by Mia Ford
As I drive along, I glance my eyes from side to side, drinking all of it in. Maybe this is the perfect place for a criminal empire, it’s hidden but not too suspicious to make people pay attention. If it’s Kingpin that owns the place, because I can’t remember ever seeing the name of the mystery buyer, then it’s perfect for him.
I gulp down the thick ball of emotion that lodges itself in the back of my throat. I don’t like this one bit. It gives me a sickly, eerily sensation. Everything is wrong. I’m overcome with the sense that I really shouldn’t be here, but I ignore it because Jordan and Michelle shouldn’t be here a lot more.
Finally, I catch up with Will, but I keep my distance back from him. He might already know that I’m following him, but he might not. If he doesn’t, I don’t want to distract him. He has his nose firmly in the right direction, he’s about to catch his man and get his son back. One glimpse of me might derail him. I need to keep out of sight until I know exactly what’s happening. To keep us all safe. I creep the car along with my head hung low.
Eventually, Will skids his car to stop outside what appears to be a place that does laundry. It’s weird, definitely not what I was expecting, but then I’m very naïve when it comes to this stuff. I don’t know enough about crime to be right in the middle of a criminal investigation, but what else can I do about it?
Will jumps out of the car with his gun held high. I can see him waving it about as he screams, but I can’t hear what he’s saying. I kill the engine and drag the window open, but not all of his words come through.
“Give him the fuck back… know who you are… you’re dead for this… no idea…”
He sounds deranged. This has pushed him too far over the edge. I feel like he might be headed towards a mental break down. I need to do something. I have to get out and help, but I can’t do it. I’ve turned into lead. Nothing seems to be happening anyway, he’s completely on his own, ranting like a mad person. I don’t even think there’s anyone inside the building. Could this be the wrong place? It seems really strange if not.
I reach out, just about to grab onto the door handle to open it up when my cell phone blasts out making me jump. Now that some of the police know who I am, it could be them. Maybe someone wants to know what’s going on… not that I’ll know what to tell them. I barely know myself. But as I look at the screen, it sends a chill racing up and down my spine. It’s Michelle, she’s calling me and I have no idea what about. Is it because she’s inside, stuck, or is it because she’s fine and she wants to know what my voice mail was about?
“He… hello?” My voice stammers painfully as I answer. I can feel beads of sweat popping over my forehead, threatening to run into my eyes as I watch the scene unfold in front of me. Will is still shaking his gun around, he’s still out there and very exposed. When will this hell come to an end? “Mi… Michelle? Is that you?”
I hear her heavy breathing and very obvious tears. I think it’s safe to say that this isn’t going to be a reassuring call. “D… don’t get out of the car,” she warns me in a thick, emotion filled voice. “He… he can see you?”
“Who?” Immediately I snap my eyes everywhere. I half expect to see a gun trained on my head, but I get nothing. “Who’s watching me? What’s going on? Where are you? Do you have Jordan? Is he okay?”
Michelle says nothing to my stream of questions, but I can hear her crying now. I’m about to fucking freak out that something really bad has happened to my child. I can’t imagine anyone harming a baby, but it happens. It’s one of those things that you hear about, but you don’t think it’ll ever happen to you.
“Michelle,” my tone is warning now. “I need to know. Is Jordan okay? I can’t stay in this car otherwise.”
“He’s okay,” she finally tells me in a small voice. “He’s fine. I have him here.”
“And are you inside the laundry place? Can you at least tell me that? Will is going nuts out here…”
There’s a murmuring on the other end of the line. I have a feeling that Michelle is being told what to say. I sit tight, about to explode from anticipation while I wait for her to speak again. All of this waiting is killing me, I’m on the edge of my seat, clawing at the material, wanting to scream to let this all out.
“Cici, you just need to stay where you are. In the car. That’s what I’m being told. We’re coming out.”
Who does she mean by ‘we’? Does she include my son in that? Much as I want to burst from this car and run for the hills, the thought that it might cause Jordan any trouble is the only reason that I don’t. It kills me, I can feel every fiber in my body tugging and pulling at me to act, but I don’t. I do what Michelle commands.
I see Will suddenly stop. The yelling ceases and his body freezes. It must be happening now. I brace myself, roiling my shoulders upwards while I try to work out what he can see. I wish I could be in his eyes.
As a disheveled Michelle staggers forwards, like she’s been pushed, my heart flies with nerves. She’s holding onto a bundle of something that better be my child, my maternal instincts are screaming that he’s there, but I don’t want to get to confident just in case. The way that this day is going, absolutely anything is possible.
Just wait, I warn myself. Don’t do anything rash. Don’t act until it’s absolutely necessary.
Will’s gun lowers, his defenses going with it, and he leans forwards to have an intense conversation with Michelle. While they talk, I flick my eyes everywhere trying to find him. I don’t think Kingpin would bother to go through all of these theatrics to not turn up himself. That’s what all of this has to be about, doesn’t it? What else can it be for? I’m sure, even if he intends to kill Will, he wants him to see who he is first.
