Shaq
Beep! Where am I? " Doctor White, should we inject him with more of the Propofol?" "Yes, a 4mg shot." Who's talking? I can't move, everything hurts, and my body is stiff! I could hear people shuffling around, as I struggled to open my eyes.
"Doctor White!" I hear someone scream out. "He's waking up, Doctor!" My eyes slowly open as I stare at the bright light above. A woman kneels over me dimming the light source.
"W- a I?" I struggle to speak. "You're in St Elizabeth Hospital, can you recall what happened before you were brought here?"
I shook my head no since talking was painful.
"If not it's okay, the Doctor will be in here to explain the situation more clearly," The nurse tells me as she injects the liquid into the IV. Instantly my body feels weird, as I try to turn my head.
"Q- I rasp out noticing Quez in the bed beside me.
"Watch Out!" A sharp recount of Quez's voice followed by a pain shot through my head. The powerful force of the explosion, the sight of my house being blown up in front of me, and Slim was he okay?
I lost hold of him as a result of the blast, and I wonder if he's okay. The last thing I could remember was the painful feeling in my lower right leg.
I stared at Quez my eyes narrowing, onto the bandages that covered his arms. Not only that he had an o2 tank that laid rest by his bed.
"How are you feeling son?" My eyeing is cut short as I turn my attention to the white man who stands in front of my bed. A clipboard was in his hand as he took a look at the EKG machine and my vital chart.
"What happened?" I finally managed to muster enough of my voice to ask trying to figure out more than what I already knew. "You were the victim of a lethal bomb, that was planted in your own home, you, DayQuez Sholls, and Slim Young. Investigators are investigating the case of the explosion as we speak, but the result of that explosion is the injury to your right leg specifically your torn ligaments, and a thigh bone fracture to your knee."
"The other two?" I asked him to process what he said. "I normally cannot go into too many details on a patient's health, but since this situation involved all three of you. I can let you know that Dayquez Sholls suffered severe smoke inhalation, on top of an already chronic pulmonary illness he had been diagnosed with."
My heart drops, "So what does that mean?" I question the Doctor turning my head to look at Quez. "It means that his intake of oxygen has been depleted by 20%, and since the healthy intake is 95%, this is extremely dangerous. And with scarring on the lungs, it can lead to lung failure and eventually be fatal."
My breath hitches as I swallow back hard. "We will do our best to try and work around the scarred areas to build his oxygen levels to 85%, and after that, we will prescribe oxygen supplements, it's no guarantee if he's ever going to be back at the healthy intake. However, we will do our best."
The doctor tells me giving me a moment to intake all of what he just said. "What about Slim, we found him unconscious in the bathroom, and he seemed to be drugged up," I ask as the Doctor and the nurse raise the bed putting it in Semi Flowers. I muster a bit of my strength to pull myself up leaning back against the bed.
"That young man was heavily drugged, investigators noted it to be attempted suicide. It took us a total of twelve hours to pump the drugs out of his system." Attempted suicide? I questioned myself, of course on first thought that's how it may appear, but that's not what happened. He was attacked, assaulted, and then drugged.
"How is he now?" I question the doctor not questioning the investigation. This would just complicate things if the Opps were involved with the beef, all of us would face prison time for the shit we've done.
"He's in a stable condition now, a true fighter. He clanged on to his life, even when his heart had stopped beating, now it's beating, but he's in a comatose state," The doctor lets me know as I feel myself let out a breath of relief. Though I'm still worried he might not wake up, I'm just glad to know it's still hope that he pulls through.
"Thank you, Doc." I thank the man who smiles before writing something on his clipboard. "Did anybody come to visit, while we were unconscious?" I question the doctor who nods smiling. "Yeah, a male came by two days ago, said his name was Jahmir, but he hasn't been back since."
That person must have been Jet, I should call him. If I know him he's probably stressing on this whole thing. Probably blaming himself yet again, and if there's no one there to reassure him it's not his fault. It could lead to him shutting down, and that's dangerous, when he gets like that, he won't listen to reasoning at all. I just hope Amir knows how to handle it.
"That Jahmir fellow cares deeply about you two, from the time he came in this hospital to the time the night fell he wouldn't leave this room," The doctor tells me as I narrow my eyes, feeling a sharp pain flood my head once again.
"I'm going to make it right. It's my turn to shield you." I grab my head hearing Jet's distorted voice. A bad feeling churning my gut, he sounded defeated, yet hopeful. "Could I use the hospital phone," I ask the doctor trying not to let my negative emotions get the best of me.
"Are you okay?" The doctor asks me as he hands me the phone I quickly dial Jet's number. "Pick up, jet please." I silently say under my breath his phone doesn't dial out once before it goes straight to voicemail. I tried again listening to my heart rate meter pick up. "Shit," I say after the second call does the same thing.
"I'm going to get the detective Rules," I hear the doctor tell me as I ring again getting the same results for the fourth time. Did that stupid fuck do what I think he did like a fool! I bit my bottom lip, and once again I felt useless, yet another person I couldn't protect.
