Bad Paper

Chapter 1: The streets are dead

Chapter 2: The hook up

Chapter 3: Do it my way

Chapter 4: Everybody’s got to eat

Chapter 5: You’re still wild as hell

Chapter 6: The heat is on

Chapter 7: Time to get paid

Chapter 8: Dude you’re screwing up

Chapter 9: Chicks can be grimy

Chapter 10: Don’t cross me

Chapter 11: When you’re slow, you blow

Chapter 12: Good to be home

Chapter 13: Get that paper

Chapter 14: Big Payback

Chapter 15: Clean up the loose ends

Chapter 16: Should have known better

Chapter 17: I’m done

Disclaimer 2: Grammar and in many instances spelling has been deliberately altered in order to depict authenticity.

Prologue

Having lived in South Jamaica Queens NY, Antwon Williams has now relocated to Missouri with his girlfriend Karla and their 2 kids Anthony and Shenae. The transition was a rough one, and Antwon had to lay down the law to a few would be haters that he wasn’t the one for the games.

He has successfully opened his custom shop, and commissioned a local white dude named Ervin to help him run the place. Ervin looks like something straight out of the trailer park. He has the grimy mechanic clothes thing going on, as well as the scrungy beard. He’s about 8 years older than Antwon, but this dude is Antwon’s boy without question. More so like a brother in fact.

The drug game is now a thing of the past. But Antwon for some reason doesn’t feel content. Maybe it’s the rush of having to stand quietly in a re-up spot in uptown Manhattan while the task force raids the apartment upstairs. Maybe it’s the feeling of having to watch everything that you do, knowing one slip up and you could get busted by NYPD, caught slipping by some envious stick up kids, or even snitched on by a conniving dope fiend. Although the shop has its good weeks, and slow weeks, Antwon for one reason or another seems to miss the exhilaration of mischief.

That void is soon filled when he gets a call from a longtime associate of his named Raheem who tells him about the new hustle going on in the streets of his old stomping grounds.

Chapter 1: The streets are dead

May 24th 1997 Friday night 3:00 am, Raheem, who is 6’ 1’’ Middle Eastern looking, and Little, a 5’4" gnome looking dude, along with 6 other individuals are on the corner of 115th ave and Suphtin Blvd. The air is muggy, the stench of urine drifts slowly from the direction of the aluminum shuttered store front. The street is dimly lit from the street lamps yellow hue. One of the lights flicker as if it were about to burn out. Other than the sound of dice bouncing off the pavement, and the excited voice of a craps winner, the street is pretty quiet.

Yo Raheem these streets are dead as hell dun. Yeah I know kid; I still got 270 dollars in krills left. I ain't make but 30 dollars tonight, Raheem says. That moment, an all-black box truck comes screeching to a halt. The truck looks similar to a U.P.S truck, but the delivery that this truck is about to make, not to many people would want to receive. The rear doors fly open; it’s the N.Y.C task force.

Dressed in all black, caring assault rifles, the N.Y.C task force does a sweep on the corner, and arrests everybody for various charges. One of the corner thugs tries to resist. Yo what the fuck you tripping for, I didn’t do nuthin The thug says to one of the Officers dressed in black. Shut the fuck up or you’ll be picking your fucking teeth up off the ground. The cop replies. Back then, stop and frisk was just taking off, Giuliani was the Mayor, and NYPD was on some ra ra shit.

Raheem and Little had stashed their drugs in an empty beer can lying against the curb. The police find the drugs, but cannot connect them with anyone therefore Raheem and Little are only charged with loitering.

The next morning Raheem and Little are released on PR bonds. On their way home, they talk about what happened. Yo kid that was some close shit last night B. True dat son task got the work and my dough. Little says. Yo, how we gonna get any money with fifty niggas all selling on one corner son? Raheem asks. True dat yo. Little replies. Once Raheem gets home, he sees his older brother J.B in the kitchen. JB used to work for the NYPD, and now works for the Post Office. Yo Rah what up where you been at all night? That chick Tonya’s house? JB asks. Nah son I got hit in a sweep on Suphtin last night. Raheem replies. Oh word yo? I told you them streets are too hot yo, you lucky you’re out right now. JB says to Raheem. Yeah they ain't had nothing on me. Hit me with a bullshit loitering charge. Raheem says to his brother. Who you was with yo? JB asks. Little. They let him out too. Raheem replies.

J.B then calls Raheem into the living room. Yo Rah come here yo I want to show you something kid. Raheem walks into the living room to see what his brother is all hyped up about. What up? Raheem asks. JB then hands Raheem a piece of paper. Yo what's this? Raheem asks. What's it look like? JB replies. It looks like a check for 40,000 dollars. Who's this cat on the check? Raheem asks. That’s one of Stan's people yo. JB replies.

Later that evening JB and his boy Stan are at work at the Post Office. Stan is JB’s coworker. That’s his partner in crime. Yo that hook up earlier was tight wasn’t it? Stan asks. Yeah that was straight yo. JB says. Hey yo what’s up with that other hook up? Homeboy take care of that? JB asks. Yeah I talked to that cat earlier. He hit me off with a whole grip of shit. Stan replies. True, true. JB says.

Meanwhile in mail room security, a security guard shows his supervisor a video surveillance tape from earlier that day. I thought you should see this sir. The security guard says. What is it? The Supervisor asks. It looks like this employee is stuffing mail in his jacket, but it’s hard to tell from here. The guard replies. Find out who this guy is, and tell internal operations to put surveillance on him from the moment he comes in till the time he leaves. I’ll check back with you tomorrow. The Supervisor says. Ok sir. The guard replies.

