He opened the Living Room door. All eyes turned in his direction, in a nervous way. Everyone was still on edge. They were sitting in the diminished Giants’ circle, huddled around the heater for warmth, staying close to one another. Not long after Kojiro had left to go wandering, Walker had sat with the four remaining Giants for an uncomfortable breakfast in which barely anyone had spoken. Awkward looks had passed back and forth instead of the usual banter.
It wasn’t long before Walker couldn’t take it anymore. Having excused himself, he went into the playground, not to practice – he’d left his axe in the Living Room – but to be alone.
Now upon his return, he felt their eyes following him as he took his place in the circle. Whenever he looked at one of them in return, they looked the other way. Even Pearl’s friendliness towards him had gone.
Walker wasn’t surprised by their decision to give him the cold shoulder. He knew that the others had seen the Feral girl yesterday. They’d recognised her just like he had, although nobody said a word about it to him. They spoke through their eyes instead, those frosty looks reminding him that Sooper would still be alive if Walker had just murdered that girl on Brickfields Meadow.
He sat down in the corner of the room, on the outskirts of the Giants’ circle. Almost immediately he regretted coming back into the Living Room.
The heater hummed as it sprayed warmth into the room. Pearl and Nadia were sitting across from Walker. Pax was in his usual spot and Walker couldn’t help but notice the gaping hole at his side where Sooper should have been. It was as if Pax’s right arm had been chopped off. There was a cold, lifelessness in the man’s eyes. It looked like Pax was every bit as dead as his little buddy buried in the pond in Brickfields Meadow.
Achilles, who was sitting at his usual spot underneath the window, leaned over towards Walker.
“You want more breakfast?” he said. Achilles’ tone of voice was both friendly and unsettling. “There’s still some food lying around.”
Walker shook his head.
“I’m good thanks,” he said.
“That’s good,” Achilles said, his back leaning up against the wall. The warm air from the heater pushed at the man’s beard, causing a few loose strands to dance and quiver in the sunlight. “Well don’t fill up too much today, eh? We’ve got the Ghosts coming by later to drop some supplies off. There’s going to be a little meat for lunch. I assume you’re still up for that? You’re one of us now Walker.”
Walker nodded. “I suppose,” he said.
He had no desire to taste human flesh again but he’d do whatever it took to stay on their good side. Keep playing the game, he told himself. At least for now. What he wanted to do was to ask Achilles about setting up the meeting with Hatchet, but he knew that it wasn’t the right time.
Soon.
“Right,” Achilles said. “You fought with us yesterday. You killed for us – that makes you one of us for life. Doesn’t it?”
“Aye it does,” Walker said.
“Ouch,” Nadia said, shifting her damaged leg a little.
Walker glanced at her across the room.
Nadia was sitting on a thick pile of blankets, her hurt leg stretched out and wrapped in a piece of fine cloth – a makeshift bandage. Apart from limited mobility, her injuries didn’t seem to be causing her much pain. No doubt the Giants were delighted that their chef was still with them. To lose Nadia would have arguably been a more devastating blow than Sooper or the Ostrich, at least in terms of practical concerns.
As Walker’s eyes darted back to the centre of the Living Room, he caught sight of Pax and Achilles exchanging a brief, intense look. His blood ran cold. It was a moment of silent communication between the two men. Walker knew immediately that he wasn’t supposed to have witnessed that exchange. And to make things worse, both Achilles and Pax caught Walker looking at them. They froze like statues, both of them staring back at him in a moment of uncertainty.
Walker saw the hatred in their eyes. He could feel it – it was hotter than the warm air blowing out of the heater on the floor.
He turned around instinctively. His eyes searched for the reassuring sight of the axe that he’d propped up against the wall earlier that morning.
It was gone.
A sudden explosion of noise. It sounded like someone was tearing the roof off the school.
Walker leapt to his feet, just as Pax and Achilles were charging across the room towards him. There wasn’t enough time for Walker to respond before Achilles had the sharp end of his sword pressed up against his chest. Walker had already noticed that both men were wearing their swords that morning, but he’d put it down to their being cautious after the events of yesterday.
