| |
Hulie stared over at Cleo, barely paying any attention to the game now. She sat with her legs across the armchair of the sofa swinging it, doing her nails. It was harmless, innocent boyfriend-girlfriend type of shit, but Hulie wasn’t looking at it like that. He’d already called Cocky and tried to straighten things out, but he could tell by the way Cocky was acting over the phone that he wasn’t really feeling no type of money retribution. Which was the only thing Hulie was offering. Hulie understood because had he been in Cocky’s position somebody definitely would have to be taken out. Or at least get one of hella ass-kickin'. But things were reversed, and he personally wasn’t trying to feel that shit, at all.
Diplite had been acting crazy, Hulie had a good feeling that he was up to something. But what? Hulie couldn’t put his finger on it. He knew he’d been calling his sister quite a bit since the time he spoke to him about Cocky. That’s about the last time Hulie had seen him. Hulie called Sunshine and she wasn’t even in, either she was getting his calls, or something was up. Hulie was at least glad no one knew where he was staying, to the best of his knowledge.
He was so ‘noid, he didn’t even check his dope-spots. He had Deezo’s people doing his pick-ups. It cost him big money, but he had to stay low, things were getting dangerous and he couldn’t afford to be careless. He was on the shitty end of the stick now, and as he stared at Cleo. He was thinking quite seriously that she had something to do with him getting robbed. The bullshit that started the fuckin’ ball rolling, yeah, he definitely felt some sort of way.
It had been building up for quite some time now, he just needed a breaking point. He watched her glance over his way, lean forward and pick up the remote control. She turned the channel, then toss it back over to him.
“She got a lot of fuckin’ nerve,” Hulie mumbled to himself. Because of everything that was on his crazed mind, he picked up the remote and backhanded her with it.
Cleo toppled backward onto the floor and looked up at his crazy ass. “What the fuck!” she screamed.
“Bitch, I know it was you who robbed me!” Hulie barked.
“What the fuck are you talking about, Hulie,” Cleo still tried to play dumb. “I don’t know shit,” she screamed as she backed away from him.
“I’ma give you a chance to come clean, okay. Just tell me who did it...”
“I don’t know...” she screamed louder.
“Alright.” He walked over to her slowly and started cracking his knuckles. “I see where this is going. How the fuck did you know where my stash was?”
“You told me, remember?” she lied.
“You got that, but still no one knew about the fuckin’ vent!” He bent over her. “Now...who the fuck did it? You or what!”
Damn the vent, she knew she was busted for sure. That shit had slipped out easily, but she couldn’t come clean...no way. He’d kill her for sure. She didn’t have no choice but to dummy up. she couldn’t replace the money, dope or anything and she really didn’t want too. Hell, it was hers as far as she was concerned.
“Fuck it take an ass whooping...” she coached herself silently. She closed her eyes and said, “Do what you do!”
“Who did it, Cleo?” Hulie asked as he raised his hand.
“You know you’ve been wanting to this anyway...”
“Damnit, Cleo, I’ma kick your ass. Why’d you do it? Wasn’t I taking care of you?”
“Just like Mama said...gotta take your lumps. I’ll take them today, Hulie. But this’ll be the last...”
He didn’t even let her finish her sentence.
****
A week later, Cleo came out of the hospital. She was wearing shades to cover the bruises to her eyes and bandages were on her ribs where Hulie had broken them. Hulie tried to pamper her, so she wouldn’t say anything to the police. She was unconscious for about two days and by that time, he’d already told ball that Cleo was cleaning out the gutters and fell off a ladder. He’d even staged the whole thing when they came by. He cleaned everything, put her body on the grass by the sidewalk and set up a ladder, too. Then told the paramedics that he didn’t want to move her until they arrived.
