Hustla (BOOK ONE)

Chapter 47

The next morning Dre went to see Aaliyah. He was the only one in the room with her at the time and all he could do was stare at her.

Suddenly, he clears his throat. "I know you can't hear me but I guess it's just something I need to get off my chest"

Dre took a moment of silence before he began talking.

"This past 6 or 7 months have been hectic, but I must admit...every moment with you has been memorable. Like it's just me and you in the world and nobody else. You mean a lot to me and basically what I'm trying to say is you are the strongest female on this earth, do no doubt yourself. You will wake up and your life will be great. Everybody out here needs you..I need you. When I heard your got shot, I thought the worst. Felt like my heart stopped beating for a second. I thought I was never going to see you again, but I am. But now I can't hear your voice, and although sometimes you get on nerves, I do miss it", he said with a smile. "I miss you. I couldn't even sleep last night. I don't know.. I guess I have grown to love you. I love you Aaliyah and I cant loose another woman that I love"

Dre sniffs to keep from crying, then Dre walked to her and held her hand. "I don't know who did this and I know I broke my promise to protect you and I'm sorry. But I promise I will get rid of them"

Suddenly, he felt her squeeze his hand gently.

"Aaliyah?", he said.

"She can hear you, but she is still in a coma", the nurse said as she walked in.

"She can hear every word?", Dre asked.

The nurse nods.

"Mmm", Dre said to himself because he just said all that thinking she couldn't hear him.

"Would you mind stepping out for a moment?", the nurse said. "I just have to run a few tests"

Dre nods and walks out. As Dre walks out, Aaliyah's dad walks up.

"Um...you have to wait for the nurse to finish in there before you go", Dre said.

"Hey, look I wanna talk to you about something", her dad said.

"No. No need. You were right... I failed to protect her", Dre said.

"I wasn't going to say that. I was going to say that I was sorry for blaming you", he said. "That was out of line"

Dre nods.

Eventually the nurse walks out of the room.

"I guess we can go in", her dad said.

"I was just leaving", he said. "I can't see her like that right now"

Her dad nods. "Okay", he said.

Dre begins to walk away.

"Hey, listen... I get you feel the need to do something about this situation but...killing isn't the answer", her dad said.

Dre looks to the side.

"It's not going to reverse what happened, the damage will still be done", he said.

Dre looked at him. It reminded him of the same thing he said to Aaliyah.

Her dad walked into the room and Dre walked away.

Once Dre got out the hospital building he got into the car and called Carmen.

Carmen answered the phone. "Hello?", she answered.

"So... what's your status?", Dre asked.

"I'm working on it Dre. It's 9 in the morning", she said.

"How about I help you then", Dre said. "I could find these dude much faster"

"I don't need your help. Didn't I tell you to just be there for my sister?? This is my problem"

"Well too bad the two of you look alike because now it's her problem", Dre said.

"You need to stay there with her okay. They will not stop until I'm dead", Carmen said. "If they know she's still alive they'll come to the hospital and take her out their self"

Dre was quiet.

"That's why I told you to be with her and not out here", Carmen said.

"You still got less 48 hours Carmen", Dre said.

"I know, I know", Carmen said.

Dre hangs up and gets out the car. As he walks back to the building he sees a car drive past in a black Mercedes and he nods his head at Dre and Dre makes a face because he didn't know him but still nods back.

Dre watches the car drives into a parking space. He looks away walks into the building.

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"Thank you for coming Jay. I guess you know this city way more than I do so hopefully you can help", Carmen said.

"Not as much as Dre but I'll see what I can do", Jay said.

"But you're better with a gun, so I heard", Carmen said.

"Now that is true", Jay said.

"I found out the guys' location. They're at some hotel", she said.

"So what is your plan?", Jay asked.

"That I do not know", Carmen said, "any suggestions?"

"...they're after you so let's use you as bait", Jay said,

"No can do. They're like ghosts...they hide. They shoot from place least expected", she said.

"So.... you mean to tell me Aaliyah is sitting in a hospital bed right now, in a coma and they think that you and they can strike at any moment?", he asked.

Carmen was quiet.

"Why.. why didn't you tell anybody?", Jay said. "Why did you tell her shot was going on?"

"I didn't want her to worry", Carmen said.

"She needed to be cautious! She's your twin!", Jay shouted.

"Don't you think I feel bad already!?", Carmen asked. "I made a mistake!"

"That almost cost our sister her life", Jay said.

Carmen looked down. "Are you going to help me or not"

"...I'll help.. but we gone need more people", Jay said.

Carmen nods. "..okay",She said.

TO BE CONTINUED...