THE LIFE & TIMES OF
C . R . MEKHI |
{*author's note: Unless otherwise specified, these adds will be telling the story of Carter's life up until his murder. There will be flashbacks of Carter when he was in his younger years as well as Carter as an adult; I may skip around. Just so there's no confusion; flashbacks will be in italics.}
𝙲 𝙰 𝚁 𝚃 𝙴 𝚁 𝙼 𝙴 𝙺 𝙷 𝙸
The sounds of the tracks colliding with the metal of the subway car were all the passengers of the Q train heard as they sat, some quietly, others listening to music, and some sleeping after a long graveyard shift at work getting their pockets picked by pick pockets that waited for them to hit the snooze. Everybody knew that you never did something as stupid as that on the subway - - especially in the big apple but sleep was calling their tired eyes.
Then there was eighteen year old Carter who sat with his U.S. History binder in his lap drawing on a clean sheet of white paper when he should have been getting a head start on his homework. Beside him sat his younger brother Judas, sixteen at the time - - with his head resting against the window, sitting on the inside of the seat. Usually they'd sit further apart but the subway was crowded getting through Brooklyn this time of day so they were forced to share the seat like it was intended. Carter would have preferred to have his size twelve sneaker in the opposite seat but he got over it, knowing he couldn't have his way all the time.
"Son I'm telling you," Carter said as he sketched the eyes on the page of a woman whom he didn't think he knew but had remembered from somewhere, "I got fifteen dollars that Reggie is gonna get his ass handed to him tomorrow at lunch. You don't talk shit bout nobody ma' dukes like he was doin'. That nigga was straight goin' in on son's fam like that shit wasn't nothin today in gym," Judas licked his lips and laughed a little, "You saw that shit too."
"Who is that?" Judas said, looking out the corner of his eye at the woman that Carter was sketching on the page, "You always draw her but who is that?"
"Man I'ono know," said Carter as he shrugged passively, nodding his head to the music that Judas was listening to in his headphones, "I just saw her once I guess. Shit," he shrugged, "She could be anybody."
"You had to have seen her more than once," said Judas as the train slowed down to an approaching stop, "That shit is mad detailed for you to have only seen shorty one time - - or none - - you gotta know her," Carter shook his head that he didn't and Judas rested his head against the window again as the sound of the metal beneath them on the tracks screeched.
The doors opened on the train and inside walked a familiar face that caused Judas to slowly raise his head from the window and look at her. She walked in with a dark coat on - -heavy because it was January in New York and the winters there were crucial at about that time - - and her hand wrapped around the metal standing pole almost unknowingly erotically with a sweet caress that even she wasn't cognizant of as she made her way from the platform onto the train. Carter was busy looking down at his paper to notice what Judas was staring at but Judas noticed - - he always noticed her wherever she happened to be.
She always wore the same gold earrings, bamboo with her name in the middle of them and a necklace to match it and she always had gloss on her lips. From what Judas remembered about her - - which was pretty much everything - - she always wore a passion fruit scented flavor. He could remember sitting behind her in class and smelling it as she put it on in her small compact mirror waiting for the teacher to come into class during third period. Third period was what he lived for because that's when he'd see her everyday but that was all it was - - just seeing - - Judas was too timid, too shy to ever say anything to her besides the time that she dropped her pencil and he handed it to her and heard her sweet 'thank you.'
Judas watched as she chewed the stick of gum in her mouth and saw her deep dimples in her cheeks as she stalked towards a seat with her friends around her. They were cute but not as cute as she was and they didn't walk the same way that she walked or pull their gum out of their mouths with their fingernail the same way that she did and go right back to chewing it a few seconds later. Point blank, they weren't her and they didn't have her same mystery and presence and to sixteen year old Judas it meant a lot.
"What the fuck you starin' at," Judas remembered to close his mouth this time but he didn't remember to watch his eyes because he definitely was staring her down as she took a seat.
"Her," Judas said in a low whisper and then sighed. Then her eyes came rushing toward them and he quickly looked away because the contact was too much for shy Judas. Carter however didn't avert his eyes as she looked over at them and chewed slowly, blew a bubble with her gum and then tossed her hair behind her back and looked away smirking and talking with her friends.
"She's in my third period," Judas went on, "Damn I wonder if she saw me staring at her."
"Shorty right there," Carter nodded his head toward her, "With the bamboo earrings and the long hair?" He slouched in his seat and flicked his pencil across the white paper he was drawing on again.
"Yeah," Judas nodded, "That's her."
"You feelin' her or somethin'?" Carter laughed, "Cause you all whispering and shit - - lookin' all tense and whatnot."
