A Hustler's Son II (21 page)

“Hey you betta get outta here,” I told her looking down at dude.

“W…why did you help me?” she asked rubbing her throat.

“I uuon’t know. But unless you want me to change my mind, I suggest you get the fuck outta here before you be dealin’ wit’ your problems on your own again.”

She must’ve got the picture because she made her exit and I noticed the rhinestone belt buckle she wore read,
Parade
. Fuck is a Parade? Who the fuck cares? When she ran off, I snatched the niggas eagle from his waist and shot him in the chest. Then I took his heat wit’ me.

It’s somethin’ ‘bout murder that moves me. I came to get weed and took a life instead. And I
still
felt high. Figurin’ it was time to bounce, I walked to the main road to hit it back to the hotel. I was out less than thirty minutes and committed another murder.

Damn. I’ma fuckin’ menace.

“You seein’ what I’m seein’?” Jax asked as they watched Janet walk out of Jarvis’s building with Jarvis in front of her. Crane was behind both of them before all three entered a car. “And it looks like Jarvis’s man Crane is injured.”

“She can’t be alive! I pumped at least three bullets in that bitch’s chest!” he said looking at her from the confines of his big body black Mercedes CLS 500. “She has to be dead!!!”

“It’s been awhile since I arrested her, but I’d know that face anywhere.” Jax said. He was a dirty cop with the NYPD who freelanced in crime in his free time. “That’s her.”

Skully was stuck. Never could he imagine she was alive. And although he didn’t want to admit it, he feared for his life. And Skully wasn’t fearful of anybody.

“You
can
and you
will
. Unless you want your lieutenant finding out ‘bout your extra curricular activities.”

“Alright.”

“I figured you’d see it my way.”

Tuesday, 8:58 pm

****

Seems that everybody I love is eventually taken away from me.

-Janet

The drive back to Maryland was long and drawn out. We had to make a few stops along the way because I was worried about Cole. By the time we came back, it was dark. I couldn’t wait to see and hug my son. He was everything to me.
Everything.
I know some people might think I was wrong for puttin’ my son in the predicament he was in. You know, wit’ us killin’ Delonte together. But I disagree. My only mistake was trustin’ others. The next time we commit a crime together, our secrets will go to our grave.

“How you doin’ over there?” I asked my brother who was in the passenger seat bleedin’ to death. Jarvis was in the back seat tied up and lookin’ stupid.

“I’m good,” he said, lookin’ at me. “How you doin’?”

“I’m fine,” I smiled. “Just worried ‘bout you.”

“Hey…I’m your big brother. You know I’m good,” he said as sweat poured down his face.

“I really think we should take you to the hospital.” I was beyond worried about him. It ain’t look like he would make it.

“You know we can’t do that. They’ll start askin’ questions,” he continued shiftin’ in the seat. “Let’s just get this over wit’.”

“You somethin’,” I told him rememberin’ the good times we shared when we was younger. Cole use to be my protector. He use to fight anybody who tried to hurt me. It was my father who made him climb on top of me and rape me, repeatedly. I remember tears fallin’ from his eyes every time he entered my body. He loved me. “Always tryin’ to protect me.”

“That’s what big brothers do,” he said in a low voice. “Protect they sisters.” There was a moment of silence before he spoke again. “Helena…I’m sorry.”

“Please don’t. Not in front of him.” I said referrin’ to Jarvis.

“I have to. Just hear me out,” he paused. “Awwwwww!!!!” he screamed in pain.

“Cole! You okay?!”

“Y…yes,” he said, his voice tremblin’. “I’m fine. Just hear me out.”

“Okay. Go ‘head but try not to talk too much.”

“I’m sorry for everything we put you through. You should know, that we always loved you. Always.”

“I know. I know,” I told him, stoppin’ the sweat from runnin’ down his face and into his eyes wit’ my bare hands. “Just get some rest.”

“You’re a soldier. Look at the man you raised. I could tell in his eyes whenever I saw him, that he did everything for you. You…you…should be proud.”

“I am.”

“Tell my nephew I’m sorry I hurt him. Tell him I love him and that I’m sorry I couldn’t be in his life. Tell him that it made me proud to see the man he became.”

“Okay…I will,” I cried. “Just please…get some sleep.”

No longer able to dispute, he closed his eyes. Permanently.

The moment he did, I looked at Jarvis in the rearview mirror. This was all his fault. My stare was cold.

“I know you gonna kill me,” he said defeated. I didn’t respond.

Tuesday, 9:18 pm

****

If I’m goin’ die, I’m goin’ out swingin’.

-Jarvis

When Janet finally stopped, they were on the football field at Bladensburg High School. Jarvis’s curiosity was killing him. He wanted to know what was about to occur there.

“What’s this about?” he asked once Janet stopped the car.

She ignored him and looked at her brother. A tear fell from her eye and she wiped it away.

“What the fuck is goin’ on, Helena?” he continued. He could care less about her brother being dead. As always, the selfish man in him cared only for himself.

Taking one look at her brother, she knew his eyes were permanently closed. He finally re-entered her life, only for him to exit just as quickly. At least she spent enough time with Rick to get to know him all over again. She couldn’t say the same for Cole. The hate she felt enslaved her soul. Lifting her aluminum bat from the front seat, she reached back and busted Jarvis in the mouth with the tip.

