Against the Grain (22 page)

“Walk away?! Walk away?! Motherfucka, you can go out and fuck around all you want and when I make a mistake, one mistake, one time, you want to walk away?” The tears ran uncontrollably down her face.

Kay didn’t say anything. He just turned and walked out. “Kay!” she yelled. He turned to face her.

“He didn’t mean anything to me. I told him never to call me again. I’m sorry, baby, please don’t do this to us.”

“You better tell that nigga to ask to be traded to Portland somewhere. Somewhere that I’ll never see him. ’Cause I swear, if I ever run into him, I’m going to kill him,” Kay said and left. He went to take a shower and go to bed.

A few minutes later, Lil ‘C’ came in and hugged Shu-Shu, who was still crying. He wiped her tears away with the back of his right hand.

“Stop crying, Shu. I know my dad, and he ain’t going nowhere. His pride is just hurt right now, that’s all. Give him a few days and everything will be fine.” Then he put a small black box in her hand.

“What’s this?” she asked.

“It’s a telerecorder. He bought it from Radio Shack. That’s how he found out. He was recording your phone calls,” Lil ‘C’ told her.

“Why are you giving this to me? You know he’s going to be mad at you.”

“It don’t matter. You’ve treated me like a son from day one. When I was growing up, my father was nowhere around to give any aid in raising me, that right there should tell you how much of a role model I had. My mother, a good woman, had boyfriends, but none of them could actually teach me to be a man because they were too busy trying to run in and out of her bedroom. When situations like this go down, I tend to take the woman’s side. That’s the way my moms raised me.” He kissed her and left. Shu-Shu thought for a moment then she went to take a shower and to talk to her man. She wasn’t letting him get away that easily.

23

The next day Kay was leaving the club in his CL500 with Big Duke and his cousins behind him in the Excursion. He got about two blocks when he saw the same young woman he saw about a month ago on Pennsylvania Avenue who he thought he knew from somewhere. He whipped the car to the curb and rolled down the window.

“What’s up, shorty? You need a ride?”

She bent down and looked in the car. When she saw who it was, she smiled and got in.

“Now I know this is going to sound crazy and shit, but, shorty, I know you from somewhere,” he said as he pulled away from the curb.

“Look at me real good, Arkadian Frost. You don’t know who I am?” the young woman said as she put her seat belt on. Kay gave her a quick look, because she called him by his real name.

“Where I know you from, shorty, and how you know my name? You police or something?”

She reached inside her coat and pulled out a gold chain with a cross on it from around her neck. “Little Janita?” She smiled and nodded her head.

“Oh shit, what’s up, shorty? I’ve been asking about you and your sister. I heard ya’ll were doing good.”

“Well, when you got locked up, my sister was hurt. Especially when she couldn’t go visit you because of your girlfriend. She figured that you went through a lot of trouble to help us out, so she wasn’t going to let it all be for nothing. She finished cosmetology school and got a good job. Then saved up enough money to get me started at the University of Maryland. She met a doctor, got married, moved down south and had two kids. She and her husband paid for me to finish school.” Janita handed Kay a picture from her bag. Tia still looked good and the kids were cute, too, but the nigga was a little square, Kay thought.

“As for me, I finished school and got a job as a reporter at the Baltimore
Sun.
Right now I’m doing small stuff like the entertainment section. I interview different celebrities and report about different shows and events in the city. I’m just waiting for my big break. One major story and I can blow up.”

“I’ve been out for a minute, Janita, why haven’t you reached out to me?” he asked her.

“I wanted to so many times, if for nothing more than to say thank you for turning my life around. ’Cause if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I ask Lady about you at least twice a week. I just ask her not to tell you, because I know what you’re into right now and I can’t risk getting caught up in it. I’ve been working so hard to reach my goal. Plus I’ve got a jealous boyfriend that I’ve been with for a few years and it’s kinda serious.” They talked all the way to Janita’s house. When they stopped, there were a few guys sitting on the stoop. The guys looked at the Mercedes and the Excursion.

