A Gangsta Twist Saga (49 page)

“That's cool, gee. Anything, and I mean
anything,
to get me away from this house is fine with me!” Bob said, relieved.

“You scared-ass nigga! You better hurry up, Taz, 'cause I might just change my mind and pull out my whips and handcuffs!” yelled Gwen in the background.

Taz hung up the phone and was in tears as he grabbed his keys and went into the garage.

 

 

Taz and Bob had just left from checking out their fourth rental house out in Midwest City. They were now on their way to get some lunch when Taz got a call from Sacha on his cell phone. “What's good, Li'l Mama?” he asked when he answered it.

“I just got back to the office, and I saw that you called. Why didn't you call me on my cell?”

“I didn't want to disturb you. I thought you might have been busy or somethin'. Have you had lunch yet?”

“Nope. I was hoping you'd take me somewhere so I could get my grub on. I'm starving.”

“You're always starvin', Li'l Mama.” Before she could reply, he said, “I know, I know. You're eating for two.”

She laughed and said, “You got that right, buddy! So, are you taking me and your child to lunch or what?”

“Yeah, I'll feed you two. Better yet, you three! Bob is with me. We've been out in Midwest City checking out some rental houses that recently came up for sale.”

“Bob? Where's my girl at? Don't tell me he done shook my nigga!” Sacha said, trying to sound as 'hood as she could.

Taz laughed and said, “Nah, she let him roll with me for a li'l while. Really, it was more of an escape for Bob. Your girl has been tryin' to fuck him to death.”

“
What?
Never mind. Forget I asked.”

“I'll put you up on it in a li'l bit. We'll be there in about fifteen minutes. I'm gettin' on the highway now.”

“Hurry up. I want me some ribs from Tony Roma's.”

“All right, greedy. I'll be there in a minute,” he said, and closed his cell phone.

Taz, Bob and Sacha were enjoying their meal of barbeque ribs, baked beans and potato salad, when Red called Taz and told him about Keno asking Katrina to marry him.

“Is that right? That's way out. I'd never think that nigga was the marrying type,” Taz said as he continued to munch on his rib tips.

“Yeah, I know, but it looks like that nigga is for real. When I talked to him earlier, he told me that he was on his way to go pick her up a ring and everything. That nigga is definitely serious. I got Wild Bill with me now. We're about to roll over to that nigga's spot and check out how much money he done spent on his future wifey.”

“Y'all niggas are that bored, huh?”

“Yeah. It ain't shit else to do. I was tellin' Keno earlier that we need to get back to working out and shit too. We've gotten way off schedule.”

“I know. Let's get together around seven and get back on it.”

“That's straight. Did Won speak about finishing up everything while he was here?” asked Red.

“Yeah. He told me to make sure that we stay ready. He also told me that he thinks things may have went left on him.”

“What? What's up with that?”

“I'm not knowin', really. I'll put y'all up on it when we get together for our workout. Ask that li'l nigga, Wild Bill, if he can put any weight on that sore shoulder of his.”

After Red asked Wild Bill Taz's question, Taz heard Wild Bill say, “Fuck you, nigga! I can still out-bench your ass with a weak shoulder!”

Taz laughed and said, “Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout! All right then, my niggas. I'll holla in the morning. Tell that nigga Keno I said he will be gettin' clowned when I see his ass. I ain't forgot how he tried to clown me when I told him I asked Sacha to be wifey.”

Red started laughing and said, “All right, dog. I'll—
What the fuck!”

“What's up, gee?” Taz asked with alarm.

“Somethin's wrong, dog! Keno's front door is wide the fuck open, and there's a body layin' in the doorway, my nigga! Hold on for a minute,” Red said as he and Wild Bill jumped out of his truck and ran toward Keno's front door.

When Taz heard Red scream, “Ah, hell nah! Hell nah!” He knew that he had lost another close friend. Fuck!

After Taz and Bob dropped Sacha off back at her job, Taz drove like a bat out of hell toward Keno's home.

“I'm tellin' you, dog, we gots to put an end to that nigga Cliff! He's fuckin' tryin' to kill all of us!” Bob yelled from the passenger's seat.

“He's dead, dog! That nigga is dead to-fucking-night! I can't believe this shit! How in the fuck was he able to find out where Keno's spot was?”

“Do you think ol' girl might have put them niggas up on it?”

“Nah, Katrina don't strike me as a broad like that. But we'll still check into it later though. I ain't puttin' nothin' past nobody right now,” Taz said as he pulled into the long, circular driveway that led to Keno's mini-mansion.

Police cars, as well as an ambulance, were parked in the driveway as they climbed out of Taz's truck. Taz saw Red talking to Detective Bean, and quickly rushed over toward them. Once he was standing in front of the detective, he asked, “Where's the body? I want to see my nigga!”

“This is a crime scene, Taz. You'll do more damage by trying to take a look at your friend,” Detective Bean said as he stood in front of Taz.

