Chapter 1 Greed

OLIVIA

Living in North Philadelphia hasn't been a walk in a park for 18-year-old Olivia Pope. She's been to more funerals than birthdays. She's watched more people go away to prison, than to college. Growing up in the Blumberg Housing Projects made Olivia tougher than your average girl. She isn't your girl next door. Her jagged personality isn't particularly suiting for a girl that's set to attend Harvard in the fall. Growing up in the projects forced Olivia to grow up rather quickly than she would have liked. She has seen and been exposed to things that an average person in their entire lifetime will never experience.

Come fall, Olivia will charter into unknown territory surrounded by a realm of people who way out of her league. The best of the best attends Harvard. Trust fund babies, President's children, Senator's, and Judge's children attend Harvard. Olivia is in no comparison to that, she is just a girl from the projects that happens to be a genius. Her brain is what granted her a full ride to Harvard room and board included.

Her scholarship comes from a millionaire family by the name of Grant. After doing research on the family, she was impressed with their resume. They are involved in real estate, law, and education. They own a ton of commercial and residential buildings, three law firms, and five private and charter schools all in the Boston area. Olivia have a brunch with the Grant's a week before classes start, and she can't wait to meet the family responsible for changing her life. Without them, she would never have been able to afford Harvard. She didn't have any backup schools in mind, her heart was set on Harvard, and now she will get a chance to experience it debt free.

Gosh I can't wait to get out of this hell hole, Olivia thinks coming back to reality as she trudged up the stairs in the urinated filled stairwell. She had to stop at each landing to catch her breath. The smell of strong urine, cigarettes, cheap malt liquor, and weed filled her nostrils. Sometimes she wished she lived on the first floor, living on the 10th floor in a raggedy building where the elevator worked on its own terms is exhausting. The four heavy grocery bags she was carrying only added to her struggle.

Ten minutes later and drenched in sweat, Olivia made it to her floor. She didn't need the gym, walking up and down the 10 flights of stairs daily kept her in tick tock shape. Placing her key into the door, Olivia walked into the small cramped apartment. The same apartment she, her mother, and three sisters have been calling home since Olivia was five years old.

"Ya'll could've helped me you know." Olivia snaps out of breath at her three older sisters, Leila, Jessica, and Tessa. They were lounging on the couch watching television. Olivia does not feel like the baby sister, she acts and behave like she is the older sister.

"Mommy asked you to go to the market not us. I hope you got our snacks and not that nasty fake healthy shit you be trying to get." Leila replied not even looking up from the television.

"Whatever fat ass," Olivia rolls her eyes at her sisters. She is slimmer than all of her sisters and they hate her for that.

After putting up the groceries, Olivia flopped down onto the dining room chair to really catch her breath. Her hands and arms burned from the pressure of the heavy bags. For a seemly healthy girl, Olivia sure as hell felt like she had asthma. Her sisters were still lounging around on the couch waiting for Olivia to start dinner.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Nobody decided to move. "You've got to be kidding me!" Olivia exclaims forcing herself up from the chair wondering who the hell was knocking on the door.

"Who the hell is it!?" Olivia yells peeking through the peephole. Her mood instantly changed when she saw it was her boyfriend Trent on the other side of the door. Snatching open the wooden rugged door, Olivia practically jumped into Trent arms. She missed him, he's been gone for the past two days, handling business.

Trent is in the street business, he sells drugs for a notorious drug cartel that is based out of Boston. His lifestyle isn't something Olivia glamourize, but it is a lifestyle that has been normalized where they are from. The young men here don't have positive role models. The few role models they do have, are either playing professional basketball or football, and that dream is one in a million. School is the last thing on any of these young men minds, they're more worried about where their next meal is coming from. Trent comes from a family of 8 and an absentee father, with him being the eldest he is doing what he thinks is best for his family.

"I've missed you baby," Trent says into Olivia's hair as he hugged her back. Whenever he came back from a business trip, Olivia hugged him like it would be their last time. She knows what kind of lifestyle he is in, and she worries about him when he is away.

"Hey Trent." Leila says sitting up on the couch. She has openly flirted with Trent in Olivia's face. Trent disses her each time she tries her luck with him.

"What's up," he dryly greets.

"You tell me," she flirtingly responds. Jessica and Tessa laughs condoning Leila's behavior.

Olivia was about to say something, but Trent pulled her out of the apartment before she could tell her sister off.

"Your sisters' are wild babe," Trent says shaking his head.

"I know. I can't wait to get the fuck out of here." Olivia closes the door and leans against it. She folds her arms across her chest and sighs.

"I feel you, but stop letting them get to you Liv. I only have eyes for you." Trent advises as he wraps his hands around her waist and pull her into him.

"I know babe. If it wasn't for my mom I would've been left." Olivia seriously replies.

"I'm taking you out tonight." This is one of the many reasons why she loves him. He will do whatever it takes to make her happy.

"Okay." Olivia smiles.

"Cool. Come take a ride with me."

"Okay." Olivia goes back into the apartment to grab her keys and cell phone. She ignores her sisters' questions of where she was going as she leaves right back out.

