Chapter Eight:
My Brother’s Drama
***Amir***
The dim light in the small room I was kept in flickered on and off, making me feel on edge. My hands were tied tightly behind my back cutting into my already raw skin. My nose stung with the stench of my own sweat and the dank musky scent that oozed from the walls. I knew I was in a warehouse but didn’t know where. Footsteps echoed and bounced around the building and I could hear the angry, sadistic shouts every time my kidnapper talked to my brother. I just kept praying to God to forgive me for my moment of weakness that led me to my present dilemma It wasn’t until I was hit over my head that I realized I was a pawn in Raheim’s drama. I lost track of the days and only knew that I had to get out of here alive.
These chicks were crazy as hell itself and visited me throughout the day to help me to the bathroom or to feed me fast food burgers, which I normally despised but ate out of starvation. Occasionally Pam, if that was her real name, came in to screw me without my consent. But I was tied and the flesh is weak. Betrayed as well by my lower half, always willing to rise to the occasion. I kept going over my last week of freedom and cursing myself for falling into this obvious trap. I should have known she was way too good to be true.
I hadn’t seen her in church before and she sat a row in front of me during church service. I tried not to stare at her but she was beautiful. Her skin was the color of cinnamon and she had the perfect silhouette. I wasn’t usually weak when it came to women, primarily because I really did want to wait until marriage and all that good stuff. Unlike my brother I still believe in love, and I learned from what my parents did to each other. I wanted the type of love my aunt Sadie had with my uncle, but I also believed in forgiveness and my mom needed tons of it. That is why Pam was so appealing. She seemed innocent and God-fearing. She wasn’t all eager to jump up in my face like most of the other girls in the church. She didn’t flirt with me and that caught my attention. After each church service, members usually walked around greeting newcomers and I thought I’d say a quick hello. She was warm and receptive and even smiled, though I saw her eyes light up just a little when she first saw me, she didn’t come on to me. I was extremely surprised when I saw her again at Wednesday night bible study and she even sat directly across from me so I could see her pretty face. I tried to remain focused during the pastor’s message but it was hard. By Friday night’s prayer meeting I was running in to see if she was there and she was. Only this time she asked to share my bible because she forgot hers at home and we prayed holding hands until the prayer meeting was over.
I struck up a conversation after the meeting and she answered all of my questions until we were both laughing and sharing stuff about our lives. I didn’t realize that all of that sharing was to get information on Raheim. We were inseparable for two weeks calling each other every day and night and seeing each other before, during and after the prayer meetings, bible studies and Sunday church services. My weakest moment came when I kissed her out of nowhere after walking her to her car and I swear that was the best kiss I ever had.
I couldn’t stop thinking about her and gladly accepted her offer to come to a ‘bible study’ at her house. She told me to meet her on 69th street by the tower theatre at 8:30pm. When I got there, a black Ford Explorer with tinted windows pulled up in front of me. The window rolled down just enough for me to see her and then the doors opened up with two big dudes jumping out to hustle me into the SUV. One held my arms while the other put a cloth up to my nose. I can’t remember much after that except waking up in this ridiculous room in my boxers and handcuffed. I was still confused until a short brown skinned woman came in talking at me before hitting me over the head with a hard metal object. Screaming about it being Raheim’s fault. Right when the crazy woman was about to hit me in the head again Pam came outta nowhere screaming for her not to hurt my face. She wouldn’t look me in the eyes for the first few days.
However, her guilt didn’t keep her away for too long cause a few days later she came in apologizing for everything and that she was forced to do it while she rode me into repentance. Periodically the other chick would come in saying it was a shame I was so fine but she had to do what she had to do. Which also meant she had to beat me for the sins of my brother. I refused to cry out when she hit me and that made her angrier. A few times I told her I would pray for her and I hoped God could forgive her in spite of her sins. That usually got her to stop and to walk out of the room.
I could hear footsteps getting closer to my holding room. I knew they were Pam’s. Being here left me with nothing better to do but memorize sounds. The door cracked open and she slipped inside of the room. Even in the dim light I could tell she was worried about something.
“Listen, this is starting to get outta hand. I know you probably hate me but I swear I didn’t want things to go this far.”
“What are you talking about? What’s happening?” I asked confused.
