Page 59 of The Cleaner

"It’s clear who I want to be taken out,” I growl. I’ve been wanting to get my hands on that bastard since the moment I laid eyes on him.

"Fuck yeah," Emmanuel agrees. "I'd love to take out the whole fucking family if I'm being honest."

Jer nods, clearly pleased with our enthusiasm. "I thought you might feel that way. The plan is simple." He pauses, glancing between the three of us. "While Tommy and his goons aredrinking the night away, I’ll have James and Tony orchestrate a distraction to draw them away from the pub. That’s when you’ll go in and take whoever the fuck you want. We need to do this fast, before they can realise what's going on."

Stephen grins, and it’s sadistic and filled with anger. The past two months, he’s been helping his wife recover. He’s not unleashed his anger since he killed Thomas Grace. "It’ll send a clear message to the Jennings that they can't continue with their operations," he snarls. “We get these fuckers and send a direct message.”

"But what about Tanya?" I question. "I want her to know who did it. I want her to live in fear, knowing she could be next. I want her to know that she’s the reason this is going down.”

Jer grins. “Oh, don’t worry about that, Mav. We’ll ensure she fucking knows. We’ll be sending a message directly to Tommy and Tanya.”

I nod, glad that we’re finally taking a stand against these fuckers. I understand why Jer kept them at a distance. He’s biding his time, ready to strike when the moment is right. Not to mention all the shit that went down with Stephen, Jess, and Thomas.

We leave Jer’s house and enter Emmanuel’s car. It’s bigger than the others. Emmanuel and I exchange looks as I slide into the front seat.

"This is the night we end it," Emmanuel murmurs, his voice low and filled with determination.

I nod. He’s right, it fucking is. More so for Lisa. She’s been hurt by that bastard for long enough. It ends now. "It is," I say low.

Arriving at the pub, we’re greeted by James and Tony, both looking gleeful and excited. It’s been a while since we’ve all let loose and tonight we finally get to play.

“We’ve got a petrol bomb,” James laughs. “We’re going to set fire to both Tommy’s and Tommy Junior’s cars. When they exit the pub due to the noise, Tony and I will be waiting. When they notice us, we’ll drive off and they’ll follow us, giving you all the time you need.”

Fuck yeah, now this is what I call playtime. “Nice,” I comment. “You two good to escape?”

Tony grins. “We’ve got Jason and some of the other guys on standby. The moment we’re on the move, they will be also. Don’t worry about us; focus on what you need to do.”

I nod, shaking their hands. “Have fun, guys,” I tell them, grinning. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Stephen, Emmanuel, and I split up to form a triangle, each targeting a different entrance into the pub. The idea is to strike fast and hard, not giving them the chance to react. As we move, I can feel my heart pounding, the adrenaline rushing through my veins.

I reach the back room first, where Tommy and his men are gathered, drunk and oblivious. I stay, waiting for the sound of the cars going up in flames.

It doesn’t take long until I hear the sound of the car alarms, along with a bang. The Jennings’ men scramble, all heading for the front door. There are shouts of anger as they realise their cars are being set ablaze.

I hear the rev of the car and know that James and Tony are gone.

Within minutes, the pub is cleared out, and I know it’s time to get this done. It’s down to Emmanuel, Stephen, and I.

Pushing open the door, I’m not surprised to see Ben Turner sitting down sipping on his drink. Right beside him is Tommy Junior. Damn, now isn’t this a great fucking surprise.

Moving toward the bar, I grab a bottle of whisky and a glass, pouring a generous drink. Walking toward them, I put the glassdown, and with a sneer, I say, "You two seem to be enjoying yourselves, but I'm afraid your night is about to take a turn."

Both Ben and Tommy Junior's eyes narrow at the sight of me, their expression quickly changing from amused to alarmed. But it's too fucking late.

"Have you met my friends?" I ask, gesturing toward Emmanuel and Stephen, who have now entered the bar. "We've come to send a message."

Ben and Tommy Junior's eyes widen in fear as they realise the situation they're in. I can see the desperation and the realisation in their eyes. There's nowhere to run.

“You?” Ben grunts as he finally realises who I am. I merely grin at him. He’s going to be in a world of hurt when I’m finished with him.

"We’ve got a message for your father and sister," Emmanuel growls, his eyes burning with anger as he glares at Tommy Junior. "You thought we were going to let this shit slide?"

"Not a fucking chance. We bided our time. Now we’re done waiting," Stephen adds, his voice just as menacing.

“Let’s get this shit done,” I snarl, my voice rough.

Both Emmanuel and Stephen move forward. Stephen lunges at Tommy Junior and lands a haymaker of a punch on his jaw, knocking him out cold. Meanwhile, Emmanuel quickly draws his gun and uses the handle to hit Ben across the face with a loud thud. The sound echoes in the room as Ben falls to the ground, knocked out.

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