Free The Syndicate by Brick Page A

Snap hadn’t either as his shoulders straightened, his spine stiffened, and he took a step back. “That’s how you feel, Javon?” he asked.
    â€œThat’s how the fuck I feel. Now, what are you going to do about it? Take me to them or cross the line to the other side,” Javon snarled.
    â€œYou ain’t got no plan. Ain’t got no fucking weapons. Haven’t sat down with these people, but you want me to just lead you into the lion’s den?” Uncle Snapped asked incredulously. “Ha. Okay, li’l nigga. Since you got balls of brass. A’ight.”
    I could see Uncle was hurt behind Javon’s words, but I could also see Javon’s eyes had glossed over and he was no longer operating on respect and rules of the game. He was operating on instinct and the need to protect.
    Uncle Snap snatched up a set of keys and we followed him to his truck. Cory hopped up front while the rest of us jumped in the back. The truck was so eerily quiet not even the radio seemed to drown it out. Javon’s jaw was set in stone. His thigh rapidly brushed against my thigh as it bounced up and down. I had no idea what he was thinking or what was on his mind. All I knew was I didn’t want to be on the other end of his wrath in the moment.
    It took us about thirty minutes to get to a nondescript warehouse in the middle of nowhere. “The Syndicate normally meets here to discuss numbers and products that have been shipped in,” Uncle Snap said after we had all exited the truck. “When Claudette didn’t show up last Saturday people started talking. It’s my guess that Melissa and Jojo are in there somewhere.”
    Javon didn’t respond. He marched forward, with determination in each powerful stride he took. Before he could reach the door, Uncle Snap reached out to grab his arm.
    Javon looked at Uncle Snap’s hand then up to the man’s eyes. “Listen to me, nephew, a’ight? I know you’re angry and you got all right to be, but try some decorum when you come face to face with these people okay?”
    â€œAnyone of them got something to do with Mama being dead?” Javon asked.
    â€œThey very well could.”
    â€œAnd they took Melissa and Jojo?”
    â€œOne of them did, I’m sure.”
    â€œThen fuck decorum.”
    Uncle Snap sighed. “Nephew, remember Mama’s words? You can trust me. I ain’t the enemy. Been with your mama for years. I love . . . loved her. She was all I had. Rescued me the same as she did all of you, but in a different way, you feel me? Understand what I’m saying?”
    Something unspoken passed between Uncle Snap and Javon in that moment. I didn’t know what it was, but Javon’s stand softened in a way only I, Cory, and maybe Uncle Snap could see.
    â€œUnderstand me, nephew. I got you, no matter what. But in order for any of this shit to go down smoothly, please just listen to me,” Uncle Snap pleaded.
    Javon didn’t say anything. He gave one head nod and that was all that was needed between the two alpha males before me.
    â€œOne more thing, Javon. The Syndicate, they’re the governing body of all the top crime families in the U.S. They rival what was once known as the Commission up North. So this ain’t some silly street turf shit. This is the real deal. The big kahuna so to say. If someone put a hit out on Claudette, these are the people who approved it. These are the people who divide up turf and give it to the different drug dealers all over the U.S. This shit is bigger than some petty drug lord getting a crew and naming it the Cartel who runs one city or some shit. The Syndicate could go up against the cartel of Mexico if they so chose. That’s how big this thing is you’re walking into. This is what your mama ran for over twenty-five years. Do you know how hard that was to do as a black woman? That means she bodied many a nigga and did some shit that would