The Rack & Cue

by Hughes, David Owain

  “What is this horseshit?!” Dawn wanted to know.

  “I’m telling you the truth!”

  “Settle down,” Johnson said. “We believe you.” Which he did. This girl was sweating bullets – she knew her and Peter were in deep shit. Lying was not going to save her. “Continue,” he said. “Please.”

  “As I said, he’d go there. They’d protect him.”

  “Why would they do that?” Johnson asked.

  “Because they know what Venom is!”

  “Plausible,” he said. “Is that all?” Johnson asked.

  “No, there’s more.”

  Johnson nodded.

  “Venom has a nephew. A nephew who’s more wolf than man,” she said.

  Dawn and Max burst out laughing. “This ain’t An American Werewolf in London, love!” Max teased.

  Jesse didn’t bite. “Then don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she said. Her face cold. Expressionless.

  Johnson blew smoke free of his mouth.

  “That part of my family’s dangerous.”

  Johnson leaned forward. “In what way, my dear?” he asked.

  She told them about what she’d heard other family members say. What her sister Gail had told her. That the family were killing people out there – selling their organs and God knows what.

  “But why?” Johnson asked.

  “So they could keep the pub open,” she said.

  They others didn’t know what to say.

  “And, I believe, if you lot go there, you will all die trying to kill Venom.”

  “How much of what you said about Porky and the others is true?” Johnson asked.

  “All of it, as far as I know. My sister would not lie to me like that. Not about something as strange as that. She’d have had nothing to gain from it.”

  “No, you’re probably right, my dear. Is there anything else me and my associates should know before we venture out there?”

  Jesse started crying, “No, there’s nothing. Please, untie us and get Peter some help. He’s dying!”

  “I promised you I would help you both,” Johnson said, nodding at Dawn, who again un-holstered her Walther. She put two bullets in Peter’s head, before turning on Jesse. The girl had enough time to draw a breath before two bullets ripped through her skull.

  “Burn the place,” Johnson said, walking out the door.

  “Aw, shame we had to kill her,” Dawn said, as she too left the living room so Max could dispense fuel. “She had nice tits!” she concluded with a cackle.

  Johnson joined in.

  By the time Johnson and Dawn were back in the four-by-four, everyone else around them was alert and ready to go. As Max emerged from the semi-detached house, which was situated in a semi-rural area, balls of fire could be seen through the open doorway.

  The curtains were quick to catch, as a blaze kicked up in the living room. The windows started to crack and blacken as the fire licked the roof. As the convoy started pulling away, the front door caught alight. Thick black smog polluted the night air.

  Sirens could be heard in the distance as neighbours’ had clearly alerted the authorities.

  “Best we step on it!” Johnson said. “I may have some clout over the powers-that-be, but this would be a little hard to explain.

  Before the ambulance, police and fire services arrived on scene, Johnson and his band of merry men had gone. Vanished into the night.

  “Let’s see if we can catch last orders, is it?” he asked Max, Dawn and Geraint, who all laughed.

  Chapter 27

  After leaving Gail’s house, Johnson had told Max to keep driving north. Soon they’d come across signposts for the A5 road – the new A5 road. The old section had been replaced some twelve years ago to make better through roads to the north. It was said to cut hours off your travel. That remained to be seen.

  After coming across the turnoff to join the A5 to Manchester and beyond, Max had ignored the junction on Johnson’s instructions to keep going; that the turnoff they needed was a little further down the B-road they were on.

  They could have got to the section of road they were seeking on the new part, but Johnson didn’t want his convoy out in the open even though it was night time. By the time they got to the section they wanted, light was starting to break in the sky.

  “Looks like it’s going to be another glorious day,” Geraint said, who hadn’t said much the whole trip.

  Dawn, who sat next to him, was slumped over. Sleeping.

  Johnson turned in his seat. “A good day to die?”

  “As good a day as any, I would have thought.”

  “Agreed,” Johnson said.

  “Who says we’re going to bite it?” Max jumped in. “You don’t really believe all that shit we’ve been fed by Hun, Gail and all the others, do you?”

