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Prologue

 

Larenz Street stood with his back to the detective as he threw rocks into the Hudson River. Larenz was in his element. He was in his favorite spot: Riverside Park.

He was in the section that separated the river from the cliffs. It was where he got most of his thinking done. He picked up another rock and threw it way out into the water. The detective walked towards him and stopped when his shoes hit the rocky cliff.

“What’s the word?” Larenz asked still not turning around.

“He’s going to crumble,” was all the agent said.

“Shit, we should be running this shit by now,” Larenz said brushing his hand over his cornrows. His eyes almost seem yellow glaring out from his tar like skin. He was the darkest out of all his brothers. His complexion was so off compared to his siblings that his father even questioned if Larenz was his. Larenz went his whole life being different until he joined the Marines Corp and then all the laughing stopped.

“Take time, we setting everything up,” the flatfoot said.

‘Fuck all that shit,” Larenz said. “You know when the shipment is coming in. Why not bust him now? Clear that whole chapter.”

“At the end of this, Felix cannot stand trial,” the agent informed Larenz. “He is to be wiped out if we are truly going to do this right. Little K already is setting up the organizations. Once we do this move, we will own this city.”

“What about this Dog fellow?” Larenz inquired throwing another stone into the river.

“You really like him, huh?” the detective replied. “You really think he would leave his master. No pun intended, Felix practically raised that pup.”

“He a true soldier,” Larenz claimed. “I read his file. He is calculated and very resourceful. He practically has the whole city looking for him and they don’t even know who he is. Shit he pulled one of the greatest execution with the fat Chinese motherfucker and not to mention I heard he was shot at by a local gang and survived. This motherfucker has too much heart not to be on the team.”

“Trust me, this Dog will bite.”

Larenz turned around.

“When this goes through, remind me to tell how smart you are,” Larenz said. “What's up with the other guy? You can handle him."

“Yeah, I’m throwing him bones,” the agent said proudly. “Shit, I even got him thinking he is making his own moves."

Larenz removed a rolling paper blunt from his inside jeans’ pocket.

“We going to making history,” Larenz licking his gum and then producing a sharp razor blade from his mouth.

He cut open the blunt and emptied out the contents unto the pointy rocks he was standing on. He then proceeded to pull out some marijuana leaves held tightly together in a small Ziploc bag from the other pocket of his jeans. He opened the Ziploc bag and emptied the greenery into the blunt.

“I know you not about to smoke that here?” the detective said using his hand to brush his suit jacket a little to reveal the narcotics badge that was clipped to the belt of the slacks he was wearing.

“Yes sir,” Larenz responded. ‘Got a problem with that, arrest me.”

The narcotics agent smiled and then walked away from Larenz who was now licking the blunt shut and retrieving his lighter.

As the detective was walking back to where his car was, his cellular phone rings.

“You’re on the street,” he greeted.

The agent listened then said, "Yeah, it's a go."

The agent smiled. His brother was right. They were going to make history.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 1

 

 

 

Wisdom Sinsare smiled as he walked out of the clothing store with three shopping bags in his hands. His dark brown eyes focused across the street at a trio of girls walking towards the train station. One of the females caught his attention. She was the one wearing the white tennis outfit with the short high skirt. Her smile is what really captured him though.

He knew he had to talk to her. After all, he was a son of a pimp. It was in his blood to mack to the opposite sex. He had the features for it. He was blessed with a cute smile, a smooth caramel complexion, stood at 6'2, and the two dimples placed at each side of his cheek sealed the deal. The fact that he wore a size 14 sneaker didn't hurt either.

He approached the trio in a calm manner like he had no intention of speaking to them. The other two females, which were behind the white skirt girl, had on short black mini-skirts but they didn't have the figures to match with their outfits. Sinsare figured white skirt must be the sophisticated girl out the group since the other two looked like common "hoochies". He knew exactly how to play it.

"Excuse me," Sinsare said as he bumped into white skirt.

As she was about to turn around and say, "that's okay," he tripped and landed on the floor with his clothing bags beside him.

Now that he was up close, she was even more beautiful than he thought. She had a nice tan complexion and looked like an angel with her hazel eyes staring at him. Her two sidekicks looked at him and smiled too but Sinsare was only concentrating on their leader.

"I'm sorry," white skirt said extending her hand.

Wisdom grabbed on to her hand softly. Her hand felt as smooth as silk. He almost got a boner just touching her.

"That's okay," Wisdom said with a smile. "Dag, today must be my lucky day."

"Why you say that?" white skirt asked.

"It is not every day you fall head over heels for someone," Wisdom replied wiping himself off.

The convoy chuckled at that remark and continued staring at him. Wisdom knew the line was weak but he was really caught off guard.

"Are you okay?" white skirt asked looking concern.

"I'm okay. I guess I had it coming."

"Why you say that?"

"I was looking at you when I walked up and I asked myself if God intended us to meet to send me a sign."

She smiled. Wisdom's knees almost got weak.

