Lando's POV
"Wait ya suh...mi aguh inside dat room fi awhile" I point to the silver metal door that has names scribbled on it.
"Okay" she sits in the couch.
I look over at her one last time to ensure she is good before I leave her in the hallway.There's no one left here besides from us and my uncle. She should be fine until I get back. Cameras are all over this place and no one would dare to try a stunt here.
"Good to see that you still have it" Jeff tells me as I walk over and join him around the table. This table is older than me, probably means something to him or else I don't see why he keeps it around.
I already know he's referring to my shooting , he has never commended me on a well done job in school or any of my accomplishments over the years.Just my aim, that's all that matters to a man like him.
"Always ... suh wah gwan ?" The longer I stay here is the more time Yanique has to come up with questions to ask when I get back.
Time is against me, literally.
"Yuh trust her enough fi bring her a mi place , mmmm?" He offers me a smoke and I take it.
"Yeah... trust her enough dats why she deh ya suh" I tell him.
"Good, trust her ppl dem too?" He ask.
Where's this going ?
"Mi mek it clear who mi trust... neva mention nuh body else" I stand, I have the uttermost respect for my uncle but in so many ways he reminds me of my dad, one of the reason why I don't come around often.
The same tactics
Lessons
Narrow thinking
Every.. fucking ...thing ....
I clench my teeth, awaiting his words.
"Siddung man... wah di likkle cripple man can duh yuh?" He chuckles , showing off his gold teeth and the wrinkles in his face becomes more visible.
I remain standing but he proceeds regardless.
"Stand by Lawrence , things na gwan gud ina di community suh more than eva him aguh need yuh around. What yuh tink about a trip to England while him stay ya and mek peace ina di place ? ..." he takes a noticeable pause before he makes a lengthy sigh and continues....
"From wah mi a hear , yuh need fi kool off suh dis could be gud fi yuh tuh" he raises his brows in question to what I think so far about where this is going.
I'm lost.
I have been trying to figure out a lot of things lately , but from what I can make sense of ,is that this is a topic he already thinks I'm up to par with but unfortunately I am not and as a result I have no clue what to say.
Should I play along or ask him wah di fuck a gwan.
Seems like everyone knows something I don't.
I look at my watch ... Yanique has been waiting for a few minutes.
"Wah yuh mean problem ina di community ?... wah di details pan dat?"
I start at where my curiosity lies the most.
"Mmmm" he shakes his head in disbelief.
"This fuckry between yuh and Lawrence need fi drop, see wah it cause ya... now yuh completely uninformed pan ting yuh need fi know. Mi nuh big on details ... yuh already know dat but for this maybe mi can try mi best fi fill in the blanks for you, how dat sound?"
With his spliff between his fingers he ignites it .
I need to get out of here. I check the time again.
"Reasonable" I say , not amused.
"Di politician dem start distribute gun ina di place , di purpose of yuh brother trip is for di meeting wid dem...suh dem can find some common ground . Yuh know once scamming money stop run or even if it start run too slow den it easy fi buy di younger yutes wid di right tools suh basically a dat a gwan.
In less words...yuh actions have consequences. Soon war aguh start wid di man dem cause once dem have gun everybody bad , nobody nuh wah listen to the Don." He smiles , it's the coldest smile I've seen in awhile. It's the type of smile that says congrats you have fucked up this time but he always has something vicious up his sleeve.
In all honesty, my brother and I had a plan, one that I never thought of neglecting until having my own family came into the picture.
I can admit to not being involved in this whole scamming thing like I once was when I needed the money ,but a lot has changed since my businesses went legit.
Now I see the damage that has been done, a Don can't stay in another country and rule over his people unless he has a right hand man suh not only did I fuck up di plan , mi probably create a bigger bloodclaat problem.
Less leads, less money.... Man become greedy and start tek gun from politicians fi rob and kill. Den it becomes di police problem to make it look as if di Don is the one causing di crime, suh police targets di Don and makes a pretty good headline out of it.
That is corruption. That is how inner cities get clean out when politicians can't have dem bloodclaat way with us.
For many years my father had done his best to keep politicians from out the community, for this very reason but you know once you confiscate the way of surviving from a man you have to replace it with a bigger offer , so scamming was that offer.Nuh man neva need fi take anyting from politicians because they already had enough and if they dared to do so then the consequences would be severe.
I blink twice , tapping back into reality where I am standing next to my Uncle... fucking speechless.
"Why di trip to England?" I finally speak.
"Take care a di business ... yuh know him need a trustworthy person wid di leads ova deh, while him mek him presence more dominant ina di community. Once di money start rotate di right way again, him can get rid a sum a di rassclaat licky , licky two face man dem!" He cold heartedly says.
Now I understand why Lawrence sent me a list of new dialers, he must not trust the ones he had before.
I see the vision , I just can't bring myself to accept such a task set out for me.
My businesses will still be profitable and well taken care of.
My mother and sister always aguh be govan ina di place nuh matter how far mi deh.
I need di break from di place given my situation.
But Yanique and mi ute...fuck !
I'll have to run all of this by her first .
I couldn't just leave her here without an explanation.
"Mi aguh shout Lawrence , it's only right we settle this issue together" I check my pocket for my car key , I'm ready to go. I look behind me at the door that's between Yanique and I..
"Yeah... memba time nuh siddung and wait pan nuh body" he advices me. Something my father would have said.
I leave the room with a lot more burden than I came in with.