Page 46 of Drift

Gray closed the file. “With the medical application both with drug usage and bone marrow theft, this mark has a specialist medical field,” he said flatly. “I won’t prejudice over taking action, no matter how far up they go.”

Thorn snorted. “Warning already made clear. No exceptions, no reprieve, no care over or who or what they hide behind. Just find and cull.”

Gray nodded. “So long as we’re clear on that.” Thorn needed to be. He was new to this. Gray wasn’t. Gray would take the cull no matter who slept behind it all. He offered the file back over, details stored where they needed to be, the rest he’d source. “I need the full toxicology reports. Add pressure your end to get them through.” Rita had drawn a blank with her samples, so he needed to see what was going on inside Jason’s body.

Thorn tucked them under his arm and nodded as Gray headed back the way he’d come. He turned back as he reached the elevator shaft. “Macky, the boy. You said you knew him.”

“Hm?” Thorn glanced over. “Yes. I did.”

Gray thought it over. “Did his parents mention anything about anger issues with him? Any medication he was on?”

Thorn frowned, then seemed to search for something. “Not anger, no. But he was diagnosed with ADHD.” A sad smile filtered through. “Smart boy but couldn’t sit still. Had no sense of danger doing it, but a caring lad. Is that relevant?”

“Everything is until discounted.” Gray took out his car keys and turned to leave.

“Gray, wait a moment, please.”

He looked back when that was said in Welsh, North at that.

“Edward,” said Thorn. “He was a shrewd poker player, but a good soul. I also played poker with your mother. She was… beautiful trouble on a psychological front. She knew how to play mind games.” A shine came to his eyes. “Added to your father’s MI6 blood, I’ve always wanted to see just how far their son would take his own… dark creative play.”

Gray offered the slightest smile back. “Don’t,” he said quietly and in English. “There’s no honour among thieves anymore. And in taking life, that’s all you and I are: thieves.” He tipped his head. “The only grace I’ll allow you for knowing my family as you step into this role? Whether I’m culler or not, turn on mine, I promise I won’t make the hurt last. Take the warning. It’s the only one I’ll give. Stay the fuck away from mine and I will continue to protect who call you in here.”

And that was it. Loyalty was given, but on the back of a culler’s threat. It’s all he would ever give to them.

As he made it out to his car, Gray pulled out his phone and started the process to access medical details to the mother who’d killed her family.

Talk would have to wait until the morning with Jack and Jan. He glanced at his watch. They’d be trying to find peace in sleep now, and he wouldn’t disturb that.

So Gray focused on the second file Thorn had given him: the mother who’d killed her kids and husband. What she did, how she lived and loved…. What her fears were, what her reactions to those fears were… if she was taking any meds for a disorder like Jason and Macky, and if she came with pinprick marks on her body that might just have been missed.

And maybe, just maybe, if there was any DNA left on scene of a potential witness there too, one who’d had their fingertips acid-burned away.

Chapter 15

WITNESS

In the early morning darkness, security lights lit up the full scope of the supermarket, managing to give a wholeOver here, lads,vibe. Stood back in a huge car park off Liverpool Road, they had everything on offer: sushi bar, hot food counter, bakery… pizza counter, not to mention a security system and night guards to keep out, well, non-paying customers.

Drift worked his way inside, the late-night hunger getting the better of him.

Large supermarket chains weren’t stupid. Most went upmarket with AI-driven video analytics and facial recognition cameras. So as soon as someone walked in and the cameras took their mugshots, it was sent back to a police database, and calls were made back to security guards, all before the flagged rat made it to the magazine aisle. To add to that, most relied on hard-wired Internet, so devices like deauthers that were worn around the wrist like a watch couldn’t interrupt connections.

So Drift kept to supermarkets that couldn’t afford hard-wired Internet, as that usually meant blackspots with cameras, as funds were too low to kit the building out properly. That left the issue of what cameraswerein and outside of the supermarket, but Drift twisted a green high-powered laser pointer in his hand. It was a serious toy for serious players that drove many alawman and business owner insane. Hit a camera sensor with a green laser pointer like the one he held, it could toast the sensor or crack the lens, but all he wanted was his movement blurred so no images could be taken. Avoiding the cameras worked best, especially the outdoor ones as the night and atmosphere in general could screw up the laser light. But for tight spots, the laser pointer was kept closer than a condom when it came to potentially fucking up.

Fucking up he couldn’t afford. Not around Ava, and he was on her time now. The rule was unspoken, but most kids in the know started to shift their heads away from the street and duck for cover come 10.00 pm.

Loose hood covering his head, a black skull scarf taking care of the rest, Drift quickly sent the green laser pointer light to a camera sensor that blocked his way to the storeroom as a jangle of keys and footsteps sounded off to his left. There was always a security guard or two on walkaround, so hitting the stray camera here and there that he couldn’t avoid kept him out of trouble.

Drift waited for the sensor light on the camera to flicker before making a move. Not getting caught was always one step closer to getting caught, though, so he took nothing for granted.

In the storeroom, hedidtake a multipack of crisps out of a box, along with a Coke, pack of sausage rolls, and some Super Noodles to make back at his temporary base, though. He’d kept away from the main rat-walker haunts, taking to an abandoned court just a few streets down, but he had everything he needed back there, including the standard pan, stands, and matches to make a fire.

Life back with Grant had been basic, but he’d learned a good lesson on not taking above his weight that could get a rat noticed.

The heavy weight of the darkness behind felt like Grant, and Drift shivered, finding the barest offer at the thought of him back there, more how Grant would send Jackson over to clip him up the ear for being out late. Drift would try to leg it, and Grant would be forced to come out. And the old bastard had been damn fast, catching him every goddamn time for a while.

His smile fell a moment later, and he stuffed the water back in this bag.

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