Chapter 22
As Diesel entered the bar, he saw Toni sitting on one of the barstools. The long split up the side of her dress had slipped open, revealing her long legs and perfectly sized thighs. Her skin tone was bone white, but she looked amazing to Diesel.
When she smiled, her cheeks raised, showing off her high cheekbones. But, like the rest of her, her face also had that ashen glow. He hadn’t seen her eyes, causing him to think that they were probably like Venom’s.
“Are you going to stand there staring at my legs all day, or are you going to come over here and take this weapon off me?”
He looked around to see if Venom was close by, which he wasn’t. He’d stayed in the cellar with the dead. Creepy, Diesel though. “I wasn’t staring,” he said, his tone suddenly developing an edge. “How’s the boy?”
She smiled. “He’s stopped bleeding. If he gets through today, then he’s got a chance.”
“Good,” he said. “That’s a sexy looking piece of equipment,” he continued.
“It’s a Barrett,” she stated.
“98B .338 Lapua, with a twenty-inch barrel?” Diesel asked.
“The man knows his guns,” she said.
“How many mags?”
“Two.”
“Tripod?” he asked.
“In the kaki satchel,” she said.
“Spare rounds?”
“Also in the holdall.”
He nodded. “Good. There’s a nice little spot up on that roof I can use. I saw it as I came in.”
“Here,” she said, handing him the gun.
He took it, and placed it over his shoulder by using the strap. “Can I get some practice shots in first?”
“I’m not sure there’ll be enough time for that!”
She stood up, pushing the stool behind her backwards with one foot, before turning to face him. She picked up her chilled bottle of ale that was on the counter. “Drink?” she asked. “There may be time for that!”
“I don’t drink and shoot!” he said.
She shrugged. “Please yourself.”
Going over to the army holdall she pulled on the drawstrings and opened the flaps. Inside was box upon box of ammunition. They weren’t all for the rifle.
“Who are we going to war with?!” he asked.
Toni ignored his question. She pushed past him and grabbed another holdall. Upon opening this one, she pulled out a submachine-gun.
“Fuck!” he uttered.
“Something wrong?” she asked.
“That’s a Blackhawk MP5. Where did you get this hardware?”
“Here and there,” she said, her smile returning.
“The Boas haven’t been able to get their hands on such powerful stuff. Mostly handguns. Brownings, etc,” he told her.
“Take it,” she told him. “You’ll probably need it. We’re unsure of the numbers we’re up against. “Do you have anything else you can arm yourself with?”
“I saw a snub-nosed .38 kicking around the place. I have a knife, too.”
“Not bad.”
“Look, I’m all for a bit of violence. Whether it’s retaliation, defence or whatever. I just like knowing the cause,” he said.
She ignored him. Going to another bag, she checked on supplies.
“I’m talking to you,” he said.
She was much, much smaller than him. Her frame slight. Her height a little over five-foot. A midget compared to me, Diesel thought, as he laid a hand on her shoulder. “I said, I’m talking…”
He was shoved against the bar again, only she didn’t have him by the throat, but instead his hand. She’d turned on him swiftly, gripping and twisting his arm around as far as it would go without breaking. It had crunched, however.
With his elbow in the air, Diesel pranced on his tiptoes and begged to be released. Torrid pain ripped through his arm, neck and seared his brain. He thought his elbow was going to shatter.
“Arrgggh, fuck…Let me go…”
She twisted harder. “Touch me again and I’ll rip it off and beat you into oblivion with it. I’m not some timid little bit of pussy you can pet or tame,” she said, giving his arm one more twist.
“You’re going to fucking break…. Arrgghhh!” he cried.
Toni let his arm go then shoved him. He thought he felt a rib snap as he collapsed to the floor holding his abused arm.
“Bitch,” he whined.
She laughed. “That was child’s play, my dear. Pray you never see my pissed off side.”
“Yeah,” he said dryly.
“Now pack this shit up and follow me,” she said.
