The Takedown

by Ricky Black

  ‘You just don’t know. That’s the problem.’ Lennox’s hands balled into fists. The eerie grin had vanished, replaced with a malevolent look.

  ‘You think you know, Len. There are level’s beyond you, and that lack of understanding will ruin you.’

  ‘You know what the problem is, L? It’s all about money to you. Money and the opinions of people you don’t even like. I understand it. You came up hard, broke and disrespected by people you saw as beneath you. I was there, remember, chilling with Marcus, blasting people when you were in town buying drinks for girls you could never get without your status. It’s everything to you, Shorty and all those other dickheads.

  ‘Me, I’m about order. I want power and I want to be left alone, but you know what? That can’t happen while you lot are moving powder and warring over turf. So, I need to take drugs out of the equation. I need to control the street so that the structure is there. One leader. Me. No drugs, no reason for police to patrol our territory. My territory.

  ‘You’re a threat to that, L. The biggest threat because you actually have a brain in that head of yours. You’re flashy though. You have expensive tastes and you’re influential enough to cause problems, so you’re my enemy. But, it’s nothing personal.’

  Lamont remained calm through Lennox’s words, but the atmosphere had changed. He noted Nikkolo and Akeem looking up at the balcony, both tense and alert.

  ‘It feels personal. You won’t disrupt the flow, Len. Simple as that.’

  Lennox rubbed his hands together, his dark eyes boring into Lamont’s.

  ‘It’s a game of sheep masquerading as lions. You’re the only anomaly, and you don’t even want to be in the game,’ Lennox slid to his feet, no hint of a smile on his face. ‘Leave them to their fate, or go down with them. Last warning.’

  ‘They broke up?’

  K-Bar was at Marika’s, bored of hiding out. The noise surrounding Big Kev’s murder had dispersed, but Lamont insisted on K-Bar remaining low key, which irked him. He understood why Shorty had been so tetchy. So much was happening, and few were as qualified when it came to killing and handling drama as K-Bar. He was relying on his people keeping him updated, but no one knew much, other than Shorty being on the warpath and dropping bodies to get to Lennox Thompson.

  Now, Marika had dropped another bombshell.

  ‘I spoke to Jen today. She’s not living at the house anymore. She moved out.’

  ‘Over what though?’ K-Bar had been around Jenny and Lamont in the past and believed they were well-suited.

  ‘She didn’t say. When I went for dinner that time though, there was definitely tension. I think they argued after I went. Maybe L cheated on her? We know how he used to get down.’

  ‘Maybe she cheated on him?’ K-Bar felt compelled to defend Lamont. Lamont had indulged in his day, but K-Bar couldn’t imagine him cheating.

  Marika shrugged, ‘Doesn’t really matter, anyway. What’s Shorty saying?’

  ‘He’s doing what he needs to do.’

  ‘And L?’

  ‘I dunno, Rika. Why are you asking me so many damn questions?’

  Marika jerked back, her eyes flashing.

  ‘Listen, if you’re gonna snap, fuck off to your own house.’

  K-Bar took a deep breath. Arguing with Marika would fix nothing.

  ‘Sorry. This shit just gets me mad. Lennox is out there doing what he wants, and people aren’t moving against him quick enough. Shorty can’t be expected to go up against a whole crew by himself. It’s mad.’

  Marika squeezed his hand and cuddled up against him. K-Bar kissed the top of her head, her presence calming him.

  ‘I was running things, doing what I needed to do, then suddenly I’m just out. Everyone is leapfrogging me.’

  ‘Do something about it then. When you think about it, Shorty might have the right idea.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ K-Bar shifted so he could see Marika.

  ‘You know Shorty better than anyone. He doesn’t really ask permission. He just does shit, and L kinda has to go along with it.’

  K-Bar didn’t reply. Marika had given him a lot to think about.

  The next day, Shorty was playing Blade Brown as he completed sit-ups in his safe house. His arms burned from the press-ups he’d finished a short while ago, but he pushed through, determined to finish his workout. His phone ringing brought him out of the zone, and he snatched it with venom, pausing the music.

  ‘What?’ He snapped. The person on the other end spoke for a few moments, then hung up. Shorty tidied and waited for the coded knock on the door. He let in Akeem, who remained standing as Shorty slumped onto the sofa.

