by J. D. Weston
Bobby looked around the room again. A few of the faces stood tall, pumped their chests out and looked at Bobby for recognition. A few others seemed to sink back into the crowd. "Where's the new boy? Gerry?"
10
Beast on Form
"Reg, it's Melody."
"Oh hey, Melody. It's been all of two hours since I saw you. How's things?" said Reg in a mock female tone.
"No time. I need you to scramble Jackson and pick me up."
"Okay," said Reg. "Let me guess, Harvey?"
"How long?"
"Thirty minutes."
"I'll be waiting outside."
Melody disconnected the call and re-read the message from Harvey. It was the first time Harvey had ever sent a message of this sort and Melody was worried for him. In PP, BBC here. JC and Adeo just arrived!
It had taken Melody a few minutes to work out who JC was. She knew Adeo from the Al Sayan incident, and that spelt trouble. Adeo had been there when the team had caught Stimson. He knew that Harvey was working with the police, and that left Harvey in an extremely uncomfortable position. But when she had put the name John Cartwright to the initials, her heart sank.
John wouldn't know that Harvey was undercover. But the risk of him spotting Harvey and blowing his cover as Gerry would raise immediate flags in Bobby Carnell's firm. Harvey would be questioned, and the trust he'd built up would be gone.
She changed back into her work clothes, cargo pants and boots, a tight-fitting t-shirt and short leather jacket, then filled a flask of hot water. It was going to be a long night, and she liked to be prepared. But mostly it was to kill time and stop her mind wandering while she waited for Reg and Jackson.
The van pulled up after twenty-five minutes, and Melody climbed in, barely giving Jackson time to fully stop the van. "Go. Pied Piper."
She turned to Reg in the back. "Do we have him on screen?"
"We sure do. He's still there. So is Bobby Bones and a few other numbers in the network we've been building up."
"Put your foot down, Jackson. If it kicks off, I want to be there."
"Melody," said Reg, "if it kicks off, you can't go in guns blazing. Harvey knew the risk."
"I want him to know we're here for him."
"He knows, Melody."
Melody climbed into the back with Reg and pulled open a peli-case. She assembled a Heckler and a Koch MP5 and slotted the scope on top.
"What exactly are you planning to do with that?"
"You know what they call this?"
"A gun?" said Reg. He'd been trained in firearms but under duress and out of necessity. His choice of weapons was a blaster on his zombie-killing video game.
"Barking dog, Reg," said Melody, as she snapped a magazine into place. "You know why?"
Reg was silent.
"You'll know when you hear it. A few bursts with this and they'll scatter."
"Leaving us to pick up the pieces of Harvey," said Reg.
Melody looked Reg in the eye in the darkness of the van. She saw a glimmer of moisture in his eye and knew that he was using humour to cover his anxiety.
"Let's hope not, Reg."
Harvey stood up and stepped forward into the throng of men, who parted and made way for him to pass through. Some eyed him cautiously; others looked at him with contempt. They were perplexed at how a newcomer to the firm had suddenly earned the title of best man.
Harvey ignored Adeo, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw the recognition. His eyes widened, and mouth fell open, but to his credit, he remained silent. John had his back to Harvey and was drinking his drink. He looked up and caught Harvey's stare in the mirror behind the optics in the bar. John remained motionless.
"So, you're Gerry, are you?"
Harvey didn't reply.
"Gerry what, Son?" John spoke the last word slowly and decisively.
Harvey ignored the hidden greeting. "Sloan."
"Gerry, this is John Cartwright, show the man some respect, eh?"
"It's okay Bobby. He looks like a bright boy, he'll learn some manners," said John. He remained with his back to Harvey, swirling the ice cubes in his drink as he'd always done. "Bobby here tells me you're his best boy. Is that right?"
Harvey didn't reply.
John stood silent for a moment.
"If I was to tell you to do a job for me, Gerry, would you do it?"
