by Haywood, RR
‘Yep,’ Clarence said, staring over from his seat.
‘But it hasn’t been systematic or anything,’ Howie added. ‘We’ve been mostly reactive and dealing with what we find.’
‘Such as today. Yes?’ Henry asked. ‘So, you’re saying that you’ve been reacting to situations arising from the constant stops and interruptions which has largely dictated your haphazard route throughout this area.’
‘Yes,’ Howie said with forced patience.
‘Henry. Don’t goad the situation,’ Paula said.
‘I’m not goading anyone, and not every word I say is aimed as a criticism.’
‘Why does it feel like it then?’ Paula asked. ‘You’ve come in a month after us. We’ve been through hell.’
‘I am aware of that. But I cannot keep stopping to say well done, and how brave you’ve all been.’
‘Fuck me,’ Paula said, ‘I’m sorry, Howie. I need some air. This bloody heat.’
I stayed silent, but I was monitoring the situation very closely, and I could see that Henry was doing it on purpose. He was steering that situation how he wanted it steered to bring it to a head and make his play.
Paula stormed off and slammed a chair out of her way. But credit to her. She stopped within a few steps, took a breath and came back to the table. ‘You know what? I’m not going to flounce. We just need to work together and get this done.’
She could sense it happening. Henry’s play I mean. And she was desperately trying to avoid the trap he was leading them into.
I was expecting Henry to push it harder, and no doubt he would have done. Except even he didn’t factor for Joan.
‘We all need to work together,’ Joan said before Henry or anyone else could speak. ‘Howie, go and rinse your head off. And you, Clarence. And Henry, please watch your tone. It’s becoming inflammatory.’
It was a much needed intervention, and it worked as we all complied with her instructions.
But sadly, even Joan couldn’t hold off the inevitable for more than a few moments.
Diary of Carmen Eze
It was nice to be away from the Howie and Henry thing, and I don’t know, I guess I felt a need to do some normal woman things and mooch through stores and look at stuff. I didn’t have female friends in my world, and the more I got to know Marcy, Charlie, Tappy and Paula the more I really liked them.
So yeah. I was happy to get out of the café and go loot some shit as Marcy called it. I even broke the lock on the main door for them so we could get inside without smashing through the plate glass doors.
‘That was hot,’ Marcy said, giving me a wink when I pushed the doors open. I laughed at her jokey flirt, remembering the kiss we’d shared, and we headed inside to the only ever so slightly cooler shade.
Marcy then stopped in the main corridor and stared at all the glass walls with a big sigh. ‘Heaven,’ she said. ‘Honestly. I couldn’t sit there listening to Howie and Henry arguing again.’
I knew what she meant. It was becoming draining, and in truth, I didn’t want to try and split Howie’s team up for Henry. I just wanted the two idiots to get along. We all did.
Anyway. So we headed further inside and I clocked Booker coming in behind us giving our backsides a good look. But, without sounding cocky or arrogant, you kinda get that a lot as a woman, and he is a young man, plus it was so hot outside so you can’t blame him seeking shade.
Not that Marcy noticed. Or if she did, she didn’t show it. She just made a beeline for the jewellery section.
‘Is that a cock ring?’ Tappy asked, peering into a case. ‘It is. That’s a cock ring.’
‘How can you tell?’ Charlie asked.
‘They’re normally bigger than a finger ring. My ex had one. He was a tattoo artist. And also a cock.’
‘A cock with a cock ring,’ Charlie said.
‘Trust me. They’re not always bigger than a finger,’ Marcy said to a few snorts of laughter. ‘But anyway. So what was Neal like, Carmen?’
‘I like how you went from cock rings to my dead ex-lover,’ I said.
‘I know, right. Smooth or what,’ Marcy said while offering a smile to show she meant no offence. ‘Sorry. I can be really blunt sometimes.’
