A Woman’s Work: Street Chronicles (18 page)

“Going to the wrong house was a mistake,” Kayla said. “Beating, raping, and killing Mama Bev was on purpose. It was done with malice, so don’t sit in my car and try to justify what you did. The hell on earth you’re living is kinder than the price Mama Bev paid for your fuckup.” She refused to show any fear. She had done too much wrong over the years to too many people to think that karma would not one day come back on her. She’d always looked for it and told herself that she’d take her punishment in spades because there was no doubt that she’d earned it.

“Fuck you, bitch! Just drive and quit fuckin’ lookin’ at me. Don’t make me tell you again,” Rail warned.

“And if I do? Who’s gonna check me, Boo? Not you. You’re weak, Rail. Weakness oozes from your veins like rain falls from the sky. I’m driving, so shooting me in the back only kills us both. By my calculations, you have a few more people to lay down. I mean, Aisha, C-Lok, Big Black, even your cousin Cuddy. We all still breathing. You can’t leave things like that. Am I right?”

Rail was incensed by Kayla’s arrogance and disrespect. Though every word she said was true, he didn’t want to hear anything but cries and pleading from his victims. The only reason she was even still breathing was because she hadn’t had a hand in torturing him. And he needed her to lure the others into his trap. He knew that before the night was over, she’d be just like every other person in fear of losing their life. She’d suffer by watching everyone she loved drop dead before her feet.

$ $ $

“Where that coming from?” Big Black asked. A weird beeping was sounding.

“Ah, fuck! That’s my girl’s distress call. She’s in trouble. Let’s
raise,” C-Lok said. The ringing was coming from his home alarm. He and Kayla had programmed a code years before, but this was the first time it had ever been used. He had no idea where she was, but thanks to modern-day technology, it wouldn’t take him long to learn. The GPS on her car would help him find her. He only prayed he reached her in time.

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Kayla’s heart dropped when she saw Aisha’s car in front of her house. C-Lok would be coming to her rescue soon, but she didn’t know how Rail would react to seeing Aisha. Kayla feared the sight of her would set him off, sending her and Aisha out in a blaze of bullets.

As soon as Kayla had realized that Rail was in her car, she’d pressed the button on her steering wheel. She knew that wherever C-Lok was, he’d get the signal that she needed him. She doubted that Rail would be able to touch C-Lok and Big Black. Killing them would prove much more difficult than getting to the street soldiers had been. They were constantly surrounded by armed security. All Kayla could do now was to play along with Rail and keep navigating her way through his mind. She knew the cavalry was on its way.

“We’re here. Now what?” Kayla asked.

“Now we walk into the house the same as you do every other day. Don’t worry about what’s next until then. Now quit stalling and get out,” Rail ordered. He held the gun at his side as he followed Kayla up her front porch steps.

She was surprised that Rail hadn’t noticed Aisha’s car. His slip confirmed Kayla’s suspicion—Rail had no idea what he was doing. She knew she’d be able to distract him until her backup arrived. She knew Aisha was inside and wanted to keep her sister out of harm’s way. Despite whatever was going on between them, she still loved Aisha and felt responsible for protecting her.

Aisha was pacing back and forth in the family room when she saw the headlights shining down the driveway. She went to open the garage door for Kayla but then noticed that the car was stopped at the front of the house. Aisha stood away from the window so as not to be seen. Kayla never used her front door. There was no need for Aisha to wonder if something was wrong—Kayla’s actions screamed that there was. Her suspicions were confirmed when Kayla turned off the ignition and slammed her car door. When Aisha heard another door slam, she grabbed her purse and rushed up the back stairs. She knew Kayla would stay in the front of the house. This scenario had been a fear of Kayla’s for years. She and C-Lok tried to protect Aisha and Terry at all costs. At times, Aisha had thought they were going overboard with all the planning, escape routes, and distress signals they created. But as she pressed nine on her cell phone, she was grateful for their overprotectiveness.

“We’re less than two blocks away. What is it?” C-Lok asked. He needed as much information as he could get to assess the situation.

“I heard two car doors slam. They’re in the front room, as far as I can tell. I ran up the back stairs,” a frightened Aisha whispered.

“Stay there but don’t hang up. Open the cabinet and flick on the red button that turns on the cameras. Tell me what you see,” C-Lok instructed.

Aisha tried to steady her hands. Her sister’s life was in her hands, and she couldn’t let her down. Aisha knew everything was riding on her.
Power is a dangerous thing. This is what you asked for. Now do the right thing with it
, Aisha thought. She got the cabinet doors open on the fourth try. Then she cried a river when she saw a gun pointed at her sister’s head.

