Fasten your seatbelts and prepare for the ride of your life. With the fastest, safest and smoothest drive on the market Cooper cars are the first in automobile engineering. Feel like a racing superstar with our sports models that mimic the global champion Mad Dog racers. Choose from a variety of paint colours and customise your interiors because a Cooper is not just a car it is a way of life. Cooper Cars – racing ahead.
If you are lookin for a fast ride in luxury then look no further than Cooper Cars. With skilled engineers on hand Cooper boasts the best cars you could ever hope to drive in the Shady City. Their boast is not without merit. Cooper does in fact provide vehicles of a quality very few others compare to.
Above all the others is the award winning, race track dominating Mad Dog fleet. The yellow speedster, Sunny, the blue navigator, Sky, the green corner spinner, Emerald and the booming red Cherry combine to make a fleet of vehicles unlike any others.
When they aren’t winning races or providing demos they are found on the streets of Tokashima. Their impressive abiilities have been used in the past for sinister means. It is said that if you find yourself an enemy of a Cooper you may need to be careful when crossing the road.
Owned and operated by Marshall Cooper, Cooper Garages will always relish in success, especially when he has his Kappa So brothers at his back for support. Marshall himself is a expert mechanical engineer so he does have reason for the attitude that he carries with him. He is THE Mad Dog and if you have the money, the skill and the need for some flash, step inside the Cooper show room.
Enjoy this?
Check out the Knock Knock series. Available free to read!
Fasten your seatbelts and prepare for the ride of your life. With the fastest, safest and smoothest drive on the market Cooper cars are the first in automobile engineering. Feel like a racing superstar with our sports models that mimic the global champion Mad Dog racers. Choose from a variety of paint colours and customise your interiors because a Cooper is not just a car it is a way of life. Cooper Cars – racing ahead.
If you are lookin for a fast ride in luxury then look no further than Cooper Cars. With skilled engineers on hand Cooper boasts the best cars you could ever hope to drive in the Shady City. Their boast is not without merit. Cooper does in fact provide vehicles of a quality very few others compare to.
Above all the others is the award winning, race track dominating Mad Dog fleet. The yellow speedster, Sunny, the blue navigator, Sky, the green corner spinner, Emerald and the booming red Cherry combine to make a fleet of vehicles unlike any others.
When they aren’t winning races or providing demos they are found on the streets of Tokashima. Their impressive abiilities have been used in the past for sinister means. It is said that if you find yourself an enemy of a Cooper you may need to be careful when crossing the road.
Owned and operated by Marshall Cooper, Cooper Garages will always relish in success, especially when he has his Kappa So brothers at his back for support. Marshall himself is a expert mechanical engineer so he does have reason for the attitude that he carries with him. He is THE Mad Dog and if you have the money, the skill and the need for some flash, step inside the Cooper show room.
Enjoy this?
Check out the Knock Knock series. Available free to read!
Howard Bergman had been on a trip to Subala so his sister, Law Maker Hell Hound Sophie, had left a message at their estate over there to contact her as soon as possible. In the meantime, she had her Golem, Mr Raminoff, seek information on the unexpected freighter the Wigan had mentioned.
“Find out who authorised it,” she instructed.
Speaking in his native tongue of Levinkrantz, the Golem made some enquiries as to the mysterious freighter. Howard was never one to make such an oversight so it was expected that it would be confirmed that no such event had ever occurred and the Wigan was merely making conversation, or was mistaken in some way. Imagine Sophie’s surprise then, if you will, when Golem told her that a Bergman freighter had been sent to the inlet. Not only that, the authority on it was her son, Isaac.
The next course of action was to speak to her son. It seemed Isaac had gone to a girlfriend outside of the city and hadn’t been seen since. A message was left with him, too.
“Call home immediately,” Golem warned.
Isaac didn’t return the call.
***
WELCOME TO VIOLET.
The purr of the luxurious Cooper car with glistening purple paint could be heard approaching CPD in City Main.
PARKING ACTIVATED.
The smooth long body took its place. Emerging from the spectacular vehicle was the long frame of Ronald ‘Ronnie’ Owen. Ronnie entered the CPD building at a dash.
“I need to speak to Billy,” he told the front desk.
The bro that had been placed on such desk obliged. Given the scrutiny The Cappy was under at that time, fast access to the commissioner was given to any who shared his blood. For all intents and purposes, Ronnie’s legal presence was welcome. The commissioner was under a lot of strain.
William ‘Billy’ Owen was on a call with Irvine Stoker who had been informing him of the enquiries that Sophie Bergman had placed.
“Those fucking bead rattlers,” he was complaining of the Wigans.
“It’s lucky we got told, mucker,” Irvine assured. “I’ve had to pull the plug but the body has been moved. We just need to find Isaac. We paid a visit to the girlfriend he was supposed to have gone to see but she didn’t know anything. She says she hasn’t seen him.”
“So, the risk lies in the hands of a Shylock that knows everything?” Billy wanted to clarify with some frustration.
“Even if he does squeal, he’ll have to prove it. That’s where we got your back,” was Irvine’s reply.
Billy nodded. “Keep an eye out for him. Let me know the minute he comes slithering back.”
“Will do,” Irvine agreed.
“A’body knows those Bergmans are all psycho. Ain’t nobody that nice.”
Irvine offered his agreement and then the call was closed. Upon doing this his cousin, Ronnie, entered the scene.
“About time,” Billy exclaimed. “You done anything yet about the damn Cappy?” he asked.
“He’s still on lockdown at the ranch. I’ve asked for Jackson’s proposal. He’s thinking about it.”
“Thinking about it?” Billy growled. “That’s fucking mighty kind of him. My own father. I never thought myself spawned from such a limp dick. Do I look like the spit of a limp dick?”
Ronnie raised an eyebrow. “I’ve not been at the board meetings for a while so I don’t know how all this will go down. I can’t leave Coldford in case they call me in to testify. I’m here because of the complaints that are being brought against the department.”
“I’m getting shit done,” Billy stated.
“On paper you’re doing swell,” Ronnie concurred. “But this Wigan situation needs to be resolved. The office of Law Makers is looking to remove you. I told you when you first got here, they wouldn’t be comfortable letting our Kappa So boys take over.”
“A’body knows those Wigan fucks are needing run out the damn city. I’m the man for the job,” was Billy’s response with a cold raspy laugh. He was still full of confidence despite the dark shadows of stress underneath his eyes.
Ronnie finally took a seat. “I need you to tell me every dealing your department has had with the Wigan church. Peter Millicent is good at what he does so I need to be armed with everything I can.”
Billy grinned. “You ready for that cuz?” he asked.
Ronnie didn’t seem particularly enthusiastic but he was no stranger to the darker shades of Coldford. He was, after all, an Owen.
***
“He’s gotta be removed. After the accusations against Jerry and his side of the family, Chick should have stepped down in disgrace years ago!”
That was the sentiment of Jackson ‘Jackie’ Owen. He had been locked out of his social media accounts several times but each time he kept coming back. The Owen-owned publication, the Coldford Daily, was admitting to a divide on the board of Owen Inc. and their enemies were smelling blood. Not to mention it was surfacing family troubles, which was something the generations of Owens before them would never have done no matter how mad they were at each other. Times were tough. With Charles ‘Chick’ Owen under lock and key by the Law Makers it seemed unwise to air dirty laundry on such a public forum. Jackie seemed confident in his statements, though. All week he had been blasting his views across social media about how Owen Inc. had no business being led by the brother of a known child rapist. He said that The Cappy had been incompetent for a long time. He even posted photos of a dishevelled looking Chick being escorted from the airport by Bailiffs.
“Is this the future of Owen Inc?” he had captioned with a large, bold question mark.
That wasn’t my decision to make. I was merely there to tell the story, but as an outsider I could see Jackson was making enemies. That was how businesses in Coldford were run so I’m sure he knew what he was doing. Still, it seemed unwise but as I said, it was not for me to comment, only observe.
“Jackass!” was all that an email from his son, William ‘Billy’ Owen had said to him.
Some might have thought it was in agreement with his father against The Cappy but that wasn’t it. Billy was on team Chick through and through. Familial loyalty was to his cousin once removed. As far as Billy was concerned his father was being a jackass.
Disruption and chaos on the Owen board was only increased by The Cappy having had his wings clipped by the Law Makers of Coldford.
“I feel for my cousin,” said Jackson in an official statement. “What he is going through is unprecedented. But the law is the law and he should stand down if he values the rest of us. Pops would be so ashamed.”
Jackass!
That had been his son’s cry because as far as Billy was concerned, they were entering a whole new era for Owen Inc. and they needed The Cappy at the wheel to navigate.
“The balls on the man!” Billy said admiringly of Chick. He wasn’t shy of telling anyone who would listen that his cousin had huge God balls like no other. He had what it took to lead Owen Inc.
Jackson had expected his son to come around. It didn’t matter what Billy said though. Jackson was what the company needed. He was not a shy man nor was he a stupid one by his own reckoning. The Owens were having everything thrown at them. He couldn’t have handled it any better than Chick had. He knew that. He was no fool. But that wasn’t for the board to know. So, he spoke to the press of his concerns for his family, his cousin especially, and for the future of Owen Inc.
“I fear he has been using William’s special ops training to bully his way into CPD. Why would you use your cousins like that? What do you have to hide? Do the right thing Chick and resign now! #chickmustresign”
“Jackass!” Billy raged at the quote now going viral. “Throwing me under the bus now, are ya?”
For failing to flock to Jackson’s side immediately he set his sights on discrediting his son.
OWEN INC. CEO NEEDS TO STEP DOWN.
THE CAPTAIN IS DRUNK AT THE WHEEL.
“I’m going to string him up!” The Cappy warned.
“Leave it, Chick,” Ronnie advised. Chick’s younger, lawyer brother had been keeping a close eye on Jackson’s activity. “We’ve got enough to deal with, with Tabitha and Reggie Penn. Not to mention the Law Makers all over the estate. Sit quiet. I’ll see about a gagging order.”
Jackson had already managed to leak some old photos from Billy’s military days, where he was shown to be less than accommodating to Subalan prisoners he had taken. Naked, on their knees, begging for mercy, Billy was shown to be taunting them.
“I’m going to the Great States, right now. I’m gonna see that damn traitor myself,” Billy decided.
Again, Ronnie had to be the level head. “Leave it Bill,” Ronnie instructed. “The moment they see you leaving on a plane they’re going to come down hard,” he said of the Law Makers. “The only reason they haven’t put you under arrest too at this point is out of politeness. You still have a position in this city. Don’t give them an excuse.”
Jackson had attempted to bring an alliance with the Beckingridges. He knew it would be a sure-fire way of gaining influence in The Shady City so he reached out to one of the richest families in Coldford.
“And who are you!?” spat Elizabeth Beckingridge, still frustrated with her own lockdown.
Jackson tried to explain but as far as Elizabeth was concerned it was better the devil you know.
“Jackie Owen ma’am. Think of what we can achieve!” he propositioned her.
“I deal with the organ grinder not the monkey,” she said dismissively. “Have Charles call me if he wants to talk.”
Jackson refused to give up.
“I’m going to be taking over things,” he told her.
She seemed to have been distracted by Law Makers on her lawns. “Fuck off!” she yelled. “The rose bushes assaulting you? Maybe if we weren’t stepping all over them, we wouldn’t get pricked by thorns.”
“Ma’am, if you would…” Jackson tried to call her attention.
Elizabeth sighed, “I don’t really have time for whatever your nonsense is, nor would I care for it if I did. I’m not shopping at the moment but if I ever need whatever it is you’re selling, I’ll call you.”
“Ma’am, if you’ll hear my…”
“Gah! He just won’t shut up,” she murmured to someone else who must have been in the room with her.
“It’s important that we talk,” Jackson suggested.
“Who even are you?” she asked again.
“Jackson Owen.”
“No,” she returned sharply and rang off.
Elizabeth would rather battle Chick on her terms than play nice with a distant cousin she had never met. Presley Cage had already advised her against getting involved in the Owen dispute anyway. Bored under house arrest, she was finally starting to listen.
‘She’s not the real CEO anyway,’ Jackson grumbled. ‘She’s a stuck-up author who’s throwing her grandfather’s money about like she has her own mint.’
With this in mind he turned to George.
“Kappa So!” he yelled down the phone at him. “You ain’t got the God balls.”
Jackson could swear he heard Buddy’s squealing laughter in the background. Weren’t they supposed to be on community service?
“As frustrating as it can be we need to play the Law Maker game right now,” was Ronnie’s suggestion.
Chick groaned but he hadn’t gotten as far as he had by letting things get to him. He may not have been able to get to the Great States and stop his board from abandoning him completely but he still had those loyal to him.
Marshall Cooper – VP of finance and distribution. Austin Perry – VP of marketing. Both of them were Kappa So and Chick’s brothers for life.
***
8am. Star State. The Owen Inc. board was assembled. The smell of fresh coffee was in the air. A plate of pastries that had been baked just that morning was on the table.
Jackson had deliberately kept Austin Perry and Marshall Cooper at bay. He only needed a 70% vote anyway. He was convinced of all but those two. The motion to remove Chick was all but done. What choice did the board have? They were in a sticky situation and things in Coldford were getting worse by the minute. Jackson himself looked pleased. He had it. It was so close he could feel it in their hands. They only had to vote.
