Dwight stood up and walked to his filing cabinet. “You just keep your head up, Jamal. There's plenty of women in Miami, so don't rush itâokay?”
“Yeah, easy for you to say; you got a woman at home, and ain't it 'bout time the two of y'all tie the knot?”
Dwight turned back to his desk and sat down. Yes, it was time he made Tina his wife. He was ready and so was she. All he could picture was good times as long as she was in his life.
“In due time, Jamal.”
“Well, I'ma get back to work, but hit me back when you hear something. And, oh, yeah, check out my new whip.”
“What is it?” Dwight asked not looking up from the paper in front of him.
“It's a black-on-black Pontiac G-6.”
“Big wheel,” Dwight said.
“Yeah, right. When I can buy my shorty a whip, own a BMW and have a Viper on the side, then I'll be big wheel. But I'ma check you later, Dwight.” They gave each other dap before Jamal left.
Dwight called Tina, who was at the other salon across town. The phone rang twice before it was answered.
“Hello, MD Salon . . . Akissi speaking, how may I help you?”
“Hey, this is Dwight. Is Tina in?”
“Oh, hi Dwight. Yes, she's in. Just hold one second.” The line switched to a song by Brandy. Seconds later Tina was on the line.
“Hey, baby.”
“What's going on with you?” he said leaning back in his leather chair.
“Baby, it's busy as hell but that's good, right?” she said cheerfully, making him smile.
“You know it is. Do you have any idea what time you'll make it out of there tonight?”
“Hmmm . . . 'bout eight or nine I guess.”
“Okay. We might have a good deal on some hair color,” Dwight said then went on to tell her about Latosha.
“That's great. Anything on Menage?”
“Nah, boo, it's the same story.” He let out a deep sigh.
“I hope he makes it, Dwight . . . I really do. I know we didn't always get along, but it was all in fun.”
“I know, baby, and he knows it tooâtrust me. I'd still feel better if I knew something . . . anything.”
“I know, honey,” she said softly.
“Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you . . . I called DJ over for dinner tonight to get things right so that we'll be on the same level. Just because Menage was in charge don't mean he'll automatically take over his job.” He waited for her to say something. “Tina . . . Tina, you still there?”
“Oh, yeah, I'm here. I . . . I was just thinking about what to cook on such short notice, that's all,” she said. She couldn't believe that DJ would be under the same roof with she and Dwight. And right now she didn't want to see DJ at all. She closed her eyes and thought about that last night they shared together. She wasn't shocked to find herself wanting him inside her again.
Fuck you, DJ. It's over,
she thought.
“Don't stress it,” Dwight said breaking her train of thought. “It's not a classy affair, but after I get off the phone with you I'ma call him. Just try to get off as soon as you can, okay?”
“Yeah, I'll see what I can do. Maybe I'll have Akissi close up,” she said.
After saying their I love yous, they ended the call. Dwight sat back in his chair and picked up a picture of Tina. He loved her more than anything. She was perfect and made him happyânot to mention the sex. In his heart he knew it was time to make her his wife, for what they shared was real love.
* * *
Rosita and Chandra were tanning on the sundeck of Felix's 108-foot yacht. The Leight Notika was triple-decked, built at a Turkish shipyard. Equipped with a sky lounge and full accommodations, the yacht was able to comfortably carry eight guests and six crew members. Chandra was having a light discussion with Rosita, telling her how Vapor had come into the room while she and Menage were sleeping and snatched the blanket off the bed, running all around with it.
Menage walked out onto the pier of Felix's mansion and covered his eyes from the sun as he looked toward the yacht sailing in the calm waters. He pulled out his cell phone and called Chandra to tell her that he was going somewhere on the island with Felix. He knew that whatever system Felix had jamming the phones inside his home didn't stop calls from being made outside. He turned and walked back toward the mansion. Vapor was running down the beach trying to catch some seagulls.
