"So, you're Harlem?” Geppetto said.
"I guess that makes you Geppetto huh?” He smirked, “what's up man, what you want with me?”
"That depends on you my friend,” he said rubbing his chin.
"WHAT? How you figure that?” Harlem asked.
"Well... Your father and I were very good friends”, he lied. “ and I hate to see him not around anymore, but life is constantly shifting and there is nothing that anyone of us can do to change that. Yet, we can determine what changes in our life. Personally, I can determine that for both you and I. All you have to do is help me, help us,” Geppetto told him.
"And what if I don't, as you say "help you, help us. Then what”, Harlem asked. “I am my own master and self lord of my life”, he reminded the man.
"Maybe you didn't hear me or perhaps you don't understand... I am not asking you, it just sounds like I am” he said laughing. He laughed as he lit himself a cigar. “I think you will. Listen, Your father was a good man, and one of the few that I respected, problem now is, he's not here anymore, he's gone. Now it’s you
who will determine if all your father accomplishments goes in vain or not”, he advised.
"How am I supposed to do that?” Harlem wondered.
"Look, I know all about your plans and things and about you rapping, wanting to get into the entertainment business, and let’s just say that if you help me, help us... Well, perhaps I could talk to a few people who are very close to me and have them work something out for you”, he offered.
Harlem sensed that the level of business and things that were at stake right now were high.
Not prepared but preparing himself, he replied, "I am done with that rapping life. But, let me ask you something”, he said considering his words carefully. “Often, things that appear to look good and shit, ain't good. So why should I believe that you even want to help me?” he wondered.
"That’s just it, you don't have to believe it. You can witness it, but to answer your question. Let’s just say that, WHEN YOU SHARE, YOU ALWAYS GET MORE. Trust me, you won't accomplish "SUM LIKE IT HOT," with nickels and dimes” he said humoring Harlem. “See my friend, we live in a world where, it’s not what you know, or even what you got, but rather who you know and who you got. And if you comply, you will have me” he offered.
"So, you're saying that if I have you on my side then, I'll be good? Who exactly are you?” Harlem asked.
"I am the THEY that you don't always hear about. You know, the people that know how to tap into emotions, the people who write speeches, and orchestrate campaigns that have you thinking one thing but in reality it’s something else. The people that are trained and have degrees in the nature of a Gangsta and a Gentleman, I am those people, and those people are the THEY whom I speak of. Now imagine if you would, what it would be like if THEY were in your corner”, he said waiting for Harlem to catch on.
Harlem looked around, thinking. "So what, you're like a Congressman or something? Let’s say that I do agree. What part would I have to play because I am certain that nothing comes from nothing and I know that nothing is free”, he asked.
"Let me put it in a fashion that you better understand what I am offering you. I am from Colombia, and we produce slightly more than two-thirds of the cocaine here. Which means that, I HAVE MORE COCAINE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE," He laughed at how Harlem’s eyes went from unimpressed to complete awe.
"I also have plenty of opium, or Heroin as it’s called here. Nevertheless, I am willing to give you a kilo just for agreeing to allow me to help me, help us, and of course you for coming” he said.
“LIKE I HAD A CHOICE,” Harlem thought to himself. “Now, I want to give you whatever you think that you're capable of moving for say 14.5”, he offered.
“OH SHIT! THATS WHAT THE FUCK IT IS. I’MA BE THE MOTHERFUCKIN MAN”, He thought. “All you have to do Harlem, is find yourself an inter-section and I'll make you and it the most talked about spot in the city”, he said with a courteous smile.
"What about guns?” He asked thinking about the shit that was going on back around his hood with Skip getting shot.
"That's not a problem, how many do you need?” Gepoatto asked while motioning for one of his bodyguards to give Harlem his gun.
"One for all my men. Right now, it’s only six of us but if I am going to find an inter-section, I will probably need more” he said.
Geppetto waved his hand and his son left the room. Harlem thought that this all seemed too good to be true, but still didn't bother with the doubts.
Geppetto’s son returned with another gun, this one a chrome pistol grip 9mm. And a nicely wrapped kilo that had several funny letters written on it, that Harlem would late discover read "FELON." Which was the name of the cartel that the Geppetto family owned and ran.
"Do we have an agreement?” Geppetto asked.
Never taking his eyes off the nicely wrapped cocaine that was sitting before him and the shinning pistol grip 9MM, with one already in his dip, "OH! WE DEFINITELY HAVE AN AGREEMENT," He replied eagerly.
"GOOD! GOOD! Now let me explain something else to you before we depart... Harlem, when you're with us, you're with us,” he smirked. “And no one gets wacked without Mychael’s consent. Aside from that, Mychael will discuss with you any further questions that you may have, as well as give you the information that you'll be needing to make our business a well-oiled machine”, he said standing.
He extended his arms to embrace Harlem. “Thank you for coming, you welcome here at any time”, he said turning his back to Harlem. With that, Harlem was escorted out, and now the Colombians had the Black family on their side, which meant that they had the power.
**********
"Yo Beans!" Seven spoke as he approached Beans and Little Al sitting on the steps of an empty house. “Man, the police done let up. The fuck is the hold up now? Its money out this bitch and we just watching the shit pass us by. We need to be getting this shit. Y’all niggaz dragging y’all feet, procrastinating and shit”, he complained.
"YEAH MAN! FOR REAL THOUGH!" Al agreed with him.