“We’ve got a lot to do today so I’m just going to go ahead and get started,” Jackson announced.
“Shouldn’t we wait for Ozzy and Marshall?” Kathleen spoke up. She was an old squeeze of The Cappy’s and the mother hen of Kappa Si sorority.
Jackson frowned at the interruption. After paying a visit to the Sorority House he thought they had an understanding.
“Chick doesn’t care about you,” he had said the previous night. “He only cares about his own damn dynasty. He’ll screw anyone that gets in the way of that.” He had tried to ply her with alcohol but it had been he who had passed out, not she. Still, he figured they had reached an agreement.
“Austin and Marshall have made their feelings clear already,” stated the meeting’s chair.
Kathleen gave a wry smile. “You’re really going to do this?”
“Gross incompetency, criminal activity, allowing profits to fall because of theft from terror groups. Tell me why I shouldn’t do this?”
Kathleen’s smile spread a little wider.
“When you showered this morning did you clean your ass?”
The rest of the board looked to Jackson for an answer to this all-intriguing question.
Jackson scowled. “What’s your point Kathleen?”
Kathleen pursed her lips. “I’m just saying. If you’re going to show everyone else’s skid marks you better make sure your ass is squeaky fucking clean.”
“I’m worried,” was Jackie’s reply, trying to keep a professional tone. It was, after all, to be his first meeting as the Owen Inc. CEO.
“We’re all worried,” was the reply.
Marshall Cooper of Cooper Garage and Austin ‘Ozzy’ Perry of Perry Zoo had decided it was a board meeting worth attending after all.
“We’ve got a word from our real CEO,” said Austin. A thick Southern Hemisphere accent danced on his tongue.
He tapped his phone a couple of times and an image of Chick flicked onto the board room screens.
“Good mornin’,” he greeted with a warm smile. “I’m sorry I can’t be there with y’all in person but I guess we all have to take our turns sitting on the naughty step from time to time. I don’t need to tell you that, huh Dutsy? Been in every penitentiary in the state and still carrying on.”
Dusty – addressed by The Cappy – chuckled nervously.
The Cappy went on.
“I can see y’all are set up quite nicely. CJ, you lay off those pastries now. You know Marsha is worried about your cholesterol.”
CJ shied away. He had probably already been thinking about the pastries.
“I would just like for you all to know that I have no intentions of leaving you. I most certainly wouldn’t be leaving you in Jackson’s hands. Bless him. Snakes don’t have any arms. Those of you who object to that can feel free to depart your stations, no hard feelings. If you do choose to stay, however, you are on the understanding that it is my leadership that you abide by.”
Chick awaited the response from his board. When there was none, he continued. He turned to Jackson.
“Jackie,” he began. “You and I need to have words but I worry that if I begin, I might not be able to curb my cussing. These good people don’t need to hear that. They don’t need to see me having a dying duck fit because you are one slimy, yella, egg-sucking son a’ bitch. So, it’s sufficed to say you are to pack your belongings and, as much as it would hurt our dear pops, you are never to grace my office or my home ever again. In not so many words – you’re fired. The rest of you? Should you choose to continue you will be toeing a very thin line. If those terms aren’t agreeable to you then join Jackson there as he scrambles to pack his suitcase. Need a help there Jackie? Marsh, give him a hand there, will ya?”
Marshall Cooper lifted Jackson’s briefcase and slid it across the conference room table. Jackson caught it just before it fell off the other side.
“Damn it, Chick!” Jackson grumbled.
The Cappy was unmoved. “That’s Captain to you,” he replied with a slight curl of his lip. “If you could slither out of my conference room with a little more urgency, I’d be much obliged.”
“Now that we have that most unfortunate business behind us, I have some ideas for the next quarter that Marshall will be happy to take you through.”
“Then I’ll leave you to it,” said Chick. “I’m only a phone call away and despite what Jackson would have you believe, I’m not in prison. I’m merely helping the Law Makers of Coldford with their investigations.”
Jackson did depart the office. They would still have the vote but there was sure as hell no way they were going to motion for The Cappy’s removal now. His thoughts were to regroup. The Cappy had other ideas.
***
“Barbara!” Jackson was yelling down the phone in a message to the secretary. “Chick has pulled a fast one with the board. The board won’t vote on the appeal. Damn it, Barbara! I need you to book me the next flight out of here.”
ZOOM.
He had fled the Owen Inc. building in such a rush he hadn’t realised how far onto the road he had stumbled. He had almost been hit by a prestigious looking blue car.
“I’m fucking walking here!” Jackson screamed after it sped off round the corner onto Second Street.
“Barbara, call me back as soon as you get this.”
Unbeknownst to Jackson, Barbara was at her table listening to the message but she wasn’t accepting any calls. Instead, she was stood with a group of Kathleen’s Kappa Si around her – her little chickadees.
“Just let the call go,” the Chapter Leader warned her.
Barbara didn’t really have much choice.
The roads were getting busy. The little blue compact car had just turned the corner when a yellow one – stream lined and sleek for speed – came rushing by. Jackson had just managed to get out of its way, edging onto the sidewalk opposite the Owen Inc. building.
“Fucking world’s gone mad,” Jackson was still grumbling but as the road quietened again, he came upon a most luxurious vehicle. A shimmer glinted from Marshall Cooper’s personal car. Long, stately and with a body to die for she was named Jewel and she was Marshall’s pride and joy.
“You fucking prick, Marshall,” Jackson scowled at the car.
He could see his angered expression reflected in Jewel’s tinted windows. It actually helped him to feel a little better.
Zoom.
Apparently, there were no fucking speed limits on the road because this time a green car zipped past. Was that a Cooper badge on its ass? Probably. They were all Cooper cars in these parts.
Jackson took a pen knife from his pocket. The alarms would start screaming the moment he touched the precious jewel like a big old rape alarm but hopefully he could at least get in some deep scratches before she bit back.
The tip of the knife touched the paint.
BOOM!
A car fired its exhaust with gusto. Its bark seemed to bring all other sounds to a halt. The birds in the trees near by hushed their song.
Jackson turned. Shit! It was Cooper badges on those other cars. He should have known. Marshall had brought his show cars with him, the fleet he proudly called the Mad Dogs.
The red one, Cherry, was now facing him. Her engine was growling deeply. Named after the deep red paint on her sturdy body, Cherry was the dog with the loudest bark.
BOOM!
Her exhaust fired again sending angry flames sparking behind her. Jackson backed away from Jewel. He dropped the knife and ran through the alley that led onto second street but just as he got there Sunny – the yellow dog – was racing down the road towards him. He had stupidly dashed towards a quiet section of the area where no one was around. Sunny was sleek and fast. Even Jewel herself would have trouble keeping up with her. That dog was a racer and she loved to run.
At a slower pace, the blue one – Sky – rounded the corner. She didn’t need speed. With a compact, two-seater body, Sky was the dog with the ears. Navigation was her attribute and she was the spotter on the hunt. True to her nature she stopped and she watched as Sunny darted to the bottom of the road towards Third Avenue, rounded on open ground and turned to come back.
BOOM!
Cherry barked her exhaust angrily as she turned the corner from Main onto Second to join her pack.
“There’s one more,” Jackson remembered with a gulp.
Where the fuck was the green one, they called Emerald?
As though in answer to that Emerald came charging through the alley. Stream lined and with a steering system so tight there wasn’t a corner she couldn’t handle. Emerald was the performer of the Mad Dogs and she loved to show how smoothly she could take the sharpest of corners, dance and nip into tight spaces. She charged through the narrow alley which would prove problematic for the muscle-bound Cherry or even the speedy Sunny. The breath escaped Jackson with a sudden whack against his back as Emerald nuzzled him onto the road. Sunny cut his path as he scrambled forward. All the while, Sky kept her eye on her pack’s prey.
BOOM!
Jackson was thrown back by Cherry’s fiery bay. The heat of the flaming exhausts sizzled on the skin of his face.
Still gasping for breath, Jackson tried to clamber to his feet. His heart was racing. The hit from Emerald had blurred his vision. He could hear Cherry’s engine rumble in a low growl. The sun glinted on Sunny’s shining body obscuring the vision of all else.
“Wait!” gasped Jackson.
SCREECH!
Emerald skid. Her wheels screamed and Jackson was thrown forward just as Sunny zoomed past catching him as he fell.
BOOM!
Cherry roared and dashed towards him.
Thud. The full weight of the bulkiest dog crushed his leg beneath her paws.
SCREECH!
Emerald twisted and leapt, only just nudging the body over onto its back. Jackson choked as blood began to gather in his lungs.
CLICK. CLICK. CLICK.
Sky rolled a little closer.
The Mad Dogs’ chew toy had just enough consciousness to see the pack of primary colours draw in on him, ready to tear him apart as per their master’s command.
Page Break
***
Bleep. Bleep.
The crash test car appeared excited to be put to use. The motion-sensor lights sparked to life as the Cooper drivers wheeled Jackson to the back of the garage. The Cooper Crash car, Calamity, had already been set up for a frontal impact test.
“Let’s try thirty-five miles per hour,” it was suggested. The excitability of the attack had calmed to cold callousness.
Jackson was placed in position in the driver’s seat. The paint that would normally be splashed onto the high impact areas of the dummy was splashed on the him instead.
The passenger door opened. Jackson’s head dropped onto his left shoulder. The driver of Sunny popped her head in. She raised a phone and took a photo.
“Before and after,” Marshall had requested.
Jackson had no more energy to resist or object. The pain of the injuries they had inflicted on him was starting to intensify as the shock wore off. A dummy was on the seat beside him. Its head was turned towards him. He tried to reach out and push it away but the strength in his arm failed him. There was knocking on the window. The Mad Dogs were watching him. Their faces were covered with their protective gear. The wash of colours of their signature suits seemed quite surreal.
He looked out the window and could see the driver of Sky head to the control panel. The button was pushed. Thirty-five miles per hour. The car smashed into the concrete wall. It was a crushing impact. Don’t try to take the driver’s seat if you can’t keep a hold of the wheel.
***
A week passed after Jackson ‘Jackie’ Owen’s death. When I learned of it, I contacted The Cappy to gather his thoughts.
“An automobile accident,” he said. “That is most unfortunate. I always told him to keep his mind on the road. That is a busy juncture there outside the building. He had been caught short before, I don’t mind telling you. I had warned him he was going to meet an untimely end if he weren’t careful.”
I knew then that there was more to it.
“An accident, was it?” I pressed.
“Now, Mr Crusow, I have answered everything I am prepared to regarding that. As far as Jackson is concerned, I would appreciate it if you allowed me to deal with my own family affairs.”
That had been that. Accommodating enough that he didn’t seem to have anything to hide and dismissive enough to show he was not inviting any more questions.
“Jackass!” was all Billy would say on his father’s death.
The Cappy seemed confident that he had managed to navigate the choppy waters so far. The Law Makers were easing off, finding everything in order as far as Jerry was concerned. It seemed the call made to Jerry the night of the club attack had come from none other than Jackson. Coincidence? Of course. The truth? Highly unlikely. So, whilst Sanjay took a closer look at the call records, Sophie and her Golem were treated to all the hospitality Owen Estate had to offer.
Marshall Cooper had taken a detour from his showcase in Luen to the board meeting in the Star State but was now on his way to Coldford promising the arrival of his Mad Dogs in the city. Joining him was Austin Perry, Ozzy to his friends, and given everything that had happened in Coldford thus far it was actually good to see a little vibrancy and excitement garner around the zoo located in the heart of Coldridge Park.
So, when Jewel pulled up outside of Owen Estate there was a reunion of old Kappa So brothers and one would be treated to seeing Charles ‘Chick’ Owen, respectfully tilted The Cappy, greet his old bro with a Kappa So handshake.
“Coops!” he cheered. “Good to see you, brah.”
A young man with a law maker pin approached them demanding to know the name of the visitor for the record.
“My name?” Marshall scowled. “You little prick. What’s your name?”
“Cooper,” the Cappy answered for him. “He’s Cooper. He’ll provide identification.”
Marshall reluctantly dug into his wallet and showed the Law Maker his driving licence. Satisfied he had completed his duty the Law Maker wandered off to liaise with his superior.
“Little prick,” Marshall grinned. “How you doin’ Chick?”
Chick gave a hearty laugh. “You son a’ bitch. It’s been too long.”
“Kappa So!”
They were interrupted by a Southern Hemisphere voice as Austin arrived on scene.
“Bugger me,” he said. “I just had to show my damn ID to get onto the property. They really got you hemmed in, mate.”
The handshake was shared between them and more reunions were made. It was time to get down to business.
“Hello boys,” greeted Kathleen, who was waiting for them in The Cappy’s den. “You all took your time. When you are done sucking each other’s cocks I’d really like to get things moving. I got an appointment at four.”
“Good to see you too, Kathleen. Flight was fine by the way,” Austin replied in a tease.
The Cappy took a seat behind his desk.
“There’s a lot of trouble going on here in the city and I sure could use your help in straightening it out,” Chick put to them. “Firstly, the Coldford Daily is hanging by a thread, competing with independents and that kitty box liner set up by Elizabeth Beckingridge.”
“Why is she having her say?” Marshall demanded to know. “Where the fuck is George and why hasn’t he taken control? The fucking compass? Bitch…”
“George is in the fold but, well, you’ll see for yourself when you come to meet him. Suffice to say he ain’t got the sense the good Lord gave a goat. Kathleen, I would like you to take charge of the Daily. If there’s anyone I can trust to whip it into shape, it will be you.”
