The Cusp of Empire

The Cusp of Empire

Volume 1

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Meikal Lewis

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012

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Dear Son,

Time is precious, wealth is maniacal and failure is undesirable. But in the end even the mightiest and most influential must concede power to the future. The established must make room for the rising, while the rising must in turn nurture the undeveloped. But every once in a while an anomaly comes about; an undeveloped, undecided, and unrecognized power pushes through to center stage. Showing those who believe in progressive ascension that not all is as it seems. And that my son is when the true power struggle begins.

Yours dearly,

Mama

Chapter one

Of all the times he’d had to return to Charlotte it had to be in the winter, Hezekiah thought dispassionately as he stared out the backseat window. Unlike other cities in the south Charlotte was known for its unmistakable flare and ingenuity. The New York of the south, as it’s referred to, held unfathomable potential. However, to the naked eye all you could see was a Mid-sized metropolitan, home to Bank of the American, Duke Power and the former Wachovia. To the naked eye all you could see were skyscrapers, a bustling southern city and the oh so recognizable business men and women roaming the streets jabbering into their cell phones; but that wasn’t what Hezekiah could see.

He knew all too well that not everything was as it seemed and that only a foolish man would even attempt to paint such a picture. No, Charlotte was much more, this city held so much more.

The city, it seemed, was just as he’d left it.

On the surface anyway.

New towers were being constructed, the smell of lingering cuisine wafting through the air. Oh yes, he was home again and that reality scared him more than anything. He had to remember that he wasn’t coming home to a welcoming party; instead he was wading neck deep into a war for power. One that he wasn’t all too sure he would come out on top of. The mess he left behind in the wake of his mother’s breakdown was unequivocally disastrous without surmise.

Hezekiah knew what would come when he left the city. Leaving his post and position empty for over a year was one of the most ill advised decisions he’d ever made. But then again it was only himself with whom he conferred on the matter and at the time it seemed like a good decision. Now, however, he felt a little bit in the dark. Before his disappearance he was in the middle of a battle for influence over the city, no doubt, because things were never securely in his grip when the reins of power were handed over to him from the previous occupant of the throne.

Calvin Jethrow.

The former monarch had successfully eroded the power of the position Hezekiah now holds, held, he systematically crumbled what took generations to build upon.

And for what?

Hezekiah could only guess was his own attempt at a power grab for position now that Calvin was a part of The Council. That’s how it works Money, Power and Respect. All of which Calvin now has, thanks to the idiotic elders whom oversaw his rise and applauded his vicious ways of weakening the powers of the 5th Right.

No matter, soon they would be able to oversee the direct opposite of Calvin’s War on Might. Soon they would be able to do as The Council was suppose to do; govern with the intent to uphold the King’s rule, Hezekiah’s rule. And any who wished to stand in the way of progress would feel the full force of which Hezekiah was prepared to unleash, it was time he took back his city, his reign and the capacity of muscle with which that brings.

Oh yes, he was home and here he would stay.

The battle ahead, however, was going to be a sobering one; Hezekiah was going to have to put himself on the front line this time around. No more hiding behind goons to do his dirty work for him, this wasn’t high school anymore, and his opponents weren’t Jimmy Beck star quarterback and the football team. Hard as he tried to deny it Hezekiah knew who he was to go up against, he knew who would be waiting for him on the other side. Even before he left the city he could feel the walls closing in on his limp grasp of control, Fa’Taliny, Geromiah, Angelo, Le’Porsche, and Keyocia all held the key to his downfall. So before all else it would have to be them, his Old-Friends, that he destroyed first.

Odd, Hezekiah thought wistfully, just a year ago they were the ones he would have protected above all else, they were the ones he would have given anything to see happy; especially Keyocia his former Queen. She was Hezekiah’s world no second guesses about it, she knew him inside and out his strengths, his weaknesses all the scars to poke and prod at she held the map to their locations. It was silly of him, now that he thought back on it, to give himself up so freely to this human being without care. Love or the pretense of it was hypnotic in its raw and untamed state, delving deep into the flesh to penetrate the coldest heart ever to set foot on Carolinian soil. Keyocia had broken Hezekiah in more ways than one and he, so desperate for affection and love, let her.

