The Diamond Empire--A Novel

by K'wan

  “Shit is one of a few words that come to mind right now. What the hell are you out here doing, looking like you’re at a burlesque show instead of a birthday party?” Sandra scolded her.

  “I was only dancing.”

  “Looks like you were trying to get pregnant,” Sandra capped. She sniffed Pearl and caught the unmistakable smell of alcohol coming off her. “Girl, have you been drinking?”

  “I might’ve had one glass of wine. It is my birthday, after all,” Pearl half lied. She had indeed had only one glass of wine in the club, but that’s after she and Marissa had been doing shots of Hennessy in the back of the limo on the ride over.

  “Bullshit, your ass is tipsy!” Sandra fanned the alcohol fumes.

  “Damn, is that Officer Jones!” one of the boys in the crowd shouted. All the kid’s heads seemed to whip around at once, putting Asia on the spot.

  “What’s she doing here?” Pearl asked with a major attitude.

  “Pearl, what the hell is wrong with you? This is a guest. Show some respect,” Sandra demanded.

  “Oh, I know just who Officer Jones is. I just wanna know why she’s at my party.” Pearl folded her arms.

  “It’s Asia tonight. I’m off the clock. And I’m here because my man invited me.” Asia matched her tone. The little girl was out of pocket as usual and Asia was trying her best to keep from slapping her and turning the whole party out.

  “Your man?” Pearl was confused.

  “Yes, Pearl. This is Knowledge’s date, Asia,” Sandra explained.

  “Wait, this who he wifed up?” Pearl asked in disbelief. Of all the women she expected to come to her party that night, security officer Asia Jones was the last person who would’ve come to her mind. Knowledge was a street dude and powerful, while she was just average.

  “Do you two know each other?” Sandra finally caught on.

  “Yeah, she’s a security guard at my school,” Pearl said.

  “Part-time, sweetie. I’m actually finishing up culinary school.” Asia winked just to piss her off further.

  “That’s cute. Maybe my dad will hire you to work in his kitchen,” Pearl said smugly.

  Asia was about to say something nasty, but caught herself. “You know what. I’m going to head over to the bar and grab a drink.” She turned and walked off. It was all she could do to keep from putting hands on Pearl.

  “You were way out of line, Pearl!” Sandra said angrily. “You’re going to apologize to that girl.”

  “No, I’m not. I don’t care if she is sucking Knowledge’s dick, she’ll always be nothing but the help and needs to know her place. Fuck him and fuck her!” Pearl slurred, loud enough for anyone listening to hear. Though all she and Knowledge had had was a childhood crush that would likely never go anywhere, she still couldn’t help but feel betrayed to see he had given his heart to someone else. The fact that it was someone she knew and saw every day in school made it sting worse. It was the second time in as many weeks that she’d had her feelings stomped on.

  “Okay, now I know your ass is drunk. Time for you to get some air and sober the hell up.” Sandra grabbed Pearl roughly by the arm and dragged her down the stairs.

  * * *

  Big Stone was standing just inside the entrance when he saw Sandra pulling Pearl along behind. He could tell by the look on Sandra’s face that she was heated. “Everything okay?” he asked as they drew closer.

  “Yeah, just taking Pearl to get some air.” Sandra downplayed it.

  Big Stone caught a whiff of Pearl. “Is she drunk?”

  “I ain’t drunk, Daddy. Just a little tipsy.” Pearl flashed him a goofy grin.

  “Jesus on the cross, I can’t go one night without some bullshit!” Big Stone threw his hands up in frustration.

  “Don’t worry, I got her,” Knowledge said, reaching for Pearl. To his surprise, she recoiled.

  “Keep your dirty hands off me. I don’t want you touching me after you been touching that bitch,” Pearl hissed.

  “Huh?” Knowledge was caught totally off guard.

  “All you niggas are the same,” Pearl continued. “You make girls fall in love just so you can laugh when you shit on them. I would’ve given you all of me, do you know that?” She was yelling at Knowledge, but in her mind, she saw Diamonds.

  “Come on, ladies.” Bo Stone stepped between them, slipping one arm around Pearl’s waist and the other around Sandra’s.

