
K'WAN
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Copyright © 2010 by K'wan Foye
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The Massacre


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Tech had never been a heavy drinker, but that night he was trying to go over the top. Jah would've been twenty-three that day. It had been a little over two years since he'd been killed, but the wound on Tech heart was still fresh.
Jah had been a beast when he was on the streets. He was one of the youngest and without question one of the wildest dogs on or off the chain. His entire bloodline reeked of tragedy, with his brother committing suicide over a chick and the dark path Jah walked. He was a murderer, thief, drug dealer and the best friend a young punk from the slums could ever ask for. To those who didn't know him, Jah was a monster to be feared or caged, but he was really just a kid trying to find his way.
The dark cloud that had followed Jah all his life finally seemed to be rolling back a bit when love walked into his life in the form of one of Harlem's most notorious sack-chasers. Yoshi was a chick who was all about her business and if you couldn't handle it she wouldn't waste her time on you, but there was something about Jah's misfit soul that melted Yoshi's cold heart and fit them together like pieces of a puzzle. The bond Yoshi and Jah had formed made people in the hood start to believe in true love again. But as with most good things it had to come to and end. In an attempt to defend Yoshi's honor Jah was gunned down like a dog in the street because of a beef that was only his by association. In the end, Yoshi was left a shell of her former self and Tech was left to make his own way in the game, and so he did by picking up the mantel where Jah had dropped it.
Tech sat perched on a bar stool in the Lennox Lounge, throwing back shots of 1738 like it was going out of style. It had been Jah's drink of choice just before he died. Tech was never sure exactly who turned him on to it, but he swore by it. Most of the cats in Harlem knew Tech and what he was about and as a result they gave him a wide berth, but not everyone exercised such caution. Two such cats were Bump and Eddy, who were sitting in the back of the lounge plotting. They were two piss ants who weren't worth their salt, but they were determined to be recognized as heavy weights. When they saw Tech stagger from the bar they saw it as an opportunity.
Tech was so twisted that he never even saw the two haters following him up the block. He fumbled in his pocket for a light for the blunt that dangled from his mouth when he heard the familiar click. "Damn," was all he could say because he knew he had been caught slipping.
"You know what it is, so turn around real slow," Bump ordered.
"Be easy," Tech turned slowly, "y'all can have this little bit of jewelry. Just take it easy with those hammers." He kept his hands in the air and his eyes on his assailants. The fact that they weren't wearing masks would've normally been unnerving, but Tech could tell that the robbers weren't killers. He knew their faces, but not their names. It didn't matter. Harlem was too small for him not to bump into them again, and when he did it was gonna end ugly.
"Ain't no fun when the rabbit got the gun, huh?" Bump taunted him.
"Come up off ya shit," Eddy barked. He tried to look hard, but Tech could smell the fear rolling off him.
Tech began emptying his pockets onto the curb, but kept his eyes on Bump. He might not have known his name, but he knew his face and would make it his business to see it again on different terms.
"Fuck you looking at," Bump pointed the gun at Tech's face.
"Man, stop talking to this nigga and lets get outta here," Eddy picked the contents of Tech's pockets off the ground. He knew they were making a mistake by running up on Tech, and initially wanted no parts of it, but Bump wouldn't be swayed so he had to ride with his homeboy.
"I know you ain't eyeballing me?" Bump cocked the hammer. Outwardly he was trying to act hard, but inside he was scared to death and it was his own fear that made him increasingly angrier, as he studied the smug expression on Tech's face. Without warning Bump slammed the gun into the side of Tech's head. "Don't be mutha fucking looking at me!"
Spots danced before Tech's eyes, but he didn't lose consciousness. When he tried to get back on his feet Bump kicked him back down.
"Did I tell you to get up, pussy?" Bump taunted him.
"Man, we got the shit, lets just go," Eddy danced in place.
"Yeah, why don't you take your friend's advice." Tech said in a cool voice. It took all of his restraint not to rush the gunmen and show them what time it really was.
Just the sound of Tech's voice made Bump flinch, which sent him over the edge. "You trying to tell me what to do like I'm some pussy?"
Tech ignored him.
"Nigga, you hear me talking?" Bump pressed.
"Let's go," Eddy tried futilely.
"Nah, imma do this nigga," Bump declared, surprising the hell out of Eddy.
"Man, I didn't sign on for no murder." Eddy told him.
"Shut the fuck up and stop crying!" Bump shouted. He turned his crazed eyes back to Tech. "Yeah, I'm gonna bust ya head for every cat you ever blasted on in the hood, bitch nigga!" Just as Bump added pressure to the trigger, a bottle shattered against his head. The gun went off, shattering the car window just over Tech's head. Bump tried to right himself, but was met by a blur of motion.