Chapter Twenty Eight – Will
“What the fuck is happening?” I ask Michelle as she staggers over to me. “Why have they let you out?”
I go to take Jordan from her, to hold him to my chest again so I can feel him. I’m so fucking glad that he’s okay, but the fact that he’s been sent out worries me. If it isn’t about him, then why are we here? But before I can grab my son, Michelle holds him tighter to her. “I’m not allowed to hand him over to you, I’m sorry.”
“What?” I demand angrily. “What do you mean? Why not? He’s my child, why can’t I hold him?”
“They said I’m not allowed to hand him to you. I need to take him to Cici so she can put him in the car.”
“Cici?” I automatically turn around, and surprise, surprise, there’s her car, sitting not far behind me. “Oh my God, what the hell is she doing here? I told her to stay at the police station. Now she’s in danger too.”
“You didn’t honestly think that she’d wait patiently while you come and save her child?” Michelle cocks her head and gives me a curious look. Even with all the trauma that she’s been through, she’s more switched on than me. “Well, she wouldn’t, would she? And you should be glad because now Jordan will be safe.”
I lightly grab onto her arm as she walks away. “Did you see his face? Do you know who it is?”
“I didn’t see any of them,” she whispers back. “They kept balaclavas over their faces the whole time.”
Well, if my experience in the law has taught me anything, it’s that they haven’t got any intention of killing Michelle, which is good. If they’d shown her their faces then she’d really have to worry because they’d have to keep her quiet. Now, she can say what she wants to the police, but she won’t know anything for sure. I highly doubt I’m about to get the same treatment. If Jordan is safe then I’m sure I’m not.
“And did you see anything in there? Are they doing any of the drug stuff inside that building?”
“Honestly? I think that’s just where they keep all their weapons. They have bombs, Will, it’s scary.”
Oh God, there’s no way of telling which way this will go now. This isn’t a major city, we aren’t used to lots of high crime, which is why this has been so difficult. There’s no need for all this drama. It
’s theatrics for the sake of it. Kingpin is playing out a performance and this will be his grand finale. Or more likely, mine.
“Right, well you get Jordan to the car and make Cici get out of here. I don’t want her distracting me.”
Michelle gives me a guilty look. “So, you already know that he’s told me you must stay.”
“I don’t need you to tell me.” I cock my gun by my side. “I already know how this asshole works.”
As Michelle walks away from me, holding my son like the precious little being that he is, I can see the pain in her eyes. She assumes this is the last time that she’ll ever see me alive and she’s sad that I didn’t get to say goodbye to my son properly. But I’m not as worried. I don’t think I’ll be the one who comes out dead from this situation. I have enough rage to get me through anything. I’m not going to be the dead one here. I don’t say anything for a while, even if I have plenty of things to yell, because out the corner of my eye I’m waiting for the car to go first. I need to be certain that my family is safe before the next step. It takes a while, I’m sure that Cici is arguing with Michelle about going and leaving me here, but thankfully in the end common sense wins out and the car engine rumbles away. The tight knot of stress loosens in my chest once I’m alone.
“Is this the spot in which you killed Andre?” I yell out loudly. “Did you shoot him without revealing yourself to him like the fucking coward that you are?” I extend my arms wide and spin around. “Well, I’m here now, so if you’re going to kill me just do it. If you’re not too afraid to face me after dragging me all the way here.”
A gun shot rings out and the bullet lands near my feet, making me jump in the air. It was a warning shot, once it’s done I can see that. But that didn’t stop me from diving like a fool. A robotic laugh, like the one that I heard on the phone, rings out, echoing through the place like a freaky ghost. “Ah, Will Yoker. Always funny.”
“You don’t know me,” I reply sneeringly. “You don’t know that I’m funny.”
“Ah, but I do. I know you much better than you think I do. You honestly have no idea…”
“Oh, right, I see. Because you have someone following me around with a camera, you think you know me.”
“I know that your mother’s name is Ellen,” the robot tells me. “And that you don’t like onions.”
“I’m sure that’s easy enough to find out.” I roll my eyes dramatically. “A social media check would tell you that. You don’t know me, and you can’t. I don’t let anyone get to know me. You couldn’t possibly know anything about me. So, go on, run off your facts at me. I honestly don’t give a shit. This is pointless.”
There’s a thick silence for a while, it seems to cling to the air. It’s almost as if the whole world has taken a breath in and it’s waiting to release it. my limbs stiffen up and I stand awkwardly while I wait for something to happen. I remain in this paused moment, knowing that I can do it forever if I need to. And then, it does.
“I know you, and you know me,” the robot voice continues. “I’ve been doing this right under your nose for years. I’ve tried to warn you to keep out of my way, I’ve done things that I’m really not proud of…”
“Like kidnapping my baby boy?” I spit back. “That was pretty fucking low of you, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, that wasn’t great, I’ll admit that, but I want you to see that I’m serious about this, but also that we can co exist. I’ve brought you out here today to have a frank and honest discussion with you about the future.”
I shake my head and snort. “You have some front, don’t you? The future, honestly!”
