Chasing the Dragon

by Nick James

  I followed the directions my mate gave me. Thank Christ for satnav. ‘Piddington? What the fuck?’ I carried on into the arsehole of the universe, nothing but green, enough to make a city boy cry. After a quick call to my mate, we arrived at a burnt-out farm. Mai stayed in the car while I paid him a couple of grand. He then sodded off to join all his mates drinking and shooting. Fatalities, here we come.

  Mai finally stepped out of her car, and for the first time she was not in her finery: Dockers, combat gear and a leather jacket, but still with a ponytail dancing down her back.

  ‘What you got for me, big boy?’ asked Mai with a mischievous smirk.

  I pointed my chubby finger at her. ‘Oi, none of that. Suzie will cut bits off me I really like,’ I said with a laugh as she winked and blew a kiss at me. ‘Trouble you are. First off, if this is political or a royalty hit, we part ways now.’

  ‘Neither, business only, but he does have links to political, but they won’t care,’ Mai said coldly.

  I nodded and opened the boot and showed her the two Peli cases. ‘Like I said, this is what I got, and I want rid, so you can have them both if you want.’ I watched her check them over with a practised hand. ‘I know they’re not the proper sniper job, but hopefully they’ll do.’

  She picked up the SA-80 and looked at me.

  I sent a text to my mate. Within minutes, the drunken ex-cons started to fire away in the distance.

  Mai loaded the gun and put it down before placing a blanket on the ground. She lay down and cracked off a couple, then adjusted the telescopic sight and did the same again.

  All of a sudden, it started spraying bullets.

  ‘Shit! Well, this is faulty, clicked into auto on its own – sorry, Tony,’ she said while making the gun safe and putting it back in the case. She then checked the AR-15, dry fired it and loaded it.

  ‘Hope this goes better, Mai,’ I said.

  She calmly settled down and sighted downrange where my buddies were causing some hell. She started to fire, adjusted and then fired again. This time there was a smile on her face.

  ‘Perfect, Tiger.’ She got up from the blanket and placed the gun back in its case. ‘You can have two thousand for that beauty, and have Suzie deliver it to me with the van I gave her yesterday.’

  I frowned. ‘When and where?’

  She gave me a smile. ‘If I told you, I would have to kill you,’ Mai said with a grin to say she wasn’t joking.

  Hold fast, bladder, you can do it. ‘You won’t get Suzie hurt, though?’

  The killer shook her head. ‘Never. I would kill a thousand Tigers before I would kill one Suzie,’ she said and walked away swaying her hips. ‘Bye, Tiger. See you in a few months. Look after Michael.’ She then got in her car and drove off.

  ‘God damn! What have I got myself into?’ I packed everything away in the boot of the car. The clay pigeons were going hell for leather until a scream split the air. ‘Time to fuck off, Tony boy.’ I was quickly on my way back to the civilised city with its buildings and concrete.

  Chapter 29

  Mai Lee

  The day had come: Sanderson was at Shimmering Dreams. I had a private plane booked to France, then a commercial flight to Hong Kong. My bags were packed and at the airport, and I’d had a sweet goodbye with my Mikey. He promised to visit me in Hong Kong in the summer. I couldn’t wait to show him the sights, maybe even take him home to China to see Mum and Dad.

  I picked up the phone. ‘Suzie, I’ll be downstairs in a minute,’ I said and hung up. I looked in the mirror and took a deep breath before heading through the door. I left a rose and a gram of coke for Mikey.

  Suzie was there with the door open and engine running. I jumped in and we merged into traffic. ‘You ready for this?’ she asked in her snappish way.

  ‘Yes, you have the gun?’ I saw her wave towards the back. I looked over and saw the Peli case all ready and waiting. ‘All is go. You know where to park, with the back facing the front doors.’

  It was silent as we drove, no texts from our lookout watching just in case Sanderson’s car pulled up to pick him up. So much could go wrong; I needed the luck of the devil to get this done. My nerves were starting to hit me. I had arranged for a colleague to give Kettering a good slapping just in case this didn’t work to shake him, but I had faith this would shock the place to the core.

