Forty five minutes later, Jamal and Ryan found themselves back at Jamal's small apartment in Flatbush. Jamal is now in the process of moving into his new apartment in the West Village. So once again, Jamal has everything in boxes.
"So, here we are..." Ryan said, holding the door open for Jamal. "We have reached our destination."
"Why thanks so much, sugar," said Jamal. "You're just quite a little gentleman aren't ya."
They were still in the foreplay game and the both of them were trying to spice things up a little bit more with Jamal still in character.
"Well, that's what a gentleman does," said Ryan proudly. "Jamal likes it when I do stuff for him."
"Oh really?" said Jamal, sensually. "Then if he likes it, then that means I like it as well."
After Ryan closes amd locks the door, Jamal prentends to expore around the very small apartment. Ryan then goes into the kitchen area.
"Should I get you anything?" asked Ryan. "Like a beverage?"
"I'll have glass of that burbon on the rocks," said Jamal. "It's one of my favorite thangs."
But Ryan didn't find any burbon, just two bottles of red and white wine.
"Well, apparently Jamal had been so busy with work lately that he forgot to buy some," said Ryan. "That's quite a disapointment. But would you care for some fine wine."
Jamal turns and gives Ryan a care free look.
"Eh," Jamal shruggs. "I guess the red one will do."
"Ryan agrees as he goes to pour them both two glasses. Jamal pretends to keep looking around.
"I see this Jamal guy of yours lives a very small life," said Jamal. "With some big souvenirs."
"Well, most of the time he use to live off of his father's money," said Ryan. "But once he decided to be independent he had to make do for what he has. But don't worry he's making it big again. I mean taking over Empire is a lot of responsibility."
"Oh, is it now?" said Jamal as he sits on his bed, prentending to test it out. "So, does he have any enemies?"
"As I see it," said Ryan bringing over the drinks. "Only a few."
"Interesting," said Jamal clearly, as he takes the glass of wine.
"But I'm worried about him, though," said Ryan as he sits next to Jamal. "I just don't want to see him get hurt. I mean I know that he wants his fathers love but at this point I think he's going way too far. I even heard that he amost threw a guy off the balcony following his fathers orders."
"My, my, my," said Jamal. "The man's a psychopath."
"Nah, I wouldn't say that," said Ryan. "Besides that doesn't mean I still love him."
"Hmm, well if I were you, I wouldn't worry about Jamal too much," said Jamal. "Cause it looks like he can take care of his self."
"I know," said Ryan, but I really care about him.
Then Jamal puts his drink down scoots closer to Ryan and ran his hand across his thighs.
"Speaking about this Jamal dude," said Jamal. "He ain't gonna come back anytime soon is he?"
"Not for a good while," said Ryan, almost excitedly. "I guess work is his top priority."
"Well, that's his problem," said Jamal. "While he's away doing um... whatever those working people do, I get to screw his man...all night long."
He then proceeded to lean kiss around his neck, as Ryan gives in. He then puts his drink down and then leans forward and kissed Jamal passionately.
"Okay fine," said Ryan. "You win. But go easy on me pal. I got to save some of my energy. I can't just leave Jamal hangin you know."
"Yeah, about that," said Jamal, as he then gets on top of Ryan and pins him on the bed. "There's one thing you should know...Billy Jax don't do boundaries."
"Then I guess that I'm in big trouble," said Ryan, with a big grin.
"Indeed," said Jamal, mischievously.
They made passionate love all night long...
The next morning, both Jamal and Ryan were both cuddling under the covers with their boxers on. Jamal then rolls over to check his alarm clock, which it was 7:02. He slowly gets out of bed and puts on his robe and slippers. He goes outside to get morning newspaper. The lady next door was sitting on her steps smoking a cigarette.
"Good morning," said Jamal with a cheeky smile.
"So, you're my competition huh?" said the woman, as Jamal gives her a hesitant look. "Yeah, I heard you get it on with your lover all night."
"I would rather call it getting even," joked Jamal, as he gives her a wink before going inside.
The woman chuckles as she finishes her cigarette.
Back inside, Jamal was putting on a pot of coffee when he heard that Ramon's phone buzzed on the counter. Jamal puts on a mischievous smile as he picks up the phone and pushes 'talk'. But he doesn't say anything.
"Hello?!"
It was Berelli's voice at the other end of the phone. Jamal confidently sits down and listens carefully.
"Where the hell are you at kid, I've been calling ya all night!"
Jamal just stood there and shakes his head.
"Look, all I want to know is whether or not you've done your job," said Beretti. "I mean...how damn hard is it to take down a simple queer?!"
Still silence.
"Alright pal!" spat Beretti. "You are starting to piss me off! Either you tell me what's going on or I make you're little pathetic life a more living hell than it already is."
"I'm afraid that he can no longer help you," Jamal finally said.
