Rumors

**Rumors** is the second episode of the first season of the Starz original crime drama *BMF*. It aired on October 3, 2021.

## Synopsis

Tensions rise between The 50 Boyz and their rivals, which creates repercussions. Lamar plants misinformation so he can actively step towards the throne.

## Plot

Meech races to Downriver Memorial Hospital, armed with a submachine gun, after learning that Terry was shot. Detective Lopez draws his firearm and commands Meech to drop the weapon. Before the situation can escalate, Detective Bryant intervenes and escorts Meech to Terry, but not before first disarming him. Meech finds Terry lying in a hospital bed with his face covered in blood and the bullet still lodged in his head. Barely conscious, Terry tells Meech to tell the family that he's sorry and to look after Terry Jr. He then slips into unconsciousness and becomes unresponsive. As the doctors haul him away, Bryant tells Meech that he'll be reporting the shooting as an attempted carjacking.

B-Mickie, Kato, and Sockie join Meech in the waiting room, where he explains that it's still unclear exactly who shot Tee. So in the meantime, they need to lock down and move the stash. B-Mickie and Kato will move the work to the backup stash house, while Sockie hires some goons to cover their boys on the street and send a couple of the guys to watch after Meech's family. As Meech's crew exits the hospital, his family enters. Lucille accuses Meech and his drug dealing ways of being at fault for Terry's shooting, but when he attempts to explain that it was a simple carjacking, Lucille attacks him in a fit of rage until Charles pulls her off.

Having reconsidered his offer, Lamar approaches Jay Mo in hopes of joining his crew, however, Filmel doesn't trust Lamar and is eager to put him down, whereas Jay Mo is willing to at least give him a chance, partnering Lamar with Slick to run pick-ups.

Suspecting that Kwame may have shot Terry, Meech tracks him to the parking lot of a liquor store, where he has paid off an older woman to purchase him some alcohol. Meech draws his gun and pistol whips Kwame, who claims that he and Terry had nothing more than petty beef and that he wasn't behind the shooting. Despite having been convinced, Meech continues to hit Kwame and even snatch his chain before fleeing.

Terry awakens after surgery to the sight of LaWanda and his family, with the exception of Meech. While they were able to get the bullet out, it might be a while before he feels normal again. Charles questions if Terry knows who shot him, suspecting that Meech may have gotten him caught up, but Lucille urges Charles to allow Terry to rest. So, Charles turns his attention to Nicole, asking if she knows anything, but she insists that she doesn't. Looking to calm Charles down, Lucille suggests that they go home and get something to eat, while LaWanda stays behind to look after Terry.

As it turns out, Lamar and Slick, or as he used to be called P-M, are old friends. In fact, Slick was a member of Lamar's crew, which fell apart not too long after Lamar got locked up, as Slick didn't have any product to keep them together and decided to work for Jay Mo. Having known Lamar for years, Slick suspects that he intends to take over 12th Street, but for the moment, Lamar is without an army. He then tells Slick that he heard Jay Mo put the hit out on Terry and to spread the word to the crew.

Word of Jay Mo putting possibly shooting Terry spreads fast. Before long, even Dink and Hoop from the 50 Boyz gets word.

B-Mickie and Kato arrive at the stash house and flirt while unloading the work. B-Mickie expresses how with her being from the south, she's different from a lot of the girls in the city. Kato then tells B-Mickie that word on the street is that Jay Mo put the hit out on Terry, but she can't confirm how true this is. As B-Mickie heads into the back, Kato notices that someone had been living in the house. She is then tackled to the ground by a homeless man, causing the dope in her hand to fly everywhere, though Kato manages to hold her own and restrain the man. Having lost a whole eighth, approximately six thousand dollars worth of dope, they have no choice but to tell Meech.

Lamar surprises Zoe at school, claiming that he's come to see her after getting better in the "hospital." He gifts her a stuffed teddy bear and offers to take her anywhere she'd like, but Zoe is cautious of him and walks away. He attempts to follow her, but a school administrator interferes and instructs Lamar to leave before he calls the police.

Meech arrives at the stash house after learning that Kato was attacked and that they lost an eighth of dope, contemplating whether or not they should simply cut ties with her, but B-Mickie takes the blame, explaining that he didn't check the back door. Unfortunately, now that the stash house has been compromised, they need to find a new location. Mickie suggests moving it to his mom's house until they find another spot. Meech then cuts Kato's attacker loose and pays him to forget everything he's seen.

B-Mickie follows Meech out back, where he reveals that he pressed Kwame at the liquor store but gave him a pass, as he didn't suspect that Kwame had anything to do with Tee's shooting, which proves to be the right call when B-Mickie reveals that the streets are saying that Jay Mo shot Terry.

