All he had to do was kill a child.
No, kill the vermin.
She danced back and forth upon the long winter grass. He heard her saying a word, over and over again.
“Bird. Bird. Bird.”
Without thinking, he lowered himself back into the grass. A bead of sweat trickled off his brow. He stayed there, watching her for a second. Then another second. Maybe the Ferals could speak English after all, or at least a few words of it.
He felt oddly light in that moment, like there wasn’t a body wrapped around his soul. Like he was floating in the air, watching this scene unfold from the sky.
He felt dizzy. But it was now or never. If she didn’t find the Magic Birds here she’d turn around and be gone, back to her playmates at the pond. Walker knew that he was supposed to be killing her. Right now.
Do it now, do it now.
No, he couldn’t. He submerged his body in the small jungle that was Brickfields Meadow, like a submarine disappearing into the deep blue water. His grip on the axe was loosening. He could feel his fingers unwrapping themselves from the handle.
His body was falling deeper into the grass. And without realising it was coming, Walker let out an almighty sigh of relief.
When he looked up, the girl was gone.
“Shit,” Walker said.
He glanced over his shoulder. Somewhere back there, the Sleeping Giants were lying in the meadow, watching and waiting for the murder to begin. He could only imagine how pissed they were going to be with him.
But he didn’t have to wait long to find out.
Something came moving quickly through the grass in his direction. Achilles’ face appeared in front of Walker seconds later. The gang leader’s eyes were bulging with incandescent rage.
“What the fuck Walker?” Achilles shrieked, struggling to keep his voice down. “It couldn’t have been any easier – one of them came straight at you. You didn’t have to even get close to the pond to get it done for fuck sake! Well now you do soldier, get back there and do it, do it, do it!”
There was a rustling noise in the grass behind Achilles. Walker guessed that the others were crawling through the meadow, catching up with their leader. One by one, their faces appeared like a disjointed vision in between the long grass. Walker saw the disappointment on their faces – all of them except Pax, who looked smug, like he was loving every moment of this outcome.
“I told you,” Pax said, pointing at Walker. “This bitch ain’t one of us. He’s a useless sack of dog shit. Bloody hell! If he can’t knock off a Feral, what use is he ever going to be in a real fight, eh? What’s the matter Walker? Did you fancy her or something?”
Walker didn’t hesitate to react. Something dark took over and he lunged at Pax, grabbing a hold of the man’s thick neck with both hands locked in a tight strangle hold. Pushing upwards, he forced Pax onto his feet and Walker went with him. He continued to push Pax back, a strange and violent dance that only ended when Pax tripped over his feet and fell onto the grass. Walker went down with him, losing his strangle grip in the fall.
Both men jumped back to their feet at the same time.
Walker’s blood was boiling. Now he felt ready to hurt someone, possibly kill someone.
He saw Pax’s hand reaching for the short sword at his waist. Walker realised that his axe was still lying on the grass behind him. Shit. He was exposed. Another thought occurred to him in that moment. Even if he could turn around, reach out and grab the axe on time, would the other Giants stand by and let him do it? Pax was one of them. Walker, as he’d just demonstrated, was not.
Before Pax could pull his sword out, there was a high-pitched shrieking noise. It came from across the meadow. Walker and the Giants turned around to see what had happened.
The Ferals were looking straight at them.
Hysterical screams filled the air, followed by a single loud grunt from one of the older boys who seemed to take charge of the situation. The Ferals dispersed quickly, taking off in a northerly direction, back towards the street and to safety.
“Oh for fuck’s sake!” Achilles yelled, watching them go. He was on his feet now, jumping up and down like a madman.
He glared at Walker. “You fucking idiot!” he said. “Now look what’s happened.”
Walker turned back to Pax, having forgotten for a second that the man was about to pull his sword.
Pax’s fingers were still wrapped around the sword handle. He took a step closer, forcing the unarmed Walker to take a step back.
“Initiation’s over mate,” Pax said. “And boy you failed big time. The question is, what do we do with you now?”
