Veil of Loyalty || A Jamaican Tale

Chapter 19

In Joshua's Jeep as they drove home after the party, he turned to Kim, concern etched on his face. "Did you get rid of everything?" he asked.

"Yup, they're like vultures when it comes to this stuff, you know it," she replied.

"Yeah, I need to order a rush supply. Dem man dem mess up me traffic flow when dem ambush we. Affi make sure dis next shipment come in a different way. So, tomorrow, just me, you,  Blackman and bugsy aguh pick it up, using the aircraft this time," Joshua explained.

"No Rio?" Kim inquired.

"Nah, him affi guh sit dis one out until me can figure out if a him or Rugu a sell me out," Joshua replied.

"Me think you did believe him de other night," Kim said.

"At first, yes, but now me a think 'bout it, and me swear me hear Tia's voice inna the background," Joshua continued.

"Tia? Nurse Tia?" Kim asked, surprised. "Rio knows Tia?"

"Only through me," Joshua added, his mind clearly grappling with the complexities of trust and betrayal in their intricate world.

"Just can't wrap my head around Rio doing dis to we," Kim says, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"Me neither," Joshua adds, his brow furrowed with concern. 

As Joshua drives back to his house from the party, Rios message comes through. Joshua glances at the phone and then turns to Kim. "We affi guh mek a detour," he says, a sense of urgency in his tone.

Kim and Joshua arrived at one of their usual discreet locations to meet with Rio. As they approached, the atmosphere was charged with tension. Rio, Rugu, Skitta, Slyda, Jubba, and Ratty were present two unknown assailants. After the men exchanged greetings, Rio spoke up. "Jay Don, streets a say dem boy yah know 'bout de ambush dem, eno."

"Yo, a wah you nah say?" Joshua queried, a mixture of curiosity and apprehension in his voice.

 "So me tek it say unno ready fi talk, den," he continued, attempting to gauge the depth of the situation. However, the unknown men remained silent, adding an eerie layer to the already tense atmosphere. 

"Who dem?" Joshua pressed, looking to Rio for an answer, seeking clarity in the midst of uncertainty.

Apparently some likkle bwoy weh new to de streets, wah dem call demselves 'Shadow Reapers'," Rio responded, his tone carrying a mix of disdain and nonchalance.

"Alrite den, Shadow Reapers, let's make dis easy. Just give me a name, who unno tek orders from?" Joshua demanded, his voice cutting through the tension in the air. The atmosphere lingered in suspense as the members of the Shadow Reapers exchanged glances, contemplating the weight of Joshua's demand. Finally, one of them stepped forward, a hesitant yet defiant expression on his face.

"We answer to a man named Eclipse," he admitted, revealing a key piece of information that echoed in the dimly lit surroundings. 

"Eclipse, me nuh kno nuh Eclipse, Rio, wah 'bout uh?" Joshua questioned, a hint of frustration in his voice.

"No, Joshua, me nevah hear 'bout no Eclipse," Rio answered, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"Skitta, Rugu, man dem, unno know Eclipse?" Joshua turned to the others, and they all replied with a collective "no."

"Alright, do me a favor then, and me do unno a favor to save unno lives," Joshua declared with a stern gaze. The gravity of the situation hung in the air.

"Weh Eclipse live?" Joshua asked, his tone unwavering.

"Round a madpen," one of the men answered, revealing the location where Eclipse could be found.

"Ah, Respect," Joshua acknowledged before continuing, "Rio, mek me shout uh out yah so, Blackman, Slyda," he signaled at Slyda and Blackman to handle the Shadow Reaper men.

Outside, Joshua turned to Rio. "Me nuh need fi tell uh how paramount it is fi me meet the infamous Eclipse by the end a the week." The urgency in Joshua's words emphasized the gravity of the situation.

As Joshua and Rio finished up, the sounds of two gunshots echoed through the night, marking the swift and decisive conclusion of their encounter with the Shadow Reapers.

"we neva affi kill dem eno, Jays, we coulda use dem to we advantage" Rio say