Hide & Seek (44 page)

Mook came and unzipped it, allowing Tariq to look inside.

“
Nice,” he murmured removing one of the two Desert Eagles contained.

There were also several other weapons, including some martial arts Star weapons.

“
Damn, Mook, you ain’t playin’ are you,” Tariq asked still smiling as he examined one of the sharp 5-pronged weapons.

Jaron entered the kitchen as the two men talked, followed by Mace and LaRon. “Everybody needs to do whatever their ritual is to get geared up for this shit,” LaRon told the men as everyone nodded.

“
If you gonna smoke, let that one blunt be it,” he went on as Tariq continued to sip his coffee calmly.

“
You high and sloppy when this shit goes down, best believe you’ll be cold and dead when it’s done,” he finished more for Jaron and Mace than anyone else’s benefit.

Acknowledging the direction, everyone began going over the impending game plans collectively.

“
Where is DeNoah,” Tariq asked.

“
At Mardi Gras,” LaRon answered as Tariq thoughtfully nodded his approval.

They wanted to keep an eye on the men for as long as possible before night fell. Once the sun set Tariq knew the gates of hell were going to open up.

“
Hey Top,” Mace called rising from the table. “I gotta show you something I picked up,” he told him, heading back to the bedroom he’d chosen and returning a short time later.

Everyone smiled brightly looking at the Panzerfaust 3.

“
Where the fuck did you get that,” Mook asked, taking the small shoulder held rocket launcher from Mace and examining it.

“
Friend of a friend,” he replied as they all laughed.

“
Well fuck, Ice wants war, his ass is gonna get it,” LaRon laughed as they all began to eat, the jeopardy of their latter evening plans for now cast aside and forgotten.

*****

Dixon opened the door, greeting Ryan as he walked inside.

“
Where’s Ice,” he asked as the burly man pointed toward the back of the small house.

Walking down the hallway, he found his brother standing in a bedroom looking out of the window, eyes glassed over, breathing erratic. Ryan watched him a few moments more, eventually figuring out he was thinking about KiKi. In all their years since childhood, he thought to himself this was as close to crying he’d ever seen Ice since they were 10 or 11 years old. If there was ever any doubt as to the depth of his love for this woman, in that single moment they were erased.

“
Ice,” Ryan called out calmly.

Quickly gathering himself, his back still to his brother, Ian spoke.

“
When did you get here,” he asked clearing his throat slightly.

“
Just got here,” Ryan returned not wanting to embarrass him.

“
Cool,” Ian replied finally looking at his brother, his face once more a neutral façade of peace and serenity.

“
You eat yet,” he asked, walking toward a chair left in the bedroom and sitting down. Ryan took the other small footstool the room contained as they talked.

“
I sent Jose and Reggie to get breakfast,” Ian told him as Ryan grunted his understanding.

“
You’re worried she’s hurt,” Ryan asked finally as Ian lit the cigar he’d removed from his pocket.

“
For their sakes, they better hope not,” he replied acidly.

Ryan agreed, relaying his understanding.

“
What you gonna do about Tweety, for real,” Ian asked giving his brother a look of his own now.

If no one else knew, Ian knew how deeply hurt, angry and even embarrassed his brother was at the woman’s deception.

“
I wanna whip her ass,” Ryan replied without hesitation as Ian smiled slightly.

“
It’s probably stupid, but I wanna rip that baby out of her and put my own there,” he told his brother as Ian nodded thoughtfully.

“
I don’t think it’s stupid at all,” he replied. “I would probably kill her if it were me,” Ian told him as Ryan acquiesced and replied he’d thought about that as well.

“
In the end though, fuck, taking out this asshole she’s pregnant from will do just fine,” Ryan told Ian as he again nodded.

“
She was never one for saving any of the money I gave her, and hell her and KiKi ain’t rolled on their own in a long time,” he threw out as Ian saw where he was going and agreed with him.

“
Yep, let her struggle and hafta screw for milk and pampers,” he chuckled as Ryan joined him.

Breakfast arrived moments later and the conversation was forgotten as everyone gathered and began to eat.

“
Do you have a timeframe for starting the party, Ice,” Andre’ asked as he enjoyed his chicken biscuit.

Ian smiled slightly and told him as soon as the sun settled down for good, it was on. Chuckling Andre’ replied he was more than ready.

“
Tonight has to be precise, no fuck ups,” Ryan told them as everyone gave him their attention.

“
This ain’t TV,” he went on. “Once your ass goes down with a bullet, ain’t no coming’ back from that shit.”

Dixon nodded his understanding as did Reggie. The latter was a bit unsettled however. Reggie had been having a bad morning. Everything that seemingly could go wrong had. In his mind it was a bad omen, but he kept those thoughts to himself as he continued to eat wordlessly, praying he was wrong and he was among the living at the end of the evening.

“
Nobody has made any moves at the house,” Ian reported, having gotten a call earlier from their watchers on site.

“
Yeah, that’s cool,” Ryan replied. “Reggie, me, you and Jose’ are out around 7:00,” Ryan told them explaining once again their approach tactic.

“
Sounds good,” Jose replied. “I got the smoke bombs you asked about,” he added as Ryan smiled and told him that was great news.

“
Tonight gentlemen, will be a night Top and his trifling’ ass crew, will never forget,” Ian told them evenly as everyone agreed and continued to devour their food.

*****

“
We got eyes,” Tank told LaRon as they talked.

He was on his way to the house. DeNoah was to meet him there as well.

“
How you know,” he asked as Tank explained the black mustang he’d noticed late last night after LaRon and DeNoah left.

“
You see who’s in it,” LaRon asked once more.

Tank told him he could make out two forms, but nothing else beyond that.