“Who dat?” Kay asked.

“That’s my boyfriend with the dreads and his friends.” Janita opened the door and turned to Kay. “Thank you.”

“Don’t worry about it, shorty—anytime.”

“No, I’m not talking about the ride home. Thank you for everything.” She got out and shut the door.

Her boyfriend got up and walked toward her. Kay looked at him through the tinted windows. He looked like a prep, a college boy. Like he was a white boy trying to be black. He had on a button-down shirt and tie and faded jeans with a leather jacket. He must have been embarrassed by Janita getting out of Kay’s car in front of his friends because he slapped her and yelled, “Who the fuck is that nigger?” sounding like he was white.

Janita stumbled and fell. She couldn’t believe he’d just done that. Kay jumped out the car with the quickness. The dread’s friends got up then. The dread looked at Kay.

“What’s up, you want some?” he asked Kay. Kay walked around the car to help Janita up. Big Duke and his cousins got out the truck.

“Just give me my key and leave, Lavern. I don’t ever want to see you again. Your boys can pick up your shit,” she said. Kay helped her up.

“I ain’t going no fucking where!” Lavern yelled.

“Yo, man, why you acting like that? I’ma childhood friend of her and Tia’s. I gave her a ride home and she was just telling me how she loves you and you go and do some dumb shit,” Kay said calmly.

“Shut the fuck up, nigger. Ain’t nobody talking to you. I don’t give a fuck who you are.” It was obvious to everyone but him and his friends that he didn’t know who he was talking to. Kay looked at Janita, who just backed out the way. Kay looked at Lavern.

“Okay, dread, let’s get down. Since you like hitting women, I’ma see what your fight game is like.”

Kay took off his coat and jewels and sat them on the trunk of his car. The dread took off his coat and they squared off. Lavern’s friends, Big Duke, and his cousins made a semicircle. The dread tried to kick Kay, lost his balance, and fell. Kay kicked him in the face and stomped him out. He grabbed Kay’s legs and tried to wrestle him to the ground. Kay snatched out a handful of his dreads and gave him a knee to the face, knocking him out. Then Chris, one of Big Duke’s cousins, knocked down one of Lavern’s friends. Chris was tired of just riding around. He was ready to put in some work. Plus he wanted to impress Kay. The friend jumped up and the three of them ran, leaving Lavern stretched out on the cold ground.

Janita watched it all in amazement. After all these years, Kay was still protecting her. She knew right then that she still loved him. Kay went in the dread’s pockets and got the apartment keys, giving them to Janita. Kay and his crew went inside and helped her throw Lavern’s shit out on the sidewalk. He got himself together, put his shit in his car, and left.

24

Later that night Tank paid Kahdijah to lure Scatter somewhere alone. Now he had Scatter handcuffed to a chair in the basement of an abandoned house.

“Yeah, old man, I knew I would catch you slippin’. Shit ain’t funny now, is it? You broke my fuckin’ finger. I’ma teach you about putting your hands on me, motherfucka. You see this syringe? It’s full of that shit you like. Pure heroin, but this time it’s laced with battery acid. I’m going to turn you back into a dope fiend one more time before you die. I’ve been laying on you for a while, old man. I’m too smart for you. When you go to bed, I’m still up. And when you wake up, I’ve been up. Tell all them bastards in hell that I said that!”

“Look, Tank, you didn’t say anything about killin’ nobody. I’m getting ready to go, just give me my hundred dollars,” Kahdijah said.

Tank looked at one of his bodyguards; the man grabbed her by the hair and put his hand over her mouth.

