The Cartel 3: The Last Chapter (2 page)

Miamor’s eyes remained closed as Mecca took in the image of her. Seeing her this way was poetic for him, a beautiful demise for an ugly situation. The two of them could never co-exist. Her day of reckoning had come.

“My man here feels like you owe him something. Now, I
have a proposition for you. I think you’ve learned your lesson. I’m not usually a forgiving man, but if you apologize to Fabian here and you admit that you can’t fuck with me, then I won’t kill you. I’ll let you go, as long as you leave Miami … my city,” Mecca whispered in her ear. He wasn’t a nice guy and didn’t even imitate one well. He knew that he would never let Miamor live, but he wanted to hear her apologize, and he wanted to hear her admit that that she was beneath him … that he held the power … that only he could determine whether she lived or died.

Miamor bit into her inner jaw because she had never hated anyone more than she hated Mecca Diamond, and there were so many emotions pulsing through her body that she could not stop the hot tears from falling down her face.

“See, the bitch does cry,” Mecca pointed out to Fabian, who stood baffled behind him. “Now, tell me I’m the best, bitch. Let me hear you say it.”

Miamor’s body shook with rage as Mecca waited impatiently for her response. Blood poured out of her mouth as she hung in the balance between life and death. She was barely strong enough to hold her head up. As she opened her mouth, she whispered, “Come closer so you can hear me.” Barely audible, she waited until Mecca leaned close to her ear. She didn’t want him to miss a single word of what she was about to say.

“Say it, bitch. Give up your pride to save your life,” Mecca proposed as she breathed in his ear.

“You’ll never be the best, Mecca, because I’m the best. You can kill me, but it’ll never change the fact that I took everybody you ever loved away from you. You made a mistake when you killed my sister. You take one from me, I take two from you, and the rest of my people are in the wind. They’re untouchable. I did that. I made sure of that. If you were the
best, you would have done the same. Every day for the rest of your life, you’ll think of Miamor, nigga. I promise you,” she whispered.

She kissed his cheek, instantly turning his skin cold and running shivers down his spine. It felt like the kiss of death, and Mecca stood to his feet with fire in his eyes. There was nothing he hated more than a slick-talking-ass bitch, but Miamor was like a pit bull; she never let go. Once she put her beam on somebody, nothing could stop her—nothing short of death.

Miamor closed her eyes as she allowed the last tear to fall, then she inhaled deeply before focusing on Mecca, staring him in the eyes. Although he hated her to his core, he knew that they were more alike than either of them had ever cared to admit, and he silently respected her and hated her all in the same moment. They both knew that she had just taken her last breath.

Miamor glared unflinchingly at him and waited for what she knew was to come. It was over, and in that instant, everything went black.

Candles laced the entire basement as the smooth sounds of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” danced through the airwaves. Marley had a way of speaking to a person’s soul and conveying his words on point and full of passion. Ma’tee felt this song more than ever as he closed his eyes and absorbed the powerful lyrics of the legend.

Plush velvet carpet, smells of relaxing lavender incense, and flickering candles all set the mood for what was to be Ma’tee’s grand finale. He stared at Breeze, who was lying in the bed dressed in a red lingerie set that he had picked up for her for their special day. He smiled as he looked at Breeze, who was in a dazed-like state, trying to raise her head from the pillow.

It seemed as though a fog had fallen over her. It was as if she were in a hazy dream as she tried to fight the sedation. Ma’tee looked on and smiled at her. “Don’t chu try to fight the drug, baby girl. Relax, me lady,” he instructed softly as he ran his fingers through her long hair. Ma’tee had heavily drugged her, as he did every night just before he made twisted love to her. In Ma’tee’s demented mind, Breeze Diamond was his woman, and he had fallen deeply in love with her over the time she had been in his clutches.

Breeze played the role to the tee as she pretended as if she were off point, but unbeknownst to Ma’tee, Breeze was as clear-headed as she had ever been. Uncharacteristically, Ma’tee had taken his eyes off of Breeze while giving her the drug. Breeze saw an opportunity, and took it by quickly spitting out the pill and pretending as if she had swallowed it. She was just waiting for the right time to make a dash for the stairs that led up to the main floor of Ma’tee’s home. Ma’tee was completely naked and ready to lay down with Breeze for the final time, because he had planned for that night to be their last.

