H When hell is the favourable option

by David Jaundrell

  Twelve hours later four men came in and sat down on the chairs. One of them had a plastic box from which he took a bottle of wine, four cups and several legs of chicken. He handed them out to his compatriots. The twins could smell the chicken and their bodies screamed for food but there was no way they were going to plead for anything…… they were warriors and warriors didn't beg!

  ‘Let me tell you what is going to happen’ said one of the men ‘first we will ask you some questions which we would like answers to. Obviously we realise that you will be reluctant to cooperate, at least initially, but we are quite sure that one of you will help us even if your brother is not still alive to see it’.

  Luke and Lliam looked at each other. The other not alive to see it?

  ‘Second, if you want to talk to us you address us as follows; I am One’ he pointed along the line ‘two, three, four’.

  The man paused for a moment, lit a cigarette, took a bite from the chicken and sipped the wine.

  ‘Tell me’ said One ‘how was Korea………..?’

  The twins knew they were as good as dead. If these were the people that had paid to send them in then they obviously no longer wanted them around. If they were the other side and had found out, God knows how, then it was a painful death coming up. And no way to fight.

  ‘You are reluctant to answer……which is understandable’ said Two sounding like a schoolteacher. Placing his elbows on the table, his chin on the cups of his hands, made him even more of a schoolteacher……

  ‘Have you heard about the experiments that Stanley Milgram did in the 1960’s?……..no?……..well let me explain…….

  Milgram asked a group of volunteers to be either a teacheror learner. The teachers and learners were taken to a room where the learner was placed in a chair and electrodes strapped to him. The teacher is then taken to a room next door where the learner can be heard but not seen. The teacher is put in front of a machine that gives an electrical shock to the learner if they answer a question wrong.

  With me so far? Teacher and Learner……?

  So, the Teacher is given a list of questions that he asks the Learner. If the Learner gets it wrong the Teacher is told to administer a shock. Each time the learner gets a question wrong the voltage is raised.

  It was an interesting experiment that, if you will excuse the pun, shocked the researchers.

  They found that under pressure to conform and do as they were told by a person in authority, the Teacher would actually increase the voltage bit by bit until the current was enough to kill the Learner. No matter how hard the Learner screamed in protest.

  Interesting don't you think………?’

  The twins said nothing.

  ‘However’ he continued ‘in that experiment the Learner was actually an actor who would feign pain and agony as the shock was administered and so no one was hurt; but of course the Teacher didn't know that…..Would you like to ask any questions at this stage?’

  ‘Where are we?’ asked Luke.

  ‘……………So what we thought we'd do is a slight variation on that experiment. You will see above your cages there are wires attached that go to the ceiling and then to a device that sends a voltage to either, or both, of the cages. Do you understand?’

  The twins did not answer and Three, who had his hands in his pocket, pressed a button on a small remote. The twins screamed in agony as the electricity hurtled through the cables to the cages and invaded their bodies. They jerked and seized in their tiny cages, their limbs banging hard against the bars.

  ‘I am so sorry; I forgot to tell you that we have started. We are using Milgram's ideas but we have no actors and we have changed it slightly. You are both going to be Teacher and Learner. We will ask one of you a question and at that point you will be the Teacher. If you answer correctly nothing happens. If you mislead us and we realise it or if you refuse to answer then your brother will receive a shock. Each time you refuse, or mislead us the voltage will increase. Do you understand?’

  ‘Yes’ Luke said but Lliam just nodded. The electrical shock took his brothers breath away.

  ‘Do you understand…….?

  Lliam shouted ‘Yes’ immediately and mouthed a silent ‘sorry’ to his brother.

  ‘Good’ said Two ‘then we will begin’. He nodded to Four who had a small folder which he opened.

  ‘Question one…….to Luke, and then we will alternate; what are your real names…….?

  The question took both of them by surprise. Why would they ask that? How did they know they had other names? Oh Jesus Christ what else do they know?

