by Jo Black
‘Give me a time and location for the drop off, any time after seven days from now.’
‘Seven days...maybe it is too soon. I need to organise boat and customers. You wait while we do this thing then we look at schedule and make some idea.’ Radic clicked his fingers at his men. ‘Load this shit on the boat. Come on. Quick.’ Radic’s men sprung into action, headed over to the transporter and set to work putting down the ramps before getting into the cars, reversing them off the trailer and driving them over ready to load into the containers. They drove them in, but after a few minutes passed Radic frowned when none of them emerged. ‘What the fuck, these guys...’ He barked at his remaining men to go and investigate. ‘Stupid guys always fucking about playing with cars like children. What the fuck...’ Radic ranted. Another minute or two passed then when the men sent to investigate failed to return from the containers, Radic became suspicious. ‘What the fuck is going on here?’ A second later a high pitched crack of a silenced sniper rifle let loose from somewhere high on one of the loading cranes over the dockside, the side of the cobra tattoo man’s head shot through with a spray of blood as the round landed, before the sniper dropped his two colleagues in quick succession. Radic’s face turned white with shock as he looked for the source of the sniper before spotting the eight operators now emerging from the containers busily dropping the remaining members of his gang with suppressed carbines. ‘What the fuck...Who the fuck are you!?!’ He said to Vincent as he went for his pistol. Radic didn’t get chance to draw it before Nish had emerged from his concealed position and put him on the ground with a swift kick around his legs and a push to the centre of his back, dropping his knee onto his spine before pulling his arm round to disarm him. Nish’s men quickly folded into a perimeter as a pair of them backed two Mercedes Benz’s from out of the containers, spun them round and made their way swiftly across to where Nish had Radic detained prostate on the ground.
‘You remember me?’ Nish said grabbing Radic by the scruff of his hair and pulling his face up. ‘You killed a good friend of mine.’
Radic laughed. ‘Fuck you! And fuck your friend! Do what you have to do. You’ll never get out of Rotterdam alive.’
‘Don’t count on it, but whatever happens you’ll be the first to get slotted. Get this cunt in the car. We’re exfil’ing now to the R.P. Move it!’
Nish’s men bundled Radic into the back of a Mercedes, Vincent following and piling in the waiting car’s front passenger seat. The rest of Nish’s team folded into the cars providing cover fire to keep Radic’s remaining sentries on the boat pinned into cover before getting into the cars, the drivers lighting up the rear tyres and speeding between cover of stacked containers.
‘That was your plan?’ Vincent asked shaking his head.’
‘Aye, what was wrong with it? We got him didn’t we?’
Nish patted Vincent on the shoulder, his face plastered with a satisfied smile. He unzipped the bag full of money, pulled out a bundle of notes, checked it then shook his head and slapped Radic across the face with it. ‘Paying with counterfeit notes, ya cheeky bastard ya.’
They reached the rendezvous point twenty-five minutes later. Nish put a black bag over Radic’s head and restrained him whilst Vincent’s colleague put a proper pair of handcuffs on him. ‘Right, four of my boys will make sure you get this piece of shit back to France and locked up where he needs to be. Don’t fucking stop unless you have to. After chasing him this long, if you lose him then I’ll nae be sending you a Christmas card this year.’
‘We’ll take care of him. And our deal?’
‘I’ll be on the next plane to Baku. Nice working with you. See you in hell Radic. Watch out in the showers. Some friends will be waiting for you.’
‘Get fucked you Scottish! Son of a pig whore!’ Radic responded. ‘You’re all dead men. I know who you are! I’ll be out in a week!’
‘I’ll be waiting for you...’ Nish said as he walked back and got in his car. Vincent and his colleague bundled Radic into the back of Vincent’s car and set off with Nish’s team in escort convoy.
‘So how are we going to explain this?’ Vincent’s colleague asked. ‘How we captured this guy. We don’t even have jurisdiction in Holland.’
‘We didn’t capture him in Holland.’
‘We didn’t?’
‘We were never in Holland.’
‘We weren’t?’
‘You have a lot to learn about this business...’
Vincent’s colleague shook his head. ‘After the past couple of days, I’m not sure I want to...’
10
The thin shafts of light illuminating columns of dust seemed almost theatrical in nature. Nish watched the dust dancing softly in the light, hypnotised by the patterns and waiting for the subtle shift as an air current blew them off course to indicate his host had arrived. Alex had the remarkable trick of being able to enter a room so silently as to barely move anything but the air itself. Like most things with Alex, perhaps the perception was greater than the reality and he was merely a master of illusion rather than some ethereal force of nature. Despite having trained him, even Nish couldn’t be sure which.
‘I’ll assume you know why I’m here.’
He had already entered and was within striking distance before Nish even opened his mouth. Nish couldn’t see him in the shadows but he knew he was present none the less. A subtle exhaled near-silent laugh was the only response as Alex sat gracefully in the chair across the table from Nish.
‘I am curious,’ Alex said softly.
‘Perhaps I missed your company.’
‘So you got him.’
‘Yeah we got him.’
‘That could prove complicated.’
