Page 311 of 7+Us Makes Nine

My morning ritual complete, I dressed and started to prepare for the long day ahead of me. I pulled on some boxer shorts and a tight white vest. I adjusted myself in the tight underwear, putting myself into a comfortable position. Satisfied, I headed to my wardrobe and grabbed my police issue bullet proof vest and put it on over my shirt, slapping down the velcro and adjusting the snug fabric.

Never been shot, but not gonna take any risks today. Never know when your luck’s gonna run out…

I was incredibly lucky in general and mainly attributed it to my lack of fear, instinct and quick thinking. People sometimes attributed bad luck to their own hesitation and subconscious doubts. Traits I had rarely experienced.

I twisted in front of my full-length mirror to ensure my vest was covering my back properly. Then I dressed in jeans, socks and my snakeskin boots. I put on a stiff, starchy white shirt, buttoning the shirt up to cover my vest. My outfit was completed with my leather trench coat I rolled my shoulders forward as I donned the jacket and turned the collar up.

Well, now I look the part, at least.

I headed to the kitchen and reloaded the clips of my guns that were sitting on the dining table. I took a box of bullets from a drawer and filled a spare clip for each, clicking the bullets into place deftly.

I checked the action of both pistols, clicking a bullet into the receiver, unloading the clip, clicking the bullet out and catching it as it was flung from the side of the pistol. All completed in one swift movement.

Satisfied both pistols were working, I clicked the ejected bullets back into both clips and loaded the guns, holstering one at my hip and putting the smaller of the two into my trench coat’s inside pocket, safeties on.

The Lieutenant had warned me to be cautious, to wait for backup if necessary, but I had other ideas.

My first step was going to be to get to the place. I’d already checked an online map and had visualized its location, the large blue building etched into my memory. There were two main approaches. The large building stretched between two roads on the industrial estate. That was the obvious entry. From what I’d seen as well, there was a narrow alleyway that snaked away from the building to the west, running along a large portion of the wall.

That’s my escape if I need to get the hell out of there. I should probably leave my car near the exit if possible.

The plan was to watch the building for a while from a distance, using my police issued binoculars to spot any signs of activity. Then make a decision based on what I saw. I found I was good at making decisions under pressure and trusted my instincts to see me through this encounter.

I grabbed my binoculars and black, thick rimmed sunglasses as I headed for the door, car keys jingling in my hand as I left the apartment.

A short while later I was in the car, driving casually toward the industrial area of town. I approached my destination from the east knowing where I could park my car just outside of the sight lines of the building. I’d seen what looked like CCTV cameras on the grainy image I’d inspected earlier.

I would be far enough away that my car would likely be a dark blur on the edge of a small screen somewhere in the dingy building. Only a super paranoid, criminal mastermind would think it suspicious, let alone notice me arriving in the first place.

I pulled up just down the road from the building on the opposite sidewalk. A long, sturdy looking chain link fence ran perpendicular from me over to the road on the opposite side of the building. There was no gate on this side of the fence and barbed wire ran thick across the top. Only wire cutters or excellent skill in acrobatics would allow entry from this side, neither of which I had.

A fence ran the same route on the opposite side of the building, and there was a large, chained and padlocked gate leading to the alley I’d spotted on the map.

The front of the building was open to the road, a large, empty parking lot stretching from the building all the way to the sidewalk. A narrow alleyway surrounded the remaining three sides of the building.

I clicked my seat back in the car, obscured in gloom behind dark windows, sitting in the shade of a large, solid building adjacent to where I’d parked. I shuffled in the leather of my chair, settling down to a long stakeout.

I decided to watch the place for a few hours at least, biding my time until I saw something of interest. Nothing happened for a while. No movement, no comings or goings. The large door I could see at the front of the building didn’t open once. The only sign of activity was the steady, slow rise of steam from a large, metal chimney at the top of the flat roof.

Then I saw a car approaching slowly from down the road ahead of me. A nondescript, grey sedan. It pulled up lazily in front of the building, and a large, bald, older man got out. He looked around quickly, eyes resting on my car for a brief second before heading to the metal front door of the warehouse.

He knocked loudly on the metal and the door was opened a few seconds later. I peeped through my binoculars at the entrance, spotting two thuggish figures as they ushered the older man inside. I recognized one of the guys from the other day at Eden’s.

This is the place. I’d thank you, Goldie, if you weren’t such an asshole. No, the only thanks you’ll be getting any time soon is gonna be from your prison wife.

I waited a while longer for any further signs of activity. Another long span of time passed. My eyes narrowed as the steam rising from the chimney began to thicken about twenty minutes after I’d seen the guy enter the building.

Work’s started then, I guess.

I wa

s considering my options when a large black van sped down the road from the same direction the car had come from. It swung violently around the corner, tires squealing. It broke sharply as it screeched to a halt outside of the warehouse.

Three figures got out the car, the flash of chrome from pistols bright in the view of my binoculars. All three looked mean, angry and slightly panicked. Two were white guys I didn’t recognize, but my eyes locked onto the third. Dark black skin, long dreadlocks tied behind his head.

Cathal. So why has one of Conall’s most trusted goons sped here in a hurry?

I cursed aloud, guessing something had got them spooked. I wondered what happened, and my first thought was of Eden. I hoped Lucas had got her safe to wherever he was taking her and made sure she was looked after.

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