She’d robbed him and was spending a lot of money. Hulie guessed that money came from what she took when she robbed him. He felt bad about whipping her ass later, but, shit muthafucka had died because of that dumb shit. He still had to deal with Cocky, this week at that. For all he knew, maybe he’d helped Cleo. He didn’t know the whole story, and Cleo still wasn’t saying shit. So, now he was having a cookout for her and her family to try and smooth things over.
It wasn’t working though, they were pissed. Her moms went to slap Hulie, Cleo’s pops wasn’t even trying to be around. He and Hulie had already scuffled in the hospital. Her pops told him that he didn’t know how or when, but he swore on his life, he’d get Hulie. Diplite played it off the best he could, trying to keep shit quiet. When she regained consciousness Diplite told Cleo that he’d pay her to keep her mouth shut. They even made plans to do another lick, but this time Hulie would have to be taken out. Cleo was game and all the way in.
Her mother would leave the house when he came over. Hulie tried talking to her, buying her things and making promises he couldn’t keep. All she ever said was after he left and under her breath. “I’ma get you muthafucka if it’s the last thing I do.” She wasn’t trying to come to no goddamned cookout. She told Cleo after Cleo damned near begged her. “I’ll never come over there and let him put out into the street. Hell no!” She tried her damnest to convince Cleo to get off the lease, so she could put his ass jail, take the condo and put a restraining order on his ass. Cleo, however, had other plans.
Her mother got tired of the bullshit and did the best thing she knew to do, she called Jesse. She told him what happened, and she got what she was hoping for. Jesse was hot as hell, he said he was personally gonna kill Hulie. Then, she fucked around and called Sunshine. Sunshine told her some shit about being patient, but she wasn’t the one that was beat the fuck up. So, that went in one ear and out of the other.
Cleo’s mom threw a soro charity event for some neighborhood kids. Hulie made the big mistake of trying to fit in. He had a couple of bags full of candy and started throwing them around like a big shot. He was also flashing money like a big man. Cleo wasn’t there, so her mom tried to send Hulie on about his business. Hulie wanted to show his drunk ass in front of her friends like he was legit. She grew tired of it and him.
She remembered he had taken some pictures, fucking around trying to be family friendly. She took them and went straight downtown to the DA’s office to see if she could get something done and get a restraining order. It was there that she bumped into Jesse.
****
Sunshine was on the phone flipping through messages on her desk. She had several messages from Hulie and Cleo’s mom.
“Now what the fuck is going on?” She sighed. “It’s like they’re going at each other out of spite, just for the hell of it.”
She thought about how feisty Cleo’s mother was and how she definitely wasn’t trying to let Hulie walk all over her tiny ass. Sunshine giggled then suddenly the person on the other end that she was on hold for finally picked up.
“Yeah, who dis?”
“Sunshine!”
“Damn, girl...long goddamned time. Wassup, you your mind about me? You wanna get with a real playa or what?”
She giggled. “Another time, baby.”
“Aw, hell, I can tell this is business, huh? Damn, I can never catch your ass when you’s horny.”
“Another place...Mark.”
Mark was a childhood friend, one out of the handful she actually had. He was a nerd, like most of them, but he’d turned gangsta. He’d learned the business of dope, specifically trafficking and laundering and profited well from it. He always cherished Sunshine more than she cherished him. Every now and then, he let her in on some of the goings on's in the dope business. In exchange for some pussy, which he never got. Mostly, they just talked shit about people and old school mates. He already had his own connects, judges, cops and lawyers. So, he really didn’t need no favors from Sunshine so far. He liked her, a whole lot, but they were on separate roads that every now and then crossed.
“So, what’s going on, babe?” Mark asked.
“Trying to figure somebody out,” Sunshine replied. “Seems familiar but I can’t quite put my finger on ‘em. One thing I do know for sure is that he’s crooked.”
