Out a Order (13 page)
Chapter 29
S
hannon heard a noise behind him. He whirled around to see Tawney walk in. She stopped in pure horror at the sight that lay before her. Her mouth flew open but nothing came out. She backed her way to the door she had just walked through, her eyes wide with fright.
hannon heard a noise behind him. He whirled around to see Tawney walk in. She stopped in pure horror at the sight that lay before her. Her mouth flew open but nothing came out. She backed her way to the door she had just walked through, her eyes wide with fright.
Something inside Tawney snapped. She couldn't believe her own eyes. Who would do something like this to her house? Who killed her daughter? Who shot up her house? Why?
Oh God! Oh God!
“Oh my God! Why?”
Oh God! Oh God!
“Oh my God! Why?”
She felt the frame of the door against her back. All she could think of was getting away. Putting some distance between herself and the impending nightmare her life was becoming.
She exhaled and then leaped down the porch steps.
“Tawney!” Shannon yelled, shocked by her action. “Tawney!”
She didn't even heed the sound of his voice. She just knew she had to keep leaping. She had to get away. She needed some distance. Shannon ran out the door and leaped down the steps behind her.
Tawney sprinted down the street as though she were a prized horse on a racetrack. She was tall with long slender legs, and she had rhythm. She moved like a newborn colt. Shannon had never known she could run so fast.
“Tawney, stop. Where the hell are you going? Tawney! Tawney!”
She continued to run as though the devil himself were pursuing her. Shannon finally got close enough to tackle her. He landed on top of her. Both of them tumbled onto the hard concrete of the street.
Tawney fought wildly. Her fear turned into pure adrenaline, and she fought Shannon like a wildcat. She kicked and screamed, throwing him a right cross that caught him square on the jaw.
Finally Shannon pinned her hands down to her side. In a single stroke all the fight left Tawney. She hyperventilated, sobbing. Tears ran down her face.
Shannon grabbed her to him. He held her against his chest. “I'm sorry, baby. I am truly so, so sorry.”
Against his chest she said, “Oh my God, Shannon. They want to kill you. I can't take any more. I just can't take any more.” He heard the despair in her voice. He felt her body drain of all its energy as she leaned against him.
He stroked her hair. “Shush, baby. It's gonna be all right. I promise it's gonna be all right. I got this. Don't worry.”
Tawney pulled away from him. “No, Shannon. It's not going to be all right. I'm going to end up burying you next to Jazz.” With those words went the last crack in Tawney's armor. A picture of the second coffin in her family to enter the ground flashed through her mind.
She screamed hysterically, beating her fist on the ground. “It's not fair. I'm sick of this. It's just not fair.”
Shannon looked up at the sky. They sat in the middle of the street. He pondered Tawney's words. She was right, it wasn't fair. Life didn't seem fair sometimes. But only the strong survived. He could not allow her to go weak on him, because if she did there was every chance that they might not make it.
“Listen to me, Tawney. We're going to beat this . . .” Shannon's voice trailed off as he heard what he thought was the equivalent of a low rumble.
A Jeep was cruising slowly down the street. It picked up speed. Faster. Faster. Until . . .
Shannon squinted over the top of Tawney's head. “Dear Jesus.”
The Jeep was coming straight at them. He snatched Tawney to her feet in one swoop. He gripped her wrist. “Baby, we're going to have to run for it.”
“What?” Tawney said in confusion.
Suddenly she became aware of the roar of the Jeep. She looked back just as the Jeep rolled practically on top of them. Shannon jerked on her wrist, making her feet fly into motion.
The Jeep bore down on them. Shannon pulled Tawney with him onto the sidewalk. The Jeep jumped the curb, pursuing them without missing a beat. Sweat poured from Shannon's face, and his limbs ached from the earlier beating he had taken. He looked around swiftly, seeking shelter from the Jeep.
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Ballistic's man Warren P. was at the wheel with Trey on the passenger side. Rasheem and Mitchell were two underlings who were trying to make their way up into the ranks. They sat in the backseat ready for the takedown.
Rasheem leaned out the window and pointed his trigger finger at Shannon. “Bang, Bang!” he shouted as the Jeep flew over a bump, leveling off. Rasheem leaned back in the Jeep laughing as a picture of Shannon's brains flying out of the other side of his head entered his mind.
Mitchell glared at him. He couldn't stand silly-ass niggas. He handed him a gun. “If you wanna take the nigga down quit pretending.”
Rasheem shook his head. “No can do, man. Ballistic don't want us to touch him. Heads will roll. Trey gave the word. Right, Trey?”
Trey only nodded.
Trey was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with gangster life, yet he was a leader and always in the midst of it. It was like being on a roller-coaster ride that you couldn't climb off.
Warren P. pulled the Jeep so close to Shannon and Tawney that he could reach out and touch them if he wanted to. Instead he said, “Open the door, Mitchell. When I pull up next to them swoop up the girl.”
