by Vance Huxley
“No, a top person as a hostage only if a gang boss visits. Tradesmen and ordinary soldiers just visit if they want to, but disarm.” Gofannon grinned. “And keep to the rules or pay the penalties.” Hawkins scowled because the other pair kept tweaking him about that.
“A plumber is the same as a gang boss. Be fair, if the toilets stop working, the rest might actually swap the boss for a plumber.” Harold shrugged. “It’s an incentive to keep the place running.”
“I might swap Bugatti for a plumber, but I couldn’t get him to visit Orchard Close anyway. I could do with that electrician if he’s any good. A lot of our electrics blew and I don’t trust some of the repairs.”
“How good is your medic?” Hawkins frowned. “It’s only a smashed tooth but I don’t want the bloke bleeding out or getting infected when the bits are pulled out. Maybe it’ll have to be cut out, there’s not much showing except a couple of jagged bits.” He shrugged. “Our bloke can sew up a bit but inside a mouth is a bit dodgy and we aren’t sure a hot iron will work in there.”
Harold winced at that, then smiled. “How much will you pay? We can go from a smack on the head and me with pliers right up to a dentist and pain relief so he barely feels it.” Harold grinned. “He’d better not swear if he’s nearly out and at our mercy.”
“Serious dentist? Drilling and filling?” Gofannon winced. “Definitely with pain relief because I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”
“I’d pay for you to drill out a couple of teeth for someone without any pain relief? Though we’d have to tie him down for you?” Caddi grinned. “Maybe not, I can use a Black and Decker for that.”
“Stop pissing about, Cadillac, I’m serious. One of our managers got hit in the teeth during a bit of strife with the neighbours and he’s been stoned for three days to stop him screaming.” Hawkins shrugged. “I’d have put him down but he’s smart and we need him.”
“I’ll have customers for your dentist depending on what can be done and the prices.” Gofannon shrugged. “If we can pay in trade goods?”
“Not women.”
“We can produce tempered steel weapons, or most things in steel? We can probably shoe a horse?” Everyone laughed and Gofannon began to list what he had available to trade to any of the others, which included some bottled gases and welding rods, and plenty of decorating supplies. The GOFS had surplus bolts of cloth to make into clothes and plenty of buttons, thread, zips and haberdashery. Gofannon offered to trade a couple of sewing machines and an overlocker if anyone wanted them. That was something to do with sewing so Harold made a note to ask Kerry.
The Geeks had steel plate and some steel tube, cement, putty, various sealants and hardware, mattresses and bedding, and some music players and radios, the two-way type as well as the others. Hawkins didn’t know what the electrical bits were that had survived a fire and looting, but offered to trade some for the use of an electrician. He also had blank CDs and DVDs but only a few recorders and players, and very few original music CDs. Everyone wanted those after the power cuts.
Cadillac had charcoal, at two prices when Harold asked about purity, and some coke and coal. The Hot Rods had a selection of pipes, fittings and tools that might be of use to a plumber, and would trade them. He had some heavy metal tools that came from a rail workshop if a smith could use them. Cadillac seemed happier to pay in coupons than the other two so Harold thought he might have more tenants. Both Cadillac and Hawkins offered hard drugs, and they were interested in the source of the really good marijuana Gofannon offered. Eventually the meeting came to a halt with an agreement to keep the peace and trade rather than steal.
All four had taken the clips from their pistols and put the clips and weapons on the table as a sort of truce, and now all four reloaded their weapons. Cadillac’s eyes sharpened. “Hey, that’s one of the guns you took as a fine, the Glock. It’s a poser job but didn’t work properly so none of our top men wanted it.” He looked closer. “It looks in a lot better nick than before but I recognise those marks. They’re where it had to be bashed when the clip jammed but it doesn’t stick any more.”
“No, because HM doesn’t like dirty or sticking weapons. It leads to hours spent polishing toilets.” Harold couldn’t be sure what had caught Cadillac’s interest but the gang boss wasn’t angry, or even trying to get a rise.
“Can you fix jams in the weapons themselves?”