“Well, we’ll find out who he is.” Mark had an office in the back of a neighborhood back shop run by Muslims. He had converted to Islam and invested heavily in the Charleston community. He was considered a renegade of sorts though, because he wouldn’t give up his hustla lifestyle, but yet his money was always accepted. So, he never ostracized anyway, and it really didn’t bother him. “Let me go online...okay. Now, give me something to work with.”
“Damn, Mark, you got your gangsta friends online and shit?”
“Sunshine...with Facebook...damn near.”
“For some reason, I believe that. ,Anyway, his name is Jesse, just got out of prison...”
“What he look like?”
“Tall...quite handsome...brown-skinned...oh yeah, he had a scar on his neck...”
“Damn girl, you don’t know who that is?”
“No...who...what?”
Mark swung his legs up on the desk and leaned back in his chair. He finally had one up on her and was going to exploit it to the fullest. “You gonna have to handle me for this one.”
“C’mon, Mark, stop playin’...” she whined.
Mark’s voice got serious. “Naw, fuck that, when I tell you who this muthafucka is. I’ll be over your crib this week...knamean!”
“You’re serious?” Sunshine was feeling some sort of way. She liked her men forceful and figured she’d role play this out. If that’s what he wanted, but he better have the answer she was wanting to hear. “If that’s what you want me to do...”
“Yeah, that’s what I want you to do. Tired of this shit! I want that ass...you hear?”
“Okay...Mark...sweetie. Don’t be so mean!”
“Yeah, that’s it, and damnit...Muslim, my name is Muslim now.”
“Okay...Muslim. Who is he...baby?”
He chuckled, he had his hand deep down into his pants. He thought about pulling out, that’s how good it was going to be once she heard this. “The same cat you paid me for...for offing that dude Moonie G.”
“What!”
“Yeah...that was him!”
“Oh shit, I knew I recognized him...” She paused. “Friday night.”
“Friday night...what the fuck are you talking about? Don’t fuck up the moment...”
“That’s when I’ll see you.”
Mark almost fell over in his chair. “Hell yeah...what time!”
“When you get here.”
“Okay...okay.”
“But Muslim...baby...sweetie...”
“Huh...huh?”
“Remember, I’m gonna be the one to fuck your brains out, alright!”
“Sure, the hell will. By the way...you looking for anyone else? I need to stay one up on you.”
Sunshine giggled. “Boy...you’s crazy. When I finish with you, one is all you’ll need, bye!”
“Damn, can’t wait till Friday!”
Sunshine’s grin was ear to ear. She finally found the right muthafucka to take Hulie’s ass out. But now, she had to find him. Her phone kept blinking and vibrating, somebody was blowing her up.
“Hello!”
“Sunshine, I’ve been trying to reach you all day!” It was Cleo’s mother.
“Been busy...sorry,” Sunshine said, but really hating that she even answered the phone. She really needed to find dude, so she sounded cold.
Cleo’s mother didn’t give a damn, she wanted to take Hulie down, too. “I’m in your building here, downtown. I need to talk to you!”
“Sure, come on up.” Might as well hear out, Sunshine sighed.
“But, I’m with someone and he may have to come up, too.”
“Damn, probably her husband,” Sunshine said to herself. “Ain’t in the mood for this shit.” She swung her legs back onto the floor and said, “Who?”
“Jesse...Cleo’s friend, the one we met the day you came by.”
Sunshine’s grin grew so damn wide she looked like a wild albino female version of the Joker. Her fuckin’ demeanor changed with that one name. She answered back quickly. “Oh, hell yeah, I’m right here waiting for you...and I got a little bottle for you, too...girlfriend.” She pressed the intercom on her desk to her receptionist up front. “They’ll be someone coming off the elevator to see me. Point them my way, please. And uh, hold all my calls, appointments, meetings...till tomorrow, okay.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
One-half bottle later, they all came to one conclusion, and that was that Hulie had to go. Now, how, that was another thing.
“Look...I got you if you get caught. I can make arrangements for bail. I’ll tell them you were afraid for your life...” Sunshine was explaining to Jesse.
