A Gangsta Twist Saga (42 page)

Clifford, Li'l Bomb, Astro and H-Hop were sitting across the street from Club Cancun, staring at Bo-Pete's Navigator. “Do you think that's one of them niggas' shit?” asked Li'l Bomb as he racked a live round into the chamber of his AK-47 assault rifle.

“It could be, but I don't see any of them other niggas' trucks. I told you, they don't roll unless they're six deep,” Clifford said as he let his eyes roam all over the parking lot of the club.

“They might feel that they've handled their business enough to make us lay it down. But you never know. They might be cocky enough to slip, cuz,” said H-Hop from the back seat of the stolen SUV they were sitting in.

“Why don't you go on inside and see if you can spot them real quick. Ain't no need for us to be sittin' out here all night for nothin', loc,” Astro said.

“All right, I be right back,” Clifford said as he climbed out the truck. He jogged across the street and walked inside of the club. He stopped right before he made it to the downstairs entrance. He saw Bo-Pete and Wild Bill talking to a couple of females. He quickly scanned the rest of the club to see if he could spot Taz and others, and once he was positive that they weren't there, he turned and went back outside to the truck with his homeboys. When he got back inside of the SUV, he said, “Them niggas are slippin' tonight, cuz. There are only two of them in there. That nigga Bo-Pete and that li'l nigga they call Wild Bill.”

“All right, now we wait. You never know. The rest of them niggas might just show up. If not, then we'll serve them two punk-ass niggas, cuz. That'll let that fool Taz know that we ain't playin!” Astro said seriously.

“I'm with that shit, cuz. I'm gettin' my man tonight. That's on 107 Hoover Crip!” yelled Li'l Bomb.

 

 

Back inside of the club, Bo-Pete and Wild Bill were bored. “Dog, we should have went on and hung out with the homies. I'm sick of these fake-ass hoes up in this spot. Ain't none of them wifey material for real,” Bo-Pete said as he set his glass of Hennessy on the bar.

“Nigga, I ain't tryin' to find no fuckin' wifey any fuckin' way. All I'm tryin' to do is get me some ass from one of these hoes tonight. You're right though. Ain't nothin' up in this spot worth getting at tonight,” replied Wild Bill.

“Let's go shoot some pool up at the Plum Tree. There might be a few hoes up there we can get at.”

“I'm with you, my nigga.” Will Bill downed the rest of his drink and set it down on the bar next to Bo-Pete's empty glass.

They stepped away from the bar and started walking toward the exit of the club. As soon as they made it to the door, they paused and pulled out their weapons. They then stepped outside of the club side by side, and let their eyes roam quickly all over the parking lot. Neither of them saw anything out of the norm, so they started walking toward Bo-Pete's truck.

The first shot almost hit Wild Bill as he ducked and yelled, “Watch it, Bo! They're on your right!”

Bo-Pete turned to his right and started firing his weapon at the three guys running toward him and Wild Bill. Will Bill was right by Bo-Pete's side, firing his pistol at the Crips attacking them.

Neither the Crips nor Wild Bill nor Bo-Pete were backing down from one another. It was basically a modern-day shootout at the OK Coral, the only difference being that they were in the parking lot of Club Cancun. The Crips kept charging Bo-Pete and Wild Bill, and Wild Bill and Bo-Pete kept calmly walking toward the Crips with their weapons spitting fire. The night was lit up with sparks as the gunshots rang out.

They were about six feet from each other when Wild Bill saw Bo-Pete fall to the ground. Wild Bill knew that Bo-Pete had been hit, but he couldn't stop to help him. He knew the only way either of them was going to survive was if he got his man. He aimed carefully and picked off Astro. He hit Astro twice in his chest and quickly aimed his gun again, this time toward Clifford. He missed Clifford by inches. Even though he missed, his last two shots did what he had hoped they would. Clifford turned and started running back toward the truck, and so did Li'l Bomb, because his AK-47 had jammed and he didn't want to take the risk of trying to un-jam it and get himself hit.

While they retreated to their SUV, Wild Bill ran back to Bo-Pete, scooped his gun out of his hand and ran toward the truck the Crips were climbing inside of. He let off three shots at the truck before he felt himself spin and fall to the ground. He rolled over onto his side and fired some more at the fleeing SUV. He slowly got to his feet and staggered over to where Astro was lying in the street and shot him twice in his face. He then stumbled toward where Bo-Pete was lying. He screamed as he knelt next to his homeboy. He held Bo-Pete's lifeless body in his arms as he continued to scream.
“No-o-o-o-o!”

Keno was walking to his kitchen when the telephone started ringing. “Who the fuck is this callin' me this fuckin' late?” he said aloud as he grabbed the cordless phone from its base on top of the kitchen counter. “Hello!”

“Dog! Them niggas got Bo-Pete! They got Bo-Pete!” screamed Wild Bill.

“
What?
Where y'all at?”

“I'm in a fuckin' ambulance right now! They're taking me to Baptist! I got hit in my shoulder, but Bo-Pete didn't make it, dog. He's gone! He's fuckin' gone!”