A frail little boy dressed in a dirty hoodie rushed Bump, fists striking him like flashes of lightening. When Bump tried to turn the gun on the little boy he sank his teeth into the shooter's forearm holding on for dear life. Eddy tried helping his partner, but Tech tripped him up. The little boy shook his head violently, trying to tear clean through Bump's arm. The boy fought the good fight, but Bump outweighed him by almost a hundred pounds. He slammed the little boy viciously into the wall, dazing him. Bump's arm was on fire and he couldn't feel his fingers, but they were still able to find the trigger of his pistol.
Most children, and even grown men, would've been terrified staring at their own demise, but not the wild haired boy. With Bump's blood staining his lips and chin he stared up defiantly at his enemy. "Go ahead nigga," he spat. "Set me free, I ain't long for this world no how." His eyes held a seriousness that said he was clearly ready to die.
Before Bump could grant the boy's death wish, his head exploded in a mass of crimson.
The little boy stared at Bump's body curiously as his life drained into the gutter just off the curb. A few feet away his partner lay in a heap. His neck was twisted almost completely around, and his eyes stared lifelessly into space. Standing in the center of the carnage, still holding Eddy's smoking gun, was Tech. The little boy's was a look of curiosity, Tech's was one of disappointment. Not only disappointment from allow himself to get caught up there, but he also wished he could've inflicted more punishment before Eddy and Bump died.
When the little boy picked himself up off the ground and stepped out into the light, Tech was finally able to get a good look at him. His long hair was a nice texture, but it was matted and dirty, much like his clothes. From his sunken eyes to his drawn in cheeks you could tell it had been a while since he'd had a good meal. The more Tech stared at him he realized that he knew the boy. He was the little brother of a kid name Justice whom Tech knew by association through the Harlem underworld. The last he'd heard, Justice caught life on a murder.
"Yo, you Jus little brother, right?" Tech asked. The little boy nodded. "What's ya name again?"
The little boy pondered the question before answering. "These days they call me Animal," he wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve, "though I can't imagine why." He said sarcastically.
Tech looked over at Bump's body and remembered how the boy had attacked him. "A'ight Animal, I'm Tech. Son, I know you seen me around ya brother, but you don't know me like that, so why the hell would you rush to save me like that knowing you could've got blasted?"
Animal shamefully lowered his head when he spoke. "I didn't get at dude to save you; I've been planning on killing these mutha fuckas for three weeks."
Tech was confused. "Why?"
Animal just stared at Tech quizzically before answering, "Because they kept fucking with me. Bum ass nigga this, dirty mutha fucka that."
"So you wanted them dead because they snapped on you?"
"Not just because they were snapping on me, because they needed killing. Fam, to most of y'all this concrete jungle is a playground, but to me its home. When you live in the jungle you have to live by its rules; the strong get to make it to tomorrow while the weak become food. I can't be nobody's food, man; you don't know what that shit is like," Animal turned away so that Tech wouldn't see him on the verge of tears.
Tech's mind momentarily took him back to a place he had long tried to forget. "Yes, I do," he said solemnly. In Animal he saw what Jah must've seen in him all those years ago and even if his mouth had yet to say it he already knew what had to be done. "Don't worry about it, my nigga," he draped his arm around Animal's frail shoulders, "you ain't never gonna have to worry about being nobody's food again."
One year later
Animal lounged on the chipped concrete stoop watching the world move. As usual his long curly hair was a mess that looked like it had exploded all over his head. The gold cross that hung around his neck glistened in the afternoon sun. He looked down at the jewelry and smiled as it was the first thing of value he had ever owned.
At his side, concentrating on closing the cigar properly so the weed would stop falling out was his best friend Brasco. Brasco was a beefy young teen who had a reputation in the neighborhood as being a bruiser who loved a good fight. One more than one occasion Brasco and Animal had found themselves back to back fending off the neighborhood bullies who always taunted them for being street kids. When Tech put Animal on the hustle and he started getting his weight up he made sure he brought Brasco in out of the cold.
"My nigga, how many Dutch Masters are you gonna mangle before you finally get that shit right?" Animal looked at the deformed blunt in Brasco's hand.
Brasco sneered. "Fuck you, homie. These damn Dutch Masters are too hard to roll. Why didn't you get a White Owl or something?"
"Don't blame it on the brand, blame it on your suspect ass skills, chump," Animal teased.
A cocaine-white Escalade pulled to the curb blasting music from it's over sized speakers. Animal and Brasco recognized it as the new single by an up and coming rapper named Lil Red. Lil Red climbed from behind the wheel dressed in a red Nike track suit and white Air Force Ones, with a red bandana tied around his head like a sweat band. Hanging from around his scrawny neck was a gold chain with a diamond filled medallion that looked like it weighed almost more than he did. It was a bust of a Rottweiler head, the symbol of the notorious Big Dawg Entertainment. Big Dawg was like the new Death Row of the hood and though everyone wanted to be down with them, only a select few were chosen to fill their ranks.
"What's good, blood?" Lil Red gave Animal and Brasco dap.
