by Jo Black
67
The convoy of Audis pulled into a small parking lot next to a closed fuel station. Waiting patiently by a Citroen estate loaded with luggage and belongings, Vincent’s wife and children along with a pair of long wheel base Renault Trafic vans. The Audis parked up next to the vans, a pair of Vane’s team emerged from the drivers’ seats of the vans and walked round the back, opened the rear cargo doors and pulled down a set of ramps. Vane’s men loaded their motorcycles in the back and set to work securing them for transit as Vincent got out of the middle Audi. He walked round to the driver’s window. It whirred down. ‘Are you sure you don’t need me from here?’
‘Take care of your family Vincent. Get them to Switzerland. We can handle things for now.’ Vincent nodded in agreement. ‘I’ll call you in a few days when you’ve got them resettled. Take care brother.’ Alex put his hand out of the window and shook Vincent’s. Vincent walked over to where his wife was waiting, Alex watched as Vincent hugged and kissed her then his children, and let out a soft smile, comforted by the scene. Vincent got in the car with his family, coaxed the old Citroen into life and made his way towards the exit. He gave Alex a nod as he went past which was returned. Alex looked in the rear view mirror at Radic who was unusually quiet. ‘You nothing to say for yourself for once?’ Radic looked back at Alex via the mirror. Alex recognised the look, a look he had seen countless times before. The mix of fear, lack of understanding, and sense of disbelief. Alex allowed himself a soft smile.
Vane walked over to Alex’s car. ‘We’re done here. You sure you don’t want us? He’s a valuable cargo.’
‘No, we’ve put Smythe on the back foot for now. It’s bought us some time.’ Vane nodded. ‘That was good work Charles. I like the cut of your jib.’
Vane let out a subtle smile. ‘Careful Alex, any more compliments like that and I might think you like me.’ Vane put his hand out to shake Alex’s.
‘Let’s not get carried away.’
‘I’ll see you soon.’ Vane turned around and got in his van. They reversed out and drove off out of the station leaving Alex’s team alone. Masato emerged from the first car and came to take Vincent’s place in the front passenger seat.
‘So Mister Radic. It’s time for you to honour our arrangement. Do you have an address for me?’
Radic stared at Alex in the mirror. ‘How do I know you will honour it?’
‘I’ve just pulled you out of the fires of hell Radic, if I wanted you dead I’d have left you to burn.’
Radic considered his options. Reluctantly he sighed. ‘Rotterdam. Europoort. I will give you the Haven when we arrive.’
Alex put his S8 in gear; he turned the car around and pulled alongside Nish’s. Nish dropped his window. ‘Rotterdam, Europoort.’ Nish nodded. Alex accelerated back onto the road with Nish and the third S8 pulling in behind. He reached the entrance to the AutoRoute and made the turn towards Belgium.
68
The convoy reached the Europoort terminal at Rotterdam Docks in the early evening just before 5 p.m. Radic gave them directions to a storage compound for shipping containers on a disused Haven. They drove between the stacked piles of containers until Radic instructed them to stop. Nish got out of his car and walked over as Alex and his men got out. Alex looked all around them for any obvious sign of activity, but the site appeared to be completely desolate, most of the containers showing signs of rust: suggesting it was a long term storage lot that saw little daily activity. ‘Form a perimeter. Make sure he hasn’t got any friends waiting for us. Get a sniper and overwatch up.’ Nish nodded. When his men were in position Alex looked up at his sniper posted on an old crane; he signalled that it was all clear. Alex opened the rear door to the car. ‘Out you get.’ Radic emerged from the car. ‘Just a warning before you open it Radic, you saw what happened to the last person who thought they could get the better of me. Don’t make his mistake.’ Radic nodded nervously. He walked over to the container. Alex and Nish stood well back as he fiddled with the combination padlock. He undid it before removing the chain securing the container doors. They watched as he slowly opened the door by enough inches to slide his hand in. He felt around at the base behind the door and unclipped the detonator wires connected to the three claymores that would greet any uninvited inspections of the container contents.
