by Hatchett
They flew in formation, all the crews in touch with each other and the Security Command Centre. Tom was acting as liaison on this occasion, rather than passing the duty off to one of his operators.
“What have you got for us Tom?” Issy asked.
“Not much I’m afraid Issy,” he replied. “We’re watching the area now. There’s a few people wandering around but there’s not too much activity. We currently have no idea how many people are in there, but they’re well-fortified against the munchers and any ground attack, but they’ve got nothing which can stop an air attack as far as we can see.”
“Any intel on the people?”
“Most if not all are Turks. It’s a Turkish neighbourhood. We believe that the leaders are part of the Turkish mafia and according to the police database, the top guy is someone called Suleiman. By all accounts, he used to be a bit of a nutter in his younger days, but you wouldn’t really expect anything less. He’s a huge man, but he’s now getting on a bit. He’s about seventy and suspected of being involved in all sorts of crimes from drugs, slavery, prostitution, murder. You name it, he’s done it, but it’s never been proved without a doubt and he’s never done any jail time. He doesn’t tend to get his own hands dirty these days, he has plenty of wannabe’s who do that for him.
“Delightful character then!” Issy noted, sarcastically.
“Indeed!” Tom confirmed.
“Why is it the scum seems to rise to the top rather than the cream?” Issy pondered, “especially in this sort of situation.”
“He is the cream,” Tom explained, “of the underworld. Well, at least one of them. He has relations further up the road in Tottenham, but it doesn’t appear they’re on speaking terms at the moment.”
“Turf war?”
“Don’t know. Perhaps just some argument; the slightest remark can turn into a major issue with this lot. But, the Turks don’t normally fight each other, they tend to gang up on others.”
“Like who?”
“Like anyone who isn’t a Turk, so take your pick.”
“Do they have any specific enemies?”
“There appears to be bad blood between them and the Yardies based in Tottenham, but that’s probably more to do with geography.”
“OK, Tom, keep us posted if you find out anything interesting.
Issy was considering what Tom had told them when Bear said, “So, how do you want to play this?”
Issy thought about it for a moment. “There’s no point in causing a war…unless we need to. I think we’d be better off just going in for a chat. We can go down while the other three heli’s stay up and keep an eye out.”
“I agree there’s not a lot of other options,” Bear confirmed, “But what if they’ve got weapons which can take us down?”
“That’s a risk we’ll have to take,” Issy replied. If they shoot one of us down, then they’re all dead so they must know that.”
“About to reach our destination,” the pilot advised.
“Take us over the area and see if there’s anywhere we can land. The other three heli’s stay airborne and patrol but keep alert.”
The pilot took the Lynx over the Dalston Estate as the other three peeled off and started circling the area.
“There’s a couple of possible landing sites, but they’re a bit narrow and there’s trees nearby. The best spot is a parking area either side of Buttermere Walk, but there’s some cars in the way,” the pilot advised.
“Hover over it and hopefully they’ll get the idea and move them.”
As the pilot banked towards the potential landing site, Issy could see that there were hundreds of people leaving their homes and looking up into the sky. Others were hanging out of windows to take a look and a few climbed up on the roofs of the buildings.
“Looks like we’re building up a reception committee,” Bear remarked.
“Good, at least we’ve woken them up,” Issy replied.
The pilot brought the Lynx into a hover a few metres above the chosen landing spot. Using the external speaker, the pilot asked for the cars to be moved and, after a short delay, enough had been moved to enable them to land.
As the bird touched down, Bear nudged Issy and pointed out of the window at what was obviously a reception committee. The engines were cut, and the rotors began to slow.
The doors were opened and Issy, Bear and the four soldiers accompanying them climbed down and held up their hands to show they were empty. They still had their MP5s slung across their shoulders and their Glock 17 pistols in their holsters, and of course, the Bowie knives sitting in the sheaths.
They cautiously made their way across the parking area towards a rough looking group of men waiting for them on a path between two buildings. They didn’t appear to be armed, but Issy didn’t doubt for one second that there would be armed people in the vicinity, probably with their weapons already trained on the them.
“I’m Issy. I would like to speak to your leader. I believe his name is Suleiman.”
“I’m Hakan,” said a short but large man standing in front of her. “What do you want?”
“To speak to Suleiman.”
“Why?”
“That’s between me and him,” Issy replied. “Does he want to speak to me or should I insist?” Issy asked as she looked at the heli’s circling above her.
“Is that a threat?” Hakan asked, laughing. This prompted the people around him to laugh as well. “You could be dead with a nod of my head.”
“And you would all be dead, every single person in this estate, just a few seconds later.”
Hakan looked skywards. “We have heard of you and your weapons,” Hakan noted.
“Oh yes? And how did you hear that?” Issy asked.
Hakan just shook his head in response, but Issy knew that it had to have been Mamba. She wondered if Mamba had joined forces with this group. Hakan looked surprised and annoyed to see them, but there again, he might look that way all the time.
“Follow me,” Hakan advised and turned to take the path behind him.
