“That was a close one,” Cos said, steering the truck onto the Westside Highway.
“Too close. That nigga almost got the drop on me,” Cowboy said, while trying to light a cigarette. His hands were shaking so bad that he had to hold the lighter with two hands.
“Good thing Duce was on point,” Cos said.
“At least somebody was on point. How the fuck did you let that nigga get up on us?” Cowboy turned to Thor.
“Dawg, I was trying to get laid like everybody else,” Thor said.
“Yeah, and you almost got me laid down in the process. If the young boy hadn’t let off, I’d be dead right now,” Cowboy shot back. He turned to Duce and extended his hand. “Good looking out.”
“It wasn’t about nothing, man,” Duce gave him dap. “If we crew, we gotta look out for each other, right?”
“You ain’t a part of this thing yet son,” Thor reminded him.
“Thor, stop hating and give the young boy his props. Don’t get mad because he did your job better than you,” Cos teased him.
“Fuck you, nigga. It’s real funny that he was able to spot them niggaz when the three of us missed them,” Thor grumbled.
“Go ahead with that shit, Thor,” Cos brushed him off.
“Real talk, Cos. I know this is ya man and all, but I don’t trust him. It didn’t seem a little strange that he showed up just in time to save Cowboy? For all you know, he could’ve been the one who sent them spic ass niggaz at us in the first place,” Thor accused.
Duce’s face became cold. “Man, fuck you! I just save your ass from getting smoked and you gonna come at me sideways? I should slap the shit outta you for even disrespecting me like that.”
“Fuck did you say to me, lil nigga,” Thor tried to climb over the seat to get to Duce, but Cowboy intervened.
“Cool it, Thor,” Cowboy ordered. He turned a suspicious glance at Duce. “Say, how did you know that it was about to go down?”
It felt like everyone in the truck was staring at Duce. If he answered wrong the SUV could very well become his final resting place. Placing his hands on his lap, he looked at the men and spun a brilliant lie. “I knew him from prison.”
“What?” all three of them asked in unison.
“Cos, you remember that time you knocked that Blood L.K. nigga out in the library?” Duce asked.
Cos nodded. “Yeah, the little Spanish kid with the scar on his face. I stomped his ass to within an inch of his life. They made me finish my bid in Downstate because of that fight.”
Duce grinned as the ends of the lie began to stitch themselves together. “L.K. was setting you up to get done for fucking with one of theirs. The kid I shot was the one they were gonna use. I was coming from the bathroom when I spotted him. I thought they were coming for you, because of the beef, I had no idea he was about to pop Cowboy.”
Cowboy studied Duce’s face for a long while. Duce initially thought he saw through the lie and was about to make his move, but he relaxed when Cowboy bust out laughing. “Cos,” he tapped his partner, “I owe you a bottle. If you hadn’t beat that L.K. nigga up, Duce wouldn’t have recognized the shooter and I’d be dead. That’s some real six degrees of separation shit right there.”
“I’m glad you think the fact that a nigga tried to body you is funny,” Thor snapped. “Instead of making jokes we need to find out who sent them niggaz and why? What’s your little crystal ball say about this one, Duce,” Thor mocked him.
“I got a ball for you, two of them actually,” Duce grabbed his crotch.
“Why don’t the both of you niggaz shut the fuck up!” Cos snapped, finally tired of Duce and Thor’s bickering. “Cowboy, this shit looks like a professional job gone wrong. I don’t know who you put on to that lil piece of business uptown, but it looks like the chickens are coming home to roost.”
“You think El…” Thor began, but Cowboy cut him off.
“Watch your mouth,” Cowboy said to Thor, but was cutting his eyes at Duce. Duce pretended not to catch their meaning, but he knew what time it was. The word was all over the streets that El Pogo got ripped off, and the pieces just fell into place as to who had pulled the caper. He tucked that little piece of information in the back of his mind to use at a later date.
Thor grumbled something no one quite understood and continued. “All I’m saying is that it’s very possible that they were his men, and if that’s the case we’ve got a hell of a problem on our hands.”
Cos nodded in agreement. “The big man has got a point. Homey’s got an army and long bread. If he decides to send the wolves at us then we need to think about what we’re gonna do.”
Cowboy was cool when he addressed his crew. “For now, we try to avoid him, but if he steps wrong then we blow him and his whole crew off the map.”
An eerie silence filled the truck as those who knew El Pogo weighed their chances of coming out on top after going to war with him. Finally, it was Duce who broke the silence. “Man, I don’t know who this nigga is,” he lied, “but if he gotta be got, so be it. I’m wit you, Cowboy.”
“Ain’t that touching,” Thor grumbled.
“Man, you gonna quit questioning my authenticity. When it’s time to bang, believe I’m gonna bang,” Duce assured him.
“Slow down, partner,” Cowboy told Duce. “I see you react quick in the face of bull shit and it’s an endearing quality, but never think that because we show you love that you have an opinion in this. You’ve yet to walk through the fire, my nigga.”
“Cowboy, I ain’t no bull shit ass nigga. When it’s work to be done, I gets it in. Ask around about me. I ain’t trying to step on nobody’s toes, but I want y’all to know that I’m with you. I was sitting niggaz down in the joint for free, so breaking a mutha fucka up for a few ones on the street is nothing, feel me?”
“Yeah, I feel you, but I still don’t know you,” Cowboy said. “You an anxious young nigga and that can either make you rich or send the both of us to prison.”
“Dawg, I’m just trying to get about mine. I’m fresh out the can with no family and no ends. I’m just trying to get in where I fit in.”