“Look, calm down, Babyboy. Just calm down. We'll see you at the hospital, gee. Go on and let them fix you up my, nigga. We'll be there in a few minutes.”

The only response he got from Wild Bill was, “He's gone, dog! Bo's gone!”

Keno hung up the phone and quickly called Taz's cell. After he told Taz what Wild Bill had just told him, Taz said, “I'll meet y'all at the hospital.” Taz closed his cell phone and told Bob, “Them niggas got Wild Bill and took Bo-Pete, dog!”

“
What?
Come on, my nigga! Please tell me you're playin'!” cried Bob.

“I wish I was, gee. I gots to go. I'll give you a call when I know more.”

“
What?
Nigga, I'm rollin' with you!”

“Nah, stay here and get your rest, dog. I'll get at ya when everything is everything.”

With tears sliding slowly down his face, Bob said, “Fuck you! You can't stop me from goin' to the fuckin' hospital! I said! I'm! Rollin'! With! You!”

With tears of his own falling freely, Taz shook his head and said, “Come on, dog, let's bounce then.”

Gwen and Sacha both knew better than to say anything. The shit was about to hit the fan, and there was absolutely nothing either one of them could do to stop it.

 

 

By the time Taz and Bob made it to Baptist Hospital on the northwest side of town, Red and Keno were sitting in the waiting area of the emergency room.

Red was visibly shaken. His eyes were bloodshot from crying so hard, and the look on his face told all that looked his way that he was in a murderous mood.

Keno sat in his seat with his hands covering his face, trying his best to control his emotions.

When Taz saw the both of them, his heart felt as if it had stopped. He actually couldn't breathe as he sat down next to Keno.

Keno felt his presence, looked up at his homeboy and said, “They got him, dog. He was dead before he made it here. Those punk-ass niggas hit him twice—once in the neck and once in his chest with somethin' real heavy, my nigga. The cat in the ambulance told me they tried everything they could, but his wounds were just too severe.”

“Where's Wild Bill?” asked Taz.

“He's in surgery right now. They said he's goin' to be all right. He caught a shell in his shoulder.”

“Did you get a chance to holla at him again?”

Shaking his head no, Keno said, “Not since I've been here. When he called me, he told me that them Hoover niggas got at him and Bo-Pete, and that Bo was gone. That's all I know right now, my nigga. They killed one of ours, gee! You know what that means, don't you?”

Taz stared hard at his lifelong friend and said, “Yeah, I know what it means. Are you ready to do this?”

Keno stared at Taz for a moment, and then said, “Yeah, I'm ready. None of this really matters no more to me, dog. We started this shit together, and we gots to end it together. Fuck the world, my nigga! Fuck the muthafuckin' world!”

Taz shook his head no and said, “Nah, fuck them Hoover niggas! Fuck every last Hoover! And that's exactly what we're about to do.” He turned toward Red and said, “I've always hoped and prayed that it would never come to this, but we made a pact years ago. If somethin' like this ever happened to one of us, we would ride until the beef was settled. The only way we can settle this beef is to remove every last one of them coward-ass niggas. You know that, right?”

Red stared hard at Taz as if he had lost his mind and said, “Nigga, you don't have to explain shit to me. Let's get this shit started!”

Taz held up his hand, signaling Red to wait a minute as he turned toward Bob. “Dog, you'd be in the way more than anything if you tried to ride with us on this shit. You gots to stand down, dog.”

“Fuck that! I made the same pact as the rest of you niggas! This shit bag ain't shit to me, Taz! Don't do this, dog! I gots to roll too!” Bob screamed.

“No, you don't!” screamed Gwen. “All you have to do is bring your ass home with me and let them take care of whatever they have to take care of!” she yelled, tears streaming down her face.

Bob was shocked because he hadn't seen her or Sacha enter the waiting room. He stepped over to where she was standing, grabbed her hand and said, “Gwen, I love you more than you'll ever imagine. Please believe me, because it's so damn true. But nothin' and nobody can stop me from gettin' the niggas who killed Bo-Pete. If I have to die, then so be it. I gots to do what I gots to do.”

Before Gwen could respond, Taz stepped behind Bob and began to choke him out. He put Bob in a full-nelson chokehold until he was unconscious. He then gently sat him down in one of the chairs in the waiting room and said, “That was the only way, Gwen. He was goin' to go with us no matter what you said to him.”

“I know, Taz, and thank you. Thank you so much!”

Taz turned and told Red, “Grab Bob and take him and Gwen back to his spot. Make sure when you get there that you take all of his weapons. Leave one with Gwen. He's still gon' need somethin' to protect them, just in case them fools find out where he stays.” Taz turned back toward Gwen and said, “No matter what, make sure that he doesn't know that you have a weapon in that house. Make him think that we took everything out of there. We're also taking the keys to his truck, your car, and his other vehicles. If y'all need anything, call Sacha and she'll make sure that y'all are straight.”

Gwen didn't say anything. She just gave Taz a nod of her head, indicating that she understood what he had just told her.