“No,” he said as he got up from his chair. “I can take him.”
Cleo’s mother sat there sipping on her drink, observing the whole scenario. She didn’t care how it was done, as long as her hands didn’t get dirty in the process, and her daughter was finally free of that monster. Jesse, she could easily handle him, after all, she already was.
Sunshine’s intercom buzzed and she answered with an attitude. “Didn’t I tell you I didn’t want to be disturbed?”
“Yes...you did, but I think you might want to take this call.”
“Alright...put it through.” She took the phone and walked over to a corner of the room out of earshot. “Who is this?”
“It’s me...Muslim.”
“What’s going on? I told you Fri...”
“Naw...that ain’t what it’s about. Look, I got a call and that dude, Hulie, is going to meet Cocky, at a club in the Makin’.”
“And, this is my business...”
“I got word from his people that shit is going down. They’re thinking about taking his ass out. Thought maybe you might want to know since you felt some sort of way about dude and shit...least warn him.”
Sunshine spun around and looked at Jesse. This was her window of opportunity. The perfect chance, she had to act on it. “Thank you, baby...gotta go!”
She hung up the phone and looked at Jesse. “Jesse, I just got a call from my people. Hulie’s in the Makin’...by himself. I think this might be a good time...”
Jesse had already grabbed his jacket and was headed out the door. Sunshine grabbed hers too and glanced over at Cleo’s mother. “Think we might have this problem licked.”
She knew Cocky wanted to take Hulie out from day one. Why Hulie wanted to go to the club to talk to him, she didn’t know and didn’t care. She just wanted to be there to see this go down. She figured if Cocky fucked up, Jesse sure as hell wouldn’t. Anyway, you put it, her Hulie problem would be solved today at least she knew that for sure.
Cleo’s mother dropped Jesse off on Spruill and Reynolds Avenue, right up the street from the club. He told her he’d call her later, to pick him up. He needed an alibi, and along with Sunshine’s advice, she agreed to be it. Sunshine herself waited on River’s Avenue listening to handheld scanner she had, waiting for the ten-twenty-five call, shots fired, for shit to go down. Then she would pull up the rear, as though she was just riding through the hood or something. Make sure Hulie’s ass was dead, that’s all she cared about.
Jesse stalked over toward the pink and black club near the entrance of the Navy Base, waiting in the cut for Hulie to show. He looked over and spotted Cocky’s truck outside the club. He didn’t want no parts of him, or his people, they were too much for him. He figured he’d confront Hulie before he went in, put the tim down, then leave it at that. Fuck that bullshit Cleo’s mom and Sunshine was on about killing a muthafucka unless they were gonna do the elbow he’d get for it. He wasn’t no fool, specially theirs.
He came around the corner on his bright money green Suzuki was Hulie, and he waved him down. He damn near jumped in front of him and he pulled over.
“Who the fuck are you?”
“Name’s Jesse...”
“You need to get the fuck outta the way, I got somewhere to be,” he said as he looked over at the entrance to the club, watching as Cocky’s boys peeked out the door checking things out. “Move...gotta go.”
“Naw...you need to holler at me.” Jesse reached into his jacket and pulled out a snubnosed .38. “Pull the bike over and walked with me.”
Hulie looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “Boy...you, robbed me? You know who I am?”
Jesse pushed him toward the side of a building with the gun stuck in his side. “The nigga that beat my girl up, punk ass muthafucka!”
“Aw man,” Hulie said to himself. I know that bitch ain’t hire this muthafucka, a crack head at that to try me. “Look, man, that’s personal. I don’t even know you partna. But look here, if she hired you to try me. I’ll pay you double, cool?” He snickered as he reached into his pocket, pulled out a stack and started to peel off bills. “I don’t want no trouble, a’ight. I gotta go...but on the real, though, I ain’t trying to whip that girl’s ass on no regular. It’s a headache, trust me. It ain’t like that...shit just went down...that’s all. Here you go!” He handed Mark five crisp one-hundred-dollar bills. “This cool?”
