Animal 2 (23 page)

“What you say, big homie?” Abel asked. He was sitting on the bench next to his brother, Cain, and Dee.

“Nothing, my nigga,” King said, blinking away a tear that was trying to form in his eye.

Lakim came out of the building, face twisted into his usual scowl, with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

“What's in the bag, La?” Dee asked.

“Early Fourth of July for anybody who comes through here acting like they wanna get stupid.” Lakim patted the bag. “Yo, God,” he said, addressing King. “I just got off the jack with the broad I'm fucking who works for the cab company as a dispatcher, and she had some disturbing news.”

“Well, don't keep an asshole in suspense. Spit it out,” King told him.

“She said that one of their drivers got killed tonight up in Hunt's Point during some wild-ass shootout,” Lakim told him.

“I heard about that shit. They were talking about it on the radio a little while ago. They was saying like eight niggaz got killed, including three police officers,” Abel said, remembering the news broadcast that had interrupted the hip-hop countdown on his favorite station.

“Good riddance to them fucking pigs.” Cain spit on the ground. He was still salty about the beating he'd taken at the hands of Detective Brown and his henchmen at the precinct.

“Why is that relevant to us?” King asked.

“Because she said the last fare he picked up was a guy and a girl leaving this location,” Lakim told him.

“Ashanti and Fatima?” King's heart was filled with dread. The last thing he wanted to hear was that he had lost two more people he'd promised to look after.

“Sounds like it might've been,” Lakim said sadly. “They found the cab driver murdered in his car and a few more bodies in a warehouse that blew up a few blocks away. I don't know who it was, though.”

“Yo, word to everything I love, if somebody did something to my big homie, I'm stretching them and they mamas!” Cain
said emotionally. Both twins were close to Ashanti, but he and Cain shared a special connection. Ashanti was like the big brother Cain never had, and he loved him just as much as he did his own twin.

“Be cool, Cain. It could've been anybody. Don't put negative energy into the air,” King told him. “Has anybody spoken to Ashanti since him and Fatima left?”

“I tried calling his phone a few times but kept getting the voicemail,” Abel said.

“It ain't like Ashanti not to have his phone handy at all times,” Dee added.

“Let's get our people on it. If somebody did something to Ashanti, they gonna die for it. No questions asked,” King vowed. He had always had love for little Ashanti. Not just because he brought money into the organization but because he was
real
nigga.

“I didn't wanna say nothing, but I been thinking about a few things,” Lakim said. “Ashanti was acting strange after the police picked him up for questioning about that murder, and—”

“You better think long and hard before you finish that sentence, Lakim,” Cain warned.

“Don't get to puffing up on me, lil' nigga. I'm just laying all the possibilities on the table,” Lakim said to Cain. “I'm just saying, yo, Ashanti got a rap sheet a mile long. I'd have expected them to keep him at least overnight for questioning, but he was out within a few hours.”

“And when did you get your law degree?” Cain asked. “They popped me and Ashanti at the same time but didn't have nothing on us. While you're bumping your gums about shit
you don't understand, you should probably factor in that the police are on camera beating the shit out of me. That's why they sprung us, nigga!”

“Both of y'all cool out,” King interjected. “I got the word earlier about what happened at the precinct, so I know neither one of y'all rolled over, Cain. If you had, I'd have put you to sleep personally the minute you hit the block. I know better than most how Ashanti is built, so I would never question his loyalty. Neither would Lakim. He's just making a point.”

“Well, he's pointing in the wrong direction,” Abel added. “Instead of arguing over Ashanti's loyalties, we need to find out what happened to him.”

“You can ask him yourself.” Dee pointed to the curb, where a taxi had just pulled up. Ashanti and Fatima got out of the backseat.

When Ashanti walked up, he noticed that all eyes were on him. “What's popping?”

“You,” Lakim said, giving him a look.

“Ain't I always?” Ashanti matched his stare.

“ 'Sup, Fatima? You good?” King asked, noticing that she looked a mess and her clothes were filthy.

