Face watched as Mouse walked across the street towards the house. The $73,000 that Mouse had already picked up was in a brown paper bag under Face's seat. It was Face's job to always watch the money and to beep the horn three times if he saw any cops around.
Right beside Face was Mouse's Motorola pager. When the pager started vibrating, Face picked it up and looked at the number that appearedacross the small screen. It was his mother paging Mouse from home, probably wondering what was taking them so long. Face smiled, and laid the pager aside, and waited patiently for Mouse to return.
Mouse knocked on the door three times and waited. He heard voices coming from beyond the door. This was his last stop of the day before driving back home and preparing for his wedding. Poo had paged him twice to meet them at the house and pick up his money. Mouse had been at the house once before, but he never knew who the owners were, or whoactually lived there. The truth was, he didn't care, all he wanted was his cash and to be on his way.
He glanced down at his gold Rolex and saw the time was 12:58 PM; one and a half hours away from his wedding. He was running late, so he wanted to make this fast.
"Sorry Mouse, the TV was turned up loud and we could hardly hear the knock at the door," Ty-Bud said. Mouse nodded and followed him inside the house.
Wizard was sitting on the sofa smoking on a fat blunt. A cloud of smoke hovered around the living room.
"Where's Poo?" Mouse asked, scanning around the room. "He's in the bathroom taking a shit," Ty-Bud answered.
"Well, he better hurry up. I gotta go!" Mouse said impatiently. "Want a hit?" Wizard asked, as he blew a cloud of grey smoke from his nostrils.
"Naw, maybe some other time," Mouse replied.
Ty-Bud pulled out a thick roll of money from his sweatpants pocket."Here Mouse, that from me and Wizard," he said, passing the cash to Mouse.
As Mouse started counting the money, he knew something wasn't right. He paused and looked around room. Ty-Bud stood a few feet awaywhile Wizard remained on the sofa. The house was completely quiet. Where's the TV, he asked himself. He remembered Ty-Bud saying the TV was turned up too loud for them to hear his knocking, but there was no TV in sight. In fact there was nothing inside the living room but the old sofa and a few old chairs. His street instincts told him it was a set up.
Before he could reach for the .40 caliber, Poo appeared behind him. Clutched in his hand was the Beretta .9mm. Poo had been hiding inside the closet the entire time, waiting for the perfect moment to sneak up on his victim.
At that moment, Mouse knew he had been caught slipping. He alsoknew Poo was the person who had set him up, and that it was all because of Pamela, the woman who had chosen him over Poo.
Mouse went for his gun, but it was too late. Before he could grab it from under his shirt, Poo aimed and fired.
POW!
He watched as Mouse's tall body fell hard to the floor, with a .9mm slug lodged deep inside his brain.
Ty-Bud and Wizard quickly ran over and stared down at Mouse's body. When Mouse's body started twitching, it startled them all.
"He ain't dead!" Wizard said.
"He still alive!" Ty-Bud added.
Poo walked up to Mouse's body and aimed the .9mm at his head once again.
POW!
He shot Mouse in the head for the second time. This time there was no twitching.
Ty-Bud reached down and picked up the money from the floor. They stood and watched the blood pouring from the two holes in the back of Mouse's head. A small pool of blood had already formed and was steadilygrowing larger.
Wizard leaned down and took the gun off Mouse's body and placed it under his shirt beside his .38. Poo walked over and peeped out the window at Mouse's Mercedes. He didn't see anyone inside. Face lay reclined in the seat enjoying the latest album from N.W.A.
When Poo saw the coast was clear, he looked at his cousins and said,"I'm outta here! Ya'll know where to meet me at tonight so we can take care of that other business."
"Don't worry, Poo. We'll be there!" Ty -bud said.
As soon as Poo had rushed out the front door, Ty-Bud and Wizard started stripping Mouse of all he had. They took his gold Rolex watch, his gold herringbone chain, diamond stud earring, and gold pinky ring; even the new Adidas sneakers he had on his feet. Then they both rushed out theback door.