Jesse looked at the money and shook his head, then looked back up at Hulie. “Damn...you really ain’t got a clue?”
“What?”
“I don’t need your money. I’m straight...hell, I already got your loot. Laugh that shit off...”
“What the fuck you talkin’ ‘bout?” Hulie got off his bike and walked up on him with his hands out. “Look, I ain’t got no gun and shit. You got something you want to tell me?”
“Hell yeah! But, uh...you don’t even remember me, do you?”
“Naw man, fill me in. I really ain’t got a lot of time either. I’m willing to hear you out.” Somehow, Hulie knew he knew something, either about him being robbed, Cocky, Cleo something. He could at least give him half a minute.
“You remember that dude, Moonie G?”
“Yeah...and?”
“I was the muthafucka you paid to take him out.”
“Okay...yeah, so that was you, huh? Look, Muslim put me on to you. What’s up...he paid you right?”
“Everything’s straight, but...I was approached by someone else...about you this time. I mean, I needed the money, just got out the joint. They told me it was a quick lick, so I put my boy down and said fuck it, but I didn’t anticipate the girl.”
“Girl?”
“Yeah, I didn’t think she would be in on the deal...it threw me. The dude that put me down said she was just going to show us where to go.”
“What dude?”
Clear out of the clue, Diplite’s car skidded out of control and bounced off the curb right next to them. Diplite came flying like a bat outta hell, waving his gun around.
“Alright partna, put the gun down!” he hollered.
Jesse looked over at him. “I was just tellin’ him...”
“Too fuckin’ much...lies too!” Diplite cut him off.
“What the fuck are you two talkin’ about?” Hulie asked, still shocked at the way Diplite had driven up. It was crazy, and stupid something like that wouldn’t do nothing but draw attention.
“Yo’ Hulie, back up, I got this. This muthafucka’s straight up trouble. He’s been stalkin’ my sister like some sort of pervert.”
“Naw, it ain’t like that...”
“Hell, yeah it is. Feeling some sort of way about you seeing her, too. Hulie...muthafucka knows where you live!”
“Man, she told me she loved me,” Jesse babbled, he started losing control. Exactly what Diplite he would do and wanted him to do.
“What...love!” Hulie laughed. “That’s crazy.
“Look, man, that’s the muthafucka that put me on to you.” Jesse pointed at Diplite but with the gun in his hand.
Diplite just knew he was about to tell Hulie all about the robbery, the truth. Diplite said fuck it and shit him, he damn sure didn’t want him talking. The bullet caught him in the stomach, and Jesse doubled over in pain holding his gut. He raised the gun at Diplite who pumped, faked like he was trying to shield Hulie and he shot him again. This time he caught him in the chest. Jesse dropped to the ground on his knees and looked up at Hulie as he tried to catch his breath and the life that started leaving his body.
“H...h...him.” Jesse tried pointing at, Diplite but it was no use, he passed out.
“What the fuck was that crazy shit all about, Diplite?” Hulie asked as he watched Jesse gasping for air in the gutter.
Diplite walked over to Jesse’s body and shot him point blank in the head. Making sure he was dead, then he kicked him. “Man, muthafucka been talking out his mind since he met Cleo at the mall, tried to get her to trick and she wouldn’t...she was scared. Moms too, crazy ass muthafucka!”
Hulie shook his head and looked around, no one had heard or seen anything at least he’d hoped. He picked up his bike and glanced over at Diplite. “Funny...she didn’t mention shit to me about it. Anyway, that’s you and Cleo’s crazy as shit. Hell...I thought he was your, uh...cousin. But fuck this, I’m supposed to meet, Cocky...clean this mess up. I’ll get with you later.”
“I got it,” Diplite said as he waved him off.