Taz turned toward Sacha finally and said, “I'm sorry, Li'l Mama. I'm so sorry.” Before she could say a word, he told Keno, “Come on, dog. We gots work to do.”

Sacha sat down and cried as she watched Taz and Keno leave the hospital. When Gwen tried to help her to her feet, she shook her off and put her face into her hands and cried even harder, and screamed.

Taz was walking down the hallway when he heard his fiancée scream. “Damn! This is so fucked up!” he said as he stopped and faced the door of the emergency room.

“I know, my nigga, but we gots to do what we gots to do,” Keno said seriously.

“I know,” Taz said as he led the way outside to the parking lot.

 

 

Clifford was sitting inside of his car talking to H-Hop. “Cuz, they got Astro! What the fuck are we going to do now?”

“We gon' stay down, cuz, and finish this shit we started. This shit done got real personal, loc. You know Astro was my li'l cousin. Them niggas gots to die! Every last one of them fools ain't gon' be breathing this time next month! And that's on 107 Hoover Crip!” yelled H-Hop.

“It's too damn hot right now, cuz. We're going to have to kick back for a minute.”

“Fuck that shit, loc! We about to ride! Fuck the ones and anyone else who tries to get in our fuckin' way! So either you're with us or against us, cuz!”

“I'm with you, you know that. My life is on the line just like everyone else's. Don't waste your breath getting at me like I'm some busta-ass nigga. I'm still 'bout my work.”

“All right then, I'll get at you in the morning, loco. The word will be out by then that we got one of them niggas, so you know it's gon' be on.”

“Yeah, the word is also gon' be out that they got one of us too. We're going to have to tread lightly at first, loc. I'm telling you, that nigga Taz is about to go crazy on our ass.”

“Yeah? Well, there's about to be two crazy muthafuckas goin' at it, cuz. They took my people, loc, and for that they have to die! It's as simple as that,” H-Hop said as he climbed out of Clifford's CLS 500 Mercedes Benz.

 

 

Taz, Keno and Red had stayed up the rest of the night preparing for what they were about to do. They were downstairs in Taz's gym, checking and rechecking their weapons. Taz owned a heavy arsenal, complete with everything from pistols to assault rifles. Semi-automatic guns to fully automatic ones. Bulletproof vests and enough ammunition to supply a small army.

After they loaded all of the weapons they planned on using, Red said, “It would be best if we waited for the sun to set. That way we'll be able to move a li'l easier.”

“Yeah, you're right. Plus, I'm tired as hell,” Keno said as he yawned and stretched.

“All right, y'all niggas gon' and bounce. We'll meet back here around six.” Taz then called Gwen and asked her, “How's he doin'?”

“He's still asleep, Taz. How are you?”

“Hurtin', Gwen. I still can't believe my nigga is gone.”

“I understand. Believe me, I do understand. But, Taz, you have to realize that by retaliating there is only going to be more and more bloodshed. Sooner or later you'll have to feel this pain again, because another one of your friends will get hurt. Then what? You go off on another rampage? That doesn't make any sense. Y'all have too much going on for yourselves to take the risks y'all are about to take. What happens if something happens to you, Taz? Aren't you the least bit concerned for Sacha and the baby? I don't want to lecture you or anything like that, I just want to make sure that you're fully aware of what you're putting at risk. It's not just all about Taz right now. You have your mom, your daughter, your fiancée, as well as your unborn child to think about. You could stop this madness if you chose to. You do know that, don't you?”

“Can I? What about that nigga Cliff? He's the one taking this war to us, Gwen. If it wasn't for that clown, Bo-Pete would still be alive! So, to answer your question, yeah, I know I can stop this shit if I chose to. But that's not the decision I'm making. That nigga has shot my child and lived to talk about it. He's shot at me and lived to talk about it. Now he's responsible for killin' one of my closest friends, and he's
still
fuckin' breathin'! That is unacceptable, and nothin' and no one will stop me from hurting him and every last one of his niggas. I love Sacha and my unborn seed more than anything in this world. But I can't and I won't be deterred from handling this shit the way it's supposed to be handled. You make sure that you keep Bob under wraps for us, 'cause when that nigga gets up, he's gon' be on one for real!”

“Don't worry, I'll handle his ass. Thank you again for keeping him away from this mess. I'd die if I lost another love of my life. I just wouldn't be able to recover from that.”

“Yeah, I know. I'm gon' keep it real with you, Gwen. If Bob was in good enough condition to ride with us, I wouldn't have done what I did. Like he said, we all made the same pact years ago. We're goin' to honor that, no matter what. Hopefully we'll be able to put an end to all of this and be able to move on with our lives. Whatever happens has to happen though. And it is goin' to happen as soon as that sun sets. Tell my Li'l Mama I said, no matter what happens, I will always love her.”

“I will, Taz. Bye.”

“Bye,” he said, and went into his bedroom and collapsed onto his bed. While lying flat on his back, he stared at the ceiling as tears slid down his face and said, “We gon' get 'em, Bo-Pete. We gon' get every last one of them bitch-ass niggas, or die tryin', dog! Real talk!”