"Tell? Or ask?" Harvey had seen the trick question coming from his foster father. John hated weakness; his favoured men had all earned John's respect by standing up for themselves. They had never been rude, but they hadn't been pushed around either.
John nodded.
"Sorry, John, he's new," said Bobby.
John raised his hand and shook his head.
"If I told you that we have a problem with the Albanians, and I needed someone to take them out, would you be willing to help?"
"If you asked nicely, John."
Bobby slapped his forehead in disbelief. His eyes were popping out of his gaunt face.
"Okay, I'll ask nicely, Gerry."
"Probably then," said Harvey. "But I'd do it on my terms, and my terms only."
"I'm really sorry, John," started Bobby. "Dom, take him-"
"Leave him be," said John. He turned with his drink to face Harvey. Harvey stared at the old man's face. He hadn't seen him for two years, but he hadn't changed much; he looked older, but his hard features bore the aged skin well. He was clean shaved as he always was. Old school habits.
"What might those terms be, Gerry?"
"I go in with your best man."
"My best man?"
Harvey didn't reply.
"You think the two of you can pull it off?"
A murmur built up among the men, then quietened when Harvey turned to Adeo.
"Him."
John downed his drink and placed the glass symmetrically on a cardboard coaster that sat on the bar.
"When?" asked John.
"Now. We leave now and come back when it's done. These blokes can all go home to their wives and kids."
"What? And what do expect us to do while you're gone, Gerry?" asked Bobby. "Twiddle our thumbs and wait for the heroes to come home?"
Harvey didn't reply.
"And if you don't come back?" asked John.
"I'll be back," said Harvey.
Harvey drove. Adeo filled the rest of the space in the front of the BMW that Dom had given to Harvey. They drove in silence. Neither one acknowledged the identity of the other.
Harvey felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, a message from Melody probably. He saw the square outline of the van in the rear-view mirror and made sure that Adeo hadn't spotted him checking. The team were a card up Harvey's sleeve, and would likely come in handy in the very near future.
They pulled off the A406 North Circular Road and slipped into the back streets of Ilford. As they passed under the railway bridge, Harvey pointed out the yard on the left.
They parked a few hundred meters further on than the gate. Parking in the evenings was difficult; commuters were coming home from work and spaces went like gold dust. Harvey reversed into a spot, using the car's parking sensors to get into the tight space.
He killed the engine.
"Before we go in, I want to make one thing clear."
Adeo looked back at him with his hand on the door handle.
"We do this my way. That's the only way we'll get back out again. If you deviate, you're on your own."
"You think you're better than me?"
"I was trained by the best."
"There's one thing you haven't considered, Harvey Stone," said Adeo as he pushed the door open and heaved his mass out of the car. Harvey climbed out and leaned on the car roof opposite the big man. They stood face to face. For Harvey, it was like seeing Julios stare back at him with his unemotional eyes and stern frown. "Who do you think trained me?"
The team's VW van passed behind Adeo as the two men stood facing each other across the car.
"The junk
yard is set out in rows," began Harvey. "The cabin is in the centre. The crusher is behind it. There's rows of cars on the left, rows of cars on the right, rows of cars at the back and front with a space leading from the gate to the cabin. Plenty of places for them to be hiding. Luan Duri is the main man, old guy in a long jacket, smokes too much. I don't know how many there will be."
"You've been here before?" said Adeo, his brow furrowed.
"You think I'd come here without a plan?"
"So much of Julios in you."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"Are we going over the wall?" asked Adeo.
"If the gate is locked, yes. Can you handle that?"
Adeo didn't reply.
The pair walked off towards the gates. The road was quiet, and they were blessed by a dark night. Harvey checked the parked cars all along the front to make sure there weren't any lookouts. All the cars were empty.
The gates were wide open.
"Keep walking," said Harvey. The pair marched past the open gates and slipped down the side of the property between the yard and the embankment that led up to the train tracks.