After he left, Diplite pulled Jesse’s body across the railroad tracks and left it there. He figured a train would be by later and it would run over the body, then make it look like an accident.
“Fuck him...snitch ass nigga,” Diplite snapped.
He scuffled up some dirt to hide their footprints, threw some shrubbery and bushes around, then spit on Jesse and left him to the dogs.
Just like that, Jesse’s life, Sunshine and Cleo’s mom’s plan, was over...than damn quick. Right up from where his body laid was the same place Jesse had left his partna, Dread. It was the prime of example of how hellufied of a bitch karma actually was.
****
Dirty-Red groaned as he picked up the phone by the side of the bed. His arm was bandaged up with fresh stitches and itched every chance they got. His arm was swollen a bit but was starting to subside, finally. He was tired of it already, the smell of the hospital was making him sick. One thing at least, he had his girls from the liquor house bring him some good food, most of it he shared with the other patients though. He needed to call, Cocky to let him know what happened with Wood. If he’s seen him around and if he did, to hold him.
He didn’t have no way of knowing that Wood was dead, and he probably didn’t have a clue that it was Diplite who’d actually shot him. Anyway, you put it, he needed to touch base with Cocky and tell him that the Cheraw run was definitely off for a minute. Nikki would just have to wait until all of this foolishness was cleared up.
He dialed Cocky’s number. “Yo’ Cocky, wassup?”
“Wassup, how you feeling?”
“Like shit, but I’m ready to get the fuck out of here.”
“They finished with you?”
“Hell, ain’t too much more they can do. They already removed the bullet and stitched me up. The bone in my arm was fractured but fuck it. Hell, the bullet just went in and stopped. Doctor told me I was lucky it didn’t ricochet into my lungs, then I’d really be fucked up.”
“Hell yeah,” Cocky said.
“Ain’t no need for me to stay here anymore. Cops came around asking questions and shit. Probably why I’m still here...they been watchin’ me.”
“True...check this out, though. That muthafuckin’ Hulie called me, said he wants to meet with me to talk.”
“Say word.”
“I ain’t got nuthin’ to talk to him about. If he fucks around over this side of town, he might be a corpse before the day is over.”
“Still think he had something to with Nikki?”
“I can see that...”
One of Cocky’s boys came running through the door, breathing hard like he’d just ran a mile. “Cocky...man, shit is wild!”
“What the fuck?” Cocky put his hand over the phone. “Hold up, I’m on the phone, right now.”
“Yo’ that dude, Hulie, and his boy just killed a man, right across the street.”
Cocky took his hand away from the phone. “Dirty-Red, call you later.”
“Hold up...I’m on my way over.”
“Man, ain’t you still fucked up?”
“Trust me...” Dirty-Red had already made it to the closet and started laying out his clothes. “...I’m alright, be there in a minute.”
“A’ight.” Cocky turned toward his boy. “What happened?”
“Man, that dude Hulie pulled up across the street and some dude approached him. Think it was that dude that just out of prison, can’t call his name. Anyway, he approached Hulie and points him over into the cut. Hell, the only reason I went over there was because we don’t deal dope near the club. I figure it was some old crack head type deal, and I wanted to check him.”
“Cool...then what?”
“Next thing I know that dude from Liberty Hill, Hulie’s boy Diplite came driving up in his ride. He damn near drove on the sidewalk, then he jumped out of the car and ran down into the cut behind them. You know, right, next to the railroad tracks. Then next I see flashes coming from a gun, didn’t hear no shots, musts had a silencer on it.”
“Dirty muthafucka mighta tried to set us up with a body, I bet,” Cocky said as he thumbed the top of the bar with his fist.
“And that dude, Diplite dragged the body onto the railroad track and dips. Then he went into the gas station up the street on River’s Avenue and used the fuckin’ payphone like it was nuthin’.”
