19
The boys sat around the game room playing video games. They were awaiting Don’s arrival. Don moved out of his mom’s house and into his apartment with Shawn and his son, John. Jon remembered his date with Lynette.
“I’m going to need some people to make the drop-offs and pick-ups today,” Jon said.
The boys pretended not to hear Jon. “I know ya’ll heard me,” Jon said getting up from his chair. “Don’t make me pick.”
The boys were looking around at each other when Don walked in.
“Don will do it,” Zoe said smiling at Don.
“Do what?” Don asked shaking the crew’s hand.
“I can’t make the rounds today,” Jon said.
“Oh yeah Zoe, you tried me like that. I’ll tell you what,” Don said hugging Zoe. “Me and Zoe got the Bobby.” Zoe’s laughter faded.
“Kay and Ron got Pauline. I’m out,” Jon said throwing up a VL sign.
Jon took Lynette to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. They went on a boat ride in the waters of Lake Michigan then they went to the Navy Pier to eat. They had been spending much time together since Jon started the company. Between that and the dope houses Jon really didn’t have much time for anything else. It was a beautiful day and the lovebirds were enjoying themselves.
Meanwhile, Kay, Ron, Don and Zoe packaged everything and headed out.
“We gone meet back here,” Don said as they split in pairs.
“I hate this part of the job,” Zoe said adjusting his seat.
“How do you think Jon feels? He do this shit everyday, sometimes twice a day,” Don said.
“You right, I’m a start helping him out,” Zoe said.
“Yeah, me too,” Don said.
“Let’s get that shit,” Will said from inside a van he and Shine were in.
“Not yet,” Shine said his eyes on the building. “Too many fiends in there. Let it clear out.”
The two sat in a car parked across the street from Bobby.
“Them little nigga’s spot sho’s pumping,” Will said watching a group of fiends leaving.
Shine watched the steady flow of customers and knew the boys were clocking figures. They were definitely doing their thing, Shine thought.
“Maybe we should hold down some shit like this,” Shine said reaching for his Tec on the floor. “It could be profitable.”
“You must’ve read my mind,” Will said smiling.
“Let’s go,” Shine said and grabbed extra clips.
The two men were getting out of the van. Shine saw Don pull up in front of the building.
“Hold on, we’ll get ‘em on they way out.” Shine eased back into the van.
“Fuck that! I’m a do they asses now,” Will said getting out the van.
“Ahight, fuck it then, let’s go.” Shine said and dialed a number on his cell phone. “It’s time.” He said into the phone then hung-up.
Zoe and Don were busy getting the duffel bags from the back of Don’s truck. They never saw what was going on around them until it was too late.
“Oh shit!” Zoe yelled reaching for his gun.
Don turned and saw a crowd bum-rushing and immediately jumped into the back of his truck.
“Get in! Get in!” He shouted.
He rushed to get his AK. Will and Shine led the way as crews from the Bronx and Miller projects came busting guns.
Zoe stood outside the truck shooting at Will and Shine.
“Hurry up!” he shouted emptying the clip.
Zoe ducked behind the truck’s door as Don fired the AK from the window. Will and Shine’s crew ran for cover. Workers from the top two floors started shooting from opened windows. Other workers called for reinforcements. The security teams that were placed at the four corners blocked off both ends of the street and opened fire with AK’s.
Kay was driving like a madman with Smoke and five more cars packed with SCC members behind Ron.
“Jon,” Ron yelled in his cell phone. “Bobby under attack. We on our way there now.”
“I’m going the back-way. I got Lynette with me but I will be there soon.”
Jon ended the call and looked at Lynette.
“I’m sorry but we gotta go.”
He paid the check and hurried to his truck. Jon was speeding down the expressway he looked at Lynette who was saying nothing. “You alright?” He asked.
Lynette knew their beautiful day was over.
“You really don’t have to go. The rest of them can take care of whatever it is.”
“I’m sorry but I have to go. Don’s in trouble.”
“Don, Don, Don, I know that’s your brother but you don’t have to run every time he calls. He’s a big boy.”
“What! You don’t even know what’s going on.”
“I don’t care what’s going on, but I know what ain’t going on.”
“Whatever, I ain’t trying to hear this.”
Lynette was determined to make Jon hear something.
“Oh yeah, well since you ain’t trying to hear me,” she said turning off the radio. “Hear this. It’s over. We’re through. I ain’t got time for your shit.”
“Then we through.”
Don and Zoe were pinned in the truck under a barrage of gunfire.
“We gotta get out of here,” Zoe said ducking down.
“Not yet Zoe. We gotta wait for some help.”
With the two hoods combining they were seventy-seven strong and SCC only had sixteen members present. The odds were against them making it to the apartment building. Zoe didn’t care about odds. He wanted to get away from the bullets and truck.
“I ain’t sitting here too much longer getting shot at.”
Zoe looked up and saw his opening. “Come on let’s go!”
The cars blocking the North end of the street separated, Kay and the other cars turned onto the street. Six cars led by Kay’s truck were slowly driving down the street shooting. Zoe took this as the perfect opportunity to make a run for it and opened his door.
“Nah, wait until they get in front of us so that they can cover us.”
Zoe heard Don but jumped out the truck and started running for the apartment building.
“Zoe wait!” Don shouted.
He jumped from the truck firing to provide cover for Zoe. Jon was on the other side making his way forward. Jon reached the front of the apartment building. Zoe was running then he seemed to stumble.
“Got that lil’ muthafucka!” Shine said watching Zoe fall.
“I got him,” Will said.
Jon ran to Zoe catching him before Zoe hit the ground.
“I got you, I got you,” Jon said.
SCC started shooting everywhere as Jon dragged Zoe to the side of the building.
“Zoe, Zoe…” Jon screamed.
Zoe’s eyes were as wide as an owl’s.
“I fucked up Jon. I should’ve listened,” Zoe said with a weak voice.
“Its cool little brother. We gone get you outta here,” Jon said with tears falling. “Just hang in there, just hang in there.”
Zoe took a deep breath. “Thank you Jon.” He began coughing blood.
Shine gave the signal for the crews to retreat. He and Will made their way back to the van.
“There’ll be another time to rob they ass,” Shine said as he started the van. “That’s for G.”
Will nodded his head in agreement. “Rest in peace, folks,” he said then turned on the radio.
Don saw the back of Zoe’s cream colored Pelle Pelle shirt soaked in blood.
“I told you to wait,” Don said in a high pitched tone. Then he began to cry. “I told you to wait.”
Jon was in a trance, rocking back and forth with Zoe.
“It’s going to be all right.” He kept repeating not realizing Don was there. Don dropped to his knees still crying and staring at the bullet holes in Zoe’s back. “Can he make it?” Jon asked looking at Don.
“Make it where?” Don asked confused.
“To the hospital stupid, it’s right up the street.”
A blank expression enveloped Don’s face. He looked down at Zoe and decided not say anything.
“Come on,” Don said grabbing Zoe’s leg. “Let’s go.”
The two of them carried Zoe’s body to the alley and put him in Jon’s truck. Lynette screamed and burst into tears when she saw Zoe.
“What happened?” She managed between sobs.
“Shut the fuck up! You don’t care about Zoe or any of them!” Jon said with tears still falling from his eyes. Don was as he drove.