I press the buttons dialing Lorenzo's number. It rings for a few seconds.
"Speak nigga," Lorenzo says growly through the phone. "Lorenzo, have you seen Jet?" I question hearing the male shuffle through the phone, "Not at all, not for the last three days." He tells me and my heart drops even further, "He's not answering his phone and I don't know Amir's contact to get in touch with him, man I'm worried something has happened."
The line goes silent for a moment. "Lorenzo Jet may have gone after them niggas on his own- "Stay out of this Shaq." I'm cut off by Lorenzo's stern voice. "What do you mean to stay out of it? Lorenzo, where's Jet?" I ask him. Not believing that he's telling me this.
"It's out of our control now, Jet and Amir are already with Nosotris as we speak. Whatever happens after that is all up to them," He tells me and once again I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "You can't be serious, we have to do something!" What was he on? Why is he on the phone acting as though Jet isn't in danger?
"What is it that we could do Shaquille? Hmm, tell me!" I hear Lorenzo ask me, his voice filled with frustration. I guess I didn't respond fast enough because he goes on to say, "You can't tell me, because you and I both know there's nothing we can do anymore. It was eventually going to be like this, in the end, Jet decided to face them alone. The only thing we can do now is trust in him."
I grip the phone. "I know but- "There's no buts, you're laying in the hospital, and Quez is in there too, so there's nothing neither of you can do." I look over to Quez listening to his heartbeat, The sound of his breathing as the bag from the oxygen tank contracts. "Yeah," I say defeated, he was right there was nothing I could do in this state, and if I were to gather Donnie and tell him to gather the gang it would only cause confusion and havoc. Not only that I wouldn't know where to start, my leg is busted, and my left hand is unconscious.
I never felt so useless in my life. "Focus on healing yourself, for now, nigga, and worry about yourself and Quez, it's time for you to put that weight down and rest." The line goes dead before I can say anything else. For Lorenzo not to be worried, I couldn't help but think that he knew more than he was letting on.
However, in my current state, it wasn't as though I could go to him and receive the information I wanted, nor could I go after Jahmir, and if Jahmir went to them on his own, then that just meant he had a plan, or maybe he was too deep in emotion to make reliable decisions. I sigh pressing my head against the soft bed.
"Don't die on me nigga."
Amir
The pain in my right eye was becoming even more unbearable as my left eye traveled toward my feet. My movements are slow due to the pain, and my head hurts, as I breathe through my mouth. "Amir?" I hear Jahmir whisper my name, he comes to the side of me. I look up at him as he stares at me with worried eyes. "Where do you think these niggas taking us?" I ask him trying to ease his worry for me. "Your eye is getting worse, if we don't do something now then you might lose it." Jahmir lets me know studying the niggas in front of us. All together we were surrounded by four. Omarion, Oquil, Tyasha, and Soul were in the front. Rhazi was one of the men that surrounded us.
"How did you even wind up here?" He questions me softly looking towards the ground. I knew he was drowning in guilt. "I was shot in the eye and shoulder by Rhazi, after I fainted I winded up in a room listening to these niggas bitch about your father and the past, and why they're doing this pointless shit."
I feel myself becoming heated, as a sharp pain shoots through my right eye. I groan stopping. "Ami-
"Move nigga!" This black, obese ass nigga orders me pushing me forward. I bump into Jahmir, and a little blood from my eye splashes onto his cheek. "Bitch - "It's alright Pa," I say to him softly as his eyes soften and I turn my head back looking back at the nigga that pushed me then towards Rhazi. I had my theories as to why he was doing this.
What the fuck are you looking at? Hmm, you going to do something?" This ugly ass nigga says to me walking towards me. My hands were tied behind my back, so it wasn't as though I could jaw this fuck. Jahmir steps in front of me, and I look down noticing him untying his ropes. How the hell is he managing to do that, these bitches are tight as fuck.
"Step back out of my nigga face before your face hit the concrete," I hear him tell the nigga who pointed a gun in his face, but just like all the other times, Jahmir didn't hold no fear. I watch his hands, as the ropes get looser is looser.
"Bitch I'll-
"Move all of you," Rhazi finally says causing Jahmir to pause fixing the ropes back around his hands. I was still caught in awe at how easily he could wiggle out of the ropes.
"I said move," Rhazi lets us know once again looking everyone over.
"You're not the leader nigga, so I don't take orders from your pussy ass! Nor do I take orders from faggots," The big nigga tells Rhazi turning his body towards the smaller.
He stands in front of Rhazi as the smaller one looks up at him.
"Back up out my face big bitch," He tells the male calmly.
"What are you going to plex me nigga? What the fuck are you going to do, I'll kill you and that bitch ass nig-
In a flash and a shot, his body hits the ground. "What happened?" Oquil asks coming towards us and staring at the dead nigga on the ground. I look up to see Omarion walking back towards us. Soul looks at me in the arms of Tyasha and I give her a small smile, trying to let her know everything going to be okay.
