The Streets Have No King

by JaQuavis Coleman

  “I should burn you right now,” he said as he looked in Boone’s disoriented eyes. The gunman looked over to the corner and saw a duffle bag. He then looked over to his partner, who pulled out some hog ties and tied the other men’s hands behind their backs as they laid flat on their stomach, pleading not to be murdered.

  “Shut up!” the gunman yelled as he struck one of the men with the butt of his gun.

  Basil had enough of the guessing games and wanted Boone to see who he was. H looked down at Boone, who writhed in agony.

  “Look at me!” Basil said as he pulled off the mask. He gave Boone a swift kick to the gut. “Didn’t think I would catch up with you, huh? You stole from me? Huh!” he yelled. He gave him another swift kick to the head, sending him flying onto his back.

  Basil went over to the corner and quickly picked up the duffle bag. He looked inside and saw a few guns and rubber-band-wrapped money.

  “I didn’t steal from you, man. I wouldn’t do that!” Boone said as he struggled to lift himself up.

  “Yo, still left my rubber bands on her. Colored for the small money, regular ones for the big stacks.” Basil smiled, then pointed his gun at Boone and walked toward him.

  “Smoke ’em,” Mecca said as he pulled up his mask and a smile spread across his face, enjoying every single second. He lived for moments like the one at hand.

  “Nah, I ain’t gon’ smoke ’em. He ain’t worth it,” Basil said as he smirked. “Strip!” he ordered and he held the gun to Boone’s chest.

  “What? Come on, man,” Boone pleaded, not knowing what was going on. Basil struck him again across the face, causing another bloody tooth to fly across the room.

  “Strip!” Basil repeated.

  “Man, I don’t know what you into, but I like it. You a crazy mu’fucka like me!” Mecca said excitedly, hoping that Basil was about to do some torturing. However, Basil had other ideas. Boone frantically took off his clothes.

  “Tie them bitches up too,” Basil said, not wanting them to mess up his newfound idea. Mecca grabbed the girls aggressively and tied them up as well.

  “Walk to the balcony,” Basil instructed as he waved his gun toward the big balcony at the back of the suite.

  “Please, man. Please,” Boone pleaded as his naked body was splattered with his own blood, which was leaking profusely. Basil struck him again, this time causing him to fall to the ground.

  “Aggggh!” Boone yelled in misery.

  “Balcony! Now!” Basil instructed again. “If I have to ask you again, I’m putting a bullet right in the middle of your head.” Boone struggled to get to his feet, but he eventually did and stood up, wobbly. He faced the balcony and Basil put the gun to his back, guiding him to it.

  “Now open it!” Basil said. Boone, with shaking hands, opened the door. Basil smiled and nudged him just barely so he was on the balcony. It overlooked the front of the hotel. Basil started laughing and then closed the door behind him and locked it. Mecca was confused but he soon understood what Basil had done. After a brief moment of silence, the sound of chatter and people flicking their cameras erupted. It came from the hundreds of paparazzi in front of the high-profile hotel to cover the all-star weekend. They were hoping to catch an athlete or celebrity walking out, but now they were getting so much more. Boone would surely be on every blog and major Internet social media platform. They had a field day as the tall butt-naked black man stood on the balcony for all of them to see.

  “Man, you crazy,” Mecca said as he joined in with Basil’s laughter.

  “Let’s go, man,” Basil said with a smile.

  “What about them?” Mecca asked as he looked over at Boone’s crew and the two girls.

  “Leave ’em,” Basil said. “We need someone to tell the story.” Basil and Mecca headed out, but not before Basil grabbed the duffle bag of his money. Just before they went into the hallway, they pulled their masks down for the camera and headed out the back.

  * * *

  Basil returned home that night with his girl and a bag full of money. He was headed back home to Flint, Michigan.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  The streets will never love you back.

  —KANE GARRETT

  The Present

  Boom! The loud blast momentarily caused Basil to go completely deaf in his left ear. It felt as if a loud bell were ringing in his ear. A small droplet of blood leaked from his eardrum as he covered his ear with his hand. The bullet ricocheted off the floor and into a hospital wall. People scattered in panic, while Kane and his crew stayed calm. Kane stood over Basil with a smoking gun and had just barely missed his skull by a half inch. Fat Rat had quickly pushed Kane’s hand away at the last minute, saving Basil’s life.