“Sure,” Kathleen agreed. She was a PR maven and most of her Kappa Si chicks were following close at her heel.
“Damage control is priority. Then we permanently remove the competition.”
Kathleen nodded.
“Marshall, I would like for you to take the Auction House. Now that the phoney king is gone and two of his crotch goblins are behind bars, it’s time to make some use of it and by use, I mean money. The Penn line is in the hands of the youngest. He doesn’t seem to remember much from his time with our boys but tread carefully because who knows when he may suddenly spark a brain cell. If he retrieves his Auction House back it will avoid some difficult questions later but I want to make sure we don’t leave the arrangement without recuperating some losses.”
Marshall groaned and bit down on his own cigar. “You’re leaving me to deal with the dim wit? Bro, that sucks.”
Chick shook his head. “I’m entrusting you with the Auction House,” he said. “It’s an important piece of the puzzle here in Coldford and if there is anyone who can get it off of our hands and still gain something from it, you’re the man.”
Marshall relented. He removed his phone from his pocket and immediately started to research the Auction House in City Main.
“Looks like a shit hole,” he commented as he took a draw on his cigar.
“Ozzy, I will need you on your best behaviour because you, my friend, are going to be just what this city needs. You are going to entertain, charm and draw the crowds with the help of them Stokers.”
Austin grinned. “I didn’t realise the circus had come to town.”
Chick nodded. “It never really left. It’s always a three-ring circus around here as you will all find out soon enough. The Stokers need somewhere to set up and your zoo sounds about right. Does that agree with you?”
Austin whole heartedly agreed. “Piece of piss, brah,” he said. “People don’t visit zoos the way they used to. Too many animal activists. Most of them doing more harm to the animals than good.”
The Cappy leaned back in his chair. He had been so long dealing with his son’s antics, he was close to forgetting what it was like to work with a competent team.
“We got a lot of work to do,” Chick assured them. “But I am mighty glad ya’ll are here. First thing’s first. Harbour House are allowing us to visit the boys in rehab. We’ll start by checking just how much those rascals have learned.”
“Spoke to Dale just last night,” Marshall explained. “He said his bed is comfortable, the food is good and he’s got a gym. Shit! He’s supposed to be learning a lesson and that dumbass thinks it’s a fucking resort.”
Kathleen craned her neck and looked out of the window.
“Chick,” she asked. “Was that a Law Maker lady I just saw pass by your window?”
Chick looked behind him. “That’ll be Sophie. Thankfully, she and her colleagues will be making a timely departure. Do any of you speak sign language?”
***
It had been on an afternoon when I was visiting Olivia and Milo that I first became alerted to the presence of the Kappa Elders in Coldford.
Olivia and I were discussing current affairs in the city and her support of Harbour House in her capacity as a social worker. She had been to Faulds Park to visit Reggie so I was keen to hear what she had found.
“Reggie still maintains he remembers as far as getting to Coldridge but it’s blank until he met up with Tabitha,” she said.
“Do you think he’s lying? Covering for someone?”
Olivia shook her head. “I don’t think so. He asked for his mother when he got back. It had to be explained to him all over again. His grief was real. The doctors working with him say that it’s like some loose wiring that will repair over time. They wanted him to look at the video and see if he could remember anything but I didn’t think that was wise. He’s not ready for that. The one who actually committed the rape died in prison the day after Simon and Marcus left the prayer room.”
“How did he die?”
“He was hung in his cell. I don’t think it was Marcus or Simon. I fear if they had gained access to him, they would have done much worse. It was most likely one of the Kappa So brothers covering their tracks.”
“What about Tabitha?” I asked.
Olivia said, “I tried to explain to her that the death penalty is still very real but she’s settled back at the club for now and is teaching David Finn about running the Knock Knock.”
“Dear God,” I gasped.
Olivia laughed. “She truly does want what is best for the people in the Shanties. With Tawny around she’s trying so hard…”
“Mum, look!”
Milo came dashing in, having just arrived home from school. When he realised his mother had company he stopped.
“Sorry,” he said. “Hi, Mr Crusow.”
I smiled at him. The boyish innocence was a breath of fresh air.
“How are you, Milo?” I asked.
“I’m good,” he said genuinely. He had been spending more time with his dad and it seemed to be going well. Reynolds – who had been working closely with Dennis recently – seemed to think the boy was doing him good.
“I just saw this through the letter box,” he passed his mum the flier.
STOKER CIRCUS PRESENTS FUN TIME AT THE ZOO.
Sponsored by Owen Inc.
”Can we go?” Milo asked.
If this was going to be The Cappy’s return to Coldford it was going to be a circus indeed. So, I took up the invitation and arranged to tag along.
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The people of Bellfield had crowded outside the Love Street Harvester store. They were banging on the windows and crying in words that Julia couldn’t quite hear or understand through the accents. They were using local dialects but given their tone it wasn’t difficult to decipher their sentiment.
She was glad Glenn and Curtis had accompanied her as they prepared to set up and have the store opened.
“It’s getting a little rowdy out there Jules,” Glenn warned. “I don’t like the look of them. They’ve got bloodshot eyes.”
Julia was nervous but she didn’t show it. She knew the people of Bellfield would be sensitive to a new name and brand being opened when they had just lost their identifying feature in the distillery. They had lost their beloved Macks and the Black Band presence was still being held on their street. The store needed to be opened and if it hadn’t been for the Black Bands nearby, she would have waited. Time was of the essence though and in order to cover the losses from the purchase of the docks all stores needed to be operational as soon as possible. She had been welcomed with open arms by the rest of Coldford. Even then, even as they called at her, she was certain that Bellfield wouldn’t be any different. Given what they had just gone through they would most likely require extra sweet-talking. The Harvester brand was about bringing people together. If there was any part of Greater Coldford that needed their home comforts it was Bellfield. It was an area that prided itself on community and the Harvester brand could provide them that.
“I should speak to them,” suggested Julia.
Glenn was hesitant. “Maybe we should just wait a little. They just lost their distillery. It doesn’t seem like they are keen on welcoming new outsiders. They got the funeral for the little Mack too. Now’s not a good time.”
“We can’t waste time staying closed. This store needs to open,” Julia had to admit.
Curtis was busy pulling shelves together. “If we open now, they’re just going to come in and wreck the place. Those gypos have laws of their own.”
“Then I really need to speak to them. I don’t want them thinking I’m the enemy. They will be welcomed as part of the Harvester family. Hiding in here and then staying closed is only going to confirm their fears. If I don’t speak to them then the purchasing of this store will be for nothing. We are their friends.”
Curtis moved and took a look from the window. “I don’t think those cunts got that message.”
Julia was becoming more sure. “They just need to know who we are.”
She opened the door. Glenn nodded to Curtis to be by her side.
“Thank you all for coming,” she said. “I am so glad to be here in Bellfield. We still have much to do but thank you for coming down.”
“How about you take your store and shove it up yer arse!” called one of them.
Julia could feel Glenn and Curtis close in on her.
“With recent events I can understand why you are so upset but I look forward to joining you and working towards a promising future.”
A brick was launched. It cracked the main store window. Curtis had drawn out his cattle prod.
“Back off!” he warned. “You better back off.”
Julia clutched his arm. She didn’t want to give up so easily. “We all want the same thing.”
“The smoke from the distillery is still in the air and you step over the ashes thinking you’re one of us? Feck off!” called one.
“We can rebuild,” Julia made one last suggestion.
Another stone was launched. Glenn pulled her back.
“Now’s not the time. We’ve got to pull back.”
Her bold move in purchasing of the docks had left the Harvesters financially vulnerable and now Owen Inc and Beckingridge Firm were rebuilding at a rapid rate. She not only needed the Love Street store to open but she needed it to be a success. Bellfield was going to be a tough nut to crack.
***
“We got a lot of shit to take care of little bro,” said Billy Owen as he and Buddy drove the south bypass. It’s hard enough I gotta work my own tasks at CPD but now I gotta have you along with me, hanging from my ass like a dangler that just won’t shake off. When The Cappy asked me to keep an eye on you I thought you could at least lie low at the Chapter House for a couple of days.”
“I didn’t …” Buddy began.
“Shut the fuck up!” Billy barked. “Did I say you could talk? I’m commissioner remember? I know what they found. Jerry gone and be sat at the retirement home like a drooling vegetable and you are still doing his dirty work. Why can’t you be more like your old man?”
“You and me, Bud,” Jerry insisted. “The rest of them ain’t got nothing on us.”
“You’re treating me like your own personal cleaning crew and you’re making The Cappy look a fool. I ought to slam you in The Boss for that. Every powder house in Coldford closed down and you still manage to score. I’d admire your resourcefulness, cuz, if it didn’t make you such a dick head,” Billy was going on. “I hear from some of the brothers that you were as high as a kite when you promised The Cappy you wouldn’t touch none. You’re going to push his loyalty to the limit one day, if you don’t push mine first.”
“Are you finished?” Buddy snapped.
Billy slammed his feet on the brakes. He turned to Buddy with a scowl.
“You wanna ask that again?” he challenged.
Buddy had nothing to say. He stared straight ahead and the car started up again.
“I thought so,” Billy grumbled. “All this shit going down and I find you at Harvester Farm chasing that Julia chick around like a dog trying to hump her leg.” Billy gave a throaty laugh. “Didn’t take long in dropping your ass when a bigger cock was on offer though, huh?”
Buddy leaned huffily on his car door. He could see his scowl in the side mirror but he kept his curses inward. It had been his collection from the farm that had rendered Buddy angry. Billy had made a complete show of it as he liked to do, ever since they were boys.
“What’s wrong, Buddy?” Susie had asked him.
Buddy smiled at his little mascot. “I got some unfinished business kid.”
Susie nodded. She didn’t know what the unfinished business was but she sensed its importance.
“I gotta speak to Julia,” he decided.
He had come to the farm for that purpose. He had given himself three different whores to try and distract himself but it didn’t work and the itch he now had wasn’t worth it. The brief moment he had spent with Julia couldn’t be erased from his mind. He had been so distracted by it he even called home to star state.
“I’m in love, Mama!” he announced.
“Huh?” was Ida’s response. She had either been so surprised by her son’s statement that she was rendered dumb or she was already on her third cosmopolitan.
“Did my baby just say he’s in love?” she finally cheered. “Oh, Buddy boy!”
She started to ask all sorts of questions about Julia but her words started to slur. He could hear her the cork rattle on the stone floor of the ranch kitchen as she started to pour a fresh drink. Buddy became impatient.
“I’m gonna go,” he said. She had already dropped the phone in the sink anyway.
Buddy laughed. He patted Susie’s shoulder. “Yeah, that’s what I’ll do.”
They had been leaning against the fence of the stud herd enclosure. Gordon was already on his way across the field to knock him off.
‘That fucking bull hates me,’ Buddy mused.
Gordon did seem to take personal issue with him. He didn’t seem to mind Susie leaning on his fence. Buddy’s backside, however, was aching for a horn as far as Gordon was concerned.
Buddy wasn’t looking to impress Gordon though. His focus lay on Julia.
“Julia!” he cried when he saw her arrive. He rushed across the West Acre to her. “Julia!” He hated how his voice sounded in that moment. It was almost singing. It did catch her attention though. She stopped and looked back at him with a smile.
“Have you been here all morning?” she asked.
“Just got here,” he replied. “Where’s the car?”
Realising he meant the green sports car he had gifted to her, she replied, “I parked it in the city. The pathways here aren’t really kind to low riders.”
There was his chance. “Speaking of riding,” he said shuffling nervously. “Maybe we can finish what we started. You know, the other day…”
Julia frowned at first. It was a statuesque frown. The forehead wrinkles were so delicately formed they still held a feminine beauty. When she realised what he meant she started to laugh.
“Oh sweetie,” she said. “I just get a little distracted sometimes. Never mind that.”
Buddy could see Susie watching eagerly, hoping it went well for him. She gave him a thumbs up. She was rooting for him. He wished he had brought Chad and Cooper with him though. Cooper was somewhat successful with women that didn’t require payment or powder. He took a deep breath.
“I like you Julia,” he said. It was brand new territory for him. Should he have bought flowers or something? “I don’t mean I just want to bone. I mean I do want to bone but like nice boning. I don’t know…”
Before Julia could reply her attention was caught by flashing lights. A single CPD car came tearing up towards the farmhouse. Glenn and Curtis were immediately on alert with their cattle prods. Julia shielded her eyes to see who was joining them. A man climbed out of the driver seat clutching a megaphone in his hand. He put it to his lips.
“Bernard Owen,” he cried. “You’re under arrest…for being a dickhead.”
“Is there trouble Buddy?” Julia asked seeming genuinely concerned.
Buddy couldn’t enjoy her concern. He was growling.
“Yeah,” he said. “That’s my cousin.”
“Just y’all cool your jets there boys,” Billy warned the farm hands.
“Get off the damn farm,” Curtis raged.
Before he could wave his cattle prod a gun was in Billy’s grip and he had shot it from Curtis’ hand.
“I’m just here for my little cuz. Don’t make this something it ain’t.”
Julia rushed to approach Billy. “Can I help you, officer?”
Billy, who had keeping his attention and gun on the farm hands, grinned when his focus fell on Julia. He spun the sharp shooting pistol and slipped it into a holster on his belt.