"That was a trap," whispered Harvey. "Last time I was here, only one gate was open. It's like they're expecting us to walk in guns blazing."
Harvey pulled an old wooden pallet from a deep puddle and stood it beside the wall. Without a word, he climbed up, reached up to the top of the wall and pulled himself up. He lay on the wall and looked back down at Adeo.
"One last thing," whispered Harvey. Adeo had one foot on the pallet and was preparing to pull himself up. "I hope you like dogs."
Harvey flashed Adeo a warning smile and lowered himself down to the floor.
He pulled his knife from its sheave on his belt and took the time to listen for any movement. There were voices in the open space near the cabin. Several men were huddled around a fire inside an old oil drum like hobos.
Harvey felt rather than heard Adeo land behind him; the ground shook slightly. But as Harvey turned, Adeo stood upright. It hadn't surprised Harvey, Julios had been as big as Adeo and had been far more agile than he looked.
Harvey made a circle motion with his hands, indicating to Adeo that they would split and work the perimeter, meeting up on the far side of the yard. Adeo gave an imperceptible nod and turned away from Harvey.
Harvey watched him for a few seconds. It was like having Julios back. Harvey had never been afraid of anything. But for the twenty years he'd been trained by Julios, he'd worked with him for close to fifteen of them, and there was a certain level of comfort knowing the big guy had his back. Working alone had never been an issue, but having a solid and reliable partner was invaluable and mitigated much of the risk.
Harvey began to make his way around the ring of cars. He checked inside every one he came across and looked through to the next row if he could. Inside the cars made an ideal place for someone to wait, as he had done himself just two days previously. There was some banging in the distance, metal on metal, followed by a long scrape of something heavy being dragged across concrete, like a car part.
Harvey found the first guard napping on the passenger seat of an old Ford Escort. Harvey effortlessly flicked the tip of his blade into the man's neck and severed his windpipe. He left a wound less than an inch long, and the man woke immediately, fighting for air and drowning in his own blood. Harvey held the man's mouth closed until his lungs filled and he stopped moving.
Harvey continued on his walk. He stood at the back wall of the property behind the cabin and the crusher, and saw the open cage where the two German Shepherds lay. He crept silently; he was out of sight of the dogs but smelled cigarette smoke. The hushed voices of two men came from behind the next car. Harvey waited, watching them talk quietly. They were big men, but relaxed and off guard.
Harvey made a plan.
He found a small steel nut on the floor and tossed it behind the men. They both span around. Harvey watched as one signalled for the other to remain where he was and be quiet. Then the first one slipped away. He hadn't taken five steps when Harvey's garrote slipped over the man's head, and Harvey silently dragged him into the shadows.
The first man crept back along the wall towards the corner where Harvey stood. Harvey saw his vague shadow and heard his heavy boots.
"Hello?"
Harvey could smell the cigarettes on the man's breath.
"Kush eshte atje?"
The big man came around the corner slowly and hesitantly. Harvey slipped around the car and came up behind him. When the man's foot kicked the soft body of his friend, he bent to see what it was. He then stood up and took a deep breath ready to alert everybody. Harvey's knife came from behind him. One slice across his throat and the big man fell to his knees, choking on his own blood.
Harvey left the two dead men in a pile in the shadows and made his way quietly along the wall, where Adeo met him.
"What took you so long?" whispered the big man.
Harvey ignored the comment. He knew that if Julios had trained him, Adeo would understand that the delay was due to obstacles. Given that Adeo had taken nearly the same time to make half a circuit, Harvey guessed that he had also come up against only two men maximum.
Harvey signed to move into the next ring of cars and complete another half circuit.
They went back the way they had each came to maintain familiarity. But the second ring of scrap was far more challenging without the benefit of the shadow the wall provided. Harvey felt he could be seen through the windows of cars in the inner circles.