  ‘Did you understand the question Luke?’ asked One.

  ‘Yes’

  ‘And the answer is……..?’

  Hesitating a moment too long Luke watched in horror as Lliam screamed when his head banged against the hard metal bars when the current jerked his neck muscles taut.

  ‘Richards’ said Luke quickly ‘Richards! Please don't hurt him’

  He looked at Lliam and shook his head in anguish and mouthed the words ‘I'msorry’ which was an understatement for these two emotionally and psychologically joined twins who had gone through so much together and only had each other to rely on.

  ‘Good’ said One and nodded to Four.

  ‘Next question to Lliam. ‘Lliam, where were you born?

  ‘Portsmouth’

  ‘Luke, who taught you to shoot…………………….?’

  Luke froze. What the hell to do now? Is this a test and they already know or is this what they want? He answered……

  ‘Lliam, in Korea who were you paid to kill ……………………..?’

  Before Lliam answered he was trying to work out who these people were or who they represented? If they knew about Korea how could they be Korean? If they had found out about the contract why ask? And if they were the people who hired them they would already know……… So, who the hell were they?

  The current went up a notch and the bolt threw Luke against the cage. His head banged the side of the cage and he grunted in breathless agony.

  ‘Lliam, answer please………………’

  H Chapter 61

  So how….?

  After eight weeks Benny and H left the hospital in Secure Security's bullet proof limo and returned home. Benny was well again although she would bear the scars for the rest of her life. The entry wounds had healed, the scars minimal and in time would mainly disappear; but the exit wounds had been large and angry and they would take quite a while to subside.

  James body had completely healed.

  The only outward show of the attack was that he now a parting on both sides of his hair; one where the bullet had parted the skull. It made him look a bit like a Navaho Indian! His mind had been a little confused for a while but it had quickly reconfigured itself and now he was fine. Benny told his employees not to go to the hospital as she was concerned H would launch into aggression mode and it would harm his recovery but now that they were home Toby was invited to tell H everything he knew.

  Toby went through it all, bit by bit.

  ‘It was weired H, one minute we are at war with some unknown gangsters and the next minute…puff….gone. Just like that. Senor Reyes puts me in touch with someone who tells me what to do. I meet the emissary guy and then go out to do his coffee. A small bomb or something fills the room with gas and then two big bastards take him away. And that's the last I heard……..nothing…..absolutely fucking nothing. I rang Senor Reyes who told me everything would be sorted out and to get on as normal running the clubs. And so I did, and I have.’

  ‘You don't know much………….’ said H disparagingly.

  Toby shrugged ‘I can only tell you what I know’

  ‘And Senor Reyes organised this…..?’

  Toby thought for a moment. ‘Sort of…..I think he just rang some people and paid them to sort it out. I don't think he'd have a clue about things like this but he appears to have the money and the contacts to get things sorted. That
's what I think’.

  H thought a moment then nodded. It was true money could get you most things.

  H waited until after his evening meal then rang Senor Reyes to thank him for everything he had done. Not only had Senor Reyes ‘sorted it out’ but he had paid for the hospital bills and of course the cost of the Gulfstream would have been enormous. H offered to pay but Senor Reyes declined. H politely told Senor Reyes how much he appreciated it but he would send a cheque for the hospital bill. H also questioned Senor Reyes about the events but Senor Reyes obviously knew very little and it was as Toby had said. What Senor Reyes had done was called in a favour at the Colombian Embassy and left it to them. He gave H the number to ring to get all the details he needed…….

  H left it a week then rang the number and after waiting for several minutes spoke to a gentleman who suggested they meet and had a chat. A Secure Security driver took H round to a small coffee shop the next afternoon where he met a man who bought him coffee.

  ‘My name is Eduardo James and I am pleased to meet you. As they say in England ‘any friend of Senor Reyes is a friend of mine’’.

  ‘Thank you. Senor Reyes must be….well connected’.