  As we slowly pulled into the space, I saw our lookout nod and walk off into the crowd. It was time. I stepped into the back and lay down. I pushed open the flap hidden underneath the number plate, which was a perfect height and placement. I could see straight in to the bank of lifts.

  ‘We good?’

  ‘Yes, Suzie. Keep the wig and glasses on. When I fire, drive away slowly – we don’t want to be noticed, okay?’

  ‘Will do, Boss Lady,’ she said, settling down into her driver’s seat.

  I sat up and pulled the case over and opened the top. Then the air stilled as my anger boiled over. ‘Suzie! You brought the wrong fucking gun! This is faulty!’ I bellowed. ‘We are fucked! Where is the other one?’ I added, shooting her a look.

  She dipped her head. ‘Tony told me to phone him to get the guns ready, but I didn’t want to get him involved, just in case you clean house. I won’t risk him,’ Suzie said in near perfect English, knowing sometimes that the bosses had paid the assassin to take care of all the loose ends.

  ‘But if this fucking thing goes wrong, it could be a bloody massacre,’ I said, rubbing my head. ‘And he’s already part of it; he sold me the bloody guns!’

  Suzie chewed her lip. ‘How many shots you need?’

  ‘One for the window, another to drop the guard, then one or two for the man himself,’ I explained, putting the rifle together. ‘If we fuck this, Chow may bury us…all.’ I settled down into my shooting position. Luckily the number plate was see-through, so I only needed to raise for the shot.

  ‘Good luck,’ said Suzie.

  As I looked down the scope, I saw the receptionist pretending to work and there was the bank of three lifts. ‘We’ll need it, Suzie.’

  Chapter 30

  Sam Blades

  ‘He fucking what?’ Bunny roared, throwing a slipper at me.

  I sighed and sat down. I was fed up of being a moving target. ‘Kettering has your birth certificate. Someone found it in Hong Kong,’ I said sadly.

  ‘Why didn’t you tell me last night?’

  ‘Because every time we go out with Kate and Mark shit happens, and I didn’t want to spoil it.’ I saw the realisation hit her as she sagged. ‘I’m sorry, Bunny. I’m going to complain to Michael today. I’m sick of Baldy and his group.’ I then got up and hugged her.

  ‘Mum and Dad never wanted people to know their names. That’s why they’re feared back home – take the piss once, and you are doomed,’ she said, locking eyes with me. ‘I love you Sam, but never tell them you know their names. I’d hate to bury you before we got married.’ She kissed me deeply. ‘I’ll see you after work, my love,’ she said and held my cheek lovingly.

  As I watched her little bottom sway out of the door, I felt the cold hand of fate. What would be worse was to say I’ll be right back before heading into a dark room. I locked eyes with Fred. ‘Do you know what, mate, you are no help at all.’ I left the apartment listening to Aerosmith trying to teach Run-DMC how to walk.

  As I walked along towards the Tube station, I passed a newspaper stand and I noticed the local paper. So, doing my bit for the economy, I bought it. The front page stopped me dead. It cut me to the core as I read the headline:

  ‘Local Bag Lady Found with Dog Skins’. Underneath it read: Pamela Beacon of Canning Town was found with 150 dog skins, along with accompanying collars and tracking chips. The police surmised that she was making coats and selling them to her local homeless friends.

  ‘Oh, Pam, Pam, what did you do?’ I muttered, then I remembered seeing her chase down a dog one evening. I threw away the paper and let the music of Billy Idol having a very nice white we
dding envelop my body and soul. I bet he looked good in white.

  As I passed the buskers from hell, I realised that they must have found out about me supplying people with foreign coinage. Karl and the Morrissey’s did not look happy with me. My heart was torn asunder, so much so that I could only just flip them the middle digit, such was the strength I had.

  When I got to work, I had a special smile for the Twiglets on the reception desk. But just like the human husks called buskers, they weren’t happy with me either. Along with Bunny, that was a hat-trick of pissed off people. And the worse thing was I missed the peanut throw; it bounced off her beautiful yet cheating chest.

  ‘Emmmily! Whyyyyyyy?’ I called out, making her giggle while her new boyfriend, Hicks, shook his head.

