Chapter 4
They had made love for a couple of hours until he was too spent to carry on and settled down for the rest of the night in each others arms like teenage lovers after their first illicit night of sex.
He awoke around six o’clock and unintentionally woke her as he tried to rise silently from the bed. They made love one more time before he showered and left her sobbing into the pillows alone and frightened.
******
The engine of the blue car purred into life as he stepped onto the street. The occupants watched as he walked casually along unaware of their presence. The car pulled out almost silently from its parked position the driver letting the engines idling speed do the work for him and crept along the road about fifty metres behind their quarry. As their target reached a spot where there were no parked cars the driver accelerated hard throwing the car forward quickly covering the distance between them and braked equally as hard bringing the car to a quick but silent stop. The passenger door was already open and Morton was out of the car and standing in front of the man before he even knew what was happening.
“Good morning, Andy. Had a good night?” Morton forced himself to grin at him but his false humour soon gave way to his more customary side. “Get in the car, you bastard!” he growled menacingly pulling open the back door.
Andy Richards froze. The man in front of him was not someone to meddle with. The two men locked eyes before Morton pulled open the side of his jacket. Andy’s knees went weak as he caught sight of the holstered gun.
“You can’t touch me,” he tried to sound strong, in control but his wavering voice gave him way.
“Get in the fucking car,” Morton repeated tiredly, “I’m tired, I’m hungry and I’ve had no fucking breakfast! Don’t piss me off! Get in!”
“I don’t think so,” Andy was sounding more confident now, besides what could he do to him in the middle of a street in broad daylight?
“Andy,” Morton sighed wearily, “I don’t need this. Just get in the bloody car so we can talk. The boss wants a word.”
“Yeah, I’m sure he does,” replied Andy thoughtfully.
Morton had had enough and took a step forwards causing Andy to retreat back a step equally as quickly. Morton knew that he was expected to deliver Richards to Thanos but without causing a scene and without alienating him even further. It would have been easy enough for him to over-power the six foot weakling in front of him and force him into the car but that would lead to possible witnesses and would not encourage Richards to co-operate with them. And they needed his co-operation. Morton decided on another tack.
“Look, we can talk this out. Come to an agreeable situation. All we want is to talk. Sort this out. Come on, we’re all friends here, ain’t we?”
The diplomatic approach was not lost on Andy. Diplomacy was not one of Morton’s strong points. He normally negotiated with his fist. He thought carefully about his situation and knew that sooner or later he would have to face Thanos.
Refusing to be intimidated by this thug he summoned up his courage and, taking a deep breath forced himself to look Morton in the eye.
His confidence still growing and still believing he had all the ammunition he needed to keep him safe, after all the pen was mightier than the sword or in this case mightier than Morton’s boot. He silently got into the car.
Ernie was woken up by the sound of voices. He shielded his eyes with his hand from the bright morning sun. He must have fallen asleep during the night. His neck hurt like hell and to make things even worse the blue car had gone. Bollocks, he cursed.
He drove home as quickly as the early morning rush hour would allow, had a quick shower and arrived late and in a foul mood for work.
Morton called Thanos to let him know that they were on their way. The drive through the early morning rush hour gave him time to concentrate on his strategy. He knew that Thanos was likely to turn violent; it was the only way the Neanderthal knew how to deal with a problem, but logic told him that as he had the upper hand Thanos would have to at least hear him out. Even so, he was still a frightened man. Only a fool would not have been.
The rush hour traffic going out of London was almost as bad as the traffic heading into town. He knew exactly where they were heading. Thanos had an old disused warehouse in Tilbury, Essex where he kept his stable. It was one of several such places he had spread around the country where he kept the girls.
The warehouse was at the back of a large field on a farm that Andy knew Thanos owned through an offshore company. Being Thanos` accountant for all these years meant he knew better than Thanos himself what he owned but more importantly, although he was not the best accountant in the world, he was, like most of his profession, creative without actually breaking laws. He knew where the skeletons in Thanos` cupboard were hidden. In some cases literally!
The warehouse, once owned by a shipping company, was one of many in the old dock area back in the days when the docks were the main source of employment. Nowadays, as in most modern ports, it was all containers and there was very little need for the large warehouse complexes. The warehouse consisted of four very large, dreary looking brick adjoined buildings set around a cobbled courtyard.
The main entrance, in the empty front building, was a huge brick opening, at least twenty feet high, which went straight through the centre of the building almost dividing it in two if it was not for the upper floor which passed unbroken overhead. Two crudely made but very thick wooden gates had been hung where a once imposing iron gate had been. Their main purpose, apart from keeping inquisitive eyes out, was to keep its occupants in. A similar gateway was in the building on the opposite side of the courtyard. The building to the left of the entrance, which looked out over fields towards the farmhouse, was empty. The building with the alternative gateway had been turned into a sweatshop where illegal immigrants and those desperate for work would slave away in despicable conditions producing cheap rip-offs of high street fashion stores. The last building, on the right, was used to store any of his `merchandise` and was also where the generators that provided the power for this out of the way sweatshop were – after all, a disused warehouse had no use for electricity. All the windows were covered with bars built into the brickwork – obviously crime was a major concern back then. There was no glass in any of the windows instead they were all covered in wood to keep prying eyes from seeing what was going on inside.