"LOOK!" Beans replied, “if you niggaz ain't down then y’all can step. The fuck you think, ain't no fucking rules to this shit? It’s hot out here, either roll with us or get rolled over. Y’all ain't gotta wait on us, we ain't gonna kiss y’all’s ass. The fucks the loyalty? Man, I am out... Y’all niggaz tripping. ONE!” Beans walked off.
He was sorta fucked up, but not with Seven and Al, but with Harlem. It did look like he was bullshitting. Beans already knew that Harlem didn't really have a plan because he never told him that he did, and he always told him everything.
If he did have a plan and they stepped off
that would mean that he would have to get out there and he really wasn't trying to do that.
He hoped that Harlem came up with something, he was pretty good at thinking his way through crunch time, and it was definitely crunch time. A small part of Beans believed that Harlem had already came up with something.
After all, Harlem had came up with a truck, who knows what else he had in store.
Beans tried to call Harlem, but he didn't get an answer. He hung up and tried to call Ro-Ro first before he reached Keisha. "Yo, this Beans!” “SUP?” she responded, “Where is your brother? You seen that, nigga?” he asked.
Suddenly he heard, PAGING DOCTOR CARL, PAGING DOCTOR CARL in the background. "Yo, where the fuck you at?” Beans asked.
"I'm at the hospital with Courtney”, she tried to continue before he cut her off.
"AT THE HOSPITAL! FOR WHAT? The fuck y’all doing at the hospital?” he demanded trying to mask his fear.
"None of your business boy? "DAMN! You all noisy and shit,” Keisha snapped at him.
"Let me find out that you pregnant and it’s not by me. It better not be you. I bet its Courtney with her phat ass self. I’ma tell Skip” he said chuckling.
"BOY SHUT UP! Ain't nobody pregnant. We came to see Skip”, she explained.
"OH SHIT! That’s my nigga. Holla at him for me. Tell him we gonna ride for him. All them bitch ass niggas got it coming. How is he though?” Beans inquired.
"He good! He probably will be home in another day or two. It wasn't that bad but y’all better chill out that motherfucka before somebody else get killed. I know you not going to listen to me but....” she said before he shut her down.
"But, You ain't talking bout nothing”, he cut her off, “Ain't nobody tryna
hear that shit you talking. And somebody is gonna get killed. The niggaz
gonna get killed”. He laughed, “Look! Just tell Slim to holla at me if you talk to him, its important a’ight?” he said.
"WHATEVER, I haven’t heard from him and if you talk to him before me, tell him, I know where he live at now. HAHAHAHAHAHA”, she bragged. “Bye boy, my
other line is beeping. Oh, that’s Harlem now! I'll tell him to call you,” she said ending the call.
"SUP? Where you at? Beans was just on the other line looking for you. He said holla at him its important. Yo, y’all better be careful out
there. Plus, you know if you need me, I’m down for whatever,” Keisha told
him.
"YEAH WHATEVER! Why you not in school?” He asked.
"How you know that I am not in school? I am in school. I am...” she lied.
"YOU'RE A FUCKING LIE! Where the fuck you at? Shit sound like a hospital or something”, he questioned listening to the background noise.
"That’s because I am at the hospital, me and Courtney... But we're bout to leave now. We going to her job so that she pick up her check,” she said.
"The fuck y’all doing at the hospital? BITCH! I know you not pregnant”, he said. “If I am?” she asked playfully. “I’ma fuck your little dirty ass up. Who pregnant? Its Courtney ain't it? I heard she got that good sloppy wet,” he laughed.
"EEEWWWWW BOY! Ain't nobody pregnant and you’re nasty. I’ma tell her what
you said”, Keisha said laughing. “SO! She fucks with Skip. I bet you didn't know that”, he teased.
“That’s who
we came to see”, she said.
"Oh Damn, Skip fucking Shawty? HAHAHA! I heard that”. He said in one of those cheering Skip on tones.
“What’s up with my dude? He good? What he need? How bad is he?” Harlem questioned. “He okay, he probably be home tomorrow”, she said. “Give that nigga soma love for me and tell him I will be down there to see him too. Yo look! I got something that I need you to hold for me”, he said.
“ARE YOU PAYING?” She asked. “You know I always take care of you. Don't I?” he questioned.
“WHAT IS IT?” She asked. “Why you all in my business and you already know that we ain't even going talk about that like this. I’ll get with you later but don't run your mouth to RO-RO bout nothing. She always acting like she my fucking mother or something”, he said.
“SO! YOU THE ONE WHO THINK THAT YOU EVERYBODY FUCKING FATHER. PLUS, YOUR AUNT HERE YOU WANNA TALK TO HER?” she asked.
“Nah, I’m good, I know she gonna trip on me, tell her that I said what’s up? And give my folks my love, tell him as soon as I find out who did that punk shit, I'm at them. That’s my word. I'll holla at you later A’ight? (A'ight) ONE!” Harlem ended the call.
Harlem didn't want to talk to his Aunt, because he knew that he would get an ear full of shit he wasn't trying to hear.
His Aunt Elaine always blamed everything that Skip got into or did wrong on him. Somehow and for some reason, she always managed to fault Harlem for her son’s behavior. Call it what you will, but often it was Harlem's fault that Skip got into the things that he did.
Harlem always seemed to get him hung up into something with him. Most of the company he kept got into something because of him. He always had ideas and plans. It was something about him that caused him to lead and people to willingly follow him.
*********