  ‘What does L want?’

  ‘He met with Lennox Thompson, but nothing was agreed.’

  ‘What was the point of meeting him? He should have killed him instead.’

  Akeem didn’t respond. Shorty wanted to punch him in his stupid face. He was as non-committal as Lamont.

  ‘To try resolving the situation with as little bloodshed as possible.’

  ‘It’s too late for that. He shot my girl.’

  ‘Lutel shot at your daughter, and you took care of that. Lennox is much harder to get at.’

  ‘I know where he is. I’ve got a location, and I’ve got a guy watching. I’m just waiting for the word that Lennox is at the spot.’

  ‘I’m assuming you got the location from Lutel before you finished him,’ Akeem started. ‘It may have been abandoned, especially if Lennox feels it’s compromised.’

  ‘Lutel said he wasn’t supposed to know about this spot. No reason for him to lie when he’s about to die. That’s the plan though. Once I get the call, everyone’s gone.’

  Akeem headed for the door. ‘Do what you need to. Grimer, Maka and Rudy are available at your convenience. L said you would know the number.’

  ‘L’s authorising this?’ Shorty scratched his head, trying to keep the surprise from his face.

  ‘Did you leave him a choice?’ Akeem asked as he left the house.

  Another forty-eight hours passed before Shorty got the word. Lennox had turned up at the spot with Nikkolo. Shorty made the calls, got his people together, and laid out a plan.

  Maka and Shorty drove to the spot in one car, Rudy and Grimer in another. They were communicating by Pay-as-you-go phones as they approached Cottingley. Shorty expected the roads to be busier, but the way the bodies had dropped, the police probably had no idea where to start.

  The car was silent. Maka drove, but kept looking at Shorty and then looking away. Finally, he cleared his throat.

  ‘How’s Gracey doing then?’

  Shorty was quiet for so long Maka thought he was ignoring him.

  ‘She’s had two operations. The survival rate in children isn’t high, and the bullets fucked her up. That’s all I know though. Her mum doesn’t want me anywhere near the situation.’

  ‘I’m sorry, Shorty. She doesn’t deserve that shit. We’ll take everyone out and try to leave Lennox to the end, so you can take your time. You clipped the shooter, didn’t you?’

  ‘Yeah.’ Shorty’s jaw tensed as he remembered ripping Lutel apart and slicing at his body.

  ‘I’m gonna ring Zero, make sure Lennox hasn’t left yet.’

  The gang pulled up in their cars around the corner from where Lennox was holed up. The Cottingley area was quiet, which was a surprise. It was normally far more thriving, even in winter. Zero had already left.

  ‘Right, we need to handle this quickly,’ said Shorty, when the four of them were assembled. ‘We’re kinda close to that police station, so use silenced weapons. The cocaine and drink is on me when we’re done here.’

  Everyone grinned and checked their weapons. They all wore bullet-proof vests underneath their jackets. Rudy and Grimer would sneak around the back. Shorty and Maka would approach from the front and take care of any resistance. Shorty had an Uzi. Rudy the same. Maka had a silenced 9mm pistol, and Grimer grimly clutched a shotgun that had belonged to Marcus Daniel
s.

  They split into their teams and moved. Shorty and Maka tread silently down the path, tense, looking for scouts. Timmy flashed into Shorty’s head for a moment, but he put the thought aside, signalling for Maka to move forward. They’d approached the garden when all of a sudden, gunfire erupted.

  Shorty dived for cover behind a nearby wall but Maka wasn’t quick enough. He took a hit and went down, men emerging from seemingly nowhere, firing shots at Shorty. He popped up, hitting two of them with the same burst of gunfire, causing the others to back off.

  ‘Maka! Get over here,’ Shorty screamed, letting off cover-fire Maka stumbled towards him, clutching his chest and wheezing.

  ‘Did it go through?’ Shorty yelled, firing at the attackers. ‘The bullet! Did it go through?’

  ‘Nah,’ gasped Maka.

  ‘Good. Start fucking shooting then. We need to get back to that car.’

  Maka took aim, sending a target spinning backwards with a well-placed chest shot.

  ‘Now!’ Shorty yelled, sprinting down the path towards the car. He expected to see more assassins, but the pathway was clear. He reached the car ahead of Maka, climbing into the driver’s seat and starting the engine.