"You funny," white skirt said but her eyes were still checking him out.

Wisdom had on his navy blue Polo shirt with jeans to match. He was wearing the new Air Jordan sneakers that had just came out yesterday. White skirt had to admit he had style and dimples to match. She loved dimples.

"What's your name, cutie?" one of the girls that was behind her asked.

"Sinsare," he replied.

"That's a nick name or something?" white skirt inquired.

"No, it's on my birth certificate," Wisdom admitted.

"Well, my name is Latisha," the other girl said and then pointed to her side crony. "This is Tawana." Latisha pointed to white skirt. "That's Sonja."

"Hey, Sonja," Wisdom said. "Where are y'all girls coming from?"

"Just walking," Latisha stated.

"What were you doing?" Tawana asked trying to peep in the bags Wisdom was holding.

"Shopping," Wisdom informed holding up the bags.

He pulled out a red and black Avirex sports jacket with jeans to match out of one of the bags.

"You like it?" Wisdom asked for approval, mostly from Sonja.

"I think it's cute," Sonja admired. "I would love something like that."

"It's yours," Wisdom said trying to pass it to her.

"I couldn't take that," Sonja said eyeing the present and then Wisdom. "Besides I don't even know you."

"Well, that could be arranged if you give me your number."

The other girls looked jealous that Sonja was getting all the attention even a gift. Latisha hiked up her skirt a little bit to reveal more of the flower tattoo she had on her thigh.

"I couldn't accept it," Sonja rejected the offer again. “Besides it looks too big. I just thought it looked cute.”

"I’ll take it,” Latisha suggested.

. “You are absolutely right,” Wisdom said ignoring Latisha’s request. “I apologize. How about you accompany me to the store and pick out an outfit of your choosing. Think of it as a formal apology for falling all over you. It would be my honor.”

"What about me?" Tawana protested.

Wisdom kept his eyes on Sonja.

"Look, you don’t have to do that,” Sonja said. “I appreciate it and all but you don’t owe me anything.”

"I‘m not going to pressure you," Wisdom said putting his winning smile back up. "But I still would like to get to know you. Matter of fact, I‘ll give you my number." He laid down the Avirex jacket and jean outfit on top of the bags and pulled out a card from his back pocket.

"I'm a club promoter," Wisdom explained giving her his business card with his name and cell number on it along with a name of his company, SinX Entertainment. "I'm throwing a party at club Speed and if you want to stop through, call me and I'll set you up."

"Yeah, Sonny, take it," Sonja's posse rooted her on.

"Okay," Sonja said and her smile went back up.

Wisdom knew he had a chance now.

"You still don’t want to check out an outfit for yourself?" Wisdom asked.

The two ghetto twins looked at Sonja hoping her answer would be "yes" so they could get it from her later.

"No thank you," Sonja declined. "But I do appreciate the offer."

"You can still get me one," Latisha requested trying her best to look more seductive in front of the male suitor.

Sinsare looked at Latisha and smiled.

"Nah, I'll just wait until Sonja changes her mind and accepts my offer," Wisdom replied putting the clothes back in the bag. “But I’ll keep you two lovely ladies in mind as well.”

The duo smiled at that remark.

"Ok, I have to go handle some business," Wisdom said. "Hope you give me a call sometime so we can set up some arrangements."

And with a final smile, Wisdom picked up his shopping bags and walked up the block.

"Damn, he walks like he got it going on," Latisha admired when he was out of earshot.

"He's cute, too. Man, all he had to do was say the word and my drawers would have been on his carpet. OK!"

Latisha slapped five with Tawana.

"He is cute," Sonja agreed. "And his name is adorable. Sinsare. On the card, it says W Sinsare. I wonder what the W stands for.

"Wealthy, I hope," Tawana said. "You see what he was wearing. I still don't know what he saw in you."

"Stop hating," Sonja said looking at Wisdom's business card. "Just don't hate."

 

 

 

"It says you are supposed to meet a fine ass Libra and fall madly in love."

That was Aquana Powell, ghetto fortuneteller to the stars or at least to the people from around her way. One of them happened to be Sonja Richards. They had been friends for years. In fact the only time Sonja ever hung with Latisha and Tawana was when Aquana was busy with either her baby's father or her baby’s father’s drama.

"Well, Brian isn't a Libra, he's a Gemini," Sonja replied as they sat on the bench outside their building. Aquana always had the Daily News turned to the horoscope section.

"Didn't say it was Brian," Aquana smiled and rubbed her fingers through her short auburn hair.

Aquana Powell had the perfect image for a model. She was thin in the waist and pretty in the face. She could walk and with every movement have a different guy drooling right behind her. She tested this theory once. It worked. But she had already found her man. He was a muscle bound half-Puerto Rican, half-black, half-Indian, whole jackass named Raekwon Edwards and Aquana loved her some Raekwon. But Raekwon was a little crazy and so was his friend, the man Aquana introduced to Sonja, Brian Dean.

