by David Manoa
“Then tell me everything…” I said.
In my mind, I still was going to head over anyway, but I needed info from Anna on what the specifics were on the drug sting. I put my phone on speaker and nodded to Jessica to take note, she was still looking at the file of the rugby league player.
“Rooks, your brother is pursuing an assassin by the name of Toni Mclean, she is part of a criminal syndicate that is responsible for laundering the money from heroin deals in the casino’s both here in Australia and New Zealand.”
“So why did you send that dickhead in to do the job?” I said.
“We had no choice Rooks, you were pursuing Jasper at the time.”
My eyes shifted to Jessica, who started circling something on a piece of paper when I asked Anna.
“So what is the status of the operation?”
“That’s classified.” She said.
“C’mon Anna, That’s such horseshit, Look, we went through all our leads. We both want the same thing. This woman Toni, she is the link to tracking down the importer in the suburb of Crows Nest!”
“I have my orders Rooks. Stand down till your brother completes his mission.”
“Yeah, mission impossible…” I ended the call.
Jessica stood up and walked over to me with the file in her hand. She lifted her head to look up at me.
“Well, I guess we stand down huh?” Jessica said scratching her head.
“Fuck that, were headed over!” I said.
Jessica took one of the sheets of paper and handed me the file on Rodger, the Sydney rugby league player.
“I don’t think we will find any connection to the importer even if we have an opportunity to interrogate Toni. The casino operation has nothing to do with it. It’s a red herring...” she said.
“Whys that?”
“Rodger has been in jail for the last ten months! Jasper was talking to someone else only two days ago.”
“He could be calling from prison running the whole operation there?”
“No the calls are monitored.”
I paused.
“And the accent is Australian.” She said.
“Rooks, If we get the proper info from his teammates we can find the true identity of the importer. I think Rodger was implicated as a cover-up.”
“Jess that still doesn’t mean jack shit, We don’t have the time to question three sports players and go through legal to overturn the decision with the courts. If he is innocent or not, we will be no better off. The casino is our solid lead, be ready tonight at 18:00 hours you and I are headed out there to catch this bitch.”
“Your judgment is clouded because of that operation in the past. Think for god's sakes!”
Jessica’s face lit up anger when she stormed out of the conference room. I headed out to the bar below to order a beer my mind was overloaded.
***
I glanced at my watch, an hour had past, gulping down my last cold Victoria Bitter Beer to ease my nerves. Damn Aussie beer ain't that half bad examining the small green can. I picked up the piece of paper that Jessica left me. I looked over the file again and had another think session on it.
I went back into the conference room, Jessica was still mulling over Rodgers file.
“Rooks come here.”
“What’s up?”
“What was the name of the person Jasper mentioned when you interrogated him?”
“Greg.”
She displayed the photos of the three teammates when she enlarged one of them on screen. He was six foot five and he had ash blonde hair slicked back, narrow nose and blue eyes. He looked like a car salesman.”
She pointed to his name and it all clicked.
Greg. The sports supplements, the background noise Jessica mentioned. It was a rugby league game.
“Let’s go.”
“I was waiting for that Rook’s you stubborn bastard.”
“I know.”
***
I called up my number one fan and convinced him to loan us his car. He was anxious to ride along with us, but I always thought three was a crowd. Greg stayed in an apartment on Kings Cross, which was no way near the suburb of Crow’s Nest. From the file, he still stayed with his teammates even after Rodger got done. Which had me suspicious.
We parked up on the side of the street and looked up to the apartment. There seemed to be some party there were three girls on the balcony standing on a long table dancing with their wine glasses held up in the air. The place had two- or three levels it was hard to tell from here.
I took out my Beretta.
“Is that necessary?”
“What is?”
“The Gun.” She said.
“There’s civilians up there.” She added.
“It might turn ugly up there. When I spooked out Jasper, he must of sent a word of caution to Greg. I’m expecting them to be armed.”
“Rooks, the file mentioned Rodger was caught in that same apartment with all the Heroin and stolen shipments of paracetamol.
“I know, where do you think the last place police would least likely think an drug operation would run, If the bloke has already been busted?”
Jessica nodded and took out her weapon and loaded and extra gun into her vest.
“Wait.” I said.
“What?”
I paused to observe her.
“You’re Hair?”
“What about it?” she said blushing when she raised her eyebrows.
I noticed she wore her hair down. Her brunette locks now had streaks of auburn in it. Some of the locks of her hair covered her right eye, I took off my wristband and handed to her.
“Tie it up.”
“Why?” she frowned.
“You look better to me alive than dead.
Having Jessica as my backup in a situation like this was odd. It was like we were merged together like a scorpion. With myself with the pincers and her with the venomous barb. We avoided the front door since there was a group congregating at the bottom like an entrance to a nightclub.
We took the access from the garage below on the right breaching the door to step in. There seemed to be some party up above no doubt at all. They would be probably lighting their crack pipes up there. I could even smell the faint scent of it.