She doesn't return it, as she looks towards the ground, and I realize that she is staring at the body. "Soul- " "I asked a question, so answer it why is he dead?" Oquil questions his eyes falling on Rhazi. Rhazi stares at him his eyes narrowing before dropping to the body, then up back towards Oquil.
"I killed him," He tells him a small smile coming onto his face. "You killed him," Oquil chuckles stepping over the male's body to get closer to the male. Oquil leans down whispering something in Rhazi's ear.
I can see Rhazi's facial expression contorted in anger, sadness, and pain. What did he say? "I can't believe you killed him Rhazi! What did he ever do to you?" Omarion whines kneeling beside the guy's body. I look towards Jahmir who stares between them both.
Jahmir
I could feel Amir's eyes on me but I ignored them looking at the two in front of me, coming up with plans as to how I was going to get us out of this situation. "I understand," Rhazi speaks as Oquil steps away from him. "Good, glad you understand." Oquil then turns towards me and Amir, his eyes scanning me up and down. "Let's go, there is somewhere I want to take you before I kill you," He lets me know as he starts walking. "Move!" My body lunges forward at the sound of someone's voice and a force against my back.
I turn my head narrowing my eyes at Omarion, seeing as though it was him that pushed me. I clench my teeth looking over at Amir, and my mood instantly softens. He was struggling to move forward. He stops walking. "Amir?" I question stopping in my tracks, watching his body sway.
"Why did you stop moving?" I hear Rhazi ask him pushing him slightly. He grunts losing his balance and falling forward to his knees. "Amir!" I call out his name trying to go to him, but I'm forced back. "Let me go," I say to Omarion jerking away from him, hearing Amir coughing I turn towards him. My nerves wracking seeing him grab at his head before fainting.
"This is enough! Ya'll don't have to involve him in this any longer, he needs a hospital let him go!" I yell at them as Omarion looks between me and Amir. "Someone pick this weak nigga up," Oquil says coming in front of my line of vision. "You should worry more about yourself, than someone who's on the verge of death. Surprisingly, he hasn't died yet with how much blood he's lost," He tells me peering down at me with a sick, twisted smile.
"Get up!" He yells at me, and I look down at Amir. His back was rising slowly and his breath was faint. My eyes harden onto the male above me as I swallow my worry and guilt, standing up before Oquil pushes me forward. I stumble over my feet but I dont fall as I let out a harsh breath. I look back seeing Oquil's blank face staring at me, while the other wore that same sickening smile.
I watch Rhazi lift Amir before putting him on his back, I hear Amir groan in his unconscious state. A little of the blood from his eye drips onto Rhazi's shirt. Once again I clench my jaw, and my mouth turns towards the front, my daughter stares at me and I stare at her. I know she was scared and I felt hopeless cause I couldn't come up with anything to get us out of this.
My original plan was to just kill all these niggas and leave with her in hand, but seeing Amir, made things more complicated. I try to muster up a smile but it doesn't come as we continue to walk. I can only mouth a sorry, as her eyes widen and water. Don't cry. I mouth again before diverting eye contact and looking up at the building ahead.
An underground pharmaceutical building. "Why are we here?" I ask as we walk into the building, the lights come on as Oquil removes his coat. "Tyasha stay here with the girl, and Rhazi you stay here too make sure when that nigga wakes up stop him from doing something reckless, if you hear shots, then you shoot him dead." My breath hitches as the other two niggas grab me by both arms. More men appear probably already inside as they surround us.
"Daddy?" I hear Soul say my name as I struggle even more.
I try to yank away from both of them. I hear a click. "Stop fucking struggling bro, this is where the fun begins. You're going to help your brothers for the first time before you die, you're going to pay back everything then you can die with our forgiveness and in peace," I hear Omarion say as he's giggling pointing the gun against my temple. "Forgiveness, why the hell would I need your forgiveness? You brought me to this Pharmacy to kill me?" I ask him turning my head and guiding his gun toward the front.
"Put two and two together, we want the recipes to your drugs all of them. You took them out of the office the day Dimitri was sent there to retrieve them. Trust me the plan was to kill you and take your drugs, but your actions changed everything," Oquil tells me. "So this is what you're doing all this for?" I ask him and he smiles, "Part of the reason, and the fact that you owe your family so much, your father, us as your brothers, we want the happiness that was taken away from us back."
..
"You have all the ingredients we even have extra shit for you to experiment with and create more, as you create we want you to write the ingredients down and dont try anything stupid. That drug Repressed you can make that one too, but only you because the ingredient that August gave my father, killed a lot of people including our gang. Suppliers wouldn't buy from the gang anymore, and as we rebrand we wouldn't want that shit to happen again," He tells me untying my hands as the men in front of me including my twin point guns at me.
"Why would you want that drug, it was addictive even when I created it, so it wouldn't make any difference-
"It doesn't matter we want it, and you'll create it." He tells me cutting into my question and confusing me, for something that destroyed their lives, what is the reason for wanting that drug?
