by Roy Glenn
“Was Mr. Garrison there?”
“No, Jada, he was not.”
“Did you ask Rose or Mileena?”
“I didn’t see Rose and Mileena saw Mr. Garrison give me a hug and a kiss on the cheek, so I don’t believe she likes me. Therefore, when I asked her, she just rolled her eyes at me and kept walking,” Fantasy shared.
“Mr. Garrison is a very attractive man,” Jada said.
“I believe that is an understatement,” Fantasy said. She thought that Carter Garrison was fine as hell and it made her a little wet just thinking about him.
“Under those circumstances, I am not surprised that Mileena would react that way to you.” Jada picked up her clutch and Mr. Nesmith stood up. “As far as what happened at J.R.’s last night, if it was important, somebody will say something about it. People can’t keep anything quiet for very long,” Jada said.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to Conversations to speak with Jackie.”
“I was thinking about going to The Four Kings this evening,” Fantasy said.
“Be sure to speak with Ayisha Diaz and show respect to R.J. as if he were a Captain if you do go,” Jada said.
“I will,” Fantasy said as Jada headed for the door, but then she stopped and turned to Fantasy.
“I’m curious to know if you had been to Shooters yet?”
“No, Jada, I have not.”
“Any particular reason why?” Jada asked, knowing that it was important to Fantasy to prove to not only herself but to everybody else that she was now somebody to be taken seriously in The Family.
“I will. Honestly, I’ve just had so many other places to go and things to do.”
The truth was that Fantasy was simply patiently waiting before she went to Shooters. She knew that if she went every place else first, by the time she made a grand appearance at Shooters, she would return as the conquering hero. The one who made it out.
“I see,” Jada said as Mr. Nesmith opened the door for her. “Enjoy your evening.”
When Jada arrived at Conversations, they went inside, and Jada took a seat while Mr. Nesmith went to get her a cocktail. He then went to make arrangements for Jada to speak with Jackie.
“Excuse me, sir,” Nesmith said to Rhashan, one of Jackie’s men.
“What can I do for you?”
“Jada West is here to see Jackie Washington.”
“Who?”
Nesmith shook his head and then pointed in his face.
“Look, I am not going to play this game with you. If you don’t know who I’m talking about, I suggest that you find somebody who does. I’ll be right over there,” he said and pointed to the table where Jada was sitting and walked away.
Five minutes later, Baby Chris Arcus, was forcing his way through the crowd to get to Jada. Nesmith stood up.
“Ms. West.”
“Yes.”
“My name is Chris Arcus. I sincerely apologize for any misunderstanding there may have been.”
“No problem,” Jada said. “Not anymore, at least.”
“If you would please follow me, I’ll take you to Jackie.”
Jada stood up. “That would be splendid,” she said and looped her arm in his and he escorted her to Jackie’s office on the third level of Conversations with Nesmith walking a few paces behind them.
Jackie sat in her office waiting for Baby Chris to get there with Jada, and all the while she was wondering what Jada West could possibly want with her. She may have met Jada once or twice, but they have never had any conversation, much less business. Jackie was beyond curious about what this was all about.
When they arrived on the third level, Nesmith took a seat in a chair outside of the office, while Baby Chris knocked on the office door. “Come,” Jackie shouted and stood up as Baby Chris escorted Jada in.
“I have Jada West to see you,” he said and closed the door behind him.
“Please have a seat.”
“Thank you,” Jada said, and took a seat in the chair in front of Jackie’s desk.
“Can I get anything for you?” Jackie asked and she sat down behind her desk.
“No, thank you, I’m fine.”
“What can I do for you?”
“I wanted to talk with you about a problem that I have.”
“Tell me what I can do to help?” Jackie asked graciously and Jada explained the situation with Simone and Flip.
“Flip,” Jackie said, and you could hear the distain that she had for him in her voice. “That mutha fucka.”