"Get this," Aquana was still being Ms. Cleo. "Y'all will meet as strangers and fall head over heels. He will carry the name of caring and knowledge”.

"Sinsare," Sonja whispered to herself still remembering she had put Sinsare's card on her nightstand.

"What you said?" Aquana said with a cheerful smile.

"Nothing," Sonja quickly stated.

Although it had only been a week and she still hadn't dialed his number, she couldn't get him off her mind. He was so suave and smooth. The way he touched her gave her Goosebumps. She still could not believe it. He was willing to give up a brand new Avirex outfit as if it was water and not give it a second thought. He must get paid, Sonja had thought to herself the day after their meeting. That club promotion must pay well or he was doing something else. He could be a street pharmacist. Sonja had encountered a lot of those. In fact, she lived with one.

"I'm telling you the signs don't lie," Aquana was still pushing her psychobabble on Sonja.

"And what does your fortune say?" Sonja asked.

Obliviously Aquana had been waiting for that remark.

"It says I will be forced to make decisions affecting my life," Aquana read proudly.

"Knowing you, whatever you decide, it's going to be bad."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Look at who you with?"

Aquana just shook her head at that statement.

"Ray-Ray is not that bad," Aquana defended. "He just has his moments."

"Yeah, okay," Sonja said with a half smirk.

"Yo, Aqua! Yo, Sonny!" Aquana and Sonja looked up to see Brian and Raekwon standing on the edge of their building's roof.

"What the hell are they doing?" Aquana asked her friend.

"You're asking me!" Sonja replied. 'Why don't you ask your perfect husband, Ray-Ray?"

"Watch this!" Raekwon yelled.

"They're going to jump," Sonja said and shook her head in disappointment.

"Won't be the first time," was Aquana's only remark.

Brian and Raekwon were like two idiot brothers when they were together. Sonja once said that they were a result of a brother fucking his sister, thinking that his sister could be a great baby's momma. Unfortunately, they weren't related, well, not by bloodline, but they were bound by stupidity.

Sonja had to admit they were heartless. Neither one of them had any real fear which made them all the more dangerous. Everybody on the block knew Sonja and Aquana were going with them and everybody respected it. People did not understand it, but they respected it.

Now, any normal person, unless your Superman's cousin, wouldn't want to jump from an eight-story building. But then again Brian and Raekwon weren't normal.

Thud! The idiot twins' feet hit the pavement hard then they fell on their knees. Raekwon got up off the ground laughing. Brian did the same while he brushed the dirt of his jeans.

"Whew!" Raekwon said still grinning. "Y'all ready to eat?"

And just like that, Raekwon and Brian's suicide jump was over and it was back to business.

Sonja just shook her head as she got up off the bench.

"Where are we going to eat?" Sonja asked. She was famished.

"I want some chicken," Raekwon said. "That's what I'm in the mood for."

Popeye's was only about a good ten blocks from their house but the chicken was worth the walk.

It was around 2:20pm so the local kids were just coming out of school or still had a couple of more minutes to go. There wasn't a big line at Popeye's today so Raekwon managed to get to a cashier rather quickly.

"Two wings, four breasts, and a thigh," Raekwon was saying out his order to the cashier. "Some Mac and cheese, Cole slaw, and a rib sandwich," He turned to the trio behind him. "Y'all want something?"

"I want some chicken strips," Sonja said.

"With some mash potatoes," Aquana countered.

"Just a soda for me," Brian said.

Brian was trying to lose a little weight. He was not as muscular as Raekwon and looked a little flabby. Unfortunately, Raekwon could eat a horse and its' mother and still look fit.

After about six minutes, Raekwon pounded his hand on the counter.

"What is taking so long?" he demanded to know.

"It's coming, sir," the female cashier said with a sneer.

The cashier had been looking at Raekwon with a certain lust in her eye but Aquana pulled Raekwon close to her to prove he was already taken.

One of the workers from the back brought their orders to the cashier. The cashier wrapped their KFC boxes in two plastic bags and handed it to Raekwon.

"Thanks," Raekwon lifting up the bags.

"Hold up," Raekwon said as he looked in the bags. "Where's my biscuit?"

"You didn't order a biscuit, sir," the cashier said.

"You calling me a liar!" Raekwon said.

"Sir, if you want, I can give you a biscuit," the cashier said trying to be calm. "That will be a dollar."

"You know what," Brian said. "Forget it."

The four of them left but Raekwon went back in the store. He ran back out in five seconds.

"Trust me, we better move," Raekwon said.

Raekwon had went back and walked right up the cashier and lifted up his shirt to reveal the butt of the chrome .45 caliber handgun he had tucked in his waistband.

He simply whispered, “next time, you get my order wrong, bitch, and embarrass me in front of my peoples, they be carrying you out in a box.”

With that said, he ran back out to join his colleagues.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 2

"Run, Negro, run!"

