Beyond The Law Box Set

by Tom Benson

  “We’ll be using my car, Alpha’s car, and the Transit van to get the team to the first location. At the end of Phase One, Rachel will be driving the Transit escorted by Alpha in her Golf.” Phil looked toward Annabel and nodded.

  “Jake,” Annabel said. “There may come a time when you’ll need these.” She slid the black leather holdall across the floor. “When we finish here today take the bag home with you. If you ever get the call Rachel is picking you up, you should have enough time to get dressed.”

  Jake pulled back the zipper and lifted out a black helmet with a full-face visor similar to Rachel’s. He placed it on the floor beside the bag and lifted out the black leathers. He was speechless.

  “Rachel,” Phil said. “I’d like you to take Jake out on pillion after this briefing and let him get accustomed to how you ride and how you need him to behave as your passenger.”

  “Got it, Boss,” Rachel said, and a wry smile crept onto her lips.

  “I don’t expect the inside of his leathers to be wet when you finish rehearsals.”

  Rachel’s lips parted in a smile. “He’ll be fine.” She glanced at Jake. “As long as he does as I tell him.”

  Annabel gave a light cough to hide the uncharacteristic giggle which threatened.

  “Jake,” Phil said. “You will be going out with Rachel straight from here. I want you to do a rehearsal of the routes we’ll be using. When you get to the streets, I don’t want you to stop outside the actual buildings, but eyeball them as you ride past.”

  “Understood,” Jake said and stared at the sketch map.

  “Got it,” Rachel said.

  “Afterwards,” Phil said. “Jake, you’ll be going with me for a rehearsal at something else.”

  “Okay,” Jake said.

  “Synchronise watches,” Phil said and watched as they all uncovered their watches. “Time is 08:15 on my mark ... five, four, three, two, one, mark.” He looked around as they all nodded. “Have you anything to add Alpha?”

  “To confirm the sequence,” Annabel said, for the benefit of the others. “You will pick up Jake in the morning, and I’ll pick up Rachel. When we commit to Phase Two, Rachel will be heading to the second location with the van, and Jake will be with you?”

  “Yes,” Phil said. “I’d like you two to get out while it’s quiet and do the run to take in all routes and locations. I have a few details which concern Alpha and me, and we’ll deal with them until you return.”

  Jake went over to join Rachel beside the bike and got into his leathers. He didn’t ask why he’d been asked to bring his black overalls in his backpack, but at least he’d worn them while training with Arkwright.

  “Is it pretty fast?” Jake asked as he unfolded his new leathers.

  “Anything I ride or drive is fast.” Rachel lifted her helmet from the saddle.

  Jake struggled to get into the protective gear.

  Rachel put down her helmet and helped him pull his leathers into place.

  Jake saw something at the bottom of the helmet. He moved the tiny microphone up and down on its stem.

  Rachel reached out and pushed it back in place. “I’ll stop after the first ten minutes and explain. We first have to ensure you’re a good passenger.” She stood beside the bike, leant it left and right, and explained how she expected Jake to react.

  “It may feel unnatural at first,” she said, “but it’s how I want it done.”

  “Okay,” he said, “I’ll concentrate on it.”

  “One other point to concentrate on,” she said. “Don’t put your hands behind you on the bar - put them around my waist.” She caught his smile. “If they go anywhere else I’ll rip them off and beat you with the soggy ends.”

  “I’ve got the picture.”

  They both put on their helmets as Phil raised the curtain door. Rachel touched her right forefinger to her visor briefly, and the bike roared off.

  08:30 - Phil came to the back of the lockup and accepted a hot coffee from Annabel.

  Her expression was serious as she studied the diagrams.

  “You’re thinking about body count aren’t you?” Phil said.

  “Yes.” She turned to face him. “I’m thinking of the effect our methods might have on those two.”

  “I considered it during the briefing. How about when we’re in our pairs, we remind them of the scumbags involved.”

  “A good idea, and though they’re putting a brave face on it, death becomes real when it’s created in front of you.”