“You ain’t going nowhere, bitch!” Tank yelled. He walked over and grabbed her arm and rolled up her coat sleeve before injecting the heroin-laced battery acid into her vein. She struggled for a moment, and foam came out her mouth and what was left of her life left her body. She had a calm peaceful look on her face. Tank laughed aloud and said, “No witnesses.” Then he pulled out another syringe and walked over to Scatter and got nose to nose.“Fuck you!” he hissed. “Die slow, cocksucker.” He injected Scatter and watched him die as he laughed. He ordered his bodyguards to strip both bodies and leave them there.

The next day someone found the bodies and called Dre, Mike, and Kay. Kay was home with Shu-Shu. That’s how it be when a nigga catches his girl out there. He starts playing the crib more and sweating her and shit so it took him a little longer to get there. When he pulled up, all the fiends in the hood were standing around. He saw Dre’s, Mike’s, Tank’s, Big Duke’s, Gee’s, and Scatter’s cars parked. He jumped out and rushed inside. When he got to the basement everyone was standing around. They all stared at him but no one said anything. Then Dre stepped to him and said, “He’s gone.” Kay pushed through them and found the two naked bodies on the floor. With tears rolling down his face, he knelt down and held Scatter’s body in his arms.

“You can’t die, Scatter. C’mon, man, get up and put your clothes on before Lady catches you. C’mon, man. Stop playing, get up. You can’t die. You’re my father. I need you to love me like a father. I know I’m a grown man, but I need you. Lil ‘C’ needs you,” he said to the lifeless body that was once his mentor and friend. Kay cried aloud for about ten minutes before anyone did anything. The whole scene was emotional. Dre walked over and put his hand on Kay’s shoulder. Kay wiped the dirt from Scatter’s face and hair. He stood up and searched the cold basement for Scatter’s clothes. They were nowhere to be found. He walked over to Kahdijah’s dead body and knelt down. He used his right hand to close her eyes. There were empty dope bags and syringes next to her body. Kay studied the scene for a minute and then stood up and faced everyone. His attention was focused on Tank. He walked past everyone without saying a word, left the abandoned house, got in his car, and went to tell Lady that Scatter was dead. That he’d been murdered.

By the time the cops got there all of them were gone. Mike, Tank, and Gee were over at one of Mike’s freak’s house, sitting in the living room smoking weed.

“You just couldn’t leave that shit alone, could you?” Mike scorned Tank.

“What are you talking ’bout?” Tank asked him.

“Don’t try to play me like I’m dumb, you stupid motherfucka!”

Tank was shocked by Mike’s outburst but he knew to be careful not to offend Mike.

“Do you know why Kay looked at you like that before he left the basement? Because you made at least three obvious mistakes. First, Scatter would never disrespect Kay by getting high in the streets. Second, that bitch Kahdijah don’t shoot dope, she’s a crackhead. And the biggest mistake you made was taking the clothes. If they got naked together, where were the clothes?”

“Yeah I hear you, but how can he say I did it?”

“ ’Cause everybody loves Scatter except you, dumb ass.”

“Maybe I should go talk to that nigga,” Tank said.

Mike laughed. “Talk to him about what, stupid? You can’t unring a bell, nigga. The best thing for you to do right now is stay away from him.”

•         •         •

At Scatter’s burial, the cemetery was packed. Kay, Mama, Lil ‘C’, Kaneeka, Shu-Shu, Caleek, Tramaine, and his family all stood on one side of Lady. Janita, Tia, and her family stood on the other side of Lady. Mike, Lyniece, T-Kie, the security team, Quchelle, Gee, Sandra, Big Duke, Dre, and Mina were standing on the other side of the casket, facing them as the preacher said a few words. There were at least sixty friends and family members there as well. As the preacher finished, two gentlemen made their way through the crowd without speaking to anyone. When they got to Lady, they hugged her and apologized for being late. Then both gentlemen hugged Kay. There were lots of
oohs
and
ahhs
and whispering among the crowd.

Tank walked up behind Mike and whispered in his ear, “Who the fuck is them niggaz?”

