third door on your right.”
A’shai stood and walked up the stairs and then followed Samad’s instructions. He located the bathroom but bypassed it as he peered over his shoulder cautiously. He peeked his head inside room after room in search of Liberty until finally he saw her. She was no longer covered from head to toe but, dressed in a black silk slip and black lace bra. She sat in the middle of a plush king-sized bed crying her eyes out, her face buried in her hands.
In awe of her appearance, he paused momentarily to take her in. With no make-up and no fancy clothes she was beautiful. Natural. But A’shai could hear the pain emanating from her soul as she sat unaware of her audience.
“Liberty,” he said as he stepped into the room.
She looked up stunned and then looked behind him for Samad.
“He’s downstairs… drunk,” A’shai said.
She exhaled a sigh of sadness and relief as she leapt off the bed and ran to him. A’shai embraced her tightly, wrapping his arms around her securely as she heaved tormented wails into his shoulder.
“It’s okay ma… it’s okay Liberty. I’m here now,” he whispered. She gripped him desperately as her body trembled fearfully.
“He’s going to kill me, Shai. I saw the urns… the other girls… he killed them,” she rambled.
A’shai looked over his shoulder and then turned to her, holding her face in the palms of his hands. “Shhh… shhh. Nothing’s going to happen to you. I’m here now. I won’t let it,” he assured.
“Take me with you, Shai. Please… get me out of here,” she sobbed, clasping her hands together as if he could walk on water.
She was too frantic, and A’shai knew that they didn’t have time for a lengthy conversation.
“Calm down, ma. He’ll hear you. You have to give me a few days to get things in order. I have to leave but…”
Liberty cringed, her knees buckling slightly as she bounced up and down desperately begging him. “Shai, please noooo,” she cried. “Don’t leave me here. Take me with you… noooo. Please, Shai, please.”
A’shai could see the fear in her and instantly grew hot. “Does he hit you? Has he hurt you?” he asked, slightly raising his voice as he reached for his pistol.
“No… but he will do a lot worse if you don’t save me,” she said solemnly. “If you leave here without me, you won’t come back.”
“I’mma always come back for you Liberty. That’s my word, ma,” he said. He kissed the top of her head and looked into her face as the seconds ticked by. Knowing that he couldn’t remain with her for much longer without arousing suspicion he said, “I’m coming for you. I promise. When does he leave the house?” he asked urgently as he gripped her shoulders.
“He doesn’t… he never leaves. He watches me like a hawk,” she explained. She was so emotional that she could barely speak without yelling.
“Shhh… calm down, ma. Think. Is there ever a moment when he doesn’t have you under a scope?” A’shai asked.
“He runs… every morning he goes for a jog,” Liberty said.
“How long?” A’shai shot back.
“Half hour… an hour at the most,” she said.
“I’mma come back for you. Just be patient. I won’t leave L.A. without you,” he said. He kissed her cheek and then walked out of the room.
Liberty’s lips trembled so badly it appeared as though she had the shivers. When he disappeared from her sight she broke down. Her knees hit the floor, and she bent over in grief. She needed A’shai to come back for her this time… she needed to be rescued more than she needed the air in her lungs. He was her only way out.
A’shai sat down the block from Samad’s estate and watched as Samad exited his gates in full running gear. He waited until Samad was out of sight and then instructed the driver to pull the limo onto Samad’s grounds. He hopped out of the car and rang the doorbell. He was greeted by one of Samad’s many service workers. The maid stood before him.
“Samad is expecting me. I’m A’shai… his business partner from Detroit,” he announced.
“Mr. Sadat isn’t here, but if you are expected you can wait for him inside,” the woman replied.
A’shai followed her to the sitting room, and she motioned for him to have a seat. “He will be back shortly,” she stated. “I have many chores to do, but, please, if you need anything just call me. My name is Sarah.”
A’shai nodded and watched her leave the room. As soon as she was gone he slowly snuck up the stairs and headed for the bedroom that Liberty shared with Samad. He opened the door and found Liberty staring blankly out of the window. She was uncovered and in normal street clothes.
“Liberty,” he said, making her aware of his presence.
As if her ears were playing tricks on her she snapped her head to the right as she looked at him in disbelief.
“You came back,” she whispered as she rushed to him. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him sensually as he hugged her, lifting her slightly from the floor.
“Get your things. Let’s go,” A’shai instructed.
Liberty rushed to the closet and grabbed the few pieces of clothes that she had that weren’t of Muslim heritage. She threw them into a small suitcase and A’shai grabbed it from her hands. He put his hand on the small of her back and led her out of the house. They smoothly re-entered the car. “Drive,” A’shai called out to the driver. Liberty’s eyes widened in surprise when she noticed that the vehicle was loaded with weapons. It looked like an artillery closet with all of the different assault rifles and hand pistols.
Liberty was so afraid that she thought she would pee her pants. Being caught was not an option. The penalty would be too great if Samad knew of her insubordination.
“Relax,” A’shai said, sensing her apprehension.
A’shai gripped her knee and leaned in to kiss her cheek but was interrupted by the barrage of bullets that rained down on his car.
“Shai!” Liberty screamed as she covered her ears.
“Get down!” he shouted as he pushed her to the floor of the vehicle and grabbed one of the assault rifles. The windows in the limo shattered as Samad’s goons drove beside them, firing relentlessly. A’shai came up blazing as he pulled the trigger of his AK. “Drive this mu’fucka! Go!” he shouted in the midst of the all out gun battle. A’shai noticed that the car was zig zagging back and forth, making it hard for him to let off a clean shot and when he glanced at the driver he discovered why. His head was blown half way off and the car was going at full speed with no one to control it. “Hold on!” he said as he crouched over Liberty and waited for the impact as the car rammed through the showcase of a store front. Customers screamed and ran in every direction as A’shai and Liberty gathered their bearings. Slightly dazed by the impact the couple sat up as A’shai peered out of the back of the car. The goons were pulling to a stop in front of the store. “Let’s go!” A’shai said as he pulled Liberty from the car. He handed her the.9mm in his waistline and they made a run for the back door figuring if they got lost in the frenzy it was hard for them to be spotted. A’shai knew that one of Samad’s men would be waiting for them at the back exit so he came out shooting first. He had no time for questions and when he hit one of the goons dead in the forehead he felt no remorse. They ran back out to the busy city street and luck was on their side as A’shai raised his hand and stopped a cab.
Scratches covered them from the impact of the crash and A’shai could see the cabbie peering at them suspiciously. “There’s a big tip in it for you if you mind your business, fam,” A’shai stated. He looked out of the back window making sure that no one was following them before turning to check on Liberty. “You okay?” he asked.
She nodded her head as her shaky hand gripped A’shai’s gun. “Let me see that, ma,” he stated as he gently eased it out of her fingertips.
A’shai gave the cab driver directions to the private airstrip and when they saw the plane, both of them let out a sigh of relief. They were home free and once they were back in the city of Detroit, Liberty would be safe behind the protection of Baron’s organization.
A’shai held Liberty’s hand as they ran up the stairs of the jet. He went to greet his pilots and stopped when he saw the two white men slumped over the control panel with two bullet holes in the backs of their heads.