  “Not here, Kane!” Fat Rat yelled, something that he rarely did. He held on to Kane’s arm, trying to prevent him from doing something that would land him in jail for the remainder of his life.

  “Cameras are everywhere. We can handle this, but not here, bro. Not here,” Fat Rat whispered to Kane, trying to bring him back to reality. Fat Rat then looked down at Basil, who was holding his ear in pain.

  “Basil, get out of here!” Fat Rat demanded as he breathed heavily, while trying to hold Kane back from firing another round. Basil scurried to his feet and ran out in a hurry. He knew that nothing would ever be the same.

  Kane broke down in Fat Rat’s arms as he thought about losing his own flesh and blood. “Moriah! No, no, no. Not my baby girl,” he wept as he completely cracked. He cried a pool of tears on Fat Rat’s shoulders and all eyes were on him. He quickly raised his head and tried to brush past Fat Rat and his other henchman. “I have to see her!” he said as snot ran down his nose and his eyes were bloodshot in agony. He tried to get to the back of the emergency unit, but Fat Rat and the other man held him back, knowing that a father should never have to see his child in that way. “Nooooo!” Kane yelled as he fell onto the floor, pulling both of his men down with him in the process. Kane was heartbroken. He was confused and hated that he had no control over the situation. His only child was gone and he never saw it coming. Kane Garrett was officially broken.

  * * *

  Basil drove along the highway with blood-drenched clothing and all of the windows rolled down. It was as if he was in a daze. His whole life had been turned upside down in a blink of an eye. He picked up his phone to call Lil Noah. He knew in his heart that Boone was the one who had tried to murder him. He was furious and confused. There was no doubt that at this point, he wanted blood. He heard a voice on the other end of the phone.

  “Yo, Lil Noah! Someone killed Mo. They killed her. I know it was that nigga Boone,” Basil yelled into the phone, getting straight to the point.

  “Hold on, wait … what? Killed Mo?” Lil Noah responded, trying to figure out what was going on.

  “Meet me at the diner on Corunna Road. I can’t trust anybody in the projects. I have to figure out what is going on.”

  * * *

  Kane and his entourage were walking out of the hospital. Kane was focused on one thing and one thing only, and that was getting to Basil. He didn’t want to talk or reason with anyone. In his eyes, Basil was responsible for the murder. He told Basil that his daughter was off-limits and Basil knowingly broke the rules. He would have to pay.

  “Put out the word. I want Basil’s head. I have two hundred and fifty stacks for whoever brings him to me. A quarter million dollars,” Kane said as he spoke calmly and stared at nothing in particular. It was as if he had snapped and inhabited a completely different mental zone. Kane was about to devote his life to finding out what happened to his daughter. Every single chess piece attached to his daughter’s murder would be wiped off the board. Kane wasn’t playing any games with anyone. He was about to go on a cold-blooded murdering spree, starting with Basil. But first, he had to do the hardest thing he ever had to do and that was to bury his daughter. After that was done, he would find out what led to this event. Kane was on the verge of going mad.

  Mean
while, on the other side of town, Basil sat in the corner of a diner with two pistols on his lap. His fingers lightly traced the triggers as he prepared for anything and everything. His eyes frantically rocked from left to right, right to left, while watching all movement inside of the diner. He couldn’t trust anyone. He didn’t know exactly who attempted to kill him and until he found out for sure he would be on high alert. Thoughts of Mo lying dead, mixed with paranoia, had Basil on edge. He didn’t know who was coming for him at this. The only person he trusted was Lil Noah.

  Lil Noah walked in and immediately focused on Basil, who was sitting in the corner tucked away. He hurried over to join his comrade and took a seat across from him.

  “What the fuck is going on, bruh? The streets is going crazy right now. The whole projects is talking, saying you got shot up,” Lil Noah said as he looked at his best friend. He saw the bloodstained shirt and the lost look in his eyes.