“Be quiet, I’m not supposed to say anything. I will come back later but I swear I’m sorry,” she said as she walked up to my chair and kissed me on my lips like she didn’t expect to see me later. That scared me and caused my heart to start beating outta my chest. What was about to happen?
“Pam, please tell me, is something wrong with my brother?” tears welled up in my eyes. I needed to get out of here and the only way I knew how was to fight my way out, but my hands were tied.
“Your brother is coming at 8, he’s gonna trade places with you. I promise I will come back in an hour, just give me some time.”
After what felt like hours in silence, I could hear voices bouncing all over the walls. Some of the voices were deeper than what I was used to. They were men, some laughing while others shouted orders. I strained to hear what they were talking about. Though my arms were tied, I could still stand and walk closer to the door. One of the deeper male voices was saying that he won’t know what hit him, and let’s see how pretty his ass is when I finish with him. I assumed the “he” they were talking about was Raheim, but I couldn’t understand why he was in so much trouble. I knew one day his weakness for multiple women would eventually catch up with him, but this was a bit more dramatic, even for him. I walked quickly over to my chair when I heard Pam’s footsteps coming closer to the door again.
“I’m gonna loosen your handcuffs but please don’t try to get out until I give you a signal.” She walked behind me and loosened the grip on the handcuffs. My skin was raw and irritated but felt instant relief from the metal baring into my skin.
“In another life we coulda been together,” she said.
“We can still be together. I know this isn’t you. I’ve seen the real you Pam and I swear I won’t be mad if you help me get outta this situation. I’m not sure what my brother did, but if I can just talk to him we can probably find a solution.” I tried to reason with her.
“Amir, they not tryna hear your gospel, bible toting solutions. Your brotha broke Showboat’s jaw in three different places and he crushed his windpipe. What makes it worse is that his boy Dre is Showboat’s enemy. They out to get revenge and it ain’t nothing nobody can do about it.” She shook her head like she thought I was crazy or naïve I couldn’t tell.
“God can do something about it,” I tried to convince myself of that.
“Then you betta start praying now then.” She kissed me again and walked out of the room. Sweat beads started forming around my eyebrows. I was getting more nervous and more agitated. I figured out that my hands could actually squeeze out of the handcuffs with a little prying. I was determined not to die like this. I refused to let my brother die like my father, over a woman. A calmness washed over me and, for the first time since I arrived here, I felt at peace. However, a sinking feeling let me know that I would need more than just prayer if I wanted to make it out of here alive. When Pam left I could hear a dude shout.
“Yo, why you keep going in that room?”
“Mike go ahead wit all dat,” Pam yelled back but the dude kept going. His voice sounded like it was getting closer.
“I’m not fucking joking Pam. Why the fuck you keep going in there? Don’t tell me you caught feelings for that muthafucka!” Before I knew it I could hear Pam scream and the room door flew open. Pam looked weak in comparison to the tall muscular dude gripping her by the arm. He had a huge pistol in his hand and he pointed it right at my chest.
“Now tell me again, did you catch feelings for this nigga?” He sounded like the wrong answer would most definitely result in my death. She stared me directly in the eyes and shouted.
“Hell NO! Now stop tripping and get off my damn arm, you’re hurtin me.” She yanked her arm away and turned out of the room. I knew she just saved my life and I knew she was lying but I didn’t have time to think about that right now. Before he turned to leave he walked up to within an inch of my face and punched me in my stomach hard enough to make me hurl yesterday’s lunch. I knew now that they were gonna ambush Raheim. I knew that I needed to do something but I wasn’t clear yet on what.
***Felicia***
The plane couldn’t land fast enough. I walked as fast as I could to the exit sign and looked around out front for Raheim’s aunt. It was already five o’clock and everything in me told me that my time was limited. Finally I saw a light brown lady wearing a black shirt and pair of jeans. She waved me over and we both met somewhere in the middle. For a moment we looked at each other and then she hugged me. I relaxed into her arms and fought back tears.
“You can put that bag in the trunk,” she opened the trunk and let me place my carryon bag inside.
“Do you know where he is?” I tried to check my voice because I swear I wanted to jump out of my skin.
