by Hood Rich
“All you gotta do is give me a chance. I gotta qet on my shit sooner or later." He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "How about I drop that twenty thousand in your lap. That way it won’t be like you’re giving me something for nothing. I know it ain’t much. But at least it’s a start. What do you say?”
I pulled off the highway exit ramp and stopped at the stop sign at the top of the ramp. “I charge twenty gees a bird. That means you still gon’ be seven hundred and eighty bands down. Long as you understand that we’re good.”
Paper pulled his nose. “I might be able to come up with a lil’ more than that. But I get where you’re coming from, let’s make it happen.” He leaned his seat back and closed his eyes.
***
The rain was back full fledge two days later. I met up with Paper at one of the furniture stores in our hood. We pulled into the back of the store damn near at the same time. I drove the delivery van for the store and had it filled with the forty kilos of heroin, and ten pounds of pure fentanyl. All in all, it was nine-hundred-thousand dollars worth of product if it sold it to somebody else in bulk. After they broke everything down and dimed it up. They were sure to make a minimum of three million in cash, that’s with taking shorts. I was giving Paper the longest lifeline that I could, even though I wasn’t feeling too sure about it.
He hopped out of his Escalade, just as the rain began to pour. I had two of my Hittas, carry the merch into the back of the store. I’d already decoded the system so the alarm wouldn’t sound. I waved for Paper to follow me inside. Four more of my Hittas followed behind him as he made his way inside with a book bag over his right shoulder. He wore an all-black hoodie, and black jeans, over worn retro Jordan’s. I made him sit on a long sofa, while I sat across from him.
There were two lamps turned on inside of the store to give us a little light to maneuver. My Hittas came and dropped the duffle bags right by my feet. I unzipped one and slapped a kilo of heroin, and one of Fentanyl onto the table, and handed him a pocket knife. I wanted him to test the product to affirm its potency.
“Be careful, that one right there is fentanyl.”
He waved me off. “We better than that, Hood Rich. I trust you. The only person who ain’t being trusted in this situation is me. But it’s all good. I was able to come up with eighty gees. All hundreds, I know that’s only four birds, but I’ll get you the rest of your money. I got plans for this product, you’ll see.” He opened the Gucci bookbag and dug out a few stacks of money that had ten thousand dollars seals on them as if they’d come directly from a bank.
I thumbed through the bills and sniffed them. They smelled like new money. I was happy he’d come up with something. I knew, Cabo, wasn’t gon’ play about his bread, and for that reason, I wasn’t either.
I took the book bag, and dug through it, confirming that it was filled with money. “A’ight, look, we gon’ meet up every Friday just like I used to with the Misfits. You should have no less than twenty gees each time. That’s the price of one bird. You handle your business and I’ll handle mine. After I see that you can handle what I’m hitting you with, we’ll turn up a lil’ bit and really though, I got faith in you. Just do what you gotta do.” I walked around the table and gave him a hug. He smelled a lil’ better and I was hoping that was a good sign. Even though, I wasn’t putting too much faith in it.
We exchanged money and product, and that was that. That following Friday, instead of Paper hitting me with twenty gees, he hit me with sixty. The Friday after that he hit me with a hundred and the next one after that he hit me with two hundred gees, and I felt bad for doubting him in the first place. It didn’t take long before his dressing got better. He smelled different and looked as if he had his mind right.
I still kept my distance and allowed him to do him. I didn’t want us to have the type of relationship we’d once had. I was doing better being a loner and hustling under my own terms. I had to make sure I had four billion dollars sent to, Cabo every single month. So, I worked under intense pressure. Every time it was a few weeks before the deadline, I freaked out and felt like I wasn’t going to make my quota. But then something would happen so that I exceeded it.
Chapter 13
Aaliyah brought our daughter into the world a few months later. She came out with light caramel skin, deep dimples, freckles over her face, and a head full of wavy, curly hair. Her eyes were hazel like mine, and I was happy about that. When the doctor placed her in my arms I fell in love all over again. I was expecting her to be crying all loud and having a fit like most babies did, but she was the complete opposite. She wouldn’t stop smiling with her deep dimples. She weighed six pounds, eleven ounces. I kissed her so much on the first day, that Aaliyah became jealous. I would catch her mugging me with anger.