Harold sat and thought hard while three pairs of eyes watched him with definite anticipation. Did he want to repair guns for this lot, even if he could? Harold knew he could clear a jam, sort out a sticking clip, and strip and clean even handguns after London. “I can clean them up and fix simple problems. It’ll depend on the weapon.” A vagrant thought brought a smile. “I’ll charge double if some asshole has tried first, just to fix what they did.”
“Nasty bastard. Now we’ve got to work out if it’s worth having a go first.” Though Gofannon smiled as he spoke. “How much?”
“Depends on the work. If I can’t do it, I’ll say so.” Harold shrugged. “Bring the weapons, but be prepared to pay.”
Hawkins had stopped scowling about the fine after dental work came up, and was now very interested in having weapons repaired. “What exactly, if it’s for gun repairs?”
“I’ll have a think but I’d want propellant if possible, powder for bullets.” The last bit was to answer the puzzled looks when Harold said propellant.
“Crap, that’s what you used for the pipe bomb!” Hawkins looked angry at being fooled. “Well hard luck if you’re short of it now.”
“No he didn’t as you should be able to tell from the smell. I tried that and powder bombs use a lot and the result isn’t the same.” Cadillac grinned at Harold. “What did you use? We had two blokes who talked a lot about what would go bang and one blew the crap out of himself. Well, burned himself badly enough so I shot him but you get the drift. The other one can’t make a bang like that, but he’s going to try harder now.”
Now Harold knew Cadillac had one of the types of people Barry had talked about. “Whatever it was, I’ve got plenty. But I do want propellant.”
“If you can do the job, I reckon we can find what you want.” Gofannon looked at the others and they nodded. “Are we about done for now?”
Once outside a disgruntled Einstein came across to talk to Hawkins, quietly. After a couple of exchanges Hawkins raised his voice. “I’m not f...messing up a proper dentist for Wellington just for one bloody woman. I’d rather shoot you than him so zip it.” He turned to Harold. “We’ll leave the fine at the border.” Hawkins glanced at Einstein. “Big mouth can deliver her.” He seemed more annoyed at Einstein and Cadillac than angry at Harold since gun repairs and dentistry had been agreed.
“I’ll follow you home to collect the fine.” Casper smiled but without humour. “Wouldn’t want the goods damaged by careless handling on the way.”
Einstein sneered. “So you get to her first?” He looked puzzled at the laughter from the Orchard Close group.
“No, but this means you won’t be able to take it out of her.” Emmy sneered at him. “Try to remember, if anything happens to Casper then Soldier Boy will be visiting.” She pointed at the targets. “I’ll ask him to shoot you someplace fatal, but slow and painful.”
“That or maybe Holly here can practice her carving.” Cadillac was loving this, so Harold broke it up before Hawkins or Einstein were pushed too far.
Though before the GOFS left, Ogou came across for a quiet word with Harold. “Have you seen a lot more rats lately?”
“Not really, no.”
“Brace yourself. Watch out for bites as well because we reckon they’ve come from the city centre.” Ogou shrugged. “Our first aid bloke reckons if they’ve been eating rotten bodies the bites will be septic, more septic than usual. We’re using baseball bats, machetes and gauntlets to keep them out of buildings, and we’ve had to seal up the sewers.”
“Thanks, we’ll be ready. I owe you one.”
Og
ou grinned. “Two? Beers?” Harold nodded and he left.
“Let’s get moving before the Army get curious about the shooting and boom.” The groups loaded up and set off, except for Harold, Holly, Alfie and Emmy. Casper had followed the Geeks in the minibus so the other four walked back, collecting Bernie. On the way they made plans for a rat invasion.
* * *
The cheer as Casper climbed out of the minibus in his shirt and underpants died away as they saw why. The nervous oriental woman who followed wore Casper’s jacket and trousers with the cuffs folded up, and was barefooted. Emmy and Holly quickly led her away.
“He threw her out of the gates buck naked, Harold. I wanted to gutshoot the bastard there and then.” Casper glanced up the street where the woman was being taken to the girl club. “That lass thinks she’s been sold and I don’t think she believes me. Now I’m going to streak right through Orchard Close because I’m bloody freezing in my underwear.”