Cowboy reclined. “We’ll see if you fit in when we hook up to handle that business. I run a tight ship Duce, and every one of us are each other’s crutch.” Cowboy pulled his gun from under the seat and placed it on his lap, with the barrel facing Duce. “After we snatch your virginity, you’re either gonna be a solid member of the family, or one of the whores we cast to the side. The ball is in your court, kid.”
The sounds of Alicia Keys’ Unbreakable floated softly from the wall mounted speakers. You could smell the faint traces of the Black Diamond incense burning in the corner, over an ash catcher, but it was outmatched by the sweet sting of Purple Haze. Mo was propped against the pillows at the head of Frankie’s king-sized bed, with a crown of smoke billowing around her head, while Frankie was propped on one elbow at the foot. Frankie could almost feel the strangulating smoke in her throat and for as bad as she wanted to reach for the blunt, she remembered her declaration from earlier.
“This bitch goes in,” Mo said, rocking from side to side, mouthing along with Alicia. “Ike and Tina, mutha fucka, Florida and James, that’s what the fuck love was about,” Mo hoisted her plastic cup, nearly spilling the Nut Cracker on Frankie’s bed spread, but like the seasoned drunk she was, not a drop made it over the lip of the cup.
“Bitch, your ass is drunk,” Frankie said, taking petite sips through her straw. Unlike Mo, she wasn’t big on Nut Crackers, but the fruity drink was quick and to the point when you wanted to go there, and with all that Frankie was going through she definitely needed to be there.
“Oh, I’m nice as hell, but I’d need at least two more of these to classify me as drunk,” Mo informed her, finishing off what was left in her cup. “I’m just telling my truth, ma. You can’t front like Alicia don’t go there. Between her, Mary and Keyshia, them broads can tell you about the heartache and triumphs of love.”
“Heartache,” Frankie chuckled. “I could give all three of them a run for their money in that department.”
Mo rolled down to the foot of the bed and placed her head on Frankie’s lap. One look into Frankie’s sad eyes and Mo’s buzz began to fade. “What’s the matter, honey, Cowboy still acting like he doesn’t know he’s got a diamond?”
Frankie turned her head and blinked away the moisture trying to form in her eyes. “Please, that ignorant nigga ain’t never gonna get it right. Cowboy is gonna be who he is, and I ain’t really trying to lose no more sleep over that. Sometimes you gotta let a man be who he’s gonna be.”
Mo slit her eyes. “Frankie, is that man putting roots on you?”
“No, simple-minded ass, there’s nobody putting roots on me,” she was smiling, but her eyes were still sad. “I just understand that you can’t control a man’s actions. They’ve either gotta be true, or not, simple as that.”
Mo sat up and looked down at her friend. “Baby girl, that’s the biggest lie you’ve ever told. Frankie, you’ve been my ace bitch for as long as I can remember, but ain’t none of this game rubbed off on you yet? This here,” she patted her crotch, “makes us Goddess amongst men, provided we know what to do with our gifts. Sweetie, God gave all of us pussies, but it’s only a select few that are blessed with that good Power-U.”
Frankie sucked her teeth. “Mo, you need to quit quoting them old ass Wu-Tang lines. I had the Method Man album too.”
“Nah, I don’t mean power-universal, I mean Power-U. That’s when you’re fucking a nigga so good that they ain’t got no choice but to surrender all power to you.”
“Your ass is warped, Mo,” Frankie laughed.
“I wouldn’t expect you to understand Frankie because you don’t receive a regular dose of dick. When you got the good Power-U, all a nigga can say is ‘ugh,’ or ‘damn’ when he’s sliding in and out. When the pussy is so warm that he gotta take his dick out just to make sure the condom hasn’t accidentally slipped off. That, Frankie Five Fingers, is the good Power-U.”
“And you, my best friend, are one theory short of the nut house,” Frankie told her. “But seriously, I ain’t trying to drive myself crazy over no nigga and his antics.”
“Frankie you sound like a complete ass. You better not make that statement in front of nobody else but God. How is it all good when you’re being faithful to this dude, and he’s out doing him?”
“I didn’t say he was doing him,” Frankie corrected.
“You didn’t have to say it, have you forgotten how long we’ve known each other? Look, I know that’s your boo, but fuck Cowboy. Instead of chasing his thieving ass you need to go out and get you a real nigga.”
“Mo, you know Cowboy is one of the realest niggaz on the streets. The whole hood knows what’s up with him.”
“Again, you’re missing my point. Yeah, I know Cowboy is caked up and his gangsta is sho-nuff serious, but that don’t make him a real nigga. A real nigga recognizes a good thing when he has it.”
“Mo, Cowboy appreciates me. He just acts a fool sometimes.”
“Sometimes? Baby, I ain’t even gonna follow up with that one. More often than not that mutha fucka is showing his ass. Truth be told, I don’t even know why you fuck with him like that.”
“Because I love him,” Frankie defended. There was conviction in her tone, but her eyes said different.
“Frankie, you don’t love Cowboy, you love the idea of him. Every little girl wants to grow up and find the man that’s gonna keep her fly and well fucked, but it goes deeper than that. I ain’t gonna front like I wouldn’t mind having a nigga like him, but at what cost, my happiness?”
“I am happy,” she turned her head when she answered. When Mo turned Frankie back to face her, a lone tear rolled down her cheek.
“Bull shit,” Mo said softly. “Frankie, I haven’t seen you truly happy in five years and no matter how many niggaz you hook up with you can’t get that back.”
“Don’t go there with me, Mo,” Frankie jerked her head back. The sadness in her eyes was replaced by anger.
“I’d never, but I will say this. You can’t spend the rest of your life chasing ghosts.”
Frankie laughed. “I know, but what am I supposed to do when they start chasing me?”