Enough of me and finger's crossed you all like this. Peace.Luke held the guns close to his chest, his heart-rate rapid and his breath slow and deep as he waited patiently for his next set of instructions. In the back of his mind he already knew exactly what he would be told to do next. Romano hadn't sent him all the way to Birmingham with two custom-made loaded handguns to just scare Keith off. No way. The old man wanted Keith dead and he wanted it done tonight. After months of misleading The Firm and feeding information to a rival drug cartel lead by the cunt Mr. Nicks, Keith was finally going to get what was coming to him. A bullet in his fucking head.
BZZT! BZZT!
Luke pulled out the cell phone from his jacket and picked up.
"You at the warehouse?" came a deep voice from the other end of the line.
"Yeah, boss," replied Luke.
"Keith there yet?"
"Walked in the building 'bout 15 minutes ago."
"Anyone with him?"
"Just a few of Mr. Nick’s boys to help load up."
"How many?"
"'bout 4."
"Think you can handle them?"
"Without breakin' a sweat, boss."
"Good. Get it done and I’ll see you back in London."
Luke hung up and pocketed the cell phone. With deep and steady breaths he pulled on his balaclava, charged up the guns and quietly headed inside the warehouse.
A slight smell of marijuana hit him playfully as he slowly made his way through the ground floor. Apart from a few chairs and coffee tables the place was completely empty. He wondered, just for a moment, whether he was being watched. It wouldn't be beyond an ass wipe like Mr. Nicks to have cameras operating around his drug-house.
Hoping for the best and preparing for the worst, he decided to follow the smell with the idea that it may lead him to Keith. He found himself walking through the spacious entrance, sneakers squeaking on the shiny floor, into a narrow hallway with steps leading down to what appeared to be a brightly lit basement. Sure enough, as he began to descend the stairs, he could hear Keith’s voice over the all-too familiar humming noise of a high pressure sodium lamp and fan.
"Looking good, boys. Let’s bag the shit and load up, boss wants this all on the plane before the mornin'."
There came a few grunts of obedience followed by the sound of masking tape.
Leaning against the wall of the stairs with the gun still firmly in his hand, Luke reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small tear gas grenade. With a pop of the top he threw it down into the basement.
What happened next happened fast. Shots were fired, phone calls for reinforcements were made and Luke knew it would be only a matter of time before he would be more out-numbered than he already was. But as the adrenaline surged through his body and the smoke from the tear gas began to fade, Luke managed to take out all four of Keith’s beefy companions effortlessly. Each hit the concrete floor with a sickening thump.
"Well, well, well..." Luke smiled underneathe his balaclava, "if it ain't my old mate, Kieth!" He walked towards his victim while running his hand along what seemed to be never ending rows of marijuana plants. "You've got a fuckin' Eden in here, mate, I'll give you that!"
"Luke..." breathed Keith, plastering his back against the basement wall in fear.
"Before I shoot you in the head, I want you to tell me summin'...” said Luke, ignoring Keith’s whimpering as he approached closer. “Did you really think you could jus' betray The Firm an' walk away?"
Keith attempted to get to his feet but Luke delivered a strong kick to his chest sending him right back down to the ground.
"Luke, please...listen to me..." sobbed Keith, his face red with terror, “I didn't have a choice, mate...I had to..."
"Bullocks! We all have a choice an' you made the wrong one."
"They were gonna kill my family, Luke!" cried Kieth. "Nicks found out about Gemma an' the kid....said he'd kill 'em both if I didn't give him any valuable information..."
"Like the deal with the Chinese?"
"And the M-Mexicans," stuttered Keith.
Luke shook his head in disbelief. "You little f-"
"They were gonna kill my fuckin' family, Luke, don't you understand?" Keith yelled, tears running down his face. "My wife...my unborn kid..."
Luke stared at Keith blankly. For a moment he wondered what he would've done had he been in Keith’s position, but he soon realised that - unlike Keith, Luke had no loved one's left to lose, his dad was dead, his mum was in the hospital on her way to joining him and his elder brother...well...where to even fucking begin with him...
The sudden sound of cars pulling up outside the warehouse interrupted Luke’s thoughts. He didn't have much time left. He stood his guard, pointing the gun to Keith’s head and watched as his sobs grew louder, his eyes desperately begging for mercy. Luke had to admit a part of him felt for Keith, but another part of him knew that he had to die. It was the law of the street. It was the way things worked in this business. You betray, you pay, either with your life or with the lives of your loved ones. In this particular case, Luke thought it best to leave out the wife and unborn kid.
Without another seconds thought or a even a hint of regret, Luke pulled the trigger and with the blood of his latest victims splashed across his shirt, he walked away.
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chapter 2: http://www.youngwriterssociety.com/topic62053.html
you did a really good job of portraying that kind of desperate, street-life kind of attitude.