“Well, hi there ma’am. I’m sorry if I upset your boys there. I gotta pick up my little bro.”
Julia gave an accommodating smile. “No harm done. You’re a fast shooter,” she noted.
Billy’s grin intensified. “Fast, hard and always hit the right spot.”
Julia giggled. “I’ll bet it takes a lot of practice.”
“Every day and night, ma’am,” Billy returned.
Buddy was aggrieved. His arms were clenched by his side like a school boy who had been sent to detention.
Julia stroked Billy’s arm casually. “The thing is, I don’t want any trouble.”
“No trouble ma’am, Billy assured. “I wouldn’t want to mess your pretty farm with all your nice animals here. I just want my cousin.” To Buddy he called, “You!” He brought the megaphone to his lips again. “Get in the car dickhead!”
He lowered the megaphone and spoke to Susie who had come running and was now clinging to her father.
“I apologise for my cussing, little lady. Now don’t you go repeating my words, ya hear? It’s just, when someone is acting like a dickhead, you gotta call them out as such.” Into the megaphone he spoke again. “Get in the damn car.”
Buddy started walking towards Billy’s car. When he was close enough Billy slapped him over the back of his head.
“I’m sorry if he’s been bothering you, Miss Harvester,” said Billy.
Buddy had slipped himself into the passenger seat and was glaring through the window.
“You got some experience with animals so you’ll understand that I gotta put this one back in his cage.”
“Daddy? Is that man going to hurt Buddy?” Susie pleaded to Glenn.
Even though Julia herself confirmed it had been Nathan who had given Susie the cocaine and even though Buddy’s affections for Susie seemed genuine, he hoped so.
“You’re a disgrace, little bro,” Billy reminded Buddy as they took the east exit from the bypass towards Northside.
***
Northside was a bitterly cold part of Greater Coldford. Wet, miserable and filled with industrial estates. Most of those were empty units waiting for the industry to return to them.
“You could’ve dropped me at the Chapter House,” complained Buddy.
Billy drew the car into what looked like an abandoned unit. The name Tulloch was on the sign.
“I’ll drop you alright, boy. You’ll go to the house when I’m good and ready to take you back there. Until then you’ll be glad I don’t whoop your ass. Stick by my side.”
The headlights of Billy’s car flashed in the window of one of the units.
As though summoned, the door of the unit opened and into the yard stepped a man with a weasel like face and close set eyes. His scrawny arms reached out to the car.
“Billy boy!” he cheered in a harsh Northside accent, the words of the people losing the musical intonation past Bellfield. “Is that you?”
Billy climbed out of the car. “Who else?” Billy asked.
The man seemed delighted. He gave a wide grin. Buddy was feeling anxious so he joined them. The man from Northside tried a Kappa So salute but Billy slapped his hand.
“Get yourself in order,” he said. To Buddy he made introductions, “This is Kez Tulloch. He’s a pathetic piece of shit but he’s the best we got to take The Distillery.”
Tulloch laughed as though it were a jest. Buddy knew Billy was serious in his sentiments. Tulloch was clearly made uncomfortable by Billy’s presence.
“This is my cousin, Buddy. He’s along for the ride but the less attention you pay to him, the less stupid you’ll be, so let’s get on with it.”
“Billy boy,” Tulloch said again. “You’re going to be impressed.”
From what Buddy could observe Tulloch was about one sweet word away from dropping to his knees and sucking Billy’s cock.
They followed him into the unit where a group of Northsiders were building weapons. They were primitive, the kind used in inner city gang fights, but they would be effective in the right hands. A group like the Black Bands wouldn’t have much trouble quashing them but they weren’t for use against the Black Bands. That would be suicide. Having lost The Distillery, their plan had been to pursue the Macks and complete the takeover of Bellfield that Northside had been looking to do for years. Centuries before, Northside and Bellfield used to be the same area. Religious disputes split the area in half and even though time went on both areas still bore their grudges. Billy’s plans had been to take advantage of the weakened force in Bellfield to appoint control of The Distillery to someone of The Cappy’s choosing.
“Preparing for something then?” asked Buddy, the sense of determination and nerves among the Northsiders started to cause a buzz to ring within him.
Tulloch grinned a mouthful of blackened teeth. “We’re going to hit them. Maybe hit them at the funeral.” He gave a callous laugh. “What you think Billy boy?”
“Damn shameful,” was Billy’s return. “Attacking a funeral? Y’all should be ashamed. Let them have their time to mourn. They ain’t going nowhere. They’ll get what’s coming to them.”
Tulloch’s shoulders hunched.
“The only good Mack is a dead one,” he said. He looked to Buddy. “Your cousin agrees. I saw what they did to your pops.”
“Quit running your mouth,” Billy warned. Both he and Buddy became a little testy at the mention of their grandfather. “That’s family business. You worry about The Distillery. We want it opened again and ready for business as soon as we can.”
“Sure boss.” Tulloch leapt, excited. “Follow me.”
He led them to benches where men were hard at work. Like the others they were fashioning make shift weapons. If they were taking over The Distillery the people of Bellfield weren’t going to be happy and the people of Northside were going in prepared. When the Black Bands removed their presence and left them to it, The Distillery needed to be held under the leadership of the Tullochs. Northside’s prominent family seemed the best option until a buyer for The Distillery could be found.
Scattered around were piles of black clothing Northside heavies had become associated with in their attacks on the Macks and Bellfield. The masks were chilling. CPD under Hickes’ influence had helped curb the violence between the areas. Under Billy it still had some use. On the walls were photos of an old Northside football team playing on a muddy, uncared-for pitch with a rain lashing down heavily. The glass was churned and the kits they wore were old fashioned. It was a commemorative image of when Northside beat Bellfield in a city-wide cup final. It was the first victory since the areas split. A promotional poster hung beside it. On the poster was a hand clutching a Macks bottle so tightly it was cracking. The slogan read A BITTER TASTE; LANDS TO WASTE
They were bitter, Buddy observed. Trust Billy to be not only using that to his advantage but to be organising them. He could beat what Mack support remained in Bellfield without Kappa So or CPD getting their hands dirty. If things didn’t work out all they had to do was have CPD scoop up the Tullochs and their Northsiders and be the city’s heroes.
While Billy began inspecting the preparations they were making for taking and holding The Distillery, Tulloch decided he wanted to engage Buddy. He stepped into Buddy’s space. Buddy was close to shoving him away when he said, “Your cousin is some man.”
“Yeah, he’s something alright,” Buddy replied.
“Those Macks are scumbags,” he said assuredly. “Absolute tinkers.”
Buddy had never heard the term ‘tinker’ used before but it amused him so he stored it in his vocabulary for a later date.
“I mean, the things they were saying about a golden cock they found at the Chapter House…” Tulloch went on.
Buddy really wished he would stop running his damn mouth. Billy stopped immediately what he was doing and frowned at his cousin.
“What’s he talking about?” Billy asked.
“Tinkers be crazy,” Buddy suggested.
Luckily Billy started to laugh. “They do be crazy.”
“I would have my cock fashioned in gold but no one would be able to lift it,” Buddy jested, hoping that if he prodded Billy’s humour, he wouldn’t think about it too much.
Billy laughed even harder. Luckily the humour in phallus shaped statues ran in the family.
“You are cock obsessed little bro. I oughtta knock that out of you.”
Buddy looked back at the rebel poster. ‘A good Mack was a dead one.’
Attacking a funeral was a low move but, Hell, it was a tinker funeral after all and they were going to wish they had kept their mouths shut about the Chapter House.
***
“Mum’s not here,” Cameron explained to Agent Lydia as she crossed the threshold into the Doyle home in Kingsgate.
She was greeted by a large hallway with a cascading staircase leading to shadowy floors above.
“It’s actually you I wanted to speak with,” she said, smiling to comfort the young man. “It’s about your friend, Reggie Penn.”
Cameron became nervous. “I, uh. We know each other,” he admitted.
“Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble,” Lydia assured. “I just need to know if you have spoken to him.”
Cameron eased off but only a little. He still wasn’t willing to open up to her. “We play a game together. Lonesome Nights. Have you heard of it?”
Lydia nodded. “I’m familiar with it.” It wasn’t the first time Coby Games had cropped up in her investigations.
“Reggie and I have played for years,” said Cameron. He checked his words and closed off again. “Just online. Just the game.”
“Do you have some of your chat logs?”
“Some of them,” he admitted. “I’m not supposed to but if he shares upgrades or coins or anything like that.” Cameron started to ease off a little further. “I heard what happened to him at The Boss. Did you arrest the ones that did it?”
“My priority is bringing Reggie home safely. We have a team together and we’re doing what we can to arrest the ones that hurt him but in order to stop Reggie getting hurt further or worse I need all the help I can get. Can you do that for me?”
Cameron agreed. If It would help Reggie.
“When did you last speak to him?” The agent asked.
“He had just escaped CPD. He needed help.”
“And you helped him?”
“He logged into Lonesome Nights. It was the only way he could contact someone. He wanted to go to The Boss because that’s where his brothers are.”
“And you heard nothing from him after?”
“I helped him get the bus to Bournton. I lost touch with him after that. Please don’t tell my mum that I helped him. She will be furious. I only told you in case it can help Reggie.”
Lydia nodded. “I’ll keep it between us. At this point your mum is only interested in what evidence we can bring her. I’ll keep you out of it as much as possible.”
Lydia’s phone beeped. She answered a call from Reynolds.
“Not much here,” she said to her fellow agent.
Cameron could hear Reynolds’ voice faintly. “We’ve checked out the warehouse. It definitely looks like that’s where they have him.”
“I’m on my way back,” Lydia said before closing the call.
She patted Cameron’s shoulder.
“Sit tight,” she advised. “We’ll bring him back.”
Cameron closed the door after the agent. Uncle Micky was gone, Reggie was hurt, his mum was holding the roof of her office up with steel arms. The house in Kingsgate was becoming colder and there was little even a strong young man like Cameron could do to help.
***
“Ain’t no woman alive gonna fuck you lil bro. Dead ones, maybe you stand a chance,” Billy teased as he cleaned Betsy. “That’s why you gotta pay them all the time. It’s like compensation for what they’re about to endure.”
Buddy was sat on Reggie’s cage. “I did bone her,” he insisted. “I boned Julia.”
Billy gave a guttural laugh. “Sure you did.”
“I’m telling you we boned and it was beautiful,” Buddy protested.
Billy zapped the cage but Buddy had been watching his hands so he leapt onto his feet just in time.
Reggie gave a groan that caught both their attention. Billy pushed Buddy out of the way to address his prisoner.
“Daddy going to be coming to get you any minute, boy, don’t you worry,” he teased.
Reggie Penn had been moved around the cage. He was no longer in the stress position and he was no longer reacting to the shocks from the electrified bars. It didn’t matter. The end game would be upon them soon enough. Bored of waiting for Reginald’s valiant rescue of his son, Billy leaked information to the loyalists through a brother who had slipped among their ranks of where they had Reggie.
‘Come and fucking get him, King Dick,’ was Billy’s thoughts on the matter.
Surveillance had been set up around the warehouse.
“Buddy,” Billy called to his cousin. “Buddy?” Buddy had been too busy watching Reggie. He hadn’t heard at first. “Buddy get your ass over here!” Buddy followed the instruction. “Watch him. I just saw a signal on the west mark. If you see anyone approach you holla’.”
Buddy nodded. “Sure.”
“You can do that right can’t ya?” Billy gripped his cheek.
Buddy shook him off. “Yeah I can.”
Some time passed. Another signal on the west mark was given again but this time a little closer to the warehouse. Through the window Buddy caught sight of Billy’s discrete signal back. It fell quite. Buddy cocked his gun.
Buddy looked to Reggie. Reggie looked up. Their eyes met. With unease Buddy headed to the entrance to assist his cousin.
Two more signals were given on the west mark. Even closer still they were to the warehouse now. Buddy spotted a figure dressed in black. Buddy tapped the butt of his gun on the floor twice. Loud enough for Billy to hear but not so loud it would startle the intruder. The two taps alerted Billy that he had a visual on one intruder.
Looking outside Billy processed through the cascade of signals that were being passed his way. One possible intruder. Not much of a rescue party for a so called Prince of Main. It was likely one of the agents wishing to slip in quietly. He could hear their footsteps. They were loud, crunching the debris of the forest floor. They crept towards the warehouse. He pulled a gun. They didn’t appear to be agency trained but trained none the less. They knew how to handle a gun but just didn’t appear to have done it too often.
Billy cocked Betsy. It appeared they were trying to pull the wool over their eyes with a discrete extraction. Not today. Billy watched as the noble rescuer edged towards the warehouse. They were trying to be quiet but the twigs kept cracking under their heavy feet.
They closed in on the warehouse, a gun in hand. They slid themselves along the building. They tried the first door but it was locked.
Billy tapped on the window closest to him with his finger tips. Loud enough to alert Buddy who had prepared his gun and aimed towards the door.
Billy confronted them. “Boy have you come on the wrong day.” The intruder was startled. Billy had the scope of Betsy on him. “Don’t move an inch or I’m gonna be forced to blow your god damn head off. Now drop your gun.”
The intruder clutched their gun tighter. With a shaking hand they raised it. They pointed it at Billy Owen.
BANG.
There were few gunmen alive who could beat an Owen to the shot. When Buddy heard the gun fire he lowered his own weapon.