“I just thought that it would be best handled on this level, before it escalated to violence.” Jada smiled. “And who wants or needs that?”
“Certainly not me. I have enough to deal with without that mutha fucka complicating shit.”
“Agreed.”
Jackie stood up and walked over to the bar. “Sure, I can’t get you something?”
“Well, since you are twisting my arm, I’ll have whatever you’re having.” Jada got up and joined Jackie at the bar.
“Got ya.” Jackie picked up a bottle of Hennessey X.O. and poured the drinks. “I have to be honest with you, Jada, sometimes it feels like no matter what I do, I can’t get respect and Flip is one of the people that I have the most problems with. It’s always something with him.”
“I understand. It hasn’t been easy for me either. Some of these men think that they are entitled to position and power just by virtue of them being men.” Jada shook her head. “Not in my world.”
“I know what you mean. Before I was Captain, my people used to come to me for help, guidance and counsel; which is why Black put me in this position. But the second he handed me the power, now it’s something entirely different.”
“Believe me, I understand.”
“I know that I am by no means Rain, but she doesn’t have these problems.”
“Trust and believe that I am certainly no Rain Robinson either. I believe it’s because Rain earned her respect before Mr. Black handed her power; where we are still trying to earn respect.”
“You’re exactly right. She definitely earned everybody’s respect. Nobody, and that included me, wanted to see Rain coming,” Jackie said and told Jada about the night that Rain showed up at her spot and threatened to blow her fuckin’ brains out. “If it hadn’t been for Travis, I believe Rain would have killed me that night.”
“Believe me, I know. I didn’t know what fear was until one night, Rain showed up at Paraíso with Wanda, and I looked next to me and Rain had her gun laying in her lap.” Jada laughed. “I got up quickly and gave her what she came for.”
“So, how do we settle this?” Jackie asked.
“Whatever you think is fair. And please understand, this certainly is not about the ladies. To me, it is a matter of respect. His lack of it,” Jada said.
“I understand that, and honestly, I’d have been disappointed if it were.” Jackie raised her glass in recognition of her newfound respect for Jada West. “Simone will be compensated for the ladies and I will deal with Flip personally,” Jackie promised.
“That is the best I could have hoped for,” Jada said, finished her drink and stood up. “It was good to have this opportunity to speak with you, Jackie.”
“Come by and have a drink with me anytime,” Jackie said and escorted Jada to the door. Mr. Nesmith rose to his feet when the door opened.
“Thank you for taking the time to see me,” Jada said as she looped her arm in Nesmith’s and he escorted Jada out of Conversations.
When Jada was gone, Jackie called Baby Chris and told him to get a car and meet her outside. “Where we going?”
“To kill Flip.” Jackie put on her holster, her guns and the vest she thought was a good idea to start wearing and went to meet Baby Chris.
Meanwhile, outside of Conversations, three men sat waiting somewhat impatiently in a Subaru Forester just up the street. Their names were Brooks Parker, who was behind the wheel. Busta Henderson was in the passenger seat, a
nd Martel Reed occupied the seat behind him.
They worked for Kwame Coleman; he was partners in Truckload Freight Transportation with Milton Petty. He ran two gambling spots, a numbers joint where he likes to hang out, and a spot where he ran a sports betting operation. He had been tasked by DP to run the takeover bid against Rain.
They saw Baby Chris come out, and although he was on their list, he wasn’t the target. Knowing that Jackie usually didn’t come out of the spot until two or three in the morning, they relaxed. They were caught off guard when the front doors swung open. Jackie came out and quickly got in the car with Baby Chris.
“There she goes,” Brooks pointed as Jackie and Baby Chris sped away.
“Go after them!” Busta yelled frantically and Brooks started the Subaru.
“They’re too far gone, we’ll never catch them,” Martel said and sat back in his seat.
“So what do we do now?” Busta asked excitedly.