Now he understood.
Achilles pushed Walker across the room, forcing his back against the wall. Pax stood behind Achilles, also with sword in hand. That leering grin, which had been noticeably absent since Sooper’s death, was back.
“Don’t do anything stupid,” Achilles said. “Or I’ll run this sword through you, I swear to God.”
“Game’s up Walker,” Pax said. “And guess what? You lost.”
Walker glanced over at Nadia and Pearl, who were sitting on the other side of the room. They were watching events unfold with grim, but unsympathetic expressions. Pearl looked at Walker, his eyes begging for an intervention. But she just sat there, shaking her head. Her eyes were blank, letting him know beyond all doubt whose side she was on.
“What’s going on?” Walker said, looking at all four of the Giants. “Where’s my axe?”
“It’s my axe now,” Achilles said, pointing to the opposite end of the room. Walker followed the man’s finger and saw the long-handled axe lying on the floor, partially hidden underneath a set of spare blankets.
“What do you want?” Walker said.
Achilles laughed, blowing a gust of hot, rancid breath onto Walker’s face.
“There’s been some talk,” he said. “And we’ve come to the conclusion that you’re a bit of a curse Walker. I mean, ever since you showed up things have gone a bit tits up around here. You’ve got to admit it, right? You’re responsible for all of this misfortune. I mean didn’t Kojiro tell us the other day that ‘you’re warm today and it’s because of him’? You know what that tells me? It tells me that it was your idea to go get that heater and bring it here. Look what happened next. And of course there’s Sooper, well, we all saw who killed him, didn’t we? He was killed by a little girl who shouldn’t have been alive.”
“What about Kojiro?” Walker said, looking at Achilles. “Does he know about this?”
Achilles’ smug grin shrunk back into his face.
“He doesn’t know,” Walker said, daring to smile. “Does he? You’re doing this behind his back.”
Achilles shrugged. “Never mind that Walker,” he said. “You’ve got more important things to think about. I told you the Ghosts were coming to pay us a visit today. Didn’t I? Remember what happened last week? Do you recall that Gary said we had to make a little deposit? A little token of our appreciation for everything they do for us. That sort of thing. Well, now we have something to give them.”
Pax moved closer to Walker. The short sword in his hand was trembling as it pointed at Walker’s head.
“You brought those skull-fuckers into our territory,” he said. The spit flew out of Pax’s mouth, landing on Walker’s face. “You killed my little brother man and now you’re going to hurt.”
Pax brought the blade closer to Walker’s head. Walker’s body went stiff as he saw a spark of madness lighting up the man’s burning red face. The tip of the sword was now inches from Walker’s right eye socket. Seconds later, Walker couldn’t see anything but a dark blur on that side of his face.
“That’s how it is Walker,” Achilles said. “We don’t want you in the gang anymore. The Ghosts will deliver our supplies and we’ll deliver you to them. It’s tough luck I know, but we’ve got to give them something. And you’re it.”
�
��I didn’t see the Ghosts out there fighting for you yesterday,” Walker said. He chose his words carefully. He knew that Pax was desperate for an excuse to stab him in the eye.
“They might not turn you into meat,” Achilles said. “They might use you. You might become somebody’s slave or something like that. Maybe even a sex slave if you’re lucky.”
Achilles laughed at his own joke.
Pax stood beside Achilles, grinning manically. Walker noticed a few strands of rotten salad leaves clinging to his teeth.
“You know I hope the Ghosts do turn you into meat,” he said. “And I hope they bring you back to us because I’m going to eat you up – yum yum yum – and then I’m going to shit you back out in the middle of the street and that’s gonna be your grave Walker. You’re going to end up as a dried turd carcass lying on the street corner. That seems about fitting, right?”
Walker ignored him.
“What do you think Kojiro’s going to say when he comes back?” he said, looking at Achilles.