Sadly enough times had changed, Hezekiah had changed, he was no longer the love sick puppy jumping to her every whim, and he was no longer the devoted best friend to Geromiah nor was he the anchor to their loosely knit group. He was home but for one reason and one reason only, power. His father, in Hezekiah’s absence, went on a rampage devouring Hezekiah’s functions while at the same time overtaking his mother’s family business. Chaffing away at what little influence Hezekiah still maintained in his kingdom, this however would change in the very near future. Hezekiah had no use for those whom grew fat off of others spoils. The king had returned and with him his cavalry, the time of incompetence had faded, seclusion was ineffective and Hezekiah’s will was unwavering. It was time he reintroduced the Hezekiah which gained him the Monarchy in the first place, the cold-blooded, ruthless bastard whom brought down so many in his few years on earth.

Dear mother,

You wanted me to come home and fulfill my duties, you wanted me to show the world who I really am. You wanted me to push through to center stage without ascension and this I will do. But you must be warned there’s a heavy price my soul will have to pay for this, because once I release this monster within me there’s no caging him back up again. He will kill, scar and maim and when he’s finished feasting on those whom you’ve sicked him upon he will have no other choice but to turn on those whom he once loved. I will turn on you.

Yours dearly,

Hezekiah

Chief, you got a call on line one. Officer Stevens called from just outside the Chief of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department or CMPD’s office.

Looking down grudgingly at the all black desk conference phone he  quickly picked up the receiver from the cradle and pressed the small flashing button with the words ‘Line 1’ written in bold letters underneath, Chief McDonnell here how may help you?

Laurent my good friend how are you? the voice on the other end of the receiver rasped

And which good friend, mite I be speaking with exactly? McDonnell replied becoming irritated that this phone call was taking place in the office.

It's me Tyler, Gina’s son from Tennessee I was home for the weekend and she gave me your number, told me that you wanted to work out a little bit get some weight off He replied laughingly, however McDonnell was not humored.

What did you have in mind Tyler he spat the name into the receiver.

Well I hear there’s this nice little place off West Blvd, near the Thompson Apartments, I know that’s a dangerous part of the city but this particular place has a great bench. You can lift anywhere from two hundred to the four hundred and fifty kilos. He replied becoming very serious.

This tid bit of information gave the chief pause. 200 kilos of cocaine stashed in one spot? The lick sounded too good to be true but still he wanted all the information. If he was satisfied with what he got, he might even let his contact keep all his fingers for calling him at the office, Okay Tyler. he said conversationally. Where is this gym exactly?

So you’re interested eh? Well that’s great I can meet you off Betties Ford in about four hours, sound good? he asked sounding suspiciously excited.

Absolutely you won’t mind if I bring a few friends along will you?

Hell no, the more the merrier he quipped, Talk to you soon. he whispered before cutting the line.

Unknowingly the Chief cradled the receiver smiling slyly to himself, leaning back into his plush IKEA swivel chair which he brought just a few weeks prior. His fingers up to his face, tapping them across his square chin as he sifted through the implications that such a huge bust could bring. Sgt. Tony Lymel of the CMPD walked into the chief’s office with a large manila envelope in his hands smiling broadly at the chief.

Good morning sir. he greeted the chief tipping his head as he sat down in one of the empty chairs in front of the desk.

Morning Sergeant, I just received some very good news, news that if true could mean a luscious new year for you and the misses. The chief replied grinning back at Lymel.

You do realize that I have two sons as well don’t you chief? he said laughingly, And well if it’s ok with you I think I’d rather sit this one out Lymel averted the chief’s eyes instead looking at the stacks of paper on the desk.

You’ve sat the last three licks out Lymel, is there something the matter? You know you can always talk to me kid that’s what I’m here for The chief said leaning forward from his chair elbows resting on the desk in front of him.

I’m just a little worried chief you know? It’s not that you guys aren’t good at what you’re doing

At what we’re doing the chief corrected him sternly

Right, I’m just a little afraid that somehow all of its going to catch up to us. These mob and cartel scum aren’t gonna keep letting us kill their stashes without punching back. I feel like we’re sticking our necks out to far, we’ve hit over twelve licks in the past two months five of which were outside of our jurisdiction. He continued looking the chief square in the eyes. "I’m scared for my family here chief, it has nothing to do with