He moved slowly. His eyes picked up the slightest movement, the flutter of a discarded wrapper on the floor as the breeze blew across it, the flap of a loose seat belt. Harvey was directly behind the cabin once more when movement in the corner of his left eye stopped him in his tracks.
One of the dog's ears had stood up. It was lying down, relaxed, but one ear was raised and turned like a satellite towards Harvey. He remained dead still. Voices came from near the cabin as two men walked loudly towards the spot where Harvey had dropped the two smokers.
The dog's head turned and his eyes locked with Harvey's. He didn't move. It stood and walked briskly out of its open cage and turned in Harvey's direction. Its ears were pinned back as it closed in.
The two men came briefly into view between two cars then disappeared into the shadows.
Harvey heard the low guttural growl of the dog as it approached with more urgency. But Harvey stood his ground. He held his knife by his side ready to strike the dog between its front legs if it attacked.
He knew Shepherds, and if it had been trained well, it would go for his arm or throat, more likely the throat. It would use its weight to bring Harvey down then sink its teeth into the soft tissue of his neck.
The other dog moved in behind the first. Both dogs stood in front of Harvey. Their hackles were up and their ears pinned back. The first dog was the alpha. The second would follow the first dog's lead. Harvey stared at the alpha, unafraid. The showdown lasted thirty seconds, no more. Then the alpha broke eye contact, and its ears dropped. The second followed suit.
Harvey was now lead dog.
He dropped to his haunches, and the dogs came to him like they were old friends.
Harvey stood and shooed them away. Then, before he knew it, they pounced behind him and pinned a large Albanian man to the ground. The man struggled as the lead dog tore into his throat. He punched out, but both dogs held on, and he finally gave up. His body fell limp, and the dogs sat by their quarry.
Harvey stared the first dog in the eye and held its cold gaze. Its mouth was black with blood in the dark night, but there was one more man in the shadows somewhere. Harvey stood motionless and let the movement come to him. The shadow on the car in front grew darker as somebody moved past very slowly.
The dogs were too noisy when attacking, so Harvey had them sit and stay using two movements of his hand to the more aggressive of the dogs. The second followed suit. They sat and watched Har
vey slip silently behind the man and pull the steel wire cable tight around his neck. The man was strong and fought back with defensive judo moves that Harvey recognised and countered. All the while, he maintained pressure on the steel wire. The large Albanian managed to use his bulk to turn and face Harvey, so Harvey leaned back and slammed his forehead into his nose. Dropping the wire, he snapped the man's head to one side, who dropped like a stone at the feet of the German Shepherds.
Harvey signed for the dogs to stay and slipped into the shadows between the two cars. Adeo was waiting for him again and stepped out of the darkness when Harvey approached. This time there was no jibe at the delay, and Harvey saw Adeo's blood-stained hands.
There was one more row of cars to get around before the cabin.
Adeo stepped closer to Harvey and ducked down beside him behind the cars. He signed with a bloodied hand that he'd seen a risk. Harvey looked back at the open space in front of the cabin. The men had set up a tripod-mounted flamethrower either side of the alley of cars that led from the gates to the cabin. One man stood on either side, ready to incinerate anybody that came up the alleyway.
They flamethrowers didn't pose a problem to Harvey or Adeo. But from where the men stood, they wouldn't get close to the cabin without being spotted.
"How many men inside the cabin?" whispered Adeo.
Harvey shrugged. Adeo leaned in close to Harvey. "Once we're inside that cabin, there'll be no more hiding. We'll have seconds to take them out."
Harvey shook his head. "Too risky." He chanced a glance around the edge of the car in front to make sure the men were still there, and then ducked back to Adeo. "We need to draw them out. We have the advantage out here."
"And how do you plan on doing that?"
Harvey stood, drew his Sig from his waistband and stepped into the open space. He fired twice, one round in each of the men's heads.
11
Two Dogs
"Was that gunfire?" asked Melody, cocking her head to one side.
"I don't know," said Reg. "It's a pretty industrial-"