Spot Rushers

by Brandon McCalla

  “Fine,” Sabrina said warily eyeing Dora while backing away.

  Dora stuck the needle into the flesh of Hooey’s neck.

  “Twenty-three left, once around forty-one right, thirty-eight right, seventy-seven left, clockwise nineteen…”

  Rayne rushed right to the wall and hit it where she saw Hooey did. The picture frame whizzed, sliding away revealing the safe. Rayne remembered the numbers and turned the combination knob till the safe opened.

  Dora laughed. She pulled the syringe out of his neck.

  “I was gonna inject you with water you dumb nigga.” Dora looked at her girls and took a dramatic bow. “Torture ain’t physical it’s all mental for a dumb nigga like him.” She looked over at Hooey. “Water mother fucker, you gave up all your goods after getting shot and beat with a bat because I was gonna shoot water in you.”

  All the girls laughed. Rayne’s attention was on the wads of cash in the safe. She pulled out knots of rubber banded hundreds. There was over one hundred thousand dollars plus lots of jewelry. Rayne grabbed a Rolex watch. It looked like the same one he was wearing at the Tunnel. She would give it to Trevor.

  “We ain’t never rushed a nigga who had this much,” Rayne said.

  Hooey gathered all of his strength and screamed out with one last ditch effort. The duct tape wrapped around his naked mass burst off him like an explosion. He rose like a mountain. The surge of strength he showed even had Bernadette pissing on herself.

  Hooey roared and went after the girl closest to him. His fat fingers grasped at Dora. He managed to wrap both hands around her throat and squeezed as hard as he could. Dora shrieked in pain. Sabrina fired.

  The top of Hooey head popped open spitting out blood and brains. Gore went all over Dora. Hooey was still standing and determined to snap Dora’s delicate neck.

  “Get him off me!” Dora gasped.

  Sabrina shot him in the head again. Hooey’s body was a bloody mess but he didn’t budge.

  Riley stared at her sister and said. “That’s the craziest thing I’ve heard.”

  “Shoot, it was like we were in a damn movie and somebody hit the pause button.” Rayne worded back to Riley and then continued her tale.

  Bernadette struggled to remove his hands from around Dora’s neck. She fell to the floor gasping for air.

  Bernadette then kicked his still standing bulk in the chest. It crashed to the floor. Finally he was dead.

  For five minutes they stood looking at the corpse before Dora yelled at Sabrina.

  “You could have shot me by accident!” She said with venom.

  “I didn’t,” Sabrina’s replied with indifference.

  They scored bigger than they had ever did spot rushing. The girls all took the time to wash the blood off. Their bodies were black and blue but their pockets were swollen. The girls triumphantly left St. Louis in much haste.

  Months later, Dora told the girls that she was having nightmares about Hooey’s meaty fingers wrapped around her neck, squeezing and choking her.

  “Hooey ain’t even get a chance to do all that You should be having dreams about him on top of you smothering you with all that smelly fat and sweat, and that little ass dick.” Sabrina said laughing. Dora gave Sabrina narrow eyes.

  In Riley’s hotel room, Rayne freshened up and changed her attire. Rayne had great skin and wore little to no makeup. She was excited and called Angel. He wasn’t doing anything and agreed to take her to see Bernadette.

  “I’m gonna look really pretty for you,” Rayne said before giving him the address to the hotel all the while smiling.

  “You really like this guy huh?” Riley asked seeing exhilaration all over her sister’s face.

  “I haven’t been touched in a year, Riley.” They hugged then both laughed.

  twelve

  It was 6 o’clock and dark already when a dolled-up Rayne pranced out of the hotel room.

  “Be careful,” Riley said.

  “I always am,” Rayne answered and waved.

  She had to get used to the feel of walking in the three-inch stiletto boots she purchased earlier. Rayne watched the bustle of midtown from out a window while waiting for the elevator. Throngs of people sprawled a busy 42nd Street. Nighttime mattered little here It was always day time in Times Square.

  The club that Bernadette worked for wasn’t too far from the hotel. Rayne figured the planets were aligned. She was a bit nervous about seeing Bernadette but even more nervous about seeing Angel. She wanted some dick. He had matrimonial plans but she was attracted to him. Most of all he wasn’t a bad dude. She wanted to see what it felt like to fuck a good man. Not because it was a job or out of necessity like with Trevor. She stared at her reflection in the hallway mirror.