“Awwwww!” he said tasting his cracked teeth. “Bitch, you betta hope I don’t make it outta this shit alive.”

“Don’t worry, you won’t.”

“Get the fuck out!” she snatched him, then slamming the door shut. She kept her gun drawn in case things wouldn’t work out as planned. She reserved the right to shoot him if need be.

It took a few moments to walk to the football field. There were ten women along with Bricks huddled in an open circle, with flashlights on the ground for light. She smiled noticing Rick standing off to the right. As he promised, he got her only son from New York safely.

In the middle of the circle, stood Kelsi, wearing only a pair of jeans, no shirt. His muscles buckled as he cracked his knuckles. The scene looked like the one in the movie, “Four Brothers” one of Kelsi’s favorite movies. Janet could not believe how much older and mature her only son looked in a matter of less than a year. The things he saw and did made him grow up. Janet made eye contact with Kelsi, winked and mouthed
, I love you
.

He winked back and did the same.

Kill him
, she mouthed again.

I will
, he responded back.

Jarvis rubbed his wrists and walked into the circle. Once inside, he stepped to Kelsi and looked him in his face. Kelsi removed his shades and didn’t flinch. Like a prize winning’ fight, they stood face to face. The flashlights on the ground illuminated the field.

“Let me get this straight,” Jarvis said taking off his shirt. “I’ma get to break your ass off for all the bullshit you put me through?”

While he was still talkin’, Kelsi hit him with a quick firm right knocking him to the ground. The grass rested in the palm of his hands. Jarvis balanced himself on one knee and hand. Then he brushed himself off.

“I see you mean business,” he laughed in obvious pain. “I won’t underest-,”

Again Kelsi knocked him to the ground. People within the circle laughed as Kelsi was able to get two hooks off of him in less than two minutes. This enraged Jarvis.

“Now are you gonna give me a challenge? Or just let me beat your ass?” Kelsi teased.

“Naw, nigga,” he said getting up. “I’ma-,” this time he caught Kelsi with a jab. Blow after blow they fought like animals. Kelsi thought about the stories his mother told him of when he shot her. He thought about how he hid in the closet when he was little scared and waiting for his mother to come back and get him. All because Jarvis was trying to kill her. He thought about the bullets in Janet’s shoulder courtesy of Jarvis. Lastly, He thought about how he almost lost his life in New York.

Now…he was beyond angry. That’s why he called his mother when she was at Jarvis’s house in New York. He begged her not to kill him. He wanted the honor of beating his ass first.

“Get him, baby!” Janet yelled from the sidelines.

“Yeah, Kelsi,” said Bricks. “Don’t let this mothafucka get out on you.”

Both of them were cut and blood poured from both of their mouths. It was a war. While the fight continued, Janet grew worried. Jarvis was fighting like a man who knew he was dying. Kelsi, was fighting like a man who was lost and now found. He didn’t have the same drive. In a sense, Kelsi had less to lose.

When Jarvis got on top of Kelsi, and hit him with repeated blows, Janet hurriedly walked in the direction of the circle. Kelsi managed to put his hand up and look at her. He didn’t want her to enter. This was
his
fight. This was
his
war. Believing she raised a man, she backed off.

Thinking about every man he hated. He finally flipped Jarvis on his back. Climbing on top of him with the little energy he had left he stole him over and over again. Jarvis was borderline unconscious.

Jarvis didn’t know why he was being punished for O because he’d done nothing to her. But Kelsi didn’t know or care. Weak and in pain, Kelsi stood up, looked down at Jarvis and spit on him.

“You just as weak as that bitch of a mother of yours,” he said managing to pull himself up. Blood poured from every orifice on his face. “That’s why I beat her ass the way I did. Ya’ll can’t fuck wit’ me,” he said deliriously pointing at people he didn’t know. “I’m the king of New York! I am now and will always be!”

“You right. I can’t,” he said. And at the exact moment, the circle closed and the women surrounded Jarvis. “And neither will they.”

Kelsi turned around to look at the girls who earlier, helped him take down Kyope’s major shop.

“Aight, nigga,” one of Brick’s girl cousins started. “I heard you like to beat bitches. And since you do, we got somethin’ for you.”

The girls closed in on him, and stomped him until the breath was removed from his body. Jarvis may have been the king of New York, but in Maryland, that ain’t mean shit.

The End

Come on now…ya’ll ain’t think we was gonna let Skully get away now did you?

Wednesday, 7:52 pm

****

I ain’t neva scared! Live by the sword and die by the sword is my motto.

Skully was in his kitchen cooking homemade sauce for his baked lasagna. It was his specialty. Days had passed since he heard or seen from Janet and Kelsi. To say he wasn’t tripping about the matter was an understatement. After all, Janet knew what power he possessed. She knew first hand how crazy he was, Skully thought. Even with finding out Kenosha was murdered, he felt stronger than ever. Now, he
was
a solo act. And although Kyope, his connect, was dead, he found another supplier. And he was sure Jarvis, his arch enemy, was dead too. But what did that have to do with him? He was his own man.