Sliding into the passenger seat of Trent's '06 Dodge Charger, Olivia melts into the peanut butter colored leather seats. Rolling the window down, she lets the warm sun kiss her skin. Her block was packed with kids and adults enjoying the beautiful summer afternoon. The fire hydrant was gushing out water cooling off the kids, while the adults sat around talking. It sucks that once nightfall comes; those same kids and adults will be running for cover once the gunshots rang out. There is no peaceful night on Olivia's block.

"What's on your mind babe?" Trent asks pulling out of his parking spot. She was so engrossed in her thoughts, she didn't even hear Trent get inside of his car.

"Nothing," Olivia lies.

He nods his head and leaves Olivia to her thoughts. If she wanted to talk about it, she would tell him. One thing she wish Trent did was prod things out of her, instead of leaving her to her thoughts. For once she wishes someone would worry about her the way she worried about others.

Trent had to make a few drop-offs before their date night which was dinner at Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse. Olivia hates when he brings her on drug runs, but any minute she got to spend with him, she was grateful. After making his last drop-off, Trent drove them back to his apartment in South Philly. Unlike her neighborhood, Trent did live in a semi safer part of Philadelphia. Olivia loves his apartment, it is the only place she gets peace.

"You look beautiful babe." Trent compliments as Olivia walked out of his bedroom and into the living room.

She was wearing a strapless black bodycon midi dress and a pair of heels. The dress showed off her amazing figure, and the heels put emphasis on her toned legs. Her hair was flat ironed straight, and her makeup was flawless. The red lipstick she wore made her caramel skin pop.

"Thanks babe." Olivia smiles walking over to him.

He looked handsome in his dark denim jeans, graphic T-shirt, and Timberlands. This was the most Olivia was going to get out of him. Trent does not like dressing up. He thinks it makes him look like a square. They've been dating for two years and she has never seen him in a suit or even business casual clothes for that matter.

"Are you ready?" He asks eyeing her body with lust.

"Yes, I am starved." Olivia replies trying to ignore the look he was giving her.

"So am I, but not for food." Trent licked his lips and rubbed his hands together.

"Trent, stop I want my steak."

"Alright fat ass, let's go." Trent teases leading Olivia out of his apartment.

XXXXXXX

Two hours later…

FITZ

"They're back." Fitz said to his best friend Paul as he watched Trent park his Charger. He hoped he dropped the girl off, Fitz didn't want her to get cut up in the crossfire. His hopes ceased once he saw her exist Trent's car. Shaking his head, Fitz shrugged his shoulders. He'll try his best to spare this woman's life, but he can't make any promises. Fitz doesn't like leaving behind witnesses.

"Are we going to let him bust one last nut before he dies?" Paul asks in his deep Boston accent. He was dead ass serious which made it even more funnier.

Fitz looks over at Paul and burst into laughter at Paul's comment. He is known to say the strangest things. Fitz couldn't even respond to Paul right away because he couldn't stop laughing.

"Why are we friends again?" Fitz jokingly asks shaking his head. He watched Trent and his girlfriend disappear inside of Trent's apartment. From afar he could see the outline of Trent girlfriend's body, and boy was she shaped to perfection.

"I'm gonna pretend you didn't just say that," Paul says feigning hurt.

"Whatever, in 10 minutes we're making our move." Fitz replies seriously. Paul nods.

It was actually 20 minutes when Fitz and Paul exited their rental car and made their way to Trent's front door. Fitz took Paul's comment into consideration. If it was him he would hope to at least have sex once more before departing earth, to hell with a last meal. The block was empty for it to be a summer night. Armed with their weapons, Fitz picked Trent's lock and opened the door as quietly as possible. The door didn't squeak once allowing the men to inconspicuously slip right into apartment as if they lived there. They each wore scary skull masks to shield their identities. These are their signature masks when they make house visits.

The apartment was relatively dark. The kitchen and back bedroom was their only source of light. As they crept to the back bedroom, Fitz heard the faint sounds of moans coming from the bedroom. Trent obviously wasn't putting in work, had it been Fitz, she would have been screaming waking up the neighbors. Paul looked over at Fitz and shot him a thumb down. Fitz nodded his head with a smirk.

Once they reached the door, Fitz had a decision to make. Was he going to burst into the bedroom shooting and potentially kill an innocent person? Or was he going to confront Trent and let his girl go? After all Fitz beef is with Trent and not his girl. Going with the latter, Fitz turned the knob and walked into Trent's bedroom with Paul right behind him. Trent and his girlfriend was so enthralled in their sex, that they didn't even hear, let alone see the two masked men with guns pointed at them. His girlfriend was on top of him with her back facing Fitz and Paul. Due to her petite short frame, Fitz could easily see over and around her. Trent had his hands behind his back with his eyes shut tight. He was about to get red handed with his dick out literally. Fitz motioned for Paul to grab Trent's girl, while Fitz was going to handle Trent.

Paul took two long strides over to the bed and yanked Trent's girlfriend out of the bed roughly mid moan by her hair. Before she could scream Paul hit her across the face with the butt of his gun to shut her up. She fell onto the ground and wept silently. Fitz grimaced at the sound the gun made connecting with her face. For her sake, hoped Paul didn't break anything.