He swerved the Jeep on the side of them. “Now!”
The door swung open and Mitchell grabbed Tawney from Shannon's grasp, pulling her into the Jeep. Tawney let out a shrill scream as she found herself separated from Shannon. The door slammed shut.
Tawney squirmed. Fear shot straight through her body at the dawning realization that she was at the mercy of these monsters without Shannon's help. She kicked at the window with all of her might.
Unbeknownst to her the window had been strengthened with reinforced glass, so she would definitely not be able to kick it out. This was unfortunate.
Shannon banged on the door of the Jeep, as a sickening feeling hit the pit of his gut. He tried to get Tawney back. He struggled for a grip on the window, but Warren P. accelerated, causing his tentative hold to be broken.
Mitchell struggled with Tawney, who was fighting him like an alley cat. He finally managed to put a rag over her nose and mouth, knocking the fight out of her. She went limp in his arms.
Shannon stumbled like a scarecrow in the wind on the side of the Jeep his legs dangling as he was completely cut off. He fell to the street as the Jeep raced off spraying glass and street debris all over him.
He heard hoots of laughter coming from the Jeep as it sped away from him with his wife as hostage. A feeling of doom permeated Shannon's entire being. It was like nothing he'd ever felt before, a tangible power unseen but felt. Waves of black washed over him.
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Mama stepped out from behind the huge potted plant on her porch, where she'd been since she heard the screeching. She'd seen the whole thing. Shannon Davenport was going to need her help. She was an old woman but he needed her whether he knew it or not, very desperately.
His house had been shot up and destroyed, so he couldn't stay there. This was her shot and Mama had never been known to miss a shot. She wouldn't now either. She'd nurse Shannon Davenport back to physical health. Then she'd school him in the spirit. Because without a doubt Mama suddenly knew this boy whom she'd practically watched grow up in the streets was the tool that would be used to set things right.
He was one of the ones who had sat at her table as well when he was young. He'd terrorized the streets, then done an about-face when he got himself a wife and baby. She'd admired him because he'd stayed in the neighborhood, bought a house to put his wife in and raise his child in. All in the neighborhood he'd grown up in.
Now this.
It suddenly occurred to Mama like a breeze on the wind that Shannon was different, always had been. And Mama always listened to the wind of her inner voice. One never knew which way it would blow. Yes, the Destroyer was in their midst. Had always been so. But so was the power. Had always been so, a two-sided coin it was.
Mama looked up in time to see the North Star twinkle. “I hear you, Lord,” the old woman muttered under her breath.
Across the street Marcus Simms, who had been Jasmine's best friend, the same little boy who had watched her die on the street, as her blood ran from her body into the sewer, watched as the Jeep sped away. He watched Shannon, who was lying in the street, struggle to get to his feet.
Marcus went over, giving him a shoulder to lean on. He helped him to his feet. They didn't speak. There were no words.
Neither of them wanted to consider the fate of Tawney, who was most definitely in the clutches of evil.
Chapter 30
W
arren P. pulled into a deserted industrial garage. The door closed behind them. Mitchell grabbed Tawney from the Jeep and threw her on the floor. The rest of them climbed out as well.
arren P. pulled into a deserted industrial garage. The door closed behind them. Mitchell grabbed Tawney from the Jeep and threw her on the floor. The rest of them climbed out as well.
“Listen up, I need to meet with Ballistic. I need you two to stay on top of this situation until I come back,” Trey said. He glanced at Tawney before putting an arm around Warren P.
“You can ride with me, G. Rasheem and Mitchell have got this.” He pulled the hood of his sweatshirt over his head, tying a knot in it.
“Hold up. Is Ballistic going to want to be up on this?” Rasheem questioned. “She's personal, you know.”
Trey nodded. “Yeah, I know. But nothing goes down in this city that Ballistic don't know about. You feeling me? Especially if his crew is involved.”
Rasheem and Mitchell both nodded.
“Good.” Remembering to be hard Trey said, “Wake that whore up, man. I don't want her out too long.”
Warren P. chimed in. “Yeah, man, otherwise she'll turn into a vegetable from that poison you dosed her with.” He laughed.
“We're raising up outta here, little man. Keep it tight until I talk to Ballistic.”
“And you know that,” Rasheem replied.
Trey and Warren P. exited the garage by a back door, leaving the Jeep as well. They were pretty sure that the Jeep was hot on the streets by now. They would have to get rid of it.
As soon as they heard the door close Mitchell said, “I guess we'd better wake up the Black Sleeping Beauty.” He took a vial from the inside of his jacket. He stuck it under Tawney's nose, waving it around. She sputtered awake.
Rasheem leaned over, whacking her a couple of times across the face for good measure. “Wake up, Sleeping Beauty.”
Tawney's eyes opened slowly. She tried to focus. When she finally did the leering face of Mitchell came into view. She shook her head slightly, hoping to stay the nightmare. It had only just begun.