Wisdom started with a jolt after he heard those words. His partner in crime, Damien Michael Xavier, better known to the world as DOG, was running right beside him. Their usually game of "Catch Me If You Can" with the local police authorities began with usual initial strike. Xavier would walk up to a police squad car with five of his buddies all wearing hoods and threw bottles at the windshield of the car. Then when the police figures got out, Xavier would hit him with a pebble in his face. That got the chase going and that's what Wisdom and Xavier were doing now. They were running.

They dodged up Knickerbocker Avenue with the quickness. They knew the area by heart. They knew which stores to hide in and which ones they could use for cover if they wanted to taunt the pursing officers on their tail.

Today the chase didn't last long. The law enforcers ran about half a block and then stopped. Wisdom and Xavier were already two blocks down when they looked back and saw the officers walk back to their original position.

"Damn, quitters!" Xavier exclaimed. "Hey, you wanna go get some pizza?"

"Yeah, let's go to Two Guys," Wisdom replied.

"Aight, but you buying the slice," Xavier said.

"You suggested it," Wisdom said. "You should pay."

"I don't listen to idiots," Xavier said and they headed down the side street.

As they walked, Wisdom couldn't help sizing Xavier up. Xavier had been friends with him ever since Wisdom's mother had moved to Cornelia Avenue in Brooklyn. Wisdom had stayed in Harlem with his father but he visited her every weekend. And that's when he met Xavier.

Wisdom's mother, Denise Sinsare, was a nurse at Woodhull Hospital on Flushing Avenue. Wisdom used to stop by the hospital to pick her up or waited for her so they could have lunch or dinner depending on her schedule. He was standing in the waiting room one night waiting for his mother to get off work when Xavier came in the hospital with a group of buddies looking depressed. Xavier and his three counterparts just flopped down on the chairs in the waiting room. There was a nice looking female waiting for her sister in the room who had her eye on Wisdom. Xavier gave her a tempting glare but the girl seemed to pay him no mind. Xavier looked at Wisdom and automatically just saw a "Pretty Boy Floyd". He was already mad at the fact his boy, Jermaine, was in the operating room receiving thirty-five stitches because of a fight that broke out at a restaurant. Now this Pretty Boy Floyd was messing with his action. It was unacceptable. Xavier got up and yelled, "Yo, why you staring at me?"

Xavier's boys immediately turned around to see this new threat. They had already beat four guys to a bloody pulp that day and they were still bloodthirsty.

Wisdom looked around.

"I am talking to you!" Xavier pointed at Wisdom. "You got a problem?"

"Nah, man," Wisdom said. "I was just chilling. I'm not trying to start nothing."

"You just did," Xavier said. "You know who I am?"

"A very large man," Wisdom said. The girl chuckled.

He was. He stood about 6'4 and had to weigh over 235. He had a baldhead and a silver chain hang around his neck like a dog tag. He was practically bulging out of the blue Avirex jacket he was wearing.

"You think I'm a joke?" Xavier didn't take too kindly to people laughing at his expense. "You think this is funny?"

His boys rose up. Wisdom had to think fast.

"Is there a problem here?"

A Barney Phife-looking security guard appeared out of nowhere. Xavier was packing a pistol and all the security guard had was a baton and a flashlight. Xavier knew he wasn't a threat but the guard might have backup. Plus he didn't want to get kicked out the hospital before finding out what happened to Jermaine. Also, the little pipsqueak wasn't worth spending a night in jail if another fight broke out. He avoided getting raided by the cops when the restaurant brawl happened.

"No, officer," Xavier said calmly. "We're just waiting."

And with that, Xavier and his group of thugs sat back down.

Wisdom did get the phone number from that girl. He also had another run-in with Xavier later on that week. They fought. But after the scrapes and bruises, they became friends and Xavier showed Wisdom around Brooklyn. Then when his mother moved to Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn, they grew tighter.

Wisdom was still strolling down memory lane when Xavier snapped him back to attention.

"So tell me about that foxy chick you met the other day?" Xavier asked.

"Oh, Sonja," Wisdom said. Her name brought a smile to her face. "Bad ass shorty. Fat ass and all."

"I know of a Sonja on Linden," Xavier said. "Might be the same one. The way you described her it might be the same person."

"Don't care," Wisdom said. "Because she hasn't called a brother. I don't know what's up."

"Don't worry," Xavier said. "You'll get her. It's not everyday someone out-macks the DOG."

DOG was Xavier's street name. Everybody called him that even his mother. He got that name after biting a Rottweiler that was attacking him in the neck. The dog went down whimpering and curled into a ball. A Mr. Felix Orlando, the neighborhood drug dealer at the time, owned the Rottweiler. Everybody on Xavier's block was scared of that dog. When Xavier bit that dog and put it to shame, Orlando made Xavier his right-hand man. Orlando gave him the name DOG and it stuck.

"We're here," Xavier said looking up the sign that read Two Guys Pizzeria.

"That was fast," Wisdom said.

"Yo, order me a slice," Xavier said going up the block. "I'm going to get me a brew."