"You," Brasco replied, eyeballing his chain. "You out here shining like new money."
"Hey, the only thing better than new money is old money," Lil Red popped his collar. "Check it out though, I need two twenties of that Oh-wee y'all niggaz is out here serving."
"You know I got you faded," Brasco pulled two bags of weed from his briefs and handed them to Lil Red. After taking a minute to examine the bags Lil Red handed him two twenty dollar bills.
"That's your new shit?" Animal asked, bobbing his head to the music coming from the truck.
Lil Red beamed. "I just laid it in the studio. Shit is hot, right?"
"Yeah, it's tight." Animal agreed.
"I heard you got some heat too."
Animal shrugged. "Come on, Blood, you know I ain't no rapper."
"That ain't what Don B. says. Let the big homie tell it, you've got a lot of untapped potential." Lil Red informed him.
"Go ahead with that. Don B. doesn't even know who I am like that." Animal said modestly.
"Son, you bugging. I head him telling some niggaz the other day that he heard you free-styling against some Brooklyn cats in the park last week. He said you roasted those cats!"
"You did serve them dudes." Brasco added.
"Brasco, shut up. Lil Red, that shit ain't nothing but something to pass the time for me. I'm out here on these streets trying to get to where I need to be."
"And at the rate you niggaz is going, that's gonna be a five by nine or a cemetery plot." Lil Red said seriously. "Blood, you need to roll with me to see this nigga Don B. and let him hear what you got. There's a lot of money in this rap shit Animal, and you ain't gotta worry about the police running up on you while you're doing it. Give it some thought."
"A'ight, I'll think about it." Animal said.
"Think about what?" a voice called from the lobby entrance. They looked up just in time to see Tech stepping out. He was dressed in dark blue jeans and a black Champion hoodie. His hair was freshly corn rowed and tied off in the back with black rubber bands. The fierce look in his eyes sent chills through all of them.
"Ain't nothing, Red was just trying to get me to come down and chop it up with Don B." Animal explained.
"Chop it up about what, where they're gonna burry you when you get killed over his bullshit?" Tech snapped.
"It's all good. Why don't you chill, Blood." Lil Red tried to ease the tension.
Tech descended the stairs and stood nose to nose with Lil Red. "Fuck you mean chill? And I ain't ya mutha fucking blood. Lil nigga ya name ain't in no books I've ever laid eyes on, so stop fronting. Two summers ago yo ass was screaming some Crip shit until then niggaz on ya block forced you to flip nine-trey, so you got a lot of nerve coming around here talking some blood shit. Save that for the groupies because I know ya lil ass Oswald." Tech called him by his government name.
"Dude what the fuck is your problem?" Lil Red asked, not liking how Tech was coming at him in front of Animal and Brasco.
"My problem is y'all studio gangsters running around like y'all are living the shit you rap about. Niggaz like you and that bitch ass Don B. got folks thinking y'all run these streets, when we're the ones out here dying over this shit," Tech snatched the bandana off Lil Red's head and threw it on the ground.
"Don't put your fucking hands on me," Lil Red puffed up. He knew that he couldn't see Tech with the hands and he'd left his gun at home, but he had to save face.
"What, you feel like doing something?" Tech glared at him. In a flash, Tech snatched Lil Red by the front of his shirt and pinned him against a parked car, where he proceeded to slap him viciously across the face. "Swing back so I can kill you," Tech slapped him again.
"Chill, man," Animal grabbed Tech's arm before he could slap Lil Red again.
Lil Red touched his stinging lips and found that they were bleeding. "You made a big mistake, son. Word to mine; I ain't going out like this."
"You still talking?" Tech broke Animal's grip and lunged at Lil Red. Lil Red managed to stagger out of the way, but not before Tech snatched his chain. Lil Red ignored the chain and made hurried steps to his truck. "Yeah, get the fuck up off my block, pussy. And tell ya boss I'll let you get ya chain back for ten stacks," Tech called after Lil Red as he sped off down the street.
"Son, you bugging the fuck out. Why you steal on Lil Red like that?" Animal asked.
"Because I don't like none of them niggaz. These mutha fuckas out here selling pipe dreams like they're living the life, but I know the truth behind the mask. Don B. is the devil in disguise and Big Dawg Entertainment is hell on earth. Fuck all them niggaz!" Tech snapped. He had a deep hatred for Don B. that went back to a time before him and Animal started getting money together. Don B.'s artist True had a beef with some cats and Yoshi ended up getting caught in the crossfire when they came for him. In an attempt to find the shooters Jah signed on as True's bodyguard and was eventually murdered while guarding him. Tech blamed Don B. and Big Dawg for the death of his mentor and it was a grudge that he had been struggling to let go of.
"Son, you think he gonna come back wit his peoples?" Brasco asked excitedly. It had been a while since he had put in some real work and he was spoiling for a good fight.
