Chapter 41
The living room is loud with noise as everyone talks over each other tryna make their theories heard. So far, we've heard Simon suggest it was Angel, Reese say it was the cop who shot Tory, and Keezy wonder if Candyce is the type to run away when shit gets hard.
I don't know why he said that with Simon standing right next to him. Out of all of us, Simon is the only one stupid enough to cheap shot a hitter when he wasn't looking. I had to drag Simon out the room while Mad Max and 'nem held Keezy back before shit escalated.
The whole while I was dragging Simon away he was yelling that Ace left when Candyce stayed and how she's been holding it down ever since. I felt him 100 percent, but now ain't the time to fight each other for putting up ideas. Daz ain't back with the details yet, so ideas is all we got to work with.
I let Simon back in after he got a chance to talk to Calvin at the door. It seemed to help him cool his head for a bit. That was ten minutes ago, and I've been regretting letting him back in ever since.
"What we waiting on Daz for? We already know who took her," Simon says.
I take a deep breath before I say something that'll set us back another ten minutes. I find myself doing that alot since we been here. I mostly been trying to keep my head as I listen to these niggas argue over the same shit. If they ain't fussing over what they perceive as a bad idea, they getting into it over what happened earlier.
I swear I got a good mind to take my gun and my coat and look for Red myself. The only thing that stops me is Candyce. She's out there somewhere prolly tied up or worse, waiting for us to find her. Meanwhile, we standing around with our dicks in our hands wasting time.
Brainstormin' with these fools ain't gettin' us nowhere. Still, I know I got a better chance of finding her if we all stick together. It's just hard to keep that in mind when I check my watch and realize we ain't no closer to finding Candyce than we was when we pulled up to The Loft thirty minutes ago.
"I already told you I don't think it's Angel," I say to Simon.
"I think you don't want it to be Angel," He says.
I cock my head to the side.
"What you mean by that?" I ask.
"If it is him then that means you gotta put yo pride to the side and admit that you were wrong. You don't wanna do that," Simon says.
I can't believe he think I care 'bout some trivial shit like pride when Candyce is blowing in the wind. He just don't know; I'll give up my last dime to find his sister alive. I'd even throw his ass in as a bonus.
He giving me too much credit and not enough at the same time.
"Wrong about what?" I ask.
"About not going after this nigga the first time he came after Candyce at the club," Simon says.
It's unbelievable how much patience I lose every time this nigga opens his mouth. I had to put up with him the whole ride over when I really should've made that nigga walk. Now I'm confined to a room with him and the first thought that comes to his mind 'cause I was stupid enough to invite him in.
There's a reason most niggas have to wait in the hall before they can join us in this room and Simon is that reason personified.
"You got it all figured out, huh?" I ask.
"Yup," Simon says.
He ought to be lucky that Reese knows me better than anybody in this room. He's worked with me long enough to understand what my I'm saying before my fists do the talkin' for me.
'You got it all figured out' means you ain't hearing me so I gotta show you wassup instead. Reese has seen firsthand what these kind of conversations can lead to. Soon as I step to Simon, he stretches his arm out to hold me back.
I'm thankful for him 'cause I meant what I said about fighting only getting in the way of finding Candyce. But all that goes out of the window when it comes to Simon. I swear it's like oil and water with that boy. His smart mouth and quick temper be having me ready to lay hands on him. But I'll deal with him another way for Candyce's sake.
I push Reese's arm off me.
"The club wasn't the first time Angel went after Candyce. You would know that if you listened more than you talked. The first time was a drive-by that almost got us all killed. Where you was back then? That's right. I keep forgetting you jumped off the porch overnight. You was catching bodies on GTA while we was getting shot in real life," I say.
I step closer to him, but Reese gets in my way. I talk the rest of my shit from over his shoulder.
"Stop talkin' like you know this life, bruh. You just a nerd playing dress-up," I say.
Simon smacks his teeth.
"And you just a pussy pretending to be a gangsta. Some nigga rode on you and your best friend and he still roaming the streets untouched. Now he got Candyce too and you too traumatized to do anything about it," He says.
I'm sick and tired of this nigga talkin' like he know what the fuck he talkin' bout. I spent the whole ride over here explaining why I don't think it was Angel that took her. He kept asking how I know and I don't--not for sure anyway--but I gotta gut feeling he looking the wrong way. I been in the streets a long time and my instincts ain't never lead me astray.
Every time Angel came at us, he left behind a clue letting us know it was him. Daz ain't let us know what he found at the trap yet, but I feel like if it was Angel, he would've been reached out to us. I could almost hear his manic ass cackling on the phone while Candyce screams in the background.
It's true that I haven't known him as long as Ace. In my defense, Angel strikes me as one of those people you only gotta meet once to know what they stand on. My limited experience tells me snatching Red up like a thief in the night just ain't his style.
If I'm wrong and he is moving like that, I think he would've kidnapped her a long time ago. Opening night of her club would've been perfect. Nobody knew he still had eyes on us, and the club was so packed nobody would've noticed if Candyce went missing. Instead, he killed one of her employees to remind us that Candyce can be touched at any time.
It's all a cat and mouse game to Angel. I doubt he'd end it by kidnapping Candyce before Ace gets back in town. It's Ace he got the real beef with anyway.
I tried to explain all this to Simon in the car, but I see now that logic goes in one ear and out the other with him. He's determined to pull up on Angel no matter what I say.
I ain't boutta keep wasting my breath on him.
I toss him my keys.
"Go ride on that nigga then, since you so 'bout it."
He catches my keys with one hand.
"I guess I'ma have to since you too pussy to do something 'bout it, just like Cam said."
"You and yo bitch do a lot of pillow talking?" I ask.
Simon steps up like he finna do something other than talk for once. Conveniently, Keezy is here to break us apart.
"None of this is helping us find Candyce. We gotta stay focus. Anybody got in touch with Daz yet?" Keezy asks.
The front door slams closed. We all look up.
"I did," He says.
Soon as I lay eyes on him, I get pissed off about this morning all over again.
"Who called the junkie?" I ask, mugging Munch.
"I did. You said it was all hands on deck right?" Keezy says.
He glances over at Reese.
"Otherwise we would've been made good on his promise to shoot it out," Keezy says.
Reese scoffs and looks the other way. He mumbles something, then turns back to mug Keezy. At least one of these niggas know when to shut up and listen.
"When you called him?" I ask Keezy.
"Right after you called me."
"So 'bout an hour ago," I say.
It's still Christmas, so I ain't expect everybody to be pulled away from their families so easily. The hitters are used to it; they never guaranteed a day off. Most of them beat me and Simon here. Reese got here later 'cause of the traffic at the airport and somehow, we all managed to beat Munch here. I wonder why that is.