  “I hate you, nigga!” Pearl spat at Knowledge before allowing her grandfather and Sandra to escort her outside.

  “Something you need to tell me about?” Big Stone asked Knowledge coldly.

  “Man, you should know me better than to even ask that question. I have no clue what that shit is all about,” Knowledge said honestly.

  “We can talk about it later. Let’s get these fools in their cars and wrap this up before my drunk-ass daughter makes me do something crazy.” Big Stone pushed the doors open and stepped outside.

  The valet had just begun to pull the first of the cars up when Knowledge finally came out. Big Stone was standing on the curb having a conversation with his new allies. A few feet away, Sandra and Bo were holding Pearl up while she vomited on the curb. Knowledge couldn’t remember seeing her that drunk. When she sobered up they were definitely going to have a talk about her performance.

  He scanned the sidewalk in search of Born. He needed him to hold Big Stone and the others down while he went upstairs to check on Asia. There was no telling what Pearl’s drunk ass had said to her and he needed to make sure his lady was good. After five minutes of searching, he realized that Born was nowhere to be found. Knowledge and Big Stone had been standing at the foot of the stairs, so he’d have seen him if he had gone up to the club. He was gone, but why would he up and leave without saying anything? Knowledge’s question was answered when Isaac’s head exploded, spraying blood over Big Stone.

  “It’s a hit!” one of the men who had been working security at the door shouted.

  Knowledge didn’t even think about it before he drew his gun and rushed to Big Stone’s side. He tackled the larger man. He and Big Stone hit the ground just as a bullet shattered the window of the car Big Stone had been standing next to. Knowledge swept his gun back and forth, looking to see where the shooting was coming from, but didn’t see anyone. He went to peek over the car, and another bullet slammed into the hood. It was then he caught a glimpse of a figure in the apartment window across the street. “Sniper!” he shouted, to let the rest of the security team know where the shots were coming from. “I gotta get you inside,” he told Big Stone.

  “Fuck me, I’m good.” Big Stone produced a revolver from the ankle strap hidden under his pants leg. “Get my daddy and the girls to safety.”

  “But Stone—”

  “Go!” Big Stone shoved him away, and fired over the top of the car at the window.

  Knowledge got low using the cars for cover and made his way to the Stone family. Bo had pulled them behind a mailbox and was covering them with his body. Thankfully they were all still in one piece. “Come on, I’m gonna get you guys to safety,” he shouted over the gunfire.

  “Knowledge, what’s going on?” Sandra asked.

  “I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out once I get you inside. On my signal, everybody break for the restaurant door. Ready?”

  “My daddy, somebody has got to get my daddy!” Pearl cried. She was now completely sober and terrified.

  “Pearl, look at me.” Knowledge took her face in one hand. “I’m gonna get to your father, but I can’t do that until I make sure you guys are safe. Do you understand?”

  Pearl nodded.

  “Okay, just stay low and don’t stop moving until you’re back inside Rain,” Knowledge told them. “Okay … now!” He leapt up from behind the mailbox and started blasting at the apartment window. Knowledge backpedaled, laying cover fire while Bo, Sandra, and Pearl scurried through the doors of Rain. On the ground in front of the club were at least four dead bodies, but thank
fully none of them was Big Stone. A flicker of motion to his right drew Knowledge’s attention. He saw four people, three guys and a girl, creeping in his direction. Their faces were covered, but he didn’t need to see them to know who they were. His rematch had come sooner than he had expected.

  * * *

  “Damn that One-eye Willie!” Buda cursed when he heard the first shot from the rifle. The plan had been for Willie to wait for the ground forces to get close before he opened fire, but of course he had jumped the gun and ruined the element of surprise.

  “Well, since they already know we’re here, might as well get to it.” Goldie laughed. “This is for my brother, niggas!” He charged forward, firing his machine gun.

  “Goldie, wait!” Vita called, but he was already gone. Vita tried to go after him, but Buda stopped her.

  “Stay focused, gal! Our target is Big Stone. Everybody else is a bonus,” Buda told her before surging forward.