Taz frowned at the detective and whispered through clenched teeth, “Where is my homeboy's body?”

Detective Bean sighed heavily and said, “Follow me.”

Taz, Red and Bob followed the detective toward the front door of Keno's home. There were several police officers, as well as other detectives standing and moving around.

Taz stepped to the doorway and saw a body covered with a white sheet. He stepped to the body, knelt next to it and pulled the sheet back. Tears fell slowly from his eyes as he stared at Keno's dead body. He could see one of the bullet-holes that had killed his man. Keno had been shot three times at close range with a small-caliber pistol. He could tell because of the size of the bullet-holes. After wiping his face, he replaced the sheet over Keno's body, stood and stepped out of the house.

Wild Bill, who had been on his cell trying to get in contact with Katrina, saw Taz walking toward his truck and said, “Dog, what the fuck are we gon' do now?”

Taz stared at Wild Bill for a moment then said, “Right now, I'm goin' home, gee. Y'all take Bob back to his spot for me. I need to be by myself for a li'l bit.”

Before Wild Bill could say anything in response, Taz saw a blue Nissan Maxima pull into the driveway. Katrina jumped out of her car and ran toward the front door of Keno's house, screaming, “No-o-o-o-o! No-o-o-o! He asked me to marry him today! God, no-o-o-o! We're getting married!”

With tears sliding down his face, Taz said, “Go take care of her, gee. I gots to get the fuck outta here.” He turned and stepped quickly to his truck and left the scene of a crime that had just broken his heart.

Taz drove from Keno's home straight to his mother's house out in the country. As soon as he walked inside of the house, Mama-Mama took one look at him and knew something was wrong. She stood and asked, “Who's been killed, Taz?”

Taz stared at his mother with tears falling from his eyes and said, “Keno. That nigga done killed my man, Mama-Mama! Out of all of us, that nigga killed my man! Please, Mama-Mama! Please tell me that you know where that nigga lives!”

Mama-Mama sat back down on the couch and shook her head sadly as she said, “I've never known where that boy's house is. And if I did, you know I wouldn't tell you, Taz. You have to let this stuff go, boy.”

“Let it go?
Let it go?
How in the hell can I let this go when that nigga keeps on killin' my niggas? That man has to die, Mama-Mama! Can't you see that?”

Tears started falling from Mama-Mama's eyes as she fully understood what her only child was telling her. She couldn't believe Keno was dead. She'd practically raised him along with Taz. “Oh, Lord, please stop this madness!” she prayed aloud.

Taz went and sat down next to his mother, wrapped his arms around her and gave her a tight hug. “I'm sorry for yellin' at you, Mama-Mama, but it feels as if I'm losing my mind. I can't take too much more of this. I've got to put an end to that nigga, and the sooner the better.”

“But what about 'Neema? You know what this is going to do to that girl, Taz.”

“Yeah, I know, but what about the rest of us? Sooner or later, that nigga and his Crip homeboys are going to get lucky and get me, Bob and Wild Bill. I'm tellin' you, Mama-Mama, this is the only way. That man has to die!”

 

 

Sacha went to Taz's house after she got off of work, and went straight into his den. She turned on the television and watched the news as the reporter talked about Keno's murder. She sat down on the sofa and said a silent prayer:
Please, God, don't let Taz get too crazy behind this.
As she prayed, she knew that her prayer was in vain, because there was nothing and no one that could stop Taz from getting his revenge for Keno. That thought scared her more than anything in this world. She grabbed the phone and called Gwen.

As soon as Gwen answered the phone, she said, “Bitch, you do know that all hell's about to break loose, don't you?”

“Yeah, I know, ho. Them niggas are 'bout to go crazy,” Sacha said as she relaxed back on the sofa.

“Do you know what happened?”

“Uh-uh. Me, Taz and Bob were having lunch at Tony Roma's when Red called Taz and told him that something was wrong at Keno's house. Taz dropped me off back at the office and left to go over to Keno's. I just came home and turned on the TV and saw that they don't have a clue as to what happened to him.”

“Humph! Them TV people might not know what happened, but I do! Them Crip niggas did this shit! Bob is going to go so crazy behind this shit!” Gwen yelled, totally frustrated.

“Bob? Ho, Bob's not going to be half as bad as Taz is. The shit is really about to hit the fan. I can't believe this shit either.”

“Believe it, bitch, 'cause it damn sure is true!”

 

 

After sitting and talking to his mother for a few hours, Taz decided that it was time to get at Tazneema, so he grabbed the phone and called his daughter. When she answered the phone, he said, “What's up, baby girl?”

“Hi, Taz,” Tazneema said as she sat down on her bed.

“I'm not goin' to waste time with this, 'Neema. There's somethin' I need to tell you, and you're not goin' to like it.”

“What's wrong now, Taz?”