‘Are they going to make things difficult for you?’
‘Not for me...you perhaps.’
‘You could straighten it out.’
‘I could.’
‘But you won’t?’
‘Would you?’
Nish shrugged with indifference. ‘I don’t know Alex. I’m still trying to remember what our argument was about.’
‘Probably nothing.’
‘So if you already know, then I’ve had a wasted trip. But if you already know then why are you here and not off doing something about it?’ Alex stared at Nish. The penny dropped and Nish broke into a smile. ‘You know, but you don’t know who...’
‘I have a good idea, I just can’t prove it. If I can’t prove it then I can’t move.’
‘So maybe I might be useful after all.’
‘You’re always useful Nish. What you are not always is co-operative. Are you here to co-operate?’
‘So you’ll take care of the sponsors?’
‘If you are going to be useful. Are you back, or just visiting?’
‘I’m back.’
‘Then I’ll take care of the sponsors.’
‘That simple eh? Fucking hell Alex. I remember picking you up that pissing wet day in Hereford when they kicked you out, looked like a bloody drowned rat not fit for anything. Now look at you. The God of War himself, sorting out the Kremlin like it was nae bother. What are we doing in Baku? You finally get bored of Chechnya? Christ knows you must be running out of shit to destroy and people to kill there.’
‘There’s an arms deal going down.’
‘The bloody Chechens again I assume.’
‘We’re under contract until the job is done.’
‘And when will that be?’
‘They’re stubborn.’
‘Not the only ones...So what’s your plan?’
‘Not the usual. The supplying party happens to be the primary suspect in the recent kidnapping of my wife.’
‘Really?’
‘Assuming the intel is good, and that is what this is about.’
‘If it is him, that could be a problem. It won’t be clean. And it won’t be cheap.’
‘Recovering the arms from the deal today, and the money will go someway to soften the blow.’
‘You’re not going to tell them about Zara are you?’
‘They don’t do favours Nish, you know that. To get the kind of kit we need to take him on, we can’t fund it on the company account, and we can’t hire it without The Sponsor.’
‘One problem. What if they don’t agree?’
‘Then we force the issue.’
‘Last time you did that it didn’t end well. I’m getting too old for Siberian gulags.’
‘It won’t come to that.’
‘Are you sure? Things are rarely stable in the Kremlin. They like him now, but god knows it doesn’t take much to fall out of favour these days. Let’s hope he hasn’t taken an interest in politics for all our sakes. Didn’t work out so well for the last guy.’
There was a knock at the door. ‘Come,’ Alex said. His Troop Commander came in.
‘We have a problem.’
Alex stared through the gaps in the window shutters at the small group of armed men emerging from a series of vans and onwards into the opposite building. ‘So what’s the problem?’ Nish asked. ‘Who organised this place?’
‘Danilov,’ Alex replied.
Nish watched as Danilov came out the building opposite and spoke to the leader of the group. ‘I see the problem. Why would Danilov sell you out?’
‘You want to go and ask him?’ Alex asked and looked at Nish.
‘I just arrived. You fucked your OpSec then you can’t blame me.’
‘I didn’t fuck our OpSec.’
‘So who did?’
‘Who knew about this place?’ Alex asked his Troop Commander. The T.C shrugged and shook his head. ‘Wrong answer.’ Without warning Alex took out a combat knife, Nish immediately put a hand over the T.C’s mouth and restrained him as Alex slit his throat from ear to ear. Their still unsuspecting victim briefly choked on his own blood before Nish sharply twisted his head from one side to the other snapping his neck, his body convulsed briefly before Nish lay the lifeless corpse down and dragged it to the back of the room, picked up a canvas tarpaulin and covered the body with it. Nish looked at Alex. ‘Get everyone ready to repel a house assault.’
‘What about Danilov? You want him alive?’ Nish asked.
‘Let him run.’
‘Why?’
‘I want them to know we’re coming.’
‘We’ll lose the tactical advantage.’
‘I can’t move against Danilov until I can prove he’s dirty.’
‘Maybe he isn’t. Maybe The Sponsor is playing you.’
‘We’ll find out either way. Get them ready.’ Alex checked out the window again. ‘The police are blockading the street. We’ve got five to ten minutes.’
Nish returned to the main warehouse hall and whistled The Company’s men to attention. They stopped their activities and fell in a circle around him. ‘Short and sweet ladies, you’ll be delighted to know I’m your T.C again.’ There was a low jeer. ‘Try and contain your enthusiasm. I’ll assume you already know what you are here to do, but the schedule has been brought forward. Get ready to repel a house assault in five mikes. We are compromised.’
‘Change of plan...’ Alex interjected from the shadows. Nish looked over his shoulder, as the entire company stood up a little straighter in the presence of the master.
‘Care to enlighten us?’