"You don't gotta ask no nigga 'bout me. I'm right here," Munch says.
I look him over. His eyes are tinted red, much like some of the niggas in here. Unlike them, he's pulled on his nose too many times for my liking.
"Aight. Well tell me something, Munch. How much coke did you snort before you got here?" I ask.
Munch pauses. His eyes flicker over to me. He drops his hand from his nose. He sniffles, standing up straight.
"You should be asking how many bullets I counted and which one got yo name on it," He says.
Reese stands off to the side watching our encounter. The rest of the hitters look on from the couches. Among them are Rondo, a dark brown nigga whose skin matches the color of a pecan. Stretched out on the sofa next to him is Cutta, a light-skinned nigga with red tats in his face. He got on a beanie with a black bubble vest and an all-black fit on underneath.
Bee is on the other couch. He's brown like Rondo, 'cept he been lifting weights to get his weight up. He gotta neatly-lined bush on top his head. Then there's Black Tony, the Humble Beast. He's never said a word around me. I don't think he talks to them either. Mad Max sits beside him. Keezy still stands between me and Simon, but his attention is now split between me and Munch.
They might be in for a show. Munch is another nigga I get on with like oil and water. I almost came to blows with Simon, but he didn't put a gun to my head and threaten to shoot.
"Ain't you and Candyce posed to be brothers or something? What the fuck took you so long?" I say.
"Say Superman, not everybody can be a hero. I couldn't just stop what I was doing and break out the spandex and fly here like yo bitch ass did," Munch says.
He tries to play it off by dismissing me but I ain't going for it. He been waving guns around all day. He need to be a lil' more specific right now. He can save his corny jokes for a nigga that's gon' play with him.
"You coulda beat yo time if you walked here so what took you so long?" I ask again.
Munch laughs under his breath. He shakes his head, wagging his finger at me.
"Careful. You showing yo true colors with this third degree," He says.
I pull my neck back.
"Fuck you mean by that?" I ask.
"That mean you spending too much time round them pigs in blue. I feel like I'm in an interrogation room right now," Munch says.
I should've saw that coming. Whenever he ain't got nun' to say he bring up me being a snitch. It don't even bother me as much hearing Munch say it. At least I knew Tory was onto something. Munch just spitting back what he heard Tory say, in the spirit of keeping his brother alive.
I'm tempted to G'check him in front all his lil' friends but Reese handles it for me.
"Fuck is you beating 'round the bush for? Just tell us where you was," Reese says.
"Who gives a fuck where he was at? This nigga right here in front of us! He ain't missing! Let him tell us what Daz found so we can make a move," Simon says.
"I give a fuck. This nigga could be the one that took yo sister," I say.
Munch laughs.
"Why the fuck would I snatch Candyce up?" Munch asks.
"You grieving, nigga. You ain't been making much sense since you found out. You blamed me for Gecko when you know that got Ace name written all over it. You threatened to kill me over Tory. Now that you know Candyce was the last one to see him alive, you might be blaming her for that too," I say.
Munch shakes his head, "You stay on bullshit, bruh. You worse than me."
All his stalling got everybody in the room starting to see it my way. Even Keezy crosses his arms and waits for Munch to explain himself.
Munch takes his time looking around at all of us. He nods his head slowly when he see we all wearing the same impatient look.
"I was driving 'round the city looking through morgues. Lord knows that nigga T ain't keep a lick of ID on him. He would still be a John Doe if it wasn't for Candyce, so nah, I don't blame her," He says.
He looks straight at me as he continues talking.
"I had half a mind to come here and kill you but T spoke to me. He said to save yo funeral for a rainy day and focus on finding Candyce right now," He says.
I catch Reese's eye from across the room. He stares at me intensesly before nodding his head at Munch. I understand what he tryna say without him coming right out and saying it.
Pay attention. That's the second time he's threatened you today.
I hear Reese's warning loud and clear like he yelled it across the room.
I nod my head. Reese should know I'm watching this nigga after he put a gun to my fucking head. It ain't slipped my mind just 'cause I ain't brought it up yet. I just got more important shit to worry about.
Despite our differences, Munch makes a good point. Candyce is still missing and thanks to Simon, I don't know how long she's been gone. I'm accepting help from anywhere, even from cokeheads who got it out for me.
And to think Simon thought I was worried 'bout my pride.
I may be desperate but I ain't stupid. I know it's risky being around Munch so soon after Tory's death. I'll accept his help, but best believe that nigga walking in front of me at all times. He ain't shooting within a yard of me either. I'll be damned if his fat ass get the ups on me and kill me in a convenient case of friendly fire.
Now that I've come to terms with the conditions of his help, I throw one more shot at him for the fuck of it.
"Tory told you all that before or after you took a dive on the ski slopes?" I ask Munch.
Simon groans like he seen enough of The Caesar and Munch Show.
"He told you what took him so long now you the one holding us up. Bad enough you let her get lost in the first place," Simon says.
I know this nigga ain't talkin'.
The only reason I don't place the blame where it belongs is 'cause I can only imagine how he feeling with Red being gone. That's his sister, but more than that, that's his twin. He probably ain't retaining nun' in that small brain of his 'cause his mind everywhere at once. I swallow my own anger and give him some leeway.
"That wasn't on me. I left her with Daz. It's his dumbass fault for leaving her at the trap," I say.
"Daz ain't the one that found her by the side of the road. You did. You shoulda stuck with her," Simon says.
Look at that. I can't even be nice to this nigga.
"Me? Nigga you should've been let somebody know when she ain't come home," I say.
"You woulda known that if you bothered to check on her earlier," He says.
"I was busy bringing Ace up to speed."
"What he say?" Munch asks.
All that coke is seriously fucking with his brain. He really got the nerve to ask me a question like he ain't threaten to kill me twice today--once in his last sentence. I look him up and down.
"He ain't answer," I say.
"Must've been one long ass voicemail," Simon says.
It takes everything in me not to put my hands on him. I turn back around to face him.
"This ain't on me! This shit would've never happened if I was there!" I say.
"But you wasn't. None of us was," Reese says.
He looks around at us, "All that woulda-coulda-should've shit don't matter now. Let's just stay focused so we can find Candy and bring her home."
For the first time all night, the room gets quiets. Everybody too busy breeding their own angry silences. If they anything like me, they silently blaming themselves too. Reese is right. We all had some idea of what happened with Candyce and Tory. Even if they ain't know the whole truth, we still knew she came within an inch of her life being taken. It was only by some miracle Guiterrez found it in her to let Candyce get away.