Liz passed on the rest of the tale, along with the significance of the mattress comment from Einstein. The Geeks really had a bedding store and each of the girls gathered up for the men had her own mattress. Nobody outside the girl club saw the rescued girl for some time, and then only briefly as she came to terms with real freedom. Except when Umeko insisted on meeting Harold to ask, very formally, for sanctuary. Harold might push Einstein into a mistake if he ever caught the man without witnesses, and the girl club definitely would.
* * *
“At least the freezer will be full. We’ll be able to feed the pets for a year on these.” Holly wasn’t smiling as she used a broom to move dead rats away from the door to the brewery storeroom. “The cats are stuffed and they’ve given up.”
“We could sell some as mince or burgers?” Seth didn’t smile either because one rat had bitten clean through his gauntlet even if the wound hadn’t gone deep.
Harold looked at the bodies. Most of the rodents had gone straight through Orchard Close heading for the countryside, ignoring both people and houses, but the rest were really insistent. “Just remember to leave the bricks on all the manholes until we’re sure they’ve gone from the drains. At least they’ve eased off today. I didn’t think there were that many rats in the bloody city.”
“It probably wasn’t that many, though the size of a few really worried me.” Nigel looked down at his multiple layers of clothing. “I really worried these might not be enough.”
“Look on the bright side, everyone wanting crossbow practice got plenty and even those big ones couldn’t handle their own person gift from Liz.” Seth grimaced. “Is it a good idea to freeze these for animal food, with what they’ve been eating? Even cooking them might not be enough to kill whatever they’ve picked up.”
“I don’t think anyone has had time to gut and skin any, so maybe we’ll just burn the lot. Then we can all sleep for a long, long time. The last few days and nights have been a bit fraught.” Harold smiled. “Keeping Daisy penned in is a chore for an armoured division at least.”
“Cripes. Is that why you volunteered for rat bashing?” Holly grinned. “Or was it so you can walk me home?”
Seth sniggered. “You’ll never feel a hug through that lot.”
“It’s the principle that matters.” Holly looked down at herself and at Harold. “Yeuk, on second thoughts there’s limits.” She looked down at the rats. “I really am tempted to sell a few to the Geeks in burgers.”
“They’ll be skint after paying Gayle and Patricia, so perhaps we’ll skip that?”
* * *
Gayle didn’t look at all happy about working on a Geek regardless of pay, after hearing about Umeko. Her latest objections came as the Geek convoy pulled up to deliver the patient, which meant too late really so Harold had to pacify her sharpish. “If you really can’t fix him just say so. Though if you can we’ll get paid really well in putty, cement and propellant for ammunition.” Harold glanced towards the gate. “He’s not Einstein and you can always use the excuse he’s too bad to fix. Then Hawkins will shoot him.”
Gayle winced at that, then scowled. “He’s one of the same lot. I’ll have a go but only if Patricia helps. First bloody word I don’t like and he can go home and bleed to death.”
“Fair enough. Here, a present from Patty.” Gayle stared at the balaclava. “All the gangs were very interested in us having a dentist, so Patty knitted you this. Just in case one of them gets ambitious.”
“This isn’t helping.” Gayle pulled on the balaclava. “Let me have a look at him.”
Wellington had been helped through the gates by Hawkins and another Geek Freek, one without a suit. When the wad of padding over the side of his face came off everyone winced at his mashed and swollen lips and lower face. “Well?” Hawkins looked from his man to Patricia and Gayle, or two anonymous women since Patricia also opted for a balaclava.
Both of them moved closer. “Can we see inside his mouth?” Patricia stared at the scabs and swelling. “Christ, how long since he was hurt?”
“A while before the meeting. We’ve had rats since.” Hawkins sounded defensive. “He can’t feel anything.” Hawkins and the other man took hold of the injured Geek and Hawkins used one hand to pull his split and swollen lip back. The brief thrashing and low moan gave the lie to Hawkins’ assertion. “Well not much, he’s stoned out of his skull.”
“I can’t do anything until he’s properly out, and we’ll have to get those drugs out of him or what I use might kill him.” Gayle sounded less belligerent now. “Shock might kill him anyway.”
