Country Boy (12 page)

“Thanks ma,” he said taking his horse from her getting the feel of it all over again. Q hadn’t carried both his guns in over a year.

There was no need since he was no longer in The Game. “Thanks ma. I’ll make sure I use this one to cut Tim’s name in them niggas.”

“Be careful love.”

“I will.”

Q made love to Van as if it was their last time. All through the night she screamed his name over and over. Seeming to sense what they were doing Bear got up from his rug, stretched, and went in the next room to sleep in peace.

Early the next morning while getting dressed Q was lost in his own thoughts. Van’s voice snapped him out of his trance back to the present. “Why didn’t you wake me Baby,” she said. “Would you like something to eat?”

“Nah ma, I’m cool.” She noticed how mellow his mood had become over the past few days. Tim’s condition had gotten a lot better since the shooting. But as his wounds were healing, Q’s wounds were becoming deeper and deeper.

Now sitting up in the bed she called him over to her. “My phone lines will be open at all times. If for some reason you can’t reach me, call Kiki’s cell. I won’t call you... It will only cause more distractions.” Reaching behind her neck she loosened the chain Q had given her years ago.

“What are you doing Boo?” He asked.

“What does it look like Q? I’m going to war with you,” she said placing the chain around his neck. “We’re ONE, remember.” Q just stared at her, not surprised, but grateful she belonged to him. Van’s status as a soldier was on a level most females could only dream of.

***

Salisbury Street was busy. All the local hustlers were out getting their grind on. Most of them had four of five runners working for them.

The whole strip was only about one thing ... Drugs. Da Da was supplying almost 100% of the product being sold. Sitting on the hood of his Impala he exhaled smoke from his nostrils before he spoke. “Damn Tex, this fuckin’ hydro is that killa’ homie! It’s got me fucked up!”

“Yeah, me too. Especially chasin’ it wit’ this mothafuckin’ Hen-dog. So what’s up wit’ yo’ new connect Da? It must be his shit that got these heads walkin’ around lookin’ like this.”

“Yeah Tex, we put that new shit on the strip about two days ago and it’s driving the fiends crazy homie.”

“Man you have to turn me on to this nigga Da.”

“Not right now homie. I just got plugged in myself. Maybe you’ll get to meet her after I’m locked in.”

“Her?!? What the fuck you mean her Da Da?”

“Just what I said nigga. Once I’m locked all the way in then you can meet her.”

Tex continued to sip on his Hennessey thinking about what Da Da had just told him. A female putting this type of shit on the streets. “This nigga gots to plug me into this bitch,” he thought to himself. “Once I’m plugged in Da Da’s services will no longer be needed.”

A group of winos and some dope fiends all gathered around a small barrell beside the Mini-Mart on The Strip. Whenever a fiend saw a sell coming through they would cut them off before another fiend had a chance to get the sell. J.R., Snake, Huck, and Jackie-D all stood around the fire talking to the new wino with the funny accent. “Pass the bottle Lil’ Man,” said Jackie-D.

Snake broke into the conversation. “I got 75 cent on another bottle,” he yelled.

Jackie-D responded, “Nigga, you just got ten dollars from that nigga Tex.”

Hearing his name made the one called Lil’ Man become alert, hiding under his ragged coat and beat up hat.

“Yeah he just gave me $10 but we just finished smokin’ that shit up nigga. He wants us to meet him at the car wash at 9:00 tomorrow morning to clean both his cars.”

Jackie responds. “Shit nigga, we’ll be there at eight. That’s at least forty, fifty dollars.”

“Yeah, but you know Tex never gets there before 9:30...” Jackie broke toward the side of the store cutting off a potential sale.

Lil’ Man spoke to Snake, “I got two bucks mun. Pu’ tit on the bottle.”

Snake reached for the two wrinkled up bills, Lil’ Man snatched them back. “What the fuck you doing?” Snake said, his hand now trembling needing the fresh bottle.

“Take me tomorrow. I need to make hustle too mun.”

“Aiight you can roll. Now give me those two bucks before the store closes.”

“Yeah mun, stop that blood-clot cryin’.”

After all the other winos had passed out from wine and everything else they could destroy their brains with the one called Lil’ Man eased away from the fire. Cutting silently between houses he found his way to the next street over. He scoped out the scene before walking out in plain view. Sitting farther down the street off the main road a car flashes its headlights on and off. Seeing his signal Lil Man stepped out and began to walk toward the car. When he reached it he jumped in the passenger side before it slowly crept off. The driver spoke first. “Are you aiight brotha’?”