Issy followed, with Bear and the other four soldiers behind her. The group of Turks split up, some following Hakan and other forming a tunnel which the newcomers needed to pass through. Issy and her team were treated to hard stares and scowls as they followed Hakan, and a couple of people spat on the floor.
Haken led them along the path past a grass square sitting in the middle of four buildings and continued straight on into a narrow road. He continued until he came to a ‘T’ junction and turned left. After about fifteen metres he stopped outside what looked like a church.
“Wait here,” he ordered, and disappeared inside the building.
Issy turned to her colleagues and they formed a small huddle. Keeping her voice low, so as not to be overheard, she advised, “Their boss knows we’re here and that guy Hakan is just filling him in on what’s he’s seen. When we go in, Bear will come with me, two of you will stay outside, and you two will stay just inside the door. If things turn to shit, start firing.”
The huddle broke up and Issy turned in time to see Hakan standing in the doorway beckoning her over.
Issy walked to the door and entered the building, closely followed by Bear. The four soldiers stationed themselves as ordered, making sure their backs were against the walls.
“You need to leave your weapons here,” Haken advised, pointing to a side table, next to which stood two man-mountains in black suits.
“Not happening,” Issy replied, glancing at the bodyguards as if they were nothing.
Hakan stared at her for a few seconds and realised that it wasn’t worth pursuing. “Then come with me, but if you try to reach for your weapons, you will be shot.” With that, he turned and pushed through some curtains into the dimly lit Nave and walked towards the far end before stopping.
Issy and Bear followed, aware of the additional bodyguards in this room, a couple with pistols hanging limply in their hands. Issy and Bear looked all around them, taking everything i
n and letting their eyes adjust to the gloom. Issy noticed two people chained against the far wall but couldn’t make out any features. When they stopped, she looked down and saw Sully for the first time.
“Welcome,” Sully said, pointing towards some nearby seats.
Issy nodded and moved towards the seats, removing her MP5 as she went. The sound of pistols being cocked made her pause, before she carefully put the MP5 on the floor next to the seat she had selected. Bear did the same and most of the pistols disappeared.
“You can’t be too careful, I’m afraid,” Sully explained, “can I offer you a drink?”
“We’re fine, thanks,” Issy replied, not about to trust even the water around here. She looked again at the figures chained up against the wall and realised that it was a young man and young girl, both naked. She wondered what they’d done to deserve such treatment.
Sully saw where she was looking. “They were gifted to me,” Sully explained.
“Gifted?” Issy asked, confused.
“Yes. A present from someone who wanted a favour.”
“Since when have people be exchanged as gifts?” Issy asked, with growing hostility. She felt Bear’s hand on her arm to calm her down.
“Since the dawn of time,” Sully replied. “We might like to think it doesn’t happen, but it does. Right under everyone’s noses.”
“So, why are they chained up?” Issy asked.
“I don’t want them running away,” Sully explained.
“I hardly think they’re in a fit state to run away, and in any case, where would they run to?”
“Good point, but old habits die hard.”
“Do you mind?” Issy asked, indicating that she’d like to take a closer look.
“Help yourself,” Sully advised.
As Issy got close, Sully added, “I might let you have a go if we become friends. Which would you prefer, the boy or the girl? They’re both very accommodating. Or you could have both at the same time.”
Issy was disgusted but reigned in her temper as she checked the two over; she saw that one was a pretty young woman and the other a good-looking young man, both in their twenties and both obviously suffering. Neither made eye contact with her as she looked at the broken skin around their wrists and ankles and the dried blood which had leaked from other parts of their bodies. Both were covered in dirt and bruises and the occasional livid welt. There was little doubt that they had been beaten and used.
Issy returned to her seat then stared at Sully for a time. He looked very old and was a huge mass of flesh, He reminded Issy of the film ‘The Blob’ starring Paul Newman, or was it Steve McQueen?
“So, what can I do for you?” Sully asked, after a time.
“I’m looking for someone,” Issy replied.
“Aren’t we all?” Sully asked cryptically.
“Someone I believe you know very well,” Issy continued.
“Is that so? Who is this person I know very well?” Sully asked.
“His name is Mamba,” Issy replied. She had been looking at the two figures chained to the wall and saw the woman flinch slightly, so she knew she was on the right track.
Sully considered his response. He could deny all knowledge of Mamba, but that would be foolhardy. It would be far too easy to catch him out in the lie. “Ah Mamba,” he replied. “Yes, I know that rogue, and I can tell you something else for nothing, I don’t like him. What has he gone and done this time?”
“What he’s done doesn’t matter. Where he is does matter,” Issy advised.
“Then I can’t help you,” Sully replied. “I don’t know where he is.”
“But you’ve seen him?” Issy asked. “You obviously know he’s alive otherwise you wouldn’t have said you don’t know where he is.”