Some of the illegals, with nowhere else to live, actually lived on site for which he charged them rent. The large floor areas of the ground and upper floors of the warehouse had been crudely divided up into either large dormitory type areas or smaller bedroom spaces whose thin plywood walls were only eight feet high the ceiling being that of the warehouse many feet above, so there was very little privacy. There were just two toilets and two showers to share between them no matter how many were living there. Cheap calor gas fires placed around the living areas provided what little heat there was. Their numbers could vary from a handful to several dozen at any one time. Most of them were young men in their mid to late teens from all parts of Europe and Asia.
Occasionally a woman or young girl could be found here but only if she was not pretty enough to earn him money providing other services to willingly paying clients.
It was a pit of human misery and despair and showed the depths to which some men would go, exploiting the unfortunate who came their way just to gain a meager amount of money to add to their, already, considerable fortune.
Thanos walked into the room sporting a huge friendly smile, belying his underlying feelings towards his former employee, and greeted Andy like an old friend, which he was, of course, even though he felt a knot tighten in his stomach as he looked at him.
He greeted him with the customary Mediterranean kiss on both cheeks followed by a tight hug. He extended his hand to Andy who, more from custom than politeness shook it. “Hi, Andy. Now, what’s all this about you blackmailing me?” he stopped for a moment to consider his choice of wor
ds and carried on, “Blackmail! Such an ugly word, don’t you think?”
Andy was not sure if it was a question or a statement. Either way blackmail was something Thanos was accustomed to. He regarded his former employer carefully before answering. “Let’s cut the pleasantries and get to it, shall we!” He sat down quickly before his legs gave way beneath him. He was not used to talking to anyone like that least of all his boss.
The new Andy Richards took Thanos by surprise. This was not the usual easygoing accountant he had known for all these years. He was not the usual meek, mild mannered man who would not even argue with the girls in the office. He wondered if this is what love could do to a man. Turn him against friends.
His attitude changed immediately, “Okay. Where is it?” there was a menacing edge to his tone.
“You seriously expect me to tell you?” Andy replied flatly.
“Listen, you little shit, you can either tell me or I’ll have to extract it from you!”
“Never did have much in the way of brains, did you Mr. Thanos!” Andy emphasized his name saying it slowly. He suddenly realised his contempt for the man.
Thanos suddenly launched himself at him and even though he was sitting in a chair he flinched and pulled back quickly bracing himself for the flailing fist coming his way. The only thing that saved him was Morton’s quick reactions as he caught hold of his boss’s hand preventing any physical contact.
“Let go! Let go of me you bastard!” Thanos shouted furiously. He was renowned for his short temper and foul language and struggled free squaring up to his towering lieutenant, his head tilted up as he tried to look him straight in the eye, “Don’t you ever touch me again! Understand!” he screamed at him, “Don’t fucking touch me!” he hissed venomously his wide eyes staring madly, his nostrils flared as the uncontrolled anger showed on his face. Morton looked blankly at him. Andy realised for the first time just how dangerous Morton really was. The anger subsided as quickly as it started and Thanos took some deep breaths before turning his verbal abuse back to Andy, “You will tell me where they are, or else!” The threat was unmistakable.
Andy breathed in deeply and slowly summoned up all of his courage, “Or what? Anything happens to me and those files go straight to the police.” He was pleased he had been able to control his voice, no quivering but in reality it was all he could do to stop his teeth from chattering in fear. He was glad he was sitting down.
The mention of the police seemed to bring Thanos back to a more stable frame of mind. “Look, haven’t I always treated you well. You’ve been to my house, ate my food. For fucks sake, you’re like an uncle to my kids. What’s wrong with you?” He turned his back and walked away as though hurt by the betrayal. Andy watched carefully as a feeling of guilt crept over him. It was true. Thanos had treated him well over the years and given him a job when nobody else would.
The heavy silence was broken by Thanos trying again to appeal to Andy’s loyal side. He had tried the family card now to see if he could buy him. Everyone had their price. “Okay. What d`you want?”
He was waiting for this question. He had played out this scenario and rehearsed the answer over and over again in his head. When he spoke it did not sound like his voice. It was somehow distant, remote as though someone else was saying the words only they were coming from his mouth.
“I want to be left alone.” There was a momentary pause before he carried on, “I want me and Anja to be left alone. I’m taking her away from you to live a normal life!”
Thanos grinned, a wide slimy grin, “Is that all? All this over a fucking whore?” The grin widened into an uncontrollable smile and then a cold laugh escaped his lips. “Andy, my son. You can have the fucking slut any night of the week you want. Fuck, I’ll even set you up in your own little love-nest, if that’s what you want. There’s no need for this…” he stopped to think but was unable to come up with the right words and so carried on, “you want her. She’s yours!”
Andy looked disbelievingly at him, “You don’t get it! She's not working for you anymore!”