"What?!" said Beretti. "Who the hell is this?!"
"Well, I guess dangling your ass of that balcony gave you some amnesia," said Jamal.
"You!" growled Beretti. "How did get this phone? And what the hell did you do with my assassin."
"I would say he's really far away from here," said Jamal. "So I wouldn't make plans seeing him any time soon."
"Listen sissy boy," hissed Beretti. "You think you're so tough, and so dedicated to your damn company that you have forgotten what I'm capable of. I will make you're live a living hell, and on top of that-."
"Oh you sure have some tedious emotions," said Jamal. "But I really don't have time for them right now. Because, I was hoping to discuss some business with you."
"Oh yeah?" said Beretti. "And what might that be?"
"I was hoping you would say that," said Jamal. "Luckily, today is your lucky day."
"I beg your pardon?" Beretti asked clearly.
"Look, I just don't have the energy to fight with you right now," said Jamal. "I have a lot on my plate right now and um...all I want to do is to have a truce."
"Woa, wait a minute boss," said Beretti, with a scoff. "So, you are telling me that you are surrendering to me. Man, this is huge even for-."
"Hey, easy now player," said Jamal. "Let's not be foolish alright. All I want us to do is to be civil with each other."
"Ah, I see," said Beretti. "You got something in mind?"
"Oh you will benefit nicely for what I'm about to say," said Jamal. "You see, if you just call off this ridiculous hit on my company, then I will gladly reward you with some...serious benificial cash."
"Cash huh?" said Beretti, in slang. "How much you talking?"
"Lets just say I would gracefully put down a half a million," said Jamal.
There was a brief silence on Beretti's end of the phone.
"My apologies boss," said Beretti. "My reception on this phone must've been week. Did you just say you was gonna give me, you enemy a half a million bucks?"
"Exactly," said Jamal, with a light smile. "And if you be a little good boy and cooperate, I might throw you a little bonus, with nice ribbon on top.
"Is really that easy?" asked Beretti. "You just gonna drop that amount of money on me just like that? With a snap of a finger?"
"Do we have a deal?" asked Jamal. "I guarantee that you won't be disappointed."
"I guess this is my lucky day after all," said Beretti. "So, my final question is where and when am I going to get this money?"
"Why don't you meet me down in Hell's Kitchen," said Jamal. "There is this Italian restaurant called Emolio's. Meet me there around eight, and I will have it ready for you."
"You better be true to your word buddy boy," said Beretti. "Otherwise you can forget dodging that bullet."
"Everything will work out," said Jamal. "You'll see."
"Yeah I hope so," said Beretti. "For your sake."
He hangs up and Jamal does the same.
Just as Jamal turns to go to the cabinets for coffee mugs, he bumps into Ryan's bag on the chair which it falls to the floor spilling out half of its contents.
Jamal quickly picks up the things that fell out, until he sees what looks like a note. Jamal hesatantly picks it up and begins reading it. He was shocked to learn that it was an order for a hit man to kill someone. But it was someone that Jamal knows all too well.
Ryan turns over in the bed and stares at Jamal standing with his arms folded.
"Morning babe," said Ryan, with a cheeky smile.
"Yup," said Jamal, almost sarcastically.
"Okay, I can explain," said Ryan, who was still playing around.
"Oh you better!" scoffed Jamal.
"I met this guy at the bar who looks just like you," states Ryan. "But his name is Billy Jax. He was wearing this sexy cowboy outfit that matches the boots and everything. And I got to tell you he seduced me and I gave in, because...I was sort of weak for foreplay you know. But, boy was he clever."
Jamal nodds slowly.
"But he gone now," said Ryan. "So, there's a chance that I might not see him again, so we don't have to worry anymore."
"Yeah, so I walked in on you two in the middle of the night," said Jamal. "And things after that moment wasn't so pretty."
"Why what happened?" asked Ryan.
"I ripped him a new A," said Jamal. "If you see the kitchen turned upside down then there's your proof."
"Well, I wish him well," said Ryan.
"Yeah I bet," said Jamal. "Hey, I got your coffee on the counter if you want it."
"Hell yeah, brother," said Ryan, pulling off the covers.
"Oh, and one more thing," said Jamal. "You might want to be careful, because I might have put poison in it. It might kill you."
"What?" said Ryan.
Jamal takes the notes out of his robe pocket and throws it at Ryan. Ryan picks it up and looks at Jamal.
"Now, explain that!" snapped Jamal.
Ryan looks at the note, then gives Jamal an outrages look.
"You went through my things man?" Ryan asked, feeling offended.
"You do realize that you're on thin ice bro," said Jamal. "Besides I didn't go through your things! I bumped into a chair and your bag fell and all your crap came out."
"But you still looked at my note," said Ryan, sharply.
"Because it said in fine print 'How to kill Lucious Lyon, and get away with it'," said Jamal.
Ryan looks away from Jamal.