With the trap defused, Radic opened the door. ‘It is made safe. I have nothing to profit from your death now, it is Smythe who I afraid.’ Radic walked into the container in a clearly subdued mood. Alex and Nish looked at each other then followed him in. Radic found a portable electric light hung from the roof of the container and turned it on. The container was full of old rifle boxes with weapons loaded on steel racks either side. Boxes of grenades and ammunition, tools used to create fake documents, print money, and other paraphernalia belonging to Radic’s various criminal enterprises. At the back of the container, Radic pulled out a set of steel document archive boxes and dragged them to Alex’s feet. He stacked four of them up. ‘Everything you want is in here.’
‘Open it,’ Alex ordered. Radic nodded, bent down and opened each of the cases. Alex checked for any obvious hidden surprises before pulling out a few of the files they contained and flicking through them. ‘Everything?’
‘Everything you are interested in.’
Alex looked around the rest of the container, but it was clear it was mostly assorted trash and nothing of value to Alex. Alex turned to Nish. ‘Get it in the car.’
Nish whistled one of Alex’s men, they picked the storage containers up and loaded them into the trunk of Alex’s S8.
‘And our arrangement?’
Alex nodded and gestured at the exit to the container. Radic walked outside. Alex reconnected the three claymore and C4 packs. He picked up a line of tripwire and tied it around all three then began to spool it out.
‘Get Radic in the car and recall the overwatch.’
Nish got on the radio, waited as the sniper acknowledged before watching him begin the descent down the ladder, when he was clear, Nish shoved Radic into the back of the S8. The cars pulled away at walking pace to the end of the line of containers with Alex’s men walking, guarding Alex as he spooled out the trip wire following the exiting cars. They reached the cover of the end of the container line and the cars parked round the corner. The sniper jogged towards them to return to the waiting cars.
‘That everyone?’ Alex asked. Nish nodded affirmative. ‘Cover!’ Alex’s men took shelter as Alex wound the line taut before giving it a sharp yank, the tension pulled on the trip lines in Radic’s trap pulling the pins from the claymores. They detonated, setting off a chain of explosions as the ammunition crates of charges and grenades took hold. With the steel shipping container’s box containing most of the force of the explosion, the bulk of the kinetic force from the blast was directed outwards sending a wall of flames down the narrow corridor between the lines of stacked containers. As the explosion settled, Alex checked around to see that the container had collapsed and there was only a field of debris left. ‘We’re good.’ Alex and his guard returned to their cars. The convoy quickly sped away to the exit gate, down the long access road before making its way towards the ferry port.
69
Nish returned from the ticket office to where the cars where parked under the shadow cast by the P&O North Sea ferry: Pride of Hull. Radic was busy getting changed into the clothes that had been provided for him. Nish handed Alex the ticket and passport. ‘You’re really going to let him go?’
‘We did have a deal.’
‘No chance you could fire me like last time.’
‘Tempting, but not on this one Nish. Sorry.’
Nish sighed. ‘Worth asking.’
‘I have a feeling he still has his part to play in this. He may live for now Nish, but his punishment will come when he no longer serves a purpose.’
‘I waited this long. I guess I can wait a little longer.’
Alex walked over to Radic. ‘As agreed.’ Alex handed hi
m the ticket and passport.
‘And what about money? You promise Radic money.’
‘Nish. Pay Mister Radic for his services would you?’
Nish smiled. ‘It would be my pleasure.’ Nish removed a black holdall from the trunk of his S8 and walked over with it. He unzipped it to reveal the contents and dropped it at Radic’s feet. Radic put his hand down and pulled out a bundle of Euro notes.
‘Wait. This is Radic’s money! You try fuck me?’ He looked annoyed.
‘One good fuck deserves another Radic. Don’t spend it all at once.’ Nish winked.
