Chapter 34
A painful blow to the gut jarred Caesar awake from his dreamless sleep. One minute he was standing outside with Boogie, and the next he was in what looked like a dimly lit conference room. He doubled over and spat blood on the floor. A fit of coughing came over him, but when it was over, he sat back upright and could see that he wasn’t alone.
Nasir stood before him. Minus the fact that he clearly had aged, he was still the same man Caesar had met all those years ago. He didn’t bother to hide the brooding energy around him. Next to him, cracking his knuckles, was a young, muscly man. They both leered at Caesar like he was the scum on the bottom of their shoes. Caesar wasn’t bound to his seat, but he was weak. Whatever kind of tranquilizer had been used to knock him out was still in his system, making him feel woozy. He blinked to clear his periodic double vision and focused on Nasir.
“Glad you could join us,” Nasir said. “I’m sure you’re feeling the effects of the horse tranquilizer we shot you with. So no need to tie you up.”
“Where’s . . . where’s Boogie?”
“Somewhere experiencing bliss,” Nasir answered. “Well, bliss for my son. And hopefully terrible, terrible pain for Boogie. He made a mistake, and now he has to pay for it. And you? You’ve had this coming for decades. I’ve dreamt of this moment.”
“I won’t . . .” Caesar caught his breath before speaking again. “I won’t comment on how strange it is that you’ve had dreams about me for decades. But that hate must be what’s kept you young all this time.”
Nasir nodded his head at the young man, who gut punched Caesar again.
Caesar’s shout filled the room. He sucked in a deep breath and exhaled it, trying to eat the pain. He forced a laugh and looked at Nasir. “Okay, I lied. You look like shit. All these years in exile haven’t been good for you.”
“Exile? I have moved in and out of Staten Island for years. When I learned fully of the pact you made with the other families, I was sure you wouldn’t allow the Italians in the fold.”
“They chose not to come. And I was fine with that. Benzino was too loyal to you. Now I know why. He was your lap dog.”
“Real power lies in the one nobody is expecting. It’s patient and always waiting for the right time to strike.”
“I bet I can guess your plan because I’m sure it hasn’t changed in all these years. First, you kill me to showcase this power. And then, you take over?”
Nasir didn’t honor him with a response. He paced back and forth in front of Caesar a few times, chuckling to himself. When he finally stopped and faced Caesar, he emitted a long sigh.
“Don’t you recognize this place?” Nasir asked and motioned his hands around the room. “You should know it like the back of your hand since you visited so much as a kid. Cassius said your mother used to bring you all the time.”
Caesar’s brow furrowed, and he surveyed the room thoroughly. The walls were dirty, and he was almost positive there was mold in one of the corners, but there was one painting on the wall that stood out. The Saxophone Man. Nasir had brought him to what used to be The Museum of Fine Black Arts. It had closed due to the toxic mold growing inside the walls. Caesar used to promise himself that he was going to buy the building and revamp it, but as the years passed, it became but a distant memory. They weren’t just in the museum. They were in the exact room that Caesar brought the five families together in. It would have been a great nostalgic moment if the predicament were different.
“Ahh, you do remember,” Nasir said, watching the recollection come to Caesar.
“Why did you bring us here?”
“Your humble beginnings were here. I figured there was no better place to end you,” Nasir told him. “You asked what my plan is. The truth is, I don’t want the same things that I used to. I’ve been content living my life quietly and handling things remotely through my son. I don’t care to rule over this domain anymore. But the pride in me just can’t let you do it either. So that’s why I want you dead.”
“That’s stupid,” Caesar told him bluntly and ignited a look of rage on Nasir’s face.
“You know what my biggest mistake was the last time we were face-to-face? I talked too much,” Nasir spit out and waved his nephew forward. “James, beat this motherfucka until he falls out of the chair, and then beat him into the ground. When we dump his body outside his gate, I don’t want him recognizable.”