  “Maybe. Maybe not.”

  “I think you’ve been reading too many ghost stories,” Max said, smiling.

  “Nothing but mortal men and women walk this world,” Geraint said.

  That remark from Geraint iced Johnson’s bones. He shivered.

  “Of course,” Max said. “He ain’t nothing but a damn petrol-head, Geraint. That’s all Venom is.”

  “Yeah. We aren’t chasing any fucking monsters, ghouls or ghosts. Just a man. A motherfucking man made of flesh, blood and bone,” Geraint said.

  “Did her story spook you?” Max asked Johnson.

  “Not at all, my boy. Nothing scares me, not after what we’ve seen and been through. War is hell.”

  “Amen,” Geraint concurred. “I’m looking forward to a cold beer after this shit’s done and dusted. It’s been a long outing this one, boys.”

  Johnson lit a cigar. Snapping the Zippo shut, it punctuated the silence which arose after Geraint fell silent. Dragging on his cigar, he let out a massive cloud of smoke. “Well then, let’s hope we’re not shit-out-of-luck for last orders over at The Rack and Cue,” he said. The other two laughed.

  Max and Geraint both lowered their windows, as Johnson’s cigar smoke became overbearing inside the jeep. Johnson also lowered his, but not because of the smoke – the smell he loved. He just found it stifling. “Whether he’s immortal or mortal, which I do believe is the latter, he’s going down,” Johnson said.

  “You got that right, boss,” Geraint said. “One more greasy fucking biker scrubbed from the face of the earth.”

  “Remember that fucking badass from Swansea?” Max said.

  “Ha-ha, you mean that dipshit who thought he was possessed by the Mexican deity Santa Muerte?!” Johnson said.

  “Who?!” Geraint asked.

  “This would have been before your time, Geraint,” Max said.

  “Yes,” Johnson agreed. “It was mine and Max’s very first job. He thought he was such a ‘badass’ as Max put it. What was his name?”

  “Ha-ha, wasn’t it Lucas Owens. Changed his name to Santa Muerte, when he finally realised he was possessed by the ancient god of Mexico!” Max said, wiping the tears from his eyes.

  “Yes, some nasty people wanted Lucas or Santa for short, dead. Rival gang members were spooked by his antics and felt he was dangerous – God knows he was off his hinges!” Johnson said.

  “When we finally had him pinned down, after killing all his men and generals, he started speaking in a different tongue. Ripped open his shirt and said ‘No amount of bullets can kill me!’” Max said.

  “What happened?” Geraint wanted to know.

  “He opened up on us with a shotgun.” Johnson said.

  “Yep, so I sprayed him all over the walls,” Max said, smiling. “So much for him being invincible!” Max said. “We’d heard a shit load of stories about him; some freaky stuff.”

  “He’d been seen slaughtering sheep and goats in the name of his god. Drank blood, too. Madness. Of course, there have been others. Plenty of them”, Johnson said. “Batshit crazy, every single one of them.”

  “And this Venom is another. He’s probably nothing more than an old man, livin
g off a reputation he’s built up,” Geraint said.

  “That’s what I think,” Max said.

  “Well, I’m sure we’re going to find out,” Johnson said.

  “Yeah, and pretty soon by the looks of things,” Geraint said.

  “Huh?” Max said.

  “Look, the turnoff for the old road,” Geraint said, pointing at an old road sign covered by foliage.

  Just below the surface of green and grime, the signpost could just about be made out – A5, next turn.

  “Excellent,” Johnson said, “We’ll get on to it, then pick out a spot to stop for the night.

  “Stop?!” Max said. “What for? We could take the place by surprise, if we attacked tonight.”

  Johnson shook his head. “No, my boy. If what Jesse said about Venom is true, then attacking by sunlight would be best.”

  “Are you shitting me?!” Geraint said. “With all due respect, boss, didn’t you say you didn’t believe her mumbo-jumbo?”