Whether we thought it was the cop who killed Tory, or Angel, we all knew Candyce was in danger. Instead of staying glued to her hip like I promised her, I left her in the hands of Daz--a nigga I wouldn't trust with my own life. Now she's missing and all we can do is point the finger and act like it shouldn't be pointed back at us.
Keezy breaks the silence after a few minutes. He nods his head to get Munch's attention.
"Where Daz at with it? He say what he found at the trap?" He asks.
Munch nods his head.
"Candyce's car is still on the street. He said glass was all over the ground like somebody busted her window. He stayed behind to knock on doors and see if anybody saw sum'n," Munch says.
The fire within me is hard to contain after hearing that. They broke her window, so that mean she ain't see it coming. Now I'm wondering if they pulled her out of the window and if they did, I know she screamed for help. That means somebody in that fucking neighborhood heard something. Which also means, my baby was screaming for help and nobody came outside to help her. Since when did it become a thing for black people to mind their business when a girl was being kidnapped? The fuck is wrong with people these days.
I step away to try and keep my composure. Maybe it's a good thing Daz ain't come straight here. I don't think I would've been able to hear that and look him in the face without hitting him.
"So far nobody heard or saw none," Munch says.
"Duh. It's the hood. Niggas ain't saying shit if they ain't getting an award for it," Reese says.
"Unless they scared enough," Simon says.
"Daz ain't scaring nobody," Keezy says.
"Then how bout you make yoself useful and start kicking in some fucking doors? Kill whoever you have to, to find out who took Candyce," Simon says.
A light bulb flickers on in my head--inspired by Simon of all people. 'Lil nigga finally proving he can be useful after all.
I walk back over to the group. Simon and Keezy are in the middle of passing words when I walk up.
"Simon, stop telling my people what to do," I say.
"They still yo people after they put a gun in Reese's face?" Simon asks.
He says it with a hint of a laugh as if to say 'That couldn't have been me.' Dumbass finally put forth one good idea and look how quickly he fails me.
"That's what I'm saying. I'on even know why you called them," Reese says.
"Nobody held a gun to his face," Mad Max says.
"If we did, you wouldn't even be talking right now," Rondo says.
"Facts. We don't pull that bitch out for nothing," Cutta says.
"So stop bitching before we give you something to whine about," Bee says.
Mad Max laughs as he reaches over to dap Bee up. Tony don't join in the foolishness, but he never do. If they were a family, he was the retarded cousin nobody talked to.
"Say the word, Caese. I'll retire all these niggas right now," Reese says.
"Ain't nobody retiring nobody 'cause Boy Wonder got a point," I say, pointing to Simon.
Simon smacks his teeth.
"Daz ain't putting fear in nobody's heart. But all of us together can make a blind man see again. If we storm the neighborhood in ski masks and choppas, best believe we gon' jog somebody's memory," I say.
Reese immediately starts shaking his head. He ain't even let the thought marinate before he try to shoot it down.
"Eleven niggas hopping out in ski masks and guns? They gon call the police before we make it to the door," He says.
"Niggas in New York don't know to be sneaky?" Mad Max asks.
Keezy walks over to Reese.
"You might wanna hold off on our retirement, Caese. We can teach yo boy here a lil sum'n bout being a gangsta," Keezy says.
He pats Reese on the shoulder. Reese aggressively shrugs his hand off. Keezy laughs, then mugs him once Reese turns around.
"And what about you?" I ask Munch, "You in or you out?"
"It's Candyce, nigga. Do you really have to ask?" Munch says.
He turns and heads for the door before we can get any sort of plan figured out. I guess we just riding out there guns blazin'. That don't sound too bad right now. The way I'm feeling, anybody can get it. We'll just figure the shit out as more information comes to us.
"Besides, I don't trust none of you niggas can get her back without me. Y'all too soft," Munch says on his way out the door.
Mad Max hops off the couch. He follows Munch with a giddiness 'bout him that I can understand. This is his first real mission since stepping into his own. It's time to see if being a hitter is where he belongs.
"Who soft, Munch?" He asks.
"You," Cutta says, following him out.
Rondo gets up off the sofa and jogs to catch up to 'em. He slings an arm around Max's shoulder. It reminds me of something I'd see a big brother do.
"We gon' see bout that," Mad Max says.
I can see why they're in a good mood. I had them sitting on ice ever since Guiterrez started closing in. They finally get a chance to get their feet wet again and they get to do it as a gang. That rarely happened when they were working for Ace.
Their voices travel into the hallway. Bee and Tony get up right after them, leaving me, Reese, Keezy and Simon behind.
"Don't worry, boss. We gon' find her," Keezy says.
"We better," Reese says.
They size each other up. Keezy is the first to break their gaze. He chuckles lowly as he follows his gang out the door. Reese stays behind to dap me up.
"I don't understand these niggas, bruh," He says.
"Who you tellin'? I just work here," I say.
Reese laughs as we dap up. His smile starts to fade when we drop hands.
"All bullshit aside, Caese, we gon' find her. You know I ain't leaving 'til we do," He tells me.
I nod my head.
"I know you care 'bout her fool. That's why I need you by my side," I say.
"I'm here as long as you need me," Reese says.
I dap him up into a hug.
"Good lookin'," I say.
"No doubt," Reese says.
He looks over at Simon standing quietly next to me. He reaches his hand out.
"What about you? You ready to catch a body for Candyce?" He asks.
Simon takes up his outstretched hand.
"You don't know me if you gotta ask," He says.
Reese nods his head proudly.
"That's what the fuck I'm talkin' bout. I'll see y'all boys out there," He says.
We watch him walk to the front door. Simon waits until he's outside to fill the air between us.
"You better hope they right or the next body they gon' be looking for is yours," Simon says.
My third threat of the day. I gotta have a spot in The Guinness Book of World Records by now.
I turn to look at him. He continues staring straight ahead until it's time for him to walk off. Then he turns his head in my direction and looks me dead in my eyes.
Ain't no way I take Simon serious, but I know how he feels about his sister. I know he'll make good on his threat if we don't bring Candyce back alive.
I watch him walk out of the room.
A threat ain't even necessary in this case. It's Candyce we talkin' bout. I ain't gon be able to breathe correctly until I find her. I'll stop breathing altogether if she ain't alive when we do.
I tuck the worst case scenario in the back of mind. I'm with Simon on this one.
I'll kill any and everybody to find Red alive.
The soles of my shoes are all I can see from beneath the blindfold. I try to focus in on the red specks of blood dancing on the checkered pattern of my black and white Vans. I say 'dancing' because my vision is blurry as hell and has been ever since Curry punched my lights out in the van.
I woke up with a pounding headache just as the van rolled to a stop. I was disoriented, but I remembered enough about what happened to know where I was. Besides, the pain in my stomach was an aching reminder of the fight I put up and lost on the way here.