  Mark settled down after getting his throw in (git), and we talked about last night. I told him that Stoney called me and said that the blokes were known troublemakers and wouldn’t be pressing charges, and that strangely she blamed me for everything, adding that she had a freshly charged taser. But I swore I could hear Bethany giggling in the background.

  I wrote a nice long email to Michael with a complaint about Kettering. I copied in Hooper, who was just back from getting a coffee. I watched him read it. He then looked at me and gently bounced his forehead on the desk. We then got our reply.

  Richard stood up. ‘Sam and I have to go and see McAllister for a bit. We’ll be right back,’ he said.

  Did he really just say that, and on the thirteenth floor? Did he really want us to die? ‘Spanner,’ I muttered.

  Chapter 31

  Michael McAllister

  My new extra-soft cushion was doing the trick; it was a very passionate goodbye from Mai. She even cried when we hugged. I had only seen her victims do that from her video chats. But I do love her and would miss her while she goes back home on her business trip. Hopefully it won’t be too long before I see her again. I’ve been lucky to have her here for so long, and in my life in general.

  I saw Blades and Dreyfuss walk into the department. Use the handle, you sweaty-handed bastards, I thought watching Dreyfuss place his greasy palm right on the glass. Why do I bloody bother having a handle, you bubble-blowing, sweat-ridden moron. ‘Richard, Sam, come on in,’ I said, interrupting my thoughts.

  ‘Morning, Mike, how are you doing?’ Richard asked, almost bowing to me, which I actually liked. Sam’s face just said, ‘Never!’

  ‘Surviving, thanks,’ I said happily, even though I felt like I’d been fisted by a clumsy elephant. Wow, where did that come from? ‘Sam, I’m truly sorry about this. I thought this was all sorted out months ago. I know the CEO told him to back off after the Goddard episode,’ I said while offering coffee, which tasted like shit without whisky or rum.

  ‘But he seemed to really enjoy riling me up. Was that Goddard bloke a friend of his or something?’ Sam asked.

  I just had to shrug my shoulders. ‘All I know is that he’s very tunnel-visioned. Once he’s set on something, he doesn’t stop, which in some ways is good, but not this time,’ I explained before pouring the liquid mud down my throat (yuck). ‘How did your girlfriend take the news?’

  Sam rubbed his face. ‘She was pissed off, obviously. I’m surprised she’s not with her company lawyers or trying to burn down the building,’ he said, with a smile on his face. Hopefully he was joking.

  ‘I’ll tell you what, go back to your desk and I’ll arrange a meeting with Jones and Madison to see if we can rein the man in,’ I said and took another slug of crap. ‘Then I’ll take you for a pint at eleven, okay?’

  Blades smiled, but Dreyfuss frowned because he wasn’t invited.

  ‘Sounds like a hell of a plan.’ Sam shook my hand and grabbed the door handle to leave the office (good man).

  ‘Oh, Sam, quick question.’

  He stopped and smiled. ‘Anything?’

  ‘Do you know who sent John Dufresne a netball uniform with “Girl Power” printed on the back?’ I asked. At that moment I knew never to play poker with Blades. Not a single emotion flickered across that face, even Dreyfuss shot him a look. All the signs pointed to Sam Blades, but the choirboy’s face gave nothing away.

  ‘No, Mike, I’m afraid I don’t,’ he said with such finality it screamed stop!

  ‘Okay, Sam, see you soon.’ I watched the guilty man walk away. Dreyfuss then gave me a look saying that he knew Blades was guilty as hell. But we all knew about the said man’s sense of humour, and Richard did not want to be targeted even more than he was now. ‘Quick question, Richard?’

  ‘Yes, Mike, what is it?’

  ‘Did you ever get a callback for that TV show on the crab fishing boat?’ I saw his face flush red. Sam actually had it printed in the works newsletter, but I had to ask.

  Richard dipped his head. ‘Yes, they seemed quite excited about having someone from the UK on the show,’ he explained.

  I carried on the act so I could waste more time before going to the pub. ‘Oh, well done. When do you need the time off?’

  He shook his head. ‘They changed their minds when a colleague sent in a photo of me on holiday with my family. I don’t know what he promised my wife, but it was a picture of me in swimming trunks and a flowery hat,’ he explained.