"I hope so, so I can lay their whole fucking team out. As a matter of fact, go upstairs and stash this," he tossed Brasco the chain, "and while you're up there, get my gun too." Tech ordered. Brasco hurriedly did as he was told. Tech reached in his pocket and fished out a cigarette, which was now broken. "Damn, nigga broke my loosie. I should go catch him and fuck his ass up again."
Animal laughed. "Dawg, you play too much."
"Who the fuck said I was playing?" Tech looked at him seriously. "Fuck it; give me this walk to the store."
\*
Tech and Animal moved down the street like two shadows, drawing stares from some and causing others to cross the street so as not to cross paths with the two young men. Tech had a reputation throughout Harlem as a bad seed, and his protégé was making quite a name for himself too with some of the sadistic acts attached to his name. As one story went he had tied a rival to a tree in Central Park and smeared honey on his legs before leaving him for the ants. It was Tech who they respected but Animal they were learning to fear.
"How y'all holding up out there?" Tech asked as they entered the corner bodega.
Animal shrugged. "It's moving, but it's boring as hell just sitting around on the block all day when you're used to being in the thick of things. Just give me a piece of steel and point me in the direction of the niggaz who're holding and I'm a happy camper. I ain't cut out to be no drug dealer, man.
"You're cut out to be whatever is gonna put cash in your pocket," Tech pulled a tall can of Arizona Iced Tea from the store's cooler and walked it to the counter, where he asked the cashier for two loose cigarettes. "These are rough times so we gotta get it any way we can and if it means selling drugs then you get a pack and hit the turf."
"The turf," Animal repeated while glaring at a crack-head that was in the back of the store stuffing packs of Ramen noodles under her shirt.
"Look my G, this hand to hand shit ain't really for none of us but we too hot on the streets right now. Even though everybody knows who we are and what we do but for right now most of them too shook to come see us. We've been laying shit down on the regular all summer my G, and its cramping a lot of nigga's styles. We on hood nigga's radars and the police! It's only a matter of time before we get caught with our hands in the cookie jar and end up with an asshole full of time or an asshole full of bullets." Tech draped his arm around Animal who was pouting like a child. "Homie, as soon as things die down we gonna put this money together and really bust a move. We gonna let the lil homies handle the trap while me you and the girls get back to what we do, feel me?"
"Yeah, I feel you." Animal said half heartedly and walked out of the bodega.
As they were heading back to the building talking amongst themselves, Animal spotted a red Beamer out of the cover of his eye that had slowed to a coast, keeping pace with them. Tech seemed oblivious to it as he continued telling his war story, but Animal's gun was already in his hand, hanging at his side while he watched the car. As the passenger side window rolled down Animal stepped around Tech and took aim. Tech grabbed his arm just before he pulled the trigger.
"Chill the fuck out, B. That's peoples." Tech held him so he couldn't draw again.
Animal watched intently as Tech stepped over to the curb at the same time the passenger side window rolled all the way down. The passenger was a youthful looking light skinned cat who rocked his hair in neat boxed braids that stopped at his shoulders. His predatory eyes soaked Animal up like was fresh kill and Animal matched his stare. He knew Shai Clark's enforcer Swann by reputation, but this was the first time they'd ever been face to face and Animal already knew that he didn't like him.
"Swann, what's good Blood?" Tech gave him dap through the window.
"Slow motion," Swann replied keeping his eyes locked on Animal, who was still holding his gun. "What's good with ya man; he got a death wish or something?" Swann adjusted the gun on his lap.
"Nah, he cool. That's my lil nigga Animal. He always on point for the pop-off." Tech explained.
"That's good, but he needs to be mindful of who the fuck he points that gun at. But fuck all that, I need to holla at you about some business right quick. Hop in," Swann popped the door locks. Tech looked back at Animal. "Its all good, bring him with you. Just make sure he keeps that hammer under wraps."
Tech motioned for Animal to join him before hopping in the back of the Beamer.
"What's good Holiday?" Tech greeted the driver, who was watching Animal through the rearview mirror. Holiday was about the same age as Tech but had been putting in work far longer. He was the voice on the streets for one of Shai's most trusted lieutenants, Big Doc.
"I can't call it, man. Just trying to make it from one day to the next." Holiday replied in his gruff voice.
"I can dig it. Yo, I'm sorry to hear about Big Doc, family. He was a good nigga." Tech said sincerely.
"You mean he is a good nigga," Holiday corrected him. "Mutha fuckas keep talking about my big homie like he's dead instead of locked up."
"I ain't mean it like that, Holiday so cool the fuck out." Tech matched his hostile tone. He had a lot of respect for Holiday but wouldn't be talked to like an underling.
"Y'all be easy," Swann waved his hand and the tension seemed to disappear. "Tech its Big Doc's situation that brought me down to see you. I need some work put in, but I need somebody I can trust to pull this shit off."
"Run it down to me," Tech leaned forward so he could hear everything Swann had to say.