As soon as he turns his back, I’m going for it,
Breeze thought as nervousness overwhelmed her and her hands began to tremble. Ma’tee turned his back and walked over to the table where the nickel-plated .45 was placed. He was going to shoot Breeze in the head just before he took his own life. In his mind, it was a sure way for them to be together forever. Nevertheless, Breeze had another plan in mind. She was going to break away from Ma’tee—or die trying.

Breeze waited patiently for the right time to make her move and dart for the steps. As soon as Ma’tee’s back was totally turned, she took off running as fast as her petite legs could
go. She hurriedly skipped two steps at a time, trying to climb to the top.

“Breeze!” Ma’tee yelled as he heard the commotion and saw her take off. He quickly took off after her, remembering that he hadn’t locked the door that led to the main floor. “Nooo!” he yelled as he gave chase up the stairs with the gun in his hand.

Breeze sprinted full speed and burst through the door. Her heart began to pound heavily as she was hit by the rays of sunlight shining through the blinds. It had been so long since she had seen sunlight that it was like a punch to the face. Breeze quickly shook off the initial shock and darted out of the basement door, desperately searching for a door to escape the spacious house.

As she frantically ran through the house, Ma’tee was right on her heels. Breeze knocked over lamps and chairs trying to evade his clutches and buy herself more time.

“Please! Let me go!” Breeze pleaded as she approached Ma’tee’s front door. But it was to no avail. He had two dead-bolts. She tried to unlock the door quickly, but by that time, Ma’tee had caught up with her and grabbed her from the back. Breeze kicked and screamed, but Ma’tee’s strength was too much for her to match. He wrestled her to the floor, and that’s when the tears began to pour from Breeze’s eyes. She knew that she was about to die. At that very moment, she lost all hope, and her soul no longer belonged to her—it was Ma’tee’s.

Ma’tee pointed the gun at Breeze’s head and prepared to pull the trigger. “Chu will forever be me lady,” he said as he pressed the barrel to Breeze’s temple.

Breeze closed her eyes and tried to brace herself for the impact. “God, please have mercy on my soul,” she whispered just before the boom. It wasn’t a boom from the gun, but
the sounds of items falling from Ma’tee’s walls and cabinets. The earth began to shake at a magnitude that would be documented in history as one of the worst earthquakes the world had ever seen.

“What the—” Ma’tee tried to stand, but the violent vibrations from the ground knocked him off his feet.

Breeze didn’t know what was going on as she looked around, frantically trying to figure out what was the cause of all the rumbling. The ground shook so intensely that Ma’tee’s windows shattered and his floor began to crack. The sounds of trees crashing against the earth whistled through the air, and before long, Ma’tee’s house began to crumble, as the earth seemed to swallow the house’s foundation. Breeze screamed at the top of her lungs. She was in the middle of the pandemonium.

Ma’tee tried to run under his kitchen table for protection, but he never made it. The roof caved in and crushed him, burying him in debris. Breeze witnessed Ma’tee’s death just before the roof crushed her also. Breeze was instantly knocked unconscious as the earth crashed down on top of her.

This natural disaster had made an imprint on Haiti’s country that would be talked about for years to come.

Carter walked through the cellblock with a folded blanket and thin pillow in his hands. Two guards escorted him to his cell as the sounds of the rowdy inmates echoed through the corridor. Carter walked at his own pace with his head held high. The sound of someone yelling, “The Cartel is in the building!” sounded off, and Carter smirked, knowing that some of his soldiers were on his cellblock. The feds had come in and locked up most of his crew, and some of them were in the same penitentiary Carter was currently at, which meant Carter was still in a position of power.

“Stop right here,” the guard said as they approached the last cell on the block.

“Open D-one!” he yelled down the corridor. Moments later, the door slid open, exposing a heavy set Latino man with a salt-and-pepper beard. He looked to be in his mid to late fifties.

“Garza, you have a new celly,” the guard said, referring to him having a cellmate.

“You know the rules. My cell is not to be shared!” Garza objected as he sat up from his bunk and placed down the book that he was reading.

