Murder Mamas

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Authors: Ashley Antoinette

BOOK: Murder Mamas
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Murder Mamas
Ashley & JaQuavis
All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.
Prologue
Case slowly walked back and forth across the front of the spacious church. Both hands were behind his back as he wore Armani slacks, shirt, and a tie. His strong posture and piercing eyes symbolized power, and the entire city felt it. He took his time, knowing that he wanted to choose his words wisely.
The first three rows of the pews were filled with important guests, listening to the man who had ruled over the streets for more than a decade. He called a meeting at one of the city's abandoned buildings that once was a church. Case looked at his audience, many of whom were some of the head hustlers in the city, and they remained silent as they listened closely to the man who had the floor.
Case's drug operation had suffered a big blow because of the recent narcotics crackdown led by Macy Sigel, the city's mayor. Macy was the creator of a newly formed task force that focused on the drug problem in the inner city. This put a direct strain on Case's cash flow. He decided to call a meeting and clear up all debt and beefs in the streets because he was about to make a power move. He was about to murk the mayor and wanted the streets behind him when he did it.
“You are all here today because I chose you to be here. In some shape or form, every one of you have gone against the grain. Some of you failed to pay me my twenty percent, some of you owe me money, and some of you, well, some of you I just don't like,” Case said as he stood before the men, staring at each individual in the eye.
It was a moment of silence in the room, and all that was heard was the breathing of the men. The smell of fear was in the air. Case smiled as he was overcome with the buzz that goes along with having power. It was like a natural high being a man with such influence, and he enjoyed the view from the top as he looked down at the others before him.
“Anybody have anything to say?” Case asked sarcastically. In actuality, no one could say anything because duct tape covered their mouths, stifling them, while their hands and feet were bound.
Case looked over to his right, where his henchman stood guard. Case gave him a signal, and the henchman picked up the can of gas that sat at his feet and began to go up and down the aisle, pouring gasoline over the heads and bodies of the hustlers in attendance.
“I told y'all muthafuckas, do not fuck me! Now look at you,” Case said as he lit a cigar. He headed down the aisle, and his henchman followed.
The moans and pleas fell on deaf ears, as Case wanted to set an example for the whole city. Business had slowed up, and he had to tighten down on his organization and restore order in the streets. Case didn't like to be a bad guy, but he was so good at it.
He waited for his henchman to empty the can and join him. He then took a pull of the cigar and tossed it into the aisle. Case instantly sent the place and its patrons up in flames.
Case's henchman opened the car door for him and commented on the situation. “This guy Macy Sigel is fucking up the whole organization. We got to do something to this nigga. It's going to be hard to touch the mayor though. He constantly has his people around him.”
Case looked down at his watch and saw that he only had thirty minutes to get to the state penitentiary, where he had unfinished business to attend to. “I know how I can get to this nigga. I have to call an old friend up. She owes me a favor. I know exactly where I can find her, too,” Case stated surely.
Case sat in the back seat of his Maybach as his henchman guided the luxury car off the avenue. They were on their way to witness the death of a Murder Mama.
 
