THE ALGORITHM

3.

"Yo, are you serious?" Katrina questioned her with a smirk.

"Deadass..." Penny trailed off. She sat in bed wearing a top with shorts. Her locs were pulled into a disoriented bun. Socks covered her feet, protecting her from the cold temperature.

"What are you going to do about it?" Katrina questioned her.

Penny shrugged and said, "Nothing. I don't think it's wise to go to the police."

"Nah." Katrina shook her head. "Don't do that. I say just play it off. Stay lowkey, and don't go looking for trouble."

"You're right...I'll end up dead."

"You got away, and it's been a few days. I think you're good." Katrina smirked while hitting her shoulder. "Next time, don't wait around and witness another murder. If you see something weird going on, leave!"

"I tried but...I couldn't help but stand there. It was like my feet were glued to the pavement."

"Hey, Mamita," Katrina responded with a thick accent. "I'm telling you. You can't be nosy around here. Now I've heard there are a few gangs in this area. You said they were shooting at you?"

Penny sighed and said, "Yes."

"That was extremely dangerous." Katrina eyed her friend with concern. "Just stay lowkey and...try not to be...seen."

Penny scoffed and said, "I work as the head chef at Bert's Grill and Lounge. How is that even possible?"

"I meant around here, smarty pants." Katrina playfully rolled her eyes.

###

The Lawson family was immense. It took years for them to accumulate the wealth and power they had. It all started with David Lawson. He used to work for a powerful drug dealer almost forty years ago. He eventually left after the man was gunned down by his daughter at a baseball game.

David decided to start his own organization. This organization wouldn't take long to build. He recruited a few family members and some friends whom he trusted. Over the years, numerous betrayals, deaths, and imprisonments occurred. David continued to thrive and build his empire. Years later, he decided to sit down at the age of 64. He retired and allowed his son, Greg, to take over the business.

Greg brought something new to the organization—a network. David didn't believe in having connections from the outside. In his opinion, it could harm the organization, which proved to be true. However, Greg took the risk and brought more success to the business. The years passed, and the organization continued to grow. They had almost all the precincts on their payroll, and the Lawsons also invested their money in several running businesses around Manhattan.

Greg's role as head of the organization was brief. A few years later, he decided to downgrade his role—he became the underboss. Greg had heart issues and couldn't take care of the business. Hesitantly, he called a meeting and made the announcement. He gave Bilal his title four years ago. It was a hard decision to make, but everyone agreed with it. They all knew that Bilal had the right attitude and personality for the organization. He was tough and didn't take shit from anyone.

Four years later, everything was still running smoothly. Bilal brought change to the organization. Technology wasn't something David and Greg depended on. Bilal, however, introduced everyone to a new way of communicating and living with artificial intelligence. Cameras were everywhere to ensure unwanted guests weren't present and nothing suspicious was happening. The people who worked closely with Bilal had digital badges for identity and access to the mansion. Bilal took pride in technology, so he dabbled in cybersecurity and data analytics.

"I reached out to Andrew's assistant. They're on their way back to New York." Victoria announced as she set her cell phone on the table.

Bilal glanced at his fiancée with a frown. He sighed before saying, "That's good, but I expected him to be here by now. I'm sure he has a private jet."

"Calm down." Victoria touched his shoulders and kneaded them slowly. Her lips found the side of his face. She planted soft kisses across his smooth skin and said, "How about we go out tonight?"

"And where would we go?" Bilal murmured as he enjoyed the massage.

"Let's go to our favorite spot—Bert's." She stated after kissing him for the fifth time.

"Deal." He pushed air out of his nostrils and said, "I just need to call Rome and see what his deal is."

Victoria rolled her eyes, but Bilal didn't see her. She stood up straight and stopped massaging his shoulders. Rome was Bilal's 21-year-old son.

There were no issues between Victoria and Rome because Rome wasn't a disrespectful kid. He never treated Victoria ill. In fact, he went out of his way to treat her nicely and show respect to her—after all, she was his father's fiancée. Victoria was just being Victoria. She wasn't a fan of sharing Bilal.

"What's wrong with him now?" She questioned her fiancé as she moved around the room.

"He wants to come out here and stay, but he's unsure." Bilal voiced. His son had graduated from college a few months ago, and now he was trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life. He lived in New Jersey with his mom, but would come to New York to visit his dad.

"Oh." Victoria trailed off as she stood there thinking. "Well, if he decided to stay out here... would it be a permanent decision?"

"Yes," Bilal answered, and that caused Victoria to hold a look of disappointment. Quickly, she straightened her face to avoid conflict with Bilal.

"Mm..." She hummed, not wanting to say anything else. "How nice..."