His moniker was Knowledge and his name spoke volumes. Train had been given the file on him by Pratt but there was more to his story than what was written on paper. Knowledge was a new and upcoming threat in the drug and guns trade and very well organized and resourceful. In fact, he was more of a threat than Train first realized.
He had connections everywhere. He had his hands in the pocket of politicians, lawyers, judges, and especially law enforcement. He didn't stay off the radar by making sure he paid the people holding the grid. But most important he had ties to very important people: Queen Envy and Charmaine.
Envy and Knowledge were actually partners at one time and the only male on record that spoke up against her and kept his testicles. Sure, Train had heard of him but only in short whispers like a Hood myth. He was like a black version of Keysor Soze. People heard of him but not too many people dealt with him.
However, he supposedly helped Lady Gayle set up her operations and was now the reason why Charmaine was excelling so well in her new endeavors as well. He also dealt with Tops, the man that originally had Train and his brother kidnapped. Knowledge was really known in the illegal community for two things: how to find people and how to make sure people don't get found.
Train figured it must have been the same guy that made it possible for his old captor, Kenod, to appear at his front door. Train saw evidence of that in Kenod's wallet with a slip of paper of his exact address written on it. Train ran out his apartment leaving an unconscious Kenod on the floor still bleeding from his bullet wounds. Train had called Pratt to get someone to come and retrieve Kenod and to inform Pratt he was on his way back to his office.
Train arrived at Pratt's office and was informed immediately that Kenod was no longer in Train's apartment. Pratt had sent some local enforcement officers that he was close with to check out Train's establishment and that they didn't find Kenod there. Train was worried about that though. Train knew he would see Kenod again.
The thing Train really wanted was the file he had excused earlier. Pratt was more than happy to give to him because now Train had no choice but to take this new threat seriously.
Train picked up the file and started looking at all the paperwork and photos of the new villain that now entered his life.
"Trust me when I tell you he's not a bum claiming to be big-time," Pratt reiterated folding his hands together. "He is way more than that and that is why he is on our radar."
Train looked at a mug shot photo of Knowledge that police had on file when Knowledge was still a teenager. He was light brown with hard eyes that looked like he was looking right through the photo and directly at you. He was already covered with tattoos and the light stubble under his chin made him look much older than he already was.
Train showed the photo to Pratt. "This is the only picture you have?"
"The only time we ever caught him," Pratt responded.
Train looked back at the picture. "He looks familiar though. Like I've seen him before."
Pratt smiled. "You should. Y'all both were in the same juvenile detention home."
Train looked hard at the picture. "That would explain it. We all got an education in that place. I could see why they call him Knowledge. Wait. His name is Kyheem Williams. I knew of another Williams."
"You might mean his brother Tremaine known on the streets as Trigga," Pratt announced.
Train shook his head. "Nah, not him. I knew of a King Williams. My fath...someone I knew used to work for him."
"Yes, King Williams," Pratt nodded. "That was another piece of work."
Train glance back at the photo. "Yeah, if all of those stories that I've heard about his father are true then the son has definitely got to be a force. I mean I heard of this character Knowledge but never thought anything of it. I mean his brother, you claim, Trigga, now I definitely heard of him and seen him in action. He lives up to his name. Shit, I would want that nigga by my side."
"Unfortunately, Trigga, like his brother, are also nowhere to be found," Pratt informed. "The only one still in the picture is their youngest brother Ayonte known as Ace. He works at a mosque somewhere out East. He has no ties to his brothers or any information on them. But we still keep an eye on him."
"It wouldn't be very white of you not to," Train spat.
Train put the photo down and looked at the only arrest sheet that Knowledge ever had. "This shit still doesn't tell me shit about him. Like what does he like to do, what he likes to eat, does he shit with one butt cheek on the toilet or both? More importantly where I can find him so he can tell me why one, he was able to find me when I'm more careful than a young man getting a dinner invitation to Jeffrey Dahmer's house. And second, how can I found Charmaine since she seemed to disappear like she did at the end of the first book."
"Well, first of all," Pratt said. "Since he didn't sign up for Facebook or Tik Tok, I pretty much can't help you there. I want the same answers as you do. Well, maybe not how he shits part. But I want information and I know he is the person that will give it to us. And since he obviously knows how to get to you that means you are now on much on his radar as he is on ours. Unfortunately, his radar is better equipped than ours for now.
"First of all, who doesn't have Tik Tok," Train responded. "That makes him a monster right there. He isn't watching Beyonce trying to pop and lock it. He is living a mundane existence."
"What did Kenod say to you?" Pratt asked.
"Nothing but that same tired speech about wanting to avenge his brothers that he can't have bathtub time anymore with," Train answered. "He just showed up, hit me in the head and tied me up like he was auditioning for a Katy Perry video. The man got problems."
"You did arrange for his brothers to be killed," Pratt stated.
"I arrange for steak to be on my plate at Applebee's, no one going after the butcher," Train said. "Anyway, that was the last book. This is about me."
Pratt shook his head. "What? Look stop with that delusional shit like you're in a book. We got a serious problem and a very dangerous one. I wish you had taken care of the Kenod situation better than you did. I mean you left him. You could have made sure he didn't try to escape before you left. Or you know what? You should have just killed him. You know the thing you exactly good at."