"You was going to hire someone to kill him in prision," said Jamal. "Wasn't you?!"
"I don't have to tell you my business!" snapped Ryan, as he suddenly shot up from the bed, but Jamal shoves him back down.
"Okay," said Jamal, with a serious chuckle. "I don't think that you getting all of this. When it's about my father, it is my business. No one is going to snowball him when I'm around."
Sudden anger started to flash on Ryan's face.
"What?" asked Jamal, boldly. "Do you expect us to now have angry sex."
"Why the hell are you on his side all of a sudden?!" asked Ryan. "He treated you like crap all of these years and now you're admiring him."
"Look, we put a side our differences and made peace," said Jamal. "We're now on good terms."
"You have got to be kidding me," spat Ryan.
"What the hell is your problem?" asked Jamal, with concern.
"Open your eyes brotha!" said Ryan. "You're old man is no good, he deserves to die!"
"Why?" asked Jamal forcefully.
"Because of what he did to me, dammit!" snapped Ryan.
Jamal was more confused than ever, Ryan sat on the edge of the bed and puts his face into his hands. Jamal then goes and sits next to him.
"Babe," said Jamal more softly. "What happened? What did he do to you."
Ryan looks at Jamal for a brief second then looks straight ahead. They sat in silence for a little bit.
"My father was gunned down years ago," said Ryan, sad but bluntly. "By your so called old man."
"What?!" asked Jamal, in shock.
"I'm surprised he kept you in the dark about this," said Ryan, in disbelief.
"No, honestly," said Jamal. "I didn't know a thing!"
"I was ten years old," said Ryan. "I didn't have much street smarts back then, but I could feel something in the atmosphere that something didn't feel right about that day."
Jamal looks away as he was in thought.
"It was a warm summer day," said Ryan. "He had a day off from work, so he wanted to spend quality time with me you know? That one on one father and son bonding, and I looked up to him...And he was my hero."
Jamal shakes his head in disbelief.
"Anyways, we decided to go the park and toss around the football," said Ryan. "He was a big sport fanatic when it came to the New York Giants. I guess he wanted me to be the next quarterback on their team or something...So, we was chilling and hanging out and catching up like we always do. Then later, we was about to head home...Lucious who was all dressed up in black, came up to us and asked my dad a question."
Jamal looked at Ryan with worry.
"Lucious asked for my fathers name," said Ryan, keeping his emotions in check. "As soon as my dad confirmed, Lucious shot him in the head."
Jamal's eyes widened.
"Wait a minute," Jamal cuts him off suddenly. "What's the name of this park?!"
"Cunningham," said Ryan. "Just around the corner from where we used to live."
"Cunningham," said Jamal, as if he comes to a sudden realization.
Ryan stares at him deeply.
"Why?" Ryan suddenly said. "You know something I don't!"
"We went there one time, many years ago," Jamal said, suddenly. "Me and dad!"
"Oh," said Ryan.
"He said that he needed to take care of some business," said Jamal. "When I asks what kind of business, he said for me to mind my own damn business and wait in the car."
"See, I told you your father is up to no good," said Ryan, in confidence. "Look, I know you want him to love you and everything but this is reality! You can't let him get away with murder any longer."
Jamal sighs as he shakes his head.
"You have to stop putting yourself in denial, you know what kind of person he is," said Ryan.
"I am aware of that," said Jamal. "But shooting your father execution style, in front of a little kid...it's like this man that raised me is some horrible stranger."
Jamal gets up and starts pacing.
"And look at me," Jamal said. "Here I am twenty years later threatening to drop hit men's bosses of balconies, isn't that something?"
"C'mon bro," said Ryan. "We all know that you're not a killer...well, not that I know of."
"Yeah, but I have a long list of people I want to gun down," joked Jamal. "Damn, it is just so hard being a saint."
"You and me both," said Ryan.
Ryan then gets up and wraps his arms around Jamal and hugs him from the back.
"Babe," said Ryan softly. "You know something has to be done about this. Justice needs to be served."
"I believe you," said Jamal, allowing Ryan to hold him. "But-..."
"But what babe?" asked Ryan. "What's stopping you from doing the right thing for everyone."
"It's just that he's my father," said Jamal, almost in a whine. "We're family, I should be supporting him, not throwing him under the bus."
"Ah, c'mon," said Ryan in a scoff. "You know deep down you don't feel sorry for him."
"Well, it was worth a shot," said Jamal, nonchalantly.
He then turns around and to face Ryan.
"I'm in," said Jamal. "Only on one condition."
"What would that be?" asked Ryan.
"We don't kill him," said Jamal. "He must not slip away that easy."
"Very intriguing," said Ryan.
"And one more thing," said Jamal, as he wraps his arms around Ryan. "We are going to be doing this, my way."
"By all means," said Ryan.
Then they both locked lips and kissed passionately.