"It takes time for drugs to be processed and hours, and days before, a simple sack of enhanced narcotics can be fermented, so I dont know how you expect me to create all of this in the little time you've given, especially if you're going to kill me," I tell him as the ropes fall and I rub my wrist.
"Your life is in our hands, so it doesn't matter how long it takes even if you get no rest, you'll make our drugs, and mark down our recipes. You are in the image of your father so it's nothing you can't handle," Oquil tells me. "The image of my father, what did he create drugs also is that why you have this building?" I question as Oquil comes around the table and I see Omarion pulling out a lab chair as he leans his head on the back, still pointing the gun at me.
"Do you have a gas mask, goggles, and gloves? I wouldn't want to get burnt. Then you won't be able to get your drugs," I tell them since they didn't answer my previous question. I turn on the burner watching the blue flame dance. It's been so long since I stepped into an actual lab when I was a teenager, my teacher let me use the lab under the influence that I was using it for assignments. This was true, but I had other motives, experimenting with all types of drugs, enhancing simple over-the-counter medications or street narcotics, to make them more powerful.
I place the gas mask over my face. I look at the men in front of me with a small smile on my face, " Let's get started."
...
Shaq (two days later)
"I don't know," I tell the investigator for the up however many times she then asked these questions. "Sir please we only want to know these details so that we can help you," She pleads tirelessly pulling back her red curls. Her green eyes rested on her notebook. "I already told you what I know which isn't a damn thing, now can you leave!" I tell her as she grits her teeth in frustration. "George can you please deal with this, he won't talk!" She yells into the hall as I cross my arms, no matter who she got to come in here I wasn't going to talk.
I dont do snitching. "Susan you can't get mad at the victim for not wanting to speak. The choice is his whether he wants to talk or not," A small voice comes from the hall as the male steps in. His curly blond and black hair was the first thing I noticed, along with those oceanic eyes. He seems like a reasonable person. "I'm a Forensics Reporter, not an Investigator, and neither are you so why are you harassing this man?"
He smiles waving at me, and I nod my head as the woman known as Susan frowns up her face. "Ugh! I hate Brooklyn so much, the people here are such a hassle!" She whines as Geroge comes up to her side pulling her out of the room.
"Georgie are you serious we need the story! Bombings like this just don't happen often!" I hear her accent become more prominent as the door closes. "What you're doing is so unprofessional harassing people of their trauma for a story! That isn't even why we are here remember, we are studying the case of the old Pharmacetucial building of the underground Bronx, so would you stop it!"
I shake my head listening to them, but what he says later catches my attention. "Underground Pharmacy?" I question and Susan peaks her head around the door. "What do you know something about it? Did that old gang come back to get revenge on your gang, are those the ones who bombed your house?"
"What?" I ask her when did I ever tell this bitch I was a part of a gang? "Susan!" I hear her friend say her name sternly. "Why do you always assume things about people?" George tells her turning towards me as they walk back into the room. She sits on my bed once again grabbing her notebook.
"I'm so sorry for her behavior sir," The male tells me and I shake my head, "You're good, but this Pharmacy building, what's the story on it?" "Oh no no no! We ain't given you information until you give us the information on the bombing!" Susan says as George smacks her hat off her head. "He doesn't have to give us anything now shut up, we're reporters for a reason and since he hasn't read the weekly we can tell him," The male scolds her as she glares up at him huffing her lips.
"We make reports on serious crimes, and local crimes, of Brooklyn. For the past month, we've been researching, some of the most serious gangs, and local crimes and disappearances of people with these gangs," He lets me know grabbing the chair from Quez's side and coming to sit by me.
If they're researching gangs I should stop talking to them now. "You mean Kingpin?" I question the blond, curiosity getting the best of me. The blond shakes his head surprising me. "Not at all, the underground Pharmacy was an illegal business that was run by an old-school gang Nosotris, but it's long since been abandoned, we wanted to get the swoop to bring light to the Pharmacy that created that highly dangerous narcotic Repressed." My eyes widen as I shake my head clearing my throat, "Is that so?"
"You know something dont you?" Susan asks me as she leans forward. "Back up," I tell her as George pulls her away. "Just how old are you two anyway, this one right here acts like a child," I tell them both as Susan gasped while I was pointing at her. "Excuse me, for your information were both nineteen." She tells me, and I nod my head, "Explains it." I couldn't believe they let kids report these types of things.
But that underground Pharmacy, I wonder if that was where Jet was? If so did those niggas take him to make his drugs. It makes sense if they want to take over again then they need the drugs that brought Kingpin to the top in the first place.
I grit my teeth, Damn!
..
Amir
"Mm," I groan opening my left eye and seeing my shoes. I groan in pain lifting my head and seeing Rhazi staring down at me sitting in a chair, gun in his hand as he looks to be spaced out. I dont think he even noticed he was looking me in the eye. My hands were still tied as I wiggled them. "Mir Mir," Soul's voice makes me turn to look at her in her birth mother's lap.
