The Streets

20. Wiz

The music playing throughout the room abruptly stopped and the room quieted down.

"It seems that we have a new client who wants to work for us." The man in the blue suit said. I could feel the people in the room judging us. I could feel them judging what we look like, the clothes we were wearing and how we were positioned around one another.

"They look like the usual West Side scum." Someone in the crowd said and people laughed.

I cut my eyes to see who spoke but I couldn't pick out who it was. I looked at Thayer, waiting for him to say something. But his face was a calm mask and his fists weren't clenched in anger.

"Judge us all you want but we get the job done." Trish spoke with confidence and authority.

"I'm aware of that. Your little friend Reeker speaks highly of you." Blue suit responded.

"But why should I pick you? You are the reason why I'm having to look for a new client anyways." He asked

"I doubt you have people lining up at your door after what happened." Trish responded smoothly, causing a few people to gasp.

"You must be Trish. Zeke talked about you all the time. You know when he was pretending to have feelings for you and going behind your back." Blue suit retorted right back.

I saw the rest of the crew immediately tense up at his words. We all seemed to breathe as one, waiting for her reaction.

Trish blinked before she spoke " I'm over it."

Blue suit laughed and others joined in. " I highly doubt that. He told us in detail how you caught up with him afterwards. You asked him if his feelings for you were real and how you didn't think you would ever be able to find someone to love again."

If his words bothered Trish, she didn't show it. I gritted my teeth. Who the hell does this guy think he is?

"We're here for business. Why don't we just get down to it?" I spoke for the first time.

Immediately all attention went to me, they looked like sharks circling their pray.

"You must be Cole. Let me formally introduce myself, my name is Wiz. I happen to be one of the biggest drug lords in all of California. " He spread his hands out before him as if he was a god.

I knew he was Wiz but I didn't want to assume until it was confirmed.

"Let me tell you a few facts about how I run things. "Your leader." He nodded his head towards Trish. "She is the only one to speak. You are not to speak unless spoken to. You are to do as I say. No question asked am I clear?" He asked with an edge in his voice.

I nodded my head, trying to keep my anger under control.

"As I was saying. Why should I pick you?" He repeated his question.

"You don't want to know why we think you should pick us. You want to know how badly we want this. You want to know how far we'll go to work for you." Trish said.

Wiz smirked, revealing that her words were very much true.

"Someone's done their homework." He nodded his head approvingly.

"Fine. I want you to do something for me. You do it and I'll give you a chance to work for me. But if you mess up." He trailed of evilly.

"What do you want from us?"

"I lost some people in high places. Ones I worked hard to become friends with. I just want you to deliver an I'm sorry gift to them." He started pacing the room.

"If we do this we'll be officially working for you?" Trish asked skeptically.

"More or less." Wiz replied as he took a glass of champagne for himself.

Trish looked at Dakota and Thayer for about thirty seconds, having a silent conversation before she turned back to Wiz.

"How do we know that after we do this you won't just drop us?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

Wiz raised his eyebrows. "I'm sure you've heard many stories about me. You know that one positive things about the way I work is that I'm true to my word."

Trish was silent for a bit, mulling over what he said. "Okay."

Wiz smiled us at, reminding me eerily of a pit bull. Wiz went back to his desk, taking out a yellow envelope.

"I don't have the gift with me. You can pick it up anytime within the next two weeks. There's directions on where to drop it off." He handed the envelope to Trish.

"Get in contact with me when you're done. Goodbye Trish and gang." He stepped back, giving us the cue to leave.

"God I hate East Side people! " Thayer exploded as we made our way back to our cars.

Thayer continued to rant as Dakota called my name. "Sorry we didn't warn you beforehand. East Side folks find others weaknesses and exploit them to others. Trying to get a reaction out of you so they know where to aim." She explained to me.

I gulped, thinking how easy it would be for Wiz to find out that my Dad is a cop.

"I see why you hate them so much." I commented as Thayer continued cursing.

Dakota nodded her head before speaking once more. "Are you ready getting excited for next week's competition?"

"Nervous like the first time." I had learned that competitions were spread out over the course of the year in different parts of the city. Crews started on their side of town and then if they were advanced, they moved to different parts of town. Since we got second place, we moved on. We're supposed to be going to East Side and The Raiders were rumored to be present. Their competition was a day after ours. Which is why they were going to be there to see us.

"We have to tell you a lot still about the Raiders." Dakota told me as we got into the car.

"We'll tell you tomorrow." Trish butted as she succeeded in calming Thayer down.

I nodded, knowing the tomorrow I would have all my answers.