  The man smiled ‘Senor Reyes and his family are important people James. They have large industrial and agricultural interests and employ many of my countrymen. They are known as good employers and look after their people and that goes a long way. Also of course, due to their lineage, their wealth and their patronage they know many important people, our Ambassador being one. And so when Senor Reyes asked for a little help………’ he opened his hands ‘we helped’

  ‘And could I ask….how did you help?’

  The details are really unimportant don't you think? We were asked to help with a little difficulty and we did. Suffice it to say you will not be bothered by these people again’.

  ‘Just like that’

  ‘Just like that Senor James’.

  ‘Forgive me Eduardo I don't wish to be rude but I need a little more than that. Senorita Reyes was nearly killed and I have to be sure it does not happen again. I have to understand the threat.’

  Eduardo thought for a few moments.

  ‘James…..as you would say ‘in a nutshell’; we talked to their Emissary who was a nice, helpful man. He explained that a group of East European gentleman wanted to buy your clubs cheaply, actually for nothing, as a starting point for a business in Britain. A sort of overseas expansion. They felt the easiest way was to kill you and then walk in and take over…..’

  ‘I think one or two people in London would have beaten them to it….’

  ‘Be that as it may that's what they thought. Anyhow we talked to some friends of ours in their vicinity who felt it was time their overseas expansion, indeed their local expansion, should be curtailed and indeed I am informed it was’.

  ‘Can I ask how it was ……curtailed?’

  ‘Yes, in fact you may find this funny as it is amazing how coincidences and fate intermingle and resolve things but it would appear that they were building a holiday hotel and it must have been badly built and while they were there one day it collapsed on them’

  ‘Just like that….?’

  ‘Just like that….’

  ‘Amazing coincidence…..’

  ‘Amazing’

  ‘So the threat has been …………. buried?’

  He nodded ‘Buried yes. Buried. Senorita Reyes and you are quite safe. I guarantee it Senor. And we have guaranteed it to Senor Reyes which should tell you everything’.

  Eduardo stood up and shook H's hand. ‘It was a pleasure meeting you James. You have a number for me. If ever I can help in any way please do not hesitate to ring.’

  James took a card from his pocket and gave it to Eduardo. ‘Please ring me and let me invite you for meal at one of the clubs. Bring your wife if you have one and friends if you want. As a thank you’.

  ‘I will James, I will’

  Several weeks later Eduardo rang to ask if he and the Ambassador and a ‘few friends’ could have a meal as it would be the Ambassadors birthday. H worked out which night would be the quietest, closed the club and opened it up for the Ambassador and anyone he wanted to invite. The food and drinks were all covered by H.

  It was the least he could do for people who could ‘coincidentally’ get a hotel to collapse….!

  H Chapter 62

  Team again…..?

  Hathaway rang H ‘How's it going?’

  ‘Fine. Everything mended. I know what two two's are again which is handy as it seems I never see a fucking pair at poker nowadays. You?’

  ‘Good. Wedding soon thank God as the money she's spending on that could keep Zimbabwe going for a fucking decade’.

  So even Mugabe couldn't spend as much as ‘she’ thought H grinning.

  ‘Just saying hello and not stopping so take care’

  H put down the phone, pressed the button on the console and waited. The phone rang again.

  ‘You up to a bit of a caper or shall I pass it on?’

  ‘I'm fine. In fact I'd like a bit of action. Haven't been shot in the head in weeks!’

  ‘Ok as long as you're sure. Got a sniff about dud notes. Good ones. They're doing tens, twenties GB and fifties and hundreds US. Little place on the south coast where they stick them on a motor launch and take them over the channel then move them around Europe. I am told that this little team has all the expertise in the world but their own security is a touch lax so I reckon we could boogie on in there and help ourselves to the product of their labours…….’

  ‘Sounds good to me…’ said H. ‘What can you tell me?’

