Murderville 2: The Epidemic (33 page)

Rocko drove on the highway, heading to Po’s house, hoping to catch him there. He had to see what the deal was. He had no idea that Dahlia had cunningly turned Po against him. Just the one hug that he gave Liberty, which was seen by Dahlia, changed their whole relationship.

The sun’s beams shined down on the massive blue ocean. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. With an open lined shirt, Po stood at the dock and looked at Dahlia who stood on the boat, applying suntan lotion to her arms and neck. Her voluptuous body filled out the two-piece Burberry swimsuit nicely. Po looked down at his watch, and then slid his hands into his pocket. Dahlia looked over at Po and smiled as the boatmen pulled up the anchor and prepared for their weekend at sea. It was Dahlia’s idea to take a weekend getaway, and Po felt it was needed.

He yelled over to Dahlia. “I’ll be right back. I have to talk to my man,” he said as he walked down the boardwalk toward the parking area. A tinted Range Rover was waiting for him. Po looked around, and then got into the vehicle, where Li’l Mikey waited on him.

“What’s up, big homie?” Li’l Mikey said as he gripped the steering wheel and checked the rearview mirror.

“What’s good, li’l man?” Po asked as he looked over at the live wire from his old trap spot.

“Thanks for coping me this nice-ass whip,” Li’l Mikey said as he smiled and rubbed the wood grain on the steering wheel.

“No doubt. That’s what you get when you move up in the ranks, li’l homie,” Po said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial of coke. He emptied a small pile onto the dashboard, and then used his nose as a vacuum to snort it up. He passed the vial to Li’l Mikey, who poured a small amount between his thumb and his finger. He snorted it like a pro and threw his head back to prevent his nose from running.

“I got you. I’ma hold you down,” Li’l Mikey said as he nodded his head up and down with a cold stare.

Po really did not trust Li’l Mikey, but he loved his coldness and live-wire attitude. He felt he needed a crazy nigga on his team to take the place of Rocko. The heavy coke snorting began to cloud his judgment, and he began to move sloppy. He didn’t realize it, but Dahlia had begun to call the shots.

“Remember what I said. Make it clean and quick.” Po
stated as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a roll of money. He placed it in Li’l Mikey’s lap, whose eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

“I got you! Rocko will be out of here before you get back from your trip. It’s a new era,” Li’l Mikey said as he wiped his nose and nodded his head up and down.

Li’l Mikey had spotted Rocko’s car earlier that day and was just waiting on the confirmation from Po. Po was about to knock off his best friend because of Dahlia’s manipulation. She had somehow convinced him that if he didn’t get Rocko, that Rock would eventually get him. With the coke in his system, Po was a different person. He was about to commit the ultimate betrayal. He slapped hands with Li’l Mikey and exited the car, heading back to the boat where Dahlia awaited. Their voyage was about to begin as someone else’s was about to end.

Rocko pulled up to Po’s house and hopped out of the car. He tried calling Po’s number again, but this time he got a disconnection message. “What the fuck?” Rocko said to himself as he looked at the phone’s screen to see if he had the right number. He was totally in the dark of what was about to unfold. He walked to the front door and noticed that the door was slightly ajar.

“Yo, Po!” he yelled as he put his hand on the doorknob. He slowly pushed the door open and stepped in with caution. “Yo, Po!” he yelled again.

Rocko stopped in his tracks when he saw about ten Africans standing with guns pointed at him. He quickly tried to reach for his gun, but a single shot rang out hitting
him in the knee, causing him to crumble. A tall chocolate man with a model’s physique stepped over him . . . It was Zulu. He came over to the States to end the burden that was over his shoulders. Dahlia had to die. The itch of killing her was far too difficult to ignore. He came over for one reason and one reason only. His secret would die with Dahlia, and he wasn’t settling for anything less. He wanted Dahlia’s head. Zulu looked down and pointed a gun at Rocko’s head.

“I’m going to ask you this one time and one time only. Where . . . is . . . Dahlia?”

* * *

Sitting in the parking lot of her hotel, Liberty had a heavy heart. She wiped the single tear that dropped from her face as she sat in the truck and rested her head on the steering wheel. She missed Po and wanted things to be normal, but she realized that she would never be able to make things right. She was ready to leave town and Po for good. She just was waiting until her car was repaired, and then she would leave. As she sat in Rocko’s tinted Rover she thought about the current day’s date. It was a date that was close to her heart and dear to her soul. It was the anniversary of A’shai’s death. She knew that Po would never give her the love that A’shai once had. Maybe that was why she chased love so quickly with Po. She was merely trying to fill a void that A’shai had left vacant with his death.

Liberty was ready for a new beginning . . . a new life. She took a deep breath and started up the car. She was headed to get a bite to eat. That’s when a vehicle pulled alongside of her. She didn’t even notice the sinister scowl that the young
boy had on his face as things unfolded. “I love you always, A’shai,” she whispered as she closed her eyes and imagined his face. Liberty never saw it coming . . .

As Li’l Mikey extended his arm out the window, shots rang out from his gun as he Swiss cheesed the truck. He thought Rocko was in the truck, but the tint didn’t reveal that it was Liberty that he was shooting.
Rat tat tat tat tat tat tat . . .