  ‘Drive!’ Maka shouted.

  ‘Not without the others,’ Shorty shouted back.

  ‘They’re dead, man! You heard them shots.’

  Shorty didn’t reply, but knew Maka was likely right. The gunfire had started at the back of the house. They hadn’t done a walk-around. He didn’t know what kind of cover was in the back garden, but if he hadn’t been able to get behind the wall, he would have been a goner. They both would have.

  Shorty’s hands hovered near the steering wheel as Maka warily aimed his pistol out of the wound-down window. They had killed everyone attacking from the front. Acrid gun smoke was everywhere. Shorty’s foot teased the gas pedal, and then he heard a shout and saw someone stagger around the corner, holding his stomach, followed by four more assassins. Shorty started spraying, cutting them down when he realised they weren’t any of his people.

  With another lurch, Shorty realised Grimer and Rudy weren’t coming out, and sped away.

  The mood of the safe house was only comparable to the night of Marcus’s murder. Shorty swigged brandy from the bottle, perched in the corner. Lamont had summoned a friendly doctor to dispense painkillers and stitch up Maka. Luckily, the bullet that had breached Maka’s vest only grazed his stomach. He’d lost some blood, but would be okay.

  After the doctor had patched up Maka and collected his payment from Akeem, Lamont steepled his fingers.

  ‘I don’t know how Lennox laid a trap so quickly, but it’s possible he was never even at the spot, Shorty. Where did the Intel come from?’

  ‘Zero said he was there. He drove away afterward as arranged.’

  ‘Have you tried ringing him?’

  Shorty frowned. ‘His phone was switched off.’ Zero was an old acquaintance from back in the day.

  ‘He was in on it. He sold you out,’ said Lamont.

  You don’t know that, snapped Shorty, noting everyone else in the room giving him the same pitying look.

  ‘Lennox wanted us to hit that spot, and he wanted us to hit it hard. He knew you would get to Lutel. He probably leaked that information. He’s been a step ahead this whole time.’ Lamont was about to add more when his phone rang. The number was blocked, but he knew who it was.

  ‘Put me on speaker,’ Lennox ordered. Lamont forced the swearwords back and pressed the speaker button without a word.

  ‘I knew you lot would come, so I left some gifts. You’re lucky my people only got two of you. You may have protected Shorty’s family, but you know what, L? You didn’t protect your main prize.’

  Lamont’s brow furrowed. He and Shorty shared a look, both saying, ‘No!’ at the same time.

  ‘Lennox, don’t do it. I mean it,’ Lamont’s voice shook.

  ‘All the best, L,’ replied Lennox, hanging up. Lamont and Shorty hurtled towards the front door.

  ‘Wait!’ Akeem yelled, leaping to his feet as Maka sat there, stunned.

  Jenny turned up the Definitely Maybe album, debating running a bath to prepare. Her phone buzzed, but Jenny ignored it. It was probably Kate, but it was all about Jenny tonight, and Kate would understand that. She headed to the kitchen, not noticing the phone stop vibrating, and then start again straight away.

  ‘Have you got hold of her yet?’ Shorty yelled. They were in Akeem’s ride, the bodyguard zooming through traffic like a madman.

  ‘Does it sound like I have?’ Lamont shot back. They glared at each other, then Lamont again dialled Jenny, hoping they were being paranoid. Lennox was a Child of Chapeltown, just like them. He wouldn’t involve Jenny in their issues.

  ‘She’s probably working late. Tell Maka to send someone to Jen’s work.’

  Shorty clutched his own phone, glad to have something to do. Akeem warned them to brace themselves as he swerved around a corner. Lamont’s breathing intensified, fear threatening to overwhelm him. Lennox wouldn’t hurt her. It was probably a ruse.

  ‘Maka’s sent two guys to her work. They’ll stay with her if she’s there.’

  Lamont’s jaw clenched as he dialled Jenny’s mobile a third time. Just as he was giving up hope, he heard a click.

  ‘L?’

  ‘Jen?’ he gasped into the receiver. ‘Where are you?’

  ‘I’m home. I must have missed your other calls. Is everything okay?’

  ‘Jen, there’s no time. Get out. Now.’

  ‘Excuse me? What the hell do you mean?’

