Chapter 9: The Heat

That night before I left Malik's house, He reached into his pocket and gave me some money.

This should be enough to cover tomorrow's expenses for you. Malik said, I need you here tomorrow more than ever. Call in sick or something.

Malik gave me more money than I would have earned if I'd worked on the construction site for three days.

He knew I couldn't skip work because on any day that I didn't work, I wouldn't earn anything to help my family.

So,I called in sick to work.

I told my boss I have this pain in my shoulder, it has been there since yesterday. And I don't think I can work with it tomorrow.

Hope you have gotten medication for it, He asked.

Yes, I replied.

You will be alright, just take your time. He said.

The next morning, we got to work.

Malik set up a drying rack in his backyard to finish drying out the damp cocaine. Meanwhile, Duke and I went to the nearest grocery store to buy several tubs of Similac Advance.

Walking out with baby formula felt strange, but we laughed it off, knowing the potential payoff.

Back at the house, we crushed the dried cocaine into fine powder.

Then, carefully, we added the Benzocaine and Similac in small increments, mixing it with precision until it was uniform.

The result was uncanny; it looked and smelled just like pure coke.

Malik inspected the final product, rubbing some between his fingers. "It feels legit," he admitted.

"Only one way to find out," I said, grabbing a small bag and tucking it into my jacket.

That night, Malik told me what to do.

He said, when I meet with the customers, I should start a conversation first. I will know if they will buy it or not.

We split up and hit the streets.

Malik went to a known nightclub hotspot, Duke took the college scene, and I headed for a massive street party downtown.

The crowd at the party was perfect young, loud, and eager to impress.

I worked the edges first, striking up conversations and making small sales.

Each time, the buyers examined the product, nodded in approval, and handed over cash.

By the end of the night, we'd sold nearly half of the batch.

Calls and texts started pouring in from Duke and Malik, who had similar success.

The plan working.

The next night, the party was alive, music pounding through the night air, and the crowd swayed in a rhythm only they could understand.

I moved among them, blending into the chaos, striking up conversations, and making small sales.

Everything seemed normal, until I noticed them.

At first glance, they didn't stand out much.

Two men in casual clothes, chatting at the edge of the crowd.

But something about them felt... off.

Their clothes didn't match the vibe of the party, too clean, too pressed. And their energy was wrong.

Everyone else was either dancing, laughing, or caught up in the buzz, but these two? They stood too straight, spoke too quietly, and kept their eyes on the crowd like they were scanning it.

I didn't jump to conclusions.

I wasn't about to cause a scene over a hunch. But I wasn't stupid either. I kept my distance, drifting to the other side of the party where the music was loudest and the energy was wild.

From there, I made a few more sales, careful not to linger too long in one place.

My heart was pounding, though I kept my face calm.

I told myself they could be anyone friends, brothers, maybe just some guys awkwardly trying to fit in. But I couldn't shake the vibe.

When I glanced back toward their side of the party, I saw one of them looking my way. Not directly at me, but close enough to set off alarms in my head.

I didn't panic. Instead, I leaned against a wall, bobbing my head to the music like I didn't have a care in the world. No sudden moves. Just... blending.

When his attention drifted elsewhere, I moved to another part of the party.

I didn't sell anything immediately, though. I needed to be sure the heat was off me first.

Once I felt safe, I resumed, quick sales, small conversations, always keeping my eyes on them.

Then, as I scanned the crowd again, I caught a glimpse of something shiny.

A badge, briefly visible when one of them adjusted his jacket.

I couldn't see it clearly, but it was enough. My suspicion turned to certainty.

I stayed calm, but every instinct told me to leave. Still, I wanted to make some more sales before leaving.

I moved toward the far side of the party, away from the two men, and made a few final sales.

That's when the commotion started.

Shouts erupted near the center of the party, and I turned to see the two men pinning a guy to the ground.

Their plain clothes couldn't hide what they were anymore, cops. The crowd reacted immediately, people running in all directions, drinks spilling, the music cutting off mid-beat.

I didn't wait to see what happened next. I slipped into the chaos, weaving through the panicked crowd toward the BACKSTREET.

My heart pounded as I ducked into the shadows, glancing over my shoulder.

No one seemed to be following me, but I didn't stop moving.

Once I was a few blocks away, I pulled out my phone and called Malik.

"It's hot," I said quickly. "Cops at the party. They got someone, but I'm clear. Heading out now."

Malik was calm as ever. "Alright. Meet me at the spot."

I followed his advice, taking a winding route to our rendezvous point.

When I arrived, Malik was leaning against his car, looking completely at ease.

"You alright?" he asked, handing me a bottle of water.

"Yeah," I said, catching my breath. "But they were there. Undercover. They busted the party."

"Figured it might happen," Malik said Casually. "Duke's fine, he cleaned up before it got messy. We're good."

We drove to Malik's last stop of the night, a night club.

The vibe there was steady, and we moved the rest of the product with no issues.

By the time the night was over, we had stacks of cash in hand, but the tension still lingered in my chest.

Malik must've noticed, because as we counted the money, he said, "That was close, but you handled it. Just stay sharp. We're ahead of the game."

I nodded, trying to shake the unease. But deep down, I knew this wasn't the last time we'd have to dodge the heat.