‘It’s fine. Neal was a nice guy,’ I said, but in truth I was confused. I even said that to them, which is very rare for me to ever discuss something personal. I said it was complicated and that I liked him a lot, but hearing it retold from Neal’s point of view like that. You know, this morning in the café. That was really hard. I guess I did use him, but I liked him too. I don’t know. Like I said, it’s complicated. What I didn’t tell them about was the crush I was getting because even I couldn’t give voice to that yet.
‘Shit,’ Tappy said into the silence that followed. ‘He must have a lot of mayonnaise though to get it on your ear.’
I smiled at the joke as Marcy gave that big smile she does. ‘Hey,’ she said. ‘You know what? Let’s go and look at make-up. Charlie, you coming?’
Charlie nodded but paused as she looked at herself in a glass window then walked out after us as we passed Maddox and Frank sitting on a bench in the middle, and you know what? I felt guilty because I knew what Frank would be doing.
Diary of Maddox Doku
So then Frank comes over and sits down next to me on the bench in the central aisle of the department store. I figured he just wanted somewhere cool to sit, but it was good actually cos it made it look like we were chatting while I was secretly spying on Booker.
You don’t get on with the others then, Frank said, as though making idle conversation.
What makes you say that? I asked.
You never hang out with them, and what’s with that other lad?
Who?
Him, Frank said, nodding over to Booker. You either fancy him, or you’ve got a bee stuck up your arse by the way you’re staring at him all the time.
Like I said. Frank was trained. I wasn’t, and apparently that showed. I mean. Like really showed.
Don’t know what you’re on about. I said, cos rule number 1 is deny everything.
Fair enough, Frank said. Just making conversation.
Sure.
But if I’m noticing then he will too.
Got it. Thanks for the advice. Cos rule number 2 is don’t invite small talk. Keep people at a distance.
Don’t do that lad. Being surly plays into the stereotypical view of an angry young black man with a chip on his shoulder. Mind you. What the hell do I know? I’m old and I stink of piss apparently.
I stayed silent, cos rule number 3 – see rule number 2. Anyway, I was trying to see where Booker had gone.
Jesus. Make it more obvious, nipper.
What? I asked, too absorbed in trying to watch Booker to listen properly.
This is painful, Frank said with a tut as he got to his feet. Come on. I’ll show you how it’s done.
How what’s done? I asked.
How to follow someone.
Diary of Reginald
A few moments later Howie and Clarence came out of the toilet after rinsing their heads off. Not that you’d notice with the poor chaps still sweating so much. I’d just explained to Henry that Hinchley Point was not in our area so to speak, and we cleared a good 20k. So yes. Lilly was right. Finding a new control point meant moving out of this area.
Henry nodded while studying the map. ‘I see. Well, our options are heading east towards Crawley. Or north. But once we hit the Guildford line, we’re into urban warfare territory. That said, didn’t you tell me you’d been into London?’
‘Howie and Clarence have. I wasn’t with them then,’ I said. ‘Neither was Paula, and I’m not convinced the infection hadn’t separated into the factions it has now. In fact. I’d suggest that Darren was the first step in that evolution.’
‘Let’s keep on topic shall we,’ Henry said, tapping the map. ‘It’s easy to go off on tangents.’
‘It’s not a tangent, Henry. You asked if we’d been into London,’ I said.
>
‘And we’ve covered it now so we can move on. No offence but today has shown me how easy it is for you chaps to get side-tracked,’ Henry said.
And right there I knew what I had to do. Because the silly man was not only trying to outplay Howie, he was trying to do it to me.
Which was never going to work.
And so, having picked my time, I decided to make my own play, and in so doing I adopted an air of confused hurt, as though Henry’s words had caused personal offence. Which I knew would provoke Howie into defending me. Which is what I wanted, because like I said, I had just taken control of the situation.
‘Dude. Do not speak to Reggie like that,’ Howie said firmly.
‘My name isn’t dude,’ Henry said with distaste. ‘We need to focus please. North is ruled out. South is the coastline. Yes, there are some cities, but as you pointed out, getting drawn into an urban combat situation should be avoided wherever possible. That leaves east or west. And after a professional assessment I have concluded that proceeding in a westerly direction is the correct course of action.’