"I kinda got a crush on shorty but," Judas shrugged and stole another glance at her, "I mean it's nothin' serious," he bit his bottom lip and lied to Carter, knowing full well that it was something serious, something that kept him up late at night thinking about her and what she had said in class that day, "I couldn't."
"Couldn't what?" Carter looked over at his younger brother and frowned, "Does she even know you exist nigga?"
"Probably not," Judas said, "But it wouldn't matter anyway," he shrugged his shoulders, "Cause she won't give nobody no play. I seen how she embarrassed this one dude in the hallway," he shook his head, "Ain't no way I could have shorty do me like that. I can't do it."
"Can't do what," it was laughable to Carter as he looked up at her again and then over at Judas, "Can't talk to a girl? Nigga," Carter laughed, "It's a fuckin' girl. What's the big fuckin' deal? I don't see what you so scared and shit about."
"It's not just some girl," Judas said, "It's her."
"Bet you I could get her," Carter shrugged confidently, "Easy with no problem. It ain't that damn serious."
"Yeah right," he laughed Carter off, "She won't give NOBODY no play. I doubt even you could."
"Okay," said Carter as he closed his history binder and stood up to his towering six foot stance, "Watch me."
"Wait," Judas grabbed Carter's hand and looked up at him shaking his head, "Carter chill," he pleaded, "I was just fuckin' around - - come on don't go over there," he didn't want to be embarrassed and he didn't want Carter to try his luck, "Seriously, nigga don't do that."
"Why?" Carter laughed, "You said it couldn't be done right? So I'm gonna show you how it IS done. Relax," he said, "I ain't gonna embarrass you son."
"Carter there's no point in you going over there," he said, "She doesn't even know me - - she probably doesn't even know that I'm in her class."
"I'm not even gonna mention you," said Carter, "I just wanna see if shorty'll play me like you said she plays niggas. I gotta see what you so scared of," Carter took his hand from Judas's and licked his lips, holding on to the metal standing pole as the train stopped and two of her friends got off at their stops. He waited, paused a minute and the slowly walked over to where she was with a smirk on his face and a swagger in his stride.
"Wassup ladies," he said to the girl and her friend who sat next to each other, "Mind?" Carter didn't wait for her to say that he could sit down; he just sat.
"Hey," her friend said, looking Carter over, "Wassup."
"Shit," said Carter, shrugging his shoulders, "You tell me," Judas sat alone and watched Carter on pins and needles, "Wassup witchu ma," he turned to the other girl who didn't speak, "Whatchu don't speak when someone says hi to you?"
"You didn't say hi did you," she said smartly, "You said, 'wassup'," the girl chewed her gum and looked at Carter skeptically, "And last time I checked, 'wassup' wasn't my name or hello."
"Oh really," he laughed and sucked his bottom lip, "Well then what's your name?"
"My ma told me not to talk to strangers or give out personal info like that so," she shrugged and looked the other way.
"Damn, ma," Carter said, "What's with all the attitude and shit? A nigga was just tryna be polite and shit and here you go rude as hell."
"Yeah," said her friend, "Chill, girl," Carter saw her friend mouth to the other girl the words, 'he's cute', and he chuckled a little, "He was just speakin'."
"You cool as shit," he said to her friend, "How the fuck you become friends with a stuck up ass broad like this, I'ono."
"Excuse you?" She whipped her head in his direction and looked at him with her attitude all over her face and in her eyebrows and eyes, "Nigga who the fuck you think you are? I'ono your ass for you to be talkin' shit about me so get the fuck."
"And I'ono why you think you so fuckin' cute that you can't speak to people when they try to speak to you," Judas wanted to die when he saw what was going on - - he knew it was all over, "Actin' like a straight bitch and shit - - you ain't THAT fine," said Carter, "Rude ass need to be taught some fuckin' manners."
"Yooooo," she clapped her hands, "Son got a lot of fuckin' balls talkin' to me like he lost his fuckin' mind."
"I'm standin' right here so I mean," Carter looked at her, "If you got a problem then let's settle the shit, ma," she tightened her jaw and looked at him as he pierced his deep dark green eyes at her. Her eyes took in his fair complexion, and his tall height as he stood up and held onto the metal pole so he wouldn't fall when the train stopped. In all reality he was gorgeous - - cute as shit - - but he didn't need to know any of that and he came at her like he was entitled to some shit.
She licked her lips and looked him up and down, "Fuck it," Carter said, "I'm out."
"Destini," she said as she stood up, seeing the doors open and her stop waiting for her.