Wisdom stepped inside and ordered two slices and a beef patty. This was his favorite pizza spot. Wisdom had already occupied a booth and was munching on his pizza like he was in a trance by the time Xavier came back.

"I just got a page from ICM," Xavier said taking a sip of a 22-ounce bottle of St. Ides Malt Liquor and biting a huge chunk out of his pizza. "He wants me to do a run tonight."

ICM was short for Ice Cream Man. Felix Orlando had gotten that name when he was selling cocaine and heroin out of ice cream trucks. He would rent them for the night, turn off the siren, and go from block to block depending on his contacts. That stunt made him big time and then he started dealing with the Columbians making quality money afterwards. However, the nickname had become a part of him. Orlando was on the DEA's Most Wanted list for about a year until he went underground.

Xavier was loyal to him. Orlando had turned Xavier from the lowlife common thug into a successful businessman. Xavier had bank accounts and his apartment was loaded with everything from PlayStation to a 5-CD disk changing DVD system. So if Orlando told him he had to do something, Xavier was going to do it.

"You want to go with me?" Xavier asked biting the crust of his pizza.

"I don't know," Wisdom said finishing the rest of his beef patty. "I don't like getting involved with your street business."

"It'll just be a minute," Xavier said. "It's just a pickup. Nothing fancy. I knock on the door. They hand me the money. That's it."

"I don't know," Wisdom, repeated his uncertainty.

"Yo, I spotted you that three hundred when you needed it," Xavier said.

"You want to bring that up."

"Come on. I usually take one of my boys on these runs but I don't need any real back-up. I just like some company."

"Sure. Why not? It might be fun. Hey, Can we tell ghost stories on the way?"

"You're not funny."

“Wasn’t trying to be,” Wisdom said wiping his mouth.

Xavier looked at his friend and then got up from the booth.

“We better make moves then,” Xavier said. “I want to do this pickup then chill.”

“I don’t need to carry no bullet proof vest?” Wisdom joked.

“Not where I’m going,” Xavier informed with a half laugh. “Besides you with the Dog so you already know no one is going to touch you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Wisdom commented laughing. “Let’s go.”

“Hope this person got this money,” Xavier said as they walked out the pizzeria. “I am not in the mood for no bullshit tonight.”

Add Bullshit to Misery then times it by ten and you would have the formula for Sonja Richards' life. It was ten o'clock and once again her mother had left her to do the dirty work. Her mother knew Orlando wanted his money by today but she casually forgot and found her way out the door to God knows where.

Sonja had just cashed her paycheck. Working as a cashier at Pathmark didn’t pay glamorously but it does put food on the table. She was trying to save enough so she could be able to move in with her friend and pay three months' rent up front. But she couldn't even save a dime, not as long as stuff like this happens. She couldn't wait until she had enough to move then she wouldn't have to deal with this bull crap her mother put her through each and every day.

She looked at the digital alarm clock on her VCR. Any minute now, one of Orlando's goons is going to be here to collect.

Sonja counted the money in her hand. She remembered her mother telling her that Orlando needed two hundred. All she had was one hundred and sixty-three. Sonja wondered if she could reason with Orlando's henchmen. She had done it before. Even though she hated herself in the morning it kept her from seeing her mother in a hospital somewhere.

"Shit," She muttered to herself.

Sonja started thinking maybe she should leave. They can't collect if no one is home. But knowing how Orlando is about his money, he would have his men stand right there until the person came home or until they found out where the person was at. There was no way out of this.

Sonja went into the kitchen and made herself a bologna sandwich. It was the last slice.

"Momma will just have to settle for a regular peanut butter sandwich," Sonja said taking bites out of her sandwich.

Sonja finished the sandwich and sat on the couch in the living room. She turned on the television and watched an old episode of "the Practice", a show she faithfully watched since it first aired on ABC. Noise from outside made her lower the volume of the television set. Then there was a knock on the door. It was Showtime.

Sonja answered the door with the money in her hand.

"Pick-up service," a bald-headed man wearing a black leather jacket and a shining silver chain said as Sonja opened the door.

Wisdom recognized white skirt right away.

"Sonja?" he said behind Xavier. "Is that you?"

"Sinsare?" Sonja said surprised.

"That's the bitch you were talking about," Xavier said laughing. "Oh, shit. I knew it!"

"What you doing here?" Wisdom asked.

"I live here," Sonja replied. "What you doing here?"

"Here to get some money that is owed," Xavier said breaking the moment. "Where's your mother?"

"She isn't here," Sonja said looking at Xavier then at Wisdom. "She stepped out."

"You have the money?" Xavier asked.

"That's all I have," Sonja gave Xavier the money she had in her hands. “And why are you the one collecting it?”

Xavier ignored her and went off to count the money while Wisdom just stared at the girl that he fell head over heels for.

"So why haven't you called me?" Wisdom asked.

Sonja looked surprised.

"Call you?" Sonja said.

"Yeah," Wisdom said. "I gave you my number."