“Aisha, come on, girl. You strong, and we need you to talk to us.” Big Black’s voice startled Aisha. He was right. She took a deep breath and quickly wiped the tears from her eyes.

“Someone is pointing a gun at her. I can’t make out who it is,” Aisha said.

“Are you sure they’re alone?” Big Black asked. He took over trying to occupy Aisha while their team got into place. C-Lok and Big Black were watching the same screen Aisha was. The built-in TV screen had multiple uses. Big Black needed to be sure Aisha kept her head and stayed out of sight. He screwed the scope onto his assault rifle while C-Lok gave his security team instructions.

“Yes, but I can’t see who it is,” Aisha said in frustration.

“We know who it is, Aisha. It’s Rail,” Big Black replied.

Aisha gasped in disbelief. It couldn’t be Rail. He was dead. She’d sent him to his grave herself.

“We don’t have time to explain now, but it’s true,” Big Black whispered. “Rail has been killing our team one by one. He wants you, so don’t make a sound. We’re right outside. I’m not going to say anything else, but don’t hang up.” He ran to get in place to wait for the signal to pull the trigger. He lifted his rifle and adjusted the scope in search of his target.

Aisha’s head was spinning. She knew that her sister was standing where she should be. Rail wanted revenge on her the way she’d wanted it on him. Guilt overwhelmed her. She’d let grief and anger take over her life. For months all she’d thought of was getting revenge. Her irrational decision had led her to a point of no return. Multiple families were now mourning the loss of loved ones because of her. Her sister had buried her only brother as a result of Aisha’s vengeance. She wondered how Kayla had stayed sane living in a world of drugs, money, and death.

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“You do exactly what I say and you just might save your life,” Rail stated.

“What do you want? Or do you even know the answer to that question?” Kayla asked. Rail’s hands shook, and his balance
seemed off. She was relieved that Aisha had paid attention and remembered the distress signal. C-Lok and Big Black had to be outside. Too much time had passed for them not to be in place. All she had to do now was get Rail to stand in front of the huge picture window.

“I told you what I want. Get your phone out and call up ya boys. Invite them to our party, and don’t try anything slick. Put that shit on speaker so I can hear,” Rail coached.

“Yeah, what up, Mama? I’ve been waiting on you,” C-Lok answered. His words let Kayla know that he was in position.

“It took longer at the shop than I’d anticipated. I just came home. I’m tired. Would you mind coming south? I just don’t have the energy to drive all the way out there,” Kayla said in a steady voice to make Rail think she was following his instructions.

“Don’t I always do what you ask me to? Look, Mama, let me finish up with Black and I’ll be on my way. Do you need anything?”

“I picked up enough food for Black to eat with us. I figured he’d be with you. I’m going to call Aisha to come by. Maybe we can play some cards,” Kayla said with very little emotion. Her words were clear and full of important information. They told C-Lok that Aisha was inside, and that Big Black should be ready to take the target out by aiming south.

“One, Mama,” C-Lok said and ended the call.

Kayla hit the
MUTE
button instead of ending the call. She set her phone down next to her before driving her way into Rail’s psyche.

“Rail, all of this won’t solve your problems. Your life will forever be a living hell.”

“Don’t worry about my life. If I were you, I’d focus on your own life.” Rail was physically tired and in enormous pain. He tried to push his physical discomfort to the back of his mind. It would all be over as soon as his plan played out. “Go on and call ya girl. Get her over here.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Rail jumped at the sound of Aisha’s voice. Kayla rose to her feet, wondering what Aisha was trying to do. She had to let C-Lok know what was going on. The last thing any of them needed was for Big Black to shoot Aisha by mistake.

“Aisha!” Kayla screamed.

“It’s okay, Kayla. I know what I’m doing,” Aisha said while looking at Rail.

“Yeah, you knew what the fuck you were doing when you did this to me. Look at me!” Rail yelled. The gun was now trained on Aisha, who was standing directly in front of the window.

“This is between me and you. My sister did nothing to you. Let her go,” Aisha pleaded.

“Naw, we have more joining the party.”

“It was me, Rail. I made the decision to track you down and make you pay for what you did. If anyone disrespected you, it was me,” Aisha explained.

“Aisha, what are you even doing here?” Kayla was confused.