Face was just sitting up when he saw the short, cocky dark skinned man rush out the front door and down the street to his parked car. The man's face looked familiar. Then, Face remembered that the guy used to be one of his mother's friends. They had only met once, but Face never forgot aface.
Face sat back watching as the man got into a blue Cadillac and sped off down the street like a bat out of hell. For some reason, nervousness swept throughout his young body.
Even at 11 years old, Face could sense that something wasn't right. Mouse had told him to always stay in the car and keep his eyes focused for the cops. Face thought about what Mouse had told him, but this was taking too long. He opened the door and stepped outside.
Mouse had already been inside the house for 20 minutes. It was thelongest he had been inside out of all the houses they had ever visited. He knew something was wrong.
Face could feel it deep inside his young soul as he nervously walked across the street towards the house. At the front door, he knocked as hard as he could, but no one answered. At the same time, two young girls werewalking past the house.
"Don't nobody live there!" one of them shouted out.
Face didn't respond, he just continued to pound on the door. Sweat began to fall down his scared looking face and his heart pounded inside his chest and in his ears.
"Mouse! Mouse! You in there?" he yelled desperately. But nobody answered. He reached for the door knob and turned it. The door opened and he pushed it in slowly. He peeped inside and yelled, "Mouse! Hey, Mouse! Is you in here?" Still, no one answered.
Face slowly walked into the house, fear written in his young face at what he feared he would find. Then he saw it - Mouse's dead body, his head surrounded by a large pool of blood.
Face ran over and looked into Mouse's face. The look of death that he saw in Mouse's eyes was one he would never forget as long as he lived.Tears formed in his eyes and quickly fell down his cheeks. He knew thatMouse was dead and he couldn't do anything to save him. Now, another father had been savagely taken from him. And another Black King that his mother had desperately needed in her life had been ripped away from her. His tears of anguish continued to fall as he stared into the face he had come to love.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Later that night...
The news hit Pamela like a ton of bricks. She still couldn't believe Mouse was dead, and that her wedding day had turned into a living nightmare. It was one of the worst days in her entire life; next to watching Norman get murdered, and being raped by the man who had murdered him. Still, theloss of Mouse was devastating.
Face, Veronica, and Allen all stood around tearful watching Pamelasitting on the bed, crying a river of tears.
Earlier, everyone had left and gone home. Mouse's body was at the morgue, surrounded by other John and Jane Does, and other gangrelatedcorpses.
Face told his mother everything that had happened. Most importantly, he told her about her old friend who drove around in a blue Cadillac.
Pamela already knew the two main reasons for Mouse's death: greed and revenge. And she was almost positive Poo was responsible for Mouse's death; for taking away her King.
As the tears fell hard down her confused and hurting face, her mind was racing with a million thoughts at once. Face walked over and sat beside his crying, trembling mother. He wrapped his arms around her waist and laid his head on her breast.
"Don't worry, Mom. He's with God now, just like my father," he said, trying to comfort her the best way he knew how.
Veronica and Allen stood with sad expressions on their faces. Both were completely speechless. Neither could believe Mouse was dead. Goneforever, murdered on t
he day of his wedding.
An hour later, Allen tearfully said his goodbyes and left to go back home to Peaches. When he called her on the phone and told her whathad happened, she couldn't believe it. After hanging up the phone, Peaches had a big smile plastered across her face. "Fuck that bitch! That's what she get!" Peaches said to herself, then laughed out loud.
Pamela looked over at Veronica and said, “Veronica, can you leave me and Face alone for a few minutes?"
"Sure, I'll be in my room. Just call me when you need me," she said before turning around to leave.
When Veronica shut the door behind her, Pamela looked deeply into Face's watery eyes and said, "Now do you see how nothing in life is everpromised to us?"
"Yes, Mom," he answered.
"How we can't take no days for granted?"
"Yes, Mom."
"I don't want you to ever forget this day. Do you hear me?" "Yes, Mom. I won't ever forget," he assured her.
"Remember Face, just one mistake and everything around you cancrumble," she said, tearfully.
