Page 14 of Crown: Phase 4

Sav opened the back of the van for the Knights who would be going in on foot, handing out rifles. While they prepared, Crown looked over at Danger, who remained seated on his Harley with ten other Knights behind him. Their weapons were already positioned in their saddlebags.

“You wait on the shot.” He reminded him, even though they’d gone over the plan more times than anybody could count. That was just how Crown was, especially with Danger still recovering from the gunshot wound to his leg.

Used to his brother’s ways, Danger nodded. “I got ya, bro.”

Crown stared at him for a moment before turning and leading the way with Smoky at his side. Whatever bullshit they were going through got pushed aside. It was family first…it was Knights over everything. The rest of the members followed, cutting through the trees behind the warehouse.

The woods gave them enough cover to stay out of sight as they worked their way toward the rear of the property. Before long, the warehouse came into view, and each Knight quietly settled into position. Dressed in all black with a gold Jesus piece hanging from his neck, Crown stopped behind a thick oak tree. His waves and beard glistened in the sunlight as he watched the rear loading dock. Smoky crouched a few feet to his right, rifle ready.

Benjamin hadn’t lied about the setup. Floodlights covered the loading dock, illuminating two tractor-trailers backed into the bays while shrink-wrapped pallets waited nearby to be unloaded. Cameras overlooked the property, and three-armed guards kept watch in the back. One slowly walked the fence line. Another leaned against the loading dock with his weapon resting against his chest. The third stood on the roof, partially shielded by the building’s equipment, just like Benjamin had explained, a cigarette hanging from his lips. From his position, the wooded area behind the warehouse was mostly blocked from view.

Crown kept his eyes on the rooftop guard. Hitting him first would give them the opening they needed. The man took another drag from his cigarette before briefly checking the activity around the dock. Crown waited until his attention shifted towards the side of the building, then raised the rifle resting against his shoulder and fired. This was light work; a nigga like him never missed.

“Bitch ass nigga.”

The rooftop guard went down, his body falling from the edge of the building before hitting the pavement below. The other two guards immediately lifted their guns and fired toward the sound of the gunshot. Their bullets tore through branches and slammed into tree trunks as the Knights fired back. Smoky hit the guard closest to the fence, dropping him onto the concrete.

Suddenly outnumbered, the other guard ducked behind a stack of pallets as the Knights advanced. Their bullets ripped, eventually filling him, shattering windows, and tearing into the metal of the building. More of Preach’s men came pouring out from inside, some diving for cover while others stood their ground, busting back out in the open.

Right on time, Danger and the other Knights came flying down the street. Like Crown knew they would, the front guards had already abandoned their posts when they heard the gunfire from the back, rushing around the building to help. That left the front entrance wide open. Harleys tore across the pavement before the Knights slammed on their brakes. They jumped off, opened their saddlebags, and pulled out their guns. Danger led the way, dropping any nigga who wasn’t on their side in sight.

Now Preach's men were trapped between the Knights coming from the woods and the ones attacking from the front. Some tried making their way toward the side exit, only to find more Knights closing in from that direction. Crown had warned Preach that war would come if he played with him, and now he was making good on his word. A couple of phone calls had brought two charters into the city. And others were on the way.

Crown kept moving and shooting. Once inside, he ducked for cover as rounds cracked over his head before leaning out and firing. He dropped two guards effortlessly. Smoky stayed near, covering his left, popping two more.

The shootout continued for another few moments before slowly dying down. When it was over, Dessalinés Mob members and empty shell casings littered the pavement. In less than a minute, the stash house that held Preach’s valuables and quietly fueled his operation had been overrun.

Chapter Six.

Preach’s product was successfully gone. Crown had ordered every last bit of it to be burned before the Knights left the property. They stood there until the flames swallowed everything and the smoke blackened the sky. Crown already had a new supplier and had no interest in continuing to push the nigga’s product. The cash was another story. Taking it meant Preach would feel the loss long after the fire died.

“Break the charters off first, then our people.” Crown ordered as he sipped on his cognac, watching Lock write down the numbers.

“Put enough aside for supplies, lawyers, injuries, and anything the families might need if this shit gets worse.”

Lock nodded. “Bet. I got you.”

The metal rooftop door swung open behind them, and Smoky stepped outside. Crown glanced over his shoulder but kept silent. Smoky stopped a few feet away, hands propped in front of him, one resting over the other. His shoulders were squared, and his expression was stone, but Crown knew him too well not to notice the tension simmering beneath the surface. He felt that same heavy energy settle over him as well. Aside from the shit with Preach, they hadn’t really spoken.

Lock sensed the tension too. His eyes flicked between them before he closed the notebook and stood to give them privacy. “Anything else?” He asked.

“Nah,” Crown replied.

Lock nodded at both before heading toward the rooftop door.

Now alone, neither Crown nor Smoky spoke at first. The city sprawled beneath them, bright lights illuminating the streets while traffic hummed in the distance. They stood in awkward silence, which was rare. For years, they had been able to kick it and talk about whatever, but that night, the silence felt like a wall neither knew how to cross. They were still brothers, but something unfamiliar loomed between them.

Crown set down his glass, pulled a blunt from behind his ear, and a lighter from his pocket. Leaning against the ledge, he sparked the blunt, then took a deep drag, letting the smoke settle in his lungs.

“Bro, I hate to bother you with this, but what the fuck we gon’ do? Just drop niggas, put in work, and let that be that? You feelin’ some kind of way? Let a nigga know wassup. Besides the plan wit’ Preach, you ain’t said too much to me.” Smoky shattered the silence.

Crown exhaled slowly, watching the smoke vanish into the night. He ran his tongue over his bottom lip, his gaze drifting across the city as he avoided Smoky’s stare for another moment. They hadn’t talked because he didn’t truly know how to approach the situation. Crown was used to problems he could solve with money, violence, or a command, but this was none of those. Still, he knew his silence had said more than he intended. He never wanted Smoky to think he judged him or thought less of him because of the matter.

“My love for you still runs the same, nigga. You my brother. No judgment here. But anytime your business interferes with the Knights, it becomes my business, and then we got an issue. You need to fix that.”

“So, what you saying exactly? What you want me to do? Kill him?”

Crown's expression remained blank, yet the unspoken truth lingered between them. They both understood the answer to that question without him needing to articulate it.