“Dang, Rich, I get that she’s your first born, but what about me. I had to spit her out. You ain’t gave me a second glance since she came into the world.” She rolled her eyes. I slid into the big, specially requested hospital bed with her, and put my arm around her, kissing her cheek. “Aww, now you wanna kiss on me and stuff? Yeah, okay.” I could tell she wasn’t playing.
She was really upset, I didn’t understand it at the time, but after a while I got it. You see most women felt that after they gave a man a child he used the child to replace them in a sense, even if it was only emotionally. When more than likely, right after a woman gives birth she is at her most vulnerable. Her body is jacked up. She feels disconnected and tired. She yearns to be comforted when men are spending all our time cherishing our new baby. She didn’t explain all of this to me until later, but it made sense.
I kissed her cheek, and then kissed our daughter. “I’m sorry boo, you know it ain’t like that. You’re still my number one. That will never change.” I kissed her lips. “What are we going to name her?” I looked down at my sleeping baby girl and felt my heart doing somersaults. She was so beautiful, just like her mother. I could also see my mother, and Keyonna in her, too.
Aaliyah sat up and laid her head on my chest. It was comforting because I loved her so much already. “How about, Shante’? I’ve always loved that name, and she looks like a Shante’ doesn’t she?” She rubbed our daughter’s soft cheek.
I held her in my arms and smiled. I didn’t care what her first name would be. I would call her my Baby Girl, anyway. But we decided to name her Shante’ and gave her Keyonna as a middle name to honor my sister. I laid in that hospital bed for the next twelve hours, holding both of my girls. There wasn’t any specific reason why we didn’t leave right away. But I just wanted to make sure that Aaliyah and Shante’ were all good before we did.
A week after our daughter was born, Cabo sent for me. I met up with one of his underlings at Mitchell International Airport. We loaded his S-7 Private jet, and headed for Miami where I guessed, Cabo was supposed to be waiting for me. The whole time we were on that Jet, me and Cabo’s underling never said a word to each other. I Facetimed Aaliyah, and Shante’ as I sat in the back seat of the Jet with nothing but my family on my mind. I knew that I’d made eleven of my payments to Cabo on time, so I wasn’t worried about nothing sour going down with him. I was curious as to why he wanted to see me in person, but as long as I wasn’t called back to Brazil, I felt that was a good sign. I relaxed in my chair and sipped from a bottle of Patron to calm my nerves. I’d never liked flying, I had to be under some form of influence in order to be all the way up there and not freak out. I’d always been that way.
Aaliyah smiled into the phone and stuck her tongue out at me. She was without makeup, and to me, she looked finer than ever. I knew she was still a bit tired and was putting on a brave face for me. I got it, and I appreciated her for it. “Baby, when you get home we’re packing and getting the hell out of here. All our properties are paid for, and all we have to do is to get to them. I’m serious, now that, Shante’ is here, there is no more waiting. You got me?”
I laughed and nodded. “I got you, Boo. We out of here. I don’t need more than a w
eek. I know, I keep buying more and more time, but this time I’m serious. You’ve been patient and I appreciate that, Boo. I appreciate everything that you have done thus far. Especially that bundle of joy you popped out. I owe you my life for her, and I’ma dedicate the rest of it to you.”
She smiled. “Aww-ah, baby. You know how emotional I am. Don’t start that stuff. I can’t handle it right now.”
I laughed and nodded. “A’ight, Boo, I won’t, but you heard what I said. After I handle this bitness, my next mission is to get our family up out of there I promise.”
* * *
We arrived in Miami, at nine p.m., Cabo and two of his security guards met us in the tangar. We stepped out of the Jet and got into a stretch Mercedes Benz limousine. When I climbed into the back of the limo the first thing I felt was the air conditioner blowing into my face. Cabo sat in the back smoking on a fat cigar, blowing big clouds of smoke, with a smile on his face.
