"What are you doing? The hospital was back there," Panama Black pointed out, looking at the emergency sign that was now behind them.

"Your legs are going to have to wait. I have to warn my family," Kahllah said, steering with one hand and dialing her cell phone with the other. She tried Animal first, but he sent her to voice mail. She tried him four more times with the same results. "s.h.i.t," she cursed, punching the dashboard. Her fool of a brother was likely walking himself into certain death and she couldn't even warn him. She tired another number, and waited, praying that she picked up.

TWENTY-ONE.

INSTEAD OF GOING BACK TO Cain and Abel's apartment he drove them to an isolated section of Brooklyn, where they kept a large storage unit. Cain had an arrangement with the people who owed the facility, so they never disturbed his storage unit. This is the place they had chosen to execute the next phase of their plan. "He don't look so good," Ashanti said, looking down at George, who was stretched out on a blanket. His breathing had become shallow, and he was bleeding from the mouth.

"You wouldn't look so good either if somebody hit you with a truck, would you?" Sonja asked sarcastically. She was kneeling beside George, examining him. In addition to being a kingpin's daughter and trained killer, Sonja was also a registered nurse. She hadn't practiced much medicine since she had come to work for her father, but she was their only option for getting George medical attention because they couldn't very well take him to a hospital.

"How is he?" Animal asked.

"Alive, but I don't know how long that will hold true if we don't get him to a hospital to see a real doctor," Sonja replied.

"We both know that's out of the question. Patch him up as best you can and get him ready for our presentation," Animal told her. He then turned his attention to Ashanti. "Let me holla at you right quick, Blood," he led him from the storage unit and out of earshot of everyone else.

"What's up?" Ashanti asked.

"What was that all about at the club?" Animal asked, getting straight to the point.

"What do you mean?" Ashanti faked ignorance.

"Don't play with me, Ashanti, because I ain't got the head for games right now. I'm talking about that business with shorty with the dreads. That girl wasn't no street rat trying to save George, she was a trained killer. She could've popped your head off, but she didn't. She froze when she realized who you were, like y'all knew each other. Something you wanna tell me?"

Ashanti lowered his eyes. "No . . . , I mean yes . . . s.h.i.t I don't know, Animal. I think I might be going crazy."

"Why don't you tell me what the deal is and let me be the judge of your sanity," Animal said.

"I can't say for sure, but I think that was Angela," Ashanti said.

"Your sister? I thought she was dead?"

"So did everybody," Ashanti said. "You know for years we looked for Angela. When I got my weight up, I even hired an investigator of my own to try and find her. The only lead he was ever able to find is when the dudes who ran off with her were found at the scene of a ma.s.s slaughter somewhere in Illinois. After that I a.s.sumed she was dead too and just stopped looking."

This threw Animal for a loop because it was the first time Ashanti had ever confided in him that he continued looking for Angela when everyone else had given up. "Ashanti, are you sure that was Angela?"

"To be honest, no. I haven't seen Angela since we were little. It looked like it could be her, but I can't say for sure until I see her again," Ashanti told him.

Things weren't adding up to Animal. If by some long-shot the girl at the club was Ashanti's estranged sister, how did she tie into Sonja's people in Puerto Rico? The rabbit hole continued getting deeper and deeper.

"Fella, y'all might want to hear this," Cain called out to them. Animal and Ashanti went back into the storage unit to find Cain, Abel and Red Sonja huddled around Cain's cell phone, which was on speakerphone.

"Are you all listening?" A female's voice came over the speaker.

"Who is it?" Animal asked.

"Her," Sonja said in disgust.

Animal immediately knew she meant Lilith. "How did she get your number?" he asked Cain.

"That's what I'd like to know," Cain cast a distrustful glance at Sonja.

"Don't go racking your brains about how I was able to contact you. Just know that my reach is endless," Lilith said. "So, you have allied yourselves with the traitorous wh.o.r.e Red Sonja, and made her problems your problems."

