Animal 2 (27 page)

“G
ET YOUR HANDS OFF HIM,”
a voice called from somewhere behind the mob. Steve looked up and saw Gucci holding the Mac that Kahllah had lost. Her face was unsure, and her hands trembled.

Steve released Animal and calmly started walking toward Gucci. “Shorty, you too pretty to be a killer. Why don't you put that gun down and knock it off?”

“Only thing that's gonna get knocked off is your head if you don't tell your boys to get off my man,” Gucci warned him. She tried to sound tough, but her voice was shaky.

“OK, let's make a deal. You put the gun down, and I won't let these thirsty niggaz gang-rape you when we're done killing your boyfriend,” Steve said with a smirk.

“Don't make me do it to you,” Gucci pleaded.

“You ain't 'bout to do shit.” Steve lunged at the same time as Gucci pulled the trigger. The Mac tore a line up through Steve's chest and knocked half of his face off.

Closing her eyes, Gucci depressed the trigger of the Mac,
sweeping it back and forth. Chuck's men retreated toward the back of the church, trying to find shelter from the rain of bullets. The screams of Chuck's men as they fell to the bullets were terrifying, but what was more terrifying was the prospect of dying, so Gucci kept firing until there was nothing left in the clip.

Cautiously, Animal approached Gucci. She was trembling, still pulling the trigger of the empty gun. “It's OK.” Animal plucked the gun from her hands. “It's over now.” He embraced her. As Gucci sobbed into his chest, Animal surveyed the carnage she had caused. Looking at the dead bodies on the ground, he knew that Gucci's soul was now stained, too. It would take her a long time, if ever, to recover from it, but he would be there to help her through it. They would heal together.

Kahllah joined them, sweating, bruised, and holding the remaining Mac. Gucci looked up at her over Animal's shoulder, and Kahllah gave her an approving smile. “A woman of her word,” she said, recalling Gucci's earlier statement.

Animal looked over his shoulder at Kahllah. “What's that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, simply that any doubts I had in my mind about her love for you being genuine have been removed,” Kahllah said, and went to root out the last of the invaders.

•  •  •

Chuck stood in the middle of the aisle, watching as his remaining men retreated. “Where the fuck are y'all going? This shit ain't over,” he barked at them, but his commands went ignored. “Fuck y'all cowards, I'll finish this myself.” He hoisted the SPAS-12 and pointed it at Animal and Gucci. When he pulled the trigger, nothing came out.

“One of the most common and fatal mistakes of a rookie is not keeping track of your ammunition,” someone said from behind Chuck, just as something cold slipped around his neck, cutting off his air. “You dare to bring war to my doorstep?” Priest tightened his grip on the rosary.

“You killed my daddy—”

“So you've already said.” Priest pulled tighter. “Your father was a good friend but also a notorious fuck-up who always felt like he had something to prove. A quality he obviously passed on to you.”

“You promised him that you'd take care of him,” Chuck said emotionally.

“And so I have, by making sure he died quick and clean. I also promised him that if you came looking for death, I would help you find it.” Priest jerked the chain and snapped Chuck's neck, letting his lifeless body fall to the ground. He knelt beside the corpse and traced a cross on his forehead. “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I release your soul from this world.”

When Priest stood up, he felt light-headed. He'd taken two steps and pitched forward. If it hadn't been for Kahllah catching him, he'd have hit the ground.

“Father, are you hurt?” Kahllah asked, holding him upright.

“No, just a little winded. Help me sit,” Priest said, motioning toward what was left of the bench at the front of the aisle.

Kahllah got Priest to the bench and helped him into a sitting position. When she looked down at the arm that had been hooked around his waist, it was covered in blood. “No,” she gasped. Kahllah dropped to her knees in front of him and tore
Priest's robe open. There was a large circle of blood on his side. He had been far more wounded than he'd let on earlier.

“How bad?” Animal asked. Kahllah didn't answer, but her face said it wasn't good. “We've got to get him to a hospital.”