“Hood Rich, mi companero’, come on in and have a seat.” He pointed at the couch across from him.
There were already two security men with cowboy hats seated on it. There was a space in between them that I guessed was for me, so, I took it. Cabo opened a box of Cuban cigars and directed me to grab one out, but I declined. Tobacco ain’t do nothing but give me a headache. I wasn’t wit’ that at all. He put the box away, and handed me a bottle of Hornitos, pulling the cap off first.
“Then have a sip of this. It’s from the heart of my land. You’ll love it.” He blew out a cloud of smoke, holding the cigar with his teeth. His big bushy mustache was curled at the ends. He looked like Old Sammy Sam from the cartoons, with black hair. I took a sip from the bottle and handed it back to him. He set it on the table beside him and sat back. “Hood Rich,” he laughed. “There is no need to be alarmed. I just wanted to check in with you and let you know that you are doing a great job. All the cities I’ve put you in control of are getting their dope on time. My funds are adding up the right way. It’s a well-oiled machine. It’s time to lock you in for life.” He laughed and puffed on his cigar some more.
Smoke wafted into the air and made my stomach turn. I hated that shit. I scrunched my face. “Wait, what are you talking about locking me in for life?” I was confused and needed clarification, so, I could know what I was up against. I knew he was a trickster.
He leaned forward. “Well, now, that I know you’re a man I can depend on, I’m choosing to depend on you until your last breath. It means that right now, until your heart stops you are my slave. You’ve made more than enough money. You’ll never be able to pay me back in the short time that you are alive, so instead of trying, you’ll just work until I’m done with you. It’s simple of that.” He took the bottle of Hornitos from the table and threw it out the window. It shattered in the street. “I don’t drink behind my peasants.” He had a scowl on his face that rubbed me the wrong way. I wish I could have blown his brains out, I didn’t like this man.
I mugged him and felt my heart pounding in my chest. “I ain’t nobody’s slave. If I don’t wanna fuck with you no more, then that’ll just be that. Fuck what you talking about.”
Cabo laughed, and so did his men on the side of me. He pointed at me as if I’d cracked a joke. He laughed so hard that tears came out of his eyes. He slapped his thigh, and his face turned a shade pinkish red. “You hear this, Vato? He sounds all tough and shit. If I don’t want to work anymore it’s just going to be that. I’m nobody’s slave.” He busted out laughing again. “Fucking Cavron!”
“What the fuck is so funny?” I was ready to jump across the aisle and attack his ass. I knew his men would probably kill me, but I was so mad, I didn’t even care. I didn’t like how he was trying to treat me like a bitch. I would rather die a gangsta than a bitch any day.
Cabo dabbed at his tears with a cloth and turned his face into a deadly scowl. “You see, that’s where you got it all wrong. You’re going to work for me until I say you’re done. You owe me four million dollars every single month, and come hell or high water, if you’re alive, you’re going to pay it. Or your daughter will be fed to my pig after I slice Aaliyah’s in front of you. You don’t understand who you’re fucking with but sit back, because you will in a minute,” he spat.
He wiped his nose with his hand and sniffed loudly. I sat back in the couch fuming. I was so hot that I felt killing him and his guards, but I knew I stood no chance at that. I was in Miami, with no security, and no pistols. Just like in Brazil, I was completely at his mercy. I feared what he was about to show me. I didn’t fear him, just the things he was capable of. I couldn’t believe he’d actually said something about Shante’, she was just a newborn, and not even a month old at this point.
About an hour later, we pulled into a shrimp packaging plant, right off the Port. The moonlight shined off the water, as it rippled northward. The Limo pulled around to the back of the place. I could hear the gravel under the tires. When we rolled up, we were met by five armed men who were just getting off a boat that was docked in the back of the plant. They wore Cowboy hats, like Cabo, beside their boat was two other ones, attached to the back of them were big nets that were rolled up. It smelled like fish and seaweed. There was strong stench of piss as well. I looked out if the windows and watched the armed guards come and aim their weapons at the back doors where we would eventually exit.