The shot had been fired just as he arrived at his cousin’s side. He crouched down to removed the mask off of the attempted rescuer. Billy frowned. He knew the agents. This wasn’t one of them.
“Oh you are so fucked, cuz!” Buddy exclaimed, unable to disguise his delight that he wasn’t the only screw up.
“Who the fuck is this?” Asked Billy.
“That’s Cameron Doyle, The Judge’s son and you just shot him with Betsy!”
Billy groaned. “Well that’s-”
“A dick down your throat?” Buddy suggested.
Billy punched his arm. “Help me get this little prick out the way. We’ve got some real trouble coming now.”
***
A Mack funeral was attended by every Mack regardless of circumstances. Because of the sensitive nature of the event, Brendan had been tagged and allowed to return to Bellfield. The Black Bands would give him the space to grieve. Alfie Mack was no concern of theirs. Afterwards he would be returned to their custody. With the distance given from the Black Bands, Paddy managed a call to his father.
“I’m coming in,” he said. “I’m coming home.”
“Don’t you fecking dare,” Brendan warned. “They’ll swipe you and that will be the end of it. It’ll all be for nothing. You stay put.”
Paddy scowled. “I’m coming to the funeral. I’m coming to say goodbye to the wee man.”
“Then you’re an eejit,” Brendan said. His attitude dissolved. “Don’t make me bury another son. I don’t think I could take it.”
Paddy drew back the tears. “It can’t not come, da. It’s Wee Alfie.”
Brendan had to hold it together. “Alfie would understand. Do you know what he said to me when I told him about you slipping The Distillery?”
Paddy managed a smile. “What?”
“They ain’t ever going to catch Paddy. He runs like lightening and punches like a boxer.”
Paddy laughed. He always had Alfie’s adulation. He just hoped he made him proud and gave him good reason for it.
“He’ll know you’re thinking about him. Just please stay away,” suggested Brendan. “It’s bad enough we’re trying to find Siobhan. You know what your sister is like. She’s gone off on some party tour of some kind. She still doesn’t know.”
“I’ll be there,” Paddy said. “One way or another.”
“For Christ’s sake be careful,” Brendan returned. “But tell your brother to get his arse home.”
Kieran frowned and slipped into the shot of the video call. “Thanks, da,” he said.
Brendan smiled. Seeing his two sons helped sooth the ache. “They won’t mind you. Come and be with us. Paddy, I’m afraid you’re going to have to sit this one out.”
Paddy closed his eyes. It was a difficult dish to swallow that he wouldn’t be able to walk in Alfie’s funeral with the rest of the family. It was one that was still difficult to digest.
***
Annie Mack wrapped her arms around Mary Wilson – mother to Melissa.
“Oh Mary,” she cried. “It’s just terrible.”
“Pray to Jesus they find the ones that did it,” was Mary’s resounding reply.
Both women, dressed for a funeral, preparing to bid farewell to their children, allowed themselves to weep in each other’s arms. Melissa and Alfie had been friends since they were toddlers. Both mothers had all kinds of plans of what they would become. When they reached their teenaged years and their relationship developed the families were thrilled.
“I hear wedding bells!” Annie had cheered.
“Feck off, ma,” Alfie objected. “I’m only thirteen.”
“Don’t curse at yer ma!” Brendan chastised.
“Tell her to stop planning a wedding,” Alfie requested.
“Let the woman plan. You stop being a wee dick.”
Both Alfie and Brendan had laughed at this.
There would be no wedding. Instead, there was a funeral bidding farewell to a life that could have been. The procession began from the tip of Love Street.
***
“The area of Bellfield was shaken today when the funeral of Mack and Son’s youngest, Alfie Mack, was attacked by masked anarchists. A rain of petrol bombs, gun fire and knife blades left 34 dead and a further 30 severely injured. Reports from first responders confirmed that none of the Mack family were among the survivors. It is believed that the attack arose from an inflammatory rivalry between the areas of Bellfield and Northside. As Bellfield enter yet another period of mourning the rest of the city prepares for retaliation. I’m Sandra Wake of Coldford Daily News.”
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Complete Season 1 of the Knock Knock series is free to read here on Vivika Widow. com or click below download for Kindle
Coming Next:
Career conman, Dennis, is forced to change for the good when an attack leaves his days limited. Some people turn to religion. In the case of the Church of St Wigan, that’s the last thing he needs.
Dennis has lived an evil life. A horrific attack leaves him with no choice but to make up for his past deeds. When someone close to him joins a cult he is forced to realise he cannot be saved.
Career conman, Dennis, is forced to change for the good when an attack leaves his days limited. Some people turn to religion. In the case of the Church of St Wigan, that’s the last thing he needs.
The docks are a thriving place for nasty men like Dennis. They can also offer some kind of redemption when across the shores the Church of St Wigan calls to him.
“How far must a man fall before the climb back up becomes too steep?”
A mysterious illness and a desperate phone call sends Cult Deprogrammer Reynolds’ sights on the Wigan faith of Hathfield Bay island. Time to face the past.
Available May 14th 2021
Dennis has had some dirty jobs in the past but when he becomes manager of the Knock Knock club things get downright filthy!
When Tabitha is sent to Hathfield Bay to meet her estranged grandma, she is given an inside look at the Cult of Wigan of which granny is a member.
Growing up Tabitha had only heard tales from her aunt of how cruel her grandma was. Now she has the chance to meet her. Will it be tea and biscuits or prayers and lashes?
Some people become hard hearted trying to protect their soul. Some souls cannot be saved. A last chance to connect with family leads to an unexpected connection.
A mysterious illness and a desperate phone call sends Cult Deprogrammer Reynolds’ sights on the Wigan faith of Hathfield Bay island. Time to face the past.
An invitation was granted for Owen Inc. and Beckingridge Firm to meet at Harvester Farm for a day of bonding and reuniting. Perhaps the nice farm girl, Julia, felt it was time to let bygones be bygones or, what was more likely was, she had some kind of divide and conquer strategy in mind. Either way no one would know for certain until that particular hour glass ran out of sand and needed to be turned again. The nice girl would just smile and say, “I just thought it would be good to have everyone together.”
Circumstances prevented Chick and Elizabeth attending personally but they both agreed in good faith to send along representatives. So, when I arrived on the farm myself I could see Beckingridge employees in their pin striped, well-tailored suits. Making their way through the fields were
the Owen Inc bodies who could be heard before they were spotted, booted and just itching to fire off some guns. I could also see Buddy, accompanied as always by Dale Cooper and Chad Perry. I was keen to observe him in something of a natural habitat. I was also hoping that chance would give me an opportunity to speak to one of the Kappa So frat boys on their own.
The Beckingridge crew did look somewhat out of place, sipping fresh fruit drinks and discussing their portfolios. There were children running around too. Their laughter rose into the air and it made quite a charming atmosphere. It was quite a breath fresh air and not just because of the crisp Bourton sunshine.
I kept my distance from Buddy. He looked a little subdued that day. His voice could still be heard cheering and trying so desperately to impress Julia but with a stern warning from The Cappy I could assume this was generally his best behaviour. Cooper had shown an interest in one of the banker girls. He was stood with arms folded. The girl was laughing at a joke he was telling her.
Buddy had wandered towards the shooting ranges set up courtesy of Stoker Circus on the east acre. Chad spotted where Buddy was heading so he danced after him, probably also under orders from The Cappy to prevent his son from doing something stupid.
Julia herself, I avoided. The hostess was busy circulating. Farm hand Glenn was stood by Gordon’s paddock introducing his favoured animal to a mix of the Beck employees and the Owen ones. I was enjoying the trip away from the city when I spotted Buddy pick up a rifle.
“Hit the target and win a prize!” a show runner from the Stoker Circus called. “Hit two targets and win one of our stuffed animals.”
Buddy lifted the gun. A grin spread across his face. Five targets. He judged them with a trained eye.
He fired off the rounds. Shot after shot. Five times.
The Stoker Circus man turned and checked the targets.
“Better luck next time,” he said. All five targets had been missed.
Buddy’s lips tightened. His eyebrows raised.
“What you say, brah?” he asked.
“No targets. Sorry. You want to try again?” the Stoker Circus man offered.
“Are you saying I missed them targets? I missed all five of your targets?”
The man with the attraction carried on, “Sorry, you must just have bad aim.”
Buddy’s eyes widened. Chad recognising what was happening stepped back.
“Brah!” he warned. “You don’t wanna go messing with my bro.”
Cooper who must have also caught some wind of the disruption had joined them.
“I have a bad aim?” Bernard ‘Buddy’ Owen wanted to be sure.
“Maybe just an off day,” replied the circus man, realising he was making a huge mistake but not quite figuring out how to fix it.
Chad hopped from foot to foot.
“He ain’t got a bad aim!” Chad insisted. “He’s Buddy fucking Owen. You better recognise!”
The Stoker Circus should have been familiar with the gun toting skill set the Owen’s possessed. They had after all worked with the Owen’s for years on various nefarious schemes but that is a story for another day. What I was observing at that point was Buddy exhaling breath. Chad was still warning the circus man. Cooper was stood with arms folded ready for whatever situation was about to arise.
Buddy had had enough. He fished into his belt and drew his own gun. In hindsight this was the most expected situation to arise. The gun he had named ‘Vaj Slapper’. I have no idea and I didn’t care to ask. What was most important was that the shots began to ring out.
Shoot one. Shoot two. Then three, four and five. All five targets were blasted to pieces.
“You see that, brah!?” Buddy yelled. “Who’s got bad aim? An Owen never misses a target!”
Credit in Buddy’s favour he had hit all five targets dead centre. The Beckingridge employees clutched pearls and gave an audible gasp. The Owen ones seemed to have fully expected this scene.
Julia approached him before anything further could occur. She laid a hand softly on his shoulder.
“Oh, Buddy,” she said coyly. “You’re such a boy sometimes.”
He looked at her. He smiled and pushed his chest out. He turned back to the circus man.
“I’ll take the giraffe,” he said, tucking his own gun away again.
Who was the Stoker to object? He passed the stuffed animal to Buddy, who placed an arm around Julia and passed it to Chad.
With Buddy’s ego reset again the afternoon continued on. I had to admire Julia’s ability to bring calm. She was very much in control of the situation.
I continued to watch Buddy as Glenn’s daughterSusie raced him towards another shooting range.
“Can I shoot your gun?” Susie asked him.
Buddy shook his head. “No way, lil mascot. It takes practice.”
Susie had been ever so impressed by Buddy’s natural skill. To be fair, it really was quite impressive.
“Will you teach me?” the little girl asked.
“First rule,” said Buddy. “Always make sure the safety is on.”
BANG!
The noise made me shudder. Buddy’s eyes widened.
Susie roared with laughter.
“Oh? Did I just hit that target?”
With his back turned he had hit that target dead centre.
Susie cheered.
“Do it again!” she urged.
“No way. I’m all fired out. Wait a minute. I gottatie my laces.”
Buddy bent over and fired the gun from between his legs. Again, the target was hit dead centre.
“Ahhhh!” both he and Susie cheered.
He put his hand to his ear. “Was that target?” he asked.
“Owened!” Susie cried out with glee, pointing to it.
The little girl jumped onto his back, covering his eyes. Buddy spun around. Even with Susie fully concealing his gaze he managed to hit the target. He had gauged the distance and trajectory by counting steps and sensing wind direction. Ironically it was a skill honed by legendary Stoker Circus knife thrower, Felix Stoker.
Speaking of Stokers, the circus man’s companions were ushering him away before the gathering realised the games were rigged. The other Stokers were making sure he packed fast.
Buddy lifted Susie onto his shoulders and pointed to the show runner.
“You tell that son a bitch!” he yelled across the field.
“An Owen never misses a target.”
“Kappa So!” Buddy yelled, as he charged across the field carrying Susie.
I had caught the whole thing on film.
***
The set up for the agents at Harbour House was hugely beneficial. Doyle’s office granted the licence to function as the Good Gang and everything seemed to be falling into place. The dust from the Black Bands’ sweep of the Mack Distillery was beginning to settle. The search for Tawny continued but the agency had sparked a new lease of life into Coldford. As always, I was on hand to document everything and with Dan’s help at the Crier I was keeping ahead of the curve.
“This is great!” Dan cried when he saw the new facilities.
I looked through photographs of the Distillery I had recently captured. Black Bands still occupied the area. Even if a Mack stepped back in and rang those bells the town of Bellfield was never going to be the same again. They were strong willed people, but where was one to go from complete destruction of the empire that held them together?
***
Alford. A rural town past Bellfield. It was this part of Greater Coldford where Buddy found himself. He was feeling sickly and all of his usual powder suppliers in Filton had either been attacked by Reginald Penn or had been warned by the Cappy himself to stop providing his son. City Main was even more difficult to score in. After Tabitha’s stunt with the screens Kappa So had lowered their presence in the Shanties too.
“They have shit gear anyway,” Buddy had mused gloomily.
So to Alford he went to meet a new contact Cooper had provided. Marshal Cooper, Dale’s father, had quite the fondness for powder too. Travelling on the racing car circuits, the Cooper big dog didn’t like to find himself without his supplies. He had set up what he called pit stops with an ample supply. The bros had decided they would take advantage of this so to the rural town of Alford they went. Buddy wasn’t particularly enthused about visiting what he saw as the ‘ass end of nowhere.’ He especially was loath to be so close to ‘gypo country’. I believe this was a reference to the town of Bellfield.