  “I did, lad. But there’s no harm in taking precautions. You don’t get as far as I have in this game without vigilance,” Johnson said, flicking the butt of his cigar out his open window.

  “Anything you say, sir,” Max said.

  Turning off the partly-lit B-road, Max had to switch his headlights to full-beam, and then slow his pace. Potholes jiggled the four passengers as they crept along the road at a snail’s pace. Foliage and branches from overhanging trees scrapped and clawed the jeep’s bodywork.

  “Jesus H. Christ! We won’t get anywhere at this pace,” Max said.

  “Relax, my friend. Our prey isn’t going anywhere,” Johnson said, putting his hand to the driver’s shoulder.

  “I hope you’re right,” Geraint said. “I’m busting for some action!”

  “That’s what I like to hear. I want my hounds thirsty for blood,” Johnson quipped.

  “We are,” Max said.

  “There,” Johnson said, pointing. “Make a stop over there,” he continued.

  Max nodded and brought the jeep to a slow stop.

  Having left the foliage and low branches behind, the jeep was stopped in clear space. Nothing moved on the old road.

  “Leave her. We’ll get some shut eye for now, and then we’ll move further down the road at daybreak. I checked Satellite Maps. The place we’re looking for is less than two miles away.”

  “Shall I go and tell the others the plan?” Max asked.

  “Yes, but tell them to stay inside their vehicles. I don’t want anyone wandering off.”

  “Got it,” Max said, unfastening his belt, before heading out of his door.

  “Get some shut eye, Geraint. You’re going to need all your energy for tomorrow’s engagement.”

  Chapter 28

  He couldn’t sleep. To say he was restless would have been an understatement. All he wanted to do was run away. But he’d never run away from anything before, no matter how hairy it got. What are they doing up there with that…that…thing!

  That’s all Richard could be described as.

  ‘A thing’, he thought.

  After the discovery on the top floor, Venom had told Diesel to go and get some sleep – that he’d need him back on the roof early in the morning. He’d had no problem leaving. Sleeping was the hard part. He felt vulnerable. Alone. The things upstairs could kill him at any given moment. Snuff him out.

  Lying on his back on a bench in the bar, Diesel turned his mind over and over again. What should I do? If I stay, I’m going to die for certain either at the hands of Venom, or the people coming for them.

  If I were to leave, then the same fate would befall me.

  He was caught between a rock and a hard place.

  An early death was eminent in his career – but he wasn’t expecting it to be this early. If he decided to stay, then he would fight to the bitter end.

  The boards above him creaked. They were on the move. Dawn was starting to break, and it looked as though it was going to be another glorious day outside. Seeing little point in lying there any longer, especially with sunrise around the corner, he got up.

  He needed fresh air, along with a coffee and a smoke.

  As he stood stretching his back, the flimsy blanket he’d used on the roof clung to him – it had done very little in keeping him warm throughout the night – not that he’d slept a wink. Diesel had thought for sure they’d have killed him as he dozed, but they’d kept their distance.

  Flinging the blanket to one side, he made his way out the door. He headed to the bar. He avoided looking at the carcass on the pool table – the smell was reminder enough. Once in the other room, he stood behind the counter and put the coffee pot on to boil. He poured himself a brandy, slugged it, and then took three more helpings before leaving it there.

  “If I’m going to die, I’m going down with booze inside me!” he said, looking at himself in the mirror behind the bar. “Fuck, I look like a run over sack o’shit!”

  The hot water in the pot started to bubble. Reaching up to a higher shelf, Diesel pulled down a cup which was nestled there – an etching of Porky Pig graced the mug. “No guessing who this belonged to!” Diesel said. “Well, that fat bastard won’t be needing it anytime soon, considering he’s dead in the other room!” he finished, before bursting out laughing. He then spooned coffee into the cup. He held the milk and sugar, deciding on black.

  “Tar in a mug! Can’t beat it,” he said, swallowing the coffee in great gulps.

  “How can you drink it that hot?” Toni asked.

