Chapter 2: Say WHAT Now?
Gin slowly returned to consciousness. His whole body was in pain. His injuries must have been worse then he thought because he didn't remember passing out. He suddenly became aware of a light pressure on his chest. Gin opened his eyes to find his head propped up by pillows. He was lying on a bed in a small room he had never seen before. He used his propped up head to look down at what was causing the weight on his chest.
His eyes widened at seeing Riley's head resting on crossed arms, sleeping on his chest. He was also shocked when he saw tears falling from beneath closed lids. Gin listened to Riley mutter urgently in his sleep, "No, Gin, come back. Where are you? You can't leave me all alone, please."
Gin saw Riley's hands tighten into fists as Riley began to breathe harder, "Riley." Gin whispered urgently. Riley's eyes snapped open to meet Gin's softly smiling face, "I'm not going anywhere li'll man."
"Gin, you're alright." Riley said happily as he hugged Gin around the chest. Gin hissed in pain, "Oh, sorry man. How do you feel? You need anything?"
"I could use some pain pills if you got 'em. My whole body feels like its been bitch slapped." Gin hissed as he sat up before falling right back down onto the bed
"Don't get up so fast nigga. You just stay right dare, don't go nowhere till I gets back." Riley said as he ran out of the room to find Huey
Gin sat up slowly and put his legs over the side of the bed. A memory flashed threw his head suddenly.
The air was riddled with enemy fire. All around Gin soldiers ran this way and that. Suddenly, as one was running by, he fell to the ground holding his leg, "Damn it, some nigga done shot me."
Gin figured someone else would help him but he looked around to see the others retreating to cover. Gin ran over and stood in front of the fallen soldier, shooting with deadly accuracy at the enemy. He shouted over his shoulder, "What's your name nigga?"
"Ed Wunsler III."
"I'm Gin Rummy man. Think you can get up?"
"Naw, I can't feel my fucking leg no more."
"Well then keep your head low and hold on tight." Still firing with one hand Gin leaned down and pulled Ed up, "Hold n tight to my shoulder an move your ass."
Gin shook his head to clear it of the memory. He slowly got up and found his cloths on the second bed in the room. He carefully put on his shirt but didn't button it, leaving it hanging open. He was about to put his shoes on when the bedroom door opened.
"Nigga, what you doing up? I told you to stay in dat bed." Lectured Riley
"It pains me to say this, but Riley's right. You shouldn't be moving around so soon." Said Huey
Riley handed Gin a glass of water and a bottle of his grandpa's extra strength pain medication. Gin tried to take the bottle of pills but hissed and dropped it as pain shot threw his hand. He looked at it and saw it was bandaged, "What happened to my hand?"
"It was shot, a clear threw and threw." Said Huey
Riley opened the bottle and handed a few to Gin. Gin took a drink of water and swallowed the pills, "I tried to call Ed but no one answered. How can we reach him to tell him what happened to you?"
Gin sighed and said, "By delivering one billion dollars to Meadowlark Memorial Park in 2 days by the statue."
"What you talken bout?" asked Riley
"Ed's been kidnapped." Gin said quietly while staring at the floor as he sat on the bed
"What?" asked Huey and Riley as one
"Last night me an Ed was chilling at his pad. Ed's old man is gone for the week an' all the help be's on vacation so it was just us. We was watching some shit on the T.V. when some nigga kicked the door in an' pointed a gun at us. We pulled out ours an' started shooting at the fuckers. Then more showed up and one shot my gun out my hand. Guess that's why I got dis hole in my hand. Anyway, Ed ran out of ammo an' those niggas charged us. I tried to protect Ed when they knocked his ass out but I got stabbed, fell, an' hit my head. Last thing I remember is stumbling out of the house." Din's shoulders shook and wet spots appeared on the carpet below him, "I promised him." Whispered Gin before suddenly falling forward on to the floor, unconscious
"Gin! Huey, what the hell happened?" Riley said panicked as he heaved Gin back to the bed
"He's fine. He just over exerted himself and passed out. He'll be fine in a few hours." Said Huey
"We got's to help Ed Huey." Said Riley
"No we don't. Ed's dad will pay for him back." Said Huey
"No he wont. Ed told me once that that old bastard aint never done shit to protect his ass. Trust me, if the choice is between Ed and money, that prune will take the damn money any day of the year."
"Well what can we do Riley?"
"I gots a plan. We just gotta wait for Gin to wake up." Riley said