“The prison is full and there is no other place he can go. He has to come in here,” the guard said as if he were explaining to Garza rather than telling him.

“I don’t want a nigger in my cell,” Garza said as he gave Carter a dirty look.

Carter nodded and gave Garza a small smirk just to piss him off more.

“It is what it is, Garza. He’s your cellmate. Step in,” the CO said as he stepped to the side, clearing the way for Carter.

Carter stepped in and placed his things on the top bunk. Moments later, the guard yelled for the cell to be closed and the door slid shut, leaving Garza and Carter alone in the small room.

“Don’t get comfortable. You won’t be in here for too long,” Garza said as he sat back on his bed and focused on his book.

Carter hopped on his bunk and ignored Garza’s comment, not wanting to make any enemies so soon. He smirked and shook his head, knowing that Garza didn’t realize whom he was talking to, or the power that Carter had. But the truth was that Carter didn’t realize the power and connections that Garza possessed.

*   *   *

Robyn walked into the crowded courthouse. Her expensive pencil skirt and matching cropped jacket with ruffle top gave her a professional appearance that allowed her to blend in with the lawyers and officials that filled the building. She smiled at the security guard at the entrance as she placed her briefcase on the conveyor belt and then stepped through the metal detector. With her Hermès briefcase in hand and a cardboard tray of Starbucks in the other, she seamlessly bypassed security. Her five-inch heels click clacked across the wooden floor, her step so precise that one would think she was on a runway. She slipped into courtroom A. She peeked at the schedule and noticed that the next trial would not take place for another hour. It was more than enough time to handle her business and disappear.

Just as she suspected, the stenographer was a light-skinned young woman with cute features. The presiding judge had a thing for young black girls. Robyn walked inside and smiled humbly at the girl

“Hi, I’m Vanessa. I’m the new stenographer for Courtroom B. I’m supposed to be training underneath you today,” Robyn stated. The lie came off of her lips so smoothly as she put down her things and extended her hand to the girl.

“Oh, no one told me that I was supposed to be training today. Um … well …” The girl seemed to be put on the spot and completely unprepared for the task at hand.

“I think that they said they were replacing girls because of them being ill prepared,” Robyn added slyly as she watched the girl’s eyes grow wide in concern.

“Right … of course. I remember now … the training session today. I’m Melissa,” she said as if she had suddenly remembered.

Robyn smiled and grabbed one of the cups of coffee. “Well, Melissa, it’s nice to meet you. I can’t get through my day without
my morning cup of coffee,” Robyn said as she extended the cup to the girl. “Consider this as the student bringing the teacher an apple. It’s my way of sucking up on the first day.”

Melissa accepted the coffee and nodded toward the chamber doors. “You better go introduce yourself to Judge Marrell. That’s who you should have purchased coffee for. He’s the one to suck up to,” Melissa stated playfully.

Robyn winked and replied, “So I’ve heard.” She then made her way to the large wooden door and knocked lightly.

“Come in,” she heard the judge say, and she slid inside the plush, prestigious office. The middle-aged white man looked up at her from his desk. “How can I help you?” he asked.

“I’m Vanessa Riley from the District Attorney’s office. I’m here to drop off some motions from our office,” Robin stated, making up another lie on the spot. She had been doing this for so long that it was nothing for her to switch personas. Lies were more familiar to her than the truth.

“Let’s see them, Ms. Riley,” he said as he gave her his undivided attention.

Robyn set her briefcase on his desk and unhinged the gold clasps.

“Why haven’t I seen you before? I thought I knew everyone from the D.A.’s office,” Judge Marrell said.

As Robyn pulled the papers from her briefcase, she replied, “You do know everyone from the D.A.’s office.” She smiled and he looked at her curiously. Robyn removed the paperwork from her briefcase and set it in front of the judge.

As the judge looked over the papers, he stated, “What is this? These aren’t from the D.A.’s office.” He looked up at her in confusion.

“I have a message for you,” she stated. She removed a ruler from her briefcase and leaned across the desk. Before he could even protest, she swiped the metal edge across his neck. The
normal metal of the ruler had been replaced with a razor blade, and cut through his flesh effortlessly. Blood gushed from his wound as he grasped at his bleeding throat. His eyes widened in fear as he silently pleaded for her to help him.