“Everything is aiight mun. Have you spoken to Q?”

“Ah yes mun, I have. He’s waiting for us now.”

“Take me to him,” Lil’ Man said.

They met Q at Dina’s apartment. When Inga entered the room first, Q caught that same funny feeling he had in his stomach when he first met her. Her presence alone was unmistakable. When Lil Man entered behind her Q almost didn’t recognize him.

Q spoke first, “Baby Ras, what the fuck did you do homie? What happened to yo’ dreads?”

“Couldn’t do the job wit’ the dreads mun. Too many people recognize the dreads.”

“But you’ve been growing those twenty-five years Ras!”

“Yeah mun, but anything for you mun.”

Inga spoke, without the accent. “My brother’s loyalty is shown to very few. When someone gains his respect, like you have, back in our country you would be treated like a king. You talking about a man who shares his wealth with all the poor back home who can’t feed themselves. Cutting his hair was just another way of saying ‘Respect’. Back home our ‘locks’ are sacred. Honor Rasta’s friendship Q, because he honors yours.”

Baby Rasta gave everybody the low-down on Tex’s moves. Within days he had peeped him and Da Da’s daily routines.

Da Da’s new connect was still blessing him with good prices. The product was so good he couldn’t keep it. He paged his connect when he was down to his last two joints.

“Yo’ Da, pick up ya’ cell nigga. That’s probably Yuma calling back,” Tex hollered at Da Da.

“Who’s callin’?” Da Da spoke into the phone.

“Did someone page Yuma?”

“Yeah Yuma, it’s Da Da. What’s good?”

“What’s good wit’ you?”

“Nothing much, just tryin’ to pick up those two sets of rims and tires.”

After setting everything up Yuma called her people. She had stressed to Da Da, to make sure he was alone or there would be no transaction. He quickly agreed without thinking. Tex had put up one hell of a fight when Da Da said he was going alone. He had been putting the press game on Da Da about meeting his new connect. Da Da on the other hand knew what Tex’s intentions were. Day by day Tex was becoming more and more of an enemy instead of a friend. Da Da was to drive out on Hwy. 74 south heading towards Morven, North Carolina. Somewhere along the road he was to meet some of Yuma’s people. Da Da’s hunger for money and power over shadowed his fears of danger. Greed had clouded his mind, body, and soul. Now it was taking him on his last ride.

After spotting Yuma’s car which was driven by one of her workers, Da Da followed it until they turned onto a long dirt road. Da Da had been in this area several times getting his trick on, but he had never been all the way down the dirt road. At the end it spread out into a large open space with only natures fence wrapped around it... woods. Following the car around the back of the-split level home they pulled in front of what looked to be a guest house. Da Da mumbled to himself while sitting in his car. “This bitch gettin’ that paper. I wonder who else she is supplying. With the prices she throwin’ off she definitely on some takeover shit!”

The door opened on Yuma’s car and to Da Da’s surprise a female stepped out. She waved for him to follow her inside. Exiting the car Da Da grabbed his “nina” and stuck it down his waistband. Once inside the young lady offered him a seat and a drink. He accepted. Slowly he sipped his rum and coke waiting on Yuma. After about five minutes Yuma appeared in the room. “What’s up Da Da? Are you comfortable?”

“I’m aiight Yuma,” he said, not able to notice his own slurred speech. After about ten more minutes Da Da began to feel the ill effects of the drink. He couldn’t figure out what had taken complete control of his body. Everything in the room still looked the same. Yuma was sitting directly across from him. Her lips still moving but giving no sound. Suddenly they stopped moving. Her almond shaped eyes looked to the left of him. Seeing a shadow Da Da attempted to reach for his ‘nina’, to no avail. He couldn’t move. Never had his girlfriend let him down. Finally he gave in to the struggle of trying to free himself. The shadow became larger. He sat watching Yuma. Her eyes now focused on him spoke nothing. Suddenly the shadow came to life. Only then did Da Da’s fears overwhelm him. Q stood in front of him, now hiding Yuma.

Both his hands held chrome 45’s. Flashes of his best friends Umar and Tim appeared in Q’s mind as he slowly raised both arms until the infa-red lights on each gun joined together on Da Da’s forehead. Screaming now only to be heard by himself he looked in Q’s eyes one last time. They showed no anger, no hate, and no mercy. Boom... Boom.., Boom... Both horses kicked at the same time. Only then out of anger, Q pumped six more into Da Da’s chest, putting his lights out forever.