Meech visits Terry at the hospital and jokes about him potentially only having one eye before revealing that Jay Mo allegedly shot him, though Tee isn't convinced, as he doesn't believe Jay Mo has the heart to have pulled the trigger. Meech reveals that he checked Kwame also. Terry, however, suspects that it could've been Lamar, reasoning that Meech took his corner and his girl. Nevertheless, Terry wants Meech to solely focus on the business and leave the street violence alone, but Meech is determined to avenge his brother's attack.

Monique pulls up outside of Slick's house to confront Lamar for visiting Zoe without her permission, explaining that Zoe wasn't aware that Lamar was out. Monique reminds him that he isn't Zoe's father. She only allowed her daughter to call him that when they were together, but they aren't related by blood. Zoe thought that Lamar was sick in the hospital for the last two years and prayed for him every night. While Lamar may be trying to do what's best for their family, Monique wants nothing to do with him and wants Lamar to stay away from her and Zoe. Noticing Lamar becoming more agitated as the conversation progressed, Slick intervenes and separates the two.

Meech approaches Filmel with a proposition. He suspects that Filmel may have been interested in the same deal he offered Jay Mo when they first met at the arena, to possibly join forces to conquer the city. Meech is making him an offer that will bring him in more money than he ever imagined, however, this would require him to take out Jay Mo, but Filmel insists that he isn't interested.

LaWanda catches Terry as he attempts to leave the hospital to find Meech. However, he barely makes it out the room before collapsing in the hallway.

Slick and the entire restaurant can hear Lamar's rendezvous with a prostitute in the bathroom at Big Coney's. Afterward, Lamar joins Slick at the table, where they discuss how Meech made a play for Filmel, who unbeknownst to Meech, is loyal to Jay Mo, as they went to school together. Slick then recalls Lamar's exchange with Monique and advises him to take a smoother approach by showing her that he's truly devoted to them.

Dink and Hoop question why Meech hasn't killed Jay Mo after learning that he supposedly put a hit out on Tee. They're beginning to doubt Meech's leadership given his lack of attention towards Jay Mo, but B-Mickie and Kato manages to ease their nerve, at least for the moment, reasoning that there's a possibility that Jay Mo didn't shoot Terry, and Meech just doesn't want them taking any unnecessary shots. Killing him could start a war, which Dink and Hoop are ready for, but B-Mickie and Kato send them back to their posts.

Meech arrives at the hospital to learn that Terry has an infection, and they're worried it moved into his brain. Charles then confronts Meech over not being around for his brother and hiring goons to follow them. When Meech gets a call from Sockie, revealing that Nicole is in 12th Street territory, in the arcade off of Visge, Meech leaves to get her, but Charles and Lucille questions what's more important than Terry, unaware that Nikki could possibly be in danger.

B-Mickie approaches Meech outside the hospital and warns him that the offer he made to Filmel makes them look weak. Despite noting knowing for certain if Jay Mo shot Terry, B-Mickie wants to kill him. They have to respond to the rumor or else they'll continue to be targeted. However, Meech refuses to make a move without confirmation that Jay Mo shot Tee in fear of starting a war.

Charles, Lucille, and LaWanda learn that Terry may be permanently blind in one eye due to the infection, though they can't say for certain at the moment. Charles questions just how this happened, as Terry was fine before going back in for the second surgery. He suspects that somebody made a mistake. When this is all said and done, Charles threatens a lawsuit if Terry's loses his vision.

Lucille finds Charles in the nursery, looking over the newborns. Charles doesn't know what they'll do if something happens to Terry's sight. His vision of Terry learning to play the piano and signing with Motown will be over. Lucille is, however, just thankful he's alive and doesn't believe they have the right to ask for anymore. Charles argues that they at least have the right to stop losing money and control of their kids, who they haven't been protecting as of late. For a long time now, Charles has been saying that Meech is a bad influence on Terry and he needed to be out of the house, and now with him lying in a hospital bed due to Meech's affiliations, Charles pleads with Lucille to finally let Meech go, but she refuses, as she won't be able to live with herself should something happen to Meech. If she doesn't, and something happens to Charles or Nicole, he questions how she's going to living with herself then.

Lamar spent the night before writing letters addressed to Monique and Zoe, claiming that he wrote them whilst locked up. He alleges that he hated himself for abandoning them and that the letters were what kept him going every day. Additionally, he apologizes to Monique for coming at her the way he did and going to see Zoe without her permission. All Lamar wants is for Zoe to know that he's her father and that he will always be there for her. And when the time is right, he'd like to see her. Having accepted his apology, Monique agrees to at least talk to Zoe and see how she feels about it.

