The fence and a new score

The tension in the air was thick enough to touch as Musa, Zuri, JC, and Shiko walked through the desolate streets toward the rendezvous point. The night was unusually cold, the chill wrapping around them like an invisible shroud, masking their quiet footsteps. Shiko was bundled up in a marvin hat and an oversized brown coat, her breath forming faint clouds with each exhale. 

Eazy led the way, his small black notebook tucked into his jacket, the details of their previous job buried within its pages.

“Stick together,” Eazy muttered, glancing over his shoulder.

The group arrived at  a broken-down warehouse on the outskirts of the Industrial Area. This was Vince’s territory—a notorious fence who traded in stolen goods and every illicit operation KS had to offer. The air inside was heavy with the smell of machine oil and damp concrete.

They walked by a cluster of slumped figures huddled together under makeshift shelters of cardboard and tattered clothing. The ground was littered with empty syringes, discarded wrappers and scent of cheap chemicals coming from bottles some had in their mouth. Musa threw a bottle of water at one of the figures who caught it with shaky hands and gulped it down without a word.

Crates stacked high formed narrow pathways leading to Vince’s office, a cramped room lit by a flickering fluorescent bulb. Vince lounged on a chair  cobbled together from half a bed frame, complete with golden armrests. A purple drink sat within reach, evoking cold smoke on the table.

"Eazy, my favorite courier," Vince greeted them with his usual sly grin, his gold tooth flickering in the dim light. "What treasure have you brought me tonight?”

Eazy handed over the bags without a word. “Thirty phones, top quality. Plus, the extra tech from tonight’s sweeps.”

Vince inspected the goods with meticulous care, muttering calculations under his breath. Finally, he leaned back, nodding. “Good haul. You’ll get your usual cut, minus my share, of course.”

“Of course,” Eazy replied, his tone clipped.

Vince’s eyes shifted to Zuri. “I heard you had a run-in with the boys in blue.”

Zuri shrugged. “Nothing I couldn’t handle.” 

"You've got guts, kid," Vince said, chuckling. "I need someone like you in my crew."

Eazy pocketed the cash Vince handed over, counting it with quickly. His face frowned after he finished counting. “Radaa Vince, where’s the rest?”

“Vince’s smirk wavered. “Prices are rising, Eazy. The streets are hot, and greasing the right palms isn’t cheap. You know how it is.”

Eazy’s expression didn’t change, but his voice took on a dangerous edge. “How long we been working together, Vince? My cut is my cut. Let’s not play these games.”

Vince’s laugh was thin, almost forced. “Alright, alright. I’ll throw in a little more. But bring me something bigger next time.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Back at the safe house, the leaders convened in the dimly lit central room. The mood was grim.

“This isn’t working,” Musa said, slamming his fist on the makeshift table. “We risk our necks for scraps while Vince lines his pockets.”

“What’s the alternative?” JC shot back. “We don’t have the resources to sell this stuff ourselves.”

Zuri, leaning against a rusted support beam, spoke up. “We need to think bigger. Vince isn’t the only game in town.”

Eazy exhaled a cloud of smoke, his eyes narrowing. “What are you suggesting, Zuri? You want to go independent?”

“Not exactly,” she said. “I’m saying we hit a target that doesn’t need a middleman. Something we can flip ourselves.”

Shiko raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”

Zuri’s lips curled into a sly smile. “There’s a private auction happening at Lavington Heights this weekend. High rollers, priceless items. One good hit, and we’re set for months.”

Eazy frowned. “Lavington? That’s out of our league. Security will be tight.”
“So what?” Zuri fired back. “We can handle it.”

The room fell silent as the group weighed the risk.

“Alright,” Eazy said finally. “If we’re doing this, we do it smart. No improvising, no mistakes. We need a plan. We can’t go out in huge numbers so we need essential members for this job.”

He touched his chin before finally saying,” Zuri, you’re on point for planning. The rest of you follow her lead.” 

As he walked away Eazy turned around and said,” By the way I got the signal from Frances. She appreciates the work.”

“Oyaa, Eazy what about…?” Musa asked.

“I know. I’ll take care of it, shugulikia business on your end. Negotiations are my strong suit.” Eazy said as he left the group.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The  next morning, the team  assembled to finalize the roster making sure each member had skills to bring to the table. The leaders and Shiko were, an obvious selection so only four spots were left.

“Ali’s our tech guy,” Shiko said. “No one else cracks systems like him.”

JC smirked. “You mean other than me, right?”

“Not even close, plus he’s fast.” Shiko shot back.

“Fine,” JC laughed. “Then I nominate Juma. Sharp, quick, and a memory like a trap. He’s perfect for recon.”

Zuri chimed in. “Kendi’s careful, thinks on her feet. She’s a natural at creating distractions.”

 “Anyone against these picks?” Musa asked.

“What about Amani?" JC asked.

“No,” Zuri snapped. “She’s not ready. If I hadn’t been with her yesterday, she’d be caught—or worse.”

Musa stroked his chin, thoughtfully. “We’ll need a wildcard for this. Let’s run a smaller job first, accumulate the necessary capital. Test who’s ready.”

“What kind of test?” Shiko asked.
“Nothing big,” Musa replied. “Something to gauge their skills. After that, we’ll know who fills the gaps.”

The room buzzed with quiet agreement. One last job before the Lavington score—a final proving ground for the team that would decide their fate.

Key terms

Radaa - What's going on (In that context)

Oyaa = similar to Yo

shugulikia = take care of