Sully paused again, coughing a little to give him some time to think about how he was going to play it. He realised that he was dealing with someone who was clever and determined, and he didn’t want to get involved in Mamba’s problems, even though he’d agreed to help him in return for weapons and more power. Mamba had obviously failed miserably, and this was the start of the fallout. He couldn’t admit his involvement and he couldn’t pretend he hadn’t seen Mamba. He didn’t know what these two soldiers in front of him knew, so he had to be very careful. He thought about it some more. They were clearly after Mamba but not him, otherwise they wouldn’t have come to him to talk. Which meant that they didn’t know about his and Mamba’s agreement. Which meant he could throw Mamba to the wolves and forget all about it. He’d just have to hope that they killed Mamba before he could say anything.
“I did agree to see him, yes, against my better judgement,” Sully advised.
“When?”
“A few days ago. Haven’t seen him since, praise be to Allah!”
“What did he want?” Issy asked.
“I’m not sure, really. He was a little worked up, so I offered him some Turkish Delight to calm him down, but unfortunately he took a little too much and became incoherent.”
“So, you don’t know what he wanted?”
“Not really. He was mumbling about a way to get rich, but then Mamba always seemed to have many great plans for getting rich, none of which ever seemed to bear any fruit.”
“What use is being rich these days?” Issy asked.
“I have no idea,” Sully replied, “but wealth is not always measured in coins.”
“So, the two of you didn’t agree anything?”
“No.”
“So, Mamba didn’t give you the two people chained to your wall?”
“He did as a matter of fact. It was to pay me back for some of the debt he owes me from our past lives.”
“Is Mamba coming back here?”
“I certainly hope not,” Sully replied, seeming to be affronted by such a notion.
“You do realise that if I find out you’re lying, your estate and all the people in it will die?”
Sully looked at her, for the first time a spark of annoyance in his piggy little eyes. He didn’t like to be threatened, especially by a woman who should be waiting on him and taking care of his needs.
“Is that a threat?” he asked slowly.
“No, a promise,” Issy replied, staring him down.
“A little presumptuous considering your current situation,” Sully remarked.
“You think I care?” Issy asked, pointing to her helmet camera then pointing to the noise of the heli’s still circling the estate.
Sully nodded slowly as if to accept her point. There was another pause in the conversation as Sully considered his next step.
“Mamba promised me riches if I lent him some of my men.”
“And did you?”
“Did I what?”
“Lend him some of your men.”
“Yes, I allowed him to take ten people to help him.”
“Were any of them bomb makers?”
“Bomb makers?” Sully repeated, appearing to be genuinely surprised. “I don’t have any bomb makers.”
“So, what was Mamba going to give you in exchange?”
“Guns and ammunition.”
“Then you’ve been conned,” Issy pointed out.
“It seems that way,” Sully acknowledged, “Sadly, not for the first time with Mamba,” he added with an air of disappointment. “So, what now?” Sully asked.
“Well, that depends on whether we are friends or enemies,” Issy replied.
“I guess we’re neither,” Sully opined. “You do what you need to do, and we’ll do what we need to do, and never the twain shall meet. But as a show of good faith, I would be happy to gift you the two people you’re obviously so interested in,” he advised, throwing an arm over his shoulder.
“And you will contact us if Mamba turns up?”
“Of course,” Sully replied.
“Agreed,” Issy confirmed. She knew there was little else she could glean from Sully at this point, but she’d put down a marker and getting those two out of here was an unexp
ected bonus.
Issy reached inside her jacket and some of the bodyguards immediately raised their pistols. She held up one hand and slowly pulled a walkie-talkie out with the other. “You will be able to contact us with this,” she held up the walkie talkie before placing it on a side table. “It has been programmed and will only use the one frequency. If Mamba does turn up, then please call us and we’ll come and take him off your hands. Anytime, day or night. Who knows, there could be some sort of reward in it for you.”
“I like rewards,” Sully noted.
“Well, don’t get too excited, it won’t be of the flesh variety,” Issy advised. She slowly picked up her MP5 and slung it over her shoulder.
Bear stood up and did the same, then they both stood there.
Sully was momentarily puzzled that they weren’t leaving before remembering that he’d offered them the two people chained up. He flicked his hand and couple of the bodyguards walked over to the wall to release them. Both would have crumpled to the floor if the bodyguards hadn’t held them upright.
“Pleasure doing business with you,” Issy remarked.
“The pleasure was all mine,” Sully replied, but they could tell from his tone that it was anything but.
Hakan led Issy and Bear towards the exit while the two bodyguards almost carried the two bodies behind them.
At the exit, the bodyguards passed the bodies into the waiting arms of two of the soldiers, then Hakan led the whole party back to their helicopter without saying a word. There were still hundreds of people all around, staring at them with undisguised animosity.
“Wouldn’t want to be here after dark,” Bear muttered under his breath.
“What? A big, hard man like yourself?” Issy mocked.
The pilot saw the group coming and turned on the engine. They clambered into the back and he was surprised to see a naked male and female being hauled in as well.
As soon as he could, the pilot took off and headed back to Heathrow, the other three heli’s forming up beside him.
In the back, Issy and Bear tried to give the injured pair some water. Their lips were cracked, and they seemed extremely dehydrated, but much of the water spilled from their mouths and down their chins. The small amount they did take on board seemed to revive them a little and Issy heard a croaky ‘thank you’ from the girl. Both would be taken straight to medical as soon as they got back.