Array Ashley - Murderville

“Who is this, Nico?” He asked as he pointed at the slim, chocolate girl. Nico took a pull on the blunt and winked at the girl.

“This is my friend, Bunny. Bunny, this is my cousin Shai,” Nico said proudly as he blew the smoke out slowly. He then passed the blunt to the girl. She looked at A’shai and extended her hand.

“Hi, Shai. I’ve heard a lot about you,” she said as her hand lingered in the air. Nico saw the way that the girl’s eyes lit up when she found out the man before them was the infamous A’shai Montgomery. The girl saw A’shai and money bags seemed to appear in her glazed over eyes. She was finally in the presence of the man the streets claimed to be the next boss. All of the girls in the city wanted A’shai and had heard about him in some shape or form. A’shai looked down at the girl’s hand and didn’t budge.

“Look, I’m sure you’re a nice girl… but you have to go, ma,” he said sternly as he stepped to the side so she could have a clear pathway out. The girl’s smile quickly turned upside down and the rejection slightly embarrassed her. She looked at Nico, waiting for him to say something but it never happened. Nico actually pointed to the door, signaling her to go because he knew that he was in the wrong. Baron had made it clear that he didn’t want anybody in the money room except A’shai or Nico. He ran his drug operation as if it was a Fortune 500 company and that very reason alone attributed to his success.

The girl smacked her lips and quickly stood up and stormed out. A’shai watched as she left and closed the door behind her.

“I wanted to smash shorty. Why you tripping?” Nico asked A’shai as he picked the blunt back up and put it in his mouth. A’shai walked over to Nico and snatched the blunt out of his mouth and snuffed it out in the ashtray.

“Why am I tripping? You don’t get it do you? You know only me and you belong in the money room. But somehow you let a stripper bitch in and you ain’t even on your shit. You back here smoking weed when you supposed to be getting the count ready,” A’shai said as he as he placed his hands on his hips and shook his head.

“Relax. We were just chilling. How do you know she was a stripper anyway?” Nico replied.

“For one, the bitch name is Bunny,” A’shai shot back as he sat down and sifted through the money. Nico didn’t admit it, but he did meet her in a strip club just two nights before. A’shai looked at Nico and noticed the diamond encrusted chain on his neck and he clenched his teeth tightly. He had explained to Nico many times before about where most diamonds in America came from. Conflict diamonds usually came from Sierra Leone. The hardship and horror stories that were behind the blood diamonds bothered A’shai. Slaves were forced to search mines night and day to find those stones. Families were torn apart and people’s blood shed over the diamonds that Americans wore freely. They had no knowledge of how the jewels got to them and around their necks. Nico noticed that A’shai stared at his necklace and he quickly tucked it in his shirt, not wanting to hear A’shai preach to him the origin of the blood diamonds.

“Thank you,” A’shai said as if he had read Nico’s mind. “So, what the count look like?” A’shai asked as he began to put the money in the duffle bag by his feet.

“One hundred stacks,” Nico said confidently as he ran the last stack through the machine.

“Perfect,” A’shai said as he began to put the money into the duffle bag. The average take per day was $100,000 and that was on a slow day. He loaded the bag up and tried to get out of the trap spot as quickly as possible. He felt that just being around Nico made him dumber. Honestly, the only reason he even tolerated Nico was because he was Baron’s nephew. Baron was a family man and always believed in looking out for blood so he let Nico run the projects, which was one of the hottest drug areas in the city.

“I’m about to bounce. Yo, I’m going to be out of town for a couple days. Drop the cash off to Pop’s house while we’re gone. Listen, the safe combo is 7-11-55. Ma will be expecting you. Got that?” A’shai said as he stood up and put the last of the stacks inside the bag.

“Yeah I got it. 7-11-55. No problem,” Nico responded. “Yo, where you going?” Nico asked nosily.

“Pops and me are heading out to L.A. this weekend,” A’shai replied unenthusiastically as he motioned towards the door. “I need you to hold it down while I’m gone.”

“You know I got you. What you need to do is put a good word in for me with Unc. Tell him I’m trying to come up. Sitting in the crack house all day ain’t what I want to do. I’m a boss nigga like you. I should be doing pick-ups and going to business sit downs with y’all,” Nico said as he stuck his chest out. A’shai didn’t even bother to respond. Although he and Nico were the same age, A’shai was twice his age in the mind. A’shai knew that a clown nigga like Nico wasn’t built for being a boss but only a worker. A’shai walked out the door, leaving Nico there to tend to his own pipe dreams.

“Bitch ass nigga,” Nico said as envy overcame him. He picked up the blunt that A’shai had put out and lit it. He never could understand why Baron had placed A’shai in charge and not him. Nonetheless, while Nico was smoking, A’shai was on his way to the next spot to pick up money. While Nico slept, A’shai was up thinking and that’s why A’shai was in the top position.

“Thank you,” Baron said smoothly as he grabbed the Remy on the rocks from the stewardess. They were thousands of feet above land as they made their way to the West Coast to visit a new coke connection. The private jet rode smoothly and was just as comfortable as Baron’s living room. The plush seats, light jazz, and soft carpet created a relaxing environment for the drug lord. He sat across from his son, A’shai, and smiled. “How does it feel to be nearing the finish line?” Baron asked referring to A’shai’s upcoming graduation from college in a couple of weeks.

“It feels good. I just have finals next week, and I will be done. It’s been a long time coming,” he answered as he also received a glass from the stewardess.

“I’m proud of you. You are making your mother so happy by getting that degree. I always knew you were going to be special. You had the eye of the tiger even as a young boy,” Baron said as he took a sip of his drink and gave A’shai his infamous smile. Baron always could light up a room with his smile. It was always sincere and real. People felt that from him.

“Thanks Pop,” A’shai replied modestly.

“Now, you are coming to a forked road in your life. You can take the business world by storm, and I know you will be successful in anything you put your mind to. The other option is to follow in my footsteps. I know morally it would be right for me to tell you to leave the streets alone and fly straight. But your pops is a smart man. I know the streets are harsh, and I would much rather you not make it a career. But I also know that you’re going to do what you want to do regardless of what direction I want you to go in. I just want to let you know that I have your back in anything that you do. If you want to be a Wall Street banker… I’m with you. And if you want to move coke… I’m going to show you how to do it the right way. It’s all on you,” Baron said, dropping his adopted son some mental gems.

A’shai smiled and loved his father’s gangster. He knew that Baron wasn’t one to judge and would ride for him on any decision he made.

“You know what I want?” A’shai asked as he looked into his father’s eyes, returning the stare.

“No, son. I don’t know. Tell me. What do you want?” Baron asked as he sat up and looked A’shai straight in the eyes.