“I came by tonight to apologize to you. I’ve never forgotten what you did for me that day you came to my rescue. You risked your life for me back then and you’ve taken care of me ever since. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be anything in this life. No matter what happens, I love you,” Aisha said through tears.

“You didn’t have to do this. Everything is going to be all right,” Kayla said. She had no idea if Aisha had remembered to call C-Lok. Kayla was trying to let her know that help was within arm’s reach.

“Both y’all bitches shut the hell up,” Rail demanded.

“Rail, revenge tasted so good. Seeing you trapped in that cage like the animal you are made my panties wet. Hearing you scream like a bitch gave me the most intense orgasm I’ve ever had. You have no one but yourself to blame for what happened. You made the choice to become a murderer, so you had to suffer the consequences,” Aisha taunted.

“Who gave you the right to decide our punishment?” Rail retorted through pain and regret.

“I gave it to myself. That was my mother you killed. The disrespect you showed her can never be justified.”

Rail took a step forward, aiming his gun at Aisha’s head. Within the blink of an eye, Aisha pulled her arm from behind her back and trained her .9 mm on Rail’s heart.

“Aisha, no!” Kayla screamed.

Three shots rang out simultaneously, sending broken glass, blood, and brain matter splattering everywhere.

“Aisha, what did you do? What did you do?” Kayla cried as she kneeled down and cradled Aisha in her arms. “What did you do, baby girl?” Aisha’s body swung limply as Kayla cried and screamed.

C-Lok, Big Black, and the others rushed through the front door and stopped in their tracks at the sight before them. Rail lay dead from a shot through the back from Big Black’s assault rifle and the shot in the heart from Aisha’s gun. Rail’s bullet had pierced Aisha’s skull.

C-Lok raced over to Kayla and tried to console her, but she wouldn’t let go of Aisha’s body. Big Black walked slowly toward them and bent down to pick Aisha up. It was only then that Kayla released her sister. C-Lok carried the only woman he’d ever loved away from the bloodbath. He held her tightly in his arms, wanting to take all her pain away.

“I told her C, I told her,” Kayla cried.

“I know, Mama. Shhh, baby.”

“I tried to tell her that this life ain’t for everybody. She wasn’t meant for this side of the game. She said something about owing me. Why didn’t she know that her life was hers? She sacrificed herself for me!” Kayla cried.

“You did everything you could to save her, Mama. I’m here. It’s going to be okay,” C-Lok promised.

“It’ll never be okay again. Everybody wants to hustle and juggle power, money, and respect, but don’t nobody want to accept the disrespect. Revenge and greed have taken my brother and sister from me,” Kayla said. She wrapped her arms around C-Lok’s neck and held on for dear life.

“I got you, Ma,” C-Lok whispered.

“I don’t want to be the boss anymore,” Kayla said, weeping. Her heart was broken. “I don’t want this anymore. What could possibly happen next?”

O
blivious to the airplanes flying above, Abie sat in her car at the park ’n’ ride, hand on her gun, daydreaming about how she’d be thousands of miles away from everyone who’d ever used her in a few hours. Every emotion swept through her body as she waited—anxiety, nervousness, even fear. But the hissing sound from her back tire proved to be her death trap, because she was shaken from her daydream into reality. She stepped from the car to investigate what turned out to be a flat tire, only to be approached by an assailant from behind. The unidentified man wrapped one hand around her throat before knocking her out cold. The sad thing was, Abie had left her gun on the passenger seat in the car when she got out. After he slapped her back to consciousness, she couldn’t figure out if she’d made it to Mexico, whether she was on the airplane, or where she was. Her vision was still a bit hazy but as her eyes focused, she realized she was still in Richmond, Virginia, stuck in a town that had used her up. Her attacker said things to her, but she was still in a daze, the back of her head throbbing from the butt of the gun, and her dreams were slowly drifting away. She sat helplessly as her attacker held his .22 with a silencer to her side. Surveillance cameras caught the abduction, but the tape was too blurry to clearly see her attacker. He led her to room 308 at the Red Roof Inn. How strange
that there were no people in sight anywhere—no guests, housekeeping, nobody. Abie thought he was taking her to the hotel to rape her, since that’s all men wanted from her anyway. But as she was pushed to the floor inside the hotel room, she realized that she was about to come to the end of her life. Forced to strip naked and kneel on the floor, she didn’t try to fight. In fact, she couldn’t have, because she was still shaken from the blow to her head. Instead, she just closed her eyes and dreamed of Mexico. And as the assailant put the gun to the back of her head, she let go of the life she’d been trying to run away from.