"Man what?" Carter turned and looked over his shoulder at her as she came up on him and then he turned around and saw her grab the pen behind his ear and snatch his hand away from him.
"Destini," she said, "That's my name," she wrote her name and seven digits in Carter's palm, "You got some pretty ass eyes," Destini licked her teeth as she wrote, "With your rude ass."
"Thanks," he licked his lips slowly and looked into her eyes as she chewed her gum and smirked up at him, playing with fire as her friend stood outside on the platform.
"Dess come on! Before the doors close and you miss the stop!"
"I'm Carter," he said, "Carter Mekhi."
"I know who you are," said Destini as she gave him his pen back, "And I know about fifteen reasons why I shouldn't give you my number let alone speak to you."
"Oh word?" Carter snickered.
"The doors will be closing in ten seconds, next stop 96th street," said the conductor.
"You better go shorty," he looked over to Destini's friend and then back to her, "You gon miss ya' stop," Carter bit his bottom lip looking down at her, loving the way she flirted with danger like it wasn't nothing, "I'm gon call you."
"Of course you will," she snickered as she let Carter's hand go and walked nonchalantly towards the closing doors, "Of course," Destini stepped off onto the platform just in time and the doors slid closed behind her as Carter stood there watching her, realizing what Judas had meant.
"What the fuck happened," he said coming over to Carter as the train started moving again, "Carter what the fuck did you do? I told you she wasn't gonna give you no play - - I told you not to go talkin' to her, man. Ugh," he sighed, "Now she ain't never gonna - -"
"Yo, she's bad as hell, son," Carter opened his palm and showed Judas the seven digits and the name that she wrote on his palm, "That's gonna be Mrs. Mekhi one of these days, watch. I'm gon snag and bag that."
● ● ●
Carter's green eyes slowly tore themselves away from the subway car that flew across the rails on the bridge as he held a cigar in his mouth and sat in the comfortable confines of the back of a black Bentley. He had been drifting again, thinking about the past - - his teenage years - - when the sound of the subway car finally passing roused him from his thoughts and wrestled him back to reality. In his mouth he had a cigar, fine Colombian made, and he inhaled deeply before slowly blowing the smoke out of his mouth in between his plump lips.
The door was opened for him and the sunlight poured in as it did, inclining him to take a step out into the city streets that he had called home for all of his life. Carter took one Prada clad footstep out onto the cracked pavement - - his shoes hadn't touched the ground until that very day, brand new - - and held the cigar in his mouth while taking his time to put his other foot out onto the pavement and then slowly rising to the tall statuesque figure that he was.
Carter rose like a great sculpture, like those carved of great Greek and Roman gods - - Apollo, Zeus, Poseidon - - something of the sort. On his back were the finest threads that man could buy; he wore all white, a tailored suit, Giorgio Armani, always noted for his dapper style of dress whenever he stepped foot outside of his home. He didn't wear it if it didn't cost more than a college kid's tuition or if it didn't come from Italy or France - - and he didn't have to lift a finger either - - they wouldn't dare let him.
The same person who opened the door for Carter, closed it behind him and nodded toward him paying their due respects to the don that they all knew as Carter. The sun hit his tanned skin as he touched his collar and his shirt making sure everything was just right and hadn't shifted in transference from sitting to standing. His wedding ring caught the sunlight and blinded everyone that was within sight of it as he swiped his hand across the side of his smooth face, free of any imperfection and any blemish.
"Mr. Mekhi," one of the security guards nodded toward him and Carter nodded back, wordlessly. Carter made his swagged out stride toward the entrance of the building that he was entering and there another door was opened for him and another respective nod that Carter returned yet again.
Carter walked with two security men behind him down the hallway toward an elevator where a woman waited with a smile as he licked his lips, "Good evening Mr. Mekhi," she said sweetly and opened the elevator doors, "We've been expecting you."
"Have you," Carter chuckled and took the cigar from his mouth looking her up and down and undressing her with his sinful green eyes as she handed him a drink and closed the elevator doors, "I see you have," Carter laughed a little and took a sip from the glass, "It's gettin' there, Alana," he said looking at the drink as she smiled, "A little less soda and more vodka next time, eh, love?"
"Of course Mr. Mekhi," she smiled as he handed her the drink that he barely took two sips from and watched as the elevator doors opened, "I'll have it just right for you next time."
"Mm," he took the cigar from his lips again and his large hand caressed the side of Alana's face, enough to make her blush and her panties moist. His big green eyes melted her as the beads of sweat melted down the expensive crystal that she held in the glass she'd given him. Carter smirked at her, his slight dimple present in his smile and said, "That's all I can ask for," as his tongue swiped across his plump bottom lip and his eyes slowly left her. He then stepped out onto the floor the elevator stopped on and continued on his journey to a new floor and a new door.