‘Right. Great work,’ Howie said with some energy back into his voice. ‘Wish we’d thought of that. Which part of the west do you want to try? The whole west? Some of the west?’
‘Listen, Howie,’ Henry said, his tone becoming tight again as he peered up while leaning over the map. ‘If you carry on like this then our agreement will not be a viable option.’
‘Don’t put this all on me, Henry. You keep dropping little bombs and being a dick.’
‘Do not call me a dick!’
‘Stop acting like one then. And stop undermining me so you can cherry pick some of my team. What? Did you think I hadn’t noticed?’
‘Trust me. They’d stand a better chance with me in charge.’
‘But you’re not in charge, Henry. You fucking hid for a month while we got busy.’
‘Not this again you insufferable idiot.’
‘Fuck you!’
‘Jesus Christ. I give up,’ Paula said, flopping down next to Clarence as Howie and Henry started going at each other again.
Which is exactly what I wanted, because it meant Howie would keep Henry busy while I scarpered back to my van to show Henry what manipulation really looked like.
(Don’t ever try and patronise me.)
Diary of Charlotte Doyle
After leaving the jewellery section I was starting to feel an insecurity I had never experienced before.
We then headed into the cosmetics department and started walking slowly past the shelves filled with the most weird and wonderful colours and products all used to promote beauty, and that feeling was coming on stronger. There were mirrors everywhere, and with each one we passed I was looking to my own flaws while seeing the outward beauty of the people I was with.
‘I’ve always wondered actually,’ Marcy said, coming to a stop as she viewed the foundations and concealers. ‘Is it hard to match up for black skin? These are all shaded towards white people, aren’t they?’
‘It’s a bloody nightmare,’ Carmen said. ‘It has got better, and London has a huge black population, so the stores are more geared up, but it’s still nothing like the range for white girls. Do you struggle, Charlie?’
‘I’m mixed race so it’s not so bad for me,’ I said.
‘And you don’t need make-up,’ Marcy told me. ‘Your skin is flawless.’
I said thank you and took the compliment in good grace while staring at the scars and my shaved head while wondering why Cookey hadn’t even tried to kiss me yet. His signals were so strong sometimes, but nothing ever came of it – and I was perhaps now understanding why.
‘What did you do before this, Carmen?’ Marcy asked. ‘I don’t mean now. I mean, you know, before Henry or whatever.’
‘I was a prostitute,’ Carmen said as something clanged at the end of the aisle, and we all turned to see Booker hopping by with a strange look.
‘Tripped,’ he called out. ‘Soz.’
‘Whatever,’ Marcy said, looking back at Carmen. ‘But what the what now? Were you being serious?’
‘Yup,’ she said, smiling at our stunned expressions. ‘I say prostitute. I was an escort.’
‘I… But… Fuck, really?’ Marcy said. ‘I’ve got so many questions right now.’
‘Let me guess. Why did I do it? Did I make good money, and why did I stop?’ Carmen asked as we all nodded in unison. ‘I was young, broke, and I thought it was something I could control. Yes, I did make good money, but I spent it on partying. And I stopped when I realised I wasn’t in control and almost got raped by a group of men. Which, incidentally, is how I met Frank. The men were Russian gangsters under observation and Frank came in and shot them all. Then Kyle came in and shouted at Frank. Then I met Henry who told them both off, then a week later Henry recruited me.’
‘Wow. That is the best story ever,’ Marcy said, in obvious awe. ‘Honestly, I did think about it once. You know. Escorting. But…’
‘You didn’t want be a slut?’ Carmen asked.
‘No! I wasn’t going to say that. I meant, I’m actually not that sexually experienced. Howie’s like the fourth guy I’ve been with, urgh, five including Darren but we’re totally discounting him as I was brainwashed at the time – but yeah, the idea just kinda frightened me. I know, right. The way I act you’d think it was dozens. What about you?’ she asked Tappy.