We snuck into the garage and there were boxes of shit everywhere. It was stacked so high and wide we could barely move. I flicked on the light on my smartphone to open one of the boxes. Jessica’s eyes widened.
“Got him, it’s the bulking compounds. Phenolphthalein powdered.”
There was also thick blue plastic containers of liquid. They were unmarked it looked like it held ten or so litres. I opened one up and the stench of Ethanol entered my nostrils and it made my eyes water.
“When you combine the two you have yourself a cutting agent.”
“Should I call it in?”
“No… not yet. Let’s head upstairs.”
“Ok”,
“Wait.” I said. My ears pricked up noticing this jarring type electronic music that had no words and this horrible buzzsaw sound.
“What the fuck is that racket?”
“It’s dubstep.”
“Is that the shit you kids listen to these days?”
“Yeah so?”
“What happened to music where singers actually sang songs and had talent?” I said.
“They died with the 80’s when you were born Rooks.”
“The good old days.”
“Ready?”
Jessica swallowed when I walked out the door to head upstairs to the second floor. I arrived at the hallway and stopped suddenly when Jessica bumped into the back of me. I didn’t realise she was so close. The music was getting louder and the bass reverberated so much the pictures that hung on the walls were shaking. One angled so much it was upside down.
I set it straight when I copped an odd stare from Jessica. It was then I could hear the sound of someone grunting and another voice counting up to ten. I slid forwar
d, slowly and stealthy. I was standing by the entrance of the lounge and I peaked in.
There were two males and there were the three girls I saw before, who were on the couch. There were those same blue containers stacked three high five across behind the couch too. The first male was six foot six with a head smaller than his body, doing barbell curls. I remembered him from the file, by the way, his hair shined. That must be Sonny. The other guy was shorter maybe five nine was holding a beer can counting his reps that must be Chris. No sign of the car salesman Greg.
I watched as the three girls were taking turns the lighting their crack pipe. One of the girls was melting a crystal on a piece of tin foil with a candle. Fuck it stunk in there, the sweet sickly smell of heroin being burnt and the smell of sweat and sex. I noticed in the far corner was another flight of stairs up to another level.
I looked over my shoulder to give Jessica the signal for a silent approach. I didn’t want to alert whoever was above we were here.
We briskly entered the room, and I turned off the stereo in the room. They all turned around when I pointed the gun at Sonny. He dropped the dumbbell’s making a loud clashing noise. Chris tried to run, but Jessica tripped him and held him down. The girls started laughing probably too wasted, thinking if this was a joke or if I was a stripper.
“On the floor now…” I said.
“What the fuck?”
“Three seconds”
“Stuff you cop! Suck my dick.”
“One.”
‘Whack’
I used the butt of the gun to bring him down to the floor. The girls on the couch realised with their hands on their mouths that this was serious and got up to leave. One of them who was naked tipped over the candle onto the couch.
“Where is he?” I said to Sonny. I could smell the hair product from his head.
“Who?”
“Greg you idiot.”
“He’s upstairs… Wasted as.”
“How many are up there?”
“Just him… ”
I handcuffed him and Jessica did the same with Chris. I called in Comms to get a unit over to the Kings Cross apartment for assistance.
I took in a deep breath and noticed Jessica taking in a deeper one.
“You ok?” I said.
“Yeah.”
“Your hands are shaking.”
“It’s Adrenaline.”
“Your lips are quivering.”
“Adrenaline.”
“I hope so. On me.”
I glanced at my watch it was now 18:30. There was this eerie red ambient glow that streaked down the stairs from Greg’s room. All emanating from the big red neon-lit coca cola sign across the road. It made me feel like we were walking into the shores of hell, the more we got closer. The red glow pulsating and changing form from the signs set pattern.
I clenched my jaw and proceeded up the last step to the door. It was wide open but then it moved, my eyes widened hearing it creak slowly from the gust that blew in.
It made me uneasy, but I could feel Jessica by me.
By my side…
***
Greg’s room was open studio type setup roughly twenty meters by twenty meters. It had a double bed at the end of the room to a solid wall. The ceiling was high about five meters. It had a polished wood floor that made me conscious of the noise our boots would make. To my left was a solid polished concrete wall all the way through to the end and to my right was the large sliding glass doors where the light from the red neon light illuminated in.
All the sliders were open. The sound of traffic from below and the howling wind might mask my approach. The butterflies in my stomach were fucking fluttering.
In the middle of the room about ten meters in were three large polished concrete square posts, spaced two meters apart in a line. There were thick black drapes on my right where they were pulled right across bunched up in the middle where the posts are, Then bunched up again at the end of the room at the foot of the bed.
We both stepped into the room. I pointed to Jessica to check out the balcony that stretched right to end. I watched as she cautiously stepped in front of the row of blue containers that were by the door to access the sliding door. I swear I could see the hairs on the nape of her neck prick up like a porcupine.