"Big Doc is in a bad way right now. They ain't got nothing on him but the word of a snitch, but it's enough for them to try to slay my nigga on a conspiracy charge if this goes to trial. The shit bird who pointed the finger at him is supposed to come in to give his testimony to the Grand Jury in two weeks so they can officially indict Doc. I need that nigga to miss his court date."
"You ain't said nothing but a word. Give me his resume and he's food." Tech promised.
"It's not quite that simple. The police have been trying to put a charge on Doc for the last ten years so they're handling the situation with kid gloves to make sure it doesn't get fucked up. The boy has gone underground like the fucking rat he is. The police got their eyes on him at all times, which makes getting to him a very tricky problem, especially for any of our shooters because the law and the streets know what time it is." Tech opened his mouth to protest but Swann silenced him with a raised finger. "I know it sounds like some real movie shit, which is why I came to The Last Action Hero," he winked at Tech. "I'll give you a million cash for the job."
Tech thought on it for a minute. A million dollars was more money than he had ever seen in his life, but what Swann was asking of him not only sounded impossible, but it sounded like suicide. "Swann, I appreciate you coming to me with this, but I can't accept it. There's no amount of money in the world that would make me take on this dummy mission."
"Not even for a seat on The Commission?"
This got both Tech and Animal's attention. The Commission was the governing body of the underworld in the tri state area. It was initially created by Darius Santana, but the mantle of leadership had past through several hands since his death several years ago. Poppa Clark was the last one to hold the title, before Shai inherited it from him after his murder. To sit with The Commission was to be like a God on the streets, answering only to the ruling body. It was one of the highest honors that could be bestowed upon a criminal.
Tech sighed. "Swann, for as tempting as your offer is I cant take it. What good will a seat on The Commission be to me if I'm dead or in jail? Sorry, but I can't..."
"I'll do it." Animal surprised everyone in the room when he spoke out.
"You?" Swann looked over his shoulder at Animal and started laughing.
"Animal, be easy." Tech warned.
Swann waved Tech silent. "Nah let him talk. I got to hear this one. Shorty, what are you like fifteen or sixteen?"
"No, I'm seventeen. How old I am ain't got nothing to do with nothing. What matters is that you got a problem and I'm offering to get rid of the problem."
Swann studied Animal's face to see if he was joking, but he wasn't. "So what're gonna do just tip toe past the police and shoot him?"
Animal smirked, showing the gold plating on his teeth. "It ain't none of your business how it gets done as long as it gets done. What you need to be concerned about his having that bread ready when the job is done."
"What you think, son?" Swann asked Holiday.
Holiday looked Animal over and shrugged. "Fuck it, if the lil nigga wants to earn his stripes that bad let him." he turned to Animal. "Just so long as you know that if you get caught and this shit comes back to us I'm gonna body you and everybody you love."
Now it was Animal's turn to laugh. "Mutha fucka who do you think you're talking to, some dope boy that gives a fuck about your rep on the streets? We all born to die, fam. Be it a year tomorrow or fifty years from now," he shrugged, "don't make me too much of a never mind as long as I die a rich nigga. And as far as you killing everybody I love, that works just fine for me because there ain't a mutha fucka in this world I love, including myself." Animal said seriously.
"You're a ballsy lil nigga, huh?" Swann addressed Animal.
"Nah, this ain't got nothing to do with balls, because you can't judge a man by the size of his nuts but by the size of his heart. Now, if you wanna see just how big my heart is go on and give me this joker's information and watch how a real nigga moves."
Swann thought on it for a minute before handing Animal a manila envelope containing several pictures of his mark and several addresses. Animal thumbed through the information for a few minutes and handed it back to Swann.
"Ain't you gonna need this?" Swann asked, holding up the envelope.
"Nah, I got it stored in here," Animal tapped himself on the forehead. "That shit you're holding is too much like evidence so you probably wanna burn it when you get the chance."
"You're a smug little bastard, but I like you. So you really think I can pull this off?" Swann asked.
Animal paused to watch something out the window that only he could see before answering. "Don't worry your pretty lil head about it Swann. You're boy is dead man who just don't know it yet. That just leaves us with the issue of my price."
"Fuck is you talking about, we agreed to a million!" Swann barked.
"We didn't agree to shit, homie. You offered Tech a million, but Tech ain't the one putting this baby to sleep, I am. My price for this lil task will be one point five. A million for me and five hundred thousand for Tech and Tech get his paper up front. You can pay me after I waste this faggot." Animal started thinking of his brother Justice and how the word of a snitch had gotten him life and it fueled his hatred for the snitch. "Tell you what; to ensure my work and my paper I'll even bring you his head."
Holiday laughed. "You're a real beast, huh?"
"I ain't a beast, I'm an animal."
"I'll speak to Shai about getting you some more change and get back." Swann told him.
"You do that, homie, but don't take too long getting your daddy's permission to see if you can go to the prom," Animal said sarcastically. "Now drop me off at the corner. There's hunting to be done."