“We wait,” Martel replied calmly. “Or we could proceed as planned and call it a night.”
“And when Coleman asked did we get her, what you gonna say?” Busta asked nervously.
“That she got away. Which she did.”
All three men looked at each other. Then the driver started up the Subaru and the shooters readied their weapons.
“Let’s do it,” Brooks said.
He dropped the SUV in gear and sped toward Conversations. They jumped the curb and raced down the sidewalk toward the line of people waiting to get in.
“Look out!” somebody yelled, and people began running and diving to get out of the way of the oncoming vehicle. Most people made it to safety, some did not.
When the Subaru came to a screeching halt in front of Conversations, the two gunmen jumped out and sprayed the building with gunfire, before jumping back in the Subaru and speeding away.
Chapter Eight
The Game.
That’s how it’s been referred to since it was started all those years ago by Mike Black and Bobby Ray. Back then, when it first began, it was a game that they ran personally for people who couldn’t do their gambling in public. After a while, it became a game for an exclusive group of high stakes players. Over the years, it’s been run by a number of different people in the organization and had always been considered a steppingstone to bigger things in The Family. That list included Jackie Washington.
After Mylo, who was running The Game at the time, betrayed and murdered Freeze, she stepped up and ran things until Black got around to checking on it. Impressed by all that Jackie had done, Black kept her in that position.
A number of things have changed over time, and The Game had lost its prestigious place in The Family. After Jackie got bumped up to Captain, all the money players followed her to Conversations. When Victor went to protect Jada West, Flip was left to run things. Now Jackie and Baby Chris were on their way there to kill Flip.
“This mutha fucka needed to die a long time ago.”
“I thought that after Ramello, he’d stop the bullshit and get back to making money,” Baby Chris said as he drove.
Jackie laughed. “What I should have done is killed both him and Victor back then and then went straight to Freeport and told Black why I did it.”
“If you did, we wouldn’t be on our way to kill him now,” Baby Chris said. “Think he woulda still made you Captain?”
“I don’t know, maybe. But see, that proves my point. I was doing the right thing. I had a problem; I went to the boss to get my game back. You do what's right; you follow the rules. That’s how we all make money. No fighting among ourselves,” Jackie said as Baby Chris got close to the game.
“Stop at the next corner and let me drive,” Jackie ordered. “I’m gonna drop you off out front. I don’t want him to see me coming until it’s too late.”
Baby Chris did as she asked and once Jackie took the wheel, she dropped him off and drove around the corner to park. She wanted to give Flip the benefit of the doubt, so she sent Baby Chris in to investigate, have a look around, see if Simone’s ladies were actually still there.
While Jackie sat in the car waiting, she wondered if he had a change of heart and did the right thing. You know, sent the women back to Simone, would I still kill him?
It didn’t take her long to decide that one.
Yes, Jackie nodded. Yes, I would still kill that mutha fucka.
Jackie’s cell phone rang. As arranged, Baby Chris called when he got inside. “Talk to me.”
“Can you hear me over the music?”
“I hear you just fine. How’s the crowd?”
“Tables are full, money on the tables.”
“He should have six men in there,” Jackie said.
“All accounted for. But I’m sure that we won’t have any problems with them.”
“You see him?”
“I don’t see Flip anywhere.”
“You see Simone’s women?”
“I don’t know if they’re her women, but they are a whole lot better …”
“Better what?” Jackie needed to know.
“Better everything. Better looking, better dressed.” Baby Chris inhaled as one passed by and touched his face. “Better smelling. Like I said, they’re just better than the crew he had up in here last time I was here.”
“Yeah, those are Simone’s women.” Jackie checked her weapons. “Find out where he is.”
Baby Chris walked up to the bar where Cannonball, one of Flip’s men, was talking to a woman.
“She’s gorgeous, so she must be one of Simone’s too,” he told Jackie as he approached.
He stood at the bar and it wasn’t long before a glass of Stolichnaya Red Label Vodka was placed in front of him.