Without taking his eyes off the two men, Mike said, “Bush Titanium and Brick Brown. Straight motherfucking killers. You’ve heard all the stories growing up, well, there they are in the flesh. Years ago them two niggaz terrorized Baltimore, killing everyone that didn’t see shit their way. When them niggaz got bagged and had ransoms for bails, everybody in town turn their backs on them and left them for dead. But then that fuckin’ nigga Scatter goes and pulls them. They killed the nigga that told on them and left town. They haven’t been seen since. Not until now.” Just as Mike said that, he watched Kay say something in Bush’s ear and all three men turned and looked at Tank, who was standing on the other side of the casket looking at them.

As the crowd was leaving, Mike said to Tank, “There’s nothing I can do for you. You fucked up big-time, playa. Just turn and leave now. Your girl can ride with us. I’ll get your money together and meet you later. You can never come back. Not unless you want to end up in one of these boxes.”

Tank rushed through the crowd, got in his car, and sped away. Mike looked at Kay and Kay looked back. Neither said a word. Kay didn’t have time for him. Not right then. His beef was with Tank. That’s why he and Lady called Bush and Brick. He, Scatter, and Lady always knew where the two men were and kept in touch. Scatter even sent them money when he got back on. They loved and respected Scatter like a brother because he wasn’t afraid of them. Now their brother was gone and someone was going to die.

When they got close enough for Mike and his crew to hear them, Bush said to Kay, “Next time, pick your friends like your life depends on it, because it does. A real friend is the one who tries to calm the fury, not ignite the flame.”

Mike knew that that comment was directed at him. He didn’t even look their way but he made a mental note to beef up security just in case them motherfuckers tried to bring it. Everyone left in different directions.

•         •         •

Around nine thirty that night, Tank was in one of his many stash houses that no one knew about but Mike. He was still wearing the same clothes that he had on at the funeral. He nervously paced the floor back and forth with his gun in his hand. He walked over to the glass dining room table where he had a kilo of cocaine and started sniffing some of it. When he brought his face up from the pile, he looked over at Tralese, the half-Jamaican, half-Chinese, seventeen-year-old tender from around the way. He stood up and wiped his nose with his sleeve. Then he picked up the bottle of Hennessy and took a swallow. He walked over to her and slapped her down. She hit the floor and looked up at him helplessly with tears running down her face.

“Why, daddy?” she whined. “Why did you—” But before she could finish, he stomped his 111/2 Mauri gator down into her beautiful face, sadistically releasing his anger and rage. She screamed in pain as she brought her hands to her face, trying to protect her beauty from the next blow. As he brought his gator up for the next stomp, he suddenly realized he didn’t want to mess up her pretty face. She flinched as the bottom of his big shoe hovered over her. Instead of smashing her head into the floor, he brought his foot down slowly between her pretty light brown thighs and gently opened her long legs with his Mauri, revealing her young, hairy, black coochie. She looked up at him relieved, yet still hesitant to lower her hands from her face, afraid that his violent tantrum was not over.

“Bitch, get naked before I turn you into a puddle of fuckin’ blood!” he yelled. She nervously removed her short red skirt, and then she lifted her white Gucci blouse over her head, exposing her young, firm, big-nippled breasts.

“You know you my baby, right? That’s why I buy you all those nice things,” Tank said, trying to be nice. She didn’t say a word. She just nodded her head in agreement. Tears still fell from her pretty brown eyes, but instead of feeling sorry for her, the tears turned Tank on and made him want to fuck her more. As he felt his animalistic nature rising to its full potential, he placed the tip of his right gator against her bush and nudged her little hole. Her tears flowed uncontrollably now. She was quivering like a gentle lamb caught in the fangs of a deadly fox. Tank smiled as he loosened his belt, reaching down into his silk drawers, freeing his python from its cage. The young girl’s eyes widened at the size of his long black snake that he slowly stroked, making it even longer and harder. He came down on top of her, positioning himself between her soft thighs.