  “They killed my girl, man. They fuckin’ killed her,” Basil said as a tear dripped down his face. He quickly wiped it away. He clenched his jaws tightly and gripped the pistols even tighter.

  “Damn, bruh. Sorry to hear that. We going to get those niggas. Whoever is responsible.” Lil Noah began to rub his hands together. “You didn’t see who did it?” he asked.

  “Nah, nigga had a mask on. I never saw it coming. Emptied the whole clip into the truck,” Basil said as he shook his head in disgust. He knew that he had got caught slipping and the guilt began to weigh on his shoulders heavily. “Something in my gut is telling me it was that nigga Boone. He was mad salty that I didn’t put him on. Nigga always been a jealous-type nigga. I never trusted homie.”

  “So let me get this right. Homie was masked up and hit you?”

  “Yeah. I should’ve been on my A game.” Basil continued to shake his head at his own irresponsibility.

  “Just give me the word. I will off homeboy right now,” Lil Noah said as he made a menacing gesture.

  “I got to put some plays together. I’m about to go to Viv’s pick her brain about this shit. Try to squeeze some info about Boone out of her. Then I’m going to get low for a while,” Basil said as he looked into Noah eyes. “Yo, let’s switch whips. Mine is too hot right now.” Basil slid his car keys across the table.

  “No doubt,” Lil Noah said as he did the same. They shook hands and Lil Noah left Basil alone in the diner with his mind racing.

  * * *

  Kane was in the middle of the Regency projects and he called all of his OGs, longtime friends, and bosses throughout the entire Midwest. It was the G-code that if a respected boss lost a child you didn’t send flowers, you brought them your condolences. That was a golden rule and all of Kane’s friends came to the city of Flint to support him. Bosses from Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and St. Louis flooded into the city once the news was out that Kane’s daughter was murdered. It was a gangster party; a sad one. A row of luxury cars filled the spacious parking lot and two men stood dead in the center. All of the cars were parked in a circular pattern and their lights were pointed to the center. That is where Kane Garrett stood with a duffle bag at his feet. It was just before midnight and the moon and the streetlights helped illuminate the dark parking lot. Kane raised his hand and immediately every OG began honking their horn and flicking their headlights on and off, causing a scene. The horns echoed throughout the projects, a demonic orchestra. An eerie feeling filled the air and everyone in the projects felt it. A local police officer rode by in a squad car and Kane gave him the meanest look he could muster, with piercing eyes. The cop looked the other way and pretended as if he hadn’t noticed the chaotic scene. He just rode his cruiser car through and then out of the projects. Word around town was that Kane’s daughter had been murdered and it was as if the police respected what was about to happen.

  As the horns were honked and the lights were flickering, people began to come out of their units to see what the uproar was about. Slowly but surely, as people began to trickle out. A crowd formed, and all eyes were now on Kane in the middle of the parking lot. Kane slowly turned, looking at the entire crowd. He took his time, as if he were examining everybody one by one. He made sure he locked eyes with as many people as he could. He was trying to catch any envious eye, any dropped head, or any sign of guilt in the audience’s eyes. He wanted whoever was possibly connected to Mo’s death to be punished … slowly. He then reached down and picked up the duffle bag that was at his feet. The horns still were blowing and people were confused, not knowing what was going on. Kane slowly raised the bag up high over his head and spun around so everyone could see. The car horns stopped and in silence, Kane continued to hold the bag up as if it was a trophy.

  “My daughter was murdered earlier tonight. Right here in these very projects. The same projects that I have fed for years. The same projects that I have showed love to and loved me back. What’s love? Huh? Streets don’t show love. Not even the king gets love! The streets have no motherfucking king. The streets will never love you back. So, I want you to listen and listen loud and clear. In this duffle bag is a quarter million dollars. Cold cash. If anyone brings me Basil and the niggas responsible for it, it’s yours,” Kane said as he paused and took in the moment. He wanted to cry so badly, but he couldn’t show weakness. His bottom lip quivered uncontrollably and his eyes began to water. One blink and the floodgates would have opened and tears would have fallen like a waterfall. He didn’t blink, though. He had to be strong. He had to be strong for Moriah. He lowered the bag and walked to the SUV, where Fat Rat was standing by the door with it open for him. Kane slid in and Fat Rat closed the door.

