Free The Reason Why by Vickie M. Stringer Page B

means more money foryou.” Chino looked at all his soldiers. “With shit like this, we can sew up Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, and Cleveland. We can be the kings of Ohio.”
    â€œThat’s what I’m talking about, nigga!” Chris J said. “Being the kings of this shit!”
    â€œWinning it all!” Ant said. He looked at Rock. “What you think, man?”
    â€œLike Seabiscuit or something, nigga! I want to win it all.” Rock looked at Infa.
    â€œThe muthafucking Triple Crown!”
    â€œThat’s what it’s all about,” Chino told them, looking over his crew. “Winning it all.”
    â€œThe motherfucking clique that wins it all!” Corey suggested. “The Triple Crown Clique.”
    â€œBitches run in cliques, nigga!” Ant replied. “We outlaws, fool. Outlaws run in posses.”
    â€œThe muthafucking Triple Crown Posse, fools!” Chris J shouted and looked around the table. Smiles crossed all of their faces.
    â€œTriple Crown Posse!” Ant confirmed.
    Chino nodded. “I like the sound of that. From now on, this is the muthafucking Triple Crown Posse. A group of straight up outlaws dedicated to getting that paper and winning it all! Anybody who don’t think they can cut it, feel free to walk now.”
    Chino peered around the table and all eyes remained on him.
    Nobody moved. “Okay, then, this means it’s for life, niggas. We in it together, we ball together, we fall together. Nobody snitches and tries to save they own ass, is that clear?”
    Nods went around the table.
    â€œYou snitch, you die,” Rock declared.
    â€œNaw, nigga, you snitch, and your family dies!” Infa declared.
    â€œWord!” Chris J said, nodding.
    â€œIf any one of us gets cracked, or we all get cracked, we keep our fucking mouths shut, is that clear?” Chino asked.
    Again, nods went around the table.
    â€œWe’re going to have a cook house. If we all chip in a hundred dollars a week, we can rent us a place. Everybody cool with that?”
    â€œUh-huh.” Nods went around the table.
    â€œDon’t keep your dope where you lay your head,” Chris J added. “Keep that shit at a bitch’s house, at a kinfolk’s house, anywhere but where you lay your head. Is that clear?”
    Everyone nodded in agreement.
    â€œAnd don’t keep no guns with that shit,” Chino told them. “We’ll pull some bitches and use their house to keep our straps in. That way if a house gets hit, we won’t lose all our shit. Is that clear?”
    â€œSo, you gonna give us a ticket of a key a week?” Ant asked.
    â€œFor right now,” Chino said. “I want you buying your own keys as soon as possible. If I got you buying your shit, plus I’m buying my shit, we can all put our money together and score big. When a muthafucka fronts you, then you owe that nigga. Old boy in New York seemed okay, but I don’t want to owe them cats shit.”
    â€œWhen we gonna get the first ticket?” Infa asked.
    â€œThis weekend. For right now, we gonna have to cook it here like we’ve been doing. Is that cool, Corey?”
    â€œHell yeah,” Corey said.
    â€œThen that’s it,” Chino declared. “The Triple Crown Posse is officially in business. We down for each other and we down for whatever. We’re in it to win it all.”
    â€œTriple Crown Posse . . . TCP!” everyone yelled in unison.
    Chino extended his hand to his boys. “Let’s do this shit!”

Chapter 15

The Sky Is the Limit
    â€œW e rollin’, baby!” Infa said, shaking hands with Corey outside the club.
    The crew had decided to step out and hook up at Jazzy Jay’s to celebrate their good fortune. It had been three weeks since that fateful meeting at Corey’s house, and they had received three tickets since. That was sixty kilos total for Chino and he had been able to move them all.