“I might be able to get that swelling down, and if um, the dentist fixes him I can try to sew it up. He’ll be here a while.” Patricia glanced at Harold. “We’ll need a talk about what can be done.”
“Back in a minute Hawkins.” Harold took the two women next door. “Well?”
“It’ll cost us antibiotics Harold, and whatever Gayle uses.” Patricia glanced towards the next house and the patient. “If we turn him away it’s kinder to shoot him, because that’ll infect if it hasn’t already. Infection will kill him anyway and I wouldn’t wish that death on anyone.” She frowned. “We could be a while getting whatever he’s taken out of him and something else in, and he’ll hurt like hell, but he ought to stay.” Patricia looked over at Gayle. “I’ll try if Mz dentist will, but they’ve got to understand he might die anyhow.”
Gayle sniggered. “Ok Mz doctor.” She sobered. “From what you said we might have to cut the bloody thing out, and I don’t fancy that one bit. Can we send him home after, to recover?”
“Yes. He can come back to be checked. If he doesn’t all bets are off.” Patricia looked at Harold. “Your call. We’ve got to use some valuable drugs to do this, valuable as in rare.”
“Can you use hard drugs, cocaine or heroin, for pain relief? If so I bet I can get some in part payment. What about marijuana?” Harold shrugged. “For gangsters at least so you can save the good stuff?”
“I’d be happier with Morphine, the real thing from a doctor, or any of the others if its medicinal quality and not some street crap. Hell, even dihydrocodeine or something similar will help, though they’re all addictive.” Patricia shrugged. “Addicted instead of dead might be a good option, or he can break the habit since it’ll not be for long?”
“You want to know what he’s on, if they have clean drugs, and if he can stay over for maybe a few days? On top of that we can’t guarantee he’ll live. Does that cover it?” Harold looked from one to the other and they nodded. He discussed why street drugs were no good and more details about what would be done, then Harold left them there while he went to negotiate.
The Geek Freek boss didn’t take long to decide he’d take the chance. “We’ve got a shitload of drugs but don’t take them ourselves. It’s a mugs game.” Hawkins shrugged. “Just a bit of coke and pot at parties.”
“Have you got drugs taken from a doctor or an ambulance, still packaged? If not whatever it is might kill him
anyway because they’ve got to judge it right and there’ll be no guarantee of strength or what’s mixed with it.” Harold looked at Wellington. “He’ll need antibiotics afterwards or it’ll infect and kill him anyway. Those are bloody expensive because we can’t replace them. They’ll need to know what the hell you gave him and he’ll have to stop over.”
“I’ll get someone to bring over a selection and exactly what was shoved down him. Who will be the hostage?” Hawkins frowned. “Either a woman or the pouf will be a problem.”
“No hostage because this is medicinal. You’ve got to agree here and now he might die, and I’m not losing someone if that happens.” Harold shrugged. “We’ll try because you’ll pay well for success and it’ll take the edge off with your blokes about the fine.”
Hawkins thought long and hard about that. “Ok, because if he’s not fixed I might have to shoot him anyway. I’ll send someone for the drugs, and you get those two to start on Wellington.” Hawkins stopped suddenly. “Damn. If he’s drugged like that Wellington might say something well outside your rules. No gelding, right?”
“Not if he’s medicated. If one of your blokes visits and gets stoned or pissed, that’s his stupid fault.”
The Geek sent off for drugs burned rubber on the trip, and within half an hour he came back with the information and goods and Hawkins and the rest left. Then Casper and Harold held Wellington down while Gayle and Patricia tried to see what the problem really was. After a lot of discussion between them, and consulting books and packets, Gayle ensured that Wellington went off to a peaceful sleep.
Five days later he staggered down the street, still woozy and leaning on Harold but in a lot less pain, and left in a Geek Freek convoy. Gayle and Patricia privately confided that they hadn’t been totally sure about the drugs, but had definitely got out the rest of his tooth and stitched the worst of his mouth and lip. Now either the antibiotics worked or they didn’t. Both were quite proud of their work even if Wellington’s face was still blown up like a balloon and he’d be scarred for life. They were even more pleased with the phials of morphine, tubs of dihydrocodeine and marijuana for Sandy’s arthritis if necessary.