  “They’ll be okay if we prepare them,” he said. “On the subject of body count, I’m only interested in getting our team and the innocent parties out of there.”

  “Anything else is collateral damage?”

  “Yes,” he said. “Weapon choice is personal. I’ll be taking a knife and a pistol.”

  “Likewise,” she said, “and I think four magazines will be more than enough.”

  “Have you made a shopping list for the retirement home?”

  “Yes, I’ll deal with it when we set off from here this morning.”

  While they waited for the other pair to return, they discussed the variety of different targets Phil had in mind. Annabel as always made helpful suggestions.

  09:45 - Rachel returned Jake safely to the lockup and confirmed her pick up by Annabel.

  Rachel went home on her bike. Annabel set off on her individual task.

  Phil waited while Jake changed from leathers to overalls, and took him on a drive out to a fenced off area of tenements which were due for demolition. Jake got his first practice at using his new skills by opening the padlock on the large mesh gate. Phil drove in, and Jake chained the entrance from the inside.

  The pair spent two hours at the old buildings out of sight of prying eyes and Jake learned the skill of climbing - using window frames chipped brickwork, and damaged drainpipes. It was as close to a dress rehearsal as Phil could give him because the style of building was similar to the targets. When rehearsals were done, Phil took Jake home.

  11. House Clearance

  .

  Monday 15th July

  02:00 - Annabel left her rented property in Knightwood, and ten minutes later drove into Dunglass Avenue, Scotstoun. She switched off her lights, and a shadowy figure stepped out from the high hedgerow. Rachel got into the Golf GTi.

  “Hi.” Rachel removed her long coat and threw it onto the back seat as she got into the car.

  “Good morning.” Annabel turned the car and headed toward the city via Dumbarton Road and the Clydeside Expressway. “We’ve got ideal conditions. Occasional cloud, and a light breeze.”

  02:10 - Phil arrived in Fasque Place, Drumchapel. He flashed his interior light on and off when he saw Jake leave the block. Jake was in his black overalls and carrying a black backpack over his shoulder.

  “Hi Jake,” Phil said. “Did you get some sleep?”

  “Yeah, I told my mother I had a headache and went to bed early.” Jake eased the door of the Celica closed.

  Phil left the street as quietly as he’d driven in.

  02:45 - Annabel sat with engine running, keeping a lookout while Rachel went into the lockup and brought the Transit van out. She dropped the curtain door, replaced the key fob in position, and reset the booby trap. She drove to Well Street, followed by Annabel in the Golf.

  03:00 - Phil parked near the east end of the alleyway which ran behind and parallel to Well Street. He left the car and stepped into the shadows. He used his silenced pistol, to fire a single shot into the streetlight. The end of the alleyway and the eastern corner of Well Street fell into semi-darkness.

  Phil lifted the heavy matting from the boot of his car and set off along the alley. Jake eased the car boot closed and met Phil behind the appropriate block.

  Jake held the loops at one end of the matting when Phil threw it. The matting unrolled over the barbed wire which adorned the top of the wall. Jake ensured his backpack and zip bag were strapped tight, and Phil gave him a boost over the wall. Ja
ke landed without a sound. He lifted his end of the matting and threw it up for Phil to pull back.

  When the matting was gone, Jake stood in the semi-darkness of the back yard. His objective was opposite a third-floor window. He made his way to the back wall of the tenement where he checked his watch and waited. His climb would begin at the appointed time. As instructed by Phil, he would allow his eyes to become accustomed to the dark, and occasional moonlight.

  Phil rolled the matting when it came back over the wall. The barbed wire sprung back up into its coiled protective position. Phil walked along to the car, replaced the matting in the boot, and moved the car into a nearby street to park among others.

  He walked back to Well Street, crossed to the other side, and chose a dark doorway to wait, but from where he could observe the target. He checked his watch. There would be a five-minute wait for the girls. The streetlights were dim, and it was a cool morning.

