them as they spoke in the back. He wanted them dead. He wanted them out of the way, soon.

  Chapter 15

  I looked at the screen and began to shake my head. I can’t believe

  all that took place in my life. It sure wasn’t pretty. What I had just seen was a lot, but what was to come would top it all.

  * * *

  After handling some business T went over to S.D.’s aunts place. He called Tanya, S.D.’s main girl, and told her to meet him there because he had some news for them both. He did not want to do this part, but felt it was necessary. When he arrived there was a car parked in the driveway. It was Ice’s car. He did not feel like dealing with him.

  He ranged the doorbell. Ice answered the door. He could hear screams and sounds of people crying all over the house. He walked past Ice without saying a word. He rushed to S.D.’s aunt side and hugged her.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “My baby...my baby...why?”

  “Ma’am, I am sorry...again I am...I tried....”

  “T, baby, what happened? Ice said you...you...were there.”

  The doorbell rang and Ice got up to answer it. Tanya arrived. She wondered what all the commotion was all about. She looked in the room and saw S.D.’s aunt crying. She knew right then and there what happened. She dropped to her knees and began to whale “noooooo….” as Ice grabbed her and held her.

  “S.D. is dead.”

  “Why? How?” Tanya cried out.

  “In Italy, he was shot and killed.”

  “Italy, what was he doing in Italy?”

  “He went there because someone was out to kill him. We thought it was best that he lay low for a while until we figured out who was after him.”

  “Italy? No, he said he was going to make a stop in New—”

  “No, he was in Italy. That was the safest place for him. He didn’t want anyone to know where he was. That is why he told you something different.”

  “He could have trusted me. He should have told me. Oh God, why?”

  “Who killed him?” S.D.’s aunt asked.

  “A guy named Spunk who works with Blackout. Blackout has wanted S.D. dead since...for a long time and he finally got him.” He scratched his head to show puzzlement.

  “Why?” she asked.

  “Well, our groups are rival groups. We’ve been fighting for a long time. They finally got our chief.”

  “I don’t understand man we squashed that beef. We all agreed to stand down,” Ice said.

  “Yeah, I know, that’s what I don’t get.” He lied again and tried to look confused to get Ice to stop questioning him.

  “So what do we do to get the body, I mean, who do I speak to?” the aunt asked.

  “Honestly, I don’t know. We left as soon as everything happened. It was so quick. I wanted to get us out of there before the police started questioning us. You do understand?”

  “Yes, but you didn’t stay.”

  “No, because they would have questioned us—and held us. Look we don’t live a good lifestyle in their eyes. S.D. had drugs in the house and they would have searched it and blamed us for it, you know. I didn’t want to be caught up in all that. So the best thing was for us to leave as soon as possible.”

  “You keep saying we. Who is we?” Tanya asked.

  “Um...sorry to have to be the one to tell you this…but…um…Sasha was with him in Italy.”

  Tanya knew something was going on with them. She became angry. Tears began to flow even more. She couldn’t understand why he would do this to her. Why Sasha of all girls?

  “Oh, she was there when he died,” she said as she cried.

  “Yeah,” T said trying to show empathy.

  “That girl is trouble. I knew it.” She continued to cry.

  “Man, if I were there I would have stayed and made sure his body was back here. You should have stayed.”

  “Man, if you were there—”

  She cut them off. “So, what do we do?” the aunt asked. “Should I call someone or wait for them to call?”

  “You should call,” Ice said. He wanted more information. He just was not satisfied with what T was given him. He was sure the police in Italy had details that T was not giving out. Plus, he knew all of it were lies and wanted to catch him in it.

  T really did not want them to call because the Italian police would want more information and ask more questions. It would all lead back to them. He wanted to say something about that, but decided not to. He would then be asked a million more questions.

  “Our son,” Tanya ran into the arms of S.D.’s aunt. “What do I do now? He won’t know his father. How will I be able to afford all this and our child?”

  “Don’t worry, T knows where everything is. I am sure he can give you some cash to help you out. Right man?” Ice said.

  Ice had crossed the line. He did not like it. He looked at him giving
him a glare as Ice smiled back at him. Ice was smart. He knew when bull was presented to him. He learned over the years of being in this game when someone was lying or when something was not right. It was his training and experience that made him see right through T. Not to mention the fact that King had shared some things to him about T. He would keep his cool and play T’s little game. This game was about to get a little tougher and rougher for T. He would not know what hit him when it did hit him.

  Chapter 16

  “I had known S.D. for such a long time. It’s hard to believe that

  someone I truly cared about was gone. He was my bother, my friend.” King a good friend of S.D. had gotten up to speak about his friend. It was a very emotional service. King who was normally calm and collected could not contain his tears. He tried to speak, but the words would not flow out easily. “His death was sudden, he shouldn’t have went out that way. I should have been there to protect him, to save him.” He looked at the casket and said, “S.D. I promise to get all those that were involved in this. Man, I promise.”

  King, in tears walked off the stage slowly. Sasha jumped at his words. Didn’t he know who killed him? Didn’t T tell him? She didn’t like King’s last comment. It made her even more fearful.

  The Pastor stood up at the podium after King left the stage and began to speak. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

  As the Pastor of Prevailing Word Bible Church kept reading the scripture Sasha noticed that many people were at S.D.’s funeral. The church was packed with friends, family, and those who went to the church. He was truly loved by all.

  After some weeks S.D.’s body had been brought back to the States. People all around were questioning his death wondering what happened. Rumors were flying about how he died. Many even came up to Sasha since they had heard that she had been there in Italy with him. She dismissed them as best as she could. She did not want to relive that night ever again.