“No hospitals. Too many secrets that must remain buried. I just need to rest for a minute,” Priest said in a labored tone. “The police will be here soon, and they can't find you or Kahllah here, Tayshawn. You would both be sent to prison for the rest of your lives for your crimes.”

“I don't expect they'll overlook you sitting in the middle of all these bodies, either,” Animal said.

“I promised myself a long time ago that I would never see the inside of a prison cell ever again, and I don't intend to break that promise now,” Priest told him. “Kahllah,” he said, addressing his adopted daughter, “get them to safety.”

“Father,” Kahllah said, still kneeling, hugging him around his waist, ignoring the blood, “I can't leave you.”

“But you must, my Black Lotus.” Priest ran his hands through her hair lovingly. “I raised you from a child, subservient to my needs and wants, but it is time that I release you from your vow. You have money, and you are beautiful, my flower. Go out and discover the little things like life and love that you've been denied while under my charge. The world is a very big place, and you have it laid at your feet. Explore it.”

“What good is the world if I'm alone in it?” Kahllah sobbed into his lap.

“On the contrary, you will not be alone. You have Animal and Gucci now. No matter the circumstances that brought us together, it is what we have endured during our time that makes us family. Is this not so?” He looked to Animal and Gucci.

Animal looked at Gucci, who nodded in approval. “Indeed it is,” Animal said, laying his hand on Kahllah's shoulder. “We're all we got left.”

Kahllah looked up at Animal, laying her hand over his. Her eyes were red and her face streaked with tears, but she managed to muster a weak smile. “I guess we are,” she said.

Priest smiled, and when he did, there was no sign of death in his one good eye, only his love for his children. “Take Gucci outside, Kahllah. I would have words with my son.”

“Yes, Father.” Kahllah stood. “I love you.” She hugged his neck as tightly as she could.

“And I you, Black Lotus.” Priest hugged her back. “Now, get going. We haven't much time.”

Kahllah and Gucci grabbed what they could carry in the way of weapons and fresh clothes and headed for the back exit. Gucci stopped and looked to Animal with questioning eyes.

“It's fine, love. I'll be right behind you,” Animal assured her. He waited until Gucci and Kahllah had gone before he addressed Priest. “This is the last time I'm going to see you, isn't it?”

Priest shrugged. “We cannot predict what the Divine Father has planned for us. If it's my Lord's will that I am to leave this world today, so be it. I have no regrets . . . well, only one. I wish I had been a bigger part of your life. If I had been around, maybe some of this could've been avoided.”

“I appreciate you saying that, real talk, but it's like you said, We cannot predict what the Divine Father has planned for us. I guess this was just the road that I had to walk, to become the man I am.”

“And I'm proud of the man you've become,” Priest said.

“Why, because I grew up to be a killer like you?” Animal asked.

Priest laughed. “No, not because you grew up to be a killer but because you've discovered love, and unlike me, you held on to it. That Gucci's mouth could stand a good soap-washing, but she's a good woman. When times get rough, she will be your backbone. Hold on to her.”

“I intend to,” Animal told him. His ears picked up the sound of police sirens, and his eyes shot nervously to the door.

“Looks like our guests have arrived. I'll make sure they get a warm reception.” Priest pulled himself to his feet.

“I'll stand with you,” Animal told him.

“I know you will, and that's why you're a better man that I could've ever hoped to be. Before you go, I would like to present you with two gifts.”

“Gifts?” Animal didn't understand.

Priest pulled out his gold rosary and held it to the light. “This has been with me for a great many years. Your mother gave it to me before you were born, but the modifications I made to it came later on in life when I strayed from the path. I've used it for prayer as well as sin, but I have need for neither now. Take it.” He extended the rosary to Animal.

“I will cherish it.” Animal slipped the rosary around his neck, and a chill went down his back. “What's the second gift?”

Priest reached within the folds of his robes and retrieved a small SD card in a plastic case. “The second gift is your freedom.” He handed it to Animal.

