A Losing Game

"The Warmonger Within"

            Roderick parked his car two blocks away from his destination just as snow began falling on a chilly early-December Friday night. He sat in the car with the heater on until he received the text message from Nard saying the rest of the crew had arrived and were parked two blocks away in the other direction. After sending a text back to Nard telling him it was showtime, Roderick put on his black ski mask and picked up his semi-automatic Smith & Wesson 9MM pistol. He then turned off the car and climbed out.

            It had been over a month since Roderick and Reece had been attacked. He remembered the faces of all five men who committed the attack, but didn't recognize them on Halloween night. The reason why he didn't recognize them was because they weren't from the streets of eastside. Don Don had reached out to his allies on the southside area of the city the night Roderick stomped him out. Since Don Don had been selling cocaine to Reece's mother, he knew where Reece lived and had the men from the southside ride through Reece's neighborhood to look for and beat up Roderick.

            Roderick put everything together by being patient and watching Don Don's every move for weeks. Through his surveillance, he learned everything he needed to know about the men who jumped him and Reece; including the location where they conducted their business. On that cold night in December, he was going to get his revenge.

            "Trek, you got the AK," said Roderick as he began going over the plan for the final time. "The back door is reinforced steel, so wait until one of them opens it instead of firing into the door. And that's only if one of them try to run out the back. Don't shoot them. I just wanna steal they shit and make them scared."

            "Okay, got it," said Trek.

            Roderick looked at JD and told him, "You're gonna take the front with me, bruh. Remember, we're not gonna shoot any of them. We meet up under the Greater Heights Bridge back east to get rid of our masks and then we split up. Y'all got it?"

            "Yeah," the three of them replied in unison.

            "A'ight, Nard. Do your thing, bruh."

            Nard nodded before running off down the block. Roderick and JD headed across the street while Trek ran around to the street behind the one they were on. As Nard approached the guy guarding the door, Roderick and JD ducked behind several cars parked across the street and waited until Nard gave the signal.

            "Yo, I'm lost," Nard said as he approached the guy guarding the door. "I'm lookin' for this girl apartment building. You know where Cosgrove Street is?"

            The guy gave him a look before coming down the steps of the stoop and saying, "Walk to the end of this street that way." He pointed down the street and continued, "Turn right onto Hampton Avenue and Cosgrove is gonna be the first street on the left. You should see the big sign at the red light."

            Nard nodded and said, "Thanks, bruh." He then quickly pulled out his Glock and put it to the guy's head and demanded, "Drop your piece on the ground, nigga! Now!"

            "It's all good, bro. Don't shoot me." He pulled out his semi-automatic pistol and carefully bent down to place it on the ground.

            Nard patted him down to make sure he didn't have any other weapons on him and then put one hand in the air to signal to Roderick and JD. They hurried across the street and as they were preparing to enter the abandoned rowhouse, Nard put on his ski mask while keeping his gun up to the head of the doorkeeper.

            "Take us inside, nigga," Roderick said to the guy as he bent down to pick up the pistol from the ground.

            The guy led them up the steps of the stoop and after he did a special knock, one of the men who had jumped Roderick and Reece opened the door. Roderick, Nard, and JD immediately entered the rowhouse and were able to enter quietly since they had their guns aimed at the two men. While Nard stayed in the entryway with the two men kneeled on the floor with their hands behind their backs, Roderick and JD stepped further into the rowhouse with their guns drawn. In the living room of the rowhouse, four of the men were counting money. One of them, the man who had knocked Reece out with brass knuckles, looked up and quickly reached for his gun.