"Oh, yeah," Sonja said. “I’ve been busy. I didn't know you worked for ICM."

"Oh, hells no," Wisdom clarified. "I don't work for Orlando. My man just wanted me to come with him. Hey, you're not a...”

Sonja's face turned red. She didn't know if she was blushing or mad at that remark.

"No!" Sonja said. "I am not!"

"But..."

Sonja put her head down.

"Moms, huh?" Wisdom said.

A tear came from Sonja's eye.

"Fuck," Wisdom muttered to himself.

"Hey!" Xavier came back waving the money around. "This isn't all of it."

"I know," Sonja said. "I will get the rest, I promise."

"Bullshit," Xavier said. "I want it now!"

"Yo, dun, you have to be so loud," Wisdom said to his partner. "She said that's all she has. She'll pay you back."

"This doesn't concern you, Wisdom," Xavier said pushing Wisdom aside. "This is between me and this bitch. Your mother done fucked up again. ICM doesn't have a whole lot of patience. You fuck up his money, you fuck up my money. Now where is the rest of the money? I am only going to ask this one more time."

"Dog, leave her alone," Wisdom said. "I'll pay it."

"No," Xavier said. "She's going to pay it and I don't mean with her legs. Pussy smells don't make good currency."

Sonja felt real low. For some reason, she was embarrassed in front of Wisdom. Hearing someone calling her a whore was dramatic, but it was even harder hearing it while a guy you might like was there listening to it as well.

"I said I would pay," Wisdom offered again.

"Listen," Sonja said. "That's alright."

"I got you," Wisdom said with a wink. "Yo, Dog, can I speak with you for a second."

"Don't move," Xavier said to Sonja.

Xavier moved to where Wisdom was standing. Wisdom whispered something in his ear and Xavier shook his head. Wisdom whispered something else in his ear and Xavier nodded. Xavier walked back to Sonja.

"You're off the hook for now," Xavier said. "But tell your mother if she tries to play us again, she will pay dearly. Remember that."

Xavier looked at Wisdom and Sonja, shook his head and then left. Wisdom stepped to Sonja once Xavier was out of sight.

"Thanks, you didn't have to..."Sonja was going to finish her statement when Wisdom put his index finger on her lips.

"Shhhhh," Wisdom said with the same charming smile he had when she met him. "I said I got you. Are you still coming to the party tomorrow?"

"You still want me to go?" Sonja asked just looking in Wisdom's eyes.

"Sure," Wisdom said stroking her cheek.

Wisdom put his mouth next to her ear.

"I'll pick you up," Wisdom whispered. "Trust me, I won't bring Dog. Will you come?"

Sonja nodded her head. Wisdom kissed her on her cheek and stepped back.

"You going to call me?" Wisdom asked, as he was about to leave.

"You can count on it," Sonja said with a smile.

Wisdom smiled back and in a minute, he was gone.

Wisdom caught up with Xavier outside. Xavier was still shaking his head.

“That’s the slut you were talking about? I knew it!” Xavier announced with glee. “You need to leave that stank alone. She is no good, my dude.”

“Why you had to dog her out like that?” Wisdom defended. “That was uncalled for.”

“Man, fuck that bitch,” Xavier expressed. “Lucky I didn’t put my foot of in her ass or make her suck my dick while you watch, you simple minded motherfucker. All I’m saying is if you thinking about skeeting her then fine. But if you trying to be some sucker for love ass nigga for that, you fucked up in the game. Her mom ain’t shit either. She used to be my first client when I got on. She even tried to push off her own daughter for payment sometimes. That family got a lot of shit with them. Told you I knew that bitch. I just had to make sure.”

“Whatever, Dog,” Wisdom said.

“Mark my word, that bitch is nothing but trouble,” Xavier warned his friend.

Chapter 3

When Kendrick Sinsare, better known as Daddy K to the common world, had a son, he wanted his child to be the best and the brightest. Sinsare gave his only male child the name that meant knowledge and a willingness to grow: Wisdom.

Sinsare grew up in Harlem and made a reputation for himself in his community. You couldn't go anywhere from Lexington Avenue to Broadway without someone mentioning Daddy K’s name in a sentence. It was either from the ladies who wanted to be his number one woman or the men who were envious and wanted to see nothing more than for Daddy K to fall on his face. Either way, he was a legend towards all players and a threat to all haters.

Wisdom still had the black and white picture his mother, father, and him took when he was a little baby. Denise Waters was Daddy K's number one lady. Daddy K worshipped and adored her. Sinsare always told his son, Wisdom, to never let a woman have your heart. Sinsare was a true pimp by nature and could mack a nun out of her robe before you could yell "No he didn't!" But Denise Waters got to Daddy K. He tried to change for her but in the end; it's like how the old saying goes: You can take the player out of the game but you can't take the game out of the player.

Wisdom remembered when his mother told him she was going to leave.

"Whizzie," She said looking at her only son. "I can't stay here."

"But why, momma?" Wisdom said crying.