“Payphone...oh hell yeah! It’s a set up for sure, he’s calling po-po to report a body, I bet.” Cocky turned toward one of his enforcers. “Get the heat, it’s going down.”
****
Sunshine tripped as she watched in horror at Diplite as he spit on Jesse’s body. “What the hell is going?” she asked. “Jesse’s dead, aw hell, this is off the fuckin’ chain. I can’t believe I just witnessed a murder. I can’t do this, got to call it in. Damn, who am I kidding? I’m the one who set this whole thing up. Damnit can’t back out now. Okay...okay, girl, calm down...think.” She picked up her phone and dialed. “Cocky, it’s me baby, Sunshine.”
“Would you believe that muthafucka is out here looking for trouble? He damn sure found it,” Cocky said.
“Well, he’s a loose cannon, now. Remember what we talked about...protection?”
“Yeah, you said if we offed that muthafucka, you wouldn’t prosecute if any of us got caught. That’s what I remember...you?”
“Yeah, Cocky, that’s what I remember, too.”
“Good...I gotta go.”
Sunshine shook her head and shed a slight tear not for Hulie, but for all the money she’d have to let go. One thing she figured as she watched young boys post up on the street selling dope though. There’s more where that came from, easy come...easy go. Then she cranked the car up and giggled. But she just couldn’t let it go that easy, she’d holler at Cleo, one last time, then say fuck it.
****
Hulie pushed his bike around the side of the building, took off his helmet, and put his kickstand down. He took a long, deep breath then walked around to the front, keeping his hands in his pocket. His gun was in the palm of his hands. Cocky’s boys were out front, deep. He approached the doorway and just like he thought, he was stopped.
“Yo’ man what’s up?”
“I’m here to see, Cocky. Tell him it’s me...”
“John...John...go inside and tell Cocky,” He glanced over at Hulie then said, “...that dude Hulie is out here.”
Hulie knew then for sure that they were expecting him. He eyeballed the guy in front of him trying to figure out exactly where his arsenal laid. He noticed a bulge inside his pants. Old boys, eyes glanced down to his side then he parted his jacket and flashed his Desert Eagle.
“Damn,” Hulie mumbled, as he looked at the rest of them, noticing big boy bulges, too.
They were ready for war. They knew he was coming, and they were prepared for a fight, not peace. Cocky was taking a while, too long, something was up.
Hulie back away and said, “Tell him...I’ll be back...”
Cocky’s boy knew what it was. “Yeah...I’ll do that.”
Hulie was feeling some sort of way. It was on, nothing was said, but that move right there spoke volumes, it was going down. Hulie had to respond one way or another and end this shit, fuck it. Time to go to the stash house, get his shit and let it do what it do. Damn he needed help, fuck it, Diplite was gonna have to ride it out with him, he owed him that. He hopped on his bike then looked up after he put on his helmet. Cocky’s boys were posted out in front, watching him.
He cranked up and dipped around them into the street, stopped, looked back at them, then revved up his bike, and snarled, “I’ll be back muthafuckas, I’ll be back.”
Cocky came out right as Hulie had jetted up the street and told his boys. “That muthafucka is definitely coming back, so be ready. Post up on top of the building and put a couple across the street. Be ready, he’s sneaky.”
“But damn...” One of his boys said. “...he’s only one man.”
“True,” Cocky answered, then glanced up the street as he watched Hulie’s bike turn on Rivers Avenue going towards Liberty Hill. “But he’s Hulie...don’t ever underestimate him.”
****
A light blue North Charleston cab pulled up in front of the club, it was Dirty-Red. His arm was wrapped up in a sling and every time he moved, he cringed.
“Where’s Cocky,” was the first words out of his mouth.
Cocky boys wasted no time getting Cocky. He was glad to see Dirty-Red alive. He filled him in on what was going on and Dirty-Red made sure that he told him what he knew about Nikki, which wasn’t much. He did kinda figure that Hulie was in on killing her son, T-Black.