“After you see what I got in there for you, Hood Rich. You’re going to do everything I say without giving me any talkback. It’s amazing I haven’t put a bullet in that nugget of yours already.” He frowned, as the door opened. “Let’s go.”
I was led into the back of the plant with an assault Rifle poking in my back. It wasn’t really necessary, because I wasn’t trying to go nowhere. I was stuck. His comments of what he’d do to my girls were heavy on my mind. I needed to find a way to kill this sick son of a bitch. We stepped inside of the plant, it looked like a big warehouse on the inside. It was full of brown wooden crates that were filled with shrimp, and salmon. It smelled horrible like a whale’s ass, or what I would imagine a whale’s ass to smell like. It was hot and humid, the air was thick, and it made it hard to breathe. I could taste the salt in the atmosphere as well, and that was odd to me.
I was ushered through a bunch of crates. They were lined up as if they were sorted in a certain way. We passed more than one Forklift, big rats crawled around on the floor in twos. Cabo walked up ahead along with the man that I’d flown on the private Jet with. They spoke in Spanish and I was only able to make out a few words, not enough to make sense of anything. After traveling for five minutes, we made it to the other side of the plant. We walked through a big metal door, and into a well-lit room. As soon as we walked through it my mouth dropped wide open. There was a big oak table in the middle of the room with chairs all around it. At the head of the table was my father. Two of, Cabo’s men stood behind him with assault rifles pointed against the back of his head. He looked red and worn out, I began to panic right away.
“Son, what are you doing here?”
I was slammed into a seat one chair over from him. Cabo sat at the foot of the table and ordered the other men to do the same. “Everybody have a seat.” He cracked his knuckles and took his hat off his head. He was balding in the middle, his long, stringy hair stopped at the center of his head. There was a pink circle there, a circle that he scratched. “Go ahead, exchange your pleasantries, then let’s get on with the fucking business. I don’t have all day, Cavrons.”
My father turned to me and swallowed. “I’m sorry, I got you roped into this, Rich. Please know that I love you.”
Now I was really panicking because I didn’t understand what was going on. I didn’t like the look of fear in my father’s eyes. I didn’t understand how my father could have been so plugged in the Mafia, but Cabo easily kept him under the gun. I was beginning to understand that whoever ran the drug trade in North America, was the one that ran the world. My father seemed to be nothing more than a rodent when it came to, Cabo.
<
br /> Cabo sighed. “Okay, it seems that you fucked me out of my Vegas and Atlantic city deal, Paulie, it turns out, you don’t have as much power within the Bertolli family as you thought, in fact, they’re promising to give me the same deal that you offered if I cut your fucking head off. Now that’s a turn of events.”
I almost broke my neck turning to my father. He had his head down in defeat, he was flushed and looked weak and sick. I felt horrible for him.
Cabo stood up. “The thing is, this Cavron right here has already been working under me long enough to score a few million dollars in his own right. He’s connected to a cartel of animals that wiped out my nephew’s crew that were stationed in Milwaukee, and I let it slide, only because you promised me red carpet treatment in Vegas, and Atlantic City. Now that I know you can’t deliver, one of you are not leaving this room alive. It’s either you’re going to die, or,” he sighed. “Or your son.” He laughed. “I still find that fucking hilarious. I’ll give you two a moment to decide.” He pulled out a cigar and lit the tip, took his seat, and crossed one leg over the other. His Snake skinned boats shined in the room.
“Neither one of us needs to die, Cabo. I can fix this. You have to give me a chance, too. I’m still connected, trust me.”
Cabo slammed his hand on the table. “Shut up you fucking idiot! The Bertolli family knows you are the one that set up the Don. Your sins have caught up with you. Whether I kill you or not, they’re going too. It’s best that you make it easier on yourself and let your son live. He has his whole life ahead of him. You’re finished,” he snapped.
My father shook his head. “That’s nonsense, I have obligations. He’s just a kid. If he dies nobody will give a shit. Me, I’m important. If it comes down to who lives and who dies, then I choose me.” He frowned and looked across the table at Cabo with anger. He balled his fist until the knuckles were white.