  Her black dress was something really cute and revealing. It was Riley’s choice. She had always dolled up to entice marks they were setting up. A sense of relief overcame her. Rayne realized she felt good because she was looking good and this was what she wanted to do.

  Rayne was five feet six inches, one hundred and forty pounds of toned, hips, thighs and bubble ass. She’d never been as healthy as she was now. When Rayne and Riley were bonding earlier, she revealed to her sister that she wanted a vaginal piercing and a couple of tattoos. Riley had asked why in shock. Rayne explained it coolly. “I want it because I’ve never had anything like that before. I wanna have Dora Dean’s name tattooed on my arm. I want people to look at it and see that I loved her.”

  After the Fatal Four rushed Hooey Jameson they went shopping and purchased shit they’d only seen bitches wearing in the movies and music videos. But that was far removed; the Fatal Four had more hard times then good ones.

  Most of the dealers they robbed hardly had anything. That meant they had to do their robberies frequently and with more haste. There was less time for planning jobs as with the St. Louis caper. There were times when the Fatal Four would make up the plan as the job progressed.

  They frequented popular strip joints and nightclubs where drug dealers, high rollers and ballers hung. They’d identified a mark and things would happen spontaneously. After Sabrina murdered Trevor they lost all sense of direction. Sabrina was smart but she couldn’t spot marks the way Trevor did. He knew a good one when he saw one.

  Riley bought Rayne a cell phone. She called it a late birthday present. Rayne spent her twenty fifth birthday in solitary confinement at a mental institution. Now a handsome man had her cell phone number. He called her when he was downstairs in front of the hotel.

  Rayne was riding the elevator to the downstairs lobby along with two white men. They kept stealing glances at her body. She flirtingly rolled a couple of fingers through her bouncy hair. Both smiled. She sashayed from the hotel feeling better then she’d ever felt in her life. She saw Angel’s BMW and rolled her hips as she walked.

  “Hold on Rayne,” he said lowering the window.

  He hopped out the car, walked over to the passenger side and opened the door. Rayne felt good. She sat in the leather seat with a smile. She caught him looking at her ass before she sat, that made her laugh. Angel had got back in the driver’s seat.

  “What’s so funny?” He asked buckling up his seatbelt.

  Rayne said, “Come closer, I don’t want anyone else to hear.”

  Angel moved his face closer and said, “No one is in here but us.”

  Rayne went in with her lips and kissed Angel. He resisted but only for a moment. She moved both her hands behind his neck, while her fingers trailed through his curly hair. She forced her tongue in his mouth. He hadn’t opened his mouth as wide as she would’ve liked. He was resisting. Rayne wasn’t sure why. Tonight she was downright irresistible.

  When the kiss began to subside, Rayne dared to open her eyes. Angel’s eyes were closed.

  “Good,” she uttered and took the time to kiss his nose.

  “Bad,” Angel said. “I gotta girl. I mean woman.” Angel was blushing and it made Rayne liked him even more.

  “I bet you she’
s an ugly thing, this woman you have,” Rayne said jealously. “You got a picture of the bitch.”

  “I do,” Angel said with a frown.

  He whipped out his wallet and took out a photo and shoved it at Rayne.

  “Oh,” Rayne said examining the photo. “She’s alright.”

  Angel’s woman looked fully Puerto Rican and drop dead gorgeous and above that, they looked happy in the picture together. Rayne handed him back the picture. While he was putting his wallet away she reached down and put her hand on his crotch.

  “You’re still very happy to see me.” Rayne bent as if she was speaking to his erect penis then she laughed. Angel was embarrassed and said nothing. Her wet and wild kiss had gotten considerable attention.

  “Let’s go see Bernadette,” she said looking ahead. “I’m anxious to see the bitch.”

  The BMW pulled off. Rayne kept her attention off of him by playing with her new cell phone and looking around while he drove. Angel however, couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. Rayne was never bold in relationships with men. She’d never really been in need of a man. Trevor didn’t count. He was in a category all to himself. Rayne caught Angel glancing at her again while driving. She wanted a response and she’d gotten one. Rayne looked at him and smiled.