Slinging the holdall with the ammo in it over his shoulder, along with the rifle, Diesel decided to carry the other one. When he had everything, and she was satisfied, she told him to trail. He watched her arse swish beneath her dress as they walked from the bar to the back of the pub.
Going through a door Diesel had not seen before, they came across a stairway which led to the second floor.
“How do you know we’ll find a way onto the roof this way?”
“I looked around while you and Venom were down in the cellar. I was busy locking doors and windows, remember?”
He’d forgotten. And now that she had brought it to his attention, the place was starting to remind him of a tomb. The rain had stopped. The sun had come out. Brightness lit the early morning skies but it was blocked out by the heavy curtains covering the glass.
“Why are we hiding like this?” he wanted to know, as they reached the second floor to the pub. There were five rooms in total. On further inspection, three turned out to be bedrooms, one completely empty, with the last being a games room. A dusty, dirty pool table graced the middle of the space with a jukebox stuck in one corner. A dartboard clung to a nearby wall. On one of the tables nearby, which was caked in dust and cobwebs, sat a deck of cards. Next to them, also covered in grime, was a domino set.
“Why do you want to know? I thought people like you didn’t have morals. Why would you care what’s going on?”
“Because I’m probably going to end up dead and I’d like to know why, if that’s not too much to ask, for Christ’s sake!”
“You could have run,” she said sarcastically.
“I’d never turn my back on a brother.”
“Venom’s no brother of yours,” she said.
“He or you may see it like that, but as long as he has that patch, I have a moral dedication to him.”
“Sweet,” she said mockingly.
“You wouldn’t understand,” he said.
“No, I wouldn’t, so let’s keep moving.”
Crossing the landing they found a second set of stairs. They began climbing to the next floor. When they got to the top, they found more rooms. Ten of them. They were all fully decorated with made beds. One room, which was situated at the end of the corridor, was the bathroom. This would have been shared between the guests, no doubt, Diesel thought.
He went back to watching her arse. He found its movements hypnotizing, as she climbed yet another set of stairs.
“How big is this place?” he asked.
“Not sure, but from what Venom said, there’s another wing to the building. Some hidden passageways and rooms, too.”
“Serious?” Diesel shook his head.
When the got to the top of the third floor, they found it to be the last. No rooms resided up here, just a hatch in the ceiling, which led to the rooftop.
“There,” she said, pointing at the small opening. “Open it,” she demanded.
Diesel stood directly under the door and pushed. The lid sprang up and popped open. Letting the wooden hatch drop down slowly in his hands, he could see a ladder beyond the entrance. Grabbing the steps by its aluminium legs, he pulled them forward, until the whole thing unfolded. After clicking it into place and dropping all the bags at her feet, he started to ascend.
Once he’d disappeared through the hole, Toni could hear his footfalls above her. His heavy-footedness loosened dust and webbing which ra
ined down onto her face as she looked up, covering her glasses and distorting her vision. Removing them, she gave them a quick rub down before replacing them.
“Do you have a light of some kind?” he asked, his voice muffled. “Torch, candle…?”
“Yeah,” she called up, opening one of the bags. “I’ve got a torch. Here,” she said, climbing a few rungs.
His head appeared at the opening. “Great. It’s as black as the inside of a mine up here. I’m unsure there’s a way to the roof, mind you.”
“Just keep looking. From the outside, a skylight can be seen.”
“Well, if I come across it, I’ll let you know.”
His voice started to sound further and further away along with his footsteps. She looked about her. It was a weird top floor. There was nothing up here, just a short landing, which led to the hatch. What was this area used for? She wondered.
“Is there anything else up there?” she asked. No answer. Not even a sound of his movements. It was possible he was out of earshot. “Diesel?!” she called with a stronger voice. “Diesel, you better not be messing around up there!”
His face suddenly reappeared at the hatch. It was ghost white. “My God. It’s awful! I had to get some air…” he panted.
“What are you up to?!”