“Will, it doesn’t need to be this way. It doesn’t have to be a battle. Why do you keep on fighting when you’re only going to lose anyway? I haven’t let you overtake me at any point, even when you’ve started to get close with your latest research, I’ve always been one step ahead of you, haven’t I? You can’t beat me.”
“Yes, Charles Manz,” I snap, wanting him to know that I’m really not clueless. “I’m sure you’re winning.”
“Ah yes, my alias. My name that’s brought me into many useful companies for my operation. I’m sure you understand better than anyone how costly and challenging it is to have two identities. I’m very proud of that side of my operation, it wasn’t the easiest. But to run on the scale that I do, you have to have fingers in many pies.”
“Is there a point to all of this?” I make a show of rolling my eyes. “Because I’m getting bored.”
“I want you to understand, Will, that my operation is professional. I’ve thought about it from every angle and every single thing that I do is clean. There’s no fucking about. My operations are secretive, my product is pure, it isn’t like the shit you get on the streets, and it’s profitable as well. It’s tight and well run.”
“You’re talking about it like you’re doing the world some good. You sell drugs for crying out loud!”
“People will get their drugs from wherever. Why not have a reputable source?”
I laugh mirthlessly and shake my head. “That’s such business talk that means nothing. Where are your morals? What about all the poor loves that you’re tearing apart? If you could see what I do when it comes to drugs, then you’d know. This isn’t a joke, it’s not something you want to mess about with. It’s horrible.”
Mr. Robotic Voice isn’t derailed by my wise thoughts. “People will get drugs,” he repeats. “It’s better if it comes from us because it won’t be mixed with shit. With us, you know what you’re getting.”
I bite down on my bottom lip, trying to work out where all of this is leading. “Okay, fine.” I give a blasé shrug. “Let’s say that your product is the safest and the best, I’ll go with that. Are we forgetting that it’s illegal? That it kills people and ruins families all over the country? You’re acting like I shouldn’t arrest you for it.”
“You aren’t here to arrest me. You’ve come alone.”
His smugness winds me up. “I’m here alone because you had my son. What did you expect?”
“I wanted you to come alone so we can talk. Like old friends.”
“Old friends?” My temper bubbles and boils again. “We are not friends. Not now, not ever.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. And as your friend, I intend to give you a choice. You can back off now, turn away, leave this place, and let the investigation grow cold. Forget about me, let my operation continue in private, knowing that at least people will be getting cleaner drugs, move onto something else…”
“Right and get fired. Lose my job, my home, my whole life. What’s the other choice?”
“Oh, you’ll be paid very handsomely if you go for the first choice, there’s no mistaking that.”
“So, I’ll be a corrupt cop. If you know me, you’ll know that won’t happen, so what’s choice two?”
“The second option is that I show you who I am. I know it must be killing you, not knowing after all this time. So, I will step out of this building and reveal myself to you. Of course, the moment you see my face you’ll have to be killed. Nothing personal, it’s just the only way. I’ve kept out of prison for this long and I want to keep it that way. Then, to stop their pain, I’ll be forced to kill your family as well. I don’t really want that, murder isn’t exactly the highest thing on my agenda. But, self-preservation, and all that. I’ll have to do it.”
“So, I either walk away and ignore the destruction that you cause on a damn daily basis, or I die and so does everyone else? Some choice old friend.”
“I’m giving you an out, because you’re an old friend.”
I suck in a deep breath. “I don’t want it. I don’t need an out. I’m not going to change my mind so you might as well come out here now. I came here knowing that one of us would die, so it’s time to find out which one.”
“It won’t be me. I’m always ten steps ahead of you. I think you should reconsider. I don’t want you to die, Will.”
I clutch my gun as ragged b
reaths fall past my lips. “I’m not going to die. Now come out here already.”
“You’ve made your choice.” He doesn’t sound too impressed. Did he actually think that I’d go along with his crazy plan? I would never turn a blind eye to what he’s doing. “I’m coming.”
I brace myself, stiffening my spine and rolling back my shoulders. The time has come. Everything that’s been building is all about to explode. I’m sure it won’t be pretty when it does.
Chapter Twenty Nine – Cici
I feel sick. Actually sick like I might throw up. I cannot believe this. I press my back harder against the brick wall so no one can see me while I listen in. Will sounds confident as he agrees to meet with this guy who’s going to kill him and his family for just seeing his face… but he wouldn’t have done it if he didn’t think that he could get out of this alive. He wouldn’t risk me and Jordan. I know that he also wouldn’t agree to turn a blind eye to a massive drugs operation going on under his own nose, but he’d pretend if he had to. His male pride might have caused us problems in the past, but I can see him clearly now. He’s doing what he thinks is best.
Who is it? I think anxiously as I wait. Someone who called Will an old friend. Does he know him?
I’m so glad now that I sent Michelle away with Jordan. She said nothing happened to him but she’s going to take him to the hospital just in case. I need to be one hundred percent certain. Then she’ll also contact the police and send Will some back up. Maybe I should have gone with her, but I trust her with my son, especially since Kingpin is here. I need to be sure that Will isn’t harmed as well. I want us all to survive this.