AllFreeNovel
Share Us
NLE Choppa’s, ‘ShottaFlow,’ the remix featuring Blueface, provided the backdrop to Jude’s smoke-filled man-cave, where he stood in the company of a few good men.
The guys talked amongst themselves as he lamented about a disturbing conversation he’d had with his brother. He adjusted his rings as he listened.
“Judge, so uh, as I said earlier, we can handle this tonight if you want.” Kash cracked his knuckles, then scratched at his tattooed bicep. The design featured a black dragon with flames made of hundred-dollar bills blasting out of the beast’s mouth. His brown skin flexed as he moved.
“They’re expecting us. Let’s wait a bit longer. We need to catch them by surprise, strike when they’re not anticipating it.”
Retribution had commenced. Judge had “sentenced to death” three MS-13 gang members, after all, when they’d burst into Paul’s home and beat the men senseless before shooting him in the chest. It was the way of his world—they’d crossed the line. Blood sought blood. Now, word on the street was, he had a bounty on his head for taking out prized foot soldiers. Those White boys had been recruited to join the mostly Hispanic gang, so they could blend into various local neighborhoods without catching attention.
This had happened before, and there was a right way and a wrong way to go about settling the matter. Nothing, however, made it ever any less risky for Judge and his crew. The three motherfuckers who’d dared to step to him had definitely gotten orders from higher up the food chain. A rookie move that had cost them. As simple as that. Now, that food chain wanted to eat on his dime. His life was the main course; his fortune, dessert.
“They should be grateful I didn’t seek them out and take them all down without investigation.”
That’s certainly something Cain would’ve done, seeing as they’d damaged his operation. Blood would’ve been shed in the streets, with no concern of who was paying the price. Paul was still recovering in the hospital, which put more pressure on Jude’s other employees to keep up with demand. It was like shooting out an airplane engine and expecting smooth sailing. How long could one stay up in the air?
“All right, I need to holla at y’all about something else tonight, too.” He leaned against his pool table, his black silk shirt unbuttoned and a breeze from the ceiling fan cooling him off. “I called you all over here to explain that I’m going a different route.” He rose, and began to slowly pace back and forth, gripping his cigar as his thoughts became words. “I am going to slowly phase myself out. I’m preparing for retirement.” He was immediately met with ruckus and cursing.
“Don’t start this shit, Judge. We already lost Cain. We don’t wanna lose you, too!” Truck protested, one of the trap house bodyguards who’d been by his side for a long while.
“Truck, this isn’t what you think it’s about.”
“Look, don’t worry about Paul, okay? We’ll handle it!”
“Truck, shhh.” He raised his finger to his mouth. “Listen. We’re family, okay? I’m not going to leave you high and dry.” The man turned away, disgruntled. “Kash, I told you last year that I have to get into another enterprise and start somethin’ new. I could feel that time was nearing.”
Kash seemed reluctant to nod in agreement, but he did so without making direct eye contact.
“It’s not always like this, where someone like me is actually friends with his personnel. I’m lucky, right? You all mean a lot to me. I know your significant others; we’ve broken bread together. I just want you to understand that this decision didn’t happen overnight, and I’ve thought long and hard about the way to go about this.”
“But why now, man? If it’s not Paul, what is it?”
“Oh, trust me, what went down with Paul definitely mattered, but that wasn’t the only reason why, Truck. The things goin’ on in my life are signs, good signs, bad signs, whatever you want to call it, and I take that seriously.”
“Oh, come on, Judge. You sound like Yoda or Gandhi, or some shit. You’re still young! Runnin’ this shit is in your blood. You and Cain started an empire. Nobody can touch you!”
“Cain was touched. It got him, one way or another, now didn’t it? My right hand was cut off.”
“But if you leave, Judge, the gangs are going to take over all of your territory as soon as word hits the streets! You’re the brains and enforcement! Cain carried out your orders with an iron fist, but now you just speak to everyone directly, and in that process, we’ve gotten to know you better. It’s been amazin’, man. You’ve held it down while he’s been gone.”
