Navigation **** Chapter One Hundred

While considering the role Veronica had played in it all it donned on me Troy was her son, also why had she been so caught up in the medieval era as she had been?

I was perilous but no longer confused, I knew what I needed to do---I was hell bent on killing Martin, and wanted him to feel my wrath. He'd referred to me as a vagrant as he suggested I polished the silver, "Since u have agreed to work."

What had he done to have Troy released, he was now insinuating I had a debt to pay---I knew I had to escape. "It's not safe for u to leave," Troy had texted and warned. Hadn't he understood, I needed him! My soul ached for his black ass, I hadn't cared if he had fucked Terrica, he was mine. After Mama had told me the date the divorce papers were filed, I'd known he had done it when he threatened to before the basement incident, I remembered that day as if it was yesterday and knew he had given up on the marriage. Even though I'd known I couldn't trust him I stayed for the sake of the children and had planned on returning, Troy interfered because Trenton wanted me dead. Hadn't he?

We texted while I planned my get away, what had Martin done to have him freed? "I saw your pain and granted your desire---neglect not your duties. Tell me how is it u became so keen when touching the books? Assuredly u haven't chosen knowledge of good and evil---over the tree of life, have u become a suitable helper? 'Cursed is the ground because of u, through painful toil u will eat from it all the days of your life.' "

His laughter was soul stirring.

"Well I didn't make it up!"

He laughed. " And I will put enmity between u and the woman, and between your offspring---"

I watched as he strode across the marble floor, I was familiar with the passages from Genesis, he quoted the Bible as if it was in his hand. Why was it relevant to him?

"'U will eat of it until u return to the ground, since from it u were taken, and dust u are, to dust u will return."

Sickened by his delight in his ability to quote the scriptures I watched as he wallowed in his conceit, he rocked on his tiptoes with his hands in his pockets. I stood from the Italian Renaissance throne chair I rested in polishing his fine silver, I knew I would soon throw up as his voice traveled throughout the home. The echo from a handclap sounded as Dario descended the wounded stairs. In unison they said as Martin stretched his arms up and outward, "'And the way to the tree of life is guarded by a flashing sword."

Chills consumed me and I had become afraid, what had I done? I regurgitated the kumquat I'd eaten, sat by the bidet on the floor in tears and texted Troy, I needed him, I was so sorry! I didn't know what to do! What if I returned to the hotel and the police were waiting, I had in fact killed Nikki!

I just wanted life with him and I told him sincerely, I felt my children were not my own, they'd been experiments. I could make it right, we could be happy--he'd wanted to leave! Now was our chance. I waited for his text, I assumed he was with Terrica since he hadn't responded and became angry. Had the voices in my head been demons? I began to pray, I needed someone who was a believer! People seemed genuine, but were they true believers?! I could not win the battle I was fighting, it was spiritual and I was a pawn.

Hesitantly, I texted Nathaniel, my children's grandfather, "I NEED HELP! PLEASE! " He didn't respond, was he afraid? What happened to Kevin? How had he died? I googled keywords Trenton had used to find Kevin's unfortunate demise, he had been electrocuted while leaving the scene of a robbery, Trenton had been arrested for the robbery and questioned for days, they were caught red handed. Martin had sent them, he had started doing petty crimes for money and then—- along came Martin. He took him under his wing and convinced him to become FBI, he had even suggested he changed his name. Martin had to have known about the body in the vault, I didn't know if Trenton's grandfather had died from a heart attack or not.

I waited for stillness to consume the home, I'd texted Troy and told him if he had any love left for me and his child to respond. I'd set up his Icloud and knew his location. I would soon be en route and would get what was rightfully mine or die trying. I was tired of heartache and pain and was dancing with the devil, by the time I figured it out it was too late. I calculated the distance to the highway and remembered the street names on the overhead signs, I would walk all the way if I had to.

It was time to fight fire with fire.

I'd texted Sabrina, since she owed me, still. She texted back, "I didn't see a Chevy Cruze parked by the curb."

Where was Trenton's car?! I was pregnant and helpless, Martin awaited my self destruction---like Eve, he wouldn't kill me, it was simple.

He'd given them all the riches, knowledge, power.

A friend request notation alerted me as it appeared on the screen, I instantly recognized the fat ass nigga on the profile picture. Pooh?