Blurry-eyed Tawney saw a glistening shiny object on the inside pocket of Rasheem's leather jacket. She knew from the evil glint it couldn't be good. Her eyes opened wide in fear as she identified the knife.
Rasheem met her glance. His eyes traveled slowly and coldly from her head to her toes. He could taste her fear on his lips, and he was enjoying it.
He removed the knife from his pocket, sticking the blade to Tawney's face, drawing an imaginary line with it from the tip of her ear to her mouth. His eyes glazed over. “You ain't half bad-looking, you know that?”
Tawney turned her face away. Rasheem yanked it back. “I was told you're one of them upscale uppity niggas, the kind that read the
Wall Street Journal
. They also told me you were smart. Now would be a good time for you to put that to use. Don't ever turn away from me when I speak, ho.”
Wall Street Journal
. They also told me you were smart. Now would be a good time for you to put that to use. Don't ever turn away from me when I speak, ho.”
He slapped her so hard her head reeled back. Tawney tasted blood in her mouth. But she was glad that nothing felt loose.
“You hear me?” he said while yanking on a fistful of her hair. Tawney didn't answer.
Rasheem spat in her face. “When I speak you answer.” He slapped her again, then put his mouth to her ear so she could clearly hear him. “Did I hear you speak?”
Tawney managed a tightly controlled, hate-filled “Yes.”
“That's better, dog.”
Mitchell stepped in front of Tawney, pushing Rasheem to the side. He had a sadistic streak a mile long when it came to women. He had little to no respect for them, mostly because he'd watched his mama trick during most of his childhood. He hadn't been in school for two years since he was twelve. When he was there he was a complete terror. The teachers had long ago begun to pass him on just to get rid of him.
He didn't care. One day he did them all a favor and just stopped going. All he wanted to do was be tough and hard anyway. Besides, when Ballistic's reign was over he wanted to control Newark.
His aspiration was pure cash. He still listened to old-school Wu-Tang. That noise blared out of his Jeep when he was rolling down Clinton Avenue in search of his crew.
His favorite song was “C.R.E.A.M.” (Cash Rules Everything Around Me). The song was a classic because no matter how much time went by he knew it was all the same just like the song said. He broke out rapping the lyrics of the song while Tawney stared at him. “Cash rules everything around me, everything around me, dollar, dollar bill, y'all.”
He stooped down in front of Tawney. “So how much cash are you worth, Ms. Lady? How much can I get for you?”
Tawney shrank back from him. Sensually he stuck his finger in her mouth, swirling it around. Big mistake. Tawney bit down on his finger until she heard bones crack. Mitchell hollered, snatching his finger from her mouth. Red-hot heat swiftly ran through his body as his anger surged.
He punched Tawney like she was a man on the street. With that Tawney scrambled to her feet, swinging back. She threw him a couple of good blows. She was fueled by pure hatred and the disgust that this boyâbecause to her he was just a young punk boyâhad no respect for her and she was a grown woman.
There was no way she was going to just let him have his way, so she decided to go out fighting. She swung on him, catching him square upside the head. Rasheem, who had been watching this exchange, was astonished at this wildcat broad. He couldn't believe his eyes. She was crazy. They didn't have time for this crap.
He dove for her legs, tackling her to the ground while Mitchell landed blow after blow to her body. But Tawney was strong and although she was at a disadvantage she was still kicking, screaming, biting, and throwing punches.
Finally tiring of her, Mitchell started to choke her. He had knocked out many a broad in his life just for getting smart with him, and this one thought she could go toe to toe with him. She was insane. This ho had lost it.
His hands were around her throat and he squeezed tighter and tighter. He was in a silent rage as he squeezed tighter. Tawney grew weaker and weaker from the lack of oxygen.
It was finally Rasheem who came to his senses as a picture of Ballistic flashed through his mind. They had a direct order not to mess with Shannon Davenport. Rasheem had a feeling that although that order hadn't extended to Shannon's wife, by virtue of her being his wife, if they killed her it might somehow interfere with Ballistic's plans and order.
If they did that they were dead meat. Better to err on the side of wisdom. Rasheem grabbed Mitchell from behind. “Yo, man, stop! You're going to kill her! We can't kill her!”
There was also the issue of the personal vendetta, which was a totally different spin that could get them body-dropped and killed as well if they blew this.
“I'm telling you, Mitchell.”
Mitchell was so intently involved with watching Tawney lose air while her face changed colors that it was as though he were on a different planet and couldn't even hear Rasheem.
Rasheem gave a mighty yank from behind, pulling Mitchell completely off her, loosening his death grip around Tawney's neck in the process.
Tawney could barely gasp for air. Her entire stomach heaved from the violence, and its contents flew out of her mouth all over the floor.
She was still alive but she'd rather not have been. After all, this was only her first go-round with the devil. The highlight was yet to come.
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Proverbs 1: 18 and 19: And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
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