  03:20 - Annabel parked among other cars to the west end of Well Street. Rachel parked the van close to the corner, but out of sight of the target. They both got out and threw their coats into the vehicles.

  Kirsten Novak was on duty at the front door when two scantily clad women approached, laughing while they chatted. The pair wore short skirts, crop-tops and stilettos, like other working girls.

  When they approached the European, she shook her head and waved her hands to warn them off. The street was out of bounds to freelance working girls. Some had been severely beaten for walking through the area.

  The two strangers stopped in front of Kirsten who was shaking her head.

  Rachel lifted a small canister from her handbag and sprayed black paint onto the camera lens above the door. While she did, the other woman smiled before speaking.

  “Hi,” Annabel said. “Are you Kirsten?”

  “Yes,” she said. “Who are you?”

  “We’re with Hawk, and he’s nearby. We’ll get you out of here tonight.”

  “Tonight?” Kirsten’s eyes widened.

  The bolt on the inside of the door was operated.

  Annabel and Rachel ran as well as they could in high heels. They both had a small net bag slung over one shoulder to carry training shoes. For now, they’d look the part. According to Phil, it was fifty metres to the corner of the block. Once around the corner, it would be dark except for moonlight. The girls were ten metres short of the corner when a man shouted.

  “You two are fuckin’ for it when I get you.” He threw his cigarette away and ran.

  As the two women reached the corner, Rachel stumbled and lost a shoe. She got down to retrieve the shoe and glanced back at the man in pursuit. After a nod to Annabel, she put on the shoe, stood up, and shouted back at the thug.

  “Big ... ugly ... bastard.” Rachel strode around the corner.

  At the front of the block, Phil crossed the road and stopped at the door.

  “Hi, Kirsten. Remember me?”

  She nodded, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

  Phil said, “I need you to stay here for a few minutes. Okay?” He pulled his 9mm from inside his jacket

  “What if he comes—”

  “He won’t be coming back. Don’t worry.” Phil crept in through the open door.

  .

  03:25 - Jake commenced his climb up the window ledges and drainpipes. He remembered the lessons learned on rehearsals about points of contact. ‘Like rock-climbing,’ Hawk had said. Jake had learned the hard way and had the bruises to prove it.

  When he reached the second-floor window, he wished the alarm had been mounted lower down. He glanced through the gap in the drapes and saw an overweight man in his forties undressing and staring at the girl sitting on the edge of the bed. She was in her teens. Jake wasn’t a violent person by nature, but to add to his tiredness and nerves, he was angry. He concentrated on the mission, and what he’d seen created an added incentive.

  Jake gripped the window ledge in the dark on the third floor. He reached into his backpack and pulled out his aerosol can. For safety, it was encased in a mesh bag and attached to the backpack. He shook the can and held it close to the yellow casing of the alarm before he squeezed the nozzle. To his relief, he saw the white expanding foam seeping out from every part of the alarm.

  Frank Malone was thirty-five, but although big in size, he wasn’t the fittest of men. He loved nothing more than to beat men and abuse women. It made him a perfect choice for his role. As he ran toward the corner and saw the short, dark-haired girl stumble, his sadistic mind was working overtime.

  He reached the end of the tenement, caught the brickwork with his hand, and spun around the corner to the left. He took three paces and stopped in the semi-darkness. There should have been illumination from a streetlight, but it didn’t matter now.

  The thug’s heavy breathing continued and his lips twisted into a crooked grin. He reached behind his back and produced an automatic pistol, which he held down by his side. “It looks like you two will be providing me with pleasure before the night is over.”

  “I don’t think we will.” Annabel held his gaze.

  Rachel looked at the thug’s handgun and turned to look at her ultra cool team-mate. This wasn’t a time to be cocky.

  Malone said, “Two nice bodies. I think I’ll let you watch me with your young friend first, and you’ll know what to expect.”

  “No thanks.” Annabel lifted her hand from her handbag. She aimed the Glock 9mm at Malone. “Drop the gun, and I’ll let you live.”