It was his own fault really. He had let himself build up his hopes when he spoke to a bro earlier that morning.
“Yeah, I got some gear Bud,” he said confidently. “I’ll call you later brah.”
It wasn’t ten minutes when he called back.
“Yeah, no can do, brah,” he said.
“Why not?” Buddy demanded to know.
“I’ve been called back to Star State,” he explained.
The Cappy was systematically ruining his social life, so Buddy was forced to personally visit the ass crack of Coldford to get some third-rate powder from Marshall’s bottom barrel stores. By the time they reached Alford he was still in a cloudy mood.
They were told to meet at the Spinnerattraction. It was a simple tea cup ride for little kids. The muddy field reminded Buddy of Harvester Farm. He longed to return to Julia. He still pained at the image of her silhouette in the window as they were forced to part. She to head her Harvester brand, he to kiss the Cappy’s ass and hope he would never find out about the golden asset.
The morning after he had altered the asset, he’d awoken to the biggest come down he had ever felt in his life. As he had absorbed what he had done his heart skipped a beat and that wasn’t just because he had almost given himself a heart attack the night before with defibrillators from the medical school.
After an argument with the Cappy – well the Cappy yelling, Buddy forced to listen – he had made such a show of being able to do what he wanted. Chad still had his rant on film. He couldn’t go back on it and look weak to his bros so the best he could do was get the asset out of the way whenever someone of note came to visit, like Pops.
“I thought it was funny!” Buddy had complained to Chad and Cooper at the time as they assessed the damage.
“I hope you can fit that whole thing in your ass, brah, because that’s where it’s going when The Cappy finds out,” Chad stated the obvious.
“It’s always with ass with you,” Buddy noted.
Both Cooper and Buddy gave a befuddled look to their brother but they shrugged it off.
It started to rain in Alford. Buddy groaned. Of course it was raining. Why wouldn’t it? They were in a shitty part of a shitty city. It was a light rain, like an irritating dust. Their new contact had told them to wait by the ride whilst he fetched them their goods and the transaction could be complete. At least that was what they thought. They could barely understand a word he said.
“Buddy Owen!?” A harsh Bellfield voice was thrown at him.
A boy of about fourteen of fifteen was calling to him. He was wearing a Mack and Sons hoody. The sudden address caught Buddy’s attention.
The boy laughed. “I thought that was you. I’m surprised you could fit that chin through the gate.”
Buddy looked to his bros. “Who the fuck is this little cock sucker?”
The boy answered for himself. “Alfie Mack. I shagged yer ma!”
Alfie, the youngest of the Mack sons was grabbing his crotch. His girlfriend, a teenaged girl with a mass of black hair, was laughing hysterically.
“Leave it Alfie,” she was saying but the pats on his shoulder were only encouraging him.
Alfie had been with his mother – an Alford native – when the distillery was seized. Annie Mack had sent Alfie and his girlfriend, Melissa, out of her way whilst she continued to wade through the mess. Alfie was a spirited boy with all of his father’s resilience.
“You inbred fucks!” Alfie continued. “Your weans are gonna have foreheads the size of Beck Tower.”
Buddy watched Alfie continuing to chide him. It was the girl’s laughter that irritated him the most.
“Leave it, Bud,” he could hear Cooper warn.
“Bud the fud!” was Alfie’s response.
Buddy’s body was shaking with rage. He took a deep breath.
“You are pissing me off, you little shit,” Buddy warned again.
“Then why don’t you take a walk up Love Street and see what happens?” Alfie challenged.
***
Just when Buddy thought matters couldn’t get any worse, he spotted a white Cooper SUV crossing the way towards them.
“Brah!” Chad was patting his arm.
“Yeah, I see it,” said Buddy.
“It’s Pearl,” said Chad.
“I can see it.”
“It’s Billy,” said Chad.
“Damn it, Chad, I can see, brah!”
The white Cooper car named Pearl was quite distinctive. She was Billy Owen’s car and if he had driven all the way to Alford from the city he was going to be pissed.
“Do you think he’s seen us?” asked Chad.
William ‘Billy’ Owen climbed out of his luxury vehicle. He removed his sunglasses and called to them.
“I’m here to pick up three retards,” he said.
“Yep, he saw us,” Buddy stated.
“What in all the Hells are you three doing down here?” Billy confronted. “You bitches better get in that there vehicle and not an ounce of complaint. I’ve had to drive all the way down here. I got so many damn bugs stuck to my windshield because of y’all.”
“Just thought we’d check out the shows,” Buddy tried.
Billy snatched Buddy by the chin and looked deep into his eyes.
“You better be sober, Bud,” he warned. “Otherwise, you’re going to be stuck on my windshield.”
“I am,” Buddy protested.
The little altercation with Alfie Mack had gotten in the way. When Buddy explained what had happened, Billy gave a throaty laugh.
“Why didn’t you smack the little shit about the head?” he asked.
“He had a little girlfriend with him,” Cooper said.
Billy glared at him as though he hadn’t fully understood at first.
“Then smack the little bitch too. Do I have to do everything? Where did the little pikey go?”
***
“Are you okay?” Melissa asked Alfie as they rounded the corner away from the bros after they watched Buddy storm off.
“I’m fine,” he replied. “Just seeing the look on his stupid face…”
Clearly Alfie was not okay. Why would he be? His entire family had been sent into turmoil. His legacy was lost and now it would be a long time before he saw his brother Paddy again, possibly Kieran too. The worst was his Ma. She was a tough woman. Annie Mack would have to be to keep the Mack clan in order but he knew she was struggling. That was why she had sent them away that day.
“Yer just gonna get under my feet,” she said pushing him and Melissa out of the door. Alfie knew it was so they didn’t see her weep again.
He had drafted a letter to Paddy letting him know how proud he was of him and what he was doing. If it wouldn’t give their Ma a heart attack,he would join him. Alfie – or wee Alfie as Kieran called him even though the teenager was almost as tall – could fight the good fight. He could contribute too. Alfie was ready for it.
“Here,” Melissa passed him a joint. “It’ll calm you down.”
Alfie drew Kieran’s lighter from his hoody pocket. It was one of those that if it was upturned the sexy female figure would lose what little clothing she was wearing. He had stolen it from Kieran the last time he had been home.
He inhaled. The calming effects washed over him.
“Do you want to go home?” Melissa asked.
Alfie shook his head. He knew his Ma needed to focus. The last thing she should have to worry about was her youngest. The bros had collected their coke and headed off anyway.
A roller coaster rushed past. Woosh!
Alfie was startled by the sudden noise but Melissa giggled.
“The line for the Sharp Shooteris down, she screamed excitedly. “C’mon. Let’s have a go.”
Alfie dabbed the joint against the fence. He slipped it back into his pocket. His mind was awash with cannabis, he had his girlfriend’s hand in his and the stupid look on Buddy Owen’s face was fresh on his mind. He was ready for the next thrill.
***
Melissa clutched Alfie’s hand. She was shaking. He asked her why she would ride roller coasters if they made her so nervous.
“It’s the adrenaline,” she said. “That’s the point. It’s fun because it’s scary. You know there isn’t any real danger but there’s always that chance.”
There was still a line at Alford’s most popular attraction but it was shorter than it had been all day. It was the ride that Melissa really wanted to see. She had been telling Alfie all week about it.
They slowly moved down a few steps at a time. Like the march of foot soldiers slowly approaching their enemy. The buzz of excitement among those that waited was infectious. Alfie began to feel it too as they drew closer to the entrance.
An Alford carny opened the gate. Melissa dashed excitedly in. The metal boards leading to the ride rattled. They took up their seats. Melissa had snatched up the front of the carriage. The safety bars pressed down tightly on Alfie’s chest. He tried to push it away to ease it a little but it had locked. He could hear the excited chatter and cheers of those behind them. A younger girl was crying, regretting her decision. It was too late for her now. The ride was locked, ready and starting up.
“This is it! This is it!” Melissa cheered.
Click. Click. Click. Click.
The ride turned towards a steep incline. Their body weights pushed back against the chair, relieving the tightness of the bar on Alfie’s chest. The grey sky filled with rain clouds was all they could see ahead. Alfie swung his legs. The floor below was far out of reach.
Click. Click. Click. Click.
The ride continued to climb. Melissa squealed with delight. When they finally reached the top, the ride shuddered to a halt. It slowly tipped over the edge. They could see the ground now. People below, so far away, were looking up at them. Some were calling to loved ones.
“This is it!” Melissa announced.
ZIP.
Alfie’s forehead exploded. The blood and brain matter splashed onto Melissa, carried by the heavy breeze that circulated so high from the ground. She screamed before the ride could inflict its thrills.
The carriage tipped over, falling down the steep hill at its fastest speed, slamming Alfie’s skull against his chair, his lifeless body unable to hold it up. Melissa, still screaming tried to waken him but her hands had to clutch her bars as the ride took a sharp corner. Some of Alfie’s blood was thrown onto onlookers. The couple in the seats behind them were trying to call to Melissa, still unsure of the reasons for her uncontrollable screaming. The rest of the riders were screaming too. Some of them were because of the speed of the coaster’s dips. Some because they were unsettled by Melissa’s sudden chilling shrieks. They knelled way more than a dose of adrenaline.
As the ride turned back along the track Alfie’s arms swung limp.
“That boy’s hit his head! Stop the ride!” a woman shouted.
Melissa was no longer screaming. She was now shaking uncontrollably. It did seem at first as though Alfie had hit his head really badly. The crowd was unaware that a gunman lurked nearby.
“How’d ya like that you little pikey shit,” Buddy grinned. “One down. Six to go.”
The ride had to complete its rotation. The emergency breaks would only have made it harder for paramedics to reach the injured.
Despite its death defying loops, its thrilling spills and its sharp corners, no one was screaming any more. By the time it rolled into the end track Melissa had gone almost catatonic.
Click. Click. Click. Click.
The Sharp Shootercame to a rest with a gush of steam.
Zip.
Now Melissa fell forward too. That was when the screams erupted once again.
***
“What da fuck, brah!” Buddy was calling as the bros and Billy piled into Pearl.
Billy gave a cold, callous laugh. “A’body knows those gypos are a stain on society. You gotta cull them little bro.”
Cooper looked as though he was going to vomit. Chad was rocking in his seat as though he had been the one on the ride.
“Don’t think because you’re my cousin you’ll get special treatment,” Billy stated as he drove away. “If I need to drive down here again to fetch your ass, I put a bullet in all of you. Am I clear?”
***
Paddy rang off from his mother. Her tears were still fresh and in that moment he felt he would never be able to forget them. Kieran had been watching him anxiously. He knew from his brother’s tone and the look of grief that spilled into Paddy’s expression that something terrible had happened.
“What’s going on?” Kieran asked nervously. Paddy took a moment to catch his breath. Paddy could only shake his head.
“It’s Alfie,” he replied, unable to disguise the crack in his voice. “They got Alfie. They shot Alfie. He’s dead.”
It was now Kieran’s turn to shake his head. “No!” he cried. “Not the wee man!”
Paddy rushed across the room as Kieran sunk into his chair, giving himself into despair. He wrapped his arms around his brother. Kieran wept into his shoulder.
Paddy clutched Kieran’s face. “We can’t stay here. We need to keep moving.”
“We need to go back. We need to go to Ma,” Kieran suggested.
“We will but we have to be careful. They’ll be waiting,” Paddy tried to remain level headed through his grief.
Kieran’s weeps began to spill over again as the reality of the situation became clearer. “The wee man? I can’t believe it. They’ve got it wrong. Someone’s got it wrong. He’s just a little lad.”
Paddy wished that it wasn’t true. Shot in Alford was what he had been told. Alford was no longer safe.
***
Annie could hear her husband’s cry as she ran down the hospital corridor. She had asked that she be the one to tell him. Brendan had obviously found out. He was lying in his hospital bed chained to the bars with cuffs.
“Ya bunch of wankers!” he was screaming, rattling the chains. “You’ve got an old man in a wheelchair when you should be out there bringing in maniacs who are shooting innocent lads! Little fecking babies! Who’s the criminal? Aren’t you going to do something about that?”
His close friend Tawny, his distillery, his brother and now his son. Brendan Mack had loved and lost more than most. He wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing him break.
The two Black Bands that were stood by his bed were unmoved by his rage anyway. The dispenser bullet of Van Holder’s had hit Brendan in the chest. It was painful, already scarred there by third degree burns from the night the Knock Knock Club was attacked, but he lived. He outlived his son. He was now being kept in a secure wing of Coldford General, a section of the hospital seized by the Black Bands.
Judge Doyle promised justice in the Shady City. It didn’t always prove to be the justice we expect or want. Justice is, after all, blind.
That evening, Olivia Hickes lit a candle for Alfie in her church. The thousands of others were for the rest of the city.
***
“You hear that?! An Owen never misses a target!”
I checked the footage of Buddy I had gathered at Harvester Farm. With the licence from the Law Makers, we were granted access to their secure servers in the understanding that any evidence we found was to be submitted to them. The footage didn’t prove much. Sure, Buddy had skills with a gun but that didn’t place him at the scenes of the crimes, but at least it was something. So I clicked SUBMIT.
