Season 1 Episode 3 – Weightier Matters
By Ricardo Butler
Written Friday April 28th, 2017
The Solaire at the Plaza – Rease Butler’s Condo
Rease: “I don’t know what to do with my brothers anymore.”
Reyna: “What do you mean honey?”
Rease: “Since reuniting with my brothers and the success of my company all coming together at the same time … it’s just every day I feel this weight of responsibility from the demands of both. And this whole murder thing with Rock and the possibility that their being a bigger setup going on behind the scene or some kind of plot against this family is just too much for me to bear.”
Reyna: “Aww baby! It’s going to be okay. What does your brother Rameses always say? ‘God will work all things out for the good.’ Maybe we need to start going back to church. You could need a little refreshing and renewal for your soul. What do you think baby?”
Rease: “I don’t know. It’s been a long time since God and I have had a conversation. I wouldn’t even know what to say or how to approach Him.”
Reyna: “That’s just the point. We can take baby steps. I will be right by your side all the way. And our kids will definitely need the boast of life from getting around God’s people.”
Rease: “Maybe you’re right. Let me think about it and get back to you on that one.”
Reyna: “No rush baby. I’m not pushing or forcing the issue. I’m just offering some counsel.”
Rease: “I know. Thanks for being here with me during this hard time; for me and my brothers.”
Reyna: “Always baby!”
33rd Street Jail
Later Rease stops by to see Rock at the county jail.
Rock: “I don’t know what’s going on bruh. These lawyer punks came in here talking all kinds of crap that I wasn’t even tryin’ ta hear ya heard? They talking about life sentence and all this other legal junk that no one can understand.”
Rease: “I know Rock. We heard. The thing our brothers are wondering is why did they came down here to talk to you without lettings us know they were doing it. That was not part of the contract that we made with them from the beginning. All information about your case was to be brought before at least Raychard and me and one other brother. But that obviously didn’t happen. Raychard thinks there is some sort of conspiracy going on. He’s been doing his own investigation on top of the one the whole family is doing collectively.”
Rock: “I freaking knew it! Something ain’t right bruh! I told you I didn’t kill nobody …”
Rease: “Calm down. I know. (Whispering) We saw a video of the whole thing. So we know what happened. But we got the video through channels not approved of. So we cannot use this in the case. It will make it worse. Hence the reason we are doing our own investigations, especially into Roxy. It turns out she’s got something to do with all of this. She’s withholding information from us. Plus she got Raychard and Rameses at ends with each other.”
Rock: “Roxy!!! You gotta be f——g kidding me! She’s one of the grimiest b—–s we know. Rease, tell me y’all got no ears for what she saying? Say it ain’t so bruh?”
Rease: “She doesn’t have me fooled one bit, however she tricked Rameses into seeing her for information and Destiny walked in on them in the dark. So Destiny and the kids are staying at your apartment with Melody and your kids. She somehow sort of kidnapped Rickie and had him on some kind of wild goose chase for the truth, which, by the way, she never revealed to him anyway. This in turn made Nydia hot as she went down to Roxy’s nail salon in broad daylight and smacked her down in front of all of her customers. Lucky for Nydia Roxy didn’t call the cops and press charges or she’d be in a cell next to you.”
Rock: “Big bruh, you got to get me outta here. I’m innocent. Do what you gotta do to get me off. Thanks for all the commissary money by the way. I definitely need it in here. These little a– plates ain’t nuttin’ nice.” (They both laugh together).
Rease: “Of course Rock. We are doing everything in our power and within our resources to handle this. We are going to see you on the outside soon. Hold your head up Rock. Love you brother.”
Rock: “Love you too mayne. Tell Melody I love her and the kids when you see dem aight?”
Rease: “Alright Rock. Talk to you next time I can get down here.”
Law Offices of Mike & Eddie Gerunda
The next day as Rease is at the Law Offices of Mike & Eddie Gerunda, Raychard busts into the conference room with his own findings from his investigation.
Raychard: “Rease! Did you know about this?”
Rease: “About what?”
Raychard: “Don’t play dumb with me! Did … you … know … about … this?” (Raychard slams some documents on the conference table).
Rease: “What is this?”
Raychard: “Apparently while I was away on active duty in the Army there was a cover up at the church when ‘Apostle’ Rameses was in oversight. There was violence that erupted over a fight between Rock and another youth that left a kid hospitalized. I don’t know about you but I think the church has something to do with Rock’s set up. And you are hiding something along with Rameses. What’s going on Rease?”
Rease sighs.
Rease: “The reason why I left the church under Rameses’ leadership was because of this whole ordeal. I didn’t want this getting out to the press because of Rameses’ position in the church and I didn’t want our family name on blast in the papers and in the news. So I may have sort of approached all who were involved in the church network that Rameses used to oversee and we agreed to pay all who were involved to silence IF Rameses stepped down from his apostleship over the five churches he oversaw and just become the pastor of a new church plant that was kind of not part of the network they were building. I told them I would pay them more only if Rameses would be allowed with his new church to stay in the network. I personally wanted to keep ties to any potential threat to our family through the elders and leaders in the church network without them knowing I was.”
Raychard: “Well Rease it seems like this is going to bite you in the a–. I am assuming since whoever in the church network couldn’t go public they could still get revenge by smearing our name using Rock as their target. I told you! I told you those preachers were dirty. Did I not say that Rease? I just said that Mike.”
Mike and Eddie look at each other in a way that sends a signal to Raychard that something greater is wrong and going on. But he doesn’t expose it just yet. He is going to look more into the Law Offices and Mike & Eddie Gerunda and their passed cases too.