“I always said that I wanted to quit while I was on top, Truck. Not because I’m on my way to death row, or on some hospital bed, a fuckin’ vegetable, unable to walk or wipe my own ass, fuck, or feed myself. I’m ridin’ the wave right now, but all waves come crashin’… right?” He exhaled a trail of smoke. “Now, stop it with all the long faces. I know I’m a special motherfucker.” He got a few chuckles. “But I also know you all can do this just fine. I’m workin’ out the particulars, and it will be to everyone’s advantage. Cain and I didn’t pick no punks, and I’m not leavin’ my shit to the highest bidder. Y’all are going to run this shit, you hear me? Nobody is takin’ over shit, butyou. I’m passing the torch to each and every one of you, and I’ll still be here for you. You know you can always call me. We’re family.”
Many nodded, seeming more receptive now.
“Cain and I trained all of you. Everyone on my team is competent as hell. We’ve been successful all of this time because each and every one of you knows what the hell you’re doin’. You take pride in your work—fuck how people on the outside judge us—and the keys to success? You know how to keep your mouth shut. As you go along, you’ll learn new things. The game changes as the times change, guys.”
Several people murmured their agreement. “You’ll figure out shit I didn’t teach you. You’ll find new ways to navigate and improve. Kash has a brilliant mind.” He pointed to the man, proud of him. “Sizzle can cook some primo product. She just needs help with output, and y’all can assist her in getting those people, the right people, to add to her team. I’ve worked hard, guys. I don’t complain, and I enjoy my life, but I’m tired.” He took a deep breath, followed by a ragged exhale. “I’m tired of not being able to go on long vacations and just relax on the beach.
“I’m tired of worrying about who’s trying to rob me mornin’, noon, and night. I’m sick of dealin’ with people fuckin’ with my brother, because Cain can’t fight back in that hellhole! He can’t get a hold of his protection the same way. He’s not gang affiliated; the racist White boys don’t want him ’cause they know he don’t discriminate, and like me, he doesn’t play that shit. If he went along with it just to save his own ass, then the Black and Hispanic gangs would target him. He’d be right back in the same scenario, just surrounded by different colored faces. He can’t win in that zoo.”
“We know Cain though, man. He got hands.”
“Yeah, Cain can defend himself, Kash, he can fight his ass off, everyone knows that, but there’s always someone bigger and badder up in there, someone with affiliations that can cause him trouble. The extortion attempts, from the guards and prisoners, happen all the fuckin’ time. Cain has refused to break, so, he’s marked. Yeah, he’s got some people in there who have his back, but he’s also got some enemies. Because the motherfucker was a beast. An expert. He ran circles around the competition, and we were hated for it.
“Cain knows the sacrifice though. I’m practically raisin’ his boy—my nephew is angrier than hell. All he wanted was his dad.” Kash lowered his gaze and rubbed his forehead. He too had kids who barely saw him. “I don’t want to end up like that when the time comes. I’ve sacrificed a lot. I’m ready to put the wheels in motion to start LIVING. Everything in my life revolved around the game, man. I’VE BEEN HUSTLIN’ SINCE I WAS CRAWLIN’! I came out of my mother knowin’ the deal before I could even walk… born into this shit. My father’s name and face are tattooed on people’s arms. Tennessee pride! My parents robbed fourteen fuckin’ banks without gettin’ caught over a two-year period. That’s crazy! Unheard of!
“Nobody even knew who was doing it, till that one fateful night, when my ol’ man fucked up. I don’t want to keep goin’ until that ‘one fuck up’. Their deaths should be a lesson to me. Not a repeat of history. Look at me.” Silence reigned, and nobody moved. “I SAID LOOK AT ME, DAMN IT!” They all turned towards him as he ripped his shirt off and tossed it on the floor. “This is a fuckin’ bullet hole in my chest, covered by a damn tattoo.” He pointed at the healed lesion.
“I’ve got scars from broken glass, from when I had to jump out of a fourth-floor window to escape the police. Y’all put yourselves at risk, too. I know this, don’t get me wrong, but the drug lord, the Judge…” he pointed to himself, “I’m the big fish everyone wants to fry. I can’t trust anyone! Not even y’all completely, because nobody in this business can be trusted! We survive by lyin’, conniving, tricking, lootin’, stealin’, beatin’, killin’, and dealin’. Every time I enjoy something, and excel at it, society says it’s bad.” He laughed dismally. “That’s my cross to bear. I’ve got some plans in the works, but I’m not going to say anything until the right time. I just figured, ’cause we’re family and all, I should tell you this sooner rather than later.”