I definitely needed a friend, I accepted the request. He was genuine, I'd met him years ago.

He waved, I waved back as the smell of mint came through the vents in the bedroom. I needed help, "Send me an Uber please!"

He called, I declined the video chat. There were always strings attached.

"Where are u now? Do u still live in Texas... or are u in Louisiana? I moved to Slidell after I got out."

Got out? I had seen Slidell on a sign on my way to New Orleans, What about the Uber! I wouldn't tell him I was in New Orleans in fear of him trying to find me. He had been a good friend, and I knew he would send the Uber.

"Ill come get u, are u in Shreveport? I'm going to the Casino, glad I found u."

He tried to video chat again, I declined. The communication stopped and then he said what's the address---I need to put it in for the pickup location. I told him, and prepared to wait on the Uber, the home was quiet except for the distant television that could be heard from upstairs. I crept through the kitchen barefoot and into the foyer. There was no one stirring in the home at 11:26 P.M. I stood at the trophy case to make sure Kie wasn't spying on me as I felt she always had, I needed to get to my car! I waited for him to message me the arrival time and pick up car description, what was taking him so long to message back? 30 minutes later he messaged, "Im outside...why would I send an Uber, I have a truck." His headlights shone bright through the large uncovered front windows. I knew I had fucked up when I heard movement above my head upstairs. I panicked and became lightheaded, I heard my own heartbeat as I ignored Pooh's call. I'd seen the Pearl White Navigator and was afraid to open the door, the home was armed. Paralyzed with fear I could not move, I decided to pretend I knew nothing about the vehicle outside as Mr. Shonda's name displayed across the screen.

When I looked at the keypad and saw the home was armed, I wanted to just lay down and die as usual, I didn't know the fucking code! Dario emerged---from the shadows. "Is that your ride? " In fear I stood at the large window quiet, the kush smoke lingered and drifted out of the opened door upstairs.

Fuck! I knew I had to kill that nigga but his dreads hung down his back as he stood bare chested, My God---

His eyes gleamed at certain angles as he moved his head, he grinned at my reaction with his head back. A lustful desire had suddenly come over me, he looked like an angel at the moment. The smell of the mint became more profound, it was almost serving as an aphrodisiac. I couldn't leave and I knew Pooh could see me, if I could see him. My phone vibrated repeatedly, he just would not leave---even after seeing Dario through the window. Heat surged through my body like electricity as I glanced at the worn numbers on the keypad to determine the ones that were mostly used.

He'd seen me studying it, walked to the pad without concealing the numbers, and punched in 0623# before the system disarmed warning sounded. He touched my scar with his thumb, turned and walked away toward the stairs while I stood impaired with a mixture of lust and fear. I desired to be pleased right then! He turned around and watched me while he went upstairs, his topaz eyes summoned me as I stepped out of my robe in front of the opened window.

I didn't know what was happening, but I just needed to be pleased! Troy had made me that way and cheated, it was facts. It wasn't like I could get pregnant by Dario. I wound the stairs without strain and entered into the smoke filled room while Pooh watched through the window. I'd dropped my phone at the door before I closed it behind me. I smoked and observed the paintings on Dario's walls, he was immaculate and dark. Culturally, I'd thought he collected the bow and arrows---and swords.

He'd put his arm around my waist and pulled my body to his own while I stood, I weakened and laid against him---I was becoming sleepy.

I awakened in his bed the next morning, he held a glass of mint julep tea as the sun shone through the window into his room. I tried to move and was so sore. In a panic I sat up---what had happened, I felt pleased but hadn't been penetrated. He was tattooed with symbols I'd never seen, I wondered what they meant. His touch was so mesmerizing, and even though we hadn't had sex I was pleased somehow.

My phone yet lied where I had dropped it, after saying I needed to go back downstairs I got up from the canopy bed and picked it up. I messaged Pooh, I had to apologize, I just didn't understand what had happened! I knew he was angry! My messages to him went unanswered and I concluded I had lost a good friend.

I knew the code, how could I forget it---but as much as I knew I needed to leave, I just couldn't.

I had no desire to talk to Troy, my belly grew larger and larger. All I craved was fruit.

Even when I'd seen the Navigator keys on the mantelpiece, I yet felt at home.