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Coldford Correctional stands high on the hills of Bournton. It was given the nickname because of the way it looms over the town. It was a Chamberlain castle at one point in history. The Chamberlain family are what put the King in KINGSGATE. The castle in Bourton was a stronghold of Francesca Chamberlain who had a reputation for torture, greed and bouts of madness. These terrible deeds are said to have become ingrained in the very walls of the prison.
There are many creatures skulking around this prison castle
The Boss has played home to some of Coldford City’s most dangerous criminals. Most notably, two of the Penn triplets of the PENN AUCTION HOUSE have found home there. In order to keep such depraved individuals the guards of the boss have a no nonsense policy. If you act up within those walls you will be taken out. It doesn’t matter who you were on the outside. The Boss doesn’t care when you are Her slave.
It’s not uncommon for those who enter those iron clutches to be kept there for the rest of their lives. A years sentence for assault can suddenly become a life forfeit. Such is the way of Coldford’s correctional system.
Life inside is not easy. It’s not meant to be. It is a prison after all. When you are given that custodial sentence you give up your humanity, your past and your dignity. You are now in servitude to The Boss.
We haven’t seen the last of those who will pass through those gates so if you are bold enough to head so far north you will see the latest slaves being brought forth to be chewed up.
Hotly contested, the death penalty is alive in well in Coldford at this time of writing. As such The Boss plays home to the electric chair known as Buzzkill. When you are dealing with such a hotbed of crime as is present in the Shady City those switches need to be flipped, often.
The cold corridors of The Boss hold constant reminders.
COMING SPRING 2022
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The visitor room of The Boss was bustling with people. It was a lot less subdued than the more secured wings where visitors were limited. Vincent Baines had frequent visits from David Finn offering updates on the search for Tawny.
The artist seemed dismayed at seeing his friend in prison so he would come, sit at the table and chat about current events. Sometimes he would forget himself and lift his feet up as though they were back in rehab again.
“What are you doing today?” he would ask.
Vincent would find himself smiling. “You know my routine. I’d much rather hear about what is happening outside.”
“They still haven’t found Tawn. Do you think she’s still living?”
David started to sob as he considered the worst. Vincent patted his back.
“David,” said Vincent. “David, lift your head,” he instructed.
With a struggle David listened to the former music teacher. He sat back up and wiped the tears on the sleeve of the shirt he wore.
“You know Tawny wouldn’t want you going to pieces. It’s not going to be easy but…” Vincent stopped himself. He was finding it difficult to finish his words smoothly. He took his spectacles off and started to clean. “I’m so sorry,” he said eventually putting the spectacles back on. “I wish there was more that could be done.”
“Tabitha is still in the Monte Fort,” David said.
Vincent frowned. “Monte Fort? I thought she was…” he hesitated trying to find the best way to put it. “I thought she was gone,” he said delicately.
David was instantly cheered. “No man! Didn’t you see? She’s still alive. They faked her execution and now Judge Doyle is going ape shit. When Tabitha gets out she’s going to go nuclear on those Kappa So fuckers.”
Vincent stopped David. He was familiar with the artist’s passion, his loyalty to his friends but he also knew of his habit of running his mouth. He was sure Agnes would have enough to deal with. The Boss Lady shouldn’t be getting that kind of encouragement.
David hunched at the table again but he kept his head up. “I know she didn’t believe in religion or anything like that but I just wish that wherever she is she could give us a sign, you know? That she’s okay.”
Vincent was nodding in agreement, still dealing with his own acceptance of what had happened. David looked past him. His eyes widened. A grin spread across his face.
“Holy fucking shit!” he exclaimed. “Thanks Tawn!”
Vincent frowned as David stood. He looked over his shoulder. David was already crossing the room to an inmate he recognised.
Winslow – former owner of Harbour House and now Coldford Correctional inmate – looked as though he was wishing upon wish that the ground would swallow him and chew the bones.
“David,” Winslow greeted, putting his head down.
David raised his eyebrows. “Oh, it’s David now is it?” he growled. “No more, Mr Finn you need help. Mr Finn, you shouldn’t be doped up. You’re a disgrace Mr Finn.”
“Water under the bridge,” Winslow tried.
“Is it fuck,” said David. “If I’m going to be thinking about everything you did for the rest of my life you are too.” He rolled up his sleeve and exposed his arm. There were no fresh track marks. “I’m sure you‘ll be pleased to know I’m clean. Months with you was enough to put me right off.”
“I can’t leave this table. If I do the guards will stop me,” Vincent was trying to signal a guard.
“Back to your seat,” a guard called.
David gave a parting shot. “Oh and by the way, Tabitha is still alive,” he said. “Just imagine what she’s going to do to you when she gets her hands on you.”
David returned to Vincent who was still watching from across the room. Tabitha was a huge concern for Winslow. If it was public knowledge that she was still alive it meant something had happened on the outside among the Law Makers.
Winslow spotted the teacher as they were being led back to their respective blocks. Winslow stopped him.
“Vincent,” he tried a familiar greeting. “I know we’ve had our differences but as men of intellect I’m sure we can stick together.”
Vincent stopped. “You let that psychopath, George Beckingridge, do whatever he liked with me. You knew I was trying to get my head straight and you let him hurt me and people that I loved. Those aren’t little differences, doctor.”
He observed Winslow more closely. He started to laugh. “Goodness,” he said. “They took your title too.”
The body language of the people he met told their story easily to Vincent. It was a keen insight he had had his whole life. The flinch Winslow made when he used the title coupled with the sweat that broke immediately after helped him deduce. Winslow couldn’t bring himself to admit it.
“We should stick together,” he said.
Vincent shook his head. “I don’t think so. I have enough trouble in here being an ex teacher accused of fondling his pupil. Lies, you sir, could have have stopped George spreading. I really don’t want to be associated with the likes of you. That being said I do have two friends in North Wing who will be absolutely delighted that you have joined us. You knew their mother, quite intimately. I learned that on the last day at Harbour House. You were so concerned with the bailiffs you seemed to have forgotten the journals you had on your desk. You burned them up afterwards of course but I’m an observant man and I like to read. Rita Penn trusted you. She trusted you when she thought she was pregnant and you aborted her baby without her consent. I am going to have to break that to Marcus and Simon gently. I want them to tear you apart for what you did to Tawny first because,” here Vincent gave a bitter laugh. “You sure as Hell are not going to survive what they do to you for hurting their mother.” Vincent was ushered on by an impatient guard. “Shower alone, Gregory,” he called. “It’s a principle I’ve come to live by.”
***
Tawny could hear the door open. She heard the voices. The one that rolled above the others was Buddy’s.
“Gave her the night of her life,” he was boasting to his bros. “Julia was like, ‘will you stay with me?’ and I was like sorry babe that’s just how I roll. Can get too much of good thing, right!?”
“That’s solid, brah,” Tawny could hear Chad Perry agree.
“I don’t think I could stay away. A chick like Julia Harvester throwing herself at you?” Cooper was saying. He must have thought about the farm girl a bit too much. “I’m jonesing, brah.”
The storage cupboard was opened. Tawny was seated with her legs crossed and arms folded.
“Fancy meeting you here,” she jested.
Tawny had managed to keep a brave face but in truth she was terrified. So far it had just been frat boy pranks but she didn’t know how far they would go to prove themselves. If Buddy was anything like his uncle things could turn real nasty, real quick. She was worried, without a doubt, but the more time that she did actually spend with them she began to realise they were nothing more than three juvenile minded boys whose families placed so much pressure on them that the only way they could escape was with drugs. They were messed up. They were looking for their place in the world and causing a lot of destruction trying to find it. They were…Tawny frowned. Was that a golden cock they were carrying?
They had another visitor with them this time. He was watching Tawny with a little bit of drool on his lips. His hair looked as though it had been chopped with a knife. He was carrying a stuffed mouse in his arms which, coincidentally, was wearing a matching Kappa So jacket.
“Hello, George, honey,” said Tawny. “Long time no see.”
The Beckingridge boy had been tormenting his former music teacher within Harbour House so they were already familiar. Vincent Baines had been a close friend of Tawny’s.
***
Jackson threw the newspaper down. The Filton Crier, owned by BeckingridgeFinancial Firm, had printed a story detailing the Owen family being suspected in the disappearance of Tawny, the Knock Knock Baroness.
“That hussy thinks she can walk all over us,” Jackson objected.
“The Cappy knows what he’s doing,” Billy put in.
Jackson scowled at his son. “I worry he no longer has the capacity. I was talking to the board and it is time he tendered his resignation.”
Ronnie raged. “You went behind his back?”
“That’s a low thing to do,” Billy assured his father.
Jackson maintained his stance.
“I had no choice. Since Pops’ death everything has been spiralling out of control.”
The Owen cousin spoke the truth.
“It’s not his fault,” Buddy spoke up. When they all looked at him he said nothing further.
“Who do you suppose would do a better job?” Ronnie asked. “You?”
“Naturally the board would look to me,” said Jackson. “I always worked closely with Pops.”
Ronnie shook his head. “You wouldn’t have achieved half of what Chick has and you know it. These are extenuating circumstances.”
Jackson had fallen cold at the insinuation that he couldn’t live up to The Cappy’sreputation. He spoke calmly.
“That’s what worries me,” he said. “With all that has happened Chick might be losing his nerve.”
At that the door to the den opened. Chick himself greeted them. His eyes looked a little strained as though he had been lost in thought for some time.
“Come in,” he said to his family. “I’ve made my decision.”
They joined him in his room and Chick took his seat behind his desk.
“Things here in Coldford are becoming more and more difficult by the day. It’s becoming more of a struggle for me to put things right,” The Cappy addressed them.
Jackson looked to Ronnie. To him it was confirmation that Chick was in fact losing his nerve.
“It doesn’t help that y’all keep fucking up at every turn and corner.”
Jackson frowned.
“Ronnie,” he began. “You’re a good man but you let those pikey terrorists walk free. I cannot have that. Billy,” he addressed his nephew, “I brought you here on the understanding that you would bring that murdering nutcase with a chain in. He still walks a free man. Either you up your force or I find someone who will.”
Buddy’s eyebrows raised as The Cappy’s gaze fell on him. “You, boy. Don’t even get me started on you or we’ll be here all night.”
“All of this I could abide. Ya’ll are family. However, when the board turns to me and suggests I stand down because of your mistakes? Well, that about makes me so mad I could spit. Jackson? I know you’re behind it and if you eva’ question my leadership again I will knock your teeth so far down your neck you will shit them out in single file. Am I clear?”
Buddy’s lips tightened. His eyes widened. Then The Cappy stood.
Jackson nodded but The Cappy wasn’t satisfied he had made his point.
“I’m going to need to hear y’all sign off!”
“Yes, sir,” the all replied in synchrony.
Chick took his seat again.
“If I were to step down it would be through my own choice and Jackie, you would never succeed me. Now onto business. We are being pushed into a corner. The distillery has been removed from the playing board but whilst our pretty boy booze hustler is still at large it means nothing. Billy, I want so much CPD presence on the streets that that boy is unable to so much as breathe without having a badge waved in his face. The thieving from our outposts is affecting business. It stops now. It has also become more and more important that Reginald Penn is apprehended. That little bitch, Tabitha, crying curses across the city really got my back up. I want that son a bitch Reginald behind bars before the Law Makers decide what to do with her. If he ends up dead?” Here Chick spread his arms and shrugged. “Well that would be swell.” He took a large intake of breath. “I’m going to give y’all one more last chance to end this. I’m calling Kick Off.”
Buddy’s eyes widened. His grin spread.
“No way!” he gasped but buzzing with excitement.
“I’ve never been more serious about anything in my entire life.
Ronnie was shaking his head. He lowered his gaze.
“It’s kick off time boy!” Billy cheered. “A’body knows when you hear that whistle bitches better start running.”
He clapped his father’s shoulder.
They filed out of the den but Chick stopped Billy.
“Bill,” he said. “I want you to take Betsy.”
Billy beamed with pride. First Kick Off then having the honour of carrying The Cappy’s favourite rifle. It was a good day.
***
The agents and I received an invitation to Harbour House. We weren’t sure as to why but since Elizabeth Beckingridge seemed to have similar motives as ours we accepted.
David described life in Harbour House to me in great detail. When I visited Vincent he did too. It was like the home of a childhood friend. It was comforting and warm but you just couldn’t shake the feeling that something sinister went on between the parents behind closed doors. That was how the musician put it. His description was accurate, I observed, as I stepped inside. It was decorated in the style of a home but the winding corridors were cool and unwelcoming in places.
Elizabeth had been waiting for us in the reception. Her assistant, Mark, was by her side. She had tried everything she could with her money and influence to find Tawny. It had been her own private investigators that led CPD to the body washed up on the Filton Ford, at the foot of the Fullerton Bridge. The remains had been stripped and cleaned of any evidence. They were looking for car crashes reported in the area but it was a wide net to cast and very unlikely to produce anything solid. It was frustrating when the culprit was known but no Law Maker would help until evidence gave them reason to.
“Ta da!” Elizabeth sang.
Mark applauded. The rest of us all looked confused so he stopped.
“Perhaps I should explain to these people what we’re doing here,” she decided. Mark agreed.
“Well, I’ve been following Sam here for a while and I’m quite impressed with your progress. It can’t be easy for you cramped in your little apartment. So I gift you this…” She turned to demonstrate the entire facility.
It was Agent Kim who spoke first.
“You’re gifting us Harbour House resources?