The blindfold was still wrapped tightly around my eyes, which didn't help the headache I had from getting punched in the face by a man. I had to concentrate on the sounds around me to get a feel for what the fuck happened while I was knocked out. I heard a door open, but it sounded like it was far away. Footsteps crunched on gravel around the van before I heard another door open. This one was closer than before. The van flooded with cold air.
"Damn. Y'all ain't say y'all was gon' kill the bitch," Someone said.
That's all I needed to hear.
I started squirming around on the van's floor. Muffled screams escaped the duct tape over my mouth. They must've tied my hands behind my back while I was passed out. My feet were binded together too. I couldn't do shit but scream against the sticky tape across my mouth.
"I guess Mike Tyson awake now," Someone else said.
I recognized that voice from all the cursing he was doing when I was clawing at his skin with my acrylics. I heard a lot of it while I was breaking nail after nail scratching his hands, arms and face up; that was Maj for sure.
Playing Catwoman got me knocked upside the head by Curry. I heard his voice next. Unlike Maj, I wasn't able to get my hands on him earlier. I only recognized his voice from the misogyny and aggressiveness in it.
"Get this hoe up before I have to knock her ass out again," He said.
The van leaned under his weight as he climbed out the van. I heard crunches of gravel move away from us as Maj and Neco grabbed my arms.
There wasn't much I could do to stop them from pulling me out the van. Soon as my feet hit the ground though, I yanked away from them and tried to hop away.
I heard Neco laugh.
"Look at this bitch. She belong on Animal Planet hoppin' like that," He said.
Fuck him. He wasn't gon' be saying shit when I hopped where somebody could see me. It was only a matter of time before somebody saw me and called the pol--
Next thing I knew my body was being thrown forward. I couldn't catch myself from falling with my hands tied behind my back, so I just turned my head so the damage to my face wouldn't be that bad. My hair caught the brunt of it, but I did scratch the side of my face up against the gravel.
Meanwhile Neco was laughing up a storm behind me.
"She ain't here for y'all amusement! Stop playing and get her the fuck up before somebody see! Y'all niggas playing too much!" Curry yelled.
Before somebody see. So we ain't in the middle of nowhere. We still around people, just like I'd hoped.
I heard more crunches on gravel before somebody helped me up by my arm.
"Chill out before you hurt yoself," Maj said next to me.
Clearly I was scratching the wrong person. Neco should've been in the back of the van. He wouldn't have lasted one block with me.
I made a mental note to scratch his vocal chords to shreds if I got the chance.
When Maj got me standing on my feet, I realized that my fall pushed the blindfold up a little bit. Now I could see the black and grey bits of gravel instead of just hearing them. I could see my shoes and Maj's as I hopped alongside him.
Neco's obnoxious laugh had settled into a light chuckle when we finally made it over to him. He grabbed my other arm.
"Dumbass," He said.
Since I didn't weigh shit, they winded up carrying me the rest of my the way. Maj held one arm and Neco held the other. My feet dragged a little as we walked up what felt like a driveway to meet Curry.
They put me down when the ground was flat again. I could see my Vans and three pairs of black Air-Force 1s standing around in a circle. It's only then that I try to focus on the blood on my shoes while I listen to them talk.
"The key wasn't hiding in the electric box like you said it was gon' be," Curry says.
"Shit. He probably moved it," Neco says.
"Ain't you said this was yo people's shop? Why you ain't got a key?" Curry asks.
Neco smacks his teeth.
"It's my uncle's shop. Why would I have a fucking key?" He asks.
"Nigga, I thought you said yo dad owned this place," Curry says.
"He used to. Then he died and my uncle took over it. Unc used to let me hang around and fix cars 'til I started stealing shit out the them. He told me he'd call the cops on me if he ever saw me 'round here again," Neco says.
Maj curses under his breath.
"Ain't no way you just said that bro," Maj says.
"What?" Neco asks.
"So you tellin' me that you brought us to the one place a nigga swore he was gon' call the cops if he saw you here?" Curry asks.
Neco smacks his teeth.
"You think I'm that stupid?" He asks.
I'd vote 'yes' but I doubt I get a say.
"Ain't nobody here to call the police. Unc usually takes his family up to to his wife's people's house for the holidays. Why you think they gotta 'Closed' sign in the window?" Neco asks.
It's amazing what you can learn about your surroundings without being able to see. Just listening to these fools talk I've realized that we're still in the city or at least somewhere near people. We're at some kinda auto repair shop since Neco was talking about fixing cars. And I know that the owners are out of town for the holidays.
Add these small details on top the fact that I know my kidnappers and I'm still no closer to being found.
At the end of the day, I still don't know the name of this auto repair shop they may or may not be keeping me in. Neco was smart enough to not let his uncle's name slip in case his name was on the shop's door. I got knocked out on the drive over here so I don't know how long the ride was so I can't really pinpoint where we are in the city, or if we even are in the city.
Basically I don't know shit.
"If they outta town then I guess this still the best place we can keep her," Curry says.
"It's gon' have to be 'cause I ain't bringing her wild ass to my house," Neco says.
"Foreal. She'll make my grandma catch a whole heart attack," Maj says.
"Well that's why we here and not there," Curry says.
At first I thought Curry was only the ringleader of this operation because Maj and Neco were stupid enough to follow him. Now I realize they were just too dumb or scary to think of the idea on their own.
Neco's handling my kidnapping like it's some kind of practical joke. Maj seem like he got one foot in and one foot out. I mean, he let me scratch him up without hitting me back. He helped me up when Neco was too busy laughing at me and he never called me out my name like Curry.
Maybe his demeanor got something to do with that grandma he was just talking about.
"How we posed to get in?" Maj asks.
"We break in. Duh," Neco says.
Please do so the cops can show up and arrest all three of y'all dumbasses.
"They got an alarm?" Curry asks.
"Yeah but I still know it if he ain't change the code," He says.
"That's a big 'if'," Maj says.
Neco smacks his teeth.
"Stop being so fucking scary, nigga. Don't you wanna get paid?" He asks.
"Yeah nigga, why you think I'm here?" Maj says.
"Neither one of y'all niggas gon' get paid if we can't find somewhere to keep her. Let's hurry up and get this shit open before somebody drive past and see us," Curry says.
"Or before Kangaroo Jack try to hop away again," Neco says, laughing.
"I'd point my middle finger at all y'all but my hands tied behind my back so let me just say 'fuck you' before we move any further," I say.
Except it comes out muffled as hell because I still got this tape over my mouth.
"Shut up, bitch," Neco says.
"I almost want take the tape off to hear what she said just so I can bat the shit out her again," Curry says.
I roll my eyes behind the blindfold.