‘You fucking prick Scottish! If Radic see you again he slit your throat from ear to ear. Where Radic going anyhow?’ Alex gestured at the waiting boat. ‘You fucking joke to Radic. You might as well deliver to Smythe house with bow on neck.’
‘Our agreement was that we wouldn’t come after you. We’re all banished from that kingdom. As long as you stay on the island, you have nothing to fear from us,’ Alex replied.
‘And Smythe? What about Smythe? You think Radic safe there from him?’
‘That’s Radic’s problem,’ Nish said with a wink.
‘Fuck you! Scottish!’
‘You’ve got thirty minutes to board. Foot passenger terminal is over there.’
‘Wait! You not even give Radic car? Shit. At least give Audi. You got three. You spare one to Radic so he not walk in like fucking refugee peasant.’
‘Well that’s what you are now Radic, get used to it,’ Nish said rubbing the salts of reality into Radic’s wounded ego.
‘I suggest you take up a more low profile line of work. Then you’ll avoid coming to the attention of our friends in The Red Castle, or Smythe. Good luck in your endeavours,’ Alex said returning towards his car.
‘You guys are fucking bandits.’
‘Our deal is concluded. Goodbye Mister Radic. We won’t meet again.’ Alex looked at Nish. ‘Make sure he gets on that boat.’
‘My pleasure. Come on Radic, pick up your bag of funny money.’ Radic reluctantly zipped up the bag and picked it up. Nish and two of his men escorted him to the foot passenger terminal of the embarkation lounge. Alex returned to his car. He picked up the front car phone handset and punched in a number. The phone rang for a while before answering. ‘I missed that voice.’ Alex smiled.
‘It missed you. Where are you?’ Zara replied.
‘Just throwing some trash into the sea.’
‘How did it go? I see on the news a certain war criminal’s Serbian friends made a daring swoop to release him. You heard about that?’
‘I heard it was successful. Who knows where he’ll turn up next. Be home from that business trip soon. I’ve bought you something as a souvenir.’
‘Anything nice?’
‘I guess it will be a surprise, won’t it?’
‘Any problems on your business trip?’
‘One or two. We’ll talk about it over dinner.’
‘You’ll be home tonight?’
‘I will.’
‘I better start cooking then.’
‘You’re going to cook? Are you sure? Didn’t end well last time.’
‘I took classes.’
‘I’ll see you soon. Kiss you.’
‘Kiss you too.’
Alex put the phone down. Nish returned some thirty minutes later and got in the front of the car. They watched as the port crew cast off the lines from the large ferry.
‘Zara’s cooking dinner.’
‘We just escaped one burning building, let’s hope we don’t walk right into another.’
Alex smiled. ‘I almost feel sorry for Radic. Nothing but what he’s stood up in and a bag full of bent Euros. Quite the fall from grace.’
‘I’m sure he’ll get over it. He’s like a cockroach. They seem to thrive in shit. Do you think Smythe will get him?’
‘Who knows. We’ve covered our tracks as best we can. No doubt the Dutch police will report the explosion of a cache of weapons at Rotterdam docks. Smythe’s connections will put the pieces together and assume Radic fucked us. Buy us a little time at least.’
‘Why didn’t you finish him?’ Nish asked.
‘You know why.’ They watched as the boat pulled out of her berth before making her way down the channel towards the North Sea. Alex’s men returned to the car. He lowered the window. ‘We sure he’s gone?’ They nodded and got back in the second car.
‘Probably drowning his sorrows in the bar,’ Nish said.
Alex checked his watch. Jet’s en-route to Schiphol. You want to pop in and see your Latvian twins before we fly?’
‘No. I’m saving them for when we’re done. Besides, after today I don’t have the fucking energy. Wake me up when we get to the airport.’ Nish reclined the seat a little and settled into a nap. Alex put the car in gear drove around the car park to the exit then led the convoy out onto the AutoRoute in the direction of Amsterdam.
70
Zara was busy putting the finishing touches to her culinary creation as Alex’s Dauphin II helicopter made its approach before coming to land with a thud on the villa’s roof. Zara shook her head with annoyance as the room shuddered slightly from the building bearing the helicopter’s weight.
