Cradles 4

TBC walked all corners of the hotels from the reception which he used as his living room to the guest room even to the kitchen, "is he back yet," he asked one of his puffed men, "not yet boss," he replied. Checking his wrist watch he says, "almost four hours since he left, he'll be back in a minute,"

"This is happening, he stole from you, he won't come back, he has run away with your money," Linc says

"Shut up and stand, you're alive because of Peng. The moment the table turns your head rolls,"

"He's saying the truth, T, accept, staying here may even get things worse…you don't know what he's planning," Pengman clearly delineated the whole stuff for TBC, "let me guess Sharon told you he'll handle Linc himself," TBC stops at the balcony and turns, "just shut up,"

"That was the plan, he wanted to frame Linc's death and keep stealing from you," Peng says

"Ok if what you're saying is true tell me exactly how he got you to work for him," TBC balances his two hands on the door and bumbled thereafter, "start talking,"

"One day at the river side after we were done with our hustle we sat, drinking playing chess until Sharon came with his men and a whole lot happened and before long I froze out," Linc releases a heavy breath filling the tip of his jacket with his left hand, "I woke up on this basement, hands buckled to the arms of a wooden chair, "what do you want from me?" I asked him. I want answers," he says, "what is Pengman planning to do?. We can stay here the whole night or you can start talking,"

"Beat me all you want but I don't know anything,"

"Said it boss he won't talk," one of his boys said

"What are all these messages from Peng? He wants to plan a hit, hmmm" he held his hands tight to my jaw, "I see you need some motivations, I'll give you one,"

"I know nothing, please,"

"Your mom and your sister will be in good hands in a minute if you don't tell me what Peng is planning,"

"Please leave my family alone,"

"Then start talking, now," I felt the pain of losing a loved one, two love ones, "I told him all I knew,"

"Then you sold me out," TBC trots out his gun from his back pocket and points at Linc, "give me one good reason I shouldn't blow your head out right now,"

"He did what he had to do to survive," Peng immediately jumps in front of Lincoln, "drop the gun now. Sharon is the real enemy,"

"The real enemy is the one standing in my face right now and I'm going to get through you to get to him, if you don't get out of my way,"

"Who's Sharon to you anyway, he's a soldier and he has messed up. We cut him out like cancer. That's the code, that's how it's done,"

"Sharon is not just a soldier he's family,"

"And where was his loyalty - hmmm - Linc here was loyal to his family. Did what he had to do to save his family. If Sharon is really your family where was his loyalty,"

"He made a few mistakes, all men make mistakes,"

"Is that what you call it? Well I call it betrayal, Sharon has betrayed you and stolen your money. Who knows what next he is capable of…" Pengman paused a bit when he heard the weird sound of the door slide and a couple of footsteps approaching. Sharon and a couple of men walks into the reception, "TBC heard you sent for me,"

"Sharon let's have a talk inside,"

"No one is leaving this place," Sharon plugs the head of his gun

"What are you doing?" T says

"What do you think I'm doing? Making a name for myself, making a life for myself, taking care of my men. Feeding them three times a day, maybe four, attending their burials if they die, increasing their pay," TBC looks surprised at Sharon. Flings his hands towards the five men behind Sharon, "come over here and I'll spare your life, as for I and Sharon it's personal,"

"The fat man doesn't have ears man," one says as they all chuckle, "Sharon you were family, I treated you like my brother and now this is how you repay me. You stole my money and now half my men have fallen into your trap,"

"No one said half of your men are coming with me, all of them will, because if you don't you die," Sharon yells, "a little disclaimer, two men just died outside trying to stop us from coming in,"

"Pathetic son of a bitch," TBC says,

"Is he still family," Peng says, "cuz the action he's willing to take on you isn't a brotherly action," Peng and Linc moved backwards as TBC finally walks down the stairs, "Sharon this wasn't the plan, me and you apart wasn't the plan," he walks closer again, "me and you was together forever, that was the plan. But each time I go right, you go left, I go right, you go left, I go right, you go left," he starts to make a scene.

"Peng… I go right you go left," TBC moves his gun right, twisting and falling to the ground, raining bullets on all Sharon's men right > Pengman with his gun already balanced on his left hand moves the same way but to the left.

"Ahh," Linc shouted falling backwards toward the pillar, "Linc" Peng said, "Linc is hurt on the chest help me," Peng turns around, "TBC, help me get Linc to the hospital," TBC wasn't concerned with Linc's health as he stared consciously at injured Sharon leaping to find himself a gun, "you knew everything about me. But you didn't know one thing, I'm not afraid to die,"

"You kill me you won't know where your money is,"

"I kill you, I have peace of mind," TBC reloads his gun and pulls the trigger. The only thing Peng heard was the sound of T's hands on the trigger and the bouncing body of Sharon over the wet-blooded tiles of the hotel, "good bye Sharon, you're family," TBC dips his hands into his pocket and picks a necklace, drops it on his dead body, "together forever man,"