"You're awake? You conscious enough to move?" Rhazi asks me making me turn my attention back to him. "It doesn't matter if he can move or not as soon as Jahmir gets done making the drugs and we hear him get shot, then we will kill him." Tyasha scoffs out. "Shut up," Rhazi tells her making her gasp.
"Stop talking to me like you're stupid! Your mouth is what got you into the position you're in now!" Tyasha screams as She eases her grip on Soul giving time for Soul to get out of her arms. Soul looks at me and Rhazi before taking off running. "What! Little girl, where are you going?" "Soul!" I call out softly as she rounds the corner with her mother behind her screaming.
"She's a smart girl, reminds me of my daughter, before I lost her that is," Rhazi tells me and I look towards him, still worrying about Soul. "I swear to god if she hurts her I'll kill you and that bitch!" I threaten him and he looks down at me before laughing. And I mean a heavy, painful one. "You can't kill someone already dead, so you killing a walking corpse, be my guest I only have one goal, and as long as I can achieve it then dying doesn't matter. It never did, and it never will," He says coldly his laughter shifting into a smile.
"Why?" I ask him finally, and the smile falters completely. "Those two took everything from me, my fiance, my child, and myself. I met Oquil back when we were both in high school, back then I had tried my best to be kind to him, mainly because everyone shited on him. He was always coming to school in dirty clothes and was extremely poor. However, I befriended him anyway not knowing that would be my downfall."
His expression turns into pain. His voice shakes in pain and anger as her rubs his gun, "I think about it and I just feel so foolish, never had I done anything that would even make him want to betray me or hurt me. I feed him and gave him a place to stay when shit wasn't right at home, bought him things, and it was all to make him know that even if the world was against him I was there."
He raises his head staring at the wall behind me. "I don't know when our relationship went left, it could've been after I had my first child, or maybe when I met my fiancee. However he changed, we got into an argument, and he said some hurtful shit and I did too, but after that, he disappeared. I couldn't get in contact with him for a long, I wanted to apologize."
His eyes water, as he wipes the tears, "My little girl had just turned five the day everything changed for me, the day I opened my door and he was on my steps. In his hand, Oquil had a gift, I could still remember my little girl running up to me. 'Daddy Daddy who's that?' I, I, open my door once again letting him in, once again a terrible mistake."
"How did he kill them?" I ask hearing him let out a breathy sigh. "They both were shot in front of me, my fiancee executioner, and my daughter," his voice small and quiet, "the same."
I squeeze my fist, biting my bottom lip enough to draw blood. "Why?" I question him releasing my bottom lip. "Why stay with him for so long after he did that? Why are you doing this now?" I ask him still not understanding what type of game he's playing at.
"There was a power imbalance, he was stronger, and if I wanted to live I had no choice. So I'm sorry if you look at me as some sort of pitiful creature for staying and doing the dirty work, but I did what I had to do to please him to survive, to make it to this point," he lets me know shutting me up as I narrow my eyes.
"I'm sorry, I'm not trashing you for staying, you aren't pitiful at all," I let him know as he wipes even more tears that fall. "Yeah." He says. "I want him to see that the happiness that he thinks he deserves, by trying to take it, is that same happiness that's going to destroy him. He will never receive it, because he was born miserable, lived life making people miserable, and he's going to die miserable and defeated."
"Let me go wah!" I turn my head seeing Soul squirming as she claws at the woman's hands. "Shut up!" Tyasha screams as Soul kicks her leg.
"Why you little bi-
BOOM!
Soul screams covering her ears, as she runs toward me wrapping her little arms around my neck. I look towards Rhazi who stands up as we hear screams, hearing a bunch of footsteps running towards the front.
"What is going on?" Tyasha questions
My eye widens seeing the men run out from the back covered in flames! "Ahhh!" Soul screams crying into my ear. "I want my daddy." "Can you stand up?" Rhazi asks me coming up to me as I lean forward allowing him to cut the ropes. I stand up lifting Soul with one arm, and the other one in Rhazi's hand. We both watch some others run out from the back struggling to get to the doors, as some fell first to the floor burning alive.
"Shh Soul it's ok- Oh no"
I round the corner seeing Jahmir running towards me carrying an unconscious Oquil. A bunch of flames behind him.
"Run Go GO GO!!!!"
..
Jahmir (before the flames)
"How's it going?" Oquil comes beside me as I place the white powder in tubes. A small smile on his face as he feels a sense of satisfaction looking at my work. The notebook that was given had some of the drug ingredients and narcotic enhancements that I've written down. "I've written down a few and enhanced the weed you had. I must say that weed you had smelled like ass," I say to him smiling as he gives me one back.
He grabs the journal laughing a bit when he looks at the ingredients. I study the niggas by the door and the powder in the jaws, a small smile on my face. "Do you think this is a joke?" He says to me slamming the journal on the table, "You created more drugs than you've written in the notebook! Do you think I'm playing with you?" He comes up to me grabbing my throat as I muster a smile.