"I love your daddy and I love you," she said. "But I'm not strong like I use to be. I don't have what it takes no more."

"But, momma..."

"I'm not leaving you. I just need to get my head straight. You know how your father is?"

"He said he would change."

"Yah, he changed the hoe he's been sleeping with. But that's your daddy. Ol' Daddy K. I married him knowing that so I can't blame him. Just try to be better than that. You can still visit me at the hospital and when I get situated, you can live with me. Ok?"

"Ok, Momma."

"Love you, Whizzie."

"Love you. Momma."

Wisdom was looking at the black and white photo when his father knocked on his bedroom door.

"Son, I have to run out," Sinsare said. "Be back."

"Ok, Pops," Wisdom said back putting the picture back on the dresser.

Sinsare stepped in the room.

"Saw her this weekend," Sinsare said.

"Yes," Wisdom said.

"She still a good cook?"

"You know momma can throw down."

Sinsare laughed. His wife could cook. She could make a four-course meal out of bread and cheese.

"She asked about me?" Sinsare asked looking at his son's eyes.

Wisdom had his mother's eyes. They were chestnut brown and looked almost like it had a soul resting within them.

"Yeah," Wisdom said. "You going to go to see her. Enough is enough now."

"I know, son, I know."

Wisdom put his head back down.

"Hey, you want to roll with me tonight," Sinsare said.

Wisdom's face lit up.

"Yeah, sure," Wisdom said getting his coat.

Sinsare's choice of car was a Ford Navigator and it was big. Wisdom liked getting in the monstrous vehicle. It made him feel like he was in control.

Wisdom wasn't in the car ten minutes before he fell asleep. When he woke up, they were at the old park they use to go to when he was small.

Sinsare got out the jeep and walked to the small shore at the end of the park. He picked up a rock and threw it into the Hudson. His son joined him.

"Why you took me here?" Wisdom asked.

"We need to talk," Sinsare said tossing another rock into the Hudson River. "You're becoming a man and we need to have this talk before I get old and start forgetting things."

"Ok," Wisdom said picking up a rock and throwing it.

"What happened between me and your moms was fucked up," Sinsare started. "Let me backtrack. There isn't any explanation for what I am or was or whatever. I admit to my faults. I watched as a kid all the big wheelers and dealers driving around in their fancy cars while I had to walk from school which was two miles every day because I couldn't afford to get on the bus. I watched my father slaved as a security guard for some department store only to be tossed out on the street when a white worker accused him of trying to flirt with her. Your grandmother worked three jobs not including taking care of my three brothers and me but she never complained. My brothers and I had to switch shirts every week so the kids wouldn't tease us. Then I met Alligator Silk. He was my idol. A true king of kings. He had the Cadillac, he had the bitches, and he had the money. I was young then. Flashy things mean everything when you're young. You have to prove you are better than the next person. He made me better than the next person."

"Why you telling me this?" Wisdom asked.

"I didn't admire a doctor or a teacher," Sinsare said. "A pimp and a drug dealer was my role model. That's all I had. You have more. You finished college. I never even went to the eleventh grade. Your mother, she was quite a woman. I had all the game in the world and I couldn't penetrate one ounce of her. The day she agreed to go out with me, I was nervous. I have never been nervous in front of any female but with her, I was nervous. And that was a good thing. Something put fear in me. It wasn't a gun or a knife. It was something that I can't even explain. She actually made me want to quit the game. And I did. I did. But..."

"You love momma?" Wisdom said.

"I always will," Sinsare said. "She grew up the same way I did but she never gave up or seek temptation like I did. She wanted to be more than a street legend. She wanted more than the glamour and the glitz. I see her same spunk in you. You're going to do great things in your lifetime. I can see it. I called Ms. Cleo. She told me the whole scoop."

Wisdom laughed.

"You know," Sinsare continued. "I want you to be better than me. I want your name to mean something. I want it to be about something. Daddy K will always be Daddy K. I can't change that. Though maybe I'm not trying hard enough. You have the talents to go beyond Harlem, beyond the ghetto. Make your name mean something."

Wisdom nodded his head in understanding.

"It's only going to take a minute."

Xavier was trying to persuade Wisdom to turn the car around so he could handle some personal business. Wisdom was in the driver seat of his father's Ford Navigator trying to dodge between cars so he could get to the party that both he and Xavier had set up. Now Xavier was in the front passenger seat asking him to turn around to go someplace else.

"What kind of business?" Wisdom asked stopping at a red light.

"Personal," Xavier replied.

"Personal, huh?"

Raymond and Travis were in the back seat with their hands in their coats' pockets.

"Can't you do it after the party?" Wisdom asked.

Wisdom was really in a hurry to meet Sonja. She had paged him and said she was coming and to save her a dance.

"You're in a rush for that bitch, aren't you?" Xavier said coldly.

"You know insults are not going to making me turn the car around any faster," Wisdom snapped back.

