it was another day, and as usual the hustle never stops. Flexx had reached out to a few of his associates about a come up he had his eyes on.  Taga had just pulled up, he was driving over to the location for the meet. Flexx hops in the car and gives his buddy a fist bump as he shuts the door.

“Whats good wit it?”

Flexx says as he reaches into his breast pocket and pulls out a blunt, he lights it and takes a long drag, and then passes it to Taga. The drive was about fifteen minutes away, but with the traffic it was close to a twenty five, thirty minute push.  Along the drive they pass through the neighborhood, he could see the hustle was busy out in the streets. The meet was at a time that was discreet enough, when the traffic was minimal in the location. They pull up to the location and park in the back. Taga takes another drag of the blunt and passes it back to Flexx as he takes a few more puffs before getting out. .

“Here we go, you ready?”

They walk into the back of the place and Slipp was sitting in a booth waiting, they walk over and take a seat. He was already sipping on a drink and waved over to the tender as they sat.

“How you all doin? Just let the tender know what you would like when he comes by, and we can take care of the rest of your guest as well”

Slipp says as the tender approaches. Flexx looks up at him and fires up a blunt.

“Let me get the bottle of cognac, a glass, you want to hit this bottle with me?”

He pauses and looks over at Taga.

“Yup, just bring a few glasses with that bottle”

Taga says as he takes the blunt from Flexx and takes a long drag. The scene was set, a few of his homies posted up outside in the front and back to make sure everything was safe, they sat back and waited. Still to arrive was the boss Apache. He needed his input, plus his muscle in on this. The tender returns with a few glasses and the bottle of cognac. He pours them a shot and makes his way back to the bar. Flexx, Taga, and slipp sit and puff blunts and sip on their drank as they sit and wait.

It was a long day at the office for Apache he had a few new recruits to train as well and accounting stuff for his restaurant.  He was sitting behind his desk when his phone began to ring.  On the other line was Flexx-Mitchell, Apaches Right Hand man.  He had told Apache of a major score earlier yesterday but Apache just blew it off.  Well now he was saying he had all the info needed and wanted Apache to meet him to discuss details.  Apache agreed and started to head out.  Making sure not to forget his tomahawk and his peace pipe he headed out to the garage where he would get in his all black Bugatti and go meet Flexx.

Pulling up to the restaurant a valley service was sure to take the Bugatti to the ramp for him.  He walked inside, looking around for Flexx he finally spotted him over in the corner booth with a couple of his thugs.  Apache had met Taga before, they had did business together but the other guy looked unfamiliar.  Once Apache took a seat Flexx introduced slip to the don.  

“So what is it you have in mind brother!”

Apache was really impatient since he had a lot more to do back at the office.  But after Flexx started talking about the plan and what the estimated profits was, Apaches self centered mindset flew right out the window.  

“You said Millions?”

Apache was used to thousands being paid up a day.  You know with his extortion rackets, gambling halls and drug selling operations.  But millions in one go was unheard of for him.  His undivided attention was now on Flexx to get the scoop on the lick!

“So just briefly I have had my eye on a few routes these money  trucks take. We have three different opportunities. Depending on the manpower, is what will make the case on if we take just one or multiple. My man Taga here has had a better eye on the situation.”

Flexx reaches into his pocket and lights another blunt, he looks over at Taga as he begins to speak.

“So I have been checking out all three locations and out of the three, the toughest would be the betting parlor,  and the easiest would be the grocery store i would say. Now there are at the most four, but at the least three in each truck. So I am thinking about four people total to do one job.”

Taga looks over at Flexx, as he takes the blunt he was passing around. The few in attendance was tuned in for the info. So Taga continues.

“Now the grocery store would probably be the easiest. Not much security but a nice size of cash, but because of the security it may not be on the level of the other two in digits. Now the next location was a long shot but good on the success rate. There is a bakery that for some reason gets a pick up twice a week, this place has a lot of traffic, it could be a front so we have to be careful with that one, and then we have the betting parlor. Now you know the money is thick in there so that security may be a little thick. Ok the plan for each truck is to hit them while in route from their location, before they get too deep into their route just far enough so we can do it and get away.”

