Chapter 13
Chapter
Thirteen
After an almost two-hour drive to Tallahassee, another ninety-minute wait for their plane to depart, an hour and thirty-three minutes on the plane, and yet another hour securing a rental and a Desert Tech HTI rifle from an ex-military connect who sells weapons, Akeem and Sunjiya are in a black Charger heading to the Benoit estate.
The total drive from Port St. Joe would have taken almost ten hours; they saved three precious hours by choosing to fly.
Getting into the private community and onto the estate had been easy during Akeem’s first visit because he had been invited.
Marcelin wanted him there. This time is different, very different.
Akeem is unexpected and uninvited as fuck.
Making his way onto the property is going to be a feat.
His mind has been pondering that major obstacle since they were on the plane.
“When we make it past the guards at the main entrance, you’re going to stay in the car,” Akeem tells Sunjiya.
“Why?” she questions and he frowns.
“Because he has armed guards and I’m the killer, not you. I’m not risking you getting hurt.”
“But I—” she begins but he quickly stops her.
“You’re staying in the car,” he grits and she sighs.
“Well, what about the gate?”
“I’ll figure that out.”
“Let me help. Tanjaya and I have the same damn face. She lived with him, so they would know her. I’ll just pretend to be her and get us in,” she suggests.
As much as he wants to keep her out of this, she’s making sense and what she’s suggesting could possibly work.
In a perfect world, where the clock wasn’t ticking, he would have dropped her at a hotel, spent time plotting his entrance, and struck later, when his plan was solid.
No time for that now. Marcelin has Tanjaya and Akeem needs to get her before Marcelin hurts her.
“That might work,” he admits reluctantly.
“It will. I’m sure it will. I need to help somehow. Please,” she begs and he silently agrees.
Without answering, he grabs his phone from the cup holder and hits the one person who might be able to help, Axton.
“What’s up, bruh?” Axton answers.
“I need your help,” Akeem responds.
“Anything.”
“Marcelin found Tanjaya and I need to get back into the fucking private community. I didn’t have time to get Sunjiya to a hotel, so she’s with me.
We can use her face to get in but I need something else to sell it.
Can you find out who works the gates? Maybe a name or detail that Sunjiya can add if we have to? ”
“Let me pull who employs the guards and try to get into their system. Maybe find employee records and schedules. When will you be there?”
“I’m already in Miami. Twenty minutes.”
“Shit,” Axton huffs. “So the deed is about to be done?”
“Yeah. I’ve been itching, waiting on this shit.”
“Let me start now. I’m going to tap into his security system and dead all cameras. Then, I’ll see what I can see on the gate guards. I’ll hit you with what I find.”
“Thanks, bruh,” Akeem says, then ends the call.
“He can find out who’s working the security gate?” Sunjiya questions.
“Yeah. He’s like that. If the information is out there, he’ll find that shit,” he says, then looks at her.
She isn’t as frantic as she had been when they first found out Marcelin had Tanjaya but she’s obviously shook.
She’s been pensive, anxious, and shaky since the plane.
After placing his hand on her thigh, Akeem asks, “You sure about the gate thing. I’ll find a way in. ”
“I really am. I have to do something. He has my sister and I can only imagine what might be happening to her. I just want to get there.”
“I’m gonna get her and deal with him. I promise,” he assures her.
“I know,” she utters, then sighs heavily. “I know. I just need to see her.”
“You will soon.”
For the next ten minutes, they ride in silence. The Miami sky has darkened. The streets bustle with vehicles and traffic is picking up. When he takes the last exit before the private community entrance, he turns into non-moving, bumper to bumper traffic.
“You’re fucking kidding me,” she says, expressing his same damn sentiment.
“It’ll move,” he says, hopeful. Luckily, they get a welcomed distraction. Akeem’s cell vibrates with a call from Axton. “Tell me you got something,” he answers.
“You know I do,” Axton replies. “Two guards on duty now, the night shift. I’m sending you their names and quick info I gathered. Do what you do but let me know you’re good when it’s over.”
“Already and thanks, man. Much love.”. Seconds later, the text arrives and he reads it aloud. “Gary Kane, white male, thirty-five, married with two little boys. Dennis Wright, Black male, thirty-nine, single and has warnings in his file for flirting with the residents.”
