Prince of the City (29 page)

Malik and Rico packed the suitcases in the back of Rico's Range Rover, and then headed back to the stash house to count and divide the money. On the drive back, both Malik and Rico were silent. Both wondered what was going on in the other's mind.

 
 

Chapter 38

-THE THRONE-

 

11:40
pm . . .

 

 

alik and Rico opened the first suitcase. At the sight of so many Ben Franklins stacked and bound with rubber bands, they hugged each other and then spoke their first words since leaving the scene. “Nigga, look at this. We're rich,” Rico said.

“Yeah, now we can say we're rich.” Malik looked deep in his eyes. “Nigga, I couldn't have done any of this shit without you.”

“Me neither, Malik. Nigga, I love you. We're bound for life.”

“Hold up, Rico. Look at this.” There was a tag on the side of each suitcase that read
three million dollars
. Malik looked at Rico. “Nigga, its three million in each suitcase.”

Malik and Rico hugged again before they opened the next case.

“Nigga, this is twelve million dollars, plus the two million we already got,” Rico said. “We're rich for real. Nigga, pop a bottle. We're bringing in the New Year right. Fire up them blunts, Malik.”

“A'ight, but first let me call Linda real quick.”

Malik dialed the house number and Peaches picked up.

“Hello?”

“Peaches, it's me, baby.”

“Malik, are you okay?”

“Yeah, boo. Everything went as planned. Now do you remember what to do?”

“Yeah, I did everything. We got a flight booked for California first thing in the morning.”

“Good. Now let me speak to my aunt.”

“Hold on. Hey Linda, telephone.”

“Hello? Malik, are you okay?” Linda asked after taking the phone from Peaches.

“Yeah, I'm cool.”

“Did you get the money?” Linda asked, sounding excited.

“Most definitely. Now why don't you hurry up over here so you can take it back to the house? I'll meet you back there later.”

“Okay, I'm on my way. I'll be there in ten minutes,” Linda said, and then headed out the door after hanging up.

After Malik rolled a couple more blunts, the house phone rang.

“I'll get it, Rico. Hello?”

“It's me, Aunt Linda. You want me to come up or what?”

“Nah, I'll be right down,” Malik replied, and then hung up. “Rico, I'll be right back. I gotta go give my aunt something.”

“A'ight, but hurry up, nigga. We got ten minutes before the ball drops.”

Linda double-parked her brand-new Escalade in front of the building. Malik came out and placed two suitcases in the back, and then went up to the driver's side window and kissed his aunt.

“I love you, Aunt Linda.”

“I love you too, Malik.”

“Call me when you get back to the house and let me know the six million is safe.”

“There's six million in those suitcases?” Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

“Yeah, and I'm a get you that house you want too.”

“Boy, I love you, Malik.” Linda kissed her nephew on the forehead before leaving.

Malik went back upstairs. “Hey Rico. We need to talk.”

“What's up, homie?”

“Man, we got fourteen million dollars. If we keep hustling, you know we gonna end up getting locked up or some vicious niggas coming up in the game are gonna end up killing us just like we did Black Sam.”

“So what are you saying?”

“Rico, I'm saying I'm quitting this shit. I'm out. I'm rich, my fiancée is pregnant, and I've put in enough work. A nigga's getting tired of this shit, all this killing and shit. Man, fuck that. I can't raise no child like this. I told you before that I would never bring my family into this shit.”

“So what are you saying? We ain't family enough to stay together? Nigga, you can't quit. We built this shit together. Man, fuck that, Malik. We're gangstas. Gangstas don't retire. They die still a gangsta. How the fuck you just gonna roll out and leave me like that? Whatever happened to ‘ballin' till we fall' and ‘we're in this for life,' huh? You remember that? Those were your words, Malik.”

“Yeah, Rico, but that was years ago. A nigga's a full-grown man now. A nigga's got a family now and wise decisions gotta be made.”

“Fuck that! I got a family too. My girl is pregnant too. But do you hear me crying 'bout getting out the game? See, Malik, you're getting soft, man.”