Another door was opened for Carter and he walked through and standing there was his brother Judas. "Sup," Judas said as Carter walked in the room and stood close to him, talking privately.
"Baby bro," Carter said as he extended his hand, dapping Judas up, "How's things?"
"Smooth," said Judas.
"He in there?" Carter asked and then a smirk curled up on his lips when he heard the loud, tortured screams of a grown man and got the answer to his question.
"Yeah," Judas answered anyway and licked his lips, sliding his hands into the tailored pockets of his black slacks, "Got him around eight this mornin'. He was leaving out of a meeting with them F.B.I. mah'fuckas. I told you he couldn't be trusted," Carter nodded and inhaled more of the cigar as Judas spoke, "He been playing both sides with them for a minute now."
"Glad I got you here to call it to my attention then," said Carter, "You're my eyes and ears," Judas nodded, "This is a fuckin' problem though - - he knows too much shit for me to just let it go."
"Exactly," Judas said, "Exactly what I was sayin'."
"Let me talk to him," Carter said, "I'll just have a few words wit'em."
"Fuck that," Judas said whispering back to Carter, "Let's just kill his pig ass. Ain't shit worth sayin' Carter," Judas held up a wire that they found on Wess and F.B.I. credentials in his apartment.
"Don't worry," Carter placed his hand on Judas's shoulder and patted it twice, "I just wanna see where his head's at," he said, "This shit's bad for business." Judas looked toward the door where he heard more screams, "And we can't have that."
"Nah, we can't."
"Let me handle it," Carter said, "I eat - you eat, you know that shit." Judas had no further protest to make; Carter had made his decision.
● ● ●
When Carter entered the next room, Judas stood at the door and closed it behind him. Carter's eyes were presented with a gruesome sight - - the bloody face of a man who had been tortured by Carter's men for treason. Carter looked as if he didn't belong in his dapper style of dress - - he'd just come from a business meeting himself so he dressed the part.
"That's enough," Carter said and waved his hand in the air, signaling that they should ease up off of the poor man who was drifting in and out of consciousness, "Wake him up," Carter instructed and a bucket of water was poured onto the consciously unconscious man as Carter slowly crouched down and put out his cigar which one of the security guards took for him, "Hey," he slapped the cheek of the man and watched as his eyes slowly looked up at Carter.
"Wake up," Carter said calmly, "I think you and I have some shit to discuss don't you, Wess?"
"Kill me," Wess said pathetically as he bled from the mouth, missing teeth - - they had been pulled from his mouth by Carter's people with a vice grip. Carter saw the vice grip in the hands of one of his guards and the blood dripping from it. Wess was in a serious amount of pain by the looks of it, "Just kill me please," he whined pathetically and cried in front of Carter.
"Come on," Carter said, "Have a little dignity, Wess. I hate to see a grown man cry." He bit his bottom lip and stood up to his full height, "Stand him up," Carter said as he licked his lips and the security guards rushed to do as they were told. Wess looked at Carter dizzily and tried to focus on the beautiful green eyed poison before him. "I'm gonna ask you some simple questions aight, Wess. Simple answers - -that's all I want." Carter paced back and forth as he rubbed his chin, "Are you spying for someone, Wess?" Wess said nothing, "Okay," Carter stopped, "Let me be more specific for you," he said, "Are you working with the F.B.I.?"
"Fuck you," Wess said angrily, "Fuck you!"
"Carter," Judas called out, and clicked his gun ready to shoot Wess but Carter held out his hand in the air to stop Judas's interruption.
"Be easy, Judas," Carter said, "We're both grown men. We can talk about this shit civilly," Judas shook his head and licked his lips slightly seething, "Take out another one of his teeth," Carter said to the person holding the vice grip and like clockwork they were on Wess's molar and Wess screamed like a chicken with its head cut off, "Now," Carter said, "You ready to talk to me or we gonna play dentist some more?" Carter leaned into Wess's ear and whispered, "You know I'll take your whole fuckin' jaw off if I have to, Wess."
"I," Wess breathed, "I'm not tellin' you - - shit. You might as well kill me," Wess spit blood at Carter and it missed his face by an inch but a small splatter got on Carter's white Armani suit jacket.
"Judas," Carter tightened his jaw and stared at Wess, his temples moving - - he was convinced that Wess was a spy and if he wasn't he had committed a serious crime by spitting at the don, "Kill this mah'fucka. Bag his shit and send it to his ma' dukes and the rest of him," Carter said, "Burn it."
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