\*
"What the fuck was that all about?" Tech snarled as he and Animal were walking the few short blocks back to the stoop where they had left Brasco.
"Wasn't about nothing, nigga offered some paper to have somebody clipped and I took it. Don't wet it big homie, its easy money." Animal said as if it was nothing.
Without warning Tech grabbed Animal and shoved him against a tree. "Lil nigga do you understand the seriousness of what you just agreed too," Tech rained spittle in his face, shaking him like a rag doll. "There ain't no way you can pull this off! You heard Swann say that the police are on him and I guarantee that you'll wind up dead or in prison if you try to go after him. And if you try to back out now do you know what's gonna happen? I'll tell you what; Swann and Holiday are gonna come down here with a death squad and wipe us out!"
Animal let Tech finish before he responded and when he spoke his voice was calm and steady. "My nigga, I love you like cooked food, but if you don't take your hands off me you and I are gonna have a situation." Tech let go of Animal's shirt. "Thank you. Look Tech, I can dig your apprehension about this whole situation but this job is a necessary evil right now."
"And how do you figure that?"
"Its like you said homie, we gotta get our ones up so we can start making some real moves. I'm tired of living off the scraps of others and this paper will put us in a situation to really make something happen."
"Animal you could be killed trying to do this." Tech tried to reason with him.
"And whose gonna miss me besides you and maybe China White?" Animal said seriously. Blood, worse case scenario is that I fumble with the mission and you still get to keep that five-hundred thousand. That's enough money for you to get the team right and keep the movement going. Tech, I got this." Animal assured him.
Tech let out a long sigh. "I swear I should've left your lil mangy ass where I found you," Tech put him in a playful headlock. "A'ight, but if you insist upon going on this dummy mission then I'm gonna go with you."
"Nah, it don't make no sense in both of us taking the gamble. Plus the team needs you."
"Silk is a good soldier so I'm confidant she can hold it down if something goes to the left. Besides, five hundred thousand of that money is mine and can't no nigga or bitch ever say they gave me anything for free. Now let's push this bitch nigga's cap back.
Animal sat in a booth at the Galaxy diner on Pennsylvania Ave., staring out the window and drumming his fingers on the table top, as he had been doing for almost six days and nights. On the table in front of him was a juicy looking cheese burger topped with the works. He was too focused on the Galaxy motel that sat directly across the street.
From the information Swann had laced him with the snitch, whose name was Lionel, was tucked away inside the dive and under constant police guard. There were two of them, who occupied the room right next to Lionel's, and worked in shifts sitting outside Lionel's room. Animal had been laying on him trying to track his movements, but every time the cat moved the police moved with him. They even escorted him across the street to the store when he made his daily cigarette run. After the third day Tech wanted to call things off and try giving Swann the money back, but Animal wouldn't hear of it. He felt like pulling the caper was their best shot at getting the respect they were due on the streets and the bread to keep it that way. He knew that there was a kink in his armor somewhere and on the fourth night he found it.
Swann had provided Animal with plenty of information but he'd also decided to do his own investigation on the streets and had uncovered a very interesting piece of information about Lionel. Animal knew that was only a matter of time before their shady antics would bring the party train to a screeching halt.
Just as the waitress was sitting Animal's fifth glass of water on the table, he noticed movement in the motel parking lot. His keen eyes zeroed in on the side entrance where he saw Lionel stick his skeletal face out the door and peek around before sliding out, minus his two guardians. Looking around like he had the devil on his heels he hurried to the curb jumped in a waiting Livery Cab. Animal dropped a fifty on the table and eased out of the diner to the beat up station wagon in the parking lot, where Tech sat smoking an L with the engine idling.
"We've got movement," Animal slid into the passenger side and pulled the seatbelt across his chest. "Pull out and bang the left."
"He creeping?" Tech asked.
"Sho nuff," Animal smiled at his cunning.
"I'm on him," Tech pulled out into traffic a little too reckless for Animal's taste.
"Slow down before you get us knocked off." Animal warned.
"This might be our best chance at getting him and I don't wanna lose the nigga in traffic."
"I doubt if we'll have to worry about that. I know exactly where he's going." Animal assured him before chambering a round in his gun and reclining the seat.
\*
What Animal had discovered about Lionel during his investigation was that he had five hundred dollar a day coke habit. Knowing the habits of addicts, especially with an oil burner like his, it would only be a matter of time before he would have to figure out a way to score.
The beat up station wagon containing the killers pulled up a few houses down from a small one story house, situated at the tip of Coney Island, just in time to see Lionel hop out of the cab and disappear inside. It was a routine that Animal had become familiar with over the last few nights. He had first noticed the Lionel creeping a few nights into his stakeout and immediately saw how he could use it to his advantage in pulling off the hit.