"Wouldn't be no problems if you weren't trying to kidnap my daughter," Animal said.

Lilith laughed. "Is that what she told you to get you to throw your life away? Dear boy, I was lead to believe you were smart, but obviously, I was misinformed. I can't say that I fault you. Sonja can be quite manipulative when she puts her mind to it."

"So says the baby s.n.a.t.c.her," Sonja capped.

"Shut your lying mouth, Sonja. I could push a b.u.t.ton and have your lives all ended without having to leave my house if I so chose, so show the proper respect," Lilith spat.

"What do you want?" Animal asked.

"You have sought to hurt me by taking my son, but George is a soldier. He knows the risks that come with being a part of this family and is more than prepared to die to protect us, if need be. How many of you can say the same?"

"What are you getting at?" Animal didn't like where the conversation was going.

"It's very simple. You've taken something from me and I in turn will take something from you," Lilith said wickedly.

Sonja snorted. "Is that supposed to be some kind of threat?"

"No, that is a fact, but here is the threat; if my son is not returned to me in a timely manner and in perfect health, I am not the only mother who will weep for her child," she told them and ended the call.

"What the h.e.l.l did she mean by that?" Abel asked the unspoken question.

The answer to the question hit Animal like a bag of bricks. "T.J. and Celeste!" he gasped.

When Gucci got out of the shower she heard her phone ringing. She ignored it, and continued drying herself and then started applying lotion to her legs. She had been having a rough few days and didn't feel like talking to anyone.

No sooner had her phone stopped ringing, than it started again. Frustrated, Gucci reached for her phone, ready to curse out whoever was blowing it up, when she heard the doorbell ringing. "If it ain't one thing, it's another," she slipped on her robe. Scooping her cell phone off the table she went to answer the door.

T.J. and Celeste were in their favorite spot, sitting in front of the television, when Gucci pa.s.sed through the living room. T.J. was so engrossed in the television program that he didn't give Gucci a second look, but Celeste did. She had a worried expression her face.

Whoever was ringing the doorbell had started banging on it, heavily, irritating Gucci. "I'm coming d.a.m.n it, hold on!" she shouted. In her hand, her phone began ringing again. She continued to ignore it until she saw Kahllah's number on the caller I.D. "Hey sis," Gucci cradled the phone to her ear.

"Gucci, thank G.o.d. Is everything okay?" Kahllah asked frantically.

"Yes, everything is fine. Are you okay?" Gucci asked nervously. She had never heard Kahllah sound so rattled.

The banging on the front door continued.

"Gucci, I need you to gather up the kids and get them out of the house, now!" Kahllah warned her, but the warning came too late.

On the other end of the phone, Kahllah could hear the sound of the door being kicked in, followed by screaming and gunfire.

"Gucci . . . Gucci, are you there? What's happening?" Kahllah asked in a panicked tone. A few seconds later the line went dead.

Gucci was frozen in terror as men dressed in all black and carrying a.s.sault rifles stormed her house. The one leading the pack was a well-built Hispanic with a bald head. On the sides of his skull Gucci saw two devil horns tattooed. Her moment of frozen terror was broken up when she heard T.J. screaming. Her eyes shot across the room and she saw two of the black clad men trying to take T.J. and Celeste. Gucci's parental instincts kicked in and she went immediately into survival mode.

Gucci made a mad dash for the couch, trying to retrieve the shotgun Animal kept hidden underneath it. Her fingers had just grazed the b.u.t.t, when someone grabbed her by her hair and dragged her back. It was the man with the tattooed head. He motioned to one of his men, who looked under the couch and came up holding the shotgun.

The man with the tattoos shook his head in disappointment. "When I came, I had intended on treating you with the respect due a woman, but since you want to act like a b.i.t.c.h, I'll treat you like one," he punched Gucci in the face, dropping her.

Gucci lay on the ground, head spinning and jaw throbbing. She had been hit in the face by a man before, but never with that much force. Part of her wanted to just lie on the floor rather than risk getting hit again, but she remembered the kids. She had to save them. Gucci faked like she was still stunned, while the tattooed man sent one of his minions to get her up. When he was right on top of her, she kicked him in the nuts as hard as she could.