“Hey, King. Yeah, I'm straight,” Fatima told him. Her voice sounded tired.

“Baby, go upstairs and get some rest. I'll call you when I turn in for the night.” Ashanti kissed her.

“OK, but let me talk to you real quick.” She led him off out of earshot of King and the rest.

“What's good?” Ashanti asked.

“Ashanti, you know I love you, right?”

Ashanti gave her a look. “Fatima, that's always what the chick says on
Maury
before she reveals some crazy shit.”

“Ashanti, stop being silly, because I'm serious. I love you, and I would go to the ends of the earth with you, but this is some deep shit you're tied up in,” Fatima said.

“I know, and I'm gonna get it worked out. The homie Animal got a plan.”

“Animal? Ashanti, the way I hear it, every time Animal has a plan, somebody dies or goes to prison, and I don't want either of those for you or us.”

“Fatima, ain't nobody dying or going to prison,” Ashanti assured her.

“But how do you know? Tomorrow isn't promised, and the chances get slimmer when you decide to go to war with somebody who runs the entire city.”

“What am I supposed to do, tuck my tail and run?” Ashanti asked.

“No, baby, I'm not telling you to run, I'm telling you to pick your battles. Listen, my father might be locked up, but his name still holds weight out here. I could have him reach out to the Clarks and work something out,” Fatima offered.

“I don't need your daddy to speak for me, Fatima. I'm a man, and this is gonna be what it's gonna be. I just need to know if you riding with me or not,” Ashanti said.

Fatima looked at him lovingly and ran her hand down the side of his cheek. “Ashanti, I love you more than anyone I've ever been with, but I'm young, and I want a life that doesn't involve living like a hunted animal or marrying my future husband in a prison visiting room. You know I would do anything in this world you asked of me, but please don't ask me to die for you unnecessarily.”
She kissed him on the lips as if it would be the last time. “Goodbye, Ashanti,” she told him, and disappeared into the building.

Ashanti stood there for a while, breathing in and out slowly. It felt like someone had punched him in the stomach and knocked the wind out of him. Since he'd hooked up with Fatima, his life had revolved around her, and the thought of her leaving him made him weak in the knees. Nobody had ever told him that love was supposed to hurt. On shaky legs, he walked over to rejoin his crew.

“Isn't that touching?” Lakim said sarcastically.

Ashanti cut his eyes at Lakim. “My nigga, it's been a long night, and I've been through a lot. I'm really not in the mood for your bullshit.”

“We were just out here discussing what you may or may not have been through today. You care to fill in the blanks?” Lakim asked.

Ashanti knew Lakim was testing him, but he was too drained to play the game with him. “The short version is, I've been through hell and back, and I've come to the table with an offer from the devil.”

“Offer?” King asked, not understanding what Ashanti was talking about.

Ashanti nodded his head. “Indeed, King. So much has gone on that I don't know where to begin, but I'll give you the short version. If you down for it, we might be able to negotiate a cease-fire with the Clarks.”

“Cease-fire?” Lakim jumped in before King could respond. “Nigga, we gladiators, and there are only two ways out of the arena: on a stretcher as a corpse or on the shoulders of your comrades in victory.' ”

“I know all about being a gladiator, La, but I also know math,” Ashanti said. “For every one of Shai's men we take down, they take five of ours. When we ain't losing cats to bullets, we're losing 'em to the system because of all the dirty cops and politicians Shai's got on his payroll.”

“So what, you saying you scared or something?” Lakim asked.

“I wouldn't know fear if it smacked me in the face, so you talking to the wrong one about that, homie.” Ashanti turned to their leader. “King, look at who we lost already. Dump is in the system, Meek is in the ground, and Shorty is in pieces. All for what, because Shai was disrespectful at the club? Not only are Shai's goons on our asses, but so are the police. All these murders got us hot, and we can't even cross the street without getting pinched for something. I can't speak for y'all, but I'm ready to get back to the business of making money.”