  Vita was trailing Lucky, who was creeping up on Big Stone from his blind side. They had him trapped. For a second it looked like Lucky would be the one to claim the prize for the night, before Big Stone turned and put a bullet in his face. He was dead before he hit the ground. Vita looked up to see Knowledge holding the smoking gun. Her heart swelled with rage, as she added her gun to the fray trying to take Big Stone out.

  * * *

  The front of Rain ran red with blood, as bodies littered the street. All of the bosses who had attended the meeting were dead with the exception of Big Stone. He was crouched behind a car, gun raised and breathing heavy. It seemed like enemies were descending on him from everywhere at once. He looked to Knowledge, who was pinned behind a car by a barrage of machine-gun fire from the bandanna-clad man in the middle of the street. Big Stone was about to move to try and lay cover when a masked man stepped on the curb. The gunman had him dead to rights, but he hesitated, which gave Big Stone enough time to put a bullet through his face.

  Behind him Big Stone could see two more masked hitters coming his way. He raised his gun, but it clicked empty. He looked from the trapped Knowledge to his would-be assassins and made a difficult choice.

  * * *

  “He’s trying to run!” Goldie shouted when he saw Big Stone pop up from behind a car and bolt down an alley. He made to go after him, but Buda stopped him.

  “He won’t get away that easy. You just keep these niggas off our backs, we’ll take care of Big Stone. Come on, V,” Buda barked as he took off down the alley behind Big Stone. The moment he had waited so long for was finally at hand and he wouldn’t be denied.

  * * *

  Big Stone’s heart thudded in his chest as he ran down the alley between the club and the building next to it. He felt bad about leaving Knowledge, but he didn’t have much of a choice. It was either that or stay there and die with him. If they were both killed there would be no one left to extract revenge, and after what had happened at Rain there would definitely be a reckoning. All he had to do was make it through the alley to the next street over and he would be home-free. All thoughts of freedom faded from his mind when he saw that someone had blocked the mouth of the alley with a Dumpster. He was trapped.

  “Don’t rush off just yet, the party is just getting started,” Buda called to him as he stalked down the alley. Vita was on his heels, eyes sweeping back and forth for more enemies.

  “Where’s Diamonds?” Vita pressed him.

  “Who the fuck is Diamonds and what does he have to do with me?” Big Stone asked.

  “It was you who sent your people after him. Tell us where he is and we might let you live,” Vita replied.

  “I can’t tell you what I don’t know,” Big Stone insisted.

  “Shut your lying-ass mouth!” Buda barked before shooting Big Stone in the knee and dropping him. “You took our brother out and now we’re gonna take you out!”

  “You’re free to kill me, but it ain’t gonna change the fact that I have no idea who or what you’re talking about,” Big Stone pressed.

  “Fuck it, he ain’t gonna talk. Do this nigga, V!” Buda ordered.

  “Maybe we should take him with us and question him first. If Diamonds is still alive we don’t wanna ruin the best chance we got at finding him,” Vita said.

  Big Stone looked back and forth from Vita to Buda, and the realization of what was happening set in. “Baby girl, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it seems to me that somebody has played you. You got my word on two things here today: the first being that I don’t know anybody named Diamonds and the second being I’m going to make it my business to find him when this is all over with. If you kill me now it’s gonna open a faucet of blood that neither of is going to be able to turn off.”

  “I guess that’s a chance we’re just going to have to take,” Buda told him before shooting Big Stone in the head.

  “What the fuck, Buda? You killed him before we even had a chance to question him. He could’ve told us where Diamonds was!” Vita snapped.

  “V, I never needed Big Stone to tell me where Diamonds was because I’ve known this whole time,” Buda revealed. “He’s dead, same as you are.” He pumped two slugs into Vita’s chest.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Goldie was slapping a fresh magazine into his machine gun when he saw Buda come out of the alley. A smile crossed his face because he knew that Big Stone was dead and the score had finally been settled. He wished that he’d been the one to end the crime boss, but would have to take his victories where he could. After few seconds had passed and he noticed that Vita wasn’t with him, the smile faded.

