That Old Thang

VI | real sacrifice.

_________

"Be careful what you wish for."

"So, what's the plan?"

Alyzai looked out the car window as Jaimir drove her to what would be her new home. After watching him, Kase, and Linx go back and forth for a little bit, Alyzai was certain that she was going to die right then and there. Even a little bit after they shook hands she thought it was over, until Kase finally said "get her out of my face."

The trees changed from those round ones to the pointy pine trees, shaking slowly in the wind besides the driveways and sidewalks. Her eyes held back the few tears that she had left before she blinked them away and promised herself that she would never cry again. She would never appear weak again.

"You know you gonna have to do some work if you're gon' stay with me, right?" Jaimir asked her, looking in the rear view mirror.

"Don't people always have to earn their keep?" Alyzai asked Lamar as she watched him bring extra covers and pillows from wherever he had just come from. "I can't not be in on the plan."

"Not here. Not you." Lamar told her, throwing everything that was in his arms towards her and watching it cover her on the bed.

Alyzai rolled her eyes before smiling softly. "You're different, you know that?"

"I would boast but we both need to get some sleep." Lamar told her, shaking his head. "You got people to meet."

Lamar turned towards the doorway and was about to walk out the room before Alyzai stopped him, grabbing his arm. "You never told me why Kase has a bounty out on you..."

Lamar looked down at her for a while, his mind traveling back to one out of the millions reasons Lamar had gave him, Kase wanted to kill him. It was only one. He smiled a little as he opened his mouth to talk. "It about.. three years ago."

"Nigga, I won't ask you again... where is my money?" Kase demanded a reply as he held steel to a man's head. He didn't know the man well but he knew the man owed him over ten stacks- and Kase didn't like even a dollar falling out his pockets on the streets.

The man shook with fear, his hands up, as he struggled to let out audible words. He looked like he was damn near pissing himself as he stared down the barrel of the gun.

In the background, Lamar stood, waiting to make his move.

For years he had been working this man down so that he could end the chaos he had been letting out over the streets. Wherever Kase went, there was a bloody trail and some of that blood belonged to Lamar's own mother. He had been seeking vengeance since he was a small kid, only seventeen, serving rocks for some dude named Coyote on the block.

Kase had ended him too.

The death of his mother and Coyote was killing Lamar's mother and father- though Lamar didn't even know him for real.

"Alright, I told you I wasn't asking again." Kase said with a shrug, before pressing down on the trigger.

Lamar did a silent count before pulling his mask up and letting rounds up into the air to catch Kase's attention.

Kase pulled the gun away from the man's temple and towards Lamar, where three other automatic weapons were joined with the target. Lamar had not one ounce of fear in his face as he still held his gun to Kase. In his mind, he would happily die after Kase was shot down on the ground and no longer worshipped like the god he wasn't. Then the community could see he wasn't untouchable and that he bled just like the brothers and sisters they lost trying to protect them.

Lamar fought for justice. Lamar fought for his people. Lamar fought for even the slightest thought of fear over another human being.

"If y'all really want to save y'all mans you betta' shoot me now." Lamar warned as he eyed Kase.

Hearing that, Kase chuckled, putting his gun down. "Stand down." He ordered his men.

Lamar shook his head. "You really think you're untouchable." Lamar sneered.

"You don't?" Kase asked, glaring at him. "Do you know who I am?"

Lamar shot directly at Kase's arm, purposely missing so that the bullet could graze him. Only for a second did he see a bit of fear in Kase's eyes but it resembled shock more than anything. His men hurried to arm up again and charge at Lamar who took one out in the head before the other two put two his to his temple.

"I said stand down!" Kase yelled, halting the two men, as he held his bleeding arm. "He just a young foolish nigga out for blood."

Lamar chuckled, shaking his head.

"Take his gun and show me his face." Kase ordered.

"When he saw who I was... he knew me." Lamar said, shaking his head. "He knew me by name. And you wanna know what he told me?"

"What?" Alyzai asked, looking Lamar dead in his face.

"He's my father."

"So how did you end up working for him? And that still doesn't even explain-"

"So you never heard of the story of Kase?" Lamar asked seeming confused in the face. Alyzai shook her head with a look confusion of her own. "He killed his whole family... nigga has no family members... because he didn't want any weaknesses."

Alyzai opened her mouth to speak but closed it shut suddenly. No wonder the nigga so cold. She thought as she traced the sheets of the cover. She ultimately started to think about Linx and the day at his grandmother's house.

"Your little boyfriend and his boy, Linx, did the shit too. It's what them weird ass niggas do to prove loyalty to Kase so that the only family they have... is him."

"I didn't know that." Alyzai said, looking down at her fingers.

"Anyway, people started finding out I was his son so naturally... due to supposedly the sacrifices and shit... they stopped trusting him. So of course he gonna try to put me down to win the loyalty of his niggas back." Lamar said, shaking his head. "But don't worry, I'll be the one to put him down."

Alyzai was quiet as she looked from her fingers to Lamar. "I'm sorry about what happened to your mama." She told him.

Lamar smirked. "It gave me a reason to grind harder so don't pity me." He told her, looking her solidly in her eyes. "Give me a kiss."

Alyzai's lips curved into a smile before she puckered up and leaned into him. "Goodnight."

"Wow, I can't get a kiss?"

"No. We got a big day tomorrow." She told him before dragging the cover over her and turning over away from him. "I got people to meet."

Lamar smacked his lips. "Say less."