OWN IT.

LIII PART II

"Clear!" One officer shouted.

"Kitchen clear!" Another added, boots heavy against tile.

Elijah followed in last, gun raised with his eyes sharp. The house smelled new, like it had been untouched. He could feel something was wrong. He moved down the hallway, the light on his gun catching empty rooms, beds made neatly, closets stripped bare except for hangers.

"Sir, nothing here." One of the younger officers reported. He'd opened the bathroom cabinet, finding nothing but toothpaste and a bar of soap that was still in a box.

Elijah's jaw tightened. He pushed past, walking up the stairs quickly. Upstairs was no different. There wasn't even a hint of someone's presence. It was a ghost home. Elijah lowered his weapon slowly, frustration clear in his expression and body language. He could feel the smirk on Romeo's face.

"Bag it anyway. Dust prints. I know this place was active." Elijah ordered, voice sharp.

Across the city, on a cliff that overlooked Los Angeles, Romeo sat inside his car with the door open. He watched as everything unfolded on the monitor that TJ provided. The live feed cycled through different camera angles and different locations. A soft laugh escaped Romeo's lips.

"They lookin' dumb as hell." Meech said from the passenger seat, eyes locked on the screen. "Elijah must got his mama's genes. Uncle Lonzo wasn't dumb."

Romeo chuckled, shaking his head at Meech. Meech and Corbin sat inside Romeo's car, unable to go back to the Bel-Air mansion due to everything happening. So, they joined Romeo.

"You guys really cleared those places out." Corbin said.

Meech and Romeo gave each other a look before they burst into laughter. Corbin looked at them, confused.

"You guys really cleared those places out." Meech mocked. "Nigga just white as hell."

Romeo chuckled as he looked back at the monitor. The second hit came fast, a small warehouse in East LA that he rarely visited. Elijah had sworn Romeo's crew were running weight through, and they were. His team stormed through, boots pounding against concrete and flashlights slicing through shadows.

"West entrance clear!"

"Stairwell secure!"

Elijah moved quickly, adrenaline pushing through him. His gut told him this was it, this was where he'd finally find something. But the first floor was clean. Too clean. The smell of old wood surrounded the space, but no product. Not even residue.

"Move upstairs! Check the roof!" Elijah snapped.

The second floor was worse. Empty office space with peeling paint and abandoned desks. No signs of life.

"Check behind the walls." Elijah ordered, though he already knew. Romeo clearly stripped this spot as well. Every time Elijah thought he was close, Romeo was two steps ahead. One of the officers kicked a desk in frustration, the sound echoing. Elijah fought the urge to do the same.

Romeo laughed, watching as everything went down.

"Man, look at him." He snickered. "Running circles in my shit like a lost dog."

"Nigga burying his own case." Meech said, shaking his head.

Romeo smirked. "The problem with Elijah is he thinks just 'cause we came from the same nigga nuts, he knows me. That nigga don't fuckin' know me."