"Bro?" Omarion questions coming to pull his brother off of me. "We still need him you can't kill him now," Omarion says as I and Oquil stare at each other my vision becoming slightly cloudy. My neck hurts as I breathe through my nose. "Stop playing with me or I'll bring your daughter in here and kill her in front of you, and Rhazi to kill your boyfriend." He tells me making me ball my fist as I reach back jawing him in the lip. Stumbling back I reach for his gun cocking it as Omarion runs up trying to hit me. I dodge him grabbing him by the arm and twisting it as one of the dudes fires a shot. Pulling my younger brother into the line of fire to shield me, He screams as the bullet hits his stomach.
"Agh!" He whines out, as I place the gun onto his temple. "If anyone moves, I'll blow his brains onto the floor." I scan Oquil who stands in front of the rest pointing a gun at me. I press the trigger shooting my twin in the leg. He screams falling forward but I catch him turning my attention towards the others. "Do you think I'm playing? Do you think I'm joking? I'll shoot your brother's brains out in front of you!" I tell him the venom leaking, as he pulls his gun to the side.
"Drop that bitch and kick it over here," I tell him and he does so with ease. I grip Omarion dreads kneeling to pick it up. My eyes never leave Oquil. "Now what?" He questions me and I give a small smile moving closer to the door and dragging a crying Omarion. Oquil steps to the side also. My eyes travel towards the powder. Seeing the rest of the men in the room standing beside it.
" Chemistry has always been my strongest and favorite subject in school. I learned how to create many things. " I tell the men showing all thirty-two teeth. "Let me go who cares, Oquil help me!" Omarion struggles as I hold him by the arms. "Don't interrupt me," I hit him on the temple with the gun drawing blood. He staggers crying more. Soft ass, to think this is what Tyasha left me for?
"Stop hitting him we ain't pointing no guns at you so keep your end of your promise!" Oquil tells me raising his voice and I smile at him. "I think I promise not to blow his brains out, but as far as shooting every part of his scrawny limbs. I can still do that." I tell him pointing the gun at my twin's shoulder. "Mmn that face you're making, the same face I've seen on others including myself, it's so satisfying on you. The look of worry, anguish, and despair. You're whole life you strive to make others as miserable as you. Yea, I figured you out, because throughout my whole twenty-five years of living, I've seen plenty of niggas like you. Some see the light and change," my thoughts flash to Amir, "but the ones that stay like you, will die like you," I take in a deep breath pointing my gun toward the powder.
"They all die still full of misery."
"Oh fuck!" I see Oquil try to run as I shoot the flammable powder.
BOOM!
I push Omarion away from me as he flies face-first into the ground. I throw myself into the hallway, as I watch the ones who were closer to the flames run out the door past me into the halls. I stare into the ignited room. Watching the men's flames swallow some of the men and hearing their screams. Some of them tried to attack me but I was able to dodge the movements quickly, as I used the gun's bullets to shoot them into the head, or anywhere I knew it would hurt. I turned towards my little twin, who was still breathing, I'm not sure if Oquil survived but I had no time to check as I pulled him up running towards the front. I ran as fast as I could to the front.
Once the flames reach that liquid in that vase where the weed fermented this whole place could blow. That shit was gasoline. I should've thought better dammit! I rounded the corner running past burning corpses. My heart beats faster as my breath hitches hearing the sounds of explosions behind me. I keep my eyes to the front the male on my back becoming heavier with each step. I don't even know why I was carrying him there was no way Oquil could've survived that, but if he did then I still had this scum with me.
The flames were getting closer as I ran through the long halls. My eyes widened seeing Amir holding Soul as he stood by the door, standing by the doors. That's the same way he held her in my dream.
"Run go Go GO!" I tell him when he seems to be in a trance he turns on his heels running as Tyasha screams running behind him along with that nigga Rhazi. The doors were just ahead I looked towards my watch only thirty seconds before those flames ignited a rush. The doors were just ahead as we all reached them, but we were practically late as the building exploded sending us who were on the steps flying.
Omarion slips off my back as the powerful explosion sends us all in the air. For a moment we were flying. "Gah!" I scream hitting the ground and rolling towards the middle of the street. I could hear Amir and Soul scream as Amir clutched her tightly and I heard the sound of bushes ruffling.
I struggle to breathe. Two pieces of glass lunged one in my cheekbone and one above my brow. I struggle to stand, my hand is covered in bad burns. The skin slightly peeling, and I look around hearing the sound of police cars. I then looked towards the bushes seeing Amir even with that he still managed to hold Soul in his hand both of them unconscious. I step struggling to hold my balance, "Amir, Soul," I whisper out their names.
The sound of a gun clocking interrupts my thoughts, and I turn around slowly seeing Oquil. I didn't even have time to wonder how he could've survived the fire or explosion. His face was burnt and so was the arm he held out to try and shoot me. My breath was ragged, was this it? The crackling of the flames filled my ears as I stared into his eyes, the hatred and anger in them was deep.
"Shoot me go ahead, at least now you have a valid reason too,' I tell him referring to the burns and his unconscious battered brother. "You never deserved the life you were blessed with," He screams at me shooting me in the shoulder as I fall towards the ground.