  ‘I'm in France now but tomorrow I'm back in London. Why don't we have a quiet lunch somewhere and I can fill you in? I haven't seen you in a while…’

  ‘Good idea, it would be good to see you before the wife cleans you out…’

  They arranged a time and a place.

  The next day, after a long stint in the basement gym H went out and bought two new suits, stayed half an hour so the tailors upstairs got his size right then caught a cab to the small bistro. They had arranged for twelve thirty and H was a touch early so he bought himself a copy of The Times and settled down for a few minutes read on a ‘lived in’ leather couch in the waiting area. At one o'clock Hathaway hadn't arrived so H rang his mobile but there was no reply. H racked his brains to make sure he had the time right but he was sure he had. He settled down again to read the paper and at one thirty he rang again but still no reply. He left a message with the bistro manager to tell Hathaway that he had gone and gave him his number to ring………

  H Chapter 63

  The Chateau

  Hathaway put down the phone to H and turned on the TV. After a few minutes of flicking through the stations he'd had enough and went to his study. For some reason he was struggling to settle….just one of those nights.

  Should he play poker?

  Should he do work?

  Should he watch porn?

  Should he just do fuck all?

  He hadn't got a clue…….

  Logging in to the poker he spent the next few minutes playing in pound games and going all in on every hand until he was bust then started again. He was soon bored and turned on the porn.

  She was there again. The same woman, the same men, the same mouth, the same cocks…..but it didn't stir him. She didn't stir him. He switched it off.

  He had to do something to get rid of the restlessness so he decided to go for a walk in the grounds. It was early evening and there was at least an hour and a half of light left, so he put on some casual shoes, took a walking cane with the silver dogs head handle out of the ornate black cast iron container and set off.

  He had a favourite walk which took him through the manicured grounds with their bowling green lawns, to the giant structure that housed the tropical plants and water garden with its giant lilies, each about two metres wide and with a scent like butterscotch and pineapple. Hathaway had imported scarab be
etles specially to pollinate the lilies and the result was wonderful. He idled there for a while, drinking in the smells, touching the plants, feeling their texture. The weird thing was that he had never suffered from hay fever until he built his immense ‘green house’ but now, without the allergy tablets he sniffed and sneezed and his nose ran. A nice side effect of the tablets was the fact that he got less hung over……. Weird…..

  He carried on, back into the sunshine and around the lake whose depths teemed with trout. Above their lazy swimming, multi coloured wild fowl paddled away obliviously. Heading into the woods the long shadows held him in thrall as their grotesque shapes told him of ghosts and galleons, Wendy and Peter Pan, wizards and goblins……….

  He strode on looking at this, smelling that, and after a couple of hours he meandered his way back to the house feeling much better. Much more alive.

  He put his shoes and cane back into their respective housings and went back to the lounge. Opening the door he saw, in the fading evening light, Luke and Lliam sitting there, waiting for him. Although he was surprised to see them his face instantly beamed with affection at their presence.

  ‘Boys, what are you doing here?’

  The boys neither replied nor moved. For an instant it did not register. ‘Boys……..?

  A fear gripped his heart and he wanted to run. But why? But where?

  ‘Boys……?’ he said softly, his voice trembling, a foreboding enveloping him.

  He moved to Luke and saw the rope tying him to the chair; looked across to Lliam and saw the same. Their faces were badly bruised and red burn marks left weal's where they had obviously been tortured. He looked slowly behind him because he knew the people that had put them there were still in the room but there was no one there. No one moved out of the shadows to kill him.

  He untied Lliam and cradled his head lovingly in his arms and softly wept. When the enormity of his life without them permeated his brain his weeping turned to a dreadful empty tortuous wail. Moving over to Luke he enveloped him with as much love as the world could spare, rocking him gently side to side like an innocent baby. Recovering a little composure he moved them gently to the floor where they could lie comfortably in peace. He sat down by them, holding their hands and slowly rocked as the tears flooded from his stinging eyes. The only people in the world who he had loved were dead.