Thicker Than Water Vol: 1

Chapter 6: Choose A Side

RETLAS Hideout
Bedstuy, Ny
January 23rd, 2035
11:45pm

Suri looks across the balcony at everything she has built. The RETLAS went from operating out of a 2 bedroom apartment, to taking hold of almost every housing building in that complex. She made a fort with three housing units for new, training & veteran soldiers. A building for medical development & another for education. The 13 floor headquarters in the middle of the base was home to not only the leader but multiple weapons floors. The RETLAS had manpower that could go against any gang in New York, even The Corporation itself. However, they lacked the money. With a string of failed money plays they need a source of income and weaponry. Suri knows that where there's one, there's another. A familiar rhythmic knock at the door disrupts her train of thought. She smiles and opens the door.

"Hey Neshon, it's been a long time. How've you been?" She says with a smile. Suri is relieved to see Neshon's eyes are still the pure white of a civilian.

"shit, I've actually been great. Life's not too bad in queens now a days." He says while nodding his head.

"sit down man, here roll this up" she says.

Suri tosses Neshon the weed and the roll up. She goes over to the bar and grabs the Hennessy and two cups of ice.

"you've done good for yourself. I remember when you were picking up meat bags off your floor. Now this is a full operation." He says while looking around. "I got patted down on the way in." He says while laughing.

"well, things have an order & for things to work the order has to be right. Enough about that though... remember in the old way.. when we had garbage weed? I kind of miss that." She says.

Neshon almost choked on his drink trying not to laugh.

"out of everything you miss, it's bad weed?" He says.

Suri laughs. "yeah man it was mysterious, now all weed is good because nobody smoke it anymore." She says.

Neshon laughs. "yeah they only wanna smoke what we sell." He says

Suri's smile fades quickly and Neshon notices, sucking his teeth

"you can't honestly think that I was just going to stop trying because you guys told me to?" He says.

Suri, knowing where Neshon is going with this, gives him the floor to gloat.

"I assume that "childhood friend" of yours helped you out." She says sarcastically.

Neshon grins. "yeah and she put me on to even more friends. People who hold me down & dont lil bro me. I'm that nigga now." He says.

Suri laughs. "Are you? Running around with a bunch of rich mfs who will spend $100 on a dime of weed isn't impressive. Please tell me you have a plan to move up, move out, something other than looking like their doja. And what do you mean by "you guys" who you got other than me?" She says still laughing.

Neshon gets angry hearing Suri taunt him. He resents the fact that she still won't take him seriously but suddenly relaxes & wait until she's done laughing. He stands up and puts his jacket on.

"Well, I only came over to roll you up and have a few drinks with you before your birthday came. Which it did, so I'm going to go." He says.

Neshon turns and walks to the door. He stops and comes back into the living room.

"I see we can't agree on this, I'm going to give you one last piece of info before I go though. You know, as a friend." he says.

Suri remains standing with her back to him, facing the floor to ceiling windows that lead to the balcony.