James didn’t need to be asked again. He stepped forward and commenced beating the living daylights out of Caesar while Nasir watched. The blows from the man half his age hurt like hell, but Caesar didn’t once beg him to stop. He blocked what he could block, but eventually, he was beaten out of the chair. The man’s size-eleven boots found their way to Caesar’s body, and the elder man curled up with his head tucked. Never in his life had he taken an ass whooping like that one, and whenever he thought it was over, another blow came.
When finally they stopped, Caesar breathed heavily. He struggled to pull himself up on shaky arms, but finally he made it to a sitting position. Blood from a gash above his eyebrow trickled down the side of his face, and he zeroed in on the entertained expression on Nasir’s face.
“Now this is the show I’ve waited to see!” he exclaimed, clapping his hands. “The great Caesar King alone! Nobody to save him. How does it feel to know you’re about to die? Finish him, James.”
“You remember . . . how you said earlier that real power is patient?” Caesar said breathily with one eye swollen shut. James walked slowly to him, cracking his fists. “You said it’s patient and always waiting for the right time to strike!”
The moment James was close enough, Caesar grabbed the gun from his waist and fired upward into his chin. Blood and brains exploded from the top of his head and came down on Caesar like rain. When James fell, he hit the ground so hard the floor shook. Nasir jumped backward when Caesar pointed the gun at him.
“The tranquilizer wore off a while ago. I was just waiting for the opportunity to make my move.”
Nasir tried to get out of the way of the gun’s sight, but Caesar followed his every move. All the anger that had lain dormant for so many years came flooding back to Caesar. Even though the outcome had been much more income, he would never forgive Nasir for killing Cassius. He was for sure going to kill him that time. There was no secret bookshelf he could fall into. But first, Caesar wanted him to suffer. He moved his aim from Nasir’s forehead to his torso and fired the gun.
“Fuck!” Nasir shouted in pain as he fell back into the wall behind him. He clutched the side that the bullet had entered and tried to stay rooted on his feet. “You just shot me!”
“Shut up!” Caesar shot him again, that time in the leg.
Nasir dropped to the ground once the bullet inserted itself in his thigh. He shouted many more curses at Caesar, but the agony in his words was music to Caesar’s ears. With a limp leg and a bleeding abdomen, Nasir leaned against the wall, helpless.
“Any last words?” Caesar asked and prepared to dim his light forever.
“Yes, actually,” Nasir said and reached in his pocket and pulled out what looked like a small remote control. “Something told me to have a plan B. You were always a slimy son of a bitch, but I wasn’t going to let you get away this time. No.”
“What is that?” Caesar asked, and Nasir laughed through his labored breathing.
“I knew that after Namir’s failed attempt to kill Boogie, he would lead me right to you. In preparation for that, I lined the entire building with explosives. Once I press this button, the bombs in each room will detonate exactly one minute apart from each other. I did it in such a way so that I would ensure my safe escape as well as my son’s. But it’s looking like none of us are going to be making it out.”
“Noo!”
Caesar lunged for Nasir, but it was too late. Nasir pressed the button. Boom! The first explosive went off in the room across the hall and blew the door to that meeting room off its hinges. If Nasir told the truth, Caesar only had one minute until the next bomb went off. He couldn’t waste any time. He had to find Boogie.
“Burn in hell!” he shouted and squeezed the trigger one more time.
The bullet pierced right between his eyes and exited through the back of his head. When he fell to the floor, blood poured from the wound and onto the dirty marble floor. Nasir’s eyes were still open, frozen in the moment.
Dropping the gun, Caesar started to run but stumbled in pain to the ground. His body was aching and threatening to shut down on him, but he refused to let it no matter how much it hurt. He pushed through the pain and shakily stood back up. His run started up slowly, but he built up momentum with each step. He looked in each room he passed for Boogie, but there was no sign of him. There was another loud boom behind him and a minute later another one. The entire structure of the building would come crashing down any moment. Finally, when Caesar came out of the hallway and into what used to be the main floor of the museum, he spotted Boogie on the ground in front of Namir. A gun was pointed to his head, and Caesar had to act quickly.