“I don't understand,” Animal said, looking at the card curiously.

“Show it to Kahllah. She will understand,” Priest said. Just
outside the church entrance, they could hear the squawk of police radios. “Time for you to go, little one,” he told Animal.

Animal tucked the card into his pocket and headed for the door. As an afterthought, he rushed back in and shocked Priest by giving him a hug. “You still ain't shit, but you're my father, and I love you.” Before Priest had a chance to respond, Animal broke the embrace and disappeared.

Priest felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. For as much as he wanted to bask in the glow of reconciling with his only son, he had business to attend to. He picked up one of the discarded machine guns, left by Chuck's men, and stood in the middle of the aisle. Several uniformed officers spilled into the church with their guns drawn. All eyes were locked on the priest holding the chopper.

“Come all ye lambs to merciful slaughter,” Priest said, before pulling the trigger and cutting down the first wave of cops.

•  •  •

Animal had just made it into the alley behind the church when he heard the first shots. There was a quick burst, followed by at least a dozen or more loud booms. Then all was silent. The life of one of the underworld's most noted assassins had come to an end, but his legacy would live on through his children, biological and adopted. When Animal hopped into the passenger's seat of the idling car, he was wiping his eyes with his shirt.

“Drive,” he told Kahllah, expecting at least some type of resistance, but she simply put the car into gear and pulled off.

“You OK?” Gucci asked him from the backseat.

“I'm good,” Animal said, trying to keep his voice strong.

“He's gone, isn't he?” Kahllah asked.

“Yes, our father has passed on,” Animal said solemnly. He never imagined how strongly the death of someone he barely knew would affect him. It was as if he felt his father's passing in his spirit, and it deeply saddened him.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Kahllah slammed her fist into the steering wheel over and over. Tears danced in the corners of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

“I'm sorry, Kahllah,” Gucci offered. Priest's death didn't affect her one way or another, because she had no attachments to him, but she could feel the grief coming from Kahllah and Animal.

After a while, Kahllah was able to compose herself enough to speak without screaming. “He's in a better place now, and the demons can't touch him.”

“So what do we do now?” Gucci asked.

“I have money and connections. I can get you two out of the country. You can set up someplace where no one knows you and put all this bullshit behind you,” Kahllah offered.

“To come this far and not see it through to the end would be to disrespect our father's memory,” Animal said.

“Animal, Priest was our best chance, and now that he's gone, it puts us back at square one. Let's just go,” Gucci urged.

“As much as I hate to admit it, I agree with Gucci,” Kahllah said. “I'm connected, but my reach only goes so far. It was Priest who had the real power. Without him, what leg have you got to stand on?”

“This one.” Animal showed her the SD card. “Priest said that this was the key to my freedom and you would know what it meant.”

Kahllah's face betrayed her surprise. She was so stunned all she could do was laugh. “Our father, even in death, he keeps tricks up his sleeve.”

“What is it?” Animal asked.

“A fuck-you present for Shai Clark,” Kahllah told him.

“Take this bitch in the alley, and put her out of her misery.”

—Swann

P
ORSHA WAS SO TIRED THAT
she felt like her ass was literally dragging that morning. She had spent half the night up waiting and worrying about Zo, only for him to finally call from a pay phone with some bullshit secret-agent story with way more holes than Porsha cared to fill in. Her mind was telling her that enough was enough and she was through with Alonzo, but her heart made her reluctant. The downside about love was that it was the one thing you had no control over.

For as much as she wanted to lie around in bed all day and sulk, she couldn't. She had shit to do, and it wasn't gonna get done within the confines of that apartment worrying about Zo. Porsha had to be downtown for a photo shoot for some brand of liquor she couldn't even remember the name of. At the end of the day, it didn't matter. It was a paycheck and another notch on her résumé, which was getting quite extensive. It started out as a side hustle just to put with the paycheck she got from her day job so she would be able to eat after paying rent, but over the past few weeks, she had been getting
more and more calls. One photographer described her as having a look.