“This…it…I think this was where they stored…leftovers…” he gagged. “There’s boxes of preserved…The smell…” he gagged some more.
“Pull yourself together. Call yourself a man?”
“Why don’t you came and see for yourself, sweet-cheeks!”
“Don’t call me that,” she scowled. “Fucking pussy,” she muttered. “Have you found that skylight, or are you too busy pissing your trousers?” she wanted to know. “We haven’t got all day!”
Now it was his turn to scowl. “I think it’s in the left-hand corner of the room. I’ve been moving fuck loads of boxes, containers and jars out of the way. The place is crammed full of stuff.”
“Well pull your finger out of your nappy-covered arse! We haven’t got all day. We need to get you set-up as soon as possible, before we lose the light.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he smiled.
“Fucking idiot,” she hissed, then heard his movements continue.
While waiting for Diesel to clear a path, Toni decided to start hauling the bags up to the attic one at a time. As she placed the first one, she was amazed at the room. It was completely blacked out, but she could see no matter what – she had eyes better than a shithouse rat. Penetrating blackness was easy.
She could see Diesel in the far corner moving stuff out of the way. She could even see the entrance to the roof above him – it would be an easy reach, once the area was cleared. A pull cord dangled from the door leading to the outside.
“Don’t mind me,” she said. “I’m just getting the gear up here. This room will be perfect for Venom and me.”
“What?! Why? It’s a rat-hole. Too dark for anything. Unless Venom and I can rig some form of lighting up...”
“It’s perfect,” she cut in.
“What is?” Diesel asked.
“The darkness,” she said.
“Weirdo’s,” he muttered. “Bloody freaks,” he mused aloud. Pain tore up his back as she repeatedly pummelled his kidneys, sending him to his knees.
“Have some respect, you piece of shit. You know nothing about Venom and me, so keep your filthy comments to yourself or I’ll rip your nuts off and shove them down your throat!”
“Ooh,” he gasped, clutching his back.
“Want me to do it again? See if I can make you piss blood?” she threatened.
“No! Fuck.” Slowly getting up, he continued his labour. “I’m trying to help you! I could walk away, nothing’s keeping me here.”
“Huh,” she giggled. “You keep thinking that,” she said. “You wouldn’t get very far.”
He ignored her, knowing he could break her in half if he wanted to; take one of those guns and riddle her full of bullets. Diesel didn’t care if Venom was a Boa. He’d shoot him, too. Many of his brothers had been killed by another brother. It was the game they were in.
After ten minutes of not talking, Diesel finally broke the silence. “I’m finished. Look,” he said, dropping the hatch to the skylight. Sun blazed down through the entrance. “It would seem the rain has stopped. Thank fuck, considering I’m going out there.”
When she didn’t answer, he shone the torch over at her. She looked…scared…Diesel thought. Was she shaking? No, couldn’t be. Must be the beam. “Are you all right?” he asked.
“The sun…” she quivered. “I can’t…be in it. I…”
He laughed. “What?! Are you on crack or something? It’s gorgeous!”
She could feel the heat filling the room. It brought back wonderful memories: picking flowers in the fields behind her parents’ house with her sister. Of days spent at the beach – the smell of sand, sea and seaside food filling her mind and nostrils as she stood and inhaled the damp in the attic. She remembered a lot of time being spent at the park close to their home. Of the pool they had there. Then the awful memories of that sunny day came back to her. The day in which her days in the sun would be forever numbered. The day…
“Hey?” he asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.
“Yeah, I just have a reaction when I’m in it. I can’t be in the heat,” she said, looking straight through him. Grab what you need, then go up and pick out a good spot. You need to be able to see what’s coming for miles. Both directions.”
“Okay, but I wish you’d tell me what’s going on?”
“If it’s a quiet night tonight, then I’m sure Venom will fill you in on what’s happening. But for now, just stand guard, please. Okay?”
