A Gangsta Twist Saga (54 page)

“Come on with that shit! Won ain't dead! What the fuck is wrong with you?” he lied convincingly.

Charlene started laughing as she shook her head from side to side. She then said, “You are somethin' else, Mister Pitt!” She quickly glanced down at her watch then said, “Since we got a li'l time until Big Junior gets here, I'll break it all down to you real quick like.”

“Who the fuck is Big Junior?”

“He's Won's only living relative. He's the man who's going to take your life.”

“What?
Come on with this shit, Charlene! Stop playing!”

“Playing? That shit is too funny right there, for real! But check it. When Won called my boo and told him to turn over everything to you, that was the code that you were to be killed. We were to kill whoever came to get this work. Won was prepared for you years ago, buddy. It really hurts me to know that he's no longer with us, but it makes my heart feel real good to know that me and my man did our part just as he expected us to.”

Pitt stood in front of Charlene with a look of disgust on his face. He couldn't fucking believe it. That nigga Won had still beaten him. Before he could say another word to try and talk Charlene out of this mess, his eyes grew as wide as saucers when he saw Leo and Tru being led inside of the warehouse by Snuffy and two other men.

Snuffy smiled and said, “Baby, these Cali boys is somethin', ain't they?”

“Uh-huh. I just got finished explaining to Pitt here what Won told us about him.”

“Good. Let's get this shit over with,” Snuffy said coldly.

“Wait! Don't you realize that I can make the both of you richer than either of you ever imagined? I'm the second in charge of The Network! Whatever you ask of me, I can give it to you. Don't be stupid, Snuffy. You'll be able to have whatever you want.”

“If I let you go?” asked Snuffy.

Pitt bobbed his head up and down and said, “Yes, if you let me go.”

Snuffy and Charlene started laughing, and so did the other two gentlemen who had remained silent up until that moment.

“Dog, don't you realize that Won has already made it possible for me and Charlene here to have anything we want in his world? Why would we want to have a plug with the second-in-charge of The Network, when I'm about to have a direct link with the number one man of The Network?”

“What? Cash Flo' would never fuck with any of you guys! I'm telling you, you gots to listen to what I'm saying here!” Pitt yelled.

“Cash Flo'? Who the fuck is Cash Flo'?” asked one of the men who had accompanied Snuffy when he brought Leo and Tru into the warehouse. “Taz is about to be the next head of The Network. My Uncle Won planned on taking over himself, but since thangs went left for him, it's meant for Taz to be the man. You kilt my Uncle, and for that, Mister Pitt, you gots to die by my hand!” Big Junior said as he smiled at Pitt.

Big Junior stood a little over six foot three inches, and was fucking huge. He could easily pass for a defensive lineman or a lean-ass linebacker. His muscles rippled all through his white tee.

Pitt looked as if he had already been shot by one of the guns aimed at his heart. “Ta-Taz! That country nigga in Oklahoma City?”

Big Junior nodded his head and said, “Yep! In a few weeks, he's about to take complete control of The Network.”

“Never! Cash Flo' won't stand for that shit!”

Big Junior shrugged his huge shoulders and said, “If you say so. But check this out. We got thangs to do, and I'm sure Snuffy and Charlene have made plans for the evening.”

“That's right, dog. Me and wifey tryin' to go get our freak on!” Snuffy said with a laugh.

Big Junior pulled out his silenced 9 and said, “Oh, I almost forgot. Uncle Won told me to tell you that he'll be waitin' for you in hell!”

Before Pitt could speak, Big Junior shot him two times in the head. He died instantly.

Snuffy turned toward Leo and Tru, and in his best Tony Montana impersonation, he asked, “You two want a job?”

Both Leo and Tru nodded their heads up and down eagerly, grateful their lives were being spared.

Charlene laughed and said, “Quit giving these niggas false hopes.” Then she shot Leo and Tru right between their eyes. Their bodies fell to the floor instantly. She smiled at Snuffy and said, “Come on, ‘Tony.' Let's get out of here!”

Snuffy smiled and asked, “But what about them?”

Big Junior said, “Don't trip. Major gots some of y'all's peoples from the twenty-one on their way to handle the cleanup. Let's ride!”

With tears sliding down his face, Taz stared at Won's image and listened to what he had to say. Won had a sad smile on his face as he spoke to the camera.