"Maj stay with her while we try to find a way in," Curry says.
"Why y'all can't just throw a brick through the window?" He asks.
"Cause somebody driving by gon' see it and call the police. Damn, this nigga dumb. Why we splitting the money with him again? Cause it seem like we doing all the thinking and work for him," Neco says.
"Man, fuck you, Neco," Maj says.
"Aight, y'all niggas chill. Let's just get this bitch inside. The faster we do that is the longer they wait, which means the more we get paid," Curry says.
"Now we talkin'," Neco says.
I hear them slap hands with each other.
"Aight, Maj?" Curry asks.
"Yeah, whatever, bruh," He says.
I don't hear another set of palms slap, so I know Maj ain't on the same page as them. He probably wanna' get paid too, but I don't think he signed up for all this. So far he's been beaten up by a girl and disrespected by his own niggas. I'd be second-guessing my decision too.
Once I'm sure Neco and Curry are gone, I start talking against the tape again. Maj seems like the only one who would take it off, and after a minute I hear him sigh before I see his shoes stand in front of me.
"You bet not tell them I did this," Maj says.
Then he rips the duct tape off with no warning or nothing.
I wimper in pain.
"My bad. That's usually how they do it in movies," He says.
I set the pain aside, just like I did with the throbbing pain in my stomach and the pounding headache in my head.
I pull some deep breaths in. I try to talk but my mouth is so dry it comes out as a hoarse whisper.
"What?" Maj asks.
I clear my throat.
"I said, 'I hope you know my brother is gonna' kill you when he finds you," I say.
"Ace can't come back to the city without getting arrested," Maj says.
"Not Ace. Simon," I say.
Maj smacks his teeth.
"Ain't nobody scared of Simon. I know that nigga. He ain't living like that," He says.
"You knew Simon before you took his twin sister. Ain't no tellin' who he is now," I say.
"Yeah, well I'm more concerned about Caesar," Maj says.
I laugh. It hurts escaping my throat.
When was the last time I had a sip of water?
"You should be," I say, "I'm his first love."
I don't need to take the blindfold off to see the panic etched onto Maj's face. I can feel it in his silence.
He should be afraid 'cause I've never said those words to anyone. Not that telling him now matters.
A secret is still a secret if you tell it to a dead man walking.
Ace gotta room on the second floor of The Loft full of black clothes, shoes, gloves and ski masks. The hitters call it "The Locker Room". We shuffle in and out of it changing into clothes that'll help us blend into the nighttime. Then we go down the hall to pick up guns from another heavily guarded room.
The hitters move in and out the rooms with precision and ease. I bet these motherfuckers could walk this floor of The Loft in their sleep. The rest of us, like me, Reese, Simon and Munch are like guests in their house. We all know our way around a gun like everybody knows their way around a table. The difference between us and the hitters is that they stay here and we don't.
That's the only difference too. None of that other shit matters. It don't matter what floor of The Loft we used to being on. It don't matter who sell drugs, who calls the shots or who does the hits. We're here now. We all sporting the same uniforms so that makes us all teammates. And we only got one goal in mind which is to find Candyce by any means necessary.
It's still dark out when we make it outside. I don't got my phone on me to tell the time cause we decided to leave 'em here. That way if anything goes down tonight and it falls back on us, then the geo-tags on our phones won't be able to tie us to the scene.
I check the time on the trap phones we passed out instead.
11:58pm.
I blow out a frustrated sigh. Ain't no telling how long Candyce been gone and we just wasted over an hour in there talkin' and arguing. Them niggas who took her ain't do no talkin'. They ain't do no negotiating. I been expecting a ransom call all night and ain't got shit yet.
I don't know what else it could be if it ain't money they want. They holding all the cards and it's stressing me the fuck out.
I snap the trap phone closed.
"Where the fuck this nigga Cam at? Lame ass nigga had one job," I say.
I told Simon to reach out to Cam while we was getting ready. He was supposed to steal us a van and drive it here. I ain't even ask the nigga to go on this mission with us and now I'm glad I didn't. His dumb ass would've only held us back.
After two minutes we all start getting antsy. This nigga Cam got us standing out here dressed in black with guns the length of our legs by our sides. To anybody driving past, it look like we ain't up to no good. Then we don't got our masks on yet 'cause we expected this nigga Cam to just pull up and we hop in. Now anybody driving past can report our descriptions to the police. Blue and white lights would flood this bitch before we even have a chance to find Candyce.
Eventually Cam's stupid ass does pull up. He hops out the side of a beat-up black van with rusty patches covering the sides.
"Nice of you to show up Cameron," I say.
I only say it cause it's better than what I wanna say and saying anything is better than doing what I wanna do which is point the gun by leg in his face.
I snatch the keys out his hand.
"Dumb ass couldn't be trusted to do the one criminal thing ever asked of you," I say, climbing into the front seat.
"It wasn't easy finding a van without a company logo on it. You should be thanking me, nigga," Cam says.
I slam the door closed. I watch Cutta slide the van's door open and climb inside. Everybody else climbs in after him. Meanwhile Simon stands around chopping it up with Cam like we got more time to waste.
I honk the horn twice. Simon looks up with an irritated look on his face before finishing up his conversation with Cam. He comes around to the passenger door and gets in.
"I know it may not seem like it cause we wasted allat fuckin' time inside talkin' bout nothing, but we on a time limit, bruh. We don't know who took Candyce or what they doing to her. It would help if y'all niggas just assumed the worse if it get y'all moving a lil' faster," I say.
"You wasting time with that stupid ass speech. Just shut the fuck up and drive," Simon says, putting on his ski mask.
I turn the key in the ignition.
"You know I got no problem tellin' Candyce I killed her brother while I was looking for her," I say.
Simon waves his hand dismissively as if he was swatting away a pesky fly.
As much as I hate this nigga, this might be the first time I felt related to him. He get under my skin in a way only a lil' brother could. Except no amount of fictitious blood would stop me from beating his ass if I got the chance.
I put the car in drive and speed off to find the only person on Earth who can deal with this nigga.
...
The van creeps up the street as I lift my foot slightly off the gas to put my mask on. Guns cock into place all around me. Simon is deadly silent as he cranes his neck out the window to inspect Candyce's car as we drive past.
The van's wheels crunch over the glass from her window littering the street. I pull over in front her car and put us in park. I turn the key in the ignition but I don't pull them out.
I turn around in my seat, facing a car full of eyes and mouths since that's all that's visible with their masks on. Everybody's hand is on a gun, some already on the trigger.
"Do I even have to ask if everybody is ready?" I ask.
"Maybe your people," Rondo says.