Taga says as he takes another drag of his blunt, then passes it over to Flexx. He pauses a second before he speaks.

“Sounds like a nice come up over all. They have one day in common and that is the Friday they all run. So it will have to be a simultaneous hit. Now the safe house will be the meet spot. It is important to let our guys know.  No one comes to the house until they have shaken their tail if they picked one up, This will fuck it all up if we don’t line that up first and foremost. I am looking at a few days from now we can go. That gives us a sec to get our people together for this. Let’s get it”

Flexx finishes speaking and sits back as he waits for any feedback from the attendees as well as the boss more importantly.

Apache listened to Taga speak about the plan.  It was sounding good so far, a few concerns but overall sounded like a plan.  Apache noticed Taga passing the blunt back to Flexx when he stuck his hand out to intercept it.  Apache took two quick little puffs from the swisher and passed it over to Flexx.  He then rubbed his chin while thinking about a way to improve the plan.

”Ok so here is my input.  The more people we have in on the plan the more risk we have and the less cut we get.  So in my opinion I say we leave the grocery truck out and just hit the other two.  I say we hit them literally at the same time.  Now how are we going to do that?  Well I’m thinking Two groups Flexx,Taga and slip. And me and my two bodyguards RedFoot and BlackBear.  Now with the time frame we have to hit the truck the betting parlor truck will be stopped but the bakery will be on the freeway.”

Apache started giving some more deep thought into how this could be done.  The fact still remained that they will not open the doors to the truck and explosives will risk ruining the cash.  Apache took a sip of his drink and pulled out his peace pipe while he was thinking.  While taking a few puffs of the tobacco a lightbulb went off in his head.  He looked up in excitement.

”I got it!  We have a few days before Friday.  So during this time let’s follow the guards of the trucks and figure out there personal information.  Such as wife and kids names.  Schools and work places.  Address.  Then when we approach the truck we can show them we know who they are.”

Apache was very proud of his idea.  He spent a large portion of his life extorting people and became quite a professional at it.

”Once we show the their family is in danger well then I know they will just give it up.  All we really need to do is everybody follow one guard.  Get all the information we can and meet back up here on Thursday to flatten out the details.”

Apache finished his dink and looked back over to Flexx.

”you and your guys focus on the betting parlor truck driver and guard and me and mine will go for the bakery guys.  No body talk on the phones! If everything goes well this will be one of the most organized robberies in Detroit history.”

Apache endured the rest of the affiliates do there part and meet back up at the bar same time on Thursday!  Then Apache got up fixed his bear fur throw and walked out the door, going to retrieve his two bodyguards for the potential job opportunity.

Flexx looked over to Taga

“Go ahead and bring the car around front, let’s make a move”

Flexx says as Taga makes his way to the back. Everyone made their way on the mission to get some kind of info. An address, a name, an important family member? Any of those would do. Flexx made his way out to the streets to put some work in, old school style. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a blunt. His Guard Taga rolled up just in time as Flexx was stepping out. He jumps in and they head out into the streets. Taga had a tip that the driver kicked it at a cafe downtown, the lick was to go off Friday, so they had a few days to get some info. They made a few stops before reaching the cafe, they wanted to casually arrive in the time frame when he should be there. The two roll around scoping the route and checking the weak locations on it. After about a blunt or two, it was that time. They headed over to the cafe where the driver frequently made an appearance, Taga walked in first while Flexx posted outside for a sec to finish the blunt. Taga entered and took a seat and started looking through the menu. The booth behind him was occupied by the driver and the guard that sits in the back. That left a possible out of the equation but that was if there was one. It could be just two. Flexx finishes the blunt and he enters the cafe. Looking around he spots Taga and approaches and takes a seat.

“Hey brother, how's it going?”

They sit and talk for a few, place their order and try to listen in on the good stuff. Collecting good information they had one last thing to do before they could report back to the crew.  