“If you're watching this DVD, Babyboy, then I guess I've finally lost the game. Don't worry, though, 'cause if I lost, then that means you've won. Listen, and make sure that you do exactly as you're told, if, in fact you do decide to roll with what I'm about to propose to you.

“Pitt was able to pick up the pieces, and he obviously got to me before I could get to him. So, that means that by the time you get to watch this DVD, he too should have come to his demise. You will be receiving a call from my peoples with confirmation of this act. You then will also be notified of the position of power that is awaiting you out here on the West Coast.

“As you can see in my Will, I've left everything I have to you and Tazneema. But that's not all. I would be very pleased with you if you took over and became the head man of The Network. Everything is in order. All you have to do is give my man Snuffy the word that you have agreed to be the next head of The Network. After that, Cash Flo'will be eliminated, and the position of the most powerful Black criminal organization in the U.S. will belong solely to you. I know this is a shock to you, Babyboy, but take your time before deciding which way you're going to go. I designed this for the both of us. Either it was going to be me or you who ran The Network.

“Since I've come to my demise, I'm hoping that you'll carry on my dream and take this position. If not, I still want you to know that I have always loved you as my son, and I will forever be watching over you. . . .”

Won paused and stared at the camera then said:

“Follow your heart on this one, Babyboy. Out!”

The picture on the screen faded out slowly into another picture of the great Michael Jordan, only this time it was a picture of him standing with all six of the NBA championship trophies that he'd helped the Chicago Bulls win during his stellar career.

By the time Taz made it back to his house, he watched Won's DVD three more times. He couldn't believe what he had done for him. Now, the questions remained. What the hell was he going to do? Should he take the position as head of The Network? Or should he leave all of that shit alone and try to move on with his crazy-ass life? A decision had to be made. He just didn't know what the fuck he was going to do.
Life's a bitch, ain't it?
he thought as he climbed out of his truck and entered his home.

It was the night before Keno's funeral. Taz was glad that Wild Bill, Red and Bob had decided not to have a wake.
I don't think I would be able to go through seeing my nigga in that coffin more than once,
Taz thought as he relaxed on his bed.

For the last few days, Taz kept himself busy by going over all of the financial matters of Won's estate. Won left him and Tazneema over sixty million dollars, including his big-ass boat and properties all over the West Coast. Everything was to be divided evenly between the two of them. That put a smile on Taz's face as he thought about how Tazneema was going to react when she found out that she was now an extremely wealthy young lady.

His smile quickly turned into a frown when he thought about her having that nigga Cliff's child. He reached and grabbed the phone and gave his daughter a call. When Tazneema answered the phone, she sounded a little funny, so he asked, “What's up, baby girl? You all right?”

“Not really, Daddy, but I'll be fine. I just need to get some rest, that's all,” she said as she held onto her stomach.

“What's wrong? You sick or something?”

She took a deep breath and said, “I just got back home from having an abortion, Daddy.”

“You what? What made you do that, 'Neema?”

“I didn't want to have that man's child. He was the devil, Daddy. I couldn't see myself bringing a child into this world that could possibly have that man's lying ways inside of him or her.”

“Why didn't you tell me? I could have gone with you.”

“I had Tari take me. I didn't think you'd be too comfortable with me going through that process.”

“Are you sure you're okay? Do you need me to come out there?”

“I'm fine, Daddy. Tari's here, and she refuses to leave until I've eaten something and have fallen asleep. So relax.”

Taz smiled and said, “Whatever, baby girl! Put that white girl on the phone.”

Tazneema smiled and said, “You are too crazy, Taz! I'll see you tomorrow.”

“All right, baby girl,” Taz said somberly as he thought once again about having to attend his best friend's funeral in the morning.

Tari accepted the phone from Tazneema and said, “Don't you start with me! She made me promise not to tell you about any of this. It was her decision to make, Taz,” she said seriously.

“Would you be quiet, snow bunny? I ain't mad at you or her. On the real, I'm kinda glad she did it, but a part of me wished she didn't. Does that make any sense?”

Tari laughed and said, “Yes, it makes perfect sense, silly! You're human, Taz. Don't worry though. The doctor told us that everything went fine. She's going to feel a little sluggish for a few days, but she's going to be A-okay. How are you doing?”

“I'm good, I guess. What about you?”

“I'm trying my best to accept all of this death. It's hard, baby... it's real hard.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Why didn't Won want us to bury him properly? That was so damned unfair of him.”

“You know he always had to do things his way. He requested to have his body cremated and his ashes spread out over the Pacific, so I had his attorneys take care of everything. Do you want to fly out to Cali with me to take care of the ashes?”