I find Reese's eyes in a sea of black knit faces. He nods his head. Munch is easier to find not only 'cause of his weight, but also 'cause of the look in his eyes. They hold a cold, blank expression like he's here physically, but not mentally. He's definitely tapped out emotionally.
But shit, we can use that type of mentality for what we're about to do.
Since we never put together a plan beyond this point, I figure now is the time to finish it.
"There's more houses on this block than we have niggas for. I know we ina hood but don't get it confused. Most these people still rely on the cops to come to their rescue. If not cops, then sons, and cousins who moving just like we moving. So be prepared for anything. Make sure you figure out who all in the house before you start questioning people.
We ain't gon be able to hit all the houses but that's okay, we don't have to. Only a few of 'em are in eyesight of Candyce's car. Meaning somebody in one of these five houses saw something and didn't say nothing. It's on us to make them talk. I don't wanna just know what happened. I wanna know who happened and where we can find 'em," I say.
Everybody nods their heads. I don't ask if they understand me 'cause I ain't dealing with kids. If anybody still confused on what we doing then they shouldn't be here.
I pull the keys out the ignition and hop out. I check up and down the street before I go around to the side of the van, letting everybody else out.
As they start filing out, we hear a car door close. We don't pause or freeze to see who it is. We just turn around and aim our shit. In this case, we aim it at Daz. He stops walking towards us. His hands immediately go up in the air.
Around us, everybody smacks their teeth and lowers their guns. Except me. I keep my gun trained on him a few seconds longer than everybody else so he can realize just how bad he fucked up.
When I do lower my gun, he still looks hesitant to walk over.
"Bring yo scary ass," I say.
He shakes his head and walks over.
I reach inside the window of the van and pull out an extra hoodie, mask and pair of gloves. I hand it out to him as he walks up.
"What's this for?" He asks.
"Calm down, nigga. I know you a coke runner for a reason, but tonight you the lookout and the getaway driver," I say.
I toss him the keys to the van.
"What about my car?" He asks.
"Fuck yo car," Simon says.
I look back at him putting a clip into his AK. He stole the words right out my mouth.
Daz smacks his teeth.
"Don't drive away this time," I tell Daz.
A guilty look flashes across his face. I walk away before I do something about it.
I walk over to Keezy and the rest of the crew. They open their circle up to make room for me.
"We splitting up or we hitting as many houses as we can before--" Keezy starts to ask but midway Munch walks away from us.
"Where the fuck he going?" I ask.
"I don't need to be taking orders from no nigga," Munch says over his shoulder.
Bruh can't be serious right now. He chooses now to wander off on his own? I wish he woulda did that shit back at The Loft. I would've left his ass standing there with Cam.
I shake my head. I point to Bee.
"Go follow him. Watch his back," I say.
Bee nods his head and jogs off to one of the houses behind Munch.
"I guess we partner up. Take somebody and wait for my cue," I say.
Simon starts walking and Cutta follows. Rondo goes with Reese and I make them take Mad Max too. He's new to this shit and he might need somebody to watch his back before he can be trusted to watch someone else's. Tony goes off on his own. I was skeptical but Keezy assured me that he'll be straight by himself. So that leaves me with Keezy.
We creep to the last house on the corner. It's the last possible option for somebody seeing something. We walk to the side of the steps and look over at everybody else. They're all laying low near the porch steps of their own houses, looking at me. Even Munch's fat ass waits for my signal.
I listen intently for any upcoming cars. The street is silent though. I hold up two fingers and point them forward, letting everybody know to go with their move.
I can't speak to what happens in everybody else's house. But for me and Keezy, we storm the steps to the porch at the same time as everyone else. I raise my Timb to the lock and put all my weight into kicking the door in. It flies open and slams into the back wall.
Someone screams as we walk in. I raise my gun into position and start looking around. I step on a red sleeping bag and the lil' girl inside it jumps out and into the arms of a dark-skinned woman with short hair sitting up on the couch. Keezy locates the screamer, a teenage girl who was also asleep on the floor.
"Shut the fuck up!" He yells, pointing the gun at her.
She stops screaming, but the little girl starts crying. The woman holds her in her lap and turns her head away from us.
"What's this about?! We can talk about whatever this is!" She screams.
"Who all in here?" I ask.
I can't see past the living room or up the stairs. I need to make sure we good before we lower our guns and try to have a conversation.
"Christmas is over! We ain't got nothing for y'all!" She says.
"He ain't ask you what you got or don't got! He said who all in here?!" Keezy says.
She shakes her head, burying her face in her daughter's hair.
"Mama," The teenage girl cries next to them.
Keezy keeps his gun trained on them, but I quickly realize they ain't gon say shit. The mama went into protective mode so now she think their way out of here is through silence. That'll work in a robbery, but this ain't that. I'm only here to hear them talk.
I reach for the lil' girl hoping all that maternal instinct would turn in my favor. Lil' mama starts screaming at the top of her lungs, fighting to stay with her mama. Her mama holds onto her other arm not letting her go.
I drop her daughter's arm and use both hands to aim my gun in the mama's face.
"Let her go," I say.
The mama only shakes her head.
"We not fuckin' playing with y'all hoes. Do what the fuck he say!" Keezy yells.
The mama cuts her eyes at Keezy.
"No," She says.
Keezy moves towards her but I put my hand up to stop him. Aight. So she ain't scared enough of dying to listen to us. That's alright 'cause that just told me what she is most afraid of.
I move my gun from out the mama's face and press it to the back of her younger daughter's head. The lil' girl's shoulders start shaking while she silently cries.
The woman starts crying too.
"It's okay, baby. It's okay. I'm right here," She says.
Then she lets her arm go.
I grab shawty and holster her up to my waist. Her silent cries turn into full-blown screams and I have to put her back down so she won't bust my fucking ear drum.
She tries to run back over to her mama the instant her feet touch the floor, but I bend down to pull her back.
Out the corner of my eye, I see a shadow move to my left. I recognize the shotgun barrel before it steps into the Christmas lights illuminating the living room.
I slowly stand up straight.
"That's right. Leave my grandbaby alone. Now I want you to take this tall fella here and get the fuck out my house before I put a hole in you big enough to see through!" An old lady screams.
Keezy immediately turns his gun on her. I can't bring myself to do it after being raised by Beatie, who was just the type of grandma to do something like this if she thought I was in danger.
"Don't think I won't light yo ass up 'cause you old. I ain't never been one to respect my elders," Keezy says.
I know he ain't lying. He's trained to kill whoever gets in front of his gun. A couple of life or death situations would have anybody moving like that. It wouldn't take much more than the pull of a trigger for this woman to be dead on the ground.
But she's an old lady. A loud noise can make her lose her grip on the shotgun. Before Keezy has a chance to erase her existence, I aim my gun first.
The woman and her kids start screaming and pleading.
