Altered Destiny: A Hustler's Choice

by Sherylynne L Rochester

  “Look, let’s just stick with the plan and we’ll have them,” King said as the rest agreed with him. “We will have them sooner than you think.”

  “What is she doing now?”

  “Who, Sasha?”

  “Yes.”

  “She has entered the game.”

  “With T?”

  “Looks that way. I won’t have more information until this afternoon. But what I do know is that she is working with people.”

  “Who?”

  “Some crew from another state. They grew up together and now they are working together along with some girl.”

  “Something smells fishy. Just some time ago she was in the house doing nothing. T was beating her and not giving her the time of day. Now all of a sudden they working together and she has a crew.”

  “Boss, I think they are planning to oust T. She may be getting in good with him so that she can move him out of the way. That’s my assumption.”

  “That may be well and true. Keep a watch out on her. I want to know her every move as well.”

  * * *

  Sasha made her regular visit to the Barber Shop to check up on business. She was making a name for herself in the streets. She came to collect her money. Irish a street hustler was trying to play her.

  “Where’s my money?” she screamed at Irish.

  “Yo, ‘ma, be easy.”

  “Who you calling ‘ma.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Now, where’s my money?

  T watched her as she stood her ground against Irish. She was handling herself, but he wanted her out of his business. Over the last few weeks he called private meetings that he thought Sasha did not know about. But she did, she always knew what he was doing. She knew all about his meetings, but kept quiet and acted like everything was cool. T called the meetings with his trusted crew so that they could talk about getting Sasha out and what they had learned about her. They wanted her out, but they did not know who she was dealing with. Those same people would retaliate against them if something would happen to her. He just watched her and kept her in his circle from time to time. Sooner or later he would have her, he thought.

  “You’ve been playing around. What have you been doing with my money? You thought I wouldn’t notice? Better yet, you’ve been getting away with it the last couple months. But, now, I am here. You keeping a little extra and them not knowing about it is over. You owe us. Now, I want all that you owe. You owe about five grand and I expect it back by the end of the week.”

  Irish was becoming angry. T noticed it, but he kept silent to let her handle it. She stepped up in Irish’s face and said, “don’t try me.” Irish backed down and left the Barber Shop. A week later he was dead. Her crew had killed him just because he stepped to her in a way she did not like. That did not make T happy. From that day on, no one dared to mess with her.

  * * *

  “T some strange things have been happening lately. I can’t even explain it. One minute we standing on the street making our money and then the next we have no money.” Pub had entered the Barber Shop and began to tell his story to T. “It just doesn’t make sense, how could this happen?”

  Sasha overheard the conversation and stepped out from the back of the shop to hear what he was saying. “What do you mean? What happened?”

  “Well, we were robbed.”

  “Who robbed you?” T asked.

  “I don’t know. We had watch outs and everything. Everything was on the up and up and next thing you know guns were pulled on us.”

  “Obviously you weren’t watching like you should,” she said.

  “Nah...I told you we were. I don’t know. This guy has been coming to us for weeks. He was legit until last night.”

  “So what happened?” T asked.

  “He brought some guys with him this time. I didn’t think anything of it because he was becoming a regular. Then, as we handed him the product some guys took out their guns and robbed us. Then, this car pulled up. It zoomed out once they got everything.”

  “What type of car?” she asked.

  “An old car, black. Never seen it before.”

  “How much did they take?” T asked.

  “Everything. Everything.”

  “You said that strange things had been happening lately. What else?” she asked.

  “I found it strange. A few nights or even a couple of weeks ago a car seemed like it was following us. I spoke to Jay. He said he noticed something like that too over at his spot.”

  “So why didn’t you tell us when you noticed it?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. I guess I thought nothing of it until Jay said he noticed the same thing. That’s why I am coming to you now. Jay and I talked about it today. You can ask him yourself.”

  T sat back listening to Pub. Who could be following and robbing them? Sasha? He thought. “Alright, we will look into it. Go home and don’t tell anyone else about this, ok? Tell your boys the same thing.”

  Pub nodded his head and exited the Barber Shop.

  “Who could be doing this?” Sasha asked T. “It don’t make sense. We had everything locked up and in our hands.”

  “I don’t know. I will get to the bottom of this.”

  “These guys you have on the street are stupid. They don’t know how to look out. They are acting young on the street. I am watching them. They are not being careful. It serves them right to get robbed, but I tell you this they better get that money. I ain’t letting it slide just because they got robbed.”

  “I hear you, but this is some serious stuff. We really need to step it up.”

  Delance and Toni walked into the Barber Shop and sat in a chair. “I heard what happened.”

  T just looked at Delance.

  “What do we do now?” Delance asked.

  “Step up our game. Be on the lookout,” T said.

  “Well, it’s only one robbery. It may just be some crack heads trying to get cash and stuff to feed their habit, you know.”

  “Do a crack head and his buddies have guns? No! Do a crack head and his buddies have cars? No. This is not just some one time robbery and we shouldn’t take it as such.” T was angry at his comment.