"I know, Mom," he replied; tears began sliding down his face onceagain.
"Face, do you know why I'm telling you all of this?" she asked. "Yes, Mom. I know."
"Then tell me why."
Face stared deep into her watery hazel eyes and said, "Because youwant me to grow up and be the best man I can be. You want me to be better than Mouse, and my father, and everyone else. You want me to be aKing," he paused. "Don't worry, Mom. I will be," he added confidently.
Pamela looked at Face and smiled. The scar under his left eye reminded her of just how brave he was. Just like herself, he had been through so much at an early age, but even Pamela knew that Face was like no other. He was truly special, and she was determined to groom him into a man of power and respect.
"So, how long will you be staying in Los Angeles?" Charles asked in a desperate voice.
"Charles, I don't know…However long my friend needs me." Veronica replied into the cell phone.
"Babydoll, I need you too. Jeffrey and Jonathan have been asking about you also," he said.
"Charles, are you listening to me, or are you just letting my words go in one ear and come out the other? My best friend's fiancé was murdered today; the day they were supposed to get married! Can't you think aboutsomething besides sex?" she angrily snapped. "Now, I said I'll see you when my friend is feeling a little better and she don't need me anymore! Until then, I ain't thinking about coming back to Philadelphia!"
"Babydoll, I'm sorry for being selfish. You're right. Take your
Black Scarface
time and be there for your girlfriend. I'll tell Jeffrey and Jonathan," Charles said, then made excuses about having another call on another line.
After the conversation ended, Veronica hung up the cell phone and tearfully laid out across the bed. She still couldn't believe Mouse was dead. Even though they had only recently met, Veronica had grown to likehim almost instantly. She believed him to be the perfect man for Pamela. And now, just like that, he was dead and gone - another black man's body inside the Los Angeles County Morgue.
2:18 A.M....
The stolen black Bonneville slowly pulled to a stop and parked outside of Allen and Peaches' home. The dark street was completely empty. Inside the car, Poo, Ty-Bud, and Wizard were all dressed in black gear. Each had a ski-mask covering his face and a loaded pistol gripped in his hand. Thethree men exited the car and rushed around the back of the house. Poo knew the back door could easily be entered; Peaches had snuck him in that way every time she called him over for sex or drugs.
As they stood at the back door, Wizard raised his heavy foot and kicked the door with all his strength. The strong impact knocked the thin wooden door straight off its weak hinges. Then, without hesitation, the three men rushed inside the house, weapons up and ready.
Allen and Peaches both jumped up from a sound sleep when they were awakened by the loud thunderous sound coming from the back of thehouse.
"Hold on Baby, let me go check things out," Allen said, getting up from the bed and reaching for his robe.
Peaches laid there with a scared look on her face. "Be careful Baby," she said.
Before Allen responded, the bedroom door was kicked off its hinges and three masked men quickly rushed in, all aiming their loaded weapons.
Allen threw up his hands while Peaches screamed out in total fear. Without any hesitation, Poo, Ty-Bud, and Wizard started firing their pistols.
Allen and Peaches were both hit numerous times, bullets piercing their heads, chests and arms. As Allen's dead corpse was laid out on the floor, a few feet away was Peaches' mangled body, slumped down on thebed, surrounded by a pool of her own blood. The three men rushed out of the house the same way they had come in. Moments later they were back in the stolen Bonneville, driving away from the scene of their horrific crime.
As Poo sat back on the backseat, a smile came to his face. Today hadturned out to be a good day, he thought.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Three days later; Atlantic City, New Jersey...
Inside an elegantly decorated penthouse suite at the Trump Castle Casino and Hotel, Hood and his top lieutenant, Killa-D, stood around waiting patiently. Two huge Spanish men stood a few feet away from them with their arms folded, and harsh expressions on their faces.
Suddenly, a tall dark-haired Spanish man appeared from a back room. He had a handsome face and a model like physique. His name was Jose Gomez, and he was one of the biggest drug dealers from Nicaragua. His powerful drug-cartel was responsible for flooding drugs into some ofAmerica's most populated cities.