Achilles shot a hand out, blocking Pax from getting any closer.
“There’s still time,” Achilles said, looking at Walker. “If you go after them and bring me one back, it’s still on. Bring it back dead, by whatever means you see fit. Do that and you’re still one of us.”
“What the fuck Achilles?” Pax said, shaking his head. “He failed man. He failed the test.”
Walker didn’t acknowledge Pax’s presence. Neither did Achilles. Both men were looking intently at each other.
“No,” Walker said. “I won’t do it.”
Achilles gasped, like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“What did you say?”
“Find some other initiation,” Walker said. “Or I walk.”
“There is no other initiation,” Achilles said. “What the fuck have you been wasting our time for? You said you wanted to be in this gang. You said you’d do the initiation. We told you from the start that it wouldn’t be pretty. We thought you were a soldier Walker – was that just bullshit?”
“I still want to be in the gang,” Walker said, trying not to lose his cool. “I do.”
“You’ve got a funny way of showing it man,” Pax said. “Achilles, I say we waste this guy right here, right now – he’s no good and if he sticks around then bad shit is going to happen to us. Mark my words.”
Pax’s fingers were still wrapped around the sword handle at his waist. Slowly, he pulled the sword several inches out of the scabbard. Sooper was standing behind him, like a suckerfish stuck to a shark’s back. The boy’s eyes were wide and fearful.
Achilles stepped in between them once again.
“I’m the leader of the Sleeping Giants,” he said. “And you’re refusing a direct order. Is that right?”
Walker nodded. “If killing a kid is the order, then I’m refusing.”
Achilles laughed, but the manic look in his eyes suggested he didn’t find the situation amusing.
“Let me kill him,” Pax said. “He’s been inside our home, he’s eaten our food, slept in our private space and it’s all been for nothing. He’s no good. He’s just a bloody freeloader who wanted to have it easy at our expense for a while. Well he’s shown his true colours. Let me kill him Achilles.”
Achilles looked at Walker while he scratched slowly at his beard.
“You’re a liability Walker,” he said. “I think Pax is right. I think we’re going to have to…”
“No,” said a voice.
Walker turned around and saw Kojiro walking towards them. Behind Kojiro, Walker caught a glimpse of Nadia, Pearl and the Ostrich standing in a neat line, watching events unfold with interest.
Kojiro stormed past Walker on his way to Achilles.
“He passed the test,” Kojiro said, standing in front of the Giants’ leader. His tone of voice was not an invitation to debate the matter.
But that didn’t stop Achilles trying. He shot a stunned look at his friend.
“What?” he said. “How the bloody hell do you figure that one out?”
“This initiation is stupid,” Kojiro said, glancing at Walker as he spoke. His elegant English accent never wavered for a second. “It’s nothing more than a test of blind loyalty but what good is that sort of thing? Are we training people to be dogs? Really? What our friend here has just shown is that he possesses something rare
indeed – he has his own mind and what’s more, he’s not afraid to use it, even when he’s significantly outnumbered.”
“Fuck that,” Pax yelled. “We’re not listening to any of your wise man bullshit Kojiro. That arsehole was brought here to do a job and he’s fucked it up big time. He’s failed. Right? The Ferals will still be in our turf, just waiting to steal our next Drop Parcels. And it’s because of this tosser!”
Kojiro took a deliberate step towards Pax. The two men stood face to face and for the first time since he’d taken up with the Giants, Walker saw fear leaking into Pax’s eyes.
“He passed the test,” Kojiro said in a calm voice. “You understand?”
Pax swallowed hard, nodding his head.
After that, nobody dared to question Kojiro’s decision.
“The purpose of this test was to assess Walker’s character,” Kojiro said, turning back to address Achilles, as well as the other Giants. “That was the real purpose all along. And what he’s shown us is that he’s willing to stand up for what he believes in, even if that means certain death. Do you know how rare these qualities are? How many other people would stand up against the odds like that?”