  ‘Look, people are coming. You need to leave.’

  ‘L, wh—’

  Lamont’s stomach lurched as he heard a loud crash, then a blood-curdling scream.

  ‘Jen? Jenny!’ he yelled, Shorty watching. ‘Jenny, answer me!’

  Jenny leapt back as three men burst into the living room. She screamed when one of them lunged at her, instinctively smashing the wineglass against his face. He went down with a hiss of pain as the others grabbed for her.

  ‘Jenny, answer me. We’re nearly there!’

  Jenny heard Lamont’s voice, but she couldn’t reply. One assailant held her wrists, but she was struggling too much. His partner tried to grab Jenny, but she kicked him in the face before flinging her head back. There was a crunching sound followed by a bellow of pain.

  Jenny didn’t hesitate. She sprang for the door but the man she’d hit with the glass gripped her leg, pulling her to the ground. Jenny struggled, but the man was too strong. He held her arms firmly, his full weight pressed against her, hot breath in her face causing her to gag.

  ‘Keep still and we won’t hurt you,’ he grunted. Jenny kept kicking her legs until she could break free. She hurtled for the kitchen door which was closer, the man on her tail followed by the others.

  There was a knife on the kitchen sink and she lunged for it as the man’s hand clamped down on hers. She slashed at him with the knife, hearing him scream as he hit the floor in a flash of red. The remaining assailants slowly moved into the room.

  ‘Get back,’ hissed Jenny, her hair bedraggled as she tightly held the knife. ‘Teflon will be here soon. He’ll kill you all.’ She was shocked at her words.

  ‘Put the knife down, love. Come with us and nothing else will happen. We swear.’

  Jenny didn’t believe the man for a second. He wore a balaclava like the rest of them. She advanced toward them, noting with relish that they were backing up, not wanting to be stabbed.

  ‘Get out of the way and—’ Jenny’s back arched and she staggered forward. The fist smashing into her kidney made her head spin, a wave of nausea crashing over her. The knife was still in her hand, but her weak thrust was parried. She was wrestling with the man she had stabbed. He was panting, but she couldn’t even tell where she had struck him.

  ‘Stop struggling,’ he roared, but she wouldn’t listen. Fear and adrenaline had taken over, and Jenny was beyond reason. The hand
clamped over hers as she tried to jerk the knife towards him. There was a twitch, another jerk, and then more pain.

  ‘Hurry!’

  Lamont recognised the roads. They were nearly there. As they hurtled to a stop outside of Jenny’s, he saw the front door wide open, along with the gate.

  Jenny’s car was still in the drive. Neighbours had converged, but had gone no closer. One of them was talking rapidly into his phone. Shorty was right there with Lamont, gun in hand. They charged towards the house.

  ‘Jen! Jenny!’ Lamont yelled, bursting into the house, and stopping short in the kitchen.

  ‘NO!’

  The heart-wrenching scream was uttered from both Shorty and Lamont when they saw the slender figure stretched out near the dining table, so still she could have been sleeping.

  Lamont hurried to Jenny’s side, turning her over. Shorty hung back, angrily blinking away tears.

  ‘C’mon, Jenny, get up. C’mon, quick, babe. We need to go. We need to go away and be free,’ Lamont babbled, paying no attention to the billowing wound near her heart. Her lifeless eyes were glassy. All around were signs of a struggle. There was blood near the kitchen door, but Lamont couldn’t tell if it belonged to Jenny, or someone else.

  ‘L, we need to go,’ Akeem urged. ‘Quickly before the police come.’

  ‘No. I’m staying. You two go.’

  ‘L—’

  ‘I said go.’ Lamont’s tone brokered no argument. Akeem nodded once and left. Shorty stared at Jenny, his eyes red. Shaking his head, he ran after Akeem.

  ‘Just the two of us,’ Lamont said shakily, holding Jenny’s cold hand. ‘You want to be free. If you wake up, I swear I’ll walk away. I’ll tell you everything. I promise. I’ll tell you why I had to stay. Just wake up and I’ll tell you. I promise.’

  Lamont’s body shook as he held Jenny’s frame to his. Tears splashed against Jenny and he closed his eyes, wanting only peace from the hell he felt, as he realised that Jenny was truly lost to him.