Pengman and his little sister Rina finally got away from the sight of IC's men, they walked into their old friend Jamie from high school, Rina's classmate, "hi Jamie, long time. Didn't expect to find you in this part of town at this hour," Rina says
"This is your brother Pengman right?" He replies
"yeah…" Rina says
"Hi, Peng,"
"Hi, Jamie," Pengman feels his phone vibrates, "I'll be around, I gotta take this," he tells Rina,
"Ok." Rina says, "so, what are you doing in this part of town, this late,"
"Ah, I came to see my grandma. My mom hates it when I sleep over, so I decided to go home," Jamie says, "What about you? What up with the scary face,"
"Uh, nothing really, just coming back from Lincoln's mom's restaurant, he died today,"
"Ohh, Lincoln the quiet boy in class? What killed him?"
"...loyalty"
"Rina, I don't like when you speak in parables but next time you see Linc's mom you greet her farewell for me,"
"I will," Rina answered turning away from Pengman,
"Oh, let me not be a distraction, you guys are really up to something. I'll just hit the road, hopefully, I may find a cap or something,"
"Yeah, it's nice meeting you, greet your family for me, hope they are complete,"
"Everyone is fine except my dad passed out -60 years- two years ago but we are fine,"
"He's still worth the tears,"
Jamie chuckled pulling his long dread behind, "I'll be going, hope to see you around sometime,"
"Sure," Rina tipped her feet and gave him a warm hug, they both stayed glued to each other for a while, "bye," Jamie walks a few steps, "don't forget to greet Linc's mom,"
"Ok, I will," Rina waved, "try not to have a
bumpy ride," she said
• • • •
Rina glanced at Pengman and sensed an unpleasant smile on his face. She walked towards him resting on the pine tree, "Hey, Pengman it's getting late, let's head home," Pengman wasn't answering so she kept quiet and tried listening to the call he was making over the phone;
"IC don't hurt her, if it's me you want I'll be there tomorrow,"
"I need my money…period,"
"I already told you, I don't have it, and neither does TBC, no one knows where it is,"
"Wise crafty young cunt!" she overheard IC yelling, "are you telling me that the money is location unknown to you, Pengman. I'll give you one last chance to make this right. If by tomorrow you don't come around with my money, Mrs. Smith here or whatever you call her will be gone, and by gone I mean dead," Pengman felt some blood-curdling a while,
"Please don't hurt her, she's the only person little sister got,"
"You're right I won't hurt her, but that's totally up to you, goodbye Peng,"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TBC sat behind a truck in his wide garage with four men hanging on the side of the truck and 7 long loaded guns lying inside the seat, "we're breaking Lobos out of NYPD'S hands tonight,"
"Sorry boss I didn't hear you clearly, break into the NYPD's office," one said looking T full in the face, "you heard me right,"
"I ain't doing that,"
"Yes you are, we all are. Lobos is our man,"
"He sold us out already, how many times has he split his gut, hmm,"
"Does he have a choice? Don't think so. Besides tomorrow is a holiday for all Feds agents, so we'll have a smaller number to face than a usual Tuesday night,"
"Ok, at least let's go tomorrow night, we'll have enough time to strategize…"
"Whatever all I know is, my man is coming out,"
"Bet he would've done the same for you,"
"Lobos is a man of faith and action, he would have sold me out - told the feds where I'm staying but he didn't - even IC his enemy he didn't sell out to the Feds. Lobos has the ultimate information to bring whichever drug cartel he wants, but he hasn't spilled any of that information,"
"I believe you boss but why did the Feds attack us at Riverside hmm, why," another lighting his cigarette says
"My best guess is Lobos was trying to send a signal that he is still with the Feds and that he hasn't been shipped off to a facility, you know," the place where you wear the orange jumpsuit and move around airtight,"
"Yeah boss, we can't lose such a person to the Feds,"
"Now you're talking guys go get some sleep, tomorrow is a bu-sy day," they all chuckle, "get out of here folks, hahaha," TBC laughing dips his hands into his front pocket and feels immersed vibration, "who's this calling this time of the day - Peng,"
"Pengman what's up, what's so important that can't wait till tomorrow,"
"IC is back,"
"What do you mean IC is back, he ran away,"
"Well, now he's back and he needs the money,"
"What money? I'm holding no one's money,"
"The money Sharon took away from you and hid, God knows where,"
"Tell him to leave me out of this,"
"He got Linc's mom and threatens to do whatever the hell he wants if we don't get him the money by tomorrow,"
"Look Peng, I and my men would be going for a holiday trip tomorrow, you know, clear our heads, we don't need disturbance, if it can't wait after tomorrow then I'm not involved,"
"Where are you guys going tomorrow?"