"Like I told you, she's a hoe," Xavier said bluntly. "Half the block done smack that. She probably still got a motherfucker caught up in there yelling, 'help, I've falling and I can't get up'".

Raymond and Travis laughed at that remark.

"Fuck you," Wisdom said. "She ain't a hoe. Stop being jealous."

"Jealous of what?" Xavier asked. "Please I done tap better ass than that on a leap day. Ok? So don't come to me with jealous."

"Look, the answer is no," Wisdom said. "I'm going to the party. If you want a lift to another engagement, you'll have to get another car."

"Ok, fine," Xavier said and lean his head back. "I'm through arguing. This is not a democracy."

Xavier reached behind the waistline of his jeans and pulled out a Glock .45. He pointed it at Wisdom.

"I'm not playing," Xavier said with a little more authority. "Either turn this car around or this becomes a car-jacking."

"Fine," Wisdom said. "That's how you want to play it."

Wisdom stopped the jeep in the middle of the street. Wisdom shifted his body to face Xavier.

"You better shoot me right between the eyes then," Wisdom said. "Because I am not turning this jeep around. You either come to the party with me or you shoot me."

Xavier snapped the lever of the Glock. Raymond and Travis remained quiet.

"We out, boys," Xavier said to his henchmen in the back seat.

Xavier put the gun back in the waist of his jeans.

"I knew you wouldn't fold," Xavier said. "Proud of you, nigga. But business still has to be done."

Xavier got out of the jeep with his hoodlum companions and shut the door behind him.

"Have fun," Xavier said through the passenger's side window. "Be there shortly. Save me a seat."

Wisdom drove off without saying a word.

Club Speed was packed as always with its' usual crowd of teenagers posing as young adults. Wisdom had a VIP pass so he just skipped past all the toddlers on line and flashed the pass at the bouncer. The bouncer nodded and let him in.

The DJ booth was already set up and DJ Freek-n-Frak was on the turntables spinning. Wisdom looked around in awe. This was his moment. This was his night. What happened with Xavier in the car was straight bull crap but Wisdom wasn't going to let that bother him. Tonight was fate. He could feel it.

There was blood on the old man's face but he was just knocked out not dead. A hit in the head with the butt of a Glock will do that to someone. All the thieves wanted was his car but he was determined to put up a fight. But a swift hit in the head and he was out like a light lying on the sidewalk. There would be another grand theft auto case to be reported in the morning or whenever the old geezer decided to get up.

"You sure he's going to be there?" Xavier asked Travis as he wheeled the green model Oldsmobile around the next corner.

"Yeah, he always goes to that bar," Travis confirmed.

"Good," Xavier pressing his foot on the gas to speed up the Oldsmobile.

Travis pulled out his weapon of choice, a .22 Caliber Smith & Wesson, from his back waistline.

"No screw-ups," Xavier said. "ICM wants these rat-cooking, karate chopping, Hong Kong Fuey Motherfuckers to pay."

"We don't need any back-up?" Raymond inquired from the back seat.

"Shut the fuck up," Xavier said. "You want some back-up. Back your ass up home. This is real work. The lesser, the better. It's not the numbers, it's the strength."

"Whatever you say," Raymond said leaning back in his seat.

"We robbed a punk ass car," Travis said.

Xavier laughed.

Before they knew it, they were in Flushing, Queens. They made a turn on the Horace Harding Expressway and found a parking spot across the street from a Café shop.

"There's a college up there," Raymond informed. "Maybe afterwards, we can get some co-ed booty."

"This is not the time to think with your dick," Xavier said looking across the street. "This is work time. Time to put in work.”

"I feel you, Dog," Travis said. "Let's dust these fools."

"Yo, Dizzy, stay in the car," Xavier said. "I need you to keep it running. We're going to be in and out of there fast. Tray, let's work.

Xavier and Travis ran across the street towards the cafe.

"This is it," Xavier said looking up at the sign.

"He be here like almost every night," Travis noted.

"Then shall we?" Xavier pointed to the door.

"After you, I insist," Travis said making sure his .22 was nicely tucked in his waistline. He wanted to be able to pull it out with the quickness if need be.

Xavier adjusted his firearm on his back waist and nodded. Travis opened the door.

The room's lightning was pink, which made the place look cheesy. There were three Korean females behind the bar. A man was sitting at the stool while another Korean female was at the jukebox.

Xavier walked to one of the females at the bar.

"I need to speak to Hung Sim," Xavier said.

The female bartender looked at him confused. She replied something in Korean but he was sure that she wasn't telling him Hung Sim's location.

Hung Sim was a new player to the drug game. He was raised in China and moved to Korea where he helped sell opium to the masses. He moved to America when he made some money and got real close with the Chinese Hitmen, a group of Oriental ruffians who owned half of Manhattan's Chinatown. A week ago, one of Felix Orlando's men was making a delivery

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 28.12.2013
ISBN: 978-3-7309-8644-8

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Widmung:
To my best friends Kiesha Jones and Tamara Hall for giving me the courage to finish my first novel