Gucci scrambled for dear life, across the living room floor towards the kitchen. She got up and rolled across the counter, just as a hail of gunfire hit it. Dishes shattered and splinters of wood came away from the cabinets, eventually dislodging one and almost dropping it on Gucci's head.

"Finish her, and let's go," she heard the tattooed man say.

Gucci could hear the heavy footfalls of boots, crossing her living room and getting ever closer to her. When they were right on the other side of the cabinet, Gucci popped up with her hand tucked inside a cereal box.

One of the men laughed. "What, do you plan on making me breakfast?"

"No, n.i.g.g.a, but you sure are about to be food!" Gucci pulled the trigger of the gun inside the cereal box. The bullet struck the man in black in the throat, knocking him backward. She ducked back behind the counter just as the remaining men returned fire. Gucci cowered behind the counter, trying her best not to get hit. She could hear the kids both crying, and it only added urgency for her need to get to them. Then just as suddenly as the shooting started, it stopped.

"Hey, little b.i.t.c.h. I want to show you something," she heard the man with the tattooed head shout.

Thinking it was a trick, Gucci remained where she was. That's when she heard T.J. cry out to her.

"Mommy, help!"

Gucci peeked around the counter and what she saw made her heart skip several beats. The man with the tattooed head was holding T.J. with a machete to his throat. Gucci sprang to her feet, gun drawn. "If you don't put my son down so help me I will-"

"You won't do s.h.i.t but watch this ugly little f.u.c.ker bleed all over these expensive tiles, if you don't toss that gun away and play nice." The man with the tattoos on his head warned. Gucci still looked hesitant. "Oh, you must think I'm f.u.c.king around," he pressed the blade tighter to T.J.'s throat, causing him to scream.

"Okay, okay," Gucci tossed the gun and raised her hands in surrender. "Just don't hurt my baby."

The man with the tattooed head, pa.s.sed T.J. to one of his minions and stalked towards Gucci. He grabbed her by her throat and lifted her off her feet, causing her robe to come open. His dark eyes took in her nude body beneath the expensive silk. "My orders were just to come here and collect the little girl, but I think I'm going to have some fun with you first."

EPILOGUE.

KAHLLAH JUMPED THE CURB AND knocked over two bushes when she pulled up to the house. Panama Black was still in the backseat, bleeding and begging her to take him to the hospital. Kahllah ignored him, and jumped out of the car, making a mad dash for the house.

Both guns in hand, she approached the front door to find it ajar. "Gucci," she called out, but got no answer. She crept into the house and her heart leapt into her throat. Furniture was overturned, and the living room and kitchen were both riddled with bullet holes. Her mind went to the kids, and she ran upstairs to see if they were okay, but found no signs of them . . . she was too late.

Kahllah ran downstairs. If something had happened to Animal's family on her watch, she wouldn't be able to live with herself. She heard the sound of a ringing phone somewhere amongst the debris. It took her only a few seconds to find it, lying on the floor near the kitchen. When she bent down to pick it up she noticed the blood. "h.e.l.lo," Kahllah answered, following the blood trail which lead to the other side of the kitchen counter.

"Kahllah? Why are you answering Gucci's phone?" Animal asked on the other end.

Kahllah heard the questions, but couldn't find her voice to answer him. What she found in the kitchen stole her breath and broke her heart.

"Kahllah, talk to me. Is everything okay?" Animal asked in a panicked tone. He had a feeling in his gut that something wasn't right.

Kahllah composed herself enough to finally answer her brother. "No, everything is not okay."

At Kahllah's feet lay Gucci's body. She was naked, and beaten so badly that Kahllah almost didn't recognize her. Blood still trickled from her throat where it had been slashed. True to her word, Lilith aka Tiger Lily would not be the only mother weeping for her child.

TO BE CONTINUED.

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