U.S. Secret Services Offices in Orlando, Florida
Raychard takes a trip to the U.S. Secret Service office in Orlando, Florida within the Bank of America on North Orange Avenue and Livingston Street. Raychard being an undercover CIA Agent as a US spy, he decides to use government resources to find out the truth.
It will be at this location where he searches through files and the background on the Ambassadorial Peacemakers Ministry Center and the Five Fold Ministers IN Christ Apostolic Network that his brother has been the designated apostle and bishop while Raychard was still in the US Army.
There is just a strong urge to him that there is a much larger scheme going on in the City of Orlando against his brothers and family.
Five Fold Ministers IN Christ Apostolic Network Headquarters Downtown Orlando on West Church Street and East Pine Street
Rameses tries to continue on in the ministry since his wife Destiny has been away staying over Melody’s apartment with the kids. Not knowing what has been happening with the rest of the brothers he is heading downtown to the 5Fold M.I.C Apostolic Network HQ for the quarterly meeting among the network leadership.
Apostle Lester Klaws: “Welcome Pastor Rameses. Praise God that you are doing well. The counsel is waiting in the meeting room upstairs. Go on up and take your place.”
Rameses: “Thanks Apostle Lester. It’s good to see you too. I will catch you in the meeting.”
As Rameses steps into the meeting all eyes turn to him as if they are burning through him in distaste. He realizes that this will not be a normal meeting. Something is wrong and he feels that he is the topic of discussion for this meeting.
Apostle Lester Klaws: “Let us all take our place. May we all please stand for the speaking out of the Apostles’ Creed?”
They all rise and in unity speak aloud …
“I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The Holy catholic Church, the Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen.”
As they finish and all take their seats Apostle Lester Klaws begins to speak.
Apostle Lester: “My brothers and sisters who are apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, and pastors of the Five Fold Ministry IN Christ Apostolic Network is now called into session for the second quarter of Friday April 28th, 2017. Welcome and thank you all for being here. I pray that Easter went well in all of the five churches and many ministries and ministers in this network that just past and I pray that many more great and awesome things will happen and take place throughout this year. But in today’s meeting we want to discuss a negative issue again plaguing this network. And that’s the issue going on in Pastor Rameses family. We all know that it is all over the news that Pastor Rameses youngest brother Rock has been incarcerated for murder. And according to the Word of God it says that, ‘If anyone wants to provide leadership in the church, good! But there are preconditions: A leader must be well-thought-of, committed to his wife, cool and collected, accessible, and hospitable. He must know what he’s talking about, not be overfond of wine, not pushy but gentle, not thin-skinned, not money-hungry. He must handle his own affairs well, attentive to his own children and having their respect. For if someone is unable to handle his own affairs, how can he take care of God’s church?’ Does it not say this brothers and sisters? It is also true Pastor Rameses that your wife Destiny has separated from you because of infidelity with your brother’s Raychard’s wife? And is it also true that …”
As Apostle Lester continues on Rameses attention fades out as he feels like a sharp knife has been pushed into his heart. He has come to the realization that the church network he founded has been working with Roxy this whole time against him and his family. He leaves the meeting in tears sad and then angry.
WRIC Online Hip-Hop Radio Station – Rickie’s Apartment
Rickie: “This is DJ Scene here for W.R.I.C. Radio playing the best in underground Hip-Hop and Soulful R&B. And this time around we have a special guest. My lovely wife Nydia is here in the studio. Today we wanted to do something different. For those of you who don’t know, recently my baby brother Rock, who I believe was setup, is facing a life sentence for a crime he did not commit. I was there. And I am coming to you; the listeners and fans of the local hip-hop community to rally with my wife and me as we peacefully hold a rally outside of city hall in downtown Orlando to stand by my brother in his time of need. He is innocent. My brother is not a murderer. Sure he has committed crimes before. In this day and age who hasn’t done something they’ve regretted as being dumb in their life. I have. My wife has. I’m sure you all out their listen have too. This isn’t about white cops vs. black man. This is about right or wrong. This is about those with power taking advantage of those who cannot defend themselves. I’m now going to let my wife Nydia speak to you all for a moment. Honey! It’s all yours.”
Nydia: “Hello hip-hop heads of Orlando! Where are all my lyricists, my DJs, my breakers, my train bombers, and just music lovers of the genre and culture of real hip-hop? Today we celebrate freedom of expression. Today we celebrate the way we use are gifts, talents, and craft to show who we are and why we are here. Today we celebrate the ability to be heard and understood. My name is Nydia Rodriguez and I am a Dominican strong woman. I went to Colonial High School where some of Orlando’s dopest emcees were brought forth. Grad of ’97 as a generation X-er reaching out to all my X-ers and my millennials! You all have a voice and you know who you are. We cannot let the system write us off and nobodies because we don’t look and act the way they want us to act. I am a college graduate and I am a United States Veteran of the US Army. I fought for freedom and I intend to continue to fight to be heard. Let’s be heard together as we share the story of love for each other in our generation. I love Rock as a brother and many of you who know him love him too. So let get out there and be heard that what they are doing to Rock is wrong and he is innocent. WE ARE INNOCENT!!!!”
TO BE CONTINUED …
IN THE NEXT EPISODE: “Challenges”
- Rameses is forced out of the Apostolic Network he founded.
- Rock is opposed by enemy gang members in the county jail.
- Raychard’s help from the CIA and Secret Service turns out to be an even bigger conspiracy against him and his brothers.
Tune in next time to The Kinsmen Calling
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