  “See, T, I told you, they are just stupid,” Sasha said with a warning look.

  “Call a meeting. Tomorrow morning. Urgent,” he said. “We got to nip this in the bud, pronto. And let me speak to Sasha alone.”

  The guys exited the Barber Shop and Sasha looked at T somewhat puzzled. “What?”

  “You’ve been doing all this, your people? The robbery and following my guys.”

  “No! That isn’t me. I didn’t rob nobody nor did I have them followed.”

  T looked at her searching her face for a lie.

  “I think you had something to do with it. Put an end to it now.”

  She walked up to him and said, “I ain’t do it, honest! I got all the money. Why would I rob? And follow…please that ain’t even...why would I follow your guys.”

  He knew she was telling the truth. They had history and he knew when she was lying. This time, he was sure that she was not lying. “Then who would be doing this?”

  “I don’t know, but they messing with my money and I ain’t having it.”

  Her phone buzzed. She picked it up and answered it.

  “We need to talk,” the caller on the other side said in a state of urgency.

  Chapter 28

  Sasha knew it was serious when she heard Stacey’s voice on the

  phone. She told T she had to be some place and rushed out of the Barber Shop. She met Stacey at Adrian’s place. Sasha had been crashing there since the day she murdered T’s street hustlers. She had made sure no one was following her and even took a long time getting back to Adrian’s place. When she finally arrived Stacey gave her some interesting news.

  “Somebody has been watching us.”

  “Who? 5-0? Feds?”

  “No, we don’t know.”

  “Someone from T’s cre
w?”

  “No, somebody we don’t know. It’s not 5-0 that’s for sure. He’s been in a black old car sometimes just watching. Desmond thought it was strange that every night he would see the same car. So, he put a look out on the car and has been following them around. We know that they robbed T’s people and have been following them too, but they are smart. They always loose us. We can’t track them back to where they are from.”

  “So what do we do?”

  “Just hold tight for a while until Adrian figures everything out.”

  * * *

  The next day the meeting T called was in session. He wanted to know what was going on. “So, anyone else have any problems as of late?” T asked.

  Some were hesitant to speak. They were afraid that T and Sasha would really bark on them, taken off the block, or even killed. Some strange things were happening to everyone, but no one wanted to speak up.

  “Nobody wants to speak?” T asked another question again. “Okay, if I find out later that something was withheld from me I will not hesitate with my actions.”

  A man sitting in the back raised his hand and said, “some guy has been asking questions lately. Like who he needed to see to make a deal? Or who was in charge. Even asked about S.D. and what really happened to him?”

  “So people are questioning—”

  T was cut off by Cylinder who sat off at the side. “Yeah, someone asked me questions too. I didn’t answer him, I just told him to move along.”

  “You know what he did say though. He said or asked was S.D. really dead?”

  “And…” T responded back.

  “Nah, it was like in a form of how do you know he’s dead? You know?”

  “So we have people robbing you guys, a man asking questions—”

  “And a man dead,” Delance said as he entered the Barber Shop.

  “What are you talking about?” T asked very confused.

  “Ville was on the street selling and getting his package sold before the meeting. He was the only one by himself on the corner. Dude pulled up and shot him dead.”

  Everyone was shocked. This was now serious.

  “So, someone is trying to take turfs? They are stepping into my territory?” T questioned.

  “You know who did it, Delance?” Sasha asked. She was quiet through this meeting trying to analyze everything. But, she spoke up as Delance broke the news.

  “Nah, I’m hearing some black old car pulled up and shot Ville.”

  T was furious. He did not know why this was happening or who was doing this. Something caught T’s eye. There, in the window, was the same guy who was looking in months before. He had on a black hoodie and black sunglasses. He looked vaguely familiar. Still, T could not figure where he knew this man from or who he was. The man smiled through the window a smile that made T cringe. It was an evil smile, a smile that T would never forget.

  T pointed. “Who is that guy?”

  Everyone turned around.

  “Delance find out who that guy is, now!”

  “Who?” Delance asked.

  Sasha stood up next to T and looked at the window. She became very afraid. The smile at the window was like the devil himself. The sinister smile that he gave scared even her. Everyone turned around. The man ran. Delance got up and followed.

  “Go, get that man and find out who he is,” T said once more.

  Delance and the rest of the guys who were carrying weapons got up and chased the guy. They searched for many blocks and returned with no clue as to who the man was.

  “He was here before. I guarantee you that’s the man who’s been giving us all this trouble.”

  Across the street hidden where no one could see him was the guy who stood at the window smiling as he looked inside the Barber Shop. He saw Sasha who was shaken with fear move over to T and whisper something in his ear. She had whispered, “he looks very familiar.”

  T shook his head and said, “yeah, I know!”

  Chapter 29

  “T hat look scared you. To be honest, you should have ran and never returned to that place you were in. What did you think it was, a drug addict that was so high? That right there was a warning before the storm came,” He said.