“
OK, cool,” LaRon returned. “We’re coming up the off way,” he told him as Tank said okay and acknowledged the direction.

“
Once me and DeNoah get there, we’ll take care of the eyes,” he added ominously as Tank chuckled slightly.

“
Sounds good to me,” he returned disconnecting and waiting for LaRon to arrive.

Continuing to drive, LaRon took another deep breath, the reality of the day settling in. This was only the beginning he thought, calling DeNoah and briefing him on the plan.
That one has sure grown up and settled down,
LaRon thought of the young man they weren’t too sure of almost three months ago now. DeNoah had finally come into his own in the crew.
Maybe I’ll let him blind those watching eyes for us,
LaRon chuckled turning onto another residential street close to the safe house. Parking, he got out and began walking away from his destination, turning into the deep woods next to the roadway and taking the path that was carved through them. He arrived undetected in the next ten minutes. Slipping inside through the basement entrance that Tank left unlocked he made his way upstairs to the kitchen.

“
Wassup,” LaRon greeted Tank.

“
Nothin’ man, everything’s cool,” he replied as LaRon walked into the living room and took a seat on the couch.

DeNoah arrived almost 15 minutes later through the same basement entrance, greeting both men and taking a seat in the living room as well.

“
So how you wanna do this,” he asked, looking to LaRon for direction.

“
Quietly,” he replied simply as Tank chuckled and DeNoah smiled.

Going back into the kitchen Tank returned moments later with the silencers. DeNoah took one and attached it to his .380, as did LaRon to his .10mm. Tank had already equipped his .9mm with one earlier.

“
That brushy area is perfect,” LaRon observed as DeNoah stood with him, looking carefully out of the side of the window.

“
We can go back out through the basement, circle back, and come up on the passenger side,” DeNoah made note as LaRon mused.

They wanted to make the kill from that side, surprising the men, as well as leaving no sign that anything was wrong, should a passerby become too curious as the car sat beside the curb.

“
Cool, let’s go make this happen,” LaRon told him as DeNoah grunted slightly and the two men made their way back to the kitchen, preparing to leave.

Caramel’s cell rang as they passed it, stopping them in their tracks. Tank picked it up and walked toward the room where she was, pushing the door open and the instrument into her hands.

“
Don’t mess up now, you’re doing good,” he warned as she took the phone, hands shaking, and answered.

“
Hello,” Caramel greeted Ryan trying to sound calm and normal.

Truthfully she was a nervous wreck.

“
Hey baby,” he threw back amiably, helping her to calm slightly. “How you feeling’,” Ryan asked, sipping his juice as he talked.

“
Fine, no sickness or anything,” she replied as he sighed slightly.

“
That’s good to hear,” Ryan replied. “Found that purse you wanted,” he told her smoothly as Caramel smiled slightly, catching the hint.

“
Gonna go pick it up later,” he added as she finally smiled.

Tank continued to wordlessly observe her, hearing Ryan’s statements and smiling inwardly.

“
Well, I’ma let you go, I have some errands to run,” Caramel told him wanting to end the conversation before she said something wrong in her nervous and frightened state.

“
OK baby,” Ryan returned still sweet as sugar. “I’ll see you soon, I’m almost finished here.”

Caramel again acknowledged his statement, disconnecting and handing the phone back to Tank. Rising again, he left her alone and returned to the kitchen where LaRon and DeNoah waited.

“
He’s coming tonight,” Tank said simply as all three men smiled fully.

“
Let’s go have some fun,” LaRon told DeNoah as they returned to their original intent and descended the basement stairs, heading out into the day.

37

LaRon watched as the last embers of the sun faded from the sky and night fell.
So it begins,
he thought sighing deeply and checking the weapon he held. Tank set up the rooms as they discussed and DeNoah waited patiently with LaRon for their visitors to show up. His mind was racing as he thought about Ryan and actually getting the opportunity to confront the man.
He knows about Tweety and the baby, so let’s see what his high and mighty ass thinks of that shit,
LaRon thought angrily of the man. Jaleesa informed him of Ryan’s call and gave him the specifics of the conversation when they’d talked last. He had to admit he found himself taken by surprise as how calmly Jaleesa told him her feelings concerning Ryan.
He fucked up,
LaRon thought and chuckled slightly. He knew for himself infidelity was her button. Jaleesa would tolerate a multitude of mistakes on your part, but cheating on her was not one of them. He missed her, LaRon thought sighing once more. He wanted this night to be over; for them to do what they came to do and life to go on. As soon as everything was said and done, he was taking Jaleesa to Conyers to look for the house she wanted.

I’m so damned glad she forgave me,
LaRon continued to think as he lit the cigarette and inhaled deeply. Smiling slightly once again he recalled Jaleesa’s admonishment the last time he lit up.
“You know you can’t be smokin’ around the baby, so you might wanna go ahead and quit,” she chided him as LaRon grunted but said nothing.
Thinking about it now, he made up his mind that he would after tonight. “Fresh start for everything,” LaRon murmured as Tank came back into the room and joined him.

“
Everything straight,” LaRon asked, never taking his eyes from the window he stood post at.

“
Yeah, ready for whatever,” Tank replied as both their phones vibrated.

DeNoah sent a text letting them know he was in place as well, and things were still all clear.

“
Well all we can do now is wait on these fools to make a move,” LaRon threw out after reading the text.

“
I doubt we hafta wait too long,” Tank replied as LaRon tensed slightly and agreed with him.

His mind was still spinning about his initial reaction when he finally saw the man who’d stolen his angel face to face. Glancing up the street, LaRon saw the black mustang still sitting where they left it, both occupants dead inside.
Stupid fuckers,
he chuckled, taking another hit from the cigarette and continuing to wait.