Greed

It had been two days since Tex had spoken to Da Da. The last time they talked it was a heated discussion about him meeting Da Da’s people. He knew nothing of the connect. Only that it was supposed to be a woman, but that didn’t necessarily have to be true. Da Da could have been just fucking with him. He paged Ham to see if Da Da had been through. “Ham, what up nigga? You seen my peoples?”

“Nah Tex, I haven’t seen Da Da since he dropped that work off. I paged him all morning with our code. That nigga still didn’t hit me yet.”

Tex sat there holding his cell phone thinking to himself. ‘Da Da never fucked around when it came to that paper. He always checked the strip at least two, three times a day ...’

“Are you still there Tex?” Ham said still on the phone.

“Yeah homie, I’m still here. Look, I’m a swing through and scoop up that cheese. You aiight? Do I need to bring any clothes for the trip?”

“Yeah homie. We might stay overnight,” Ham said speaking back to Tex in codes.

“So bring one change of clothes, aiight?”

“Aiight, I’m out.”

Hanging up Tex leaned his head back on the headrest of his LS 400 Lexus. “Where the fuck that nigga at?” He mumbled to himself. He knew where most of their product was kept, but since

Da Da had this new connect he knew Da Da was stashing plenty of kilo’s somewhere else. He had been paying twenty-two a piece with the old connect, so Tex knew whoever this bitch was she was caked up. ‘I’ll just have to wait until this nigga decides to show up.

Welcome Home

Back in Rockingham on The Block the whole crew sat in the parking lot just like old times. Everyone was there except Tim and Q was on the way. He had been to see Tim at the hospital. Terri had been going back and forth to be by his side.

Pulling into the parking lot Q felt good seeing his homies together. Stepping out of the car they all greeted him.

June spoke, “What tha’ deal nigga, you forgot about yo’ peoples or sum ‘em?”

Never that homie, we family,” Q said giving everybody some dap. The Crew was surprised when Q told them the news of Tim coming home in a couple of weeks.

“Damn,’ said Big Kev, “He’ll make it in time for our outside jam and bike rally at the club.”

“Yeah Kev, he misses the whole crew.”

“We should make the whole joint a coming home party for T,” said Corey.

“Yeah you’re right,” said Fat Dave. “That nigga love that Anthony Hamilton Cat.”

Corey and Poo had been advertising the outside jam over all the radio stations. Just on the strength of The Crew there would be at least twenty-five hundred bikes there. Anthony Hamilton had been topping the charts with his number one hit song Coming where I’m from. Corey and Poo had been trying to get a show done through their contacts up top. His producer had called their people letting them know he would be touring through the Carolina’s, so they booked him. That’s if we can get that nigga away from Terri long enough,” said Q. “She got our homie’s nose wide tha’ fuck open.” “Yeah,” said Big Kev. “Terri is the type of chick all of us need in our corner. . . a soldier.

Q hadn’t seen Tee in almost two weeks. They had spoken by phone a couple times. Leaving The Block he headed to the salon. Finally after getting a parking space Q entered the salon. It was crowded. “Damn,” he said to himself. "If all these people are here for a hair-do, then I was in the wrong business". Walking through the lobby he spoke to everybody and kept going. When he walked in where the work was going on he found all three chairs full. Tee, Terri, and El were all putting in work. “What’s up everybody?” He said over the loud dryers.

“Hey stranger,” yelled Elbony who was the closest to him. Tee already had her arms spread wide waiting on her hug.

“Hummmm, I missed you boy,” she said squeezing him tightly. “I missed you too ma,” he said squeezing her just as tight. “Save some for me?” Someone yelled running up grabbing them both. It was Terri. “What up lil’ sis?” Q said while they both made a sandwich out of him.

“Nothing big bro’. Still trying to get caught up with my clients.” “That’s good sis, handle yo’ business.” Turning to Tee he spoke,

“What’s up wit’ you baby girl? I came by to scoop you up but I see you’re busy huh?’’ “I’m not that busy,” she lied while eyeing Terri and Elbony. “Go ‘head Tee, I’ll finish Tracy up. It’s only a perm,” said

Elbony. “Thanks El,” Tee said grabbing her purse. “I’ll be back shortly.” “Take your time gurl. We got your back,” Terri yelled.