Thin Ice (37 page)

“Yeah,” he answered seeing his brother’s number.

“They bring the heat,” Ian asked calmly.

“Without a doubt,” Ryan answered.

Ian grunted asking the damage. Ryan told him about the house being shut down, Al and Chino being dead and the girls detained.

“Tweety too,” he asked as Ryan told him no.

Switching to speaker, Ryan spoke again. “She’s here with me,” he said calmly as Ian again grunted.

“What’s the verdict on your end Tweety,” Ian asked as she frowned slightly.

“What do you mean,” she threw back uncertainly.

“You plan to stay with my brother and do business or you planning to cross him like your girl has done to me,” he answered evenly, the edge evident.

“Where’s KiKi,” Jaleesa threw out concerned.

“I’m here,” Kaitlyn replied as Jaleesa breathed a sigh of relief.

“Are you all right,” she asked still somewhat unsettled.

“I’m fine,” Kaitlyn replied calmly. “I’m the one holding the gun,” she added as Jaleesa nodded and Ryan tensed.

“KiKi,” Jaleesa began slowly as Kaitlyn steeled herself hearing the tone.

“I’ma stay with Ryan,” she told her quietly as Ian smiled slightly and Kaitlyn frowned deeply.

“Why the hell would you do that,” she threw out, not hiding her irritation.

“Because I’m wanted KiKi,” Tweety told her calmly. “My name is all over the paperwork in that house.”

“All you hafta do is say you were forced,” she reasoned as Tweety sighed now.

“I want to stay with Ryan,” she finally admitted as Kaitlyn sighed slightly and let it go.

“Cool,” she replied without hint of animosity. “You gotta do what’s best for you, I just don’t want you to regret it or get hurt later,” she added as Ryan spoke finally.

“KiKi, it ain’t got to go down like this,” he told her referring to Ice. “We can all make it outta this and start again.”

“Hmph,” Kaitlyn replied simply indicating she was through talking.

*****

“Bailey, answer the phone,” Ben tried once more as the house phone began to ring.

“How you gonna get out man,” Ryan asked his brother as Kaitlyn gave him a look.

“I don’t think I’m going to,” he replied calmly as the phone continued to ring.

“KiKi,” Tweety tried again. “I know you’re hot with Ice right now,” she went on. “Let the drama end, live your life, he won’t be able to do anything to you now,” she pleaded knowing how deeply angry Kaitlyn was with the man about their relationship, lying to her, threatening Tariq, and having his brother killed, driving them apart.

“Hmph,” she grunted again as the phone finally stopped ringing.

“Ice, let the woman out,” Ben tried once more using the bullhorn. “At least her answer the phone so we know she’s all right,” he added as the phone began to ring all over again.

*****

Ben was growing anxious. They couldn’t keep waiting like this. It was already almost 7:00AM. People would be leaving for work, creating havoc on their positions and possibly endangering innocent lives.
I knew this muthafucka was gonna be a sonofabitch to bring down,
he was thinking completely unaware of Ian’s predicament inside the house.

“You want us to use the smoke bombs now,” the agent asked as Ben sighed deeply.

He didn’t want to do that. He was really worried about Kaitlyn and Ian harming her.
She may already be hurt or dead,
his gut threw out, given she wasn’t even answering the phone now.

“Akila’s on the phone,” another agent told him, handing him a cell.

“Yeah,” Ben spoke into the receiver never taking his eyes off the apartment in front of them.

“It’s time to end this,” Akila told him evenly. “I know he has a hostage, but we have to think of the greater potential for the rest of the people in that complex,” he told Ben, hearing the agent sigh deeply.

“Yeah, OK,” Ben returned grudgingly, agreeing to finally use the smoke bombs to bring them out of the house.

*****

Disconnecting Ben gave the signal as the agents loaded the weapons and fired four canisters in through the windows. The canisters hit the living room floor, the dining room wall, landing on the table and began to billow out their contents. Ian took the opportunity using the smoke as a cover and grabbed Kaitlyn as they struggled over the weapon.

“Let it go,” Ian was telling her as she continued to fight him.

The smoke was becoming thicker and Ian knew he had to get the weapon away from her and get out before the agents rushed the apartment. Kaitlyn was coughing and wheezing from the smoke, but she was determined not to let Ian kill her.

“Fuck you, Ice,” she threw back still holding fast to the small butt of the gun.