“Honey, things are a bit crazy right now. Amir is missing and Raheim is going to get him at 8 tonight. He looked all crazy when he came to my house, but he wanted me to know how he feels about you and he wants you taken care of.”
Why did it sound like things were so final. Was she trying to say he thought he might die tonight?
“Ms. Sadie, I need to talk to Raheim today, it’s important, did he tell you where he was going?”
“No, he just said he wanted me to pick you up from the airport and to make sure you were taken care of.” Before she could finish her sentence I had my cell up to my ear dialing his number. All I knew is that his ass better pick up or I would be on a one-woman mission across Philly trying to find his ass. After the fourth ring his voicemail picked up telling me to kindly leave him a message.
“Raheim, WHERE ARE YOU?” I shouted before ending the call. I couldn’t take this drama, not right now and especially not with a baby hanging over my fate.
“Don’t worry he’ll be ok,” she said soothingly and I knew she thought she was helping me with that weak ass cliché, but it wasn’t alright and it wouldn’t be until I saw my man again. I stared at the fast moving cars whizzing by on the highway and I tried to recall any information that would help me find Raheim.
***Raheim***
I saw Felicia’s number calling into my phone but I was sitting in Dre’s car trying to clear my head. This shit was heavy and I wasn’t really ready for what might happen. Dre sat with me in silence for a few minutes before speaking up.
“You know I love Amir like a brother and I will do whatever it takes to get him back. But I gotta tell you that Showboat is a real ignorant ass muthafucka. He’s gonna come hardcore, especially since you already got the best of him. We gotta be smart about this shit so stick to the plan and things will work out for the best.” I took a deep breath and tried not to focus on how dangerous this situation could be.
The plan was to have me go in alone with my cell phone strapped to my back. We would have Dre on the line waiting for my cue. When they heard the cue Dre and his boys would come in with guns blazing and I would grab Amir and roll out. It seemed clear cut but I knew how many things could go wrong. I didn’t want to show fear, especially in front of my best friend, but the heart grows weak under pressure.
“Rah, stay cool man. You know I got your back and stop stressing. We bout to show that sucka who run this city.” He held out his hand for one of our handshakes. I sure as hell hoped he was right because I didn’t feel like dying today. We both stepped out of the car at the same time walking into his house in West Philly. The house was filled with a nervous energy and more than twenty dudes willing to die to save my brother. I felt humbled and appreciative because I couldn’t say I would be willing to die for another man’s cause.
Candy was walking around half naked passing out drinks while all eyes were locked on the table covered with every type of semi-automatic weapon imaginable. Terrance, one of Dre’s boys from middle school was explaining what each weapon was capable of. He looked every man directly in the eye as he talked, leaving the crowd silent with awe. Terrance was always into guns, even when we were kids he used to sneak into his step dad’s gun cabinet and just stare in amazement.
I knew I should call Felicia back but I didn’t want her to talk me out of it. If I heard her voice I would crack and probably want to see her and I knew that wouldn’t be good for Amir. I had to stay focused and if I made it out alive I swear I wouldn’t mess with any other woman but her. A quick look down at my Cartier watch showed 6:30, it felt like the time was moving way too slow.
“Let’s go,” Dre stood in the middle of the dining room and shouted out his last order. Adrenaline filled my veins. I knew if I had to die to save my brother than I needed to make peace with both myself and God. I sent up a prayer asking for forgiveness. If nothing else Amir tried to show me that God would forgive even the worst of us. Everybody started heading outside to get into the five cars and trucks parked out front. Dre held my arm back so we both could stand and watch everyone load into the vehicles.
“I told you I got you right?” He looked me in the eyes.
“I love you, man,” I said.
“Yeah and I love you too, man. Now enough of this girly shit, let’s go take out Showboat.” We jumped in his Grand Marquis and he blasted Beanie Sigel’s “Feel It In The Air” track as we started the procession of cars that would bring on the destruction. The streets of Philadelphia were always busy and tonight was no different. Tall buildings provided cover for mischievous behavior and shadows were mistaken for figures. I didn’t know if my mind was playing tricks on me or if I actually saw a tall dark figure staring directly through me. I closed my eyes and let the music consume me.
