Thin Ice 3 - Armageddon (9 page)

“
I wanna know where Ice is,” Jaron said simply as the surprise crossed her face and disappeared just as quickly, alerting him they’d finally hit pay dirt.

“
I don’t know no Ice,” Gabrielle lied.

Mace kicked Corey hard to the gut as the man now struggled to breathe.

“
You’re gonna get your boyfriend killed lying to me,” Jaron told her plainly as Gabrielle blinked back tears.

“
Where is he,” he barked sharply making her jump again.

“
Leave us alone,” Gabrielle returned instead of an answer, earning Corey yet another vicious kick to the face.

“
Stop it!” Gabrielle screamed, attacking Mace, who easily subdued the small woman and held her immobile.

Jaron walked to her, standing close enough to feel her heart racing as Mace’s arms enveloped her.

“
If you don’t answer my question this time, I’ll kill him,” Jaron told her plainly. “And when me and my boy are done with you, you’ll wish you were dead,” he added for good measure now looking her directly in the eye. “I’ll give you 10 seconds,” Jaron told her evenly, producing the .10mm from his pocket and unlocking the safety.

*****

Kaitlyn smiled to herself as they hit the city. She hadn’t been to Louisiana in some years, especially not on business. Tae was entertaining herself as usual singing along with the CD as the smooth sounds of R&B filled the car. For the woman to be as violent as Kaitlyn knew she could be, Tae had that soft, sweet, romantic side to her as well.

“
Wake that diva up,” Tae barked glancing in the rearview and seeing Jaleesa sleeping.

Kaitlyn chuckled as she reached into the backseat of the truck and woke her bestfriend. “We’re here,” she said simply as Jaleesa stretched and rubbed sleep from her eyes.

“
I know your lil happy ass wanted to wake me up,” she groused at Tae, rolling her eyes as both women burst into laughter.

“
We got to handle business and your ass is asleep,” Tae returned as Jaleesa smiled herself this time, joining the joke.

“
I need some food,” she threw out as Kaitlyn voiced her agreement.

“
Shit, ya’ll know a sista is always down to eat,” Tae added as they all laughed again, driving into the French Quarter and stopping at the famous seafood restaurant they’d Googled.

“
Mmm, it smells good on the damned outside,” Jaleesa remarked as they all laughed again getting out.

Standing outside the truck and stretching, the three women made sure the truck was secured, their weapons were in their purse and their lipstick was on straight before heading inside and being seated. Kaitlyn was still inhaling all the wonderful scents wafting through the air as Tae ordered herself a margarita and Jaleesa asked for a wine spritzer.

“
Something for you ma’am,” the waitress queried as Kaitlyn continued taking in the restaurant.

“
Crown and coke,” she replied as the young woman smiled and left to get their drinks.

“
What you having’,” Tae asked Jaleesa.

Shrugging Jaleesa replied she didn’t know yet.

“
Where are we meeting the contact,” Kaitlyn asked as they all perused the menu.

Tae replied they were supposed to connect in another couple hours.

“
They’ll hit me up when they’re in place,” she replied as Kaitlyn nodded thoughtfully. The waitress returned moments later and placed everyone’s drink in front of them. Asking if they were ready to order, the women replied in the affirmative and gave her their desired choices.

Sitting and enjoying their drinks once more, the women were all lost in their own ponderings as the sound of soft jazz began filtering through the restaurant. Kaitlyn was thinking about her being here and the reasoning behind it. She thought about the lies she’d told Tariq about the trip and how she was deceiving him.
That man loves you so much, why are you doing this to him,
her pesky conscience was back. Kaitlyn took another swallow of the drink, letting the alcohol float slowly down her throat. It wasn’t that she didn’t love Tariq, because she did. She loved him without hindrance. The problem was her. Kaitlyn felt empty. There was a gaping hole inside her psyche since her daughter was ripped from her life. Tariq tried. She had to give him that. There was absolutely nothing he didn’t give her; no place he didn’t take her. He spent endless hours trying to help her feel better and get over the pain, but he didn’t understand the depth of the loss for her, Kaitlyn continued to brood.
Because you felt the losses spiraling out of control,
her mind warned as Kaitlyn frowned slightly. She could never admit to Tariq how hurt she was that Ian was dead. Of course she didn’t want anything to happen to her husband that fateful night he and Ian squared off, but Kaitlyn had prayed all night that some other way could be found. She didn’t understand why she couldn’t let him go. She’d cared deeply for Ian at one point and he’d been good to her of course, but by now she should have been able to stop hurting.
All the losses are still too fresh,
her mind again tried to excuse. Kaitlyn wasn’t sure what the reasoning was, all she knew as being back in the game gave her a reason to smile again, to laugh again, to simply live again.