The first few times Animal just followed him to make sure it wasn't a set up, but sure enough Lionel had found away to elude his captors to score his blast. Lionel would climb out of the motel window and take a taxi out to Coney Island where he would buy his coke in the projects then make his way to a residence a few miles out, where he would get high then return to the motel and the cops in charge of him would be none the wiser.
Tech looked at the house and shook his head sadly. "You'd think that the police would have enough common sense to take this fool somewhere out of state until the trial, but they take him to the next borough. And to add insult to injury this idiot sends one of Shai Clark's people to jail and is still running around like it's all good."
"You know snitching has become the new fad," Animal said sarcastically and slipped on a pair of latex gloves. "Fuck it, their stupidity is our gain; because this pussy's head is sure gonna make us rich over night. Get what we need out the trunk and meet me around the back of the house. I'll be done by the time you get there," Animal slipped out of the car.
Moving as silently as the grave Animal moved between two houses and rounded the back of the one Lionel had disappeared inside. It was a nice neighborhood with manicured lawns and SUV's in the driveways. What Lionel was doing in the neighborhood was anyone's guess, but the only thing Animal was concerned about was killing him and collecting his money.
The house was dark except for a desk lamp in the living room that illuminated an empty chair. On the table Animal could see a small piece of tin foil and two playing cards. Lionel hadn't gotten a chance to take his blast yet, and if Animal had it his way he never would. He crept around to the backdoor and tried the knob. It was open, as he knew it would be Animal had rigged it the night before with box tape so that the lock could be fully turned from the inside, but the tape would prevent the cylinder from sliding in place completely to secure it.
As he was easing the door open the light from the refrigerator came on, freezing him in his tracks. He peered through the crack and saw Lionel with his head shoved in the refrigerator rummaging around. When he removed his head Animal got his first up close and personal look at him. He was of average build with skin so tanned that he could've been mistaken for a Latino in the right light. His dirty blonde hair looked like it hadn't been combed in a while, but addicts rarely gave much thought to their appearances. Animal waited until Lionel was done putting together his snack before he made his move.
"Psst," Animal called from the darkness. When Lionel turned around the last thing he saw was a spark before a bullet whistled through his cheek, breaking several of his teeth.
Lionel lay on the ground writhing in pain as he chocked on his own blood and pieces of broken teeth. He looked up at the cold eyes of the killer and croaked, "Please."
Animal's lips twisted into a sneer. "I got no mercy for you or your kid, pussy. You lived like a bitch, so the least you could do is die like a man," Animal snarled before shooting him twice more in the face. When Lionel had finally stopped moving Animal pulled a small hacksaw from the satchel slung across his back and proceeded to saw Lionel's head off, just above the collar bone.
Animal was so preoccupied with trying to cut through the muscle's in Lionel's neck to pull his head free that he never heard the soft footsteps behind him. He temporarily blinded when the kitchen light came on suddenly. Without giving it a second thought Animal spun around and started firing. There was the sound of shattering glass and a body hitting the floor. When Animal's vision cleared his heart sank into the pit of his stomach.
Lying across the room, on the floor near the refrigerator was a white haired old woman dressed in her housecoat. With terror and sorrow gripping his heart Animal rushed to her side. The bullet had struck her in the temple but thankfully she was still breathing. He grabbed the dish towel and packed it against her wound to try and stop the flow of blood.
"You're going to be okay," Animal rocked back and forth with the woman's frail body in his arms. "I'm so sorry," he sobbed over and over. Animal was so broken up over what he'd done that he didn't even bother to turn around when he heard the kitchen door creek open.
"What the fuck happened?" Tech looked around nervously.
"She came in and I...I...," Animal could barely speak.
"My nigga, we gotta get outta here," Tech told him as he snatched Lionel's head from the ground and stuffed into a plastic bag. Animal remained where he was. "Did you hear me?" Seeing that Animal was unresponsive Tech grabbed him by the shirt and began dragging him.
"I can't leave her here like this. I can't," Animal struggled.
Tech snatched Animal to his feet and began shaking him. "Look, I ain't gonna let your bleeding heart put me in nobody's gas chamber. Let's get the fuck outta here," Tech shoved him roughly towards the door. Eventually Animal ceased his struggling and started to move on his own. Before he followed Tech back out the kitchen door, he grabbed the phone from its cradle on the wall and dialed nine-one-one.
"Nine-one-one, what is your emergency?" the operator asked on the line.
"A woman has been shot," he said and let the phone drop.
For the entire ride back to Harlem, Animal was silent, with nothing but his grief and his thoughts. What he had done to Lionel was truly monstrous but it failed in comparison to what he'd done to the old woman. Every time he closed his eyes he saw her wrinkled face and the blood staining her white hair. He would find out later on that the woman lived, but the bullet had claimed her sight leaving her alone in the dark until the end of her days on earth. He was happy that he hadn't killed her, but it still didn't change the fact that he had damned her and himself in the process. Something inside him changed after shooting the old woman. The last bit of innocence inside him had died and a monster was born.