Achilles’ face turned bright red. In a split second, he struck Walker on the cheek with a hard backhanded slap. Walker’s head flew back violently. His legs wobbled underneath, but he managed to stay upright.
“Listen to me,” Achilles said, hissing with anger. “I’m the boss around here. I’m in charge of the Sleeping Giants. You got that?”
Walker’s head was rattled; perhaps that’s why he continued to goad Achilles, to abandon all concerns about Pax taking out his eye.
“Nigel,” he said, smiling. “Your name is Nigel.”
Achilles took a step closer to Walker. His eyes were red hot with hatred.
“Pax,” he said. “Go find some of that heavy tape will you? We’re going to tie this man up and we might even gag him. Let him sit there and think about all the things that the Ghosts are going to do to him. All the terrible things.”
Achilles threw back his head, roaring with laughter.
“Oh Walker, you silly boy, “ he said. “I’m going to enjoy seeing the look on your face when they take you away.”
Chapter 22
The Sleeping Giants took Walker to another classroom.
They bundled him into a corner of the room, furthest away from the door. Pax tied his arms behind his back with heavy duct tape. Walker’s feet were taped together too but despite what Achilles had said in the Living Room, they didn’t gag him. Perhaps they felt it was unnecessary after all. Perhaps they just forgot. Either way, Walker wasn’t about to remind them.
As he sat on the floor, Walker looked out of a large window to his left. The sky was filling up with wispy clouds, scattered under a bluish-grey backdrop. He guessed that it was late morning by now. Early afternoon at the latest.
How long did he have before the Ghosts arrived?
The four Giants stood in discussion on the other side of the classroom. Walker listened in as they made the decision to take hourly shifts watching over him until the Ghosts turned up.
Achilles took the first shift, much to Walker’s disappointment.
Throughout this watch, the Giants’ leader sat behind an old teacher’s desk at the front of the room, rarely taking his eyes off Walker. Walker didn’t respond to this constant barrage of dirty looks. He didn’t want to give Achilles any reason to gag him and incapacitate him further, so he willingly submitted and broke off eye contact as soon as it occurred.
His sagging spirits revived when he saw Pearl walk into the classroom about an hour later. She had to be taking the second shift. Walker saw the weariness in her step as she entered the classroom. He saw the reluctance on her face as she relieved Achilles of duty.
It was all the encouragement Walker needed.
Despite the fact that Pearl had gone along with the Giants turning on Walker, he believed he could still talk to her. Was there a chance he could still get out of this mess? Pearl had a good heart – he knew it. The question was, could he reach it?
Walker sat up straight, his back leaning against the wall.
He watched as Pearl swapped places with Achilles at the teacher’s desk. Achilles then walked out of the classroom, glaring at Walker one last time before he shut the door behind him.
Now there was silence. Walker’s mind went to work, trying to think of the right words to begin with. He was well aware that this next conversation could become the most important of his life.
“Pearl?” he said, calling over to her.
She didn’t look up at first. Her eyes were glued to the surface of the teacher’s desk and they stayed there for a few moments. Walker felt a hint of panic seeping into his mind. What if she wouldn’t speak to him? What if she’d been ordered by Achilles not to interact with him? Walker couldn’t force her to talk. He couldn’t move closer to her either and if he pushed too hard, he ran the risk of being gagged.
But what choice did he have?
“Pearl?”
This time she looked up. She was shaking her head and Walker thought he saw a flicker of regret in her eyes.
“I’m sorry honey,” she said. “I don’t really know what to say to you. I know this sounds ridiculous but it’s nothing personal, at least not on my part. You gotta understand – these people are my family and they’re all I have in the world. You’re a good guy Walker and you were a good fuck, especially for a first-timer but there’s always somebody else to fuck, right? I only got the one family and I don’t want to lose them.”
“All this because of a heater,” Walker said.
“Yeah,” Pearl said. “Things went bad. I don’t know whose idea it was to break into the Ministry of Sound and steal that heater but Achilles isn’t going to blame Kojiro. You know? Sooper’s dead and he was like a little brother to Pax. The Ostrich is gone, God bless him, that guy was doomed from the moment this city went to hell. But somebody has to pay Walker, or else how do we make sense of it?”