Thanos was trying hard to keep civil and smiled again hoping to disguise his feelings. He needed that file, “No, you don’t get it, my friend! Anja is my top earner. She still owes me a shit load of money. You know how much it cost to bring these girls over into this country.”
“Yeah! And I know how much she’s earned you. Ten times more than what you paid for her.”
“Listen you dumb shit. She’s a whore! A fucking whore! Spreads her legs for whoever I tell her to. One, two maybe four or five men at a time. Why the fuck would you want to put your dick in her pussy? You don’t know what she’s got or who fucked her last!” If he thought that this tactic was going to get through to his former employee he was very wrong. All he succeeded in doing was to harden Andy’s determination and it showed on his face as his lips tightened into a thin white line.
Andy had never in his life, as far as he could remember, ever hated anyone as much as he hated Thanos at that moment. He was not and had never been a physical person believing that violence only led to violence but right now he could easily have taken an iron bar too Thanos` head. And enjoyed doing it!
“Shut up!” his low voice cut Thanos` speech short.
Thanos, though, obviously thought he was getting somewhere, “Know what she’s doing this weekend, d`you? Let me tell you. She `s entertaining some rich fucking camel-jockey’s. Four of them have already parted with the readies. Five fucking grand! One night! That’s what that fucking whore means to me and if you think I’m gonna let you take that away from my kids you’re fucking wrong!” He was slowly losing control again and his voice gradually got louder and louder until he was virtually shouting while his face reddened as the anger burned inside him. He carried on, “I, personally, don’t care how many of these arseholes turn up to fuck her. There could be ten of them for all I know. Shit, I ain`t putting no doorman outside keeping count but I'll tell you one thing, she won’t be letting you fuck her for a couple of days after. Her pussy's gonna need some time to recuperate – if you know what I mean!” he finished crudely.
Andy detested him and wondered how on earth he had spent so many years of his life working – legitimising – this vile man.
“She won’t be keeping that appointment,” he said flatly as though he had heard nothing.
Thanos looked across at Morton who left the room and reappeared seconds later carrying a plastic bucket.
“I’m sorry that it’s come to this, my friend, but business is business. You’re an accountant. You understand!” If he was sorry he did not sound it.
Suddenly he felt Morton’s strong arm lock around his neck holding him down in the seat as the young thug accompanying him grabbed his right arm and the cold steel of handcuffs lock around his wrist at the same time that his arm was twisted down behind the chair and the other bracelet was locked around the chair leg below the seat securing his arm. He was not strong enough to struggle against one of them and his resistance against two of them was futile. The young thug then easily caught hold of his left arm and viciously yanked it behind the chair snapping on another set of handcuffs. He felt a sharp pain in his shoulder as the muscles and tendons stretched.
Thanos was standing in front of him. “You know, you could make this easy on yourself, you dumb fuck! Where is the information?” he asked quickly.
Andy grimaced against the dull pain in his shoulder and played his trump card. “If I don’t make a phone call at a certain time those files are going to be delivered to the appropriate people.”
Thanos looked quizzically around the room. ”Well, we have a problem then `cos I don’t see no phone. Do you?” His arrogant attitude hid the fact that he was desperate to know what information Richards had on him. He gave him a couple of hard pats on the cheek with the palm of his hand before half turning way and then, suddenly, swinging a clenched fist into the side of Andy’s head.
The force of the blow almost knocked Andy out. His mouth fell o
pen as his head lolled from side to side from the impact. A shower of cold water thrown into his face brought him back to consciousness.
“The information! Where is it? You dumb shit!” his voice was rising again. “You think you can blackmail me?” He spoke through clenched teeth as he grabbed Andy’s jaw in a vice like grip pulling his head up to look him in the eye, their faces inched apart, “Where is the fucking information?” he shouted, spit from his lips landing on Andy’s face. He released his jaw throwing his head to the side as he did so, “Got to make a phone call,” he mimicked “Got to make a phone call. Who do think you fucking are, James fucking Bond?” he lashed out again this time catching the semi-conscious Andy square on the mouth loosening his front teeth.
Still dazed from the first blow Andy saw the second one coming. He felt his teeth give as the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. This was not going as he expected. Thanos was more stupid than even he thought.
Morton disappeared again and returned thirty seconds later having refilled the bucket and placed it in front of the bound man. He took his time as he removed his jacket and hung it on a peg behind the door as Andy, bleary-eyed and just about conscious, let his throbbing head slump forwards onto his chest. Andy heard the water running off the towel as it fell noisily back into the bucket. The naivety in him assumed that Morton was going to wipe the blood from his face but instead he took the soaking wet towel from the bucket, water still dripping off it and walking behind Andy tightly wrapped it around Andy’s head making sure that he covered his nose and mouth.
He soon realised what was happening as he struggled to breath through the saturated towel. He felt the cold metal of the handcuffs digging against his bony wrist as he struggled in panic. His natural reaction was to try to stand up only to have the giant Morton lean down heavily on his shoulders preventing it. After a few seconds the soaking wet towel was removed and he gasped for air.
The Qadesh Club Page 3