 
Thump ... Thump.
Thump ... Thump.
Thump ... Thump.
Aries' heartbeat was deafening as her chest heaved up and down. She could hardly breathe as she moved through the short line. There were about fifteen people in attendance. Undoubtedly, she was the only supporter in the room. She could not believe that things had come to this point, and her hands shook violently as she signed in, putting her John Hancock on the witness log.
A member of the most notorious Murder Mama crew, she had committed many sins. As a murderer for hire, she had learned long ago to bury her emotions deep inside of her. Fear was something that she had never allowed herself to feel, but as she got processed through the prison system, the dormant emotion surfaced to the top. She had no idea what to expect, and as she was searched, her old instincts kicked in. Her eyes scanned the room thoroughly, looking into the eyes of the prison guards. She half expected them to detain her at any moment. She deserved a thousand years for the crimes that she had under her belt, and she was wary about putting herself in the position to be caught.
As badly as she wanted to skip out, she knew that this was one event that she had to be a part of. It was only fair. Her friends had been there for her through thick and thin. They had come up together and as fate had taken its course, they had fallen together as well. Her attendance was mandatory, and she took a deep breath to calm her nerves as she tried to get through the ordeal.
The guards escorted the small group to a room with rowed seating, and Aries quickly reserved one in the front row, dead center. Looking through the thick glass window before her, she saw the contraption that had ended many more lives than she ever could. She felt sick to her stomach as she thought about what was about to occur. As badly as she wanted to do something to stop what was about to happen, it was out of her hands. The only thing that she could do was witness an execution.
Her heart ached as she watched her friend Robyn enter the room. Shackles tightly bound her hands and feet. The navy prison-issued jumpsuit she wore swallowed her slim frame. Aries' chest caved in from pure emotion as she felt tears sting her eyes. They were about to kill her girl, her Murder Mama, signifying the end of their reign over the underworld's murder game.
Around her, the family members of those Robyn had bodied cried and thanked God for justice, but there was nothing just about it. Robyn was like her sister, and the state was about to put her down like a rabid dog.
The entire Murder Mama crew had been decimated, and although Aries had felt loss before, this one hurt the most. Not because she loved Robyn more, but because Robyn wasn't dying a free woman. Aries knew that if Robyn had her way, she would have preferred to bleed out in the streets while doing what she did best. This wasn't how any of them had envisioned their end. This was no storybook or no hood legend myth. The streets couldn't glorify this. Robyn had been caught and a jury of her peers had found her guilty; another man had sentenced her to die.
Karma had come full circle for Robyn, and as Aries locked eyes with her dear friend, she felt her pain. Aries studied Robyn's features and noticed how placid, how serene she looked. She wanted to nod at her, to blow her a kiss, or to do something to acknowledge her, but they both knew that any communication could put Aries at risk.
The police had questioned Robyn for years trying to get her to give up the other member of the notorious Murder Mamas crew. The state had even presented her with a deal. If Robyn had talked, she wouldn't be dying today; but she had stood tall and carried the sentence for them both. She was dying for Aries and on behalf of her loyalty to the rest of her deceased crew. Loyalty and their love for one another was all they had. Robyn refused to betray that. Aries closed her eyes and spoke to God.
Please take care of my friend, God. Please look after her. Make it painless and quick. Forgive her for the things that we've done. She's held the burden of enough blame. Hold me accountable for the rest.
Aries lifted her head and watched helplessly as the prison guards strapped Robyn down on the gurney; then a man in a white doctor's coat inserted an IV into the vein on the back of her hand. Aries cringed with worry, but she never stopped looking Robyn in the eyes. She put her arm on the armrest of her chair and brought her hand to her face to lean on it. She discreetly kissed the tattoo on her wrist that read,
MURDER MAMAS
. She knew that Robyn would know that the gesture was meant for her.
A priest came into the room and opened a Bible, quoting scripture out of respect. When he was done he asked, “Do you have any last words?”
Tears finally emerged from Robyn's eyes as a moment of absolution came over her. Aries, unable to contain herself any longer, shivered as her cold tears rolled down her cheeks. She was stricken with guilt and filled with admiration all at the same time.
“I love you, Murder Mama. Live. Live for the rest of us who no longer can. We love you,” Robyn said while staring Aries directly in the eyes.
The doctor flipped a switch, and Aries watched in horror as the lethal combination of medicines traveled through the plastic tubes. It all happened in slow motion, and Aries felt as if her heart would explode as grief paralyzed her. When the concoction reached Robyn's IV, Aries couldn't stop the sob from escaping her lips. She put her hand to her mouth to stop herself from crying aloud, but her eyes never left Robyn's. It was the only way for them to connect in Robyn's final moments.
Robyn held on as long as she could, but as the poison entered her system, she slowly faded. She fought it as long as she could, but the overwhelming sleepiness plagued her, and her eyelids betrayed her as they began to close.
The doctor monitored Robyn's pulse and heartbeat until she flatlined on the screen. He looked at the clock and announced, “Time of death, 7:07
P.M.”
Aries lowered her head and whispered, “Rest in peace.”
It was the most pain she had ever felt and the worst day of her life.
She arose from her seat and stormed out of the room, searching for the nearest exit. It suddenly felt as if there were no air in the room. “I have to get out of here,” she whispered as she emerged out of the building and the sunlight beamed down on her.
The contents of her stomach erupted, and she keeled over as she vomited onto the pavement. Although death had been her occupation, seeing a person she loved be put down rocked her entire world. She quickly gathered herself and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before leaving the prison behind. She vowed that she would never step foot inside one again.
She picked up her cell phone and noticed that she had three missed calls. She dialed the numbers back and put the phone on speakerphone as she put distance between herself and the barbaric prison.
“Rachel, hey, baby. I've been calling you all morning,” her husband, Prince, said.
“Hey, honey. I'm sorry. I had to take my mother to the hospital this morning. Her blood pressure is out of control, and she just isn't in good spirits. Her health is fading, and the doctor was trying to explain a few things to me. I couldn't answer for you,” she replied, the lie slipping off so easily that even she believed it.
She had become an expert at lying during the five years that she had been in hiding. Her real mother had been dead for so long that Aries rarely ever thought of her.
After Robyn's arrest, Aries had been forced to change her entire life. Her identity, her look, even her accent had to be reinvented. Aries now lived as Rachel Coleman, housewife and mother. Her world was so far removed from the tyranny that she sometimes couldn't believe she had ever lived so ruthlessly.
Days like this were a reminder of what she used to be. She was a killer and she was a part of a murder-for-hire team whose names would ring bells in the streets for years to come; but to Prince Coleman she was just Rachel, his lovely wife. He had no idea who he was sleeping next to at night.
“When should Tre and I expect you?” he asked.
“I'm coming home tomorrow. I did what I came here to do. It's been five years since I left here, and now I remember why I've stayed away for so long. I've had enough of this city. Everything is dead to me here. I wouldn't care if I never came back,” she replied.
 
 
Aries wrapped the apron around her summer dress and pulled up her long hair as she prepared her family's breakfast. After Robyn's execution, she had caught a late flight back to her home in Barbados. Going back had sparked a lot of bad memories for her. Ever since she saw the drugs enter Robyn's system, she had been having visions of blood on her hands. Her conscience was playing tricks on her, and deep regret had begun to fill her soul as she thought of all the reckless murders she had taken part in. She could have easily been in Robyn's shoes.
The red tint that stained her hands was only visible to Aries. She felt as if she were losing her mind, and as a tear slipped from her eye, she rushed to the stainless steel sink. She rubbed her hands together vigorously under the cold, flowing water and took deep breaths as she closed her eyes.
It's not real. You don't live that life anymore. Forgive yourself,
she thought.
When her nerves had settled and her pulse had slowed, she slowly opened her eyes. She sighed in relief as she turned off the faucet and went back to cooking for her family.
When she had first exited the game, her paranoia had almost driven her crazy. Everyone was somebody to her—somebody who wanted to see her dead. The mailman, the lady cashier at the local market, even her next door neighbor: She had suspected them all of being out to get her. It had taken her five long years to transition into a normal lifestyle, and she refused to allow the corruption of L.A. to set her back in her old ways.

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