Caesar ran and tackled him just as the bomb in there went off with another loud booming sound. He and Namir rolled on the ground, and the gun slid on the floor. The explosion made one of the main structural pillars fall, and part of the ceiling came crashing down. As they rolled, Caesar forcefully pushed Namir from on top of him just as another piece of the ceiling fell. The last thing Caesar saw of him was a look of pure hate before he was crushed.
“Boogie!” Caesar shouted and got to his feet. He could barely make out anything around him because of the debris and smoke from the fire. “Boogie!”
“I’m here!” he heard him call.
He stumbled in the direction of Boogie’s voice and found him on the ground. He had his back against one of the pieces of the building that had fallen from the ceiling and had used it to cut the zip tie on his wrists.
“Let me help you,” Caesar said, and together they snapped the zip ties on his ankles.
Seeing the state Caesar was in, Boogie hurried to his feet to help him. Caesar leaned on him, feeling his energy leaving him by the second. They made it to the front exit of the museum when another explosion went off. That one knocked them off their feet and separated them. Caesar got back to his feet coughing. When the debris cleared, he was able to see that the exit was blocked by a huge part of the ceiling. There was only a hole big enough for him to see through. Boogie was on the other side, clear to make it to safety.
“Caesar!” Boogie shouted when he realized what had happened. He rushed to the blockage and started throwing rubble to the side, trying with all his might to get him out. “Caesar!”
“Boogie, go!” Caesar told him, but his request was ignored. “Boogie, you have to go.”
“I’m not leavin’ you behind!” Boogie said and threw a big boulder to the side.
“Listen, son, you’ll die if you stay here. This whole place is going to come crashing down at any second.”
“No. No!” Boogie wasn’t trying to hear him.
He just kept picking up rubble and trying to move it out of the way. It was heartbreaking for Caesar to watch. Tears flowed freely down his face, and he saw matching ones streaming down Boogie’s.
“Boogie, it’s hopeless. I’m not getting out of here,” he was able to choke out. “Come here.”
He put his arm through the hole and grabbed Boogie’s forearm. Boogie did the same to him and tried to hold back his frustrated sob. His lips were trembling, and he stared into Caesar’s beat-up face.
“I gotta get you out, man,” he said. “I gotta try.”
“Time is the thing we want most but the thing we use in the worst ways. There are so many things I wish I could have done differently. But I’ve lived a good life, Boogie,” Caesar told him, feeling the warmth from his tears on his cheeks. “I’m okay with this. As long as you live. I’ve said it before, but I’m so proud of the man you’ve become. And I wish I could be around to see you become greater. But these are my cards, and I’m playing them how they were dealt. You will always be the son I never had. I love you.”
“I love you too,” Boogie got out.
There was one final explosion, and Caesar pushed Boogie away when the rest of the ceiling in the front came pummeling down on him. The only sound that could be heard was the wreckage piling up and Boogie’s sorrowful shout of grief.
Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn
Boogie stood with Roz and held Amber in his arms at the burial site. Roz gripped his hand tightly and leaned onto his shoulder, sobbing softly. Boogie didn’t care who saw the tears sliding down his face as the gospel song was being sung. Everyone standing around the casket at the burial site had tears streaming down their faces. They all shared the same pain and the same loss. Caesar King had touched all of their lives, and New York had lost its godfather.
Diana, the last of their predecessors alive, stood by Milli, Morgan, and Bentley. She wore a hat on her head with a veil that covered her face. She was trying to be strong for both Milli and Morgan, but it seemed as if they were all holding each other up. Brokenhearted was the only way to describe the mood of everyone in attendance.
The homegoing was very intimate with only family and Caesar’s dearest loved ones. But even with only them, there were a lot of people. Zo stood beside Nathan and Nicky, comforting them. The thing they all had in common was that they shared the pain of losing a father figure twice. When Caesar’s cousin Samantha stopped singing, she stepped aside and passed Nicky the mic. He stepped forward and wiped his eye before he started to speak.