“You’ve already done that,” Ian hissed angrily as he managed to throw her into a kitchen cabinet with enough force to jar the weapon from her hand.

“Dammit, KiKi,” Ian told her holding gun on her. “Why you hate me so much,” he asked coughing now himself. “You are just like me,” he threw at her as Kaitlyn continued to eye him hatefully.

“No, I have a heart,” she told him threw clenched teeth.

“So the fuck do I,” Ian threw back. “And I gave it to you,” he added as she sucked her teeth and looked away.

“You think you and Tariq, even Landon, gonna live happily ever after,” Ian tried again, knowing their time was short. “They can’t handle who you really are KiKi,” he went on as Kaitlyn let the tears stream. “I know the real KiKi, the cold, calculating, money before bullshit, KiKi,” Ian told her.

Kaitlyn had heard enough. She didn’t want to face the truth about herself, or admit Ian was right. She wanted to be happy. She wanted to be normal, with a normal life, but she couldn’t. Not with Landon or Tariq and now she had to face it. Without warning Kaitlyn lunged at Ian as he, out of reflex, fired. Kaitlyn screamed and Armageddon came down around him as agents burst into the apartment, guns drawn, shouting orders.

“Drop the gun,” Ben screamed at Ian as he stood stunned looking at the still woman lying at his feet.

“What the fuck did you do,” Ben asked rhetorically, immediately checking Kaitlyn for a pulse. “Dammit,” Ben swore under his breath yelling out for medics.

Ian never even felt the handcuffs as they put them on. He allowed himself to be led away and placed in the squad car as he continued to watch the events unfold around him in slow motion. Finally closing his eyes and turning away, the world grew very dark and very silent for Ian “Ice” Bailey.

Epilogue

These had been the longest three and a half weeks in history for Ryan and Jaleesa on the run. They’d endured nights at seedy hotels, the pressure and stress of being recognized, before they finally made it to a Greyhound station and hopped a bus. They ended up in Indiana of all places; the city of Gary to be exact. Here they blended in with the hundreds of other black faces in the city. They kept a low profile as Ryan slowly and painstakingly hit their various hiding places and accounts, gathering all the money he could without arousing suspicion. Finally things were at a point that they could breathe. Ryan still had an agenda and fully intended to execute it. Ice was still sitting in the federal jail they’d taken him to, but that was about to change. Everything and everyone was in place to free him. Once he got his brother out of that place, Ryan was going to make sure he never returned.

Ryan and Ice hid a lot of deep dirt on quite a few people who preferred that it stay that way. Their lawyer effectively brokered deals that eliminated more and more charges from Ice, placing them solidly on Carlos and Giovanni. Several favors were called in, heads were turning, evidence was being misplaced and mysteriously disappearing. With the looming secrets and constant pressure from the prominent, powerful people involved, Prosecutors greedily accepted the plea arrangements Ice’s attorney made which basically gave Ice credit for time served, probation and a couple thousand hours of community service. Ryan faired equally as well with the charges against him dropped and swept under the umbrella with the operations Ice was already accused of partaking in. Jaleesa was also out of the hot seat and happy to have her life back.

Now with everything basically said and done, the GBI was forced to call their watchdogs off and they were all free to move about again. Checking his watch, Ryan anxiously awaited the call from their attorney alerting him to his brother’s release. They’d both agreed it was best if Ryan remained invisible for a while and of course neither their attorney, nor Ice was giving out any information about his relocation after his release. Ryan had already found new suppliers and was brokering new deals. After collecting the monies stashed in various hiding places and accounts set up under pseudonyms, they had almost 500K to begin again.
Time to get back to business,
Ryan thought, waiting on both Ice and Jaleesa to call.

*****

“Hey baby,” Landon spoke sweetly as her eyes fluttered open and Kaitlyn took in her surroundings. “Shh, don’t try and talk,” he admonished.

The tube was still in her throat and he didn’t want her to try and pull it out. Her eyes were begging the question and he tried to answer what he thought she wanted to know.

“You’re in the hospital,” he told her as she nodded slightly. “You were in a coma for the last three weeks,” he continued as Kaitlyn’s eyes grew big. “The doctors said the bullet did some damage and you might have very mild symptoms in your hand and arm on the right side for a little while,” Landon told her soothingly as he gently kissed her cheek and wiped the errant tear.

“Baby, it’s going to be okay,” he told her still smiling at her. “I’m here, and I’m going to take care of you,” he added as Kaitlyn nodded slightly and sighed deeply.