‘I would.’ Nish gestured at the floor in front of him. Alex appeared from the shadows and walked into the centre. He looked at all his men, the sense of respect and loyalty written on all their faces. ‘We’ve been sold out. By who, we will find out later. Danilov is not to be harmed. I need him alive, but I also want to put on a show for him. We’ve incurred a lot of expenses on this expedition and I assume you all want to get paid.’ There was a chuckle and cheer. ‘So we need to collect. We can assume the tactical surprise is now lost to us, but we can regain it. I want this executed with speed, precision, and no mistakes. I don’t need to remind you that this company has never, in its history, not delivered a contract to its completion. Let’s not break that reputation. Take your positions. You know what to do. Execute plan Houdini.’
The company men quickly fell out to their positions. Alex turned to Nish. ‘I thought I was in charge.’
‘You are. Notionally.’
‘Notionally?’
‘You just got back.’
‘What’s Houdini?’
‘You’ll see.’
Alex walked off towards the stairs. ‘Alex,’ Nish called after him. Alex stopped and turned his head. ‘Is there a problem between us?’
There was a long pause for a reply. ‘We’ll see...’ Alex walked off. Nish inhaled slowly and deeply. The tone of Alex’s response was enough to send a cold shiver up his spine.
11
Alex was observing the street scene from behind the shadows of the wooden shutters on the first floor as Nish approached. ‘Everything set?’
‘Plan Houdini is ready to execute Mister Green.’
‘Very good,’ Alex replied. A few minutes passed then Alex turned round to Nish. ‘You going to stand in the corner and sulk for the rest of the op?’
‘I don’t know. If I’ve already lit a firework it’s generally considered prudent to retire to a safe distance before it goes off.’
‘Spare me nonsensical talking in rhymes Nish and get over here, I haven’t got the patience for your ego and pride today.’ Nish somewhat reluctantly joined Alex at the window. Alex eventually let loose a wry smile. ‘You are such a little bitch Harry.’
‘Bastard.’
‘Yes, apparently I was if the records are to be believed...’
‘You going to tell me what Houdini is?’
‘Not what, who. Magician. Escaped from a box.’
‘Yes, I do understand the reference, I was more referring to how its nomenclature relates to our current operation.’
‘We need to let Danilov go so I know who sold us out. But we need to keep the element of tactical surprise against the Chechens for the deal. I would assume this little show down there is timed to keep us busy while they make the exchange, so we need to bring forward the schedule to our benefit, and let Danilov believe we perished for long enough to launch the counter at the old factory.’
‘So what’s your plan?’
‘We have two motion activated and programmed sweep Gatling’s on the upper floor. We’ll engage for one-eight-zero seconds, and then the Gatling’s will cover our retreat through the sewer under the building. The Chechens will be forced to knock out our heavy artillery with R.P.G’s. When they hit, the demolition charges we have on the building will fire to look like they hit our main magazine, it’ll fold the building down on top of us, covering our exfil. There’s a little follow-on treat to hamper their search for evidence of our demise that will buy us the forty-five minutes we need to assault the factory. We recover the weapons, the funds from the broker, and we’re done.’
‘Nice plan.’
‘I’m glad you like it.’
‘What time does it start?’
‘They ready?’
‘They’re always ready.’
Alex looked out the window. ‘Pick one.’
Nish looked out and pointed at each of them with his finger. ‘Eeny meeny, miny, mo, catch a filthy Chechen by his toe, if he squeals then stab him at once, filthy Chechen was probably a nonce. Him.’
‘Good choice,’ Alex took aim out of the window with his Designated Marksman’s Rifle. He settled the scope on the fighter posted outside the building Nish had selected before moving his sights over to an old woman remonstrating with a police officer by the opposite side of the street then pulled the trigger. The round exited from his suppressor with a crack before exploding through the woman’s knee sending a shower of blood, bone, and cartilage onto the pavement. She immediately collapsed onto the ground screaming.
‘Really Alex, she’s someone’s Nanna.’
‘I know. I just saved her life.’
‘By shooting her in the leg? She’ll likely die fro
m the shock.’
‘I’ll send flowers.’ Alex shrugged. ‘Watch.’
“Christ, you’re a cold bastard...’
‘Coming from you I’ll take that as a compliment.’
‘It wasn’t meant as one...’ Nish returned his attention to the scene developing outside. Alex’s seemingly brutal actions started to become clear to Nish as the street descended into chaos as even the Chechens started to leave their stations to investigate the screaming from the old woman. The police in the street all ran to try and clear the rapidly gathering crowd around the woman. A few moments later an ambulance arrived with sirens blaring into the street. The paramedics loaded the old woman onto a stretcher and bundled her into the back of the ambulance as the police tried to contain the crowd of rubberneckers now filling the junction. ‘You are still the master of distraction. But an old dear Alex, still a bit strong...’
‘That was just the entree.’ Alex took his radio and pressed the transmit button. ‘Wait until the ambulance is clear, then serve the main course.’
‘Confirm order.’
‘Massacre the lot of them. Nobody left standing. One-eighty seconds free fire then fall-back.’
Nish looked out the window at the unsuspecting crowd. ‘You can’t be serious...’
‘I saved your old lady didn’t I? What more do you want...’ He stared at Nish coldly without a trace of remorse. ‘Don’t give me that accusing look Nish. You want someone to blame, blame Danilov. This wasn’t a scheduled engagement. The blood is on his hands.’