I don't let them phase me. I squeeze the trigger, letting off a few rounds in the machine gun before lifting my finger. The old lady screams and drops the gun, covering her head.
Keezy steps forward and picks it up. He checks the guage and smacks his teeth.
"It's ain't even loaded," He says.
He mugs her.
"Sit yo old ass down boutta get killed over nothing!" He says.
She whimpers and goes over to her daughter and grandkids on the couch. Keezy looks at me and shakes his head. I look at the young woman.
"Was she the only other person in the house?" I ask.
She nods her head.
"Well aight then. I just gotta couple questions for y'all and then we'll be on our way," I say.
There's a bicycle box in the corner by the Christmas tree. I grab it. The box still got some weight to it so I know they ain't take the bike out the box yet. I drag it over to them. It's a child's bike so I'm tall enough to use it as a chair.
I post up right in front of them.
"There was a kidnapping on this street sometime today. A girl went missing. She's bout this tall," I point to the middle of my chest, "Curly hair, light-skinned. She had on a black shirt and grey sweatpants. I just wanna know what y'all know."
"We don't know nothing 'bout no kidnapping," The grandma snaps.
"It happened right across the street. How y'all ain't see or hear none?" I ask.
"We just didn't," The younger woman says.
I scratch the side of my face.
"Let me tell y'all something. That girl that got kidnapped means a lot to me. I promised her brother I would kill anybody to see her alive again. That includes you, you, you and lil' mama too. That iron don't discriminate," I say.
I stand up, positioning the gun back in my hands.
"That means I don't give a fuck if you old," I say, aiming at the old lady.
She turns her head.
"Or a woman," I nudge the gun against the other lady's head.
"Or young," I say, pointing it at the lil' girl.
"Or just at the wrong place at the wrong time," I say, landing on the teenager.
She mugs me then stares at the floor.
"I wish we could help you, but we wasn't home today," The younger lady says.
"Then why I smell yams all throughout this bitch. Why they got wrapping paper all over the floor? When the fuck did y'all have time to cook and open presents if y'all wasn't at home?!" I ask.
"Boss!"
I turn to the front door. Mad Max stands there breathing hard. It's probably cause he was supposed to be at the house on the other end of the block.
"What?" I ask.
"We got something," He says.
I nod my head. I look back over at the women on the couch. I just feel like they know something.
"Y'all better be lu--"
POP!
POP!
I drop to the floor not knowing where the shots came from. I turn around to see a pair of shoes running back up the staircase. I bust at him but I only hit the wall from my angle.
I rush to my feet, looking around for Keezy.
I find him by the door crouching next to Mad Max.
Fuck.
I forgot he was here just that quick.
I look back towards the staircase, then decide that nigga probably gone, whoever he was.
I run over to Keezy and Max. Relief runs through me seeing his eyes open. I check over his body and see that most of the blood is coming from his arm.
"It's just his arm," Keezy says, mirroring my thoughts.
I look down at Mad Max.
"You gon' be straight, bruh. I'ma go find the nigga that did this," I say.
Mad Max nods his head. I rush past them by the door and run out to the porch. I catch somebody in the blinds across the street, but I don't have time to think about them. I gotta hunt down the nigga that shot one of ours.
I hop over the porch banister and go around the side of the house. I catch the nigga jumping to his feet near the side window.
I bust at him, but he turns around, busting back. We both ain't got no cover to protect ourselves so we just letting shots off and backing up at the same time.
He a youngin' and he must ain't got that much experience shooting a gun. He shooting everywhere but at me 'cause he running and shooting at the same time. Then he make a big mistake by running without turning around to clap back.
I hit him twice. He so far away, I can't even tell where I hit him at. I just see him go down.
I'm ready to complete the task by putting two in his head to make sure he stay down, but I feel metal against my neck before I'm able to move.
POP!
I fall to the ground. I hear a body fall right after me. I turn around and see some random nigga face down in the grass behind me.
I stand up, breathing heavy.
"Welcome back to the land of the living," Keezy says.
"Where the fuck you came from?" I ask.
"I had my own shoot-out with this nigga back there. He came from a house across the street. I guess these niggas was friends or something," He says.
I take in another sharp breath. I thought that was the end for me.
"Good lookin' out," I say.
"No problem," Keezy smirks.
Then he looks over my shoulder. I turn around too. Turns out the nigga I shot twice was still moving, except now he was doing it on his stomach and moving at the speed of a snail.
I start to walk over there but Keezy grabs my arm. He nods to where I see Mad Max and Bee coming around the corner. Max had a towel wrapped around his arm with a grimace on his face. He was using Bee like a crutch.
"I'm glad to see yo ass walking and not crying like a lil' bitch," Keezy says.
"Fuck you, Keez," He says.
Keezy chuckles, handing him a gun.
"That nigga that did this to you up there dragging himself to safety. What you gon' do?" Keezy asks.
Mad Max looks down at the gun. He leans off Bee and picks it up with his good hand.
He takes his time walking over to the nigga and he still makes it there before the nigga can make it anywhere foreal.
We watch as Mad Max steps over the nigga, with his legs planted on either side of his body. Then we hear three shots ring out and the dude stops moving beneath him.
Max stays in position even after the boy's body goes limp.
"This ain't no funeral, nigga! Wrap that shit up!" Bee yells.
"Give him a minute. You know how that shit go," Keezy says.
Killing somebody in cold blood ain't no joke. Standing over somebody, watching as the life fades from their eyes fucks with you, no matter who you is.
Mad Max steps away from the body. He backs away as far as he can before he has to turn around to watch his step. I can see his chest rising and falling from here.
I remember the main thing for me was trying not to throw up. Shit seemed impossible at the time. It's just not meant for a human to see the inside of another person's head. That's probably why Max is breathing like that. He tryna keep it in so he won't look weak to us.
"Let's go. Max said Rondo and Reese found something out about Candyce," I say.
Ain't no reason to celebrate Mad Max's first kill right now. I'm proud that he finally came into his own, but I know it took a toll on him to do it. It ain't on us to add pressure to him on top of that.
Keezy must catch my drift cause he turns with no problem. Bee smacks his teeth but he eventually follows us.
We leave Mad Max with his thoughts to follow up on the lead he gave us. His house is four houses down from mine. Simon and Cutta are on the front porch when we walk up.
"What happened at y'all house?" I ask.
"Dead end. Reese said they might have something here," Simon says.
His arms are folded and he's too busy staring inside the house to make eye contact with me. I skip up the porch steps and push my way inside.
Rondo has his back to the door with a Draco drawn at a black woman and man. They have their hands in surrender, but their eyes keep flickering over to Reese, who's crouched down talking to a little girl.
