"You deserve it"

It was a midsummer's night, dark sky but the moonlight meant the blocks were bright. Coupled with the city lights and police sirens, it's the city of bright lights for real. Night times in the summer mean a lot of different things. Tops come down on the cars, tops come off on the broads and everybody rocking bling. But on the other side of things... It's a hot boy summer. Robberies and shootings were the usual, especially on my block... but me being the kind man that I am... I can't stand to see a woman get robbed, especially if she’s beautiful.

“Put the money in the bag,” yelled Ty while holding a pistol so old it looked like he stole it from a museum.

The woman looked super sad, not even scared, “ ok take my money but please don't steal my bag,” .

Ty just laughed, “What? Are you crazy? I’m the one giving the orders here… give me the bag, the ring matter fact give me everything.” Ty said as he smacked her with his pistol.

“No please” the woman said crying and wishing someone would help… “Shut up biiii”

“TY” I called out while running down the block… “I told you not to be out here robbing ladies on this block.”

“Oh shit, it's James Brady,” exclaimed Ty as he ran.

The woman was devastated. ”My grandmama gave me that chain, and my grandma's bag with some of my grandpa's stuff he took that too…. What a dirtbag.” She said while crying and mumbling these words… “granny and grandpa”.

“Damn so it's sentimental to you”… I said while she was still crying… “It’s aight , look, come back inside I'll get you cleaned up, you can use my cell to call your people and everything will be copacetic.” She followed me solemnly. I ain't back Ty off cause I wanted a thank you, which I noticed she aint say, In fact, I've come to expect people not to say thank you. At this point anyone not trying to kill me after I help them is good in my mind.

A cool breeze hit us as we were walking back to the crib. It was quiet enough to hear the trash moving in the wind so to break the silence I said, “I’m James.” She said “oh... okk,” It got quiet again so I asked her “Do you have a name too?” She laughed and giggled, closing her eyes enough to hit a crack in the ground with her foot. As she tried to balance herself her butt jiggled a little. I wasn’t sure if it was on purpose or not but it was sexy. She said, “My name is Rouge London.”

“That's dope, Rouge was one of my favorite X-men.” I said.

“Thanks suge.” she said echoing the 90’s cartoon to a T.

The elevator was broken like always and Rouge, even though she didn't know where we were going decided to walk in front of me, She kept just enough distance between us that I could look up her skirt while heading upstairs. We headed up rapidly to avoid the smell of the piss drenched steps. I wasn't sure if she had done it on purpose so I did my best to avert my eyes you know cause I aint no scumbag. As soon as we got in the crib I grabbed some peroxide cause she was bleeding on her forehead just above her eyebrow where Ty pistol whipped her. I didn't see some of the prelude but apparently he slapped her up a few times too. I mean it's one thing to be robbing people but to be beating them for no reason? When I see Ty Im’a black his eye. He knows what he did.

“Thanks for coming to save me James, your momma musta raised you right” Rouge said as she smirked. Momma died I thought but I didn't mention it…

“Yeah she did.” I said somewhat hesitating. Deep down her death still bothers me but I ain't out here tryna be sounding like no Dr Phil special especially in front of some bad joint I just met.

“Do you mind if I take a shower? I wanna wash the blood off my body” said Rouge.…

“yeah go head shawty… I got the shit that makes you smell good too... you know the pistachio Dove body wash with the Pantene to preserve your curls and your sexy too”…

“ha-haaah” she laughed in a goofy sort of sexy way. Imagine her laugh sounding like Lisa Simpson snorting milk with Ralph Wiggum and Lisa Simone singing beautifully. Music to my ears.

Sacred and profane, sexy and nerdy equally. She disappeared into the shower and came out pretty quickly for a woman. As soon as I looked back she dropped her towel, and asked “do my bruises look bad”

I said nah Rogue you look good for somebody that just got beat up. She began kissing me, her brown skin was soft .. her legs beautifully shaven… “Alexa play lets get it on by Marvin Gaye. Are your cheeks sore because they about to be clapped,” I said while giving her the I’m bout to fuck you face.

“clap clap” my bed was halfway broken and me smashing with the wrath of thor aint helping one bit. The bedpost was shaking crazy hitting the wall, boom ban boom with it sounding almost like a Dr.Dre drum. Word to Trey songz I think the neighbors know my name.

As she was cumming she said “oooooh james” in a super sexy way like I imagined women sounded in the 50’s. I felt like the hero in them old 007 movies where James Bond gets to make love to a beautiful woman after saving the day. This might be one of the few times doing the right thing worked out in my life.