‘Er. Maybe four? Definitely three. There was one when I was very drunk, which was naughty as I don’t remember saying yes. And then Nick. So four. Charlie?’
‘Just one,’ I said. ‘My ex-boyfriend.’
‘What about Cookey?’ Carmen asked. ‘I thought you two were...’
‘Er, yeah. Not sure on that front,’
Diary of Maddox Doku
So then Frank literally delivered the fundamentals of foot surveillance within a few minutes while we’re walking about the department store following Booker.
And you know what? I loved it. I mean. I seriously loved it.
Frank was telling me that foot surveillance is best done by at least two people, or better with a whole team. One person stays close to the target, and the others all hang back, then they swap over at key points, like at junctions. That way, if the target looks back, they won’t see the same person twice.
Frank was then telling me that a smaller team will carry disguises such as reversible jackets, or baseball caps, or other things to change their profile. But you have to be careful not to stand out or say for instance carry a bag that isn’t from a store in that area. He said you never look directly at the target, so that any given point, if the target suddenly turns you won’t feel the need to react and look away or act innocent.
What really helped was telling me what to look for if I thought I was being followed. I knew some of these from dealing. But Frank said to stop abruptly and look back. Reversing your course. Stopping quickly after turning a corner. Watching reflections in windows. Entering a building then leaving quickly from another exit. Dropping a bit of trash paper to see if anyone picks it up. And cos he said those are things to do when you think someone is following you, it then makes you think what to do when you’re following someone else.
And all this time, we’re doing that exact same thing as we mooch on behind Booker. We’re looking at crap in display cases. Stopping to gawp at clothes in window displays. Leaning against shelves. Then Frank is going off to look through menswear while I get in a bit closer until Booker passed the junction between cosmetics and clothes at which point I veered off into clothing and Frank went closer.
I loved it! Then I was meeting up with Frank who had found a point next to a wall of glass fronted cases.
What’s he doing? I asked as Booker stopped with his mouth hanging open, then he jolted forward into a shelf and hopped past the aisle that the ladies were in.
Rubbing his knee by the looks of it. Why are you bothered anyway, nipper? Frank said.
Don’t know. Just something about him.
Anyway. It’s not about hiding, Frank said, and he was giving me this weird look. People look guilty when they hide. But then I reckon you won’t struggle with that, eh, Mr Doku. Guilt’s not on your radar is it. What did you do before this?
Then I got all defensive, cos see rule 1 and 2. This and that, I said.
What? Like dealing drugs and enforcing debts for the bossman? That kind of thing?
I was like, how the fuck?
I’ve got that way about me, lad. People like to tell me things. Like how you blew a kid’s head off with a shotgun in your compound, and how you tried to take Mr Howie on. Don’t glare at me, nipper. I don’t like angry eyes.
I was fronting up when he said that. Then I remembered Carmen saying how dangerous Frank McGill was so I backed off.
Anyway, nipper. Let’s find another spot cos your mate’s on the move.
I said Booker wasn’t my mate.
And there’s your problem. Try being nice. Booker might open up like all the people in the fort did who told me about you.
So then I’m trying to front up again, but I’m also annoyed that I didn’t think of it myself. Then I’m thinking it’s a good idea, so I’ll go and be nice and I set off towards Booker. But Frank grabbed my arm. Not now you bloody idiot!
Why not?
Because you’ll go over with a big smile and ask him why he’s perving. That’s henchman tactics. It unnerves people. You need to play the long game.
I asked how but he just winked and walked off.
First lesson was for free, lad. After that you need to pay.
Diary of Paula
Honestly. It was just awful, but the mistake Henry made was making a nasty remark to Reginald, because by then Howie looked drained and ready to concede, but the merest mention of someone having a go at Reginald set Howie off and bang! There we were with H & H going at it again, only this time it was a thousand times worse.
‘You fucking hid!’
‘We didn’t hide, Howie. We had a strategy. Which is what comes from having experience and training.’