"Ask your brother how good I am at killing," Train reminded. "And I don't mind showing you the same set of skills, too."
"I'm not the one you should be trying to scare," Pratt said.
"But you're the one that's here," Train said. "And I like to practice sounding cool in front of motherfuckers. Speaking of which, how's the racist son of yours?"
Pratt swallowed hard. "I suggest you keep my child out of your mouth."
"Yeah, well your now baby mother wanted me to keep my children in her mouth," Train smiled. "You know for the record."
Pratt stood up off his chair. "I think we are done here. Take that file and get the fuck out of my office."
"Or what? You're going to send me to bed with no supper," Train laughed. "Look that tough guy shit only works when I do it. You more like a cop on an NBC drama show. You're going to have to do better. You are in this office. You got that fat boy computer whiz hacking into shit like an overweight Neo and you can't give me anything. I got motherfuckers coming after me in my place of solitude with the address stamped out on their underwear. How do you think Superman would feel if Lex Luthor came into his fortress with a surprise Kryptonite birthday cake and sparklers? You are right. This shit is serious and if you want to continue to be a recurring character in this book or in my delusion as you say, you better become useful. Because the day I think you are no longer needed, I'm meeting you at the lockers like 2pac in Juice. "
"Like I said, I'm not the person you should be scaring." Pratt reprised.
"And I like I said, you're the only one that's here," Train reminded. "But that may not be for long."
"Just do what you have to do," Pratt said.
"Look this isn't Bad Boys Two," Train said. "You're not sending me out with orders. This Knowledge is already ahead of us. Find out how we can ahead of him so I can put my foot in him. In the meantime, I have to find a new place to stay."
"We have..."Pratt was about to inform Train of the safe houses that were available but Train cut him off.
"That won't be necessary," Train said. "I know how to get ghost. My problem was trusting you to help me with that or did you forget how I got that apartment in the first place?"
"I'll keep you updated but I still need you to..."Pratt was again interrupted.
"There you go again," Train said. "You're not the captain and this isn't Lethal Weapon. The only thing you need me to do is keep my children out of your baby mother's mouth. Until then, either found this Knowledge guy, find what's left of Kenod, or more importantly find Charmaine."
Pratt remained silent.
"Maybe if you're lucky, you may find my brother," Train said.
Pratt looked puzzled. "You still believe he is alive."
"Shit, I am," Train replied. "Plus people like happy endings."
"What?" Pratt asked.
"Never mind," Train smiled. "Another delusion I guess"
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Knowledge blew smoke through his nose as he puffed on the cigarette he was holding. He turned to the man on his right who was tilting his fedora.
"So what happened, Tops?" Knowledge asked blowing another nostril of smoke.
Tops looked at Knowledge then adjusted his fedora again. "I don't know. I gave Kenod the information and that was it. I wanted to send some people with him but he said he would handle it. I mean after all that, that bastard and his bitch ass brother did, I let them go to appease Queen Envy."
"You really want to be on the Board?" Knowledge inquired.
"It could be good for both of us," Tops informed.
"I'm good," Knowledge rejected. "I already had a dealing and a falling out with Queen Envy. I still got to keep my balls so I'm not trying to be in another room with her unless I got an army and an athletic cup. Plus that Board is on a whole new different level. I got some people on the payroll. They're HR. Plus I like being an independent contractor."
"I hear you," Tops agreed.
"Back to this Street kid," Knowledge said. "So he caught up with..."
"Train," Tops said the name like it gave him dread. "I sent him after Train. I use the information you gave me to get Train. I couldn't do it myself. I made a deal with Queen Envy. But I wanted that bastard to still pay. I fucking had him assassinated and it didn't take. He gets snatched up and turned into some sort of ghost. I couldn't try again and mess up. Plus I couldn't let Queen Envy catch wind of it."
"What about the other brother?" Knowledge asked.
"Don't really care about him too tough even though I want him dead as well," Tops explained. "But this nuisance Train I really want dead. He slipped through every corner I can think of and the atrocity that he has inflected is way beyond words can describe. I knew Kenod wanted this motherfucker just as bad as I did."
"But I gave that information to you," Knowledge reminded taking a final puff of his cigarette. "I did it as a favor. I had to pull strings for you because I see you as more than an ally, I see you as a friend. Now I'm going to have the Queen and according to my new connects, a new Special Agent of the FBI, on my trail now."
"How you figure?' Tops inquired.
"Because that's my job to figure," Knowledge replied. "I know you've seen me grow up, you see the tattoos, and you see the reckless encounters of my brothers. But what haven't noticed is how my mind changed and how I adapted this long to become the man I am. I'm cautious and that is what makes me deadly, not my appearance. The Queen will know someone went after this guy. She is going to assume it was you so be ready to keep your spot on the Board. Second, this agent, I think his name is like Prett or something, has been setting up a new form of unit to really catch people like us."
"How you know that?" Tops asked.
"How you think I found Train," Knowledge responded. "And Queen, well that's another story. She and her Board are the most invisible vultures on the planet. Trust me if I know something, she already knows it. So you better start covering your tracks and fast, if you can. I already did the first part, I find Keron."
"Where?" Tops asked.
Knowledge smiled.