Alex and Nish came down the stairs carrying Radic’s boxes of files, dumping them in a stack in the dining room. Alex walked over to the kitchen, wrapped his arms round Zara, kissed her, and peered down into the pan she was busy stirring on the hob. ‘What is it?’
‘Wait and see. Where’s Hunter?’
‘Good question...’ Alex replied. He took a pair of beer bottles out of the fridge, returned to the lounge area, handed one to Nish then collapsed in a heap on the oversized sofa.
‘Are you going to sit there getting pissed or are you going to help?’ Zara asked.
‘I’m going to sit here getting pissed,’ Alex replied. ‘It’s been a long day and now I’m going to drink beer with my friend, watch T.V, and eat the dinner my wife has prepared. Life is good.’ Zara scowled at Alex before she realised he was teasing her as he got up and returned to the kitchen and wrapped round her in a hug. ‘What do you want me to do?’
‘You could set the table, get some wine.’
Alex set to work laying the dinner table before selecting a bottle of wine or three from the cellar. Zara finished preparing the meal and they settled down at the table.
‘Shall I say grace?’ Alex said looking expectantly. Zara and Nish reluctantly linked hands and closed their eyes. ‘For the food poisoning we are about to receive, may the lord’s toilet make us truly grateful for it. Amen.’ Zara slapped Alex round the head. ‘I couldn’t resist.’ He grinned. He started eating his meal before his face turned red and eyes started watering.
‘What is it?’ Nish asked Zara.
‘Hungarian Goulash,’ Zara replied. Alex drowned out the culinary inferno with a large gulp of wine. ‘It’s very nice,’ he coughed. ‘Quite fiery, but you know...’
Nish tucked into it and nodded in satisfaction. ‘That’s tasty.’ Alex looked at him surprised.
‘It’s okay honey, I made yours extra special hot, you’re a dragon. I thought you liked breathing fire.’ She winked at Nish with a cheeky grin. ‘So what did you boys bring me back from your adventures?’
‘Four crates of paperwork,’ Nish said.
‘Anything good?’ Zara asked.
‘I don’t know. You’re the intelligence analyst. Figure it out for us. But I can tell you one thing, whatever is in there it was valuable to Smythe and his gang,’ Alex said.
‘How?’
‘I’ll tell you after dinner once my mouth recovers from your bout of culinary-borne domestic abuse.’
They finished their dinner and sank a couple of bottles of wine before Nish looked at his watch and realised it was past 3 a.m. local time. ‘That’s me well and truly done. I’m going to turn in. We’ll sort this shit out in the morning, correction, make that afternoon.’
‘Get all that stuff under lock and k
ey before you turn in Nish. Given what we went through to get it, I’d prefer some nocturnal scallywag doesn’t make off with it.’
‘Will do. Night all.’
‘Goodnight Nish,’ Zara said as Nish departed picking up the boxes on his way.
‘I better clean this up.’
‘Leave it. The maid will take care of it in the morning.’
‘I keep forgetting we have domestic help.’
‘Thank god. Not sure my stomach can cope with another of your mealtime pranks. Bedtime.’ Alex made his way up the stairs followed by Zara to their bedroom suite. He got changed and showered before returning to the bedroom where Zara was waiting for him.
‘So what happened? Zara asked as Alex collapsed on the bed, burying his head into the pillow.’
‘Smythe.’
‘What about him?’
‘It was all Smythe. The whole thing...’ Alex said drifting into a drunken exhausted sleep.
‘What as all Smythe? Alex. What?’ Alex started snoring. Zara gave him a few gentle nudges, but to no avail.
71
Alex woke with a start as the cacophony of the vacuum cleaner threatened to split his red-wine induced hung-over head in two. He looked up bleary-eyed from his bed as the housemaid quickly shot the hoover around the floor in the bedroom. ‘Maria. What the fuck are you doing!’