Everyone was smiling and eyeing the other’s plates as their entrees were placed in front of them.

“
Shit, I shoulda got that,” Tae chuckled looking at Kaitlyn’s Shrimp and Eggplant stack. “It does look good hell,” Jaleesa replied.

“
Taste it,” Kaitlyn told them both holding the plate out.

Tae and Jaleesa readily sampled the delectable dish.

“
Mmm, girl that is good as hell with that creamy tomato sauce,” Jaleesa told her still chewing and savoring the flavor of the shrimp flanked eggplant.

Tae was just as complimentary as she too enjoyed the tasty morsel.

“
Told you heffa’s to try something new for a change,” Kaitlyn teased as she continued to eat.

“
Don’t make me take your food,” Tae teased as Kaitlyn burst into laughter.

The waitress brought them fresh drinks as they continued to eat and enjoy their meal. Finishing finally, all of them satiated, they paid their check and rose heading to the ladies room and then out of the establishment. Talking while they were in the restroom, Kaitlyn noticed that Jaleesa seemed a bit off. When Tae stepped out first, leaving them alone for a moment, she called her on it.

“
What’s going on Tweety,” Kaitlyn asked plainly, looking her friend directly in the eye, making lying an impossibility.

“
Later,” Jaleesa returned simply as Kaitlyn grunted and left the subject alone for now.

*****

“Times up,” Jaron told her, aiming at Corey.

“
No, please,” Gabrielle spoke finally as the tears cascaded down her face. “Let him go,” she pleaded as Mace sucked his teeth, still holding her tightly.

“
I’ll think about it,” Jaron replied getting even closer to her.

“
Now talk,” he barked, inches away from her face.

“
He’s not here anymore, he left,” Gabrielle said softly.

Jaron really wanted to kiss the beautifully soft looking, full, pouty lips in front of him. “Where did he go,” he barked instead, knowing he had to keep the pressure on to get the information Tariq wanted.

“
I don’t know,” she lied, praying they would believe her and leave them alone.

Jaron sighed deeply, turning and delivering several vicious kicks of his own to Corey, who as barely conscious as a result.

“
Stop playin’ with me,” Jaron warned coming back to her as the looked into her eyes seeing her terror.

“
Where is Ice,” he asked once again.

Gabrielle swallowed hard as the tear escaped and rolled down her cheek.

Deciding to use another tactic, and desperately wanting a reason to touch her, Jaron reached out and gently wiped her tear.

“
Don’t cry,” he told her sweetly. “Just tell me,” he added reassuringly, looking deep into her eyes.

Gabrielle was terrified. She knew the men wouldn’t let them go, even if she did tell. They had to know she would warn her brothers.

“
Just kill me, and let him go,” she replied instead stiffening her back.

Mace felt the change and knew they would have to make good on their threat if they wanted to scare her into talking. Shrugging slightly, Jaron turned and walked over to Corey, kneeling in front of the semi-conscious man.

“
No, please don’t kill me,” Corey begged. “They’re in Atlanta,” he almost screamed. “Her brothers, the man with them, all of them,” he added as Gabrielle’s eyes narrowed and she saw finally what a coward Corey Fontaine really was.

Smiling, Jaron turned and threw Mace a look. The man smiled unseen by Gabrielle, who was still glaring at her date.

“That’s what happens when you date a punk,” Mace told her nastily in her ear. Corey relaxed slightly thinking that they would be allowed to leave now that the men had the information they sought.

“
Thanks for the heads up,” Jaron told him as the first blow struck its mark and Corey gasped audibly.