“You may be dead by morning,” I told myself and in that brief moment I thought about me and Felicia in Jamaica. I thought about how happy she was when I said she was my woman. I thought about my visit with Janet and how I needed to save Amir so I could tell him that I went up to see her.
The old warehouse set a few feet back off the curb. There were a few cars parked out front of the building but not enough for it to be suspicious. Light came through the windows letting us know they were already there. The street was pretty much abandoned with no stray cars driving by. In unison all cars slowed down and music went off. We were there 45 minutes before 8, which gave me an advantage. Dre pulled over a few blocks down from the warehouse and got out of the car.
The drivers of each car jumped out and Dre let everybody know that they would stay parked until they heard the cue. He also said that if he heard anything foul he would leave early which made me feel better. I decided to get the party started earlier because it gave me an advantage. It would interfere with the amount of time they had to plan a counterattack. I jumped out of the car, shook Dre’s hand again and stated.
“For the first time in your life, please don’t be on nigga time.” He nodded and he checked my cell strapped to my back and dialed his number. I started making my way down the long road leading up to the warehouse after he answered and verified that he could hear me talking. My eyes were alert for any suspicious movements on the road, but there was nothing. I felt naked without my piece but Dre insisted that it could be deadly if they did a weapons check. My heart started pounding the closer I got to the warehouse.
“Amir is in there, go get your brother,” I had to coach myself to approach the door. I could hear talking on the other side and knew right away I wouldn’t be the only man at the party. This made me uneasy because I only thought it would be Jackie doing the transaction. I guess Showboat was there to get a bit of pay back. I wish I could get him alone again. I would beat his ass one more time. I knocked on the door and the voices stopped and the sound of movement took its place.
“Who is it?” The familiar female voice asked.
“Raheim.” what I really wanted to say was, “who the fuck do you think it is,” but I held my tongue. The door was opened after a long pause leaving me feeling vulnerable. I knew I was walking into a trap but what type of trap was the question. Jackie was standing in the middle of the floor and I didn’t step inside for a moment.
“I said 8’oclock now didn’t I?” Jackie was much smaller than I expected, not a chick I would mess wit, but definitely not bad for a sadistic broad.
“Well when family is involved we tend to not be late.” I stepped inside and braced myself for an ambush but nothing happened.
“Where’s my brother?” I looked around the partially empty room and noticed three husky dudes each holding hand guns.
“You don’t call any shots nigga I wanna know why the hell you think you can go breaking people’s jaws.” She started to walk toward me and I knew this was a setup at the same moment I could see one of the guys approaching slowly.
“Check this sucka,” she ordered him.
I needed to be cool but I could feel the sweat beads popping up on my eyebrow. I knew my life was on the line if they felt the cell phone strapped to my back. One of her goons rocking a black hoodie gave me a standard pat down. His hands quickly went up and down my legs and over my arms and sides. Grateful he wasn’t smart enough to check my back I had to calm my breathing.
“Where’s my brother? I said I would switch places.” From the glint in her eye I could tell she liked what she saw. She was searching my face and I almost wanted to smile and shake my head. She was acting gangsta for an ugly ass dude that wasn’t man enough to handle his own shit.
“Yo just let me blast this nigga!” The smaller of the three guys raised his gun like he just might shoot. I never took my eyes off of Jackie.
“Boom, calm your ass down. I said I got this. Go get baby boy.” With a nod of the head Boom reluctantly walked into the backroom. Within moments he came back dragging Amir by the arm. He was noticeably thinner with silver electrical tape across his mouth and his hands tied behind his back. The only clothes he had on were his boxers and a dirty wife beater. Large bruises covered his arms and shoulders.
He had a look of fear spread across his face. I read the message in his wide-eyed stare loud and clear. They were gonna play me and I had to think fast.
“You see your brother? He still living; if you want to keep it that way I’m gonna need you to strip down now.”
“No hold up,” I stalled for time. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck standing on edge. I needed to move from in front of the door without appearing suspicious.
“I’m not stripping down until you let my fucking brother go.” I could feel the nervous energy in the room. My mind started to race but I needed to get closer to Amir. A door to the back room opened forcing me to look quickly in that direction. It was Showboat himself. He was still the same ugly muthafucka I whipped that day at the club. He strolled toward Jackie like he thought I was supposed to be scared. I knew it was about to get real serious, he had a point to prove.