“Why would he do that?” Cocky asked.
Dirty-Red explained to him that it was about money, a lot of it. Money that Nikki now had in her possession. He couldn’t quite tie Diplite into the equation, but he’d find out in a minute that he was one dirty no good snake.
An all black Excursion skidded off of Spruill Avenue on Reynolds coming straight at them. The windows were tinted heavily, pitched black and now they were slowly rolling down.
Cocky yelled over at his boys. “That’s him!”
Multiple shots were fired as the truck skidded in front. Hulie kicked open the door and started letting out with Street Sweeper, pointing at Cocky as he tried to run back into the building. It was sweet, Hulie started pulling the trigger every time he jerked a hole the size of a football opened up on the side of the building, painting an ugly, grotesque picture like they were in Iraq. Only stopping when it met its mark...Cocky. Where Hulie got that type of arsenal, Cocky didn’t know, he knew Hulie was unpredictable, dangerous even, but damn he didn’t know it was on this level. He may have paid for underestimating him with his life.
The passenger side door opened and Diplite was out. He ducked around the side and came up firing Glock .40s across the street. Eight bullets whizzed past Cocky’s head later, and three of Cocky’s boys came tumbling out riddled with bullets. Dirty-Red managed to dive out of the way and tried to hide around a parked car. Diplite saw him and aimed.
“Oh, shit...you down with this muthafucka!” he hollered out.
“It is what it is Dirty...now come out...don’t run.” Diplite reached into the side of his pants and grabbed a .38 Revolver and tossed it at him. “I’ll let you go out like a man, use it!”
Dirty-Red looked at the gun then Diplite then Hulie. He had already killed what was left of Cocky’s man on top of the building. He glanced over at Diplite. “Make it quick!” He started back to the truck.
Diplite pointed his guns and aimed, Dirty-Red said fuck it, it hurt like all hell to move his arm, but he dived at the gun anyway, picked it up and rolled over by a cut near the side of the building. A bricked-in corner used for dumping grease. He aimed also, both guns were shot at the same time. Dirty-Red grimaced as the bullet hit his bandaged arm.
“Damn!” he shouted out in pain.
Diplite staggered and Hulie honked the horn at him. “Come on, ball will be here in a minute!”
He turned and Hulie saw the hole in his shirt. He cranked up the truck and Diplite grabbed the side of the door and pulled himself inside before he pulled off. Dirty-Red squeezed off another round, this one caught him in the back, then he fell to the ground, listening as the sirens got louder and louder. He prayed to God, Hulie wouldn’t run over his ass with that big ass truck.
He didn’t, instead, he burned rubber back up Spruill Avenue going toward North Charleston. He figured he’d dip and dive into the hood, losing the police in the process. He glanced over at Diplite who bled all in the truck and was losing consciousness quick.
“Dip...best I can do is drop you off at a gas station or something! Least somebody...” He knew he was about to bleed out and there was nothing he could do for him.
“C’mon Hulie...hell, after all, we been through! Get me to a doctor.”
“Man...ain’t got time. You gonna fuck me up, I mean least you’ll live...” He pulled over to the gas station, jumped out and ran over to the door, then opened it. “C’mon, Dip...hurry up.”
“C’mon, Hulie...don’t do this to me...” Diplite screamed at him.
Hulie picked up the guns Diplite dropped on the floorboard and pointed them at him. “Man, Dip...don’t make me.”
Diplite looked at him like he was crazy. He couldn’t believe that his muthafucka came and got him to help his ass out, to keep his ass from getting killed. Now, this was what he was going to do. He didn’t even want to take him to the hospital. A tear came down from his eye, he knew he was gonna died.
“Man...drop me off at my mama’s house, at least do that.” Diplite closed his eyes, blackness overcame him. He didn’t care anymore, it was...whatever.
Hulie took aim, then shook his shook. “Diplite, don’t do this to me...damn!”