  “Fuck you.” Malone brought up his automatic, and with his left hand gripped the breech slide to put a round in the chamber. A quiet ‘phutt’ came from the Glock, and a small hole appeared in Malone’s forehead. He hit the ground at the same time as his gun.

  Annabel said, “Unless it’s ready to fire, a gun isn’t much of a threat.”

  “Fuck.” Rachel looked from the dead man to Annabel, who slipped the Glock into her handbag as if it was a packet of mints. Being brought up in a city where violence was never far away, was one thing, but witnessing someone being shot at close range was traumatic. Rachel swallowed and turned away, face ashen.

  Annabel stepped forward and put her arms around her associate, who embraced her. Rachel sobbed, and pressed her head against Annabel’s shoulder, gripping her tight. They stood for a few seconds. Annabel held her at arm’s length.

  “It’s hard to deal with the first time. I’m sorry, Rachel. I couldn’t afford to warn you.”

  “I’m okay.” Rachel wiped her eyes. “I’m okay. Let’s get on with the mission.”

  “Good girl.” Annabel placed a palm against Rachel’s cheek for a moment, before she squatted down and removed the magazine from Malone’s pistol.

  The two women went into the alleyway to change their footwear, before setting off together, leaving the late Mr Malone in the darkness with his unfired gun. Annabel arrived at the front door of the brothel and went in, but Rachel ran along the street.

  .

  03:30 - When Phil went inside, he paused on the ground floor of the tenement. Loud voices could be heard from the room on the left, but the door was closed. It was a man and a woman, meaning the second security man had been alerted by the commotion outside. Phil stayed beside the open front door. The woman sounded like Marie, the madam.

  Annabel appeared at the door, now wearing training shoes. She gave Phil a ‘thumbs-up’ signal as she entered. Phil pointed at the closed door and held up two fingers, before pointing at Annabel. He pointed to himself and the staircase. She nodded and stepped to one side to wait in the corridor.

  Jake was balanced precariously. His toes were resting on small areas of brickwork. He clung to the ledge on the third floor with one hand while he sprung the lock on the window frame. His skeleton keys dangled on a chain around his neck. The window flew open, and a grinning Hawk leant out to help him inside. Jake tucked the chain and keys inside his overalls.

  “Well done mate,” Phil said. “Are you ready for your next task?”

&nb
sp; “Yeah,” Jake gasped and took several deep breaths.

  “The doors will be left open where I’ve been. Don’t go in if they’re closed.”

  “Got it.”

  “We have to go up and deal with the top floor and work our way down.” Phil set off. Jake was right behind him.

  On the fourth floor like the others, two main doors led to the two individual flats. Within each flat, according to what Phil had learned from Kirsten, the back rooms were for entertaining clients, and the front rooms were for resting and having meals. Each flat was shared by three girls, and one person was always on shift, sometimes two, depending on the time.

  Phil opened each door and ushered any girls to go downstairs. As he continued downstairs, he heard Jake tearing rooms apart, searching for documentation.

  By the time Malone had been gone ten minutes, his two associates were becoming wary. Marie Drummond stood up from her armchair and turned to John Cartwright. “I don’t like the look of this.”

  “He’ll be beating them in the street.” Cartwright opened a drawer and lifted out an automatic.

  “I don’t fucking like it,” Drummond insisted. She’d been in the game long enough to know when things weren’t right. She reached across and hit the red button on the wall. Apart from a low buzzer in the room, it would sound an alarm in a house two doors down the street. Two armed thugs were always on duty there. She pressed the button a second time, and turned to Cartwright; no sound.

  Cartwright cocked his pistol and held it in his right hand. He pulled the door open quickly using his left hand. Appropriately, his last word was, “Fuck.” A muted sound echoed in the hallway, and Cartwright’s lifeless body fell back into the room with a hole between the eyes.

  “I’ll ask you once.” Annabel stepped over Cartwright. “Where are the passports kept?”