The Ex-Con

Chapter 22: Making Adjustments

Wednesday February 20th, 2008

7:45am

DaQuan

This has been a wild two weeks, it's hard to believe that we almost lost Roderick, because of everything that was going on. Me and Savon was talking, MAKING ADJUSTMENTS as to how we're going to strike and take down Maurice and his crew. Not violently but the right way. It's tough doing this but it needs to be done.

"Hey Savon, look at this." I said as he came over. "Makes no sense, does it?" I said. "Maurice turning these people out." I said as we saw a dope head walking across the street to get something from one of Maurice's boys.

"Naw, don't make any damn sense at all. It's crazy, it's wild." He said. "Don't worry, we'll take care of that situation soon." He whispered. "So how's Roderick been? Is he recovering?" He asked in a lower tone.

"Yeah it's all good." I told him as we walked over to Ray's BBQ Shack. "I can't say where he is until we're in a private place but just know he's good. He's recovering well." I told him. "I've kept in contact with him." And that's all i told him as we went into the restaurant.

"Hey boys how are you doing?" Ray asked

"I'm doing good."

"Same here." Savon said. "Just been sitting back, relaxing, doing my thing." He said as we sat down.

"So how's your jobs been?" Ray asked.

"Pretty good." I said.

"It's been okay, I could use more pay." He said, looking at Ray. "And better hours."

"Well with the hours you're working, on top of going to school i think that's more than enough, you work about 6 hours, from the time you get from school until about what 10:30pm to 11pm. You work here for about $6.00¢ an hour so that's what about $36 a day, and you work about 5 days, so that's about $225 a week. Then with you getting paid every two weeks that's $450 a week." He said, smirking.

"Well damn he sure put you in check." I said laughing. "Anyway we're ordering." I said. "So you gonna get back there and get to work?" I asked Savon, joking with him.

"Asshole." He said as he smiled, shook his head and folded his arms.

We talked and joked and laughed and then we headed to the school. We got there around 8:15am and we went to the lunch room and just sat around waiting for class to start. As we did we seen Tahime & Reggie cleaning up after some of the students and talking amongst themselves. Then Tahime walked over to me.

"Hey youngins how's it going?" He looked at me in a hushed tone. "Everything good? Y'all figured out the situation?"

"Naw, we seen someone dealing near Ray's though."

"Okay, here's what y'all do. During break today y'all go see if he's still at that spot, if so, press him, don't hurt him, press him, do it the right way too." He told us. "Then come back and we'll chop things up." He said. "Alright well good luck on that test." He said, getting up & winking.

"Thanks." I said.

"What the hell just happened?" Savon asked, laughing a bit.

Well basically what Tahime was saying is during lunch, when people go out or stay in for lunch, we go out, go back to the spot where we seen that dude selling to that fiend & we talk to him, ask things, we do it the right way then we come back and tell him what happened."

"Right we can do that."

We waited and waited throughout the day. And around 12:15pm when it was time for lunch break we both left school and went over near Ray's BBQ shack, and right down that street we seen the same guy over there selling. Me and Savon went into a nearby alley, i gave him my chain, watch, phone, wallet and ring and i ripped my shirt, and roughed myself up a bit to make it look like i was a fiend. I got $10 out my wallet and crumpled the bills up a bit and gave it back to Savon.

"Wait here, and i'll go work my magic." I told him. I came out of the Alley & went down the street as the guy finished giving the other dude some drugs.

"Hey...Hey you?" I asked as the guy turned around and i seen who it was. I was surprised.

"Yo what you need...DaQuan?"

"Angelo?"

We looked at each other for a second, then we spoke in code, clarifying things as i looked over and seen two dudes walking over in the distance.

"Yo is everything cool?" The goon said.

"Yo he good." Angelo said. "He just came over here for something, what did you say you wanted?"

"An ounce if you got it."

"You got the dough?"

"This is all i have." I said giving him $10. "Please i really need it, i'll do ANYTHING for it." I said.

"What you say?" The other goon said. "Yo we should beat your ass for that."

"He's cool." Angelo said again. "Here just take it, you damn junky." He said, tossing me the rock.

*******

*******

12:45pm

Roderick

I woke up, with my side hurting, my head pounding, I hated feeling like this. Maurice's crew fucked me up good.

"Shit! My head's killing me." I got up, i know i shouldn't have, the room felt like it was spinning. These heavy meds that the doctor gave me, man i felt like i was on cloud nine, i didn't like that feeling though.

"Whoa whoa you shouldn't be getting up!"

"Well how am i going to get up to take a piss or something?" I said.

"Well that's why i'm here, i'll get up and help you to the bathroom."

"You ain't got to do all of that Rook."

"Well i don't mind, and you know that."

"Thanks, look as soon as i got out and needed to recover, believe it or not you was the first person i thought about to come to."

"Oh so i was on your mind huh?" He said, smirking.

"Not like that you asshole." I playfully punched him in the arm.

"Yeah right. Anyway good thing i was coming home, i was on break from work. I was coming to check on you too before i headed back in, you better be lucky i'm right down the street at the barbershop." He said. "Anyway did you take those pills?"

"Naw i was gonna get some water and take some."

"You need some food with that or else you'll get sick and you don't need that right now Roderick."

"Why do you care so much about me?" I said as he helped me sit back down on the couch.

"You already know why." He smiled as he got up.

"No don't go, please??" I said, fake whining.

"I gotta get some food for you."

"I can do without the food." I told him as I grabbed his ass. "I need you right now."

"Oh is that right?"

"Yeah, that's right." I pulled him in for a kiss.

We kissed passionately for the next few minutes, it was hot, it was intense, it was good. He pulled off of me though.

"Stop!! We're gonna get something started and with you feeling the way you are you don't need that right now, i want you to be at your best when you lay that pipe on me. Plus right now your health is more important than sex, now let me get some food for you and get these pills in you before i head out to work." He said.

He got up and left the room and as he was in the other room getting my meds ready and the food my phone rang, i looked and seen that it was DaQuan.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey man, Tahime called me. He told me to tell you it was almost time, two weeks from now come back here, we're going to put an end to this once and for all."

End Of Chapter 22