Finally, Peng recovered from the unraveling sounds of bullets that pierced his eardrums. He turns towards Linc and sees the helpless boy coughing blood, "stay with me, ok, I'll get you to the hospital,"

"No, no…I won't make it, hospital is too far from here,"

"You'll survive trust me,"

"Remember when you said you owe me one,"

"Anything, you're family," Peng says

"My mother and sister, this state is not safe for them," he swallows his saliva, "I want you to help me make IDs for them. Let them go as far away as possible. I've brought enough disgrace to my house and this is how it ends. If this is the only thing that makes me proud on the other side, I'll be glad it happened," he slams his head on his shoulder, "close my eyes while I close the door,"

"Together forever brother," Peng looked him in full in the face, closed his eyes and says, "go home,"

"Who else wants the same ending?" TBC tells his men on the balcony. Everyone stares at each other, gazing with fear, "the old era of TBC cartel ends with Sharon, no burial, no visitation, no money for the family, no pity. The new era begins with Linc. His family will be looked after. That's all I can say for now"

"Where's Rina? I want to see my sister" Peng says

"Bring her,".TBC signals with his fingers, "Peng, I owe you one, never forget that,"

"Peng…" Rina runs through from the balcony and hugs him. "I heard a lot of noise from inside, what happened?"

"I'll tell you on our way out," Peng turns to TBC, "where are the papers and passport?"

"Don't panic brother, the man who's gonna take the job is right here, waiting, but you see Lincoln has made things worse for you…"

Peng leaves Rina's hands and walked closer to T, being miffed inside, "what are you talking about," he said with a low tone,

"What I mean is they are only two slots, and Linc's dying wish here would either be the one on the paper or your face on the paper you choose,"

"You saw what Linc did for us, he died to save you and this is how you treat him,"

"Let the dead bury the dead, I sell my slots and if I give out to you for free, then I've done enough," TBC said, looking him full in the face. "Son of a bitch," peng mein seemed like that of a Lion as he tried getting into a fight with TBC, but Rina holds him back, "you lied to me, you lied to all of us,"

"I didn't lie to anybody, I've kept my word, Lincoln mom and baby sis wasn't part of the deal,"

"Calm down," Rina said, "we'll get through this together,"

"He's a traitor,"

"What do we do now big brother," Rina cracked her hands over the walls of her head and pressed against her nose, "What do we do now?"

Peng sits with an angry smile beside Linc's body, "I'm sorry Rina, after you Linc was the most faithful person I ever knew, now he's gone, and we have to honor it. He's Mom can't stay in Los Angeles not today not in the future she won't survive. She needs a better life, let's give them the spot, there's always a better way,"

"Wise choice…" TBC says, "he was a trusted soldier too,"

"Shut up, just be here when Linc's mom and his sister arrives, so your lame man can work the magic," Peng tells T

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Peng and Rina walk into Linc's mom restaurant, and stay on the threshold for a while looking sad. Peng shakes his head as She lifts her eyes up from her counter, "where's my son?" They both walk to the counter and sits on a stool, remained silent for moment, "he didn't make it" Rina says,

The country music in the background caught the whole scene in a shriek of agony. She first heard the word "didn't," and froze before she could recover half a bucket of water had gone, "my son," she parroted

"I'm sorry," Peng said,

"You killed my son, you bastard…" Linc's mother grew a bad-tempered and unpleasant woman on Peng, "where's his body?"

"He has been buried, you'll have to come with me, here isn't safe,"

"My son came with you and now he's dead,"

"They'll be coming for you,"

"Let them come,"

"You don't understand, Linc's dying wish was for us to take you out of the country and you know this place isn't safe," Pengman whispers

Rina holds her hands, "please let's help you,"

"I don't need any of your help," She yells, " get out, now!! Get out,"

"We…" Peng tries to speak,

"I said get out,"

Rina deeps her hands into her jacket and brings out a card, "Just call me when you make a decision," she slides it to her.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Linc was my friend too," Peng says

Rina and Peng step out of the restaurant to pick a cap back home as Rina notices Peng's concentration had been focused on the left side of the road, particularly behind the old barbing shop close by, "what's that?" Rina asked,

"Nothing,"

"Peng…we will both be deaaad if you keep this up,"

"It's fine," he stares a bit after a while this time raising a leg and dragging his eyebrows above the rooftop of the cars in front of him,"

"That doesn't look like nothing,"

"They're here. Run!!" Peng yells,

"Who's here?" Rina looks him in the eye, "Peng! Talk to me,"

"IC's men are here, run now,"

"Which way," both looked left and right, "the car, it's opposite let's get to it,"

"No don't, they got the car. They got the left side of the street, they also got the right. We get back inside we risk Linc's mom," Peng says

"What do we do?"

"We call the cops,"

"The cops?"

"We feel unsafe, we're citizens…"

"There's always time for everything, but what will we tell the cops," Rina says as Peng dials the cops. Minutes later a police man came and picked them up to a different street where they both walked home safely