  I thought about it and he was right. I should have ran in the other direction and never came back. The look was a look out of a horror movie. It was plain ‘ol scary.

  “You did not even notice it, then. That was a warning, but you did not take that warning seriously either. You didn’t take one of these warnings seriously either.

  He turned and watched the screen.

  * * *

  IT’S JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE YOU’RE DEAD!!!!

  ~Your worst nightmare

  The next morning as Sasha was heading out. She noticed a note left on her car. She looked around. No one was there. She looked at the note again. She did not know where it came from. Things were happening left and right, things she could not control. She hopped inside her car and drove off. As she was driving she was thinking that maybe it was not a good idea to start the car and drive off. The car could have exploded once she started the ignition. But, she was safe and headed to the Barber Shop to meet T.

  * * *

  “What the heck is this?” Sasha asked as she stormed into the Barber Shop’s basement where T was.

  “What you talking about? T asked.

  “This letter was left on my car.” She shoved the letter in T’s face and his eyes widened as he read it.

  “Look, baby girl, don’t worry about it.” He signaled for Moose and he came over. “I want you to get some guys to watch her back. Do a stake out. Do whatever to keep her safe.”

  She looked at him like he was crazy. “No, I don’t need anyone watching me. I just want you to find this person now.”

  “We will, we will. Be easy.”

  “This stuff is getting out of hand. Fix it T, now, before it’s really too late.”

  T watched Sasha as she stormed out of the Barber Shop basement. She was right; it was getting out of hand. As she headed to her car she called Adrian.

  “Adrian someone left me a note saying, ‘it’s just a matter of time before you’re dead.’ I don’t know who it is from.” She screamed into the phone. She was angry, but she was really scared too.

  “Baby, calm down,” Adrian said. “Look, meet me at home tonight we will talk about it.”

  * * *

  “So you delivered the message?” said the man who had been making appearances in the Barber Shop window.

  “Yeah, I did,” King said.

  “What was her response like?”

  “She was scared. Her face was priceless. She made a phone call to someone and you could tell it bothered her.”

  They all laughed as they played a game of poker. The next coming weeks would become much more dangerous. They could not wait to take them down.

  * * *

  Sasha headed back to her car, cautiously getting in it, and headed for the Car Automobile Service Center to get a remote engine starter. She would protect herself at all cost. She did not want to take any chances. If she could turn on her car before she got in, it would be one of the ways to keep safe.

  “How may I help you?” the repairman asked.

  “I need one of those remote engine starters. You know how you can start the car before you enter in?”

  “Okay. How fast do you need it?”

  “As soon as possible.”

  “Okay, we’ll for a pretty lady like you I can have it done by tonight. Shouldn’t take me long.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Thank you!”

  “Just fill out this paper work and give me your keys. We’ll get started on it right away.”

  She took the clipboard, took a seat, and began to fill out the information. Once she was finished she got up and handed the man the clipboard. “Since it will take about a few hours I will leave and come back. Is that okay?”

  “Sure thing. We’ll give you a buzz when it is ready.”

  She
headed out the Car Automobile Service Center and went across the street to a local diner. All this nonsense was making her hungry. She was in the mood for a burger and fries with a shake.

  She quickly crossed the street and entered into the diner and took a seat. A waitress came by and handed her a menu, but she quickly made her order. As she sat looking outside thinking about the events that had transpired the last couple of months a man came up to her and asked if he could take a seat.

  “No.”

  “It’s important that I speak with you. It’s urgent.”

  She was hesitant. “Are you sure you have the right person because I don’t know you.”

  “Sasha Miller, right?”

  She looked confused and became a little afraid as she replied, “yes, but—”

  The man took a seat and began to talk. “You’re headed for danger. You’re playing with fire. It is time to turn your life around.”

  “What are you talking about?” she asked confused.

  “You see it’s your choices the wrong ones that will change your future and that are changing your future.”

  She had heard it before.

  “You see God allows us to make our own choices. He hopes we choose the best ones, the right ones. Sometimes the wrong choices we make can change what he has planned. For instance, you’re leading down a path that will lead to death. You are killing, stealing, selling dope—hustling and these things can lead to death. You’ve watched already so many die before you. They did the same thing you are doing and now they are in hell. God has planned a life for you filled with success the legitimate way, but you chose this path. If you don’t turn around now and make a decision to serve Christ your true destiny will be altered.”

  She was trying not to pay any attention, but she had heard it so many times before. “What do you mean by my destiny will be altered?”

  “You see that building that is being built right now.”

  She looked out the window. “Yeah.”

  “Well the designer made specifics plans. He wanted the structure to be a certain way. He planned out where the nuts and bolts should be. As well as where the windows and doors would be. He even had passageways, hallways, and rooms put in to his liking. He knew what was best for the building to stand. He also planned out the best course to get the building finished and where it needed to be in a certain timeframe. Then, when the building was finished and completed the designer would get all the praise, the accolades. Many people would want to know more about him, how he designed it, and what he had in mind next.”