Shai, Swann, Holiday, Angelo and Baby Doc sat at a private table in the back of the Caribbean restaurant discussing family business and stuffing their faces. There was only a few days left until Big Doc went before the grand jury and they had yet to hear from Animal or Tech. They had their people on the street looking for them but the two thugs seemed to have vanished.
"I knew it was a bad idea for you to send a kid to do grown man's work. What the hell were you thinking, Swann?" Angelo asked, between taking scoops of his stewed chicken.
"I was thinking we need to make this fucking problem disappear and get Big Doc the fuck outta jail." Swann shot back.
"Man they're gonna throw the book at my dad if that dude shows up. Y'all should've let me clip him." Baby Doc said heatedly. Though he was only a teenager he always tried to carry himself like one of the big boys in the presence of Holiday, who was his big homie and mentor.
"Stop talking crazy, BD. That was a suicide mission we sent them on, but it was also our last resort." Holiday explained.
"Do you think the police caught them?" Baby Doc asked.
Shai thought on it for a minute. "I doubt that, or we'd all be in somebody's holding cell right along with Big Doc."
This made Swann laugh. "Shai, you say that because you don't know them boys like I do. Tech's a loose cannon, but he ain't no snitch. He'll wear whatever time they offer him just to prove to us how much of a stand up guy he is."
"Yo Swann I almost bust out laughing when you told them niggaz that we'd give them a seat on The Commission of they pulled the job off." Holiday chuckled.
"It was Shai's idea." Swann admitted and all eyes turned to Shai.
"This is true. Money wouldn't have been enough to get a sensible mutha fucka to take on this job so we had to sweeten the pot. They've got as much chance at sitting at this table as they do of pulling this job off," Shai laughed and everyone laughed with him except Swann. His eyes were fixed on the front door that had just swung open.
Animal strode into the restaurant with Tech and Brasco flanking him. There was hardness to his eyes that hadn't been there when they'd first met. As Animal approached their table, Holiday and Angelo stood up with their weapons drawn, but Shai waved them back into their seats. Animal studied every face at the table and burned them into his memory so he would never forget the men responsible for what he had become, but his eyes locked on Swann's. Baby Doc was about to ask Animal what he was looking at when he suddenly dropped a plastic bag on the table, knocking over their food and drinks.
"Problem solved," Animal said coldly.
Angelo peeked inside the bag and recoiled as he saw Lionel's bloody head. "Lil nigga, are you fucking crazy?" he tried to move on Animal, but Swann held him back.
"Thank you," Shai said humbly.
"Don't thank me, pay me. One million dollars and a seat on The Commission for Tech."
Swann nodded in approval. "No problem, kid. I'll have one of my people bring your money through the hood later on tonight, but the seat on The Commission..."
"Is ours," Animal cut him off. "We've honored our promise to you, and you'll honor yours to us."
"Boy you must've fell and bumped your head. Nobody tells Shai Clark what to do." Angelo said.
"I'm not telling any of you what to do; I'm telling you what's right. All we have in this life is our word and when you break that you're left with shit on a stick. You promised us that if we did this the seat would be ours. Now if you're thinking about trying to screw us then maybe it'll be one of your heads they find in a plastic bag tomorrow night," Animal said, looking each man in the eyes.
"Is that a threat?" Shai asked.
Animal searched for the words before responding. "No sir, I would never disrespect the boss of New York by coming at him like some no-class street punk. I'm just sharing my thoughts. Now I can't speak for your team here, but from what the streets say Shai Clark is a man of his word." Animal ignored the glares he was getting from Shai's crew and looked Shai in the eyes. "Will you keep your word?"
Shai looked around at his advisors and without speaking he knew what they were thinking. They wanted to kill Animal and be done with it, but if Shai broke his promise it would be looked upon poorly to his associates in the streets. One thing Poppa Clark had always taught his children was that a man always keeps his word, even if they may not want to.
"I'll honor the promise," Shai extended his hand.
"Thank you," Animal shook his hand and left without another word. When the trio had exited the restaurant Holiday broke the silence.
"That kid is gonna be a headache," Holiday poked at the bag with his dinner fork.
"Going to be?" Shai from Holiday to the bag. "Looks like he already is."
\*
"My nigga Animal, the hardest mutha fucka to ever slide out of a woman's hole," Brasco said excitedly. Animal didn't respond he kept his eyes glued to the scenery they passed as they moved through traffic.
"The game has definitely changed for the better." Tech said, nudging Animal playfully.
"Dawg, do you know how much pussy we gonna get when bitches find out we're connected?" Brasco asked.
Tech looked at him like he was a complete idiot. "After all that just went down is that all you can think about is pussy? Yeah, the bitches and the money are gonna come, but this is so much bigger than that. Do you really understand what this move means, Brasco?"
"What?"
"Its open season on the streets and we're taking it all," Animal answered for him and went back to his staring.
To be continued......
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