“Listen, my girl said strip nigga, so it looks like you don’t have a choice.” He put a toothpick between his lips. I swear by the end of the night he would be choking on it.
“Listen homie, all of this dramatic shit is unnecessary. I said a trade and that is what the fuck it’s gonna be.” Boom was starting to pace and I knew I’d have to watch out for that trigger happy nigga..
“Fine, take him his brother.” Jackie nodded to Boom to walk Amir over. It was too easy, either they were the biggest dummies on the planet or they were planning on killing us both.
“Amir you ok? I elevated my voice loud enough for him to hear me but also to signal Dre and the gang. Amir walked slower than Boom cared for so he slammed the butt of his gun into his shoulder. Amir flinched and stumbled for a moment and I flipped.
“Yo, what the fuck is wrong wit your punk ass? I swear if you didn’t have that gun I’d fuck you up right now.”
“But I got the gun nigga, so do something and you and your nut ass brother will be swimming in the Delaware River.” I looked at Amir one last time and I shouted.
“Amir? I said are you ok?” Amir looked up from the floor and stared me straight in the eyes. He nodded again and I gave a knowing head nod but Boom picked up on our little signal and half spun.
“Yo sumthing ain’t right,” I swear it was something out of the matrix. His voice seemed to slow down and in that same moment Amir reached for the small gun Boom had hidden on his waist and managed to get off one round before the front door burst open. I dove forward on top of Amir before the sound of bullets could be heard over my head. Jackie’s screams were bouncing off the walls.
“You ok?” I yelled near Amir’s ear. One of his hands were free. He ripped off the tape leaving a bright red mark around his mouth.
“Yes,” he managed to say before I grabbed the gun out of his hand and told him to crawl over to the door with me covering him in the back. For a moment I felt like I might actually make it out alive. My eyes darted back and forth across the room. Bodies were lying on the floor in a growing pool of blood and brain matter. A mess of curls on the floor let me know Jackie was put down. I searched for Dre in the crowd and saw that he was still standing. I turned to run out of the door behind Amir to the car Dre and I had parked a block away earlier for me to get away in. In the same moment I turned I saw Amir’s body jerk forward and he fell to the ground. The same moment Amir fell I heard a loud scream “NO!” coming from a girl in the back of the room.
“Shit!” I dropped to my knees barely missing a bullet.
“Get up, Amir?”
“I can’t,” his eyes were wide with fear. This couldn’t be happening. I didn’t come all of this way just to lose my brother.
“Amir? Come on stay wit me.” I lifted him up over my shoulder and ran us both to the exit. A piercing sting hit my arm but I didn’t have time to think about it. I could hear Amir gasping for air.
“I’m gonna get you to a hospital. Hold on!” Running that block to the navy blue Honda civic was the longest distance I ever had to run.
Both car doors were unlocked as expected and I opened the back to lie Amir across the backseat.
“It burns!” Amir started to scream.
“I’m going to the hospital right now. Your cool,” I reassured him. The car started up immediately and I put my foot on the gas. I felt bad for leaving Dre and his team, but my brother was shot and I couldn’t risk it. I darted in an out of traffic taking the road with less streetlights. I tried to ignore the sound of Amir chocking on blood on the back seat.
“Get outta the way,” I yelled at a slow driver oblivious to my situation.
“Shit! Amir don’t go to sleep, you hear me? YOU AWAKE?” I yelled out to him.
“Yes…”
“Come on dude, don’t go to sleep. Look I needed to tell you I saw Janet!” I glanced in the rearview mirror and saw him trying to attempt a smile. The only thing I could think to do was drive to the hospital and talk to him the whole way.
“God please let him be ok.” I pleaded aloud.
If I never get an answer from God ever again in life I needed him to answer me tonight.
“Are you lying about Janet?” He asked barely above a whisper.
“No I went the day after you. She cried when she saw me. HEY! You awake?”
His eyes were closing and it started to freak me out.
“I’m tired Raheim.” His voice was strained.