Paul bent down and maliciously said to her, "If you scream again I will fucking shoot you." It wasn't a threat she should take lightly. She must've nodded signaling that she understood because Paul stood back up and pulled her up with him. She was completely naked and Fitz couldn't help but look over her body. The bedroom was pitch black, but the moonlight provided all the light he needed, and man did Trent have a beauty. Her body was even more voluptuous up close. Her full breasts and chocolate nipples were full and perky. Her stomach was flat as a washboard, her hip to waist proportion was perfect, and her thighs they were thick and looked as smooth as a baby's bottom. He could tell her ass was plumped all he needed was for to turn around to prove himself right. Letting his eyes travel up to her face, Fitz felt himself stiffen at the sight of her succulent lips. Now is not the time for a boner, Fitz tells himself.

From his peripheral, Fitz saw Trent trying to make a move, so he shot him in the thighs. He was so distracted by Trent's girlfriend, that he hadn't even noticed Trent wasn't in the bed anymore. The two bullets Fitz put in Trent's thighs caused him to fall onto his bed face first. Fitz walked over to him and turned him over. Trent groaned in agonizing pain as his blood poured out of his thighs and seeped into his white stainless sheets.

"You thought you could steal a half million dollars from me and I wouldn't notice?" This was a rhetorical question and everyone in the room knew this except Trent's girlfriend who gasped.

"That money was owed to me!" Trent had the audacity to yell in a strained voice.

Fitz began laughing as if Trent just told the funniest joke he's ever heard. He looked over at Paul who was laughing as well. He locked eyes with Trent's girl, thank God, he was wearing that mask, because her beauty would bring the strongest man to his knees.

"Are you fucking kidding me! Half a million was owed to you?" Fitz scratches the side of his head with the gun.

"Yeah! I bust my ass for your family! Ya'll some ungrateful ass crackers!" Trent spat with a grunt.

"Why we got to get racial brotha man," Fitz taunts pointing the gun back at Trent.

"Fuck you! If you gonna shoot me shoot me! I don't regret taking that money. Ya'll work us like slaves and don't pay us shit! If it wasn't for me and the other niggas on ya'll payroll your family wouldn't be shit White boy! You and your racist ass family can go to hell! Liv I love you, even in death I'll always be here for you." Fitz admired Trent's bravery. He didn't know if he was acting like this because his girl was in the room, or if Trent had finally grown some balls and is standing up for himself. Too bad he was about to meet his maker.

POW! POW! POW! POW!

Fitz shot Trent four times, twice in the head, and twice in the chest killing him instantly. His girlfriend must've forgotten Paul's warning because she released a blood curdling scream. The type of screams from horror movies. Paul was about to follow up on his promise before Fitz stopped him. He didn't want him to end this beauty's life. She was too beautiful to be buried six feet under, plus she looked young. She probably didn't even get a chance to really live yet.

Paul nodded his head understanding that shooting her was not an option. Instead, he hit her on the side of the head with his gun knocking her out cold. Fitz searched the house for the money and found it in the basement underneath a loose floorboard. Trent didn't put a dent in it like Fitz thought. Just as quietly as the men entered Trent's apartment, was the same way they left.

"I actually liked Trent." Paul said as he snatched his mask off once they were back in the rental.

"I know, too bad he got greedy." Fitz placed the bag of money in the backseat and started up the car.

"And his girl, I don't even like Black chicks, but damn she was gorgeous." Paul is a tolerable racist. Fitz often times have to put him in his place when he gets out of hand with his racial slurs.

"You don't know what you're missing man." Fitz pulls out of the parking spot and calmly cruises down the street as if he didn't end a man's life and ruin a young woman's.

"Okay Mr. Jungle Fever."

"Whatever." Fitz doesn't hide his preference even though his family disowns it. Trent did have that part right; his family is racist.

Fitz drives them to the airport and they hop on the private jet heading back to Boston. Thieves are not tolerated in the Grant cartel. His family pays their workers generously and fairly. The money Trent was making was actually above his pay grade, but because he moved so many drugs in Philadelphia, he was getting paid extra. And to think Trent was about to be promoted. Greed has caused a lot of men who work for the Grant cartel to lose their lives. Everyone wants to sit at the table with the Grants, but no one wants to put in the work, to get a chance to sit with them. They'll rather get to the table greedily and that is a huge costly mistake. Trent is just one of many examples.

While on the jet, Fitz couldn't stop thinking about Trent's girlfriend. He hoped Paul didn't hit her too hard and ended up killing her. It's not like they're going to see each other again, so Fitz is going to etch her pretty little face, and amazing body into his memory for as long as he can.

Babes don't be mad at me for starting another story, but I had to get this out of my head before I lost it. I love writing about gangsta Fitz lol. So, what do you think so far? Leave your thoughts as always.

I'll be leaving for vacation Thursday, so look for an update on this and 'Beyond The Game' sometime after Memorial's Day.

This story was inspired by the movie The Town.

Until Next Time Babes XOXOXO