“Please don’t do this to me!” she pleaded. “Pleeeeease!” But he heartlessly ignored the young girl’s begging. He put his gun down next to her, grabbed a handful of her long pretty hair, pulling it brutally when he whispered, “Shut the fuck up, stupid little bitch!” He started lubricating her pussy lips with the precum that was dripping from his dick. “You’re going to love this dick up in you,” he said as he aimed the head of the snake into her pink little hole and maliciously thrust the rest of him inside, causing her to scream like she was dying. He continued fucking her as she screamed and scratched at his muscular chest. He brought the back of his free hand down hard across her pretty face, shutting her the fuck up, except for the moan that escaped at the moment of impact. He could feel a sticky warm wetness on his throbbing dick that he knew was the blood from the young girl’s cherry he busted.

“You want to play with the big boyz? Bitch-Now-You-Get-What-You-Asked-For!” He grunted the words as he pumped her young, bloody little pussy full of deadly venom. As the long stiff snake slowly withdrew from her hole, he gathered the phlegm from the back of his throat and spit in the young girl’s face which mixed with her tears, sliding down her bruised cheek. Nothing excited him more than seeing a bitch cry. To add the cold icing to the sick cake he was in the process of baking, he stood over the young girl, holding his limp dick in his right hand. She looked up at him, temporarily unaware of what evil deed he had in store for her next, as her pleading eyes begged him to be sweet. He almost felt sorry for the bitch. He stared at the young tender lamb, lying helplessly before him on the floor and the deadly fox inside reminded him it was time for the kill. He aimed the head of the snake toward her face. The hot steamy piss rose like a fountain then slowly rained down on her face and chest, covering her with his degrading waste. He watched as the young girl squirmed under the waterfall and coldly said, “Bitch, sit still! I‘m marking my territory! I own your ass now! If I feed you shit for breakfast, you better love it! You understand me, bitch?!”

She wiped the stinky waste from her cute little lips with the back of her hand as she muttered something.

“What you just say, bitch? I didn’t hear you!” he said, looking down at her while pulling his pants up.

She whispered, “Yes, daddy,” obediently looking up at her master. He knew he had broken the young girl down to her lowest level of self-esteem. Now he had to test her loyalty.

“Pass me my motherfucking gun and go clean yourself up!” he said as he turned his back and walked over to the table to take another drink of the Hennessy.

She grabbed her clothes and picked up his gun. She could have shot him in the back of the head but instead she walked up behind him and stuck the gun in the waistband of his pants at the small of his back.Then she kissed him on his muscular back and said, “I love you, daddy.” She walked to the bathroom to clean herself up. Tank never turned around to look at her. He proudly smiled to himself, satisfied with his turn out of the young girl.

Tralese left shortly after coming out of the bathroom. She had school the next day. She stopped at the pay phone on the corner and called Kay. She gave Kay the address and flagged down a cab. As she got in the backseat of the cab, she looked up the block at the house where Tank was before throwing the clip from his gun in the gutter.

•         •         •

When Big Duke’s cousins kicked the door in, they found Tank sitting at a table sniffing coke. He jumped to his feet and pulled his gun. He cocked it back and kicked out the bullet in the chamber. Big Duke’s cousins took cover. Tank tried to let off a few rounds but nothing happened. He cocked it again, then saw that the clip was missing.
Little bitch just killed me,
he thought. He kicked the lamp over, making it pitch black. Then he felt around on the floor for the bullet that he discharged. By the time he found it, Big Duke and his cousins were standing over him with guns to his head. He dropped his gun and put his hands in the air. The lights came on and Kay, Bush, Dre, and Brick came in.

“You just couldn’t leave that bullshit alone, could you, Tank?” Kay asked.

“What the fuck is you talking ’bout? I did that old motherfucka a favor by killin’ him. It was time for him to die anyway. And I killed the bitch just ’cause she was there. I did it, now what?”

Kay punched him in the mouth, knocking him down. Bush handcuffed Tank and stood him back up.