  The sudden appearance of another would normally have made him jump out of his skin, but he was getting used to all the surprises. They’d sharpened him.

  “Cast-iron gut, me!” he said, and then winked at her. He couldn’t help but think how hot she looked. She was wearing tight-fitting jeans, showing off a slightly plump bum and meaty thighs. She was far from overweight – she was curvy. Just right.

  He cast his eyes over her tits. They were small, but pert. Suckable. Her nipples jutted through the thin fabric. Cold? He felt like asking her, smiling.

  “No, are you?” she asked, grinning.

  “Huh?!” he said, his mouth dry. Not possible, surely?

  “Very possible,” she said, winking back at him. “Drink your coffee, beaut, we’re going to need you on guard in ten minutes.”

  He didn’t know what to say, he was gob smacked. Had she just read his thoughts?

  As he stood gawking at her laughing, she pushed past him. “Come on, you ain’t got time to stare,” she said. “Bring your coffee with you. I’ll bring you a fresh one later.”

  All he could do was nod then follow her out the door and up the stairs to his side of the attic.

  “Is Venom with Richard?” he asked.

  “Yes. They’re getting their rest.”

  “Will you be joining them?” he asked.

  “As soon as I’ve seen you to your post, yes.”

  “Okay.”

  “Why?”

  “I just fancied some company, that’s all. It was a long day up there yesterday,” he said.

  “You aren’t going to fuck me, Diesel,” she said.

  “Who the hell said I wanted to?”

  “You don’t have to say anything!”

  “I was being serious. It was lonely.”

  “You won’t have time to get bored, because they’ll come at some point. Venom is convinced about that. Says he can feel them near.”

  “Okay,” he said, making his way up the ladder to the attic floor.

  “Diesel,” she called up to him.

  He poked his head through the hatch. “Yes?”

  “I’ll bring you a fresh coffee in about twenty minutes.”

  “Great. Thanks,” he said.

  “No problem. Just get yourself settled. I’ll leave one at the bottom of the ladder. A bite to eat, too,” she said, winking up at him.

  He nodded, and then disappeared.

  Getting onto the roof, he noticed it was still a little da
rk, but the dawn morning already had a lot of heat in it. His eyes quickly adjusted and soon he was able to see all around him. After stretching once more and yawning, he made his way to the chimneystack – his guns and other supplies where still there.

  First of all, he checked that all the guns were in fact loaded, with one in their chamber ready to rock and roll. Happy with his weapon inspection, he then did a long, drawn out scan with the binoculars. He meticulously swept the whole area, doing a full circle. Nothing moved.

  Putting the binoculars to one side he dug his box of fags out of his pocket and lit one. It felt majestic, standing on the roof with such a view before him. Not a sound except the wind assaulted his ears. He took deep breathes, holding the smoke down, before releasing it into the morning air.

  “Diesel?” he heard a faint voice call. “Diesel?!”

  “I’m coming,” he called.

  By the time he got to the attic entrance, Toni had gone. All that was in her place was a tray filled with coffee, sandwiches and the all-important bottle of Brandy. After retrieving the tray and getting back to his spot, he read the note attached to the bottle – “Not too much, we don’t want you falling off the roof!”

  Chuckling, he rammed a bacon sandwich into his mouth and took a big gulp of coffee. Toni had supplied him with not only a mug of coffee, but also a full pot of the tar-like liquid too. “I’ll be pissing like a racehorse!” he said, after swallowing the food. He picked up a second sandwich and devoured that one, too. Burping, he finished the rest of the coffee in his mug before eating the rest of the food.

  Once finished, he stood up and sipped the hot liquid. Taking his time. Placing the mug on the chimneystack, he picked up the binoculars. After looking behind him, left and right, he faced front, and saw cars approaching.

  “Oh, fuck!”

  As soon as dawn had started to break, Johnson and his team had hit the road. The sun was starting to rise in the sky in front of them. In less than ten minutes, it would be fully up. Johnson didn’t want to lose the element of surprise. If Venom was what he was said to be, then he would be powerless at this point of day.