eyes following the curves and excitement displayed from under his trousers. He would sit and try the starring for attention game. It had failed each time and he was slowly losing patience. He placed the palms of his hands upon the wet table and forced his body upright, the blackout effect jumped into play and he stood as still as possible whilst the room slowed its spinning.
‘Come on Doc…..get it together’ he blabbed to himself.
His focus was distorted as he prodded at the end of his nose, thinking his glasses had slid down as usual.
‘Nope…..they are on my face!’ he acknowledged to himself.
He staggered slightly, the table connected with his thighs.
‘Hey….easy now, we don’t need to take this outside, do we?’ his fists curling towards the invisible attacker.
‘Hey, you’re that guy from T.V right?’ the voice sweet and delicate.
He turned to spot the woman, she stood to his side.
‘Hi, Doctor William Lime……it’s a pressure to meet you!’ he slurred.
The giggle told him that his mistake in speech had been accepted and the young woman sat on the chair next to his position. He slumped down upon his chair, once again. Her hair was golden, strands of pure essence. Her silver dress shimmered under the light above. He envisioned her as an angel, a goddess sent to amuse him.
‘Would you like a drink?’ he offered, displaying a wallet full of notes.
‘Definitely, I’ll have what you’re having please’
‘Fine red wine sounds appeasing to me’ he attempted to impress her with an array of technical words, not realising that he had only succeeded in making a fool of himself, still, the woman welcomed it.
***
‘That’s the place, I think. Just over there by the green bins’ Richard pointed to his right, his finger pressed against the window. He checked the list, removing it from his coat pocket. Nathan noticed the imprint of the nails head as it had burrowed through the glove and into his skin.
‘How’s the hand?’
‘What, oh, fine mate, cheers’ he smiled. Nathan admired how calm his friend was, the man was about ten minutes away from taking a life and he appeared to be as cool as the wind that surrounded the car.
‘How are we doing this one?’
‘Same as before, keep it easy mate, less confusion means less fuck ups!’
‘That makes sense!’
They gave one and other a smile, comforting in a small way. Richard had climbed out first, his breath creeping from his mouth and swirling before him. The back door was opened and his equipment removed. Nathan calmed himself, breathing steadily and firing some words of encouragement to his tired brain.
Their feet scraped the concrete floor that had been untouched by the snow, they crossed the small island at the centre of the plaza, several empty beer cans lay upon the ground beside some benches. Nathan looked around, spying for any movement. Richard walked on, his footsteps echoed within his ears, he was focused, determined to complete the self-assigned task. The distinct smell or urine hit them as they entered the front, the double doors banged together as they were closed, a hinge at the top of one corner had come loose, causing them to clash.
‘Why are the locations always fucking filthy?’ quizzed Nathan, trying to veer his mind from the mission at hand.
‘They’re not always this bad, you’d be surprised who some of these people are!’
They patrolled the ground floor, the room number was in the lower section.
‘This one’ whispered Richard, his foot pointing towards number thirteen.
‘Unlucky number’ Nathan’s attempt at humour created a little smirk to strike his friends face.
He placed an ear upon the door and listened for any sounds coming from the flat. The sound of thrash metal could be heard, Richard judged that it was from behind another closed door inside.
He stepped back, bracing himself upon Nathan’s shoulder, his leg raised slightly.
‘Wait!’ Nathan whispered before his friend ploughed through the obstacle. He stepped towards the door and reached for the handle, he turned it to the left and the clunk shook the wood, it creaked open slightly.
‘Good idea mate’
‘I have them sometimes!’ smiling
Richard entered first, Nathan close behind. The music could be heard as they moved in, the distorted guitar riff scratched at their ears. They checked the kitchen, empty. They moved slowly down the hall. The bedroom lay in darkness, empty juice cartons and food wrappers were scattered over the floor. Richard tapped his shoulder, instructing him to follow. Nathan swallowed the ever-growing lump in his throat. The hand was placed flat upon the door, the music vibrated through the thin wood. Richard nodded, confirming that the noise was behind the next obstruction. He checked the handle, it turned slowly, the metal ball grinding against the mounting plate. The noise increased as the door was pushed open. Richard could make out the red light upon the wall to his right. The room held a damp atmosphere, the moist smell striking him as he moved in further. The red bulb cast a low eerie light upon the room, the occupant sat at a desk, the computer screen blaring into his eyes. He noticed the man’s figure, overweight and unfit.
He edged around the open door and moved closer, Nathan pushed through slowly, the smell filling his chest. He felt nauseous, the waft of stale food and sweat caused him to flare his nostrils. Richard stood, the bag in one hand. The obese man starred into the hypnotic blue screen, unaware of his unwanted guests. He placed the bag down slowly and pointed Nathan to the other side of the room, out of view and the line of fire. He positioned his feet apart, one foot forward, the other in line with his body, creating a stable platform to attack from. He moved his hands in a circular motion, clicking the wrists free. The fists were clenched and raised for an attack.
‘Hey’ he shouted, catching the man off guard.
The blob swivelled to the sound. The fist landed smack bang on his nose, he stood, staggering slightly. The open hand jab followed soon after, connecting with his throat. He fell to his knee wheezing. The straight kick to the stable leg forced it to buckle and the man landed upon the floor.
‘Tape, quickly!’ he shouted to Nathan who moved with the speed of a Gazelle.
The interior lighting had been switched on once the man was secured to the chair. His wrists were bound to the arms with copious amounts of tape. His legs and feet were taped flush with the frame, the grey sticky material wrapped over and around the seat several times to keep his limbs in place. Nathan had even pulled strands of tape around the man’s torso, to keep him down for definite. He woke, coughing from the wind-pipe strike delivered by his attacker.
‘Wakey wakey’ whispered Richard into the man’s ear.
‘What the fuck do you think you’re doing?’ he yelled
‘Hey, I ask the fucking questions…..not you!’ tapping his forehead with a stiff finger. Nathan moved to Richard’s side and they watched the large man as he wriggled in the chair. The beads of sweat dropped from his brow, the top of his head was barely covered by fine hair. Richard retrieved his bag and began placing some of the contents on the table where the monitor sat. The man prisoner watched as each item was shown to him, a wide grin upon Richard’s face.
‘You see these tools, they’re for you fat boy!’ his finger hovered over the weapons.
‘Who are you?’ his face showed fear.
‘That’s not important’, began Nathan, ‘Your name please?’
‘Fuck you’ he spat
Nathan extended an open hand and the hammer was placed in it.
‘Nice choice!’ he nodded to Richard
‘Right, I’m going to fire some questions your way, I want them answered!’ the hammer aimed at the man’s face.
‘Like I said, fuck you’
‘Wrong answer’ the hammer crashed down upon the blob’s foot, the bone cracked as the skin was split. It
