Call Me King Page #3

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Its characteristics are "compel respect."

Occasionally,

it surprises even the most weary player.

My father is of no concern to me.

In all probability, he's dead by now.

By his legacy remains.

The atrocities that he and Simone committed

cannot simply be erased.

You see what can be gained,

but have you considered what can be lost?

And even if you manage to get back,

without your father's blessings,

you can never repay his debt.

It's a noble, worthy

gesture, Rhyis,

but an impossible one.

Good luck, son.

(door opens, bell jingles)

- (sighs)

- (car door alarm dinging)

(dinging stops)

(sings low, indistinctly)

(engine starter whirring)

Um, n... n-n-n-no.

Do not do this to me tonight.

(engine starter whirring)

Come on, come on.

Sh*t. Wow.

(phone beeps)

(scoffs)

(seat belt clicks)

Ooh. Ooh.

Excuse me!

Hey.

Thank you.

Um...

My car, it just broke down,

and I hoping I could get a ride real quick.

I know you don't know me, but I-I

only live one district away,

and it doesn't look like you're in a hurry.

It'll only take a second.

Please.

It's cold.

(chuckling):
Help a sister out.

Thank you.

LEENA:
It's like being on two

different planets with that guy.

It's like one minute he

wants to be with me,

and then the next, he's

saying stuff to piss me off.

And he still pretends to care.

(sighs)

God forbid I interrupt one of

his stupid basketball games.

Trying to have a real conversation,

something substantial.

God, I swear,

I don't even know why I

put up with him so long.

(chuckles)

(sighs)

Oh, your mind's wasted.

Vincent.

LEENA:

This time, I'm seriously done.

I think.

Why... why are we pulling over?

I'm still a few blocks away, sir.

- Shut up.

- (gasps)

You're pathetic.

All you little girls are the same,

running around bitching and moaning,

waiting for some less-than-average man

to validate your existence.

If this is what you intend to

be about ten years from now,

then I suggest you go home,

you choose the best dress

from whatever bargain basement you shop in.

Go out on the town,

find a complete stranger

to have your way with,

and then take this gun,

put it in your mouth,

wrap your lips around it

and pull the trigger.

'Cause it's better to be

dead than be what you are--

a disgrace to your own persuasion.

Get out.

I don't want to be like this anymore.

I want to be different.

Tell me how to be different.

Be at this address, 9:00 a.m.

sharp tomorrow morning.

Do not be late.

If you're serious about

wanting to make a change,

I'm willing to offer it to you.

But you must make the decision on your own.

The walk home will do you some good,

give you time to think.

Keep the gun for protection.

(door closes)

RHYIS:

There are moments in time

when a man must choose his own path.

And I had chosen mine.

I quickly outgrew the council

of old men and looked toward the future.

Knowing that no matter what the cost,

my brothers would follow.

We were kings

forging an empire built

primarily on three things--

power...

respect...

and loyalty.

(cell phone rings)

Hey, breh?

I'm gonna take this phone call real quick.

I'll meet you downstairs.

So, what the deal?

What's up with the big celebration?

RHYIS:

For ten years,

we have worked under

the Costa syndicate.

And the reason that we are here today...

we are on the verge

of running the whole sh*t.

Why?

Because we held each other down.

I want to make a toast.

To my bredren.

Salut Mon frre.

ZHO:

That's what's up, big bro.

But what's the big news?

I mean, I know you didn't

call us all the way down here

to tell us that we got each other's backs.

Nah.

I spoke to the old man today.

He expressed his gratitude

for everything that we've been doing.

But he also mentioned expansion.

"Expansion"?

Let me, uh, say it

a little less... eloquently.

Angelo is stepping the f*** down.

And he's giving me the entire sh*t.

ZHO:

Get the f*** out of here!

Are you serious?!

(laughs)

See, that's what I'm

talking about, cat daddy!

Congratulations, man!

- Thank you.

- Yeah.

So, how'd it go down?

I mean, how did it happen?

Why you?

I mean...

I'm just saying why didn't he choose

his son Nick or somebody like that?

RHYIS:

He has his own reasons.

Personal mainly.

But be that as it may,

come tomorrow,

I will be the first black man in history

to run an Italian syndicate.

I don't like it.

More power, more situations.

I mean, sh*t like this...

It just don't feel right, Rhyis.

Sh*t, I say we move on it.

I mean, you spilled blood for the old man.

Sh*t, we all did.

I mean, come on, man, this

sh*t is long overdue.

All right, don't get me wrong now.

We can't go forth with this

without expecting some blowback from Nick

and the rest of the cartels.

We should expect nothing less.

GRIMM:

Look...

I'm not saying that we

shouldn't consider this.

I'm just saying that, you know,

maybe we... maybe you should just sit back,

take a little time and think this through.

RHYIS:

It is already

done.

Now...

we stick tight.

We watch each other's back.

And I promise

in due time...

our plans

will be revealed.

Pardon me.

They took to the sh*t

like babies to bathwater.

(laughs)

Yeah.

Thanks, Pop.

Yeah, I appreciate that.

Uh... (clears his throat)

yeah, I'm gonna have

to get back to you on that.

Yeah, all right.

Take care.

Business.

Yeah. (clears his throat)

Yeah, um...

you know, just a buyer

having second thoughts

about the price point.

Ain't nothing I can't handle.

Remember the first night

you came out on the block with me?

Hell yeah.

15 years old.

I tried to keep you from following me.

But you wouldn't listen.

Even back then you had a mind of your own.

So I gave you a strap

and I said...

"Leave fear and hesitation where you stand.

"If you follow, do so

as a man ready to die."

15 years, you did not hesitate,

not for one split second.

But just now...

when I asked you who was on the phone...

you did.

Breh, I didn't.

Things are gonna get a little tight

around here.

Angelo decided to step down.

And I am gonna have to depend

on you and the rest of the Set

to keep sh*t stitched up.

Rhyis.

I promise you...

there was nothing irregular

about that conversation, breh.

Everything is good.

And you know I got your back like always.

No question.

That's the third time that you denied it.

No kiss on the cheek, brother?

You've been a salesman for too long.

That hustle...

that's for the customers.

You give me a call when you're ready

to cut through the bullshit

and tell me what's really going on.

Hmm?

Why you so shy?

I'm not shy.

She is not shy.

She's seems shy. Don't let her play you.

- Oh.

- It works. Don't hate.

See, I like this right here.

It's like a two on one. Really?

Yeah.

Yo, where the f***

is he going, man?

We just got here.

(sniffs)

(huffs)

Excusez-moi.

Oh, oh!

Now, give me a kiss.

(car horn honking in distance)

(low, indistinct chatter)

NICK:

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