Jose walked up to Hood and Killa-D and shook both of their hands. This was their second private meeting in the past three weeks.
Jose was Hood's new major drug connection. He supplied Hood's organization with kilos of heroin and cocaine.
In Killa-D’s hands were two large black briefcases. He passed them both to Jose and watched as Jose sat them down on the large glass and chrome coffee table without looking inside.
"Your shipment will come through tomorrow. Same time, same place," Jose said in his heavy Nicaraguan accent.
Hood just nodded his head. There were no words that needed to be
said.
After they shook hands again, Jose watched smilingly as one of his huge bodyguards escorted Hood and Killa -d out of the suite.
As soon as they were gone, Jose sat down on the white leather sofa and reached out and grabbed one of the briefcases. When he opened the briefcase, stacks of hundred-dollar bills were laid neatly inside. Jose closed the briefcase, then reached out and picked up the telephone. With his signature smile across his face, he dialed a number and waited.
"Hola," a Spanish voice answered on the second ring.
"Todo salio bien,"(Everything turned out good.) Jose said, and hung up the phone.
When Hood and Killa-D got back into the waiting minivan, Ron Perry was behind the wheel.
"He said tomorrow; same place, same time," Hood said, as the van slowly drove off through the casino’s parking lot.
"Perfect, I'll be right there to make sure everything goes well," Ron said, nodding to himself.
Los Angeles, California...
Inside the Chaplain's small office, Quincy had just received the worst shock of his young life. The tragic news that his mother and Allen were both savagely gunned down inside their bedroom.
"Nooo! Nooo!," Quincy cried out, his eyes flooding with tears.
The Chaplain stood back in fear as Quincy ran around the office banging on the walls. Two guards quickly entered the office and tried their best to calm him down. Quincy was like a mad man possessed, he refused to let them restrain him. He started biting, kicking and throwing wild punches at the two guards. Once they released him from their grip, Quincyrushed out of the Chaplain's office. The two guards ran down the hall after him.
"Nooo! Nooo!" Quincy continued to cry out in anguish. When he reached his room, he dove under his
bed, lying completely still as the tears fell down from his wide eyes.
Los Angeles, September 30th, Two weeks later...
The small crowd of mourners stood around watching as Allen's white casket was lowered into the ground. Pamela stood a few feet away, dressed all in black, with Face close by her side. Just four days earlier, she had watched as Mouse's gold casket went through the same routine inside the same Compton Cemetery.
Pamela had watched in anguish as her dead fiancé was sent to his final resting place; now, she tearfully stood there, looking as her only brother would soon be joining him. For Pamela, Los Angeles had turned out to be a gift and a curse. She had learned a lot, but at the same time, she had lost so much. Sometimes she would blame herself for the deaths ofher loved ones.
After the dirt covered Allen's casket, Pamela and Face walked closer to the grave sight and paused. They stared down at Allen's grave, closed their watery eyes, and began praying silently. When they finished, they turned away and walked back to the black limousine. Once inside, the limo driver slowly drove off. When Pamela and Face got back home, they were greeted by some of Mouse's family members and a tall white man who Pamela had never seen before. It was Mouse's mother and two older sisters and their newly acquired attorney. They all walked into the living room and sat down at the table.
Face stood back listening as five adults talked about property, finances, bank accounts, wills, life insurance, and so much more. Though he didn't understand all of what was being said, his feelings told him that it wasn't good. And seeing his mother crying confirmed it.
"So, I'm not getting nothin'?" Pamela yelled out angrily.
The lawyer looked at her and calmly said, "I'm truly sorry, Miss Foster, but technically ya'll were never married and all of Mister Jones's possessions were left to his three beneficiaries; his mother and his two older sisters. See, its right here in his will," he said, pushing a white piece of paper towards her.
Pamela grabbed the paper and scanned over it. When she saw that everything the lawyer had said was true, she slid the paper back to him. Everyone watched as Pamela tearfully bowed her head.
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