It was the first time she’d been soft with him. He liked her better this way. “No problem,” he said, grabbing the bags and making his way to the ladder. Before going up, he spotted a large blanket on top of one of the boxes. “Think I’ll have that,” he said, yanking it free.
She smiled at him. “Thanks. All your questions will be answered. Just, for now, we need you to keep watch. Venom will be up to relieve you later on this afternoon. Probably when it starts to go dark,” she said.
“No problem.”
“I’ll bring food for you. I’ll leave it at the bottom of the hatch so you can pop down and grab it.”
He nodded, and then started to climb.
When he was out of sight, she found more blankets and sheets lying about the place. She spread them out over the floor, and then lay down. The heat was making her giddy. She needed rest. They’d been on the road for seventy-two hours, which was starting to take its toll. This would be the first decent place they had stopped at in a long time; since leaving her home, in fact.
She closed her eyes and drifted off to the sound of Diesel’s boots clomping on the slate roof above.
He couldn’t remember seeing a view like it. It was amazing. Diesel could see up and down the old motorway for miles. Nothing couldn’t be seen. Nothing could hide. All around him cows had finally come out to graze. Daring to take a look over the side of the roof, Diesel could see his and his crew’s motorbikes. They looked like little black ants.
He felt sorrow. He missed Slicks and the rest of them. Cut to fucking bits by the nutters who ran this place. And now he was helping one of their family members, just because Venom was a brother. It was fucking crazy.
Finding his feet on the roof, Diesel grabbed his gear and walked gingerly over to the furthest chimneystack. The roof there was unusual. It had a flat surface, not sloping like the rest of it, as though it had been designed for a lookout post…
Getting onto the flat, Diesel dumped the bags. “Nice,” he said, putting a hand to the stack and leaning on it. He drank in his surroundings. “Think I’ll set the Barrett up on the bricks,” he muttered, giving the chimneystack a clap with his hand.
Rooting through the closest bag he pulled out the tripod for the rifle and placed it on the bric
ks. He then took the gun off his back and attached the legs to the pod. He put the butt of the gun snug against his shoulder and looked through the scope. “Perfect,” he uttered.
Leaving that gun where it was, Diesel unloaded all the boxes of ammunition for the rifle and placed them on the flat of the roof. Satisfied, he turned his attention to the MP5 that was tucked away in the second bag. Snapping the cocking mechanism back, a shell was loaded into the chamber.
“Great,” he said, putting the gun close to hand. He then dug out the rest of the ammo for the submachine-gun. “That should do it,” he said, laying his blanket out. Sitting down, Diesel made sure he could still see all around him. He could. Right, that’s great, he thought. But what would be better… “Yes!” he exclaimed, unearthing a pair of binoculars in one of the bags. He looked through them. They were in perfect working order. After adjusting them slightly, he scanned the whole area. Nothing. He did this every ten minutes, and would continue to do so until relieved.
He was determined to find out just what he was involved in. For now, he was happy to just sit and wait; to watch over his new companions. It was nice having another Boa around, even if he was a little strange and hard to get along with. He was still a brother, and that meant everything to Diesel.
He took up the binoculars and searched the area again. Nothing. He felt it was going to be a long day. A very, very long day.
Chapter 23
Johnson brought his four-by-four to a complete stop, while sticking his arm out of the driver’s side window. With a clenched fist, it brought the convoy of jeeps, cars and motorbikes behind him to a halt.
They were his hired team.
Some he’d worked with for years, others months, a few only weeks.
They were a mixed bunch: bikers, thugs, contract killers, hunters, etc…You name it, Johnson’s crew was made up of it. They’d been on the road seven months, three weeks and four days. Five, counting today. They were looking for one man. A biker. Venom was the name he was known by.
Johnson and his men had searched every outhouse, B-road, dense countryside, derelict town and building. They’d acted on every lead and sighting from scouts, up, down and the whole breadth of the country. Nothing. The man was a phantom of the road.
The Rack & Cue Page 19