  “You’re still crazy, Rayne,” he said smiling back.

  Rayne crossed her arms and stared defiantly. She wasn’t sure what she should do. She felt like punching him in the face. Yeah, she was crazy but she didn’t like being called it. The thoughts blazed her mind. Her eyes were burning. She didn’t like what Angel said. Her eyes saw nothing but red. Blood, she was beginning to see it.

  “Are you okay, Rayne?” Angel asked sensing something was wrong. He looked at her and felt the tension increasing. “When I said you’re still crazy, I meant it in a good...”

  “What sort of good fucking way is calling a person crazy?” She asked and continued before he had a chance to defend himself. “I know I’m fucking crazy. You don’t have to remind me.”

  “Ah c’mon Rayne, you ain’t crazy and if you are? So is everybody else in this fucking world. When we were young you used to do things out of the blue and you used to make things fun.” He stared at her. “Remember we used to play in the sandbox together…?”

  “The kids used to tease me because I didn’t speak Spanish like them. I guess I was more Black than Puerto Rican.” Rayne laughed. “Back then I hated you full bred Puerto Rican’s. I was Black. I am Black and I’m proud of it. Back then I had to do things so that people wouldn’t bother me.”

  “You kissed me and then grabbed my dick Rayne. Was that supposed to make me leave you alone?”

  “I didn’t grab your dick. I touched your pants.” Rayne figured she was a bit too forward. She wanted Angel. She wanted him inside her. Rayne spent a good deal of her life taking what she wanted. Angel wasn’t going to be as easy as rushing a spot.

  thirteen

  He drove to 29th street, close to Madison Square Garden. Rayne had never been to the Garden in her life. She looked up at the lights and made a mental note to come down and watch the Knicks play. Angel quickly found parking. They exited the car and walked across 7th avenue to a sport’s bar.

  From the velvet rope outside, Rayne could easily tell this place was an upscale sports bar and not a dump. Rayne wasn’t sure what to expect. All her girls became grimy due to their many horrible experiences. Rayne couldn’t imagine Bernadette working in a place as well kept as the bar they were walking into.

  Bernadette’s past was shrouded in mystery. She never told anybody anything about herself. They all knew that she messed around with females. She’d often wished that she was a man. Bernadette was hard boiled.

  Angel opened the entrance door for Rayne. She smiled thinking that Angel’s actions were foreign to her. No other man had opened a door for her. Not even Trevor who never even gave her a ‘bless you’, when she sneezed.

  “Thank you Angel,” she said.

  “Bernie is usually right here in the front,” Angel said. “I hope she didn’t take the night off. It doesn’t matter. Let’s sit at a booth,” he said putting an arm around her waist.

  Rayne allowed him to guide her body by her slender waist to a booth. After they were seated, a woman walked over and asked them what they were having. Rayne really wasn’t paying attention to her. She was busy looking at the many television monitors showing hockey games. She noticed the occupants were mostly white. No one seemed to give Angel or Rayne a second glance. Rayne liked the place. It was nice. White people who didn’t even know each other were laughing, drinking and talking like they were old friends.

  “What do you usually drink?” Angel asked.

  “Anything alcohol…What do you usually drink?”

  “A Long Island iced tea or a beer to start things off.”

  “I’ll have a Long Island iced tea, to start things off.” She smiled at him.

  The barmaid went to get the drinks. Rayne listened to the rock music playing. She didn’t know much about hockey, but she guessed it was a good game showing. The barmaid came back to them with their drinks and a menu of appetizers.

  The drink was good but not too strong. Rayne used the straw and sucked it up like an alcoholic. She listened as Angel talked about his day and was enjoying herself. She wanted to smoke some weed but wasn’t sure if Angel got down. Not wanting to seem ghetto she didn’t mention it. She had not smoked weed in a year. The urge for a blunt was right up there with her urge for some dick. She thought about smoking weed while laying on her back with her legs up high and wide enough for Angel. She really wanted him to do something sexual to the situation between her legs.