Gabrielle frowned slightly, unsure what was going on as Jaron’s back obscured her view of what was taking place. Two more blows and Corey’s body relaxed completely as he shuddered and released one last deep breath. Rising Jaron turned facing Gabrielle as her mouth dropped seeing the bloody knife in the man’s hand.

“
That was your fault,” Mace hissed still holding her tightly as Jaron began walking toward her, knife still in his hands.

“
No, no,” Gabrielle screamed beginning to fight in earnest.

She managed to squirm enough that Mace’s hold on her broke. Gabrielle kicked him hard in the groin as he grabbed his balls and fell to his knees.

“
Fuckin’ bitch,” he hissed as the pain kept him on the ground.

Jaron grabbed her free arm, pulling her roughly almost causing her to fall. Gabrielle somehow managed to hold on to her balance and began fighting him as well. Jaron easily blocked the wild blows she was throwing, finally getting an opening; he slapped her hard, knocking the small woman down.

“Don’t make me kill you,” he hissed, straddling her and sitting on her chest as she fought to breathe. Glancing over at Mace, Jaron was dismayed to see the man had his eyes closed still moaning.
Fool always was weak,
he thought disgustedly, before turning his attention back to Gabrielle.

“
You’re gonna kill me anyway,” she managed, her breathing still labored from Jaron’s weight on her chest.

“
Not unless you make me,” he told her again, never taking his eyes from hers.

“
You got what you want, leave me alone, let me go,” Gabrielle pleaded.

“
You know I can’t do that,” Jaron told her getting off her finally and pulling her to her feet. “Just act like you got some sense and this doesn’t have to be a nightmare for you,” he told her as they walked closer to Mace.

“
Get up fool,” Jaron told him irritably.

Mace opened his eyes finally and glared at Gabrielle. She shuddered noticeably.

“
He ain’t gonna hurt you,” Jaron told her, giving Mace a new look.

“
Unless you do something stupid, then we’ll both hurt you,” he reminded as Gabrielle nodded and walked with the two men, as if nothing happened, out of the alley and back into the street, just as dusk was falling, and Corey’s lifeless body lay still, growing cold, waiting to be discovered.

*****

Pulling into the abandoned ship yard, the women removed their weapons, readying themselves for anything.

“
Where are they,” Jaleesa asked, glancing around and seeing no one.

“
Hang tight,” Tae replied, sending a quick text.

The response was almost immediate.

“
They’re inside the train car,” she replied as her two friends gave her a look. “I know, but we’re packing, so let’s do this,” Tae replied as Kaitlyn and Jaleesa agreed and got out with her.

They went to the back of the truck, Kaitlyn and Tae deftly removing their cargo from its inconspicuous hiding place, while Jaleesa held watch.

“
Ready,” Kaitlyn said simply as they all nodded and walked toward the huge metal box directly in front of them.

“
These muthafucka’s try anything, blast first, question later,” Kaitlyn spat as Jaleesa and Tae readily agreed with her.

Reaching the entrance they stopped again, gathered themselves and listened. They heard several voices, all male, coming from inside the container.

“
You don’t even know these damned people,” one of the men was lamenting. “How you even know they got quality shit,” he asked again as another man answered he’d gotten them on a good word from the street.

“
Man, whatever,” the first man replied as the women decided they’d heard enough and pulled open the door, walking inside.

Muthafucka,
Kareem thought when he laid eyes on their guests. He was the man in charge, the HNIC, of the enterprise that wanted the guns and dope the women were delivering.
These are three of the finest damned women I’ve ever seen in my life,
he thought behind the small smile playing on his face. He took in each one individually.
Chocolate, smooth skin, nice ass, sexy pouty lips,
Kareem thought looking at Jaleesa before leaving her and taking in Kaitlyn.
Caramel, beautiful tits, juicy thighs and a big ass, mmm, mm, mm,
he continued to think, his gaze falling finally on Tae.
Sexy ass Georgia peach,
Kareem thought continuing to look at her.
Nice tits too, shapely ass, wonder if the peach tastes as juicy as it looks,
he thought lewdly, images of his face buried between Tae’s thighs dancing in his mind.