  There was a bounty on Basil’s head and also on that of the mystery man who pulled the trigger. Nothing could prepare Basil for what was to come. In less than twenty-four hours he would have the entire projects gunning for him. Although he ran the projects and had respect, when that much money came into play, all of the respect went directly out the window. He was about to be prey in his own city. The drug empire that he had helped build had just turned on him.

  * * *

  Kane rode in the back of the car, staring out of the window. He was hell-bent on revenge and sleep wasn’t an option. He looked up at Fat Rat, who was driving for him, and shook his head.

  “They took my baby, Rat,” Kane said, still not believing the reality of his world at that moment. “I’m going to punish Basil. Believe that.”

  “What happened if he skipped town? Basil is a sharp young dude. He’s not going to wait around for someone to take him out,” Fat Rat said, providing perspective.

  “I’mma make him look for me,” Kane said as he pointed to the left, “turn here.”

  * * *

  Basil knew he had to get out of town for a few days, just to think things out. But first he had to go find Boone. He’d already made up his mind that he was going to kill him regardless of what he found out. Basil had never been in a position where he didn’t know who his enemy was. It was as if he were fighting a ghost. A known enemy was fair, but one that stayed in the dark was dangerous and Basil understood this.

  Who tried to kill me? he asked himself as he pulled up to Vivian’s apartment. He parked away from her building and sat back and watched. He knew that he couldn’t go to his spot because it was too hot. He knew that he could lay low at her spot until he put his plans together. He called her but it was going straight to voicemail, so he decided to go up and knock on the door. Basil parked Lil Noah’s car and just when he was about to get out of it, he saw a car ride right past him and circle the parking lot. He instantly recognized the car. He looked closer and saw that it was Boone. The gold rims were a giveaway. He was the only one in the city with gold rims on an ’84 Cutlass.

  I can’t believe this. This fool fell right in my lap, Basil thought as he sunk low in his seat, trying not to be seen. He gripped the two pistols that were in his lap. Basil knew that Boone probably didn’t know he was parked across the lot because he had switched cars with Lil Noah. His trigger finger
began to itch and he wasn’t 100 percent sure that Boone was the shooter, but he didn’t care. He had a gut feeling and at that point, that was good enough. There was no reasoning with Basil.

  He watched as Boone got out of the car and looked around. Boone looked in the direction of the car and Basil instantly gripped his guns tighter. He watched as Boone threw his hands up and smiled. Basil instantly remembered that he was he was in Noah’s car and not his own. Noah’s car was tinted so Boone couldn’t see who was inside. He must have thought it was Noah.

  Boone began to walk toward the car with a smile on his face.

  “I been blowing you up, fam. Why haven’t you been answering your phone?” Boone said as he stood at the driver’s door. Basil couldn’t believe his ears. Did Lil Noah set me up? What the fuck? he asked himself as his heart dropped. Boone had threatened Basil’s life before, so it began to make sense. Also the fact that he had a motive because of what Basil had done to him at the all-star weekend. So many thoughts were running through Basil’s head as he tried to make sense of it all. They tried to get me out of the way, so they could take my spot? Basil thought to himself and instantly grew furious. He was at his tipping point and at that point, he only saw red. He thought about his love taking her last breath and he completely lost it. He slowly rolled down the window as Boone watched. Boone’s facial expression changed when he saw Basil’s face, rather than Lil Noah’s. Basil was like a madman as he began to fire shots out of his .45 into the torso of Boone. Boone never saw it coming. He folded like a lawn chair as the bullets ripped through his flesh and then organs, killing him almost instantly. After letting off numerous rounds, Basil stepped out of the car and stood over him to finish him off. Basil was foaming at the mouth with anger as he released another two bullets into Boone’s forehead. The sight was a gruesome one, Boone’s insides splattered all over the concrete. Usually Basil wouldn’t have been so careless, killing a man in public, but he was a man possessed. He was on a mission to avenge Moriah’s death.