King couldn't deny that Ashanti had a point. All he wanted to do was talk to Shai and maybe do some business, but alcohol and egos came into play, and everything went to the left. King James never wanted an all-out war with the Clarks, but he had to do something after the slight at the club so as not to look weak. One thing had led to another, and the next thing he knew, he was losing soldiers and money left and right. In his heart, he knew that they had slim to no chance at beating the Clarks without decimating their own whole operation, but he had gone too far to turn back and not run the risk of looking soft. If he had it to do all over again, he would've done things differently.

“I know you ain't actually considering what this nigga is saying?” Lakim asked, noticing the contemplative look on King's face.

“Lakim, just chill. I ain't even said nothing,” King said.

“You ain't gotta say nothing, I can see it on your face.” Lakim was getting tight. “Who the fuck is you to come around here talking about negotiating shit?” He turned on Ashanti. “We put you on the team, and you getting too big for yourself. Lil' nigga, this is our army!”

Ashanti had finally had enough. “Check this fly shit. I'm getting a little sick of your mouth, dawg. You a stand-up nigga, and I'd never disrespect you by suggesting anything less than that, but I think it's
you
who is getting too big for himself. King James is the head of this, he feeds the pups, and for that I'm grateful, but it's me who holds the leash on these dogs in the streets. Never forget that.”

“I don't think I like how you're talking to me.” Lakim puffed up.

“Then that makes two of us, because I don't like how you're talking to me, either,
blood
,” Ashanti said, matching his tone.

“Bang bang, anywhere gang.” Cain stood next to Ashanti. He didn't draw his weapon, but he kept his hand close to it.

Sensing the tension building, King James stepped between them. “Knock it the fuck off. It's bad enough we going at niggaz in the streets, but if we start turning on each other, we don't stand a chance. Y'all dead that.”

Ashanti was reluctant, but he extended his fist to give Lakim dap. Lakim just stared at him, seething. Eventually, he pounded his fist and mumbled an apology.

“Ashanti”—King draped his arm around him—“it's been a long and trying night for all of us. Why don't you take it down and come see me in the morning, and we'll talk some more, a'ight?”

“No doubt, King.” Ashanti gave him dap. As he was leaving, King had a question.

“Ashanti, what makes you so sure Shai is even willing to let it go?”

Ashanti thought on it. “I'm not, but it's worth a shot. I got an insider working on putting it together.”

“You've been keeping quite a few secrets these days, huh?” King asked.

Ashanti just smirked. “Never let the left hand know what the right hand is doing. I'll see you later, my G.” He headed toward the Ave.

Abel followed, but Cain lingered, glaring at Lakim.

“Fuck you looking at, ugly?” Lakim asked harshly.

“Nothing, man, just thinking that you have a very unique face.” Cain grinned wickedly before going to join his brother.

“Fucking weirdo,” Lakim said, watching Cain walk away. He caught up with Ashanti and Abel. The trio huddled together at the curb like they were scheming.

“Why don't you leave them little dudes alone? What is it that you have against Ashanti lately?” King asked. When Ashanti first joined their team, he and Lakim were close, but as Ashanti got older, they seemed to be growing apart.

“Nah, sun, shorty be feeling his self a little too much for my taste, and it irks me,” Lakim said. It was half true. His real beef with Ashanti was that he was growing up and growing out. King had started delegating more and more of the street responsibilities to Ashanti, including things that Lakim used to handle. King called him pulling Lakim off the streets a promotion; they were upper management now and didn't need to play the block so heavy, but to Lakim, it felt like he'd had his power
stripped. It was to the point where even the soldiers were deferring to Ashanti, and Lakim didn't like it.

“Ashanti has his hang-ups, but he's a good soldier, one of the most solid cats we got with us. That kid is an important piece of this puzzle,” King told him.

“He still needs to stay in his fucking lane,” Lakim spit.

King's cell phone rang. “Peace,” he answered. “Oh, what's good, Pam?”

“N
IGGAZ ALWAYS FLEXING FOR NOTHING,”
Ashanti said as they were walking down the block. He was going to go home and sleep, but the confrontation with Lakim now had him wired. So Ashanti suggested they go get hero sandwiches before he dipped.