  “Where’s V?” Goldie asked frantically. The saddened look on Buda’s face confirmed his suspicions. “No,” his eyes welled with tears.

  “I’m sorry, Goldie. Big Stone got the drop on us in the alley. She died saving my life,” he lied. “But don’t worry, I settled up for her and Diamonds. Now we best get outta here. Police gonna be on the scene any minute.”

  “We can’t just leave her there for the rats. Vita was a warrior and deserves to be sent off as such.” Goldie started towards the alley, but Buda stopped him.

  “Boy, you gone plum mad?” he grabbed Goldie by the shirt. “That girl is gone and ain’t the living can do for the dead except honor their memories. And the way we do that is by becoming kings of this city like Diamonds and Vita wanted. Let’s make their deaths count for something.”

  “Fuck them pigs and fuck this city. You’ve got your pound of flesh, but I ain’t going nowhere until I get mine,” he shoved Buda away and started stalking towards Rain.

  “Goldie!” Buda called after him, but he was ignored. When Goldie’s mind was set to do something, nothing short of God could change it. A trait he definitely shared with his older brother. Maybe if Buda was lucky, Goldie would get himself killed pursuing Knowledge and save him the trouble of doing it later.

  * * *

  Knowledge was crouched behind the car, trying his best to avoid the hellfire spewing from Goldie’s machine gun. Every time he tried to get up to get off a clean shot, he nearly got it knocked off. In the distance, he could hear police sirens closing on their location, but he doubted they’d get to him in time.

  There was a brief pause in the shooting. He peered through the ruined window of the car he was hiding behind and saw one of the two masked bandits who had chased Big Stone into the alley? Where was the other one? The masked bandit exchanged words with the machine gunner, and based on his reaction he wasn’t delivering good news. The gunman was tugging at the machine-gunner, and for a second Knowledge was hopeful that they had been spooked by the approaching sirens and would leave. That hope died when she saw the machine gunner shake loose and start in his direction. He checked the magazine in his own pistol, three bullets left. He didn’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell, but at least he would die trying.

  “Fuck it,” Knowledge came up from behind the car, and fired two blasts. The shots were taken off balance, and neither hit their mark. Knowledge barely made it back behin
d the car before a spray of bullets perforated the hood. His heart thudded as he heard glass crunching on the other side of the car. The machine gunner was moving in to finish him off. He’d missed his mark. One other side of the car, Knowledge heard the sounds of glass being crunched as the machine gunner moved to finish him off. Knowledge readied his gun and prepared to meet his end the same way he had lived, like a gangster. Before his moment arrived, there was another gun added to the fray.

  * * *

  When the shooting started, the inside of Rain erupted into bedlam. Party-goers flew into a panic, with everyone scattering trying to get out of harm’s way. The first thought that popped into Asia’s head was Knowledge. She hadn’t seen him since she came inside, but she knew if Big Stone was the target of whoever was shooting, her man would surely be the first one to try and place himself between the crime boss and danger. Without even thinking, she ran down the stairs in the direction of the shots.

  She arrived on the main level to find it a mess of broken glass and blood. There seemed to be bodies everywhere, some already dead and some badly injured. She recognized some of them as kids who went to St. Francis. Her heart hurt for the phone calls their parents would likely receive before the night was over notifying that the children they had sent out to a birthday party would never be coming home again. A part of her felt guilty for being relieved that Knowledge wasn’t amongst them.

  “Get off me!” Asia heard someone scream. She looked over and saw a hysterical Pearl. Marissa and one of security team who hadn’t been gunned down were trying to restrain her. On the floor next to them, Sandra was attending to an older man who was bleeding from the leg.

  “What happened?” Asia approached them, looking around for answers.

  “I don’t know,” Sandra answered. “We were all standing around outside when somebody started shooting. Oh, my goodness, those poor children,” she fought back the sobs that came every time her eyes landed on the scattered bodies.

  There was another spray of machine gun fire from outside causing everybody to causing everybody to duck. “Damn, it! They’re killing our boys out there. Let me up!” Bo Stone tried to push to his feet. The killer in him fought its way to the surface, urging him to join the battle but his leg couldn’t steady him.