“Your Uncle Keno was found dead at his house this afternoon.”

“Wha-what are you saying? Wh-who did this?” Before Taz could answer her questions, she slapped her hand over her mouth and screamed into her palm. She knew what her father was about to say, and she didn't want to hear it. “Please, Daddy! Don't tell me that you think Cliff did this to my Uncle Keno!”

Taz inhaled deeply and said, “He did. I know what I told you about tryin' to accept that nigga, 'Neema. At that time I meant it. But now, shit has changed. That nigga won't stop until he has all of us lying side by side up at Trice Hill. He's got to go,” he said, and hung up the phone in his daughter's ear.

Tears were streaming down Mama-Mama's face as Taz gave her a kiss on her salty cheek and said, “I'll talk to you later, Mama-Mama.”

Mama-Mama was too choked up to speak. She gave him a nod of her head and watched her only child as he left her home, on his way most likely to commit a murder.

As Taz was leaving his mother's house, Tazneema was calling her man to warn him. Clifford answered his cell and listened to her as she screamed at him. “You have to stay out there in Dallas, Cliff! My Daddy is going to kill you if you come back to the city!”

“What are you talking about, 'Neema? Calm down!” Cliff said as he got off of the bed in his hotel room at the Westin in downtown Oklahoma City.

“Someone has killed my Uncle Keno, and my Daddy thinks that you are that someone!”

“What?
That's preposterous! You know damn well I'm not even in the city right now, 'Neema!” Cliff lied.

“I know, but my father doesn't.”

“Well, why didn't you tell him?”

“He didn't give me a chance to. He hung up on me before I could tell him. Just make sure that you stay where you are until I can get a chance to talk to him, okay?”

“That's bullshit! I'm sick and tired of this shit! I'm on my way back to the city now. I'll give you a call when I hit Norman.”

“Please, Cliff! Stay where you are, at least one more day. Give me a chance to talk to my Daddy.”

“No, 'Neema, it's time we put a stop to this madness right now,” Cliff said, and he hung up the phone. He grabbed his keys, wallet and cell phone as he left his hotel room. As he was riding the elevator down to the lobby, he dialed H-Hop's cell phone number. “I can't believe that nigga got at Keno!” “Clifford said to himself as he waited for H-Hop to answer his phone. When he got H-Hop's voicemail, he left him a quick message: “Get at me, cuz. We gots to talk. Hit me on my cell,” he said, and closed his cell phone.
This shit is about to get hectic real quick like,
he thought as he stepped off of the elevator.

 

 

By the time Taz pulled into his driveway, Sacha was a nervous wreck. She just knew that he would be out hunting for Cliff all night long. She gave a sigh of relief when he walked into the bedroom. She jumped off of the bed, ran into his arms and said, “Taz, baby, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry about Keno.”

He held on tightly to his fiancée and said, “It's real fucked up, Li'l Mama . . . real fucked up!” He gave her a kiss on her forehead and said, “Come on, let's lay down for a minute.” He pulled her back toward the bed and slipped off his Timb boots.

Once they were comfortable, he said, “I've been driving around the city for the last few hours, thinking about all types of shit. This shit with Won, what's happened to Keno, you, and everything else that's been goin' on in my crazy-ass life. I'm tellin' you, Li'l Mama, I'm a cursed nigga. Everyone that comes into my life seems to always end up getting hurt.”

Shaking her head no, Sacha said, “That's not true, baby. It just seems that way because of Bo-Pete and Keno's untimely deaths. You're not cursed, you're just going through some rough times right now, that's all.”

“Rough times, huh? Li'l Mama, in less than a month I've lost two of my closest friends—two men who were like brothers to me. I lost one woman who I loved more than anything in this world because of my arrogance and stupidity. Can you imagine how it feels every time I look at Tazneema and see her mother's features? Can you imagine how it feels to know that I'll never be able to tell my niggas how much I really loved them? Can you imagine how my relationship is going to be with my daughter after I kill the nigga she's about to have a baby by? Can you? Huh? You can't sit there and tell me I ain't cursed, Li'l Mama. The life I chose to live has caused all of this pain! All of this is my fuckin' fault! I accept that, because that was the hand I was dealt. I'm not a quitter, nor am I ever goin' to let another nigga beat me at this gangsta shit. So, the first thing in the morning, I want to go down to your office and redo my will. I have one already written through your firm. I want to make a few changes just in case somethin' goes left.”

“What are you talking about, baby?”

He stared deeply into her eyes and said, “Won has always taught me to be ready, and that's exactly what I'm doin' now. I'm stayin' ready for whatever.”

“But why?”

“'Cause I'm 'bout to go all the way out, Li'l Mama. All the fuckin' way out!” Taz said as he turned flat on his back and closed his eyes.

Tears slid down Sacha's face as she watched the tears slide slowly down the face of her man.
Damn!