“I need a vacation, so why not? Can we do some thangs while we're out that way?” she asked devilishly.

“Tari!”

“All right! Damn! Can't a girl at least try?”

They both laughed.

“All right then, I'll see y'all tomorrow. I'm about to chill out for a li'l bit. Sacha should be here any minute.”

“Tell her I said hello. I'll talk to you later,” Tari said, and hung up the phone.

As if on cue, Sacha came into the bedroom, followed by Heaven and Precious. When Taz saw them enter the room, he smiled and said, “What's good, Li'l Mama?”

After slipping out of her pumps, she said, “Not much. Just tired as hell.” She climbed onto the bed next to him, put her head on his chest and asked, “How are you holding up, baby?”

As he slowly stroked her long, jet-black hair, he said, “I miss him, Li'l Mama. I miss my man so much, it's killin' me slowly. I don't know how in the hell I'm gon' be able to look at him in a fuckin' casket. I don't think I'm gon' be able to take that shit.”

Sacha closed her eyes as she listened to Taz speaking with so much pain in his voice. Her heart rate seemed to increase as she thought about all of the pain she had caused the one man that she would gladly give her life up for. For the thousandth time, she tried to convince herself to tell Taz the truth about how Keno was killed, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. She couldn't tell her man, her fiancé, her heart, that she had killed his best friend because Keno had murdered her twin brothers so many years ago. Taz loved her, she was confident of that fact. But she wasn't willing to put their love to that ultimate test. This secret was going to have to go with her to her grave.

She raised her head, looked at her man and said, “Don't worry, baby. I'll be right by your side. I know it's going to be hard, but you know he's in a much better place now. He's with Bo-Pete and Won, and you know all three of them are watching over you.”

Her words put a sad smile on his face as he thought about all three of his friends. “Yeah, they'll be watching over us all.”

Before he could continue, they were interrupted by the telephone ringing. Sacha reached over Taz to answer it.

“Hello . . . May I ask who's speaking? . . . Just a moment please,” she said. She handed the phone to Taz and said, “It's someone named Snuffy from Austin, baby.”

Taz accepted the phone from her and said, “I was wondering when he was goin' to call.” He put the phone to his ear and said, “What's good?”

“Everything is everything, my man. Do you know who I am?”

“Yeah, I know. I've been expecting your call.”

“Do you have an answer for me yet? Or do you need some more time?”

“I have a question.”

“Holla at your boy then.”

“Has Cash Flo' been taken care of yet?”

“Do you want the grimy details?” Snuffy answered as he rubbed Charlene lightly on her left breast.

“Nah, I'm good. I just wanted to know. So, everything is all on me now, huh?”

“Yep. So, what's it gon' be, gee? Do you want to accept this position or what?”

Taz stared at Sacha as she rested her head on his chest and asked, “Can one man handle that much power?”

“Won felt that you could handle it, and I've never doubted that man in all of our years dealing with one another, gee. And I'm not about to start now. I think you can handle it,” Snuffy said seriously.

Taz took a deep breath before answering Snuffy's question, because he knew it would change the direction of his life, as well as everyone else's around him. Wild Bill, Red, Bob, Sacha, Tari, Mama-Mama, Tazneema and Gwen's as well. If he moved to the West Coast to run The Network, they were all coming with him. There was no way in hell he would have it any other way.

“Yeah, I'm with it, Snuffy. I gots to carry the torch for my man. Won wanted it this way, so I gots to roll with my nigga's wishes. It wouldn't be right if I didn't.”

“Exactly! I'll notify the rest of the council. When do you want to have our first official meeting?”

“What? You're part of the council?”

Snuffy smiled and said, “Dog, that was me and my wifey Charlene's blessing for being loyal all of these years. We would have gladly given our lives up for Won, dog. Now, that same loyalty belongs to you, Taz. We'll die for you if we have to. Real talk.”

“That's good lookin'. Check it. Set it up with everyone else for next week out in Cali. We'll take Won's boat out and spread his ashes over the Pacific like he wanted. Afterward, we'll put the wheels of this ride in motion.”

“Gotcha!” Snuffy said, and he hung up the phone.

After Taz replaced the cordless phone back on its base, Sacha looked up into his eyes, smiled and asked, “So, we're going to California, baby?”

Taz smiled at his fiancée and said, “Yeah, we're all moving to the Wild, Wild West!”