“Rico, ain't nobody soft. I'm just smart. I don't wanna die early. I know what it feels like to take a life. I've been killing since I was sixteen. That shit's over for me now. I wanna live my life. I wanna know what it feels like to bring a life into this world.”

“Yeah, whatever. I see I can't change your mind. So do what you wanna do. But me, nigga, I'm a real-live gangsta. I'm a die in this shit. Regardless, you're still my nigga, although I don't respect your decision.”

“That's good enough for me,” Malik said. He then poured himself a glass of Remy XO and went onto the balcony to look over Southeast one last time. As he took in a deep breath of the cool winter night, he looked out into the Jungle and thought of his parents. He said goodbye to his kingdom. Although it was his first day on the throne as king, it was also his last. Malik no longer wanted any part of the life.

As he took a sip of his Remy, he suddenly felt the cold steel of a gun pressed against the back of his neck. “Rico, before you pull that trigger, there's something you need to know,” Malik said quietly to his best friend.

Malik then began to tell Rico his life story.

 
 

Chapter 39

-LIKE FATHER LIKE SON-

 

 

hen Malik finished telling Rico his life story, the hard, cold steel of the gun remained pressed on the crease of Malik's neck, waiting to be fired.

“Now, I've stood here and told you everything about me. I gave it to you raw and uncut, and if you were listening, you'd know this. You once told me that the only thing you have linking you to your parents was an old birth certificate. I've read the birth certificate. Remember how you kept it tucked away under your pillow at the receiving home? Well, one day Soup was going through your things, and he found it and brought it to me. Your mother's name was Chevece Jones. That woman you killed today . . . her name was Chevece Jones. And if that was your mother, she only bore one child by a man named Michael Perry. The woman you killed today was your very own mother, and the man you're about to kill is your only brother.”

As Rico listened to Malik tell him about his past, Malik took a sip of his liquor while smoothly pulling out his .45 automatic. Malik held the gun close to his front, not revealing to Rico that he had just slipped it out.

The more Malik talked, the less pressure Rico exerted with the gun. Malik knew that Rico's mind had to be racing. He just discovered that he'd killed his own mother. And now Rico was about to kill his brother. As tears fell down both their faces, only about ten seconds remained in 1999. “Rico, if you're gonna kill me, then do so. But just remember, I'm still your brother, your blood.”

After a few seconds, Rico lowered his gun from the back of Malik's neck and stood there looking at his only brother, the brother he'd always dreamed of having. This was the only life Rico had ever spared, and the only life he ever would.

“Malik, you're my brother and I love you,” he said.

“Rico, you're my brother and I love you too.”

With that, Malik turned face-to-face with his only brother. Before Rico noticed, Malik's gun was pointed at him. Rico took two shots to his abdomen at exactly midnight.

The gunshots didn't disturb the rest of the building. At midnight on New Year's Day, all of Southeast sounded like Beirut. Rico clutched his stomach and looked at Malik with shock. “Rico, there was something I learned from a whore, and that was never trust no one. So I came to this meeting prepared, which is something our father didn't do when he met with Black Sam.”

With that, Malik placed his gun on Rico's forehead and pulled the trigger. Malik then called Peaches.

“Malik, you okay?” she asked him.

“Yeah baby. Did Linda ever come back?”

“No, she didn't. She's been gone for a good while. She should've been back by now.”

“I kinda figured that. You ready?”

“Yeah. You want me to come now?”

“Yeah, and drive my truck. Call me when you get downstairs.”

“Okay, baby. I'm on my way.”

“Hey, Peaches?”

“What?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Malik.”

After instructing Peaches to pick him up, Malik grabbed a towel and wiped down the whole apartment. He then wiped off his gun and placed it on Rico's chest.

Malik placed all four suitcases by the door. While he waited for Peaches to call, he went outside on the balcony one last time. He sat upon his throne, a king, and silently began to talk to his father.