Elizabeth nodded, pleased with her offer. “It’s everything you could possibly want. It has research facilities, secure rooms, space for whatever fight training it is you people do. It also has some lovely gardens. They were beautiful, weren’t they Mark?”
Mark again agreed. “They were. A little overgrown but I’ve got the gardeners coming in tomorrow.”
Elizabeth beamed. “Then it’s settled.”
The agents looked among themselves. It would make a difference.
“You,” Elizabeth pointed to Lydia. “The pretty one.” Kim turned with an exasperated frown. “Don’t you ride a motorcycle? There’s even space to store it.”
Lydia laughed. “My bike is out of commission at the moment. It had a bit of a face off with a bull. Kitty is going to be in repair for some time.”
Elizabeth smiled, girlishly. “Mark, note that she calls the bike Kitty.”
Mark took note.
“Fear not, Kitten,” she said to Lydia. “We’ll have it back together in no time. Anything you need just let me know. I’ll supply whatever equipment you need, computers, weapons, licences. Oh that reminds me. Mark the agents will need licence from the Law Makers to act as private investigators. Memo to Judge Doyle’s office.”
Mark was busy noting whilst the rest of us were busy trying to comprehend what was happening.
“We‘ll need a name.” Elizabeth’s novelist spirit was taking over as she created the scene in her head. “What about the revengers? No that sounds too aggressive. The force for Justice?” She shook her head. “That’s even worse.”
Kim stepped in before Elizabeth got too carried away. “Thank you for giving us this opportunity. We just want to do some good in the city.”
“We’re the Good Gang,” Lydia chuckled.
It was a tongue in cheek reference but it seemed to have ignited Elizabeth’s excitement again.
“That you are Kitten. You’re the good gang and you should be named after a good person.”
There was only one person I could think of whose name and sacrifice was worthy of such an accolade.
“Hickes,” I said. “Hickes was the one who brought us all together.”
We all agreed. None of us had been expecting to form the Hickes Agency but given the state of affairs in the city it seemed that it was just what was needed. As the saying goes – evil prevails when good people do nothing.
As the agents began to scan the area Elizabeth took me aside. “Hickes is a fine suggestion,” she said. “I wouldn’t have expected anything less from a fellow writer. I read Marble Mantle by the way, we’ll discuss that later.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked her.
She stopped. With Mark aside and the agents inspecting it was just us.
“I put everything I had into finding Tawny. In doing that I learned so much about what was really going on. I spent my whole life in Filton. I had no idea what was happening beyond the manor walls. That was my mistake. Everyone told Ernest that he was naïve. I did too but I realise that I am no different. I don’t want to be naïve. I want to know everything that is going on so I can be prepared for it. Because experience has taught me that all the money in the world doesn’t give you wings when a pissed off bastard from the Shanties wants to throw you out of a hundred story window.”
She was feeling guilt for not having found Tawny. She was experiencing survivor guilt for outliving her brother when she could have pulled the Tower into order any time she chose. Most of all she was feeling guilt for never having given a second thought to the plight of the rest of the city until its troubles came hammering on the manor gates.
She beamed when Lydia returned. “That bike of yours,” she said. “Let’s get it repaired and functioning again.
“It may take a while,” Lydia admitted. “I am waiting for the upgrades.”
“What kind of upgrades?”
“Preparing her for combat situations. Increased torque, armoured body, weapons perhaps?”
Elizabeth clapped her hands with glee. “Yes!” She cried. “I’ll give you what you need because that is happening!”
“I know someone who could help,” I suggested.
She drew a bottle of champagne from behind the reception desk. “Let’s celebrate.”
“This lady is nuts,” Kim commented to me.
“I tried to warn you,” was my reply.
An author’s zeal with billions to back her whims made for a very interesting combination.
“Pretty one?” Kim teased. “Cheeky cow.”
“Well babe, some eyeliner and a touch of lippy wouldn’t be a complete loss on you,” Franklin jested.
When he saw Mark struggle to open the bottle, he offered his help. Their eyes met. Mark gave a wide smile. Franklin pulled the cork. Pop.
“Thanks,” said Mark.
“You’re welcome,” replied Franklin.
Elizabeth took the bottle and glugged from it.
“Here’s to a promising future,” she cheered.
In a city upturned by the bad, Coldford needed the Good Gang.
***
Excitement was in the air with the formation of the Good Gang. Amidst the struggles, the fears and the upset it offered hope that things could get better. The next stage of the journey brought us to the suburban town of Jameston, known by the locals as Jamestown on occasion. I was one such local and on this particular day I had brought the agents to a garage owned by my father, Samuel (or Sam Senior).
He was always pleased to see me return. When I first left for Coldford it had been he who had warned me against it. The idea of living in the city didn’t well with him. Considering what I had been faced with in that time I can’t really blame him.
My father was a cheery soul who loved good company and what better company on this day than the agents of the Good Gang. As pleasant as it was they had come for a purpose. The attention to that purpose was brought by Elizabeth Beckingridge.
“You must be Mr Crusow,” she said a little flirtatiously when she saw my father.
My father smiled at her. He seemed quite beguiled by her too. It was all quite horrifying for me.
Before my thoughts could wander onto the idea of having Elizabeth as some kind of twisted step mother figure Lydia was captivated by all the bikes and cars the garage had on offer.
When my father noticed he said cheerily, “I have something real special for you. It’s not been easy to get together and It’s not been tested yet but it’s really something.”
“When I was a little kid, I dreamed of a day I’d get to work on something like this,” he said with excitement. Lydia was excited too. We all were.
“I want to thank you for the opportunity,” he told Agent Lowe.
There she was. She was to be Lydia’s own personal transport. In tribute to this the formidable bike was named Kitty. We all gave an audible gasp.
“Terrific job!” Elizabeth cheered.
“That is far out!” gasped Agent Reynolds.
There was no more time to lose. It hadn’t been tested so all that was left to do was for Lydia to demonstrate what it was capable off.
***
“The city descended into anarchy last night as a wave of protests turned violent. The violence was sparked when Elizabeth Beckingridge of Beckingridge Financial firm deliberately destroyed a priceless heirloom of Kappa So,”
“Captain Charles Owen had called for a simple apology from Miss Beckingridge – who has a history of mental illness within her family. Miss Beckingridge refused and was believed to have taunted the destruction that she caused. Captain Owen had called for understanding after Miss Beckingridge’s childish behaviour but anger spilled over last night. Perhaps Miss Beckingridge will make that apology now. I’m Sandra Wake of Coldford Daily News.”
***
The service elevator of the Faulds Park building opened. The space was filled by a formidable figure. He was sleep deprived but still spurred on by anger and adrenaline.
“Reginald!” Rita shrieked. She ran from Franklin’s side to her husband who collected her in his embrace. Agent Kim was on her feet, Lydia followed her lead.
“Not one step further,” Agent Kim warned.
She was expecting confrontation, judging by the fury that was laced into his expression. Her estimations weren’t completely wrong. However, the King of Main had come alone. Belta’ slid from his sleeve. Franklin too was now armed.
“Rita, pet,” warned Kim. “I’m going to need you to step back.”
“Please,” Rita plead. “We don’t have to do this.”
Reginald kissed his wife, disregarding the guns aimed at him. “It’s okay, my love,” he said. “I would like to talk peace with the agents.”
At that Rita did let him go. Reginald slowly laid Belta’ on the table. Stepping back he raised his arms.
“I’m here because of my son, Junior. They have taken him and I have learned they are holding him at one of our warehouses. They are looking for me to go fetch him and if I do there will be more blood shed. That is what they have come to expect. Junior could be killed. I hear you agents are good at extraction and infiltration.” Here his lip curled. “My other two boys and Tabitha are testament to that.”
Agent Kim narrowed her gaze. “You want us to do your dirty work for you?”
“I’m asking you to save my boy. I trust you saw the video? You know what they did to him. Tawny was a good friend of mine too and she’s still missing. Will you help them?”
With a nod of her head Kim gestured to Lydia who eased off. Franklin followed suit.
“We’re still on appointment of the Office of Law Makers,” Kim reminded him.
Reginald gave a regal nod.
“I’m aware. That’s why if you agree to bring Reggie home I’ll hand myself into your custody.”
Rita sobbed. She tried to plead with her husband. With tensions eased he was able to take her into his arms.
“I promised I would do whatever it took to bring your baby back,” he told his wife. To Agent Kim he said, “I hand myself to you and your agents alone. I don’t trust CPD.”
“Good,” Kim agreed. “That’s something we can agree on.”
“Find Junior,” Reginald pushed. “Bring him home.”
***
“We’ll do what we can for you,” said Agent Kim to Reginald Penn. “But we have to go now.”
Reginald nodded. “Do what you can for Reggie. No matter what happens to me I need you to bring him home.”
The kick off riots had calmed a little but there was still a lot of tension on the streets. The Good Gang were hoping that whilst that distraction was there Reginald Penn could be brought in without incident.
The King of City Main said a fond farewell to his wife. He told her to give the boys his best. He promised her once again that her baby would be brought home.
A note I have made before on Reginald and one I wish to reiterate at this time was his noble nature. He was a noble man, that much has been noted too but as he departed the tower he gave his thanks and well wishes to his staff. He knew them by name. He commanded their respect.
“Long live the king!” they cried as he made his exit.
Through the bustle and noise of Main, even about the burning and crying of the rioters could be heard the sound of horse hooves.
The agents who had taken Reginald into their custody were closed in by none other than General Van Holder of the Subala Black Bands.
“I’ll take it from here, Agents,” Van Holder warned.
“He’s in our custody,” Agent Kim warned.
“Then I relieve you of your duty,” Van Holder insisted. “He’s under terror charges and that is my duty to the High Court.”
“It’s fine,” Reginald said to Kim. “I’ll go with him.”
If we are all honest with ourselves we would agree there was no other choice.
Through the streets of Main, the King was dragged behind Van Holder’s horse. The Kappa So present taunted and spat on him. The loyalists in support were pushed back as more Black Bands began to flood the area.
On the steps of the High Court, Judge Doyle waited. The law was the law and it was not above kings.
Van Holder brought the King to his knees.
“On King wrangled, Your Honour,” he said.
Enjoy this?
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Care to discover the true whereabouts of the Knock Knock Baroness? Tawny was last seen as a resident of the Shady City’s premier rehab clinic. Check out Vivika Widoow’s hit thriller Harbour House. Free on Kindle Unlimited.
Reggie Penn was always an odd duck. He liked go off on little adventures. His family knew he would return eventually. If he stayed away too long his father would come looking for him and no one wanted that.
Hathfield Bay island feels a world away from the city and Reggie keeps missing that damn ferry.
Available May 14th – pre order now.
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I’m not the only kid who ever thought about running away from home, you know. But I can bet that there aren’t many who thought about it as much as I did. I was stopped so many times, brought back to the start. They couldn’t hold me forever.
What was I running from? I don’t run from anything. It was what I was running to. I was running to a better life. I was running to people who could help me fix what was broken.
The Knock Knock club. That was the place for broken things. Everyone went there, even me. It was for adults only but it was my Aunt’s place so they let me in. The door there was never closed. I wasn’t running from anything. I was running to the Knock Knock club.
My Aunt Tee was a star. They called her The Baroness. Everybody liked her. They all loved her. She even saw it in her to love me. Even after everything I had done I knew she would still love me so I ran to the club. They were my real family anyway.
When I got the club it was too late. It had been burned out. Aunt Tee had been taken to a place called Harbour House. She had completely flipped. She couldn’t say anything. Not a word. Not even to Aunt Aggie. The closed the curtains at the Knock Knock but Harbour House would help her. That’s what I was told. It was a rehab clinic. She wasn’t an addict or anything but they said they could fix her.
At least she wasn’t in that place alone. She had a music teacher, Vincent, with her. Apparently he was a a real creep when they brought him in but captivity changes people.
The things these must have seen. A stalker, a kidnapper. Those are the kind of things that Harbour House fixes. He was obsessed. Can they fix that?
Is it important? Of course its important. Obsessions can get real bad. They make people act stupid then things end up broken.
There are drug addicts in there too. They say don’t judge people until you walk in their shoes. I wouldn’t like to walk in David Finn’s shoes. If anyone should have ran away from home it was him. Now all he has to walk in is hospital issue flip flops. He’s an artist. He had it real good for a while but then he stumbled onto Harvester Farm. He didn’t like what he found there so they locked him in Harbour House too.
Time is running out, according to the Harvesters. Time for what? Time for the slaughter? 5:02 is the slaughter time for them. That’s when the cut cattle throats and bash bull heads. Well it’s not 5:02 yet at least not for the residents of Harbour House.
None of this would have happened if the Law Makers listened. They say justice is blind. It is at least in one eye.. What good were they in this dung pile of a city? What good are they for fixing broken things? There are broken things in every inch of This Place. What good are they to anyone when a place like Harbour House exists.
Read the complete season 1 free here or click below to download for Kindle.
Rehabilitation is the promise. But for three residents, never seeing the outside world again becomes a grim possibility if they’re unable to face their troubles.
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Coming May 14th! From the Author of MAESTRO ; MUSE and HARBOUR HOUSE , step outside the Knock Knock club and head on over to Hathfield Bay Island for a nail biting, knuckle whiting , full in your face exciting glimpse into the lowest depths of humanity.
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Welcome to Vivika Widow Online 