He limps over, "You don't get to look at me as though I'm beneath you, you and everyone looking at me as though I'm beneath you!" He screams at me grunting in pain as I stare up at him. Not even hatred was in my veins anymore strangely the feeling I felt for this nigga, was sorrow, and pity.
Why? I can't even explain it.
"All of you, Rhazi when I killed his family, Marcello when I shot him, August before I killed him, all of you look at me as though I'm the one who's in a miserable state of mind," He yells shooting me again as I grunt falling backward staring as he steps above me. "Salvation is something that you will never achieve through the misery of others, like I told you before, you will die," I cough out blood, "Drowning in your misery, like a scared little boy." I smile as he nods his head pressing on the trigger.
BANG!
Blood splatters my face, as the male above me stumbles.
BANG!
Another shot is fired as the male body turns falling beside me. He chokes out blood as I try to raise my head to see the person who shot him. The steps are slow as I hear Rhazi, "You've always been so pathetic Oquil, taking and squashing everything in your life, because you didn't know how to cope with your pain," Rhazi kneels as Oquil stares up at him tears in his eyes as he tries to reach for him.
"Put your hand down, 'cause I won't reach out to hold it any longer. The times I did were the times you've taken everything I love including the love I had for myself, However, now I can take your pain away along with my own," I hear Rhazi say before he stands up pointing the gun downwards. I turned my head to look at Oquil who was crying. He turns to look at me his tears falling more when he notices my expression.
BANG!
The blood from the head wound splatters on my face. I stared into the male's eyes as Rhazi kneeled taking his hand. "Hope to God he has mercy on your soul, and on mine too," he raises the gun to his temple as I stutter out, "No no wait-
"Shh, It's okay I've done what I wanted to do and lived and lost. Don't follow in the footsteps around you Jahmir. This life that was given and forced onto us is already hard as it is, so do your best and try to make it easier, that's a promise okay," Rhazi tells me with a genuine smile on his face as the tears run, closing his eyes and pulling the trigger.
My tears don't stop as ambulance, and cops surround the building. Firefighters rush as I tilt my head backwards staring at Amir in the bushes. I feel my body being lifted as my eyes dont leave, Amir and Soul. Seeing them being separated the emergency people check Amir's pulse. My heart stops when the woman shakes her head no, waving her hand from side to side. "Amir." My voice croaks as tears fill my eyes.
"Mir!"
...(7 months later)
Jahmir (Ya'll Im not a judge so bear with me)
"Jahmir Jackson you've been withheld in this court on the count of Bombing, Arson, and 1st-degree murder on the count of twenty-three bodies. Including one of your family Oquil Jackson. You claim self-defense, and the jury has given their verdict," I stand in the courtroom my head low, listening to the judge speak. My verdict was now in and I was praying to god that it wouldn't be guilty. Through my time behind bars waiting on this court date, I've cried and prayed. I ain't never hardly prayed before.
"The jury has found the defendant....Not Guilty on all counts?" The whole courtroom went silent.
"MY NIGGA NOT GUILTY!" Quez screams out from the crowd as the crowd grows wild. I turn my head towards Shaq and Quez seeing them smiling as Quez Jumps into Shaq's arms. I looked into the crowd surprised at how many supporters I had. I had plenty of supporters, people I ain't never met before coming to support me after hearing about my case.
"Georgie this is the best story we have to write about this yer hear!"
I couldn't believe it as tears filled my eyes, as I dropped to the floor. "Congratulations, you one lucky ass nigga," My defense attorney whispers in my ear as he kneels beside me handing me a tissue.
"Order Order!" The judge screams banging the gavel. "The case against Tyasha and Omarion Jackson, being charged on the counts of kidnapping, abuse, substance abuse, arson, first-degree murder, battery, and Assault and battery at the first-degree count ." I look toward Tyasha and Oquil who stare at me still shocked at my verdict.
My heart throbs hearing the Judge speak on their verdict. "The jury has found you, Omarion Jackson..Guilty on all counts and you'll be sentenced to a maximum of sixty- three years in prison without the possibility of parole." I smile a sense of relief as I turn towards Omarion who looks to be on the verge of tears.
A part of me felt bad maybe if my twin were raised with me, he wouldn't have been influenced to do the things he did, but another of me felt as though he deserved it, and sadly as I smiled that's the part that won.
"Tyasha Jackson on the counts of kidnapping, assault, and battery, attempted murder, infliction of harm on a minor, drug abuse, and attempted solicitation of drugs to minors. The jury has found you... guilty on all counts and you shall be sentenced to 54 years in prison with no possibility of parole." The whole courtroom is flooded with her crying as she's drugged away. "Please, Jahmir baby Please!" She screams trying to reach for me as they take her away. I stared at her at one point in time, I couldn't believe I was willing to throw away everything to make her happy.
When just like now the only time she ever needed me was when she was willing to drag me down along with her.
"MY NIGGA WON AGAIN!!!!" Quez Cheers out as the judge slams his Gavel! "ORDER!"