Dad, now I'm the king. I now understand what it took to get here, and I understand what it will take to stay. Therefore, I'm doing what no other king has done. I'm leaving the throne without dying, which is something you always wanted to do.

I know I just killed my own brother, but there was no other way. I pray that you forgive me for killing the son you never knew, but even in the real jungle of beast and animals, this is part of the law of nature.

I don't ever wanna live like this again. So I'm taking off my crown and bowing out gracefully. I love you, Dad, and I promise I'll live out the same dream you had for me and Mommy through Peaches and my unborn child.

He then blew a kiss to the sky.

 

Chapter 40

-TRICKED-

 

 

fter picking up the suitcases of money from Malik, instead of going to Peaches's house, Linda got on the I-495 and headed toward Florida. She'd planned to escape to Florida thirteen years earlier, but couldn't because Black Sam never gave her the money from the move she'd helped him pull on his best friend.

Linda and Sam had been secret lovers since high school. They were both jealous of their best friends' relationship. Connie was prettier and smarter than Linda. Everything Connie had, Linda wanted. She envied her best friend while Sam envied his.

Sam would kill Mike, take the money, and the two would get married and live in Florida. But Black Sam didn't live up to his end of the bargain. He'd killed Connie which Linda begged him not to do and took the money and ran off with Chevece.

Linda knew she couldn't find anyone to kill Sam for revenge, so she raised Malik to do it. She knew that the only way to get Sam back was through Malik, a well-trained gangster. Linda's plan took thirteen years, but to Linda, those thirteen years had paid off well. She was now six million dollars richer.

She smiled as she looked at herself in the rearview mirror of her truck, happy and satisfied. Even though she'd turned an innocent child into a gangster, she still felt relieved that Malik came out the way he did. In the beginning, she didn't think Malik would stand a chance, but to her surprise, he sucked up every game she gave him.

As Linda pulled into a rest stop off the highway, she lit up a fresh Newport, sat in her truck, and thought about what she was going to do with her six million. She decided to take a look at her money before she got back on the road. She wanted to see what six million really looked like.

As Linda walked to the back of her truck and popped the hatch, she looked around for any nosey spectators before opening the suitcases. Her eyes lit up as she opened the first case. The suitcase was stuffed with towels and washcloths.

As Linda's anger built, she rushed to open the second suitcase. Once she opened it, Linda instantly felt dizzy and confused. The second suitcase was stuffed with rolls of toilet paper. There was a note attached to the inside of the suitcase. Linda picked it up and read:

 

Dear Linda,

I always knew it was you. You gave yourself up with the most precious jewel you could ever give: Trust no one, not even you! Now take this toilet paper and wipe yourself, 'cause you some shit!

The Prince of Southeast, soon to be King

 

Linda immediately fell to her knees crying. She'd been tricked twice by those whom she'd tried desperately to trick—Black Sam and Malik.

 
 

Chapter 41

-ME AND MY GIRLFRIEND-

 

 

eaches pulled up to the front lobby of the Wingate and called Malik, who picked up on the first ring.

“Hello?”

“Malik, I'm downstairs. Are you ready?”

“Yeah, I'm coming right now. Give me a sec.”

Malik got off the elevator and walked through the building's lobby lugging two suitcases. He couldn't help but notice Peaches's beautiful smile as she sat behind the wheel of the pearl-white Escalade listening to Tupac's “Me and My Girlfriend.”

“You need some help, boo?” she asked.

“Nah, this shit is heavy. Just pop the hatch.”

After Peaches popped the hatch, Malik threw in the first two suitcases.

“I'll be right back. I got two more suitcases to get.”

“Okay, baby, but hurry up. You know I'm double-parked.”

Malik rushed back downstairs lugging the other two suitcases while smiling at his soon-to-be wife. He felt relieved that he was through with the life. His past would be buried, while his new life was just being born.

As Malik put the last suitcase in the back of the truck, a tall, thin, gray-haired man approached him.

“Excuse me, Malik,” the man said.