Page 95 of All In

“Good.” His eyes drifted back toward the monitors. “Take her home.”

Whoever was on the other end said something that made Newdy’s jaw flex

“Double the overnight detail. Until I say otherwise.” He ended the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket. Brother Amin glanced his way. “Everything straight?”

“Yeah.” Newdy reached for his water. The first clip appeared on screen.School footage.

The room went quiet. At first it looked ordinary. Kids running across the playground, teachers moving between groups, parents dropping off. The kind of footage nobody paid attention to until something went wrong. Then Marcus appeared. Cash immediately understood how he’d managed to sit outside that school for a week without drawing attention. Dressed in a black thawb and kufi, he looked like any other Muslim father waiting on a child. Nothing about him stood out. Brother Hammed fast-forwarded through the first day, then the second, then the third. Every clip looked almost identical. Marcus would pull up in the black Sprinter. Sit. Watch. Leave. Never longer than ten minutes. Never long enough to attract attention. Cash looked around the room. Montana’s jaw was tight. Koi had stopped scrolling through his phone. Even his Uncle Malik wasn’t pretending to multitask anymore. Nobody spoke. The footage continued. Day four. Day five. Day six. Marcus never changed his routine. Always the same spot. Always watching. Brother Hammed paused the screen. “Yesterday.” The room somehow got quieter. On the monitor, children poured onto the playground for recess. A few secondslater Marcus stepped into frame and moved closer to the fence. Then Max appeared. Cash felt his stomach knot. Marcus lifted a hand, motioning him over. The room watched Max hesitate… then start walking. Koi cursed under his breath. Nobody corrected him. Then MJ entered the frame.

The teenager looked toward Marcus, then toward Max. Whatever he said couldn’t be heard, but it didn’t matter. Max stopped immediately, turned around, and ran. Marcus reacted fast. He grabbed MJ by the arm and shoved him back toward the van. Thirty seconds later the Sprinter disappeared from the screen. Nobody said anything when the footage ended. Cash could hear the hum of the monitors and the ice settling in a glass somewhere across the room, but nobody spoke. Because everybody in that room was thinking the same thing.If MJ hadn’t been there, no telling what would have happened to Max.The study doors opened, and Big Ant walked in like he belonged there.

Cash immediately frowned. Koi looked even less pleased. Newdy didn’t say anything, but his eyes lifted from his water long enough to acknowledge who had entered. That alone told Cash everything he needed to know. Big Ant had one of those reputations. Dirty as fuck and everybody knew it. But nobody could ever prove just how dirty. “I know where he at.” The room went quiet. For the first time since walking through the door, Big Ant had everybody’s attention.

Newdy leaned back in his chair. “And how the fuck would you know that?”

Big Ant looked toward him. “Damn. A nigga can’t just know shit?”

“Not this shit.” Big Ant sighed dramatically and spread his hands.

“Look, I know it’s hard to believe, but I got my ear to the street.” Koi folded his arms.

“The whole city got their ear to the street.”

“Then maybe y’all listening to the wrong motherfuckers.” Cash felt his jaw tighten. Something about Big Ant had always rubbed him the wrong way. “Besides,” Big Ant added,

“I ain’t seen Marcus in years. I don’t fuck with Marcus like that.” Montana finally spoke.

“So how you know?” A slow smile spread across Big Ant’s face. “I got my ways.”

Nobody looked satisfied with the answer. Least of all Cash’s father, Brother Amin.

“What do you know?” Big Ant’s smile faded. For the first time since walking into the room, he looked serious. “He’s a few miles outside the city. Chadds Ford.” Brother Hammed immediately started typing. “Keep talking.” Big Ant stepped closer to the monitor. “Rural property. Deep in the woods. Lot of land. Only one road in and one road out.” A satellite map appeared on the screen. Brother Hammed zoomed in until the property loaded — an old farmhouse near the center of several wooded acres, a detached garage, smaller outbuildings, thick tree cover. “Children?” Brother Amin asked. “Just his own,” Big Ant replied. “He got the three younger kids with him. The older boy too.” Brother Amin nodded once. “Who else?”

“His old lady there too. He got a few soldiers with him. No more than ten. All of them armed.” Cash felt the room change. For the first time all day they had something concrete. Brother Hammed continued studying the aerial images before finally leaning back. “Property checks out.” Brother Amin nodded once. “All right. I think we have everything.” The room went quiet. Big Ant cleared his throat.

“About that bounty…” Several heads turned. “When should I be expecting my money?”

The question landed exactly how it sounded. Montana didn’t even blink.

“You get paid after.” Big Ant frowned. “After what?”

“After he dead.” Big Ant looked around the room. Nobody seemed interested in negotiating. Cash’s Father had already moved on. The meeting was over. Big Ant pushed himself out of his chair. “Just remember who helped y’all.” Then he walked out. The door closed behind him. The second it did, Koi spoke. “That nigga a snake.” “Nigga really came here looking for a payday,” Montana muttered. “Nah,” Cash said. “He came here because he thought we was stupid.”

A few low chuckles moved through the room. Brother Amin ignored all of them.

“Let’s focus.”

The next thirty minutes moved fast. Brother Hammed walked them through the property — entry points, sight lines, potential exits. The operation was already taking shape in Cash’s head. By the time the meeting ended, the uncertainty that had settled over the house after breakfast was gone. Men disappeared into different parts of the estate preparing vehicles, checking weapons, and making the calls that needed to be made. The hunt was on. Cash had just finished securing his vest when somebody stepped into the room. He looked up. Najee. His cousin didn’t bother with small talk. “I’m coming.”

Cash sighed. “And, no you not.” Najee’s jaw tightened immediately. “Cash.”

“No.” The word came out harder this time. For a second neither man spoke.

“You think I’m supposed to stay here?” Najee finally asked. “Yes.” The answer came without hesitation. Najee stared at him. Cash stared right back. “Your place is here. With your family.”

“The hell it is,” Najee shot back. The room fell quiet. Cash stepped closer. “Jackie needs you.” Najee looked away. “Max needs you.” His jaw flexed. Cash lowered his voice. “And when we bring MJ home, he gon’ need you too.” That landed harder.Cash saw it immediately. Because no matter how angry Najee was, no matter how badly he wanted Marcus dead, he knew Cash was right. Neither man spoke for a long moment. Then Najee nodded once. It wasn’t agreement. It was acceptance.

An hour later the convoy sat lined up outside the estate. Black sedans. Black SUVs. Engines humming against the cool evening air. Cash adjusted the cuffs of his jacket and headed toward his vehicle. The front door suddenly flew open behind him. Several heads snapped toward the house. Weapons appeared almost instantly. Jackie stepped onto the driveway. “Relax,” Cash barked.