  Angel was halfway done with his drink. Rayne was playing with the ice in her empty glass with the straw. She motioned to the barmaid. She wanted another drink. As the barmaid was walking behind the bar, a man walked out of a door close to the bar. Rayne looked at the man really good. Something about him seemed familiar. First she thought she knew the dude. Then Rayne shouted. It wasn’t a man. It was Bernadette. She glanced at Rayne.

  Bernadette walked in the opposite direction, completely ignoring the woman waving her hands and yelling. She recognized Angel. “Cuz...” She uttered. She kept looking. The woman looked like Rayne.

  “Oh my God…!” Bernadette sounded exasperated.

  It was Rayne. Her hair was shorter and she looked different somehow but it was her. Rayne got out the booth and Bernadette could see her much better now. They stared at each other. All of a sudden, Bernadette ran and Rayne began running. They damn near knocked each other down when they collided. Rayne began crying and couldn’t stop hugging her girl.

  “I can’t believe it’s you,” Bernadette said. She held Rayne at arms length in order to get a better look. “Bitch, you gained weight. You look fucking good.” Bernadette looked over at Angel. “What the fuck is going on cousin?”

  Angel said, “Surprise Bernie,” and got out of the booth so that Bernadette could sit down with Rayne. They had a lot of catching up to do.

  Angel walked away and Bernadette sat, Rayne said, “Why you didn’t write me or come visit me you manly looking bitch?”

  Rayne was still crying and a bit pissed. She was pissed and happy. They were tears of joy. Bernadette was right in front of her eyes. She reached a hand out and caressed the dyke’s face, rubbing her and smiling. “I can’t be mad at you bitch. But I was.”

  “I know Rayne. But you know the rules. When you go down there’s no communication till you’re out.”

  Bernadette recited one of Trevor’s laws. Rayne shook off thoughts of Trevor as soon as they began.

  “Sabrina,” Rayne said. “Where is Sabrina?”

  Bernadette took a deep breath. “Sabrina is still out in the streets like when we were the Fatal Four. She’s with some dude out in Brooklyn where Trevor used to hustle. She’s a gangstress now. She’s been pimping girls on the strip. Ain’t nothing changed for her. What about you, did you change?”

&
nbsp; Rayne wasn’t sure if she’d changed or not. Obviously Bernadette had. She looked well. The last time Rayne saw Bernadette she was on her death bed with four bullets in her. She still looked like a man. Her hair had grown longer but was corn rolled. She still had a mean face. Her breasts were undetectable and she still wore suits that a man would wear. Bernadette had the look of content in her eyes.

  “So you work here?” Rayne asked.

  “Yeah, I’m security but nothing goes bad around here,” Bernadette said smiling. “You look great. You really do. I’m going to school.” Bernadette added.

  “For what…?” Rayne asked.

  “Studying computers…” Bernadette laughed at herself. “I started getting into computers. This woman I mess with, she’s the head of some Technology department at some company. She likes thugs but I ain’t thugging no more. What went down in Philly changed me, Rayne. Dora Dean died and I lost all feelings for the shit. You know what I’m saying? I don’t wanna get shot no more. I suffered bad and I walk with a limp now. You didn’t see how I was walking?”

  “No,” Rayne said smiling. “You was running bitch. You still strong and look the same.” Rayne thought for a minute then said. “I’m glad you ain’t getting into no more trouble. I don’t wanna get into shit anymore either. But I be thinking about Dora Dean. I still want closure.”

  Bernadette laughed. “Closure…” She said like it was a joke. “Rayne we got what we gave. We were robbing people and people fight back and kill when people try to take what’s theirs.”

  Bernadette was being real. Rayne couldn’t argue with her. Bernadette had definitely changed. Rayne wasn’t sure if she’d changed or not. The conversation escalated and died down to idle chatter. Rayne still had the past on her mind, Trevor, Dora Dean and Sabrina. She really wanted to see Sabrina, wanted to be with Sabrina and Bernadette again like old times.

  “I wanna go see Sabrina,” Rayne said.

  Angel had walked back over to the booth. Rayne ordered another drink. The barmaid walked over just as soon as Angel did and asked them if they wanted anything else. Bernadette told her not to bother bringing the check. The barmaid nodded. Rayne was gonna ask for another Long Island iced tea. Angel told Bernadette that it was getting late and time for him to head home.