I laugh lightly staring at my twin, seeing my face kind of, seeing that that's where I could've been. He stares back at me before mouthing, "I'm sorry." My eyes widen watching as they pull him away.
"I'm sorry too," I tell myself softly.
.. (a few days later)
"Bruh I still can't believe it all counts beat you're one lucky ass nigga. Oo I just know you were cold when you were doing what you were doing to them niggas omg," Quez explains sitting in Shaqs lap. I look between them, "Wait a minute when did this shit happen?" I point in between them, and Shaq laughs adjusting his leg. It was still in a cast. "It just did," Quez tells me and I lurk a brow. "Wait a minute what happens to you and Quita?" I ask him and he smiles, "I had to let her go a wise man once told me to live in my truth so that's what I'm trying to do."
"I really wanna smoke a blunt to celebrate!" Quez exclaims as Shaq and I give him a hard stare. I couldn't believe this nigga had a pulmonary disease and was still being reckless, when I heard about it I was so mad. Bad enough he has to have an oxygen tank in his house and inhalers cause some of his oxygen intake levels are low. One of his lungs is also damaged, it's wild.
"I'm just playing damn, stop staring at me like that ya'll ain't my daddies," He tells us and I laugh as Shaq scoff. "Nah Jet ain't but you know I am so stop playing." Oop I cover my mouth laughing watching them go back and forward.
"What about the trap? If you plan on leaving the gang, what's going to happen to the gang? We not staying in there if you're not gonna be there!" Quez lets me know as Shaq hums in agreement. "I think I might hand it over to Dimitri since Lorenzo doesn't want the head, you know he plans on leaving with Sunny shocked the hell out of me when he told me that. Guess Sunny finally decided to threaten to leave his ass."
I tell them both laughing at the years I spent walking on eggshells. I finally was at peace, to think this all happened in a couple of months.
"I still can't believe what that nigga Rhazi did? How did he manage to fool everyone?" Quez says and my smile drops. "He had his reasons, there's no hatred there. the lengths people go to for revenge are scary, but also very real. Valid revenge is even more deadly than the petty fights."
...
"Daddy! Daddy!" I gasp in happiness running up to my little girl picking her up and giving her a small twirl. "Hey Daddy's baby," I say giving her a strong hug mindful of her wrist. "How was it?" I ask Cash who crosses her arms over her chest. "The therapist says she's still a little traumatized, I think it best to keep her in the therapy until she starts showing signs of not being scared of loud noises or voices anymore," Cash lets me know walking up to me and hugging me. I accept it wrapping my arms around her waist.
"I'm so happy that you aren't in prison," she tells me pulling back away from me. "Have you gone by the hospital to see him yet," she asks me, and my heart throbs as I shake my head. "No last time Slim and I talked he said he was still unconscious, and I can't bear to go by and see him in that state." I let her know as she grabbed my arm, mailing at me, "If Soul can go up there and talk to him and laugh with him, then I know her strong-ass daddy can also."
"Okay."
"Here you go sir," The woman says handing me a visitation pass, "Congratulations on the court case also." She tells me catching me off guard as I nod my head smiling walking with Soul in my arms. "Daddy are we going back to see that Doctor, I like that Doctor," Soul asks me as she smiles up at me. "No, we're going to see Mir Mir," I tell her and her face lights up.
"Daddy he's in room 301! Let's go Daddy hurry up!" She tells me excitedly. I laugh hold on you have to wait until the elevator finishes going up. She's so excited, as I smile placing her down. I wondered why she was so excited in the first place. We walked off the elevator, well I walked, and Soul ran towards the door. "Soul!" I call out her name watching her pass by nurses giggling.
"Mir Mir! We came to see you, finally!" I watch her stand in the door way jumping up and down. My breath hitches and my heart races as I hear, "Soul Soul." "Haha," she laughs running into the room, as I trail slowly. My eyes watering as I stand in front of the door seeing her spin around in the male's arms. He stood beside his hospital bed laughing as she whispered something into his ears. He stopped looking towards the door his emerald eyes falling onto my brown ones.
"Why are you just standing there Pa?" He tells me reaching his hand out, his right eye in a bandage, "Come here, you missed me right? I missed your ass like crazy nigga." I walk towards him tears falling as I throw myself into his arms disregarding his hand as Soul whines, "Daddy you're squishing me!"
"I miss you so much, on my soul I did," I cry into his shoulder, as he wraps his hand lifting me in the air. "I love you," he tells me as my eyes fall onto his. My eyes water as I bring him in kissing him deeply and passionately. "I love you too."
"Daddy when Mir Mir gets out let's go to Daisy and get Strawberry ice cream." Soul says as I release the man's lip. "Nah I'm a chocolate fan," Mir tells her as she looks up at him in disgust. "Im a vanilla type of person," I tell them both, and Soul gasps putting her small hand over her chest.
"Thats wrong Daddy!"
I laugh bringing Mir back in and giving him more kisses before he puts me down and I rub on my daughter's curls. This type of peace I'm feeling is worth going through all the hardships that life has given.