the other end has evidently hung up. He glances around at the security guards yells.
“And where the fuck is Rob gone?”
There’s a resounding silence.
It’s as if he can’t hear me or see me, but I can see him. I’m banging, as hard as possible against something invisible that is in between us. But he can’t see me.
“Yeah. Just told him. He’s going to do exactly as he’s told this time ...”
I recognize that voice. It’s the same one as before. Just before it, all went to black.
“Listen, I have absolutely no fucking idea why he didn’t heed our warning before alright, but, this time, he will. I’ve got the girlfriend. She’s safe and she’s not going anywhere, but it will get messy if he doesn’t play ball.”
The voice trails away and I hear metal-capped boots stomp across the concrete.
Something is stuffed deep into my mouth. It might be a muffler or something and straps of some kind cut into my wrists. I can’t move much, but as hard as I possibly can do, I wriggle and twist and turn. Eventually, I manage to spit the thing in my mouth out and almost immediately after doing so I instantly regurgitate.
Vomit spews out, hot, orange and real across the boot of the car.
I kick against the metal shell of the car boot. To my utter delight, it springs open. The dozy prick has also forgotten to lock it. I actually can’t believe I am out that easily.
Albeit, not quite out of the trunk of the car, but now half out of it, like a sort of mermaid, with no tail and only one leg.
At this point, I realize that maybe I want to be very quiet instead of trying to make a lot of noise now, but it seems as if he’s gone away.
I kind of belly flop, fish like onto the floor and survey my surroundings. It’s a concrete floor in what looks like a garage, Rob’s garage.
“Great fight.”
Rob comes warmly over to embrace Alex, sitting stiffly at the bar.
Like last time. The heat and noise of the crowd have gone cold pretty quick after the money shot is done. Another contender dispatched in a panicky haze into a friend’s clapped out hatchback, another admission to the emergency room.
As soon as Rob comes close, Alex ducks away from his touch.
“Sorry son,” Says Rob “Is it still tender.”
Alex spits over towards, but not quite in, Robs face.
“There’s not a scratch on me,” he says coolly, “Money please.”
Rob laughs and dishes out a pile of dollar bills towards him.
“No, I want all of it.”
Rob smiles and hands over another small stack of notes.
“No really, I mean all of it.”
Alex is as cold as ice. Then he points the gun, Rob’s face changes.
“What did you say?” Rob looks startled and is obviously trying to laugh this off, but Alex isn’t laughing.
“That’s just for starters, though, I want you to take me to her, now.”
He stares at Alex in confusion.
“Take me to who?”
Across town, I struggle to get my legs free of the strong industrial tape across my knees and ankles. What I should be thinking about is what the heck is going on here and why have I been locked in a car boot in the first place. But I swear to God my first thought is;
‘How long have Alex and Jacquie been seeing each other and why didn’t she tell me?’
All the same, I succeed in ripping the tape off and then have to do battle with a very locked garage door.
“Don’t tell me you don’t know what I mean” Screams Alex, walking slowly up to a now terrified Rob.
By now, there’s a small circle of employees standing around in the office, wondering what the hell is happening. Mick, the bar manager tries to intervene but decides it’s not a good idea.
“You made me fight, I get that, but no one threatens someone else to get to me, especially not her..”
“I don’t..” Trails Rob.
He doesn’t get to finish. Alex knocks him sideways, blood spills all over the floor. Still pointing the gun in the air, Alex holds Rob by the neck.
“Do you understand now? God knows, it’s my fault
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