I took off my safety and raised my beretta aiming at the bed. I used my forearm to wipe the sweat off my brow. Some of it went into my right eye making me blink and squint from the sting. It’s was humid in there even with the slider open.
I moved forward slowly stopping midway between the door and the posts. I was positioned in the left side between the left and middle post. I waited for Jessica. I noticed smoke coming up from the floor below, and the noise of faint shouting.
My head turned to Jessica, who gave me the all clear. Good no one outside. The wave pattern of the coca cola sign made me nervous, the way it changed the light in the room. It caused the shadows to move all over the place like there were demons and ghosts flying around. I squinted to center my vision on the bed. I could see the rippling silk sheets shimmer and shine from here. It looked like Greg was sleeping, the large long lump of his body under the covers. From the length of it, he must be six foot five. Shit why do I always get the guys bigger than me.
We arrived at the middle of the posts. I breathed in. All clear. I moved two steps forward to the bed, Jessica moved one step. I held up my left palm for her to stop. My head turned to see her in front of the post by the bunch of black drapes, she nodded to cover me.
I noticed now the flames were at the foot of the door of the where we came through. The smoke started trickling up the ceiling. I turned to face the bed.
“Police! Get up!” I shouted.
No movement, Just the wind blowing on the sheets.
“Get up now!”
I pulled off the cover to find them propped up by a duvet and pillows.
“Fuck!”
“Drop your gun…”
The sound of Greg from behind, I turned my head to see him with a gun to Jessica’s head.
“Drop your gun or I’ll shoot this bitch!” Greg said.
“Okay…” I let my gun drop. Looking up at the ceiling in frustration the wisp of smoke blanketed the top of the room and was working its way down.
“Turn around slowly.” He said.
I turned around to see him, the black drapes spread loose from its bunch. Clever prick was hiding in there.
His eyes were sunken and red. I couldn’t even see the whites in his eyes and his hair was like the photo slicked right back. Big Bastard too.
“What now asshole?” I said.
“This where I shoot the both of you and I ride into the night like Zorro.”
I said nothing but noticed the flames at the base of the door were melting the first two containers of ethanol behind him. I needed to stall him till it explodes.
“We know you are one responsible for importing of the cutting compounds we have enough evidence for your arrest.”
I paused so it could sink into his thick skull.
“You're fucked. The only riding you’ll be doing will be in prison with your inmate Leroy.”
Greg started laughing.
“You think you have it all figured out don’t you Rooks? When Jasper gave me the heads up on you, I made all this evidence point to Sonny and Chris.”
“It’s all on them.”
“That won’t work out they are probably barbecuing below.” I said.
My head shifted up to the blanket of smoke that was now two metres above me, its heat so hot I could feel the sheen of sweat on my face and the heat on my head.
“Greg looked around and realised but was oblivious to the containers behind him, I winked at Jessica then I widened my eyes at her then shifting my eyes up, then to containers behind her. She nodded clicking on my thinking.
“Ha-ha, even better, all the evidence incinerated!”
“Including you!”
Boom.
The Shock
from the explosion caught everyone off guard. I fell back into the bed landing in an awkward position. I felt a pain in my left shoulder. Dislocated. I opened my eyes to gain my bearings. Jessica was on the floor by the slider near the black drapes and Greg was on the other side by the concrete wall knocked out.
The containers of ethanol were leaking across the floor carrying the flames with them. The smoke in the room made my throat feel like sandpaper and I was coughing. I crawled over to Jessica and I shook her and checked her vitals. She opened her eyes. I had the damn ringing sound. I was shouting so loud even a deaf man could hear me.
We had to move since the ethanol was spreading across the floor. Jessica’s eyes were shifting everywhere when the ethanol spilled over to Greg’s side and started to burn him. It was something out of a horror movie as he crawled over while his flesh was burning.
He was screaming and Jessica froze.
I stood up and pulled her out when another explosion occurred the containers exploded causing the flames to shoot out from the first half of the room out to the balcony. Outside I saw some of the containers were still intact, but they we leaking spreading the fire towards us. We moved right to the edge and climbed up on the long table.
I peered down to the ground below. Fuck it’s too high to jump. I could see the fire appliances on the ground. We will be toast by the time the ladder gets up here.
I looked across to the balcony to the other apartment room, with the smoke gushing out it distorted my vision, I guessed it was three-four metres across. I pointed to it when Jessica nodded her head.
“Rooks I’m too short I won’t make the jump.” She said.
“The gap is enough for me to make it. I’ll jump across and reach over!”
“But you need to pop my shoulder, it’s fucked!”
She grabbed my arm and pulled, when I heard a crunching sound. The pain was worse than it sounded. I got up on the balcony and jumped across grabbing the railing. I felt my feet kicking on the air below. I didn’t look, I knew It was a long way down. With my busted shoulder, I managed to pull myself up using the strength on my right side.