“There’s a lot that I could sit up here and say about Unc, but if he touched you in any way, you know the vibes,” he said, sniffling. “He wasn’t a perfect man, but he was loyal. And . . . and if I knew the last time I saw him was the last time I ever would again, I would have told him how much he meant to me. Milli, you know I got you through whatever, understand? It’s for life with me.”
“I know.” Milli nodded.
Shortly after, she buried her head in Diana’s neck and cried. Morgan patted her back as Diana rocked her. It was truly a sad day.
“I could go on for hours, but I have this lump in my throat that’s not allowing me to continue. It’s the weirdest thing.” Nicky sniffled and wiped his eyes. He turned to Boogie and extended the mic. “Boogie, why don’t you come and take over for me?”
All eyes went to Boogie as he slowly made his way to Nicky. After he took the mic and placed a hand on the golden casket, he took a deep, shaky breath and wiped his nose before he spoke.
“Caesar and I didn’t get as much time together as probably the rest of you, but in the time we had, he helped me grow into the man my own father could be proud of. A part of me was hopin’ that he would miraculously be alive again this time, but we didn’t get so lucky.” He had to stop because he got too choked up to continue.
“Take your time, baby!” somebody in the crowd said, and that gave him the strength he needed to continue.
“One of the things he said to me was that time is what we want the most but what we use the worst. But I have to disagree with him on this one. Caesar used his time more wisely than most. Somehow he managed to be a businessman, father, uncle, mentor, and friend. And not just sometimes. He did this every day. There will never be another man like Caesar King. So if I’ve learned anything from his life and teachings, it’s to always be the best man I can be and live life to my fullest potential. I understand the lesson now. And for that I thank you.”
Boogie kissed his hand and placed it back down on the casket. He stepped back and stood beside Nicky. Bentley made his way up to them and patted them both on the back. They were silent as they watched the gold casket begin to be lowered six feet into the ground. Boogie wiped his face, and when the casket was all the way in the ground, he tossed a white rose in, saying his final goodbye.
Nicky, Zo, Morgan, and Bentley followed suit. And when Boogie walked away so the rest of the family could speak their last words of peace, they went with him. He wanted to be alone, but then again, he didn’t need to be. None of them did. They went to where all the cars were parked at the grave site and leaned against the hearse with long faces.
“So what’s next now that Caesar is gone?” Morgan finally spoke.
“Unc would want us to continue business as usual. One man doesn’t stop the show. I guess.”
“He’s right. We’re bonded now. In money, in war, in loss, and in blood,” Zo said.
“What about love?” Morgan asked.
“I would die for any one of you, so I guess that’s love,” Zo answered.
“Same,” she said.
“Same,” Nicky spoke.
“You already know what it is with me,” Bentley said and took Morgan’s hand.
They all looked to Boogie, who hadn’t said anything yet. It dawned on him that although Nicky was the one who would take Caesar’s place, it was Boogie they all looked to. All the power he once ran from had nestled comfortably in his lap. He nodded his head at their eager faces.
“The first thing we need to do is sit down and make a new pact. Mix some of the old with the new. Bentley?”
“What’s good?”
“You showed me that it’s not just on you, it’s in you. I want you at the table, not as my right hand, but as a boss. I’m good with runnin’ Brooklyn if you can handle the Island. Add some of your people to the fold.”
“You already know I’ma hold it down.” Bentley slapped Boogie’s hand with his free one.
“Okay. Let’s do this shit the hood way,” Nicky said. He walked away to go to his car, and when he came back, he had a bottle of Hennessy and cups for them all. “Let’s toast up to Unc.”
When everybody had their shot, they put their cups in the air. Boogie was waiting for Nicky to say the toast, but once again everybody was looking at him. A small smile came to his face. He would have to get adjusted to being the go-to guy now that Caesar was gone.
“So much has been thrown at us individually and as a unit,” he started and looked each of them in their eyes. “But the fact that we’re still standing is a testament to our vigor. We’ll always be stronger together because together everything is possible. And we have Caesar to thank for that. He’ll never be forgotten because his legacy will live on through us. The five families of New York!”
Endings