Walker saw Achilles and Pax exchanging confused glances.
Kojiro stepped forwards, bowing his head in Walker’s direction.
“Congratulations,” he said. “A truly impressive display.”
Walker bowed his head in return. Beside Kojiro, he saw the rage bubbling up in Achilles’ eyes. It was a scolding, fiery rage but one that wasn’t ready to spill over.
Not yet.
“Well ain’t you lucky,” Achilles said. “Seems you’ve got at least one friend in this group.”
Walker nodded. “Aye.”
“One more thing,” Kojiro said to Walker. “The others still need to be convinced that you’re one of us. Their opinions must be respected.”
Walker nodded. “What do I do?”
“There are other ways,” Kojiro said. “Other ways to get on board with what we do.”
“Such as?”
Kojiro glanced at Achilles. “There’s a delivery coming today from the Ghosts, isn’t there?”
Achilles nodded, his eyes still glued to Walker. “Yeah,” he said. “It’ll be on its way right now.”
Kojiro turned back to Walker.
“I respect you Walker,” he said. “You have many qualities and I have no doubt that you’ll become a valuable addition to this group. But you must convince the minds of the others who still doubt you.”
“What do you want me to do?” Walker asked.
Kojiro smiled. “It’s easy,” he said. “All you have to do is join us for lunch this afternoon.”
Chapter 6
The Sleeping Giants walked back to the school in silence.
Walker stayed at the back of the line, partly because he felt comfortable with the others in front of him rather than at his back. But it also seemed fitting because they were clearly pissed off with him and he didn’t feel like a part of the unit. That was fine with him, but the Sleeping Giants were his ticket to Hatchet and he had to at least pretend that he was interested in becoming one of them.
When they reached the school, a silver transit van was parked on the street with the engine still running. The van was tucked up close to the kerb, next to an overgrown ‘green afro’ hedge that ran alongside the length of the school.
Two men were sitting inside the van. They were watching the Sleeping Giants walk towards them.
“They’re early,” Achilles. “Shit, I hope they haven’t been waiting long.”
As the Sleeping Giants approached the van, both the driver and passenger door opened and the two men stepped outside. They were both dressed in dark grey winter coats that stopped at the waist. The man who stepped out of the driver’s side was tall and lean, with the collar of his coat upturned like a throwback fifties rebel. As he watched the gang come closer, the tall man – who had an old-fashioned pencil moustache, adjusted a woollen beanie hat on his head, pulling it down tight over the back of his neck.
The other man – the one who’d stepped out of the passenger side – was shorter, with a stocky build. Unlike his companion, the stocky man, with his dark crew cut and brown eyes, was smiling as the Giants approached. Walker saw a steely coldness in the stranger’s eyes and he didn’t like it.
The shorter man took a few steps closer to the gang, one hand raking its way across the coarse stubble that covered half his face. The tall guy stayed by the van.
Walker quickened his step, catching up with Kojiro.
“Who’s that?” he said, keeping his voice low.
Kojiro didn’t take his eyes off the van.
“The Ghosts,” he whispered.
Walker’s entire body seized up, as if something was urging him to stop.
The Ghosts of London.
Walker looked at the two men again. Were these the same people who just a few months earlier had been dressed up in gas masks and judges’ wigs? The same people who’d orchestrated a long night of terror in Bedlam? Picking up lost souls on the street, men, women and children, bundling them into the back of a van and taking them to a Hell on Earth known only as ‘the Farm’, to turn them into food or slaves?
“Ghosts?” Walker said. “Where’s the Halloween outfit?”
Kojiro looked at Walker and smiled. “They don’t need them today,” he said. “Most people around here are scared enough.”
Achilles ran ahead of the others, hurrying towards the van.
“Gary,” Achilles said, greeting the short and stocky Ghost with an extended hand. “Sorry mate, we’re a bit late getting back.”
The Ghost made Achilles wait a few moments. Then slowly, he lifted his arm and took up the offer of a handshake.