“Nobody complained when we brought the heater back,” Walker said. “I didn’t hear you complaining.”
Pearl shrugged. “I guess.”
“Achilles,” Walker said, laughing softly. “That’s your leader? You trust him? That guy couldn’t lead a hungry kid to a sweet shop.”
“Say what you will man,” Pearl said. “But Achilles is our leader and…”
“And what?” Walker said. “You think it’s okay to do this? You think it’s okay to send me to the Ghosts because you’re all one big happy family and I’m the outsider? Does that make everything alright? What do you think Kojiro’s going to say when he comes back?”
“He’ll understand,” Pearl said.
“You don’t know him as well as you think you do,” Walker said.
“I’ve known him a lot longer than you,” she said. “You guys get on well, I see that. But he goes way back with Achilles.”
“Aye,” Walker said. “That’s true, they go way back. But unlike Achilles, Kojiro isn’t stupid. He knows that the Sleeping Giants need good people on-board if they’re ever going to be worth shit in the Hole. You lost two men yesterday and now you’re getting rid of another one? And behind his back? When he’s the one who’s working so hard to build this gang up into something. You’re going to let Achilles destroy his work?”
Pearl didn’t say anything. She shook her head and lowered her eyes to the desk.
Walker couldn’t believe she’d go along with the others so easily. He understood that’s what people did in order to feel safe – they followed the pack and didn’t ask questions. But Pearl? Sure, she’d lost her fiancée in 2011 and she didn’t want to lose her ‘family’ now. Did that justify sending him to the Ghosts?
The clock was ticking.
“You know what this is really about?” he called over to her. “You know why Achilles hates me so much? Have you ever seen him with a woman Pearl? You know what I think? I think he’s in love with Kojiro and he’s jealous that Kojiro has been spending so much time with me. That’s what it all boils down to, right? Jealousy. Kojiro’s out there every day, working his arse of
f for this gang to find new recruits. But all your so-called leader sees is someone trying to steal his friend. Or boyfriend. Whatever. Great leadership material.”
Walker slumped back into the corner of the room. His body felt like it was filling up with lead – his wrists were numb and his legs sore and heavy.
Pearl looked over at Walker.
“If you’re trying to get me to release you,” she said. “Or talk to the others on your behalf, it’s not going to happen. I’m sorry Walker, this is happening.”
Walker didn’t take his eyes off her.
“What will you say to Kojiro?” he asked. “Achilles is going to make something up, isn’t he?”
“We’ll tell him that the Ferals came back,” she said. “We’ll tell him they jumped you in the playground when you were out practising. Dragged you away, and that’s it.”
“He’ll never believe it,” Walker said.
Pearl turned towards the window and spoke quietly.
“Oh yes he will.”
Walker felt a sense of helplessness washing over him. He felt like a man drowning. For a split second, he was ready to surrender to his fate because he knew there’d be no breaking Pearl. Their friendship or whatever it had been was over. There was some sort of unbreakable loyalty in her towards the Sleeping Giants. They were her family and Walker was just some guy she’d fucked and drank mushroom tea with.
But he wasn’t ready to give up, not yet.
He’d have to think of something else. Fast.
Chapter 23
‘POSTCARDS FROM LONDON’
December 22nd 2020
Jo-Jo Madigan wipes a tear from her ivory-coloured cheek.
As she stands in front of the camera, she listens to someone upstairs speaking in her earpiece. Then she takes a deep breath and addresses the viewers:
JO-JO MADIGAN: Hello everyone. What can I say to you? We all know what’s happened by now. Look, we have to show you a clip of something that we don’t want to show you. But it’s out of our hands, it’s out of our control – you don’t have to watch but we have to broadcast this. We’re doing it for the sake of our good friend Clarkie, who we’re all praying for. God bless you Clarkie, come home soon.
The Future of London Box Set Page 67