Meech picks Nicole up in Ecorse despite previously telling her never to go there, though much like Meech, Nicole is angry for her own reasons, not caring much for what he has to say and even opening the car door to escape as he's driving down the road, nearly causing them to crash. Nicole demands that he let her out and exclaims that she hates him. So, Meech pulls over, and Nicole reveals that sometimes she's feels invisible and overshadowed by Meech and his drug dealing. She's constantly having to lie to their parents for them, and on top of everything else, she likely won't even be able to go on her field trip. Meech admits that the house has prioritized him over everyone else, but he insists that he loves her and that he'll always be there for her, then handing her a stack of cash.

LaWanda lays in bed with Terry, who is recovering from surgery, but all he seems to be worried about is Meech. LaWanda, much like Charles and Lucille, is aware that Terry's incident wasn't a random carjacking, but rather a consequence of his dealings in the street. LaWanda is scared and worries that whoever shot Terry may come back. In a moment of transparency, Terry reveals that he too is scared, but he also loves the dope game and has no intentions of stopping. Between drug dealing and school, if anything, it'll give their son a chance at a better life than either of them ever had.

B-Mickie informs Meech that they lost the rec center after 12th Street bought off their hired goons. Detective Bryant then pulls up with Jay Mo restrained in the back. Meech pulls him out the car and confronts him for shooting Terry, however, Jay Mo insists that he had nothing to do with the shooting, even going as far as begging for his life. When Meech becomes reluctant to pull the trigger, B-Mickie kills Jay Mo with a single bullet to the head, which in turn angers Meech, who roughs B-Mickie up but ultimately leaves him unharmed. B-Mickie defends that he made the right call, but Meech informs him that it's not up to him to make any calls and instructs B-Mickie to clean up the body.

Meech finds Lucille praying in the hospital's chapel. She was praying that the lord would enter Meech's heart and inspire him to leave the streets alone. She asks Meech to promise her to leave the streets alone or else she's going to have to kick him out the house. However, Meech has no intentions on stopping and is willing to accept the consequences of his choices. That said, he tells his mother to never stop praying for him.

B-Mickie returns home to find Kato dancing in the basement while watching over the stash. He continues to flirt with Kato, who tells him that it's never going to happen, as she's the one female in a crew of men. The worst thing she could do is get mixed up with one of them and lose whatever credibility and respect she has. Kato contemplates leaving but decides to stay after B-Mickie reveals that he has some Vodka in the fridge.

Meech returns to the hospital, but this time, Terry is in no mood to joke after being faced with his own mortality. The brothers both admit that they're scared, but Terry has noticed a change in Meech, leaving him to suspect that something has happened on the streets. Meech lies and says that he simply fell behind on the work while searching for the person that shot Terry, as he couldn't simply let it go, explaining that he'll always have Terry's back.

Before going to sleep, Zoe prays at her bedside. Monique tells her to make sure she prays for her father as well. Elsewhere, at the Flenory home, Lucille prays for Meech.

Meanwhile, Lamar approaches Filmel in a back alley and a fight ensues. Lamar bashes Filmel's head in with an empty paint can before lifting him into the dumpster.

## Cast

### Starring

* Russell Hornsby as Charles Flenory
* Da'Vinchi as Terry "Southwest T" Flenory
* Michole Briana White as Lucille Flenory
* Eric Kofi-Abrefa as Lamar Silas
* Ajiona Alexus as Kato
* Myles Truitt as B-Mickie
* Steve Harris as Detective Von Bryant
* Demetrius "Lil Meech" Flenory Jr. as Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory

### Guest starring

* Arkeisha "Kash Doll" Knight as Monique
* Myles Bullock as Slick
* Holmes Lindsay IV as Jay Mo
* Johnnie Gordon as Young Meech
* Jaylon Gordon as Young Terry
* Sydney Mitchell as LaWanda Roosevelt
* Laila Pruitt as Nicole Flenory
* Rod Rowland as ER Doctor
* Markice Moore as Filmel

### Co-starring

* Christian Anderson as Kwame
* Yusef Thomas as Young Roland
* Zane "Lil Zane" Copeland Jr. as Sockie
* Stormy Merriweather as Zoe
* Monica Tookes as N'Jeri
* Jasun Jabbar Wardlaw Jr. as Dink
* Sean Michael Gloria as Detective Jonathan Lopez
* Marc Collins as Kwame's Buddy
* Tyshon Freeman as Hoop
* Keith Elgin Douglas as Homeless Squatter
* Olumba Obu as Male Administrator
* Michelle Civile as ER Nurse

## Trivia

* The episode title, *Rumors*, is in reference to Terry's shooting and just how quickly it can spread throughout various neighborhoods.

## Gallery

### Videos

BMF 1x02 Promo "Rumors" (HD) Starz series