“Are you up to having a visitor,” Landon asked as Kaitlyn turned to him again, eyes wide with fear. “No baby,” Landon told her. “No one is gonna hurt you,” he added as she relaxed slightly and nodded yes.

Smiling again, he kissed her forehead and went to her room door, opening it and motioning someone inside.

Kaitlyn couldn’t stop the tears that began to flow as she saw Tweety walk inside and sit down beside her bed.

“Wassup girl,” Jaleesa asked softly, her voice filled with unshed tears.

Kaitlyn could only blink and continue to cry.

“I’ll be back in a little while,” Landon told them softly as he left them alone.

*****

Jaleesa grabbed a tissue and dried her best friend’s eyes.

“KiKi,” Jaleesa began quietly. “Tariq is dead,” she told her as gently as she could.

She could see the disbelief in Kaitlyn’s eyes.

“He got caught up in some riot nonsense the night everything went down,” Jaleesa went on as Kaitlyn began to cry again. “He was an innocent bystander,” she clarified.

Letting her cry a while longer, Jaleesa again dried her face once she stopped. Kaitlyn gave her a look, glancing around the room. Jaleesa immediately understood.

“No, I’m not on the run,” she told her as Kaitlyn nodded and exhaled deeply.

“Ryan and Ice got off,” she told Kaitlyn who gave her an incredulous look.

“They had some true dirt on some folks who weren’t willing to take the chance on it coming out,” Jaleesa explained as Kaitlyn closed her eyes and shook her head.

“Are you going to stay with Landon now,” Jaleesa asked, referring to the revelation that Tariq was dead.

Before she could answer, the nurse entered the room followed by Landon.

*****

“We’re going to take that tube out,” she told Kaitlyn who nodded her understanding. “If you have trouble breathing though, we’ll put it back in,” she admonished as Kaitlyn again nodded.

The nurse asked her to cough and keep coughing as they pulled it. She was immediately given some water at completion.

“How do you feel,” the nurse asked, looking closely at her.

“I’m fine,” Kaitlyn managed to croak.

“I’ll be right back, baby,” Landon again told her, following the nurse out.

“So, are you staying with him,” Jaleesa asked.

“I can’t put his life in danger like that,” Kaitlyn said softly almost inaudibly. “Where is Ice?”

Jaleesa told her he was for now, still in custody, but by day’s end he would be a free man.

“When are you leaving,” Kaitlyn asked once more, a plan in her head.

“Whenever you wake up,” Jaleesa replied.

“Hmph, good,” she replied. “I hafta get outta here tonight,” Kaitlyn finished as Jaleesa sighed deeply.

“KiKi, where are you gonna go,” she asked calmly.

“I dunno but I can’t be a sitting duck here for Ice, not to mention putting Landon’s life on the line,” Kaitlyn replied as Landon entered the room and effectively ended their conversation.

*****

“I’m so glad you’re better baby,” Landon told her sincerely as he stroked her face gently. “They said they’re going to bring you something to eat,” Landon told her. “Some broth and stuff,” he added as Kaitlyn frowned slightly and he laughed.

“Have you been at work,” Kaitlyn asked trying to think of a way to get him to leave.

“I go in for a few hours here and there,” Landon told her.

Kaitlyn sighed lightly.

“Well, go ahead and go, Jaleesa is here with me,” Kaitlyn told him, squeezing his hand lightly.

“I don’t wanna leave you baby,” Landon told her, concerned all over again.

“I’ll be fine,” Kaitlyn told him.

“Yeah, I’ll keep an eye on her,” Jaleesa piped up as Landon chuckled slightly and finally agreed to leave.

“I’ll be back by 8:00PM,” he told them both as he kissed Kaitlyn’s lips softly and walked out of the door.

*****

Ian smiled at his reflection in the mirror, adjusting his collar and adding his chain and cologne. He was a free man again after three long weeks in lockdown.
Pays to keep tabs and secrets,
Ian thought still chuckling as he headed outside to meet his attorney, who was driving him to his hotel. Ian decided he would stay in Atlanta one last night. Unknown to his attorney, Ian had some unfinished business. As they rode, he took in the city once more. Ian couldn’t lie, Atlanta had been more than good to him, but Ryan assured him Gary, Indiana would be just as appealing. Sighing slightly as they took the detour he requested, Ian thought about all the time and money he’d invested in the now closed club. The lettering hung advertising Infusion, as the FBI tape still covered the door.