"Where we at with it?" I ask.
Reese stands up. He guides the lil' girl forward. Her parents raise up like they finna do something but Rondo reminds them why that wouldn't be a good idea.
"Bro, I want you to meet somebody. This my new friend Spring," Reese says.
The girl is bright as hell, almost yellow. She got two plaits in her head with white pajamas on.
I look at Reese. He nods his head to the lil' girl so I know that means he want me to continue this good guy act he done set up.
I guess he using a soft hand with her 'cause she reminds him of his younger sisters. I can't blame 'em. Seeing Beatie in that old lady made me change my pace too.
I squat in front her.
"Wassup, Spring. My name Julius," I say.
I'm the only one without a nickname so I go with the name mostly associated with mine: Julius Caesar.
Spring looks up at Reese.
"This is your brother?" She asks.
Reese nods his head.
"So since we been getting on so well, you think you could tell him what you was about to tell me?" Reese asks.
Spring looks back at me. She seems so unsure. She being raised in the hood so most likely that "snitches get stitches" shit has already trickled down to her. I'm sure we ain't helping to ease her mind being dressed like this.
"Come outside with me, right quick, Spring," I say.
"No!" Her mama yells.
Spring turns to look at her mama, but I turn her back to me instead.
"You believe in pinky promises?" I ask her.
She nods her head.
"Aight, well I promise that I'll let you go back to yo mama after you tell me what you saw. I won't hurt you or yo mama," I say.
"You pinky promise?" She asks.
I raise my pinky up. We lock fingers. She continues holding onto my finger as I walk her outside. Reese follows me out.
"Give her some room," I tell the niggas outside.
It's seeming a lil' crowded now that Mad Max, Bee and Keezy has joined Simon and Cutta on the porch.
"Close the door," I tell Reese.
He looks skeptical but he does it anyway.
I knock my hood off. I start to move my fingers underneath my ski mask when Reese stops me.
"What you doing, son?" He asks.
"Do you have kids nigga?" I ask.
"What that gotta--"
"Do any of y'all niggas have kids?" I ask the group.
"I do," Mad Max says.
"Aight. Now would you want a nigga questioning yo daughter with a ski mask on?" I ask.
Mad Max shakes his head.
"I wouldn't want a nigga questioning my lil' girl at at all but if they had to do it, I'd rather they do it without a gun on they hip," He says.
I nod my head. At least somebody feeling me.
I sit the AK by the door and pull my glock off my waist. I hand it over to Reese.
"You can't be serious," He says.
"It's a fucking kid. What she gon do? Sass me to death?" I ask.
I shake my head. I thought he of all people would have some understanding.
I crouch back down so that I'm at Spring's level again.
"You know I'm only showing you my face because I trust you," I say, "You know what trust is?"
"It's like when you pinky promise to be honest," She says.
"Can I trust you, Spring?"
She hesitates. I give her some time. Then she nods her head.
"Now can you tell me what you saw happen next to that car?" I say, pointing back at Red's car.
"There was a woman crying. She seemed so sad," Spring says.
"Did you see anybody else with her?" I ask.
"No. Not at first. She was just alone and sad, and then she was sleeping. I wanted to watch to make sure she didn't have nightmares but then Mommy called me to eat."
"And then what happened?" I ask.
"Then she was screaming. I wanted to help but they were big kids and there was so many of them," Spring says.
I look back at my niggas. They nod their heads for me to keep going.
"You remember how many big kids you saw and what they looked like?" I ask.
She holds up three fingers.
"Boys or girls?" I ask.
"Boys. Really mean boys. Daddy says boys aren't supposed to hit girls but they pulled her by her hair. And they put that in her mouth," Spring says, pointing to the gun on Simon's hip.
I clench my jaw. It's hard to stay still after hearing that.
"Is that all, Spring?" I ask.
She nods her head.
"You promise?" I ask.
She holds her pinky up for me to grab. I grab it, then stand up.
"Now I trusted you enough to show you my face. Can I trust that you won't tell anybody that I did that or what we talked about?" I say.
She nods her head.
"I hope your girl friend is okay," She says.
I feel everybody's eyes on me.
"Thank you, Spring," I say.
Reese opens the door to let her squeeze through. He waves for Rondo to come out.
I look around at them, mostly Simon. I know that was hard for me to hear. I can't imagine how he must be feeling.
"Everybody good?" I ask.
"Let's just get the fuck outta here. We can discuss this shit back at The Loft," Keezy says.
We all climb down the porch steps. Out of nowhere, blue and white lights flash over us.
I hear a car start up. I look over at Daz desperately waving his arm out the window.
"Let's go!" He yells.
We all break into a full sprint. The cops notice and turn on their sirens. They're at the end of the block but they start speeding to catch up to us.
I don't know who makes it to the van first. All I know is, I deep dive through the open door and other niggas file in after me. Daz pulls off before we even do a head count. I look around at everybody.
"Who ain't here?!" I ask.
I think about who I didn't see before the cops came.
"Where's Munch and Tony?" I ask.
"Tony right here!" Somebody yells.
"Munch in the passenger!" Daz yells.
Why the fuck he ain't say that?
"He hit?" I ask.
"What I told you 'bout asking other niggas 'bout me?" Munch says.
He don't even matter no more as long as I know we ain't leave no man behind.
"Pull the car over!" I hear behind us.
We all cram to the tiny window in the back of the van. Fuck, the cops right behind us.
"I know this ain't the fastest this van go, Daz!" I say.
"Nigga I'm driving the gas into the floor. What the fuck you want me to do?" Daz says.
I shake my head. The cops are practically bumper to bumper to us. It'll be no time before they call in reinforcements. If we can't outrun them, how the fuck we gon' outrun some other cops?
"Any law-abiding citizens feel a way about shooting a cop?" I ask.
"After what happened to Tory? Give me this shit," Keezy says.
"Daz, bust a U-ey!" I yell.
"What?! Why?!" Daz asks.
"Just do it nigga!" I say.
We all position our guns. Some of us lay on the floor of the van, others squat and kneel to avoid being shot. Daz makes a sharp U-Turn and Cutta slides the van's door back. We're synchronized ass the shots start to ring out. We letting off so many rounds at once that the bullet shells start to sound like wind chimes as they hit the ground.
The cop car takes a sharp turn onto a curb before rolling to a stop by a fire hydrant.
Ain't no way they survived all that at once.
Daz hits another U-Turn without us asking and we start off in the right direction. The back of the van is hype with excitement as these niggas relive what just happened, but I ain't into it.
All I can think about is Spring pointing to that gun on Simon's hip and saying somebody stuck one in Candyce's mouth.
That cop just happend to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Just imagine what we'll do to them three niggas who fucked with the wrong girl.