"The less you know the better,"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rina walks through to the kitchen early morning Wednesday and shockingly meets Peng standing over the burner, "you're up early today," she stops and stares at his face,
"Couldn't sleep, Linc didn't die for his mom to be next,"
"We'll find a way out, we all always do,"
"I will find a way out, stay out of this, last thing I want is two vulnerables staring IC in the face,"
"What? Are you telling me I can't help get my classmate's mom out of devil's hands,"
"I'm saying you're going to get yourself killed. Besides, what part of finding the funds don't you understand? You try breaking her out and miss a step she dies the next morning. And you know around here there's no second thought before pulling the trigger,"
"Then we don't make a mistake, the should be a loophole in Mrs. Smith's restaurant,"
"Yes there's a back door, but we are dealing with IC here he must have figured it out,"
"So the restaurant has been closed since yesterday," Rina asked
"Maybe I haven't gone there,"
"Enough, ok, we won't be breaking her out, we'll just send a surprise package to IC and his men,"
"Will I be involved or…"
"Yeah yeah you'll be involved, you're the only person I trust now so,"
"That sounds like we'll be having a lot of fun to me," Rina giggled, "sounds about right,"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reuniting with IC. Pengman walks into Lincoln's mom's restaurant with a black bag at around nine o'clock that Wednesday evening, "hey pause man," one of IC's men stopped Pengman and searched his pocket and the bag, "clear boss," he says
"Let him through," IC standing with your men inside the backroom tells the soldier outside, "got it,"
"Now I'm gonna ask you the same question I asked your sister when she came in with a bag….do you have the money or a story,"
"I have something for you," Peng says
"Do you have the money period?"
"I have this, Pengman throws the bag on the floor…" one of IC's men walks closer to check, "I won't touch that if I were you, that's actually if I love my face, because you'll eventually have to carry an injured face around for months or for life, who knows,"
"You walk inside with guts I'll give you that, you got a lot of guts," IC gets up from his chair and walks towards Pengman, "you're a dead man you know that right. And you won't be slipping through my fingers this time, cuz I'm extremely careful," he throws his tongue out and leaks his lower lips,
"Let Linc's mom go and we'll sort this out,"
"No one is leaving this room, you said that yourself," IC said,
"My sister is up in the ceiling and she'll press the button in my say so, we will all gas out, there's plenty of CO2 for all of us,"
"Your sister won't press the button if you're still in this room,"
"Good thing I'm with my nose mask," Pengman blinks and trots out his nose mask from his back pocket
"Haha - one reason I like nose mask is that it's personal, one man for himself, so, before you run to Linc's mom I've already pressed my one," IC places his hands on his pistol stuck beside him, "and two she dies," pulls out the gun and points towards her, "where is the money?" He yells
"I'm not with it, Sharon hide the bag before TBC killed him,"
"TBC has no right towards that bag, it's between me and Lobos,"
"You're a joker, you're the one who has no right, TBC and Lobos contributed towards a shipment. You came and used fake digits and ran away with a truck now you want the real cards,"
"I hustle for my life on the streets, that's how I've survived this far, no father, no mother, just I and my brother, give me my right,"
"You're not gonna have anything and besides I don't have what you're looking for," Peng says, "drop the gun,"
"I won't…tell me how to get the money,"
"If you really want the money, you have to wait, TBC must be looking for the money now, when he gets it you take it," Peng said, "a fair deal only the smart would take.
IC paused a bit and turned away from Peng, looking at his men, "that's what I thought…now take this CO2 or whatever is in there out of my face and hey woman," he turns towards Linc's mom run, I won't spare your sweet ass next time," IC says twisting his face,
Pengman sighs and relieves his breath, "Now mama Lincoln my guess is you'll need those IDs now hmm," she nods, "yes…" her twisting face started pouring out tears, "please take me out of here…I want to go home,"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Three vans drive pass the checkpoint killing the security guards in the NYPD office. With TBC heading this escape party all three vans forcefully enter the parking lot. They encounter four uniform officers but with the workforce involved it was easy peasy, "we are going in hot, our man is the one in there, if we die we die together," TBC chants "yeah yeah," his men shouted, "let's move,"
TBC on the front line, his men bloodily walked their way through to Lobos' cell, got him out, and left the building. After encountering a little resistance they were successful, Lobos sitting inside the bus, "did you get my message,"
"Very well my friend…we have a lot of work to do, the street is messed up"
"Leave IC to me. It's personal,"
"Whatever you say, but Pengman don't touch him, he is under my protection now,"
"He got me in shackles," Lobos yells showing T his hands
"He saved my life, I owe him mine,"
"You saved my life, thank you and because of that Pengman saved is under my protection also, but IC…IC will be a dead man soon enough,"
"The snake is out of the garden, IC is back from hiding,"
"And I'm back from solitary, they'll be much fun on the street,"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Agent Ria bleeding bad from the attack fills her hands over the phone on her desk, "Tancredi he's gone, TBC came around to say hello,"
"Let them go, don't pursue them," Tancredi says
"What do you mean? They just got out now, they have not gone far,"
"I put a tracker on Lobos, we'll watch all the stops he makes, any weird one that's where TBC resides,"
"I didn't know about that," Ria struggles to breathe, "ahh…"
"Are you ok? You sound hurt,"
"I'm fine, I'm fine, just a scratch, I can handle myself,"
"You know, I always knew that he was hiding something, I wondered, how will a top drug dealer controlling one of the biggest territories in LA don't know where his colleague, not boss, colleague stays, hard to believe," he says, "Ria are you there," Tancredi says and notices Rina isn't corresponding, he immediately calls the police and before long, the cops arrived and swept the place clean