Menage whistled and Vapor came at once. He let Vapor into the back of one of Felix's Hummers and then got in himself. Felix started up the Hummer and headed down the beach. Menage sat next to him eating a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich that Miss Welton had packed for their trip. The Hummer plowed through the thick sand with ease and Felix handled it with skill as it drove up a slope.
“Didn't you eat enough this morning?” Felix said as Menage reached for another sandwich.
“Man, don't you know I gotta get my strength back? And I have to keep up with Chandra . . .”
“I understand,” Felix said smiling.
“Where we going anyway?” Menage asked, only seeing jungle and palm trees.
“It's a surprise,” Felix said pulling out a Cuban cigar.
“When your damn lungs get as black as Vapor's, you gonna wish you never smoked. Those things stink anyway, but nope, you don't wanna listen to me,” Menage said holding onto the door grip.
“Since when did you become the spokesperson for cancer?” Felix said making jabbing motions with the cigar toward Menage, while keeping his eye on the narrow path. He didn't light it up because he knew it would cause Menage discomfort. They rode on for another five minutes.
“Okay, here we are,” Felix said as the Hummer shot out of the foliage and back onto the beach. They were now on the opposite side of the island at the northern end. Menage could make out what looked to be a small building just about where all the greenery ended. Vapor jumped out and walked around, sniffing the ground. “Come on, this way,” Felix said walking toward the building. As they got closer, Menage noticed another Hummer parked behind the building. The door opened before Felix could knock. A young kid with long hair, dressed in shorts and a tank top motioned them inside and with a quick glance, Menage noticed that he was carrying a gun. His eyes quickly adjusted as they entered a dark room. The left wall was filled with TV screens, computers, and what looked to be a radar screen. Sitting on a rolling stool was another kid wearing headphones. He was busy watching the screens.
“What the hell is this, Felix?” Menage asked.
“You don't know? Well, that's odd coming from an ex-Marine.”
“Former Marine,” Menage corrected him.
The kid with the long hair spoke. “It's state of the art . . . well, really, it's a small Russian radar outpostânothing big, though. But we can see anything coming toward this island within a thirty mile radius or more, depending on the weather, and it stays on twenty-four hours a day.” He then pointed to the screen at Felix's yacht, and with a few commands on the computer it showed a digital outline of the entire island. Felix then led Menage back outside and walked down a path behind the building.
Menage was shocked when they reached an underground shelter. The four-inch steel door swung open and Felix led him down five steps and then to another door. They went down another ten steps. When Felix turned on a light, Menage's jaw dropped. The shelter was packed with wall-to-wall weapons. “My little collection,” Felix said smiling. Menage walked to a crate marked Property of U.S.S.R. Next to it was a case filled with pistols that he'd never seen the likes of before. But what caught his eye was an H & K MP-10 sitting on a box wrapped in plastic.
Later on the drive back, Menage asked Felix why he had shown him the radar post and shelter. “So you and Chandra can feel safe,” he said.
“Felix, only a fool would try to come out here. But yeah, I feel safe. Iâ”
“Can't stay on the Island ...I know,” Felix said interrupting him. Menage looked at him as he loaded one of the new Glock 9 mm that he took from the shelter. “I got people thinking you're still in a coma. I figure that whoever did this will make some kind of slip-up ... and ... well, I really think that if you show your face back in Miami not knowing the enemy, you could end up dead. I know you can't stay here forever but just give me two days or so. I got a plan. Trust me on this one, Menage. Besides, you owe it to Chandra.” He knew that his last statement would hit home ... it did.
* * *
Back at the mansion, Menage stood on the pier looking toward Miami with Vapor panting alongside him. Felix's yacht now sat motionless in the blue-green waters. Chandra and Rosita were back in the mansion talking about baby clothes, wedding dresses, and everything else in between. Menage was a father now ... well, he'd be one soon ... and no more being the center of attention. But nothing else had the same importance nowânot even being so close to his dream of making a million. It all seemed so frivolous with a baby on the way. Still, he really wanted to get back to Miami and he was becoming restless. Moments later Felix walked down the pier.