“NO AMIR, fight it man, where almost there, stay awake!” My foot went heavy on the gas and I raced through yellow lights and stop signs. I didn’t feel relief until I saw the Mercy Fitzgerald hospital sign. I screeched to a halt in front of the emergency room entrance. The Honda looked like a toy car next to the large ambulance trucks. I jumped out of the driver’s side and ran to the back of the car. “Amir, come on we here.” I pulled him from the backseat his eyes were opening and closing.
“I NEED SOME HELP!!!” I ran through the automatic doors into the entrance. I didn’t care about the crowd of people waiting to be seen. “My brother was shot and I need help!” I yelled to a nurse standing behind a desk.
One of the nurses sitting behind a desk paged the triage unit and ran over to help me with Amir. Within seconds a crowd of men and women wearing scrubs rushed into the ER. Two of them wheeled a gurney and I was able to lie him there. He was wheeled through the doors and disappeared down the hall. My legs wouldn’t move and I needed to take a moment to catch my breath. My body felt weak and an older woman pointed to my arm.
“Son, your arm is bleeding too.” After her words hit my ear my arm started to burn. I looked down at my clothes covered with blood.
“Raheim?” I looked up into the face of Felicia’s friend Beverly.
“Oh my God, are you ok? Is Felicia and the baby ok?” she started looking around like she expected to find Felicia banged up beside me.
Baby? Did she say baby? My legs gave out and before I knew it I was hitting the floor.
***Felicia***
It has been over four hours and Raheim hasn’t called me back. His aunt kept me calm by dialing all of the numbers of Raheim’s friends that she knew. Most of them didn’t answer or hadn’t heard from him. I wanted to go out looking for him but she said it might be better if we waited for him to call. It was already past 9 o’clock and I tried not to think about him lying dead somewhere and I didn’t know about it. My cell phone started ringing and I couldn’t answer it fast enough.
“Felicia? Girl! What happened to Raheim?” It was Beverly and she was screaming into the phone.
“What? I haven’t heard from him since earlier.” I tried to conceal my irritation.
“Are you still in Jamaica?” She asked
“No, why what’s wrong Bev?”
“Raheim just came into the hospital girl. He covered in blood, you betta get down here.”
“What hospital?” I was frantic.
“Mercy Fitz in Darby, lil Mike broke his arm so I had to-” I hung up before she could finish her sentence.
“Raheim is at Mercy Fitzgerald, we gotta go now.” I grabbed my purse and we both ran out into the car. Let him be ok God please let him be ok.
“Who was that?” his aunt asked.
“My girlfriend Beverly. She said he was covered in blood,” I choked out the words. My heart was racing and my stomach tightened. I didn’t tell his aunt I was pregnant and now I may not be able to tell him. This would be the worst statistic of a fatherless child because his dad was killed by violence.
“Calm down Felicia, we don’t know anything yet.”
“No disrespect, but you don’t understand.”
We finally made it to the hospital what felt like an eternity later. I was out of the car before his aunt could park. I never could figure out why so many people crowded the ER everyday. I made my way to the check in window.
“Excuse me, but I’m looking for Raheim Starz. A light skinned male that just came in.”
“Ahhhh oh yeah. He is in room 10.”
“Was anyone with him?” His aunt asked over my shoulder. The blond haired nurse looked down at her clipboard and nodded her head before answering.
“Yes, but he’s in surgery. Are you family?”
“Yes, can I please go back now?”
She reached under the desk and buzzed us in. His aunt stayed behind asking for the name of the other person Raheim came in with. I didn’t wait but walked as fast as my legs could carry me in through the double doors. The beeping sounds of breathing machines and machines that check vital signs resonated through the corridor and down into my soul. I stopped in front of the door with the number 10 beside it. I wasn’t ready for what was on the other side of the door. I didn’t know if he would be hooked up to machines or what I would find, but I took a deep breath and pushed through.
Raheim was lying on a bed with his eyes closed. His bloody clothes in a heap on the floor beside a guest chair. I walked up to the bed with tears in my eyes happy to see him alive. He opened his eyes and turned to face me. His face softened and he even smiled a little. Before I could lean in for a hug he reached out his hands and placed them on my stomach. I was more than surprised, but didn’t have time to speak when a knock on the door interrupted the moment. A nurse escorted two young white policemen into the room.
“Do you mind if we ask you some questions?”
To Be Continued……