I grabbed her by the hair rough enough to yank her neck and asked her if she wanted to cum again. She said yes and I made it happen for her. She came twice and I came last… roll the grass word to Biggie and them.

“ay Rouge Im’a go smoke a bigarette outside, I got HBO Max and Netflix, Hulu and Disney plus too, make yourself at home but don't be out here stealing no shit though” I told her I was gonna go smoke a bigarette but really Ima smoke that sucka Ty. I know he stay at the park one block down on 83rd with them suckas I robbed before… Plays mask off by Future, It’s time to ride out.

Boom I’m walking fast and I'm walking dole’ cause Ima do my dirt all by my lonely. Before Ty even said anything I snuffed him. Bing bang boom bang bing bang boom.. “Yeah yeah,” I exclaimed while hitting him!

Bing bang boom bang boom… I'm washing him in his own blood. It’s not even a fight, I'm just beating his ass… “Fucking coward what I told you?” I said while wiping his blood off my face.

“You know I just do this to support my kids man I don't want to be out here stealing” Said Ty in a weak ass voice.

“Man shut up” I said as I hit him again cause he was probably faking.

As I'm beating his ass Ty got tired of losing so he pulled a knife out. I ain't fazed or moved, He swung and I slid, hit him with the bing ban boom again and he fell on the floor. He was wearing the ladies chain like it was his so I snatched it off him. He was rocking her bag too so I took that off him too… “Run ya kicks son gimme those you walking home barefoot today pussy.” I said as I kicked that sucker in the head.

Aight this what I came to do, I backed out, pulled out my little baby 9 and aimed right at his big cranium and right when I was about to shoot… WOO0000O WOOOOOOOO00. I put it back as I heard the police sirens.

“It's the boys James get outta here,” said chris, one of my former childhood friends now turned informant. “Aight brodi,” I said cordially but I knew to keep my distance. He works with them and they’ll say or do anything for a chance to hurt innocent people when it's going down.

When I got back to the crib Shorty immediately said “ I saw you.”

“Yeah I did it,” I said, not looking at her. “Why didn't you say something? I didn't answer her question, it's always been in my nature to not let people know what I’m doing...

“I got your stuff back. Here's your grandmama chain and your bag.” I said firmly. “You know this bag actually belonged to my grandma. I haven't actually looked inside since getting it from the old house… granny said some of grandpa's stuff was inside.” I gave her some time to gather herself. The reason she wanted her stuff back so bad is because her grandparents had already passed.

Oh it’s a bunch of stamps, some old pennies… oh shoot this little black book…. I vaguely remember it… my grandaddy had it from when I was young until he died. When we cracked open her granddads book it contained a few journal entries dating back to the 70’s. She looked at the story of when he had met her grandmother while shedding a tear. In the back of the journal it said for you love, my Rogue agent… It was a picture of a 50 cent coin and the words “just a little bit” underneath it… followed by another quote from a 50 cent song…. “I'm talking in codes” below that there was an email address and a some random letters and numbers.

She looked deep into my eyes and said “my grandpa said he left me something special on his deathbed but he didn't tell me what it was, my granny told me she put what he meant in the bag. “

“What do you think this picture means?” rouge asked somewhat dumbfounded.

“Codes? Like a whole lotta gang shit?” asked James.

“No James he wasn't like that.” Said Rogue.

“ Well what was he like?”

“He was always reading about technology… but he did mention some kind of chain gang all the time, block chain or something like that.”

“Block chain? Wait a minute, Coin… just a little bit?” “Bitcoin!!!!”

“Oh your grandaddy is clever… It's a digital wallet. Your granddaddy was a rich girl?”

“Rich? No, he just invested his Starbucks tips online. He always gave us free food from work but he only made like 200 a week.”

“Ok let me grab my laptop, you know his birthday and social and all that good shit?”

“Yeah it shouldn't be a problem… “

“Aight … when did your grandaddy start? “

“In 2010 I think he mentioned blockchain?”

“Like I said he never made a lot of money so I ain't getting my hopes up too much…

The book you got back for me is sentimental; it's his drawings and ideas you know, dates with granny, holidays, birthdays all preserved in time.… “

“Shit I’m feeling all that shorty but take a look at …. “

“Holy shit? Is this for real?” said Rouge.

“Yeah a few dollars here or there back then in bitcoin is Bukkooo bucks now… You a rich bougie bitch now. “

“Shit, I've never seen that much money in my life.

Oh shit James Thank you! you've done so much for me I want to do something nice for you”

“I mean you already sucked my dick.”

“ No James, I want to give you 20,000 as a reward for helping me”

“You know I aint get your ring back?

“It’s cool my grandpa left me so much the ring doesn't even matter. You deserve this.”