The next morning at JB and Raheem’s house, Raheem looks out of his bedroom window and sees a black 318 is BMW parked out front. He also notices his brother JB and Stan outside talking. After getting dressed, Raheem goes outside to speak to his brother. Yo JB what up? Stan what up? Stan that’s you right there? Raheem asks. Nah B my joints in the shop getting the system installed. Stan says to Raheem. JB say word that’s you right there son, what’s up? Put a nigga on yo. Raheem says to JB. Nah not yet son, shits still in the fetus stage B, it’s got to grow up first ya feel me. JB replies. Yeah aiight. Raheem says sarcastically. JB and Stan then jump into the Beamer and drive off.

Yo son got hemmed up for grabbing those joints yesterday. Stan tells JB. Word? JB asks with a concerned tone. Word up B. Stan replies. So how’s that nigga laying B? He be on some snitch shit or what? JB asks. I don’t know son. Stan replies.

The tension in the air of the Beamer is so thick, that you could practically cut it with a knife. The concern is warranted because if this dude is a snitch, this could mean more than the end of their meal tickets, it could mean the end of their freedoms for quite a long time.

Back at Raheem’s house Little has arrived. Raheem tells him about JB’s new car. Word son niggas is pushing the hot shit out here now yo, and niggas ain’t trying to put niggas on B. That’s some ole bullshit son.

Later that evening Stan, JB, and Johnny are at Stan’s house discussing what happened at the Post Office. Johnny is a heavyset African dude that works with Stan and JB at the Post Office. His accent is pretty heavy, and sometimes people have a hard time understanding what he is saying. So what they was asking you up in there yo? Stan asks. They was asking me where was the mail at that they saw me take. I told them I never took any mail. But yo I need to get some dough yo what’s up? Johnny asks. Stan stands behind him and shakes his head no to JB. He’s concerned that it has to be more to the story than what Johnny is saying, but JB is open now. That money has been feeling good, and there’s no way he’s about to let it come to a halt right now. The tension from earlier is long gone. Alright kid I’m hit you off with this work, check it out. Here’s a check for 30,000 yo. It’s made out to you so just go drop it in your account. When it clears, bring me back 25,000 and keep 5 grand for yourself. JB tells Johnny. Word B? Johnny asks with an excited tone. Good looking out son.

Chapter 2: The hook up

About a month later, Raheem is arguing with his brother JB. All seems well on the outside, JB is making serious bank and Raheem has had enough of seeing his brother shine, while he scraps and hustles for pennies. YO SON WHAT’S UP? PUT A NIGGA ON B! You done been through like 3 hot whips and done bought a house and I’m still driving around in this broken down Jetta with 3 cylinders. YO WHAT’S UP? Raheem yells to JB. I TOLD YOU B IT AIN’T READY YET! JB yells to Raheem.

Maybe it’s a lack of trust, protectiveness, or maybe it’s just an inherent griminess, but for one reason or another, JB refuses to put his brother up on the scheme that he and Stan have going on. Suddenly, the doorbell rings. JB answers the door, and he gets a surprise. Yeah can I help you? JB asks. Yes, Justin Brown I presume? One of the 2 well groomed men dressed in grey and blue business suits replies to JB. Yeah that’s me what’s up? JB replies. We’re with the U.S Marshalls office, and we have a Federal warrant for your arrest. The Marshall says to JB.

After the Marshalls take JB into custody and leave, Raheem calls his boy Little on the phone. All that yelling and beefing from earlier is a thing of the past. Raheem is shook, and he needs to try to sort things out ASAP. Yo Little what up? Yo the Marshall’s just arrested J.B son. Raheem tells Little. Word, what happened yo? Little asks? I don't know too much, they just left. I’m a wait here and see if JB calls so I can find out what’s up. Raheem replies.

A few hours later Stan pulls up to Raheem’s house in his new Lexus gs 400. He gets out of the car and proceeds up the walkway to the front door. After ringing the bell Raheem answers the door with the look like he has just saw a ghost in his eyes. Yo Raheem let me holla at you dawg. Stan says to Raheem. Stan what up man? Yo what the fuck is going on? Raheem asks. Yo shit hit the fan son. This dude named Johnny that we be fucking with got hemmed up, and now he's on some snitch shit son. Shit's real out here now dawg. Stan says. Yo get in the car I’ve got to give you something.

Once they both get in the car, Stan gives Raheem a computer disk. Yo son put this up in a stash somewhere. Do not let the po po get a hold of this you feel me B? Stan says to Raheem. Yeah I got you dawg. Raheem replies. Don't worry about JB son, we’re going to get him out aiight? Stan tells Raheem. Aiight yo. Raheem replies. After they finish talking, Raheem gets out of the car and Stan pulls off.

Raheem then proceeds to Little’s house with the computer disk. Once there Raheem tells Little what was going down. Yeah Little straight up shit is real now B, the Feds got JB son. Yo you still got that computer here? Yea I still got it. Why you want to peep out that cd? Little asks. No doubt B, I want to see what's so special about this joint son. Little and Raheem then proceed to the basement, where the computer is. Once at the computer, they load the cd. Yo Raheem you see this shit son? Where did your peeps get this shit from yo? Little asks. I don't know but I'm ready to set it off son what's up? Raheem asks Little. I know some cats that will get down too yo. But we need some checks to get started. Little says with a concerned voice. Yo don't worry about that son I think I might have that covered. Raheem replies.

Raheem then goes home and searches the house, and finds a stack of blank checks in the basement in the heater vent. He had a hunch something was up when he saw his brother putting screws back into the vent a while back. He had been intending to open that vent and take a look, but had got distracted at forgot all about it until now.

The next morning the mailman is delivering the mail. As he walks from house to house with his bag over his shoulder whispering tunes from yesteryear, Raheem waits patiently for the knock on the door. Once the mail man arrives, Raheem asks