“Then that’s it,” Sunjiya says.
“What?” he questions.
“If it looks like it’s not working, I can flirt with Dennis.”
“I’ll just kill them both before you do that,” he says with too much seriousness in his tone but she dismisses him.
“We will get in,” she says with a slight smirk.
Traffic picks up and within five minutes they pull onto the bridge that leads to the gated community.
Marina Bay is one of the most exclusive addresses in Miami and takes privacy, security, and luxury to an entirely different level.
Only twelve ultra-luxury family estates rest behind the gated enclave.
From private marinas and a championship-style golf course to beach access and tennis facilities, the community is top tier.
No one would ever guess that a heartless man and gang leader is one of its residents.
As soon as they reach the gate, Akeem turns toward Sunjiya. “Are you—” he begins but she stops him.
“I’m good. I got this, so let me do it,” she assures him.
Akeem lets his window down and both guards approach. Gary stays on Akeem’s side and Dennis walks to the back. He looks into the back seat then steps alongside the passenger window. Before he can tap, Sunjiya lowers it. “What’s up, Dennis?” She greets him with a smile.
“Miss Tan-ja-ya,” he exclaims with a big ass smile. “Welcome back.”
“Thank you,” she gushes and Akeem exhales. “I actually got back this morning.”
“It’s just good to see your pretty face,” he says and Akeem grinds his teeth. “Have a good night.”
“You too. Don’t work too hard,” she tells Dennis.
This shit worked.
Gary nods at Akeem then motions for him to let his window back up. Dennis waves at him and Gary steps back to the guard booth and presses the entrance button. The large gate opens and Dennis takes a few steps backward.
When Sunjiya lets her window up, she holds in her excited scream. However, the moment they are on the main road and the gate closes, she can’t hold it anymore.
“Aaah! I told you,” she boasts.
“You did it but that nigga almost got his life cut short,” he says and she continues to smile.
Since there are only twelve homes in Marina Bay, the distance between each is massive.
After turning onto Marcelin’s street, Akeem pulls to the side and kills the lights and engine.
He pops the trunk, gets out, and removes his gun cases, a handful of zip ties, and a squeezable bottle of accelerant from the trunk.
When he returns, he gets into the back seat and Sunjiya fixes her eyes on the rearview mirror to see what he’s doing.
Quickly but carefully, he opens the rifle case, assembling the desert tech, ensuring each required step is done precisely.
Then he tests the trigger and the safety mechanisms before seating the magazine.
Once out of the car, it’ll be just him and his guns.
No room for error. After loading his favorite guns—his two, custom-made, 1911 TRP 9mms—he tucks one into his back then looks at Sunjiya.
“Come sit back here with me,” he tells her. “You should be fine back here as long as you stay in this car. When I get out, you’re going to sit in the driver’s seat. If anything feels off, turn this shit on and leave.”
“I’m not leaving you,” she scoffs.
“Yes you will,” he says sternly. Then he places one of his nines in her lap. “If any muthafucka other than me approaches this car, you shoot them then drive the fuck away. Don’t look back and don’t look for me.”
“I’m not le—” she begins and her voice trembles.
“Yes, you are.” He lifts the nine. While pointing it downward, he shows her the location of the safety and how to release it.
After she successfully demonstrates the steps, he places one hand behind her neck and she exhales.
“I one hundred percent plan on coming back with Tanjaya. The gun is just a precaution. I really don’t think you’ll need it, but if you do, use it,” he says sternly and she nods.
Then she leans in and kisses him passionately.
“You better come back,” she asserts. Akeem pecks her lips then tells her to get into the driver’s seat.
He exits, puts his other nine in his holster, then places the rifle strap across his shoulder and secures it.
Before jogging toward Marcelin’s house, he taps the window and hands her the nine once she opens it. “Come back, Akeem,” she repeats.
“On everything, I am.”
Sunjiya watches anxiously and pensively as Akeem jogs and disappears into the darkness. Then she bows her head and says a quick, silent prayer. As Akeem jogs, he recalls all of the details from his first night here.
Nine guards. Two at the gate. Another two at the main entrance. One by each of the three large trees and another two by the four-car garage. A long driveway, at least a mile and a half, then another hundred and eighty-nine steps to the main entrance. Then Big Man and a shooter inside.