  I nearly lost my soul to the devil of laughter. ‘Oh, that’s a shame.’ With tears in my eyes, I watched him walk to the door. As payback, he used his paw to slime over my door. ‘Bastard,’ I muttered. But when he was gone, I emailed Sam for the photo.

  Chapter 32

  Bunny Li

  To say I was pissed off was an understatement. Anger flowed through my veins like molten lava through a small village. I understood why Sam didn’t tell me until this morning, but still. I sent a rat with wings flying into the sky thanks to my boot.

  This morning had been frustrating. My new boss was an idiot and totally incapable of being involved in any kind of nefarious schemes unless he was the fall guy – and if he was, then good.

  I had a wonderful meeting in the café with a new hire on the tenth, name of Robert Downey. I prayed to my ancestors back home that my darling Sam was not here. He was tall, skinny, had flame red hair and teeth that pointed in every direction on a compass. People scattered into the wind as he chuckled when I gave him my name. ‘You picked the wrong day, my friend,’ I whispered whilst pouring my morning cappuccino down into his baby carrier’s home. As he doubled over screaming, I considered my thought process and realised that Sam’s mannerisms had tainted mine. The sobbing man screamed a bit more as my heel put a lovely dent in his palm.

  When I arrived back at my desk, the fury came to the front of my mind again, so I gave in to it and dialled the number.

  ‘Hello, Shimmering Dreams, how may I help you?’

  ‘I’d like to speak to Albert Kettering, please,’ I asked in my professional manner.

  ‘May I ask what it is about, madam?’

  ‘I do not run a stable of prostitutes, miss. My name is Miss Li, and one of your colleagues tried to kill myself and my boyfriend earlier this year, so I wish to speak to him about certain matters,’ I said angrily, maybe slightly losing my cool with the brain cell at the other end of the phone.

  Clearly, she was unsure what to do. Unless it involved a nail and a file she would be taking her time. ‘Putting you through now, Miss Li.’

  ‘Thank you.’ I waited, letting my nails tap on my desktop, which was the international sign for go away and leave me alone. This worked, as I watched the person loitering around my desk melted away.

  ‘Albert Kettering’s office, Stephanie speaking, how may I help you?’

  ‘Morning, Stephanie, my name is Miss Li, Sam Blades’ partner. I wish to speak with Mr Kettering about certain actions he has taken against myself and my family,’ I said and waited for a reply.

  ‘One second, Miss Li, if you please,’ Stephanie replied in a professional manner.

  Once again, my nail transmitted the fuck off signal which kept my area clear.

  ‘Mis
s Li, Mr Kettering is busy at the moment, but he will meet you here at eleven, if that’s convenient?’ she asked.

  ‘Thank you, I shall meet him then, Stephanie,’ I answered and hung up. Should I tell Sam? I thought about the pros and cons. Nope – he never told me.

  Chapter 33

  Convergence

  Throughout the past, people knew where they were on certain dates: when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour, when the Americans dropped the atom bomb, JFK being shot in an open-top car or Dr Luther King being murdered in a hotel. America, London, Spain, Paris have all suffered losses to those wishing to go against the rules of man. These are global events that shocked the world.

  But today at 11 a.m. in London, several things will happen which will shock hundreds of people. No, not a global event, just a localised incident that will hurt and anger a small group of humans.

  When it happened, police officers Bethany and Sharon had just finished dealing with a fight where a leather-clad busker was trying to strangle a customer with his microphone cable, this was after the latter asked him why he was singing a Morrissey song in the voice of Elton John.

  In Barking Police Station, Adam ‘Knife Block’ Walker was being interviewed to find out why he was dressed as a woman in a flowery summer dress and hanging around the ladies’ toilets at the tube station. Strangely, ‘I was horny’ and ‘our dresses matched’ were not a good defence.

  Tony the Tiger Thompson was receiving some hand relaxation from a well-known prostitute friend of his late mum. His excuse was, ‘It’s what she would’ve wanted.’ Plus, he saved Tracey after being locked up by local bobbies for giving mouth to groin CPR on the local vicar, who was allowed on his way because it could have been worse.