“I am gonna hed out. Get at me later”

Taga says as he gets up to leave.

“Cool. I will Hauler at ya”

Flexx says as Taga makes his way to the door. Taga was actually getting the car ready for Flexx to come out next so they could follow the guards to their home. Taga pulls the car around back ready to go as he waits for Flexx. Moments later Flexx could see the gentlemen was ready to go, so he gathered his things and headed out back where Taga was parked. He hoped in the vehicle and they made there way in the cut till the guards actually left. As they wait a few moments go by and Flexx fires a blunt up and takes a drag. All of a sudden the gentleman exit the cafe and hop in their vehicle. They pull of and shortly behind was Taga and Flexx.

“Once we get there home address we will have a little more leverage.”

Flexx says as he takes another drag of the blunt and passes it to Taga. They follow the guards and the one driving drops off his buddy. As he waits for his buddy to get into the house, Flexx and Taga take the address down as well. The driver of the vehicle continues to his home, and Flexx and Taga follow him as well. He pulls into his location and again they take down the address of the location. Taga pulls off and make their way back to the spot to put the information out they received.

I was doing some day shifts at the cafe downtown, just a side job and to get myself busy on my days off from the family headquarters.

It was more like a way to escape really, not necessarily from the chaos back at home, but sometimes I would find myself just listening in on conversations and smiling to myself as I would hear someone go on about their day. It was like a call back to reality, not that the criminal lifestyle wasn't ever fake. I just needed to get away. 

As I looked down at the elderly couple in front of me who sat across from each other, I patiently waited for them to voice their order. Their shriveled faces looked restless, and it didn't help that the vibe of the cafe was very quiet and monotonous. I frowned in my head as I witnessed the couple try to decide on what they wanted. I couldn't blame them. The menu had too much varieties of the same thing, and I decided to suggest the day's special. 

"Um ma'am, sir, we have th-" 

A gasp suddenly escaped my lips as a little boy flung into me. The elderly couple looked taken aback as well, and they seemed to look at me pitty. The notepad and pen that were in my hands were fallen to the floor and I bent over to pick it up as my face was red out of embarassment. As I picked up the waitress necessities from the floor, a gentleman suddenly dropped his wallet beside me, but before I could assess the situation and yell back at him in concern, he was already the door. He was dressed in a monkey suit, and a stern expression crossed his face. 

For some reason, I had an inkling that his intentions were not of the good kind. 

I got back up off the floor. This was not a good look. I was on all fours probably for far too long. Now returned to my standing position in front of the couple, I politely excused myself from their presence and moved myself to the back of the cafe kitchen. "Hey, um can anyone here cover for me? I gotta get this uh--", I raised the brown wallet in my hand, which caught the attention of some of the workers, and luckily enough one of them volunteered to take over for me. 

"You're a doll, I swear. I owe you." 

I didn't promise, though I assured her that the next time she wanted me to do something, I'd be just a call away. After seeing the worker go to the couple I just interacted with, I was relieved to slip the maroon restaurant apron from my shoulders. I said a goodbye to my fellow employees, winking playfully at one of them before heading out of the cafe in a rushed manner. The cold air brushed past my face and the slightly harsh wind swept me off my feet. 

I trotted over to my car that was parked in the staff parking lot, unlocking the door on the drivers side before getting myself on the warm cushion of the seat. I brought my hands to my cheeks, letting out a shaky breath. Looking out into the open atmosphere, I noticed just how small the cafe was. Huh. It looked bigger in the inside, but maybe that was just because I thought of myself as a really small, tiny, worthless part of the universe. 

I pinched the bridge of my nose, shaking my head. Enough self deprecation, I glumly thought to myself, but I could never keep the promises I make to myself. Having enough of my stubborn ways, I started the engine and looked behind me making sure I wouldn't be reversing into another vehicle. Just on my way out of the parking lot, I suddenly saw a car speeding towards another one. 

Having nothing else to do with my life, I followed them both.