“Achilles,” Gary said, in a gruff voice. It sounded like he’d been gargling turpentine all night.
Achilles waved at the taller man standing by the van. “Alright Wayne?” he said. “How’s it going my friend?”
Wayne didn’t look up from the phone in his hand. “Yeah alright,” he said.
The rest of the Giants caught up with Achilles and the two Ghosts. A few awkward greetings were exchanged. Walker noticed that Kojiro said nothing to the men and that he turned his body away from them, like they didn’t exist. If the Ghosts noticed Kojiro’s snub, they didn’t seem bothered.
Gary gave Walker a quick lookover, his eyes moving up and down like he was assessing a thing rather than a person.
“New blood?” Gary asked.
“Maybe,” Achilles said. “That’s Walker. But we’ll see how it goes.”
Gary nodded, then turned his attention back to Achilles.
“What you been up to then?” Gary said.
“Just been down Brickfields,” Achilles said, pointing a thumb over his shoulder. “Trying to chase off a plague of Ferals, you know how it is. Little bastards have been moving in on our Drops.”
There was a short silence.
“We’ll take care of that if you want?” Gary said. A grim seriousness was etched on the man’s face.
Achilles laughed, a little too anxiously. He reminded Walker of the wimpiest kid at school laughing at the bully’s jokes in order to avoid a beating.
“Nah you’re alright,” Achilles said. “It’s cool mate. You’ve got enough going on without having to worry about a little vermin. Besides we can take care of a few stray kids, eh? We’re not worried.”
“If you say so,” Gary said. “But that’s what we’re here for yeah? We’re here to make sure everything runs smoothly for you guys. You got a problem, you talk to us and we’ll fix it.”
Walker noticed that the stocky Ghost didn’t blink much. It was a creepy doll-like quirk that added a reptilian coldness to the man’s presence.
Gary turned back to Wayne, who was still leaning up against the van and playing with his phone.
“Wayne, get the package for Achilles and his friends,” he said
The taller Gh
ost nodded. He slipped the phone into his coat pocket, straightened himself up and went around to the back of the van. A few moments later, he came back carrying a small cardboard box that had been sealed closed with a neat border of duct tape.
“Merry Christmas to the Sleeping Giants,” Gary said. He took the package off Wayne and then thrust it towards Achilles. “We threw in a couple of little extras just to make sure you lot didn’t go hungry over Christmas and New Year. It’s the nineteenth of December, just in case you haven’t kept up with the date.”
Achilles took the package off the Ghost. His eyes lit up like a kid who’d been handed a stack of Christmas presents with his name written on every label.
“Nice one,” he said. “Cheers Gary, cheers Wayne.”
Gary put a gloved hand on Achilles’s shoulder.
“We’re here for you mate,” Gary said. His lizard eyes roamed across the rest of the gang. Kojiro continued to stand side-on like a man apart. It looked like he was waiting for a bus to come along Birchanger Road and get him the hell out of there.
“We’re here for all of you,” Gary said. “Got it?”
“Of course mate,” Achilles said. “We really appreciate everything that you do for us.”
Gary turned away, like he was about to walk back to the van. Before he set off though, he stopped and turned back to Achilles.
“Just one more thing,” he said.
“Yeah?” Achilles said.
“The boss noticed that we haven’t had any donations from you in a while,” Gary said. “Do you understand? This is a relationship and it’s all about give and take. We offer you protection, we bring you food and reassurances. Now and again, we need a token of appreciation. Yeah? Doesn’t matter what it is; think of it as putting a little deposit into the bank, eh? It can’t be take, take, take all the time. Right?”
“Yeah of course,” Achilles said, his cheeks turning bright red. His voice was trembling too. “Funny you should mention it Gary. We’ve been thinking about that a lot ourselves recently. It’s just that there’s been so little to spare. Beside that, we haven’t found anything that would be of interest to you. Yet.”
The Future of London Box Set Page 58