“You miss it, right?” he said. Menage didn't reply. “You don't feel right unless you're in a flashy car, do you? I know you want to get back in the game, but now you have Chandra and the baby to think about. Look at all that I have, and yet you risk your life for a million. You're like a son to me, but you never asked for anything free; you've worked for what's yours and I fully respect that.”
Menage put a towel over his head to ease the beaming sun. “Felix, I came a long way, from shit to sugar. When I was growing up in Liberty City I had nothing, but I don't fault my mama because she did what she could for me and made sure I never went to bed hungry. Now that she's happy, I'm happy. I didn't have to take this path, but I did, so now I gotta live with it, you know? All this shit is bullshit man, really.”
“Let's not get into all of that right now,” Felix said pulling out his cell phone. “Hot out here, ain't it?”
“Yeah,” Menage said scratching Vapor's ears. Felix's call was short. Moments later two small boats appeared in the water.
“What's going on?” Menage said. “Send Vapor back to the mansion.” Felix was silent. Menage thought the boats were headed toward the yacht but they were slowly coming their way. “Hey, where those boats goin'?”
“Mine is going back to Miami.”
“And what about the other one?” Felix slyly looked at Menage. “What? How ... who shit is that? No ... Felix, I don't have a boat ...”
“It's yours, sonâa gift for new fatherhood.”
The look of shock was on Menage's face. “Say word?” he said as the boats slowed down. The Skater 46 was forty-five feet and seven inches long with a twelve-foot beam. The speedboat seated five high-backed yellow bucket seats. It could accelerate up to 170 miles per hour depending on water conditions, fuel and load. The only two custom modifications were the small cabin located on the lower deck and a solid gold throttle. The interior of the boat was painted money green and Menage's Way was prominently written on the stern.
“How fast can it go,” Menage said after they stepped off Felix's boat and onto Menage's new one. Felix's boat was now heading back toward Miami.
“Only one way to find out,” Felix said as he strapped himself into the passenger's seat. Menage looked at the helm controls. Everything was digital. Taking a seat at the helm, he ran his right hand over the solid gold throttle. It was unbelievable, and it was his. Grinning like a five-year-old on December twenty-fifth, he began to strap himself into his seat.
“Just push the red button on the right. It's the quick-start,” Felix said.
“Do we need to wear the helmets?”
“No, but I don't want you to open her up fullyânot with me on it anyway.”
“Chicken,” Menage said taunting him.
“Yeah, you say that now. Push the damn button. Let's test her out,” Felix said. Menage pushed the quick-start and the two thirteen hundred horsepower engines came alive. The whine from the engines sent Menage back to the time when he was a Marine, because the sound he now heard was similar to that of an AV-8B Harrier taking off.
“Felix, what the hell's pushin' this thing?” Menage said as he waited a few seconds for the engine to warm up. He sat back and relaxed as he grabbed the wheel with his left hand and gripped the throttle with his right. He looked forward and waited patiently as Felix pulled the straps tighter across his chest. He didn't quite yet trust Menage's boating skills. Menage slammed the throttle forward. For a second nothing happened. Then all of a sudden, the boat shot forward and quickly ripped through the waters like a knife. Menage eased off the throttle and glanced at the speed, as the boat felt as if it was floating on a cloud. The speed was 67.1 knots. He slowly pushed the throttle forward again, increasing the speed to 75.1 knots, then to 95.3 knots ... and 107.4 knots as he kept the boat on a straight course. Felix was now wearing a helmet and told Menage to do the same. Menage quickly did as he was told, as the boat seemed to be gliding on air.
“Can it go any faster?” he yelled, his voice filled with pure excitement.
“Yeah, butâ” Felix's words were cut off when Menage made a sharp turn, now moving at a speed of close to 156.5 knots. Menage noticed that the throttle still wasn't wide open and he didn't know the boat's top speed, but the current velocity was incredible.
“I can't believe this!” he yelled. They tore through the waters, racing to the unknown. Menage felt so free and the boat was under his full command. He decreased the speed and maneuvered the boat into a figure eight shape before coming to a full stop.