“Yo, Cannon, you seen Flip?”
“He’s in the office,” he said, unable to pull his eyes away from the woman.
“You hear that?”
“Yeah.” Jackie got out of the car. “Go to the office and wait outside for me. Nobody in or out, understand?”
“Understood.”
“I’ll be there in a minute.”
When she got to the door, Jackie let herself in. The move caught the doorman off guard. “Jackie?” he questioned, startled by her sudden appearance.
Without bothering to acknowledge him, Jackie walked in and looked around at the crowd. She looked at the men and women that were at the tables and thought about how far down the place had come since she moved to Conversations.
Yeah, it’s still making money, Jackie thought. But it was a different place when I ran it.
She looked around for Simone’s ladies. It seemed as if none of them were working the floor, but instead were in the company of Flip’s men.
Jackie shook her head. “Niggas,” she said as one of the ladies walked up to her.
“Good evening, Ms. Washington. My name is Fiona.”
Jackie smiled and took her in with her eyes.
“Good evening, Fiona. How do you know who I am?”
“Simone has made me aware of very important people, Ms. Washington. And you are a very important person.”
“I see.”
“Is there anything I can do for you?” Fiona smiled.
Jackie looked her over; Fiona was a deep chocolate skinned beauty that was wearing a red Johanna Ortiz Maloka ruffled, one-shoulder dress that could barely hold all her curves in.
After reminding herself that she was in a somewhat complicated relationship with Travis, Angel and Avonte, Jackie said, “Maybe another time.”
Jackie looked at Fiona’s breasts that were begging to be released from the dress and smiled as she imagined the possibilities for a second or two before saying, “But there is something that you can do for me.”
Fiona tipped her head to one side. “Please, tell me what I can do for you?” she asked and smiled.
“Round up all of Simone’s women and meet me by Flip’s office.”
“Have you come to rescue us, Ms. Washington?”
Jackie laughe
d. “Yes, Fiona, I’m here to rescue you ladies.”
“Excellent,” Fiona said excitedly and rushed away to complete the task that she was assigned.
Jackie smiled and shook her head as she watched Fiona’s hips swing as she walked. Then she got out her guns and headed toward the office. Baby Chris was waiting there for her. When he saw Jackie coming with both of her guns in her hands, he quickly entered the code to get in Flip’s office and took out his gun. Jackie walked up to Cannonball.
“What’s up, Jackie?”
“Get all the civilians outta here now,” Jackie ordered.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said and turned to follow instructions. “All right mutha fuckas, it’s time to go!” Cannonball shouted as Baby Chris opened the door for Jackie and she walked right in with her guns raised.
When the door swung open, Flip too was caught off guard and with his pants down around his ankles.
“What the fuck!” Flip shouted.
The woman, who Jackie assumed belong to Simone, was bent over the desk, leaning on her elbows, dressed in a mahogany ruffle halter dress and looking very disinterested in what was going on behind her.
“You can go,” Jackie said to the woman.
“Thank you, Ms. Washington,” she said as she fixed her dress and rushed past Jackie and Baby Chris.
“Don’t bother pulling your pants up,” Jackie said. She waved one of her guns toward the door. “Walk.”
As best he could with his hands in the air and his pants around his ankles, Flip made it out of the office. Jackie and Baby Chris followed him out. When they got out there, all of the gamblers were gone and all that remained were his men and Simone’s ladies. They all got a good laugh at the sight of Flip as he inched his way along.
Jackie stepped in front of Flip and put her gun in his face.
“Do these women belong to you?”
“No.”
Jackie pressed the barrel of her other gun against Flip’s dick. “Who do they belong to?”
“Simone! They belong to Simone!”
Jackie turned to the ladies. “You can go now.”
“Thank you, Ms. Washington,” they all said just about in unison and hurried to leave.
“What happened to the women that were working here?”
