‘Alright my guy, you ready for a scout?’

‘So soon? I’ve only just rid of you, what time is it?’

‘You were out by ten man, and I left soon after, you’ve slept long enough, long enough to get moving.’

‘Good weed, good weed I can still taste it. What time is it?’

‘Early, you wanna scout this place or what?’

‘Now? What you wanna do?’

‘I just want to drive over to the place, stop a few minutes and get a feel for the road.’

‘Check for doorbell cameras and that?’

‘Ye, that sort of thing.’

‘It’s too early man, the fucking birds are churping like mad here.’

‘Wakey wakey, get your dirty hand off your snakey and have a free maccies with me.’

‘I had the morning wood before I heard your voice.’ Said Smithy hearing Justin sniffing down the other end. He’d probably had his morning line already thinks Smithy.

‘You going to be ready or what?’

‘Ye, I’ll be ready. What time did you leave?’

‘I told you already, you were out by ten and I left soon after. I took some rocket dust though, I owe you a pizza.’

‘You bastard, I was just thinking about a cold slice right now, I’m absolutely starving, I can’t remember the last time I filled my face.’

‘You didn’t eat last night, I’ll get you a warm maccies now.’

‘Sound, you better not have rinsed my grinder.’

‘Just a joints worth, your tight arse would notice more, I’m sure of that.’

‘I’ll know, believe me I’ll fucking know.’

‘I’m sure you would, that a definite yes?’

‘I said yes, didn’t I? Bit early though, maccies doesn’t finish breakfast to like half ten.’

‘Nah, better to drive over while all the road mandem are asleep and probably stoned. None of those lot are awake now, probably just gone to bed too man. I’m starving now and when I’m on the road I wanna stay on it and get shit done.’ Said Justin and Smithy wondered how well he actually knew these lads to know their routine.

‘When you coming?’

‘Thirty minutes, make sure you brush that mouth of yours, you nearly burned my eyes out last night.’

‘They’re pretty furry to be fair.’

‘I won’t be long.’

‘Sound.’

*

‘Justin, before you go could you make me a strong cuppa?’ Said Justin’s mom calling from her room. Her voice was croaking, and she was probably dehydrated from her heavy night.

‘Sure Mom, where’s your cup?’ Said Justin entering her room. She needs to open a window he thinks, her vodka breath has saturated the room to the point it hits the back of Justin’s throat, and he nearly throws up. The smell doesn’t change and even after a decade he still hasn’t gotten used to it. He looks to the floor to make sure he doesn’t step into sick again. He doesn’t walk in her room without trainers on now. Nothing worse than cold sick between the toes. The smell lingered in his fingernails to the point he cut them until they bled last time.

‘It’s here.’ She said pointing to her dirty bedside table covered in ciggy butts and burn marks. He thinks of what would happen if she doesn’t put it out properly like a few years ago. Luckily the fire alarm was working, and he managed to put the fire out. Lucy didn’t even notice, nor did his mother. Three feet from a naked flame and a room full of smoke and she didn’t bat a drunken eye. There’s two now, batteries checked every week and two fire extinguishers. I big one for him inside his room and little one under Lucy’s bed. He never feels safe though, she never learned and never cared.

‘Still got vodka in it, you finishing it off, or can I throw it?’ Said Justin lifting the ‘best mom in the world’ cup to his nose and pulling away. He clutched his stomach and the pang of fiery steam inside at the putrid scent. He knows her answer already, half a cup, she won’t waste it, even in the morning. The last time she found out he poured out a cup he got a plate off his head, and it wasn’t even lunchtime. She’ll remember when she starts to sober up and it’s just not worth the hassle.

‘Oh, give it here, good boy.’ She said swallowing the contents without a flinch and handing it back to him continued. ‘Make it a coffee if there’s any more in the bottle out there, cuppa with plenty of sugar if not, good boy, you’re a good boy.’ Putting her head back down on the pillow and closing her weary eyes.

‘No drama, I’ll pick you up a bottle on my way back today if you do a shop, here’s twenty.’ Said Justin about to hand over the note and it’s snatched out his hand with a half-closed eye.

‘Why would I when I can get some of my own now?’ She said smiling. The drink must’ve stimulated her nasty side this morning because she wasn’t joking.

‘Come on, I had to go the shop this morning for Lucy’s breakfast, there wasn’t even a slice of bread for her.’ Said Justin putting his hands to head and trying not to raise his voice. He regretted even saying anything. It’s a battle he wouldn’t win and he doesn’t enjoy it as much as she seems to. Don’t give her an excuse to show what little power she has, he says to himself silently. He spent a cold night on a plastic mattress last time. Just think of Lucy he says to himself.

‘What we out?’

‘Have a look, just get some stuff for Lucy and I’ll sort you out.’

‘You don’t tell me what to do.’ She said snarling and Justin knew then it was time to hurry up and get out before she musters the strength to get out of bed and kick off. He definitely should’ve kept his mouth shut he thinks, at least until he made the brew.

‘Of course not, I’ll make your coffee.’

‘Oh, is there any left?’ She said brightening up and slapping her lips.

‘A drop to take in the coffee, ye, I think there’s enough.’ Said Justin walking to his bedroom door and unlocking it. He has to lock it every time he leaves his room otherwise it’ll be turned over while taking a shit. He opens up a small drawer with his emergency bottle of Fanta that’s filled with just vodka. It’s never been for him, just for her when she’s in one of those moods and needs an alcoholic pacifier to keep her quiet. It’s easier to roll with the punches and keep it pouring, cheaper than replacing plates or losing his line to an unexpected call to the cops. The odd twenty pound cost a lot less than losing twenty deals in a cell.

Justin flicks the kettle on and watches out the window to the manor. The roads are busy with school kids and workers commuting. He doesn’t see Lucy, her bus would’ve left five minutes ago.

Justin knows how it works when someone owes you money. You’ll find them. Always make sure you know where they sleep at night his cousin would say. Now, as he looks out his kitchen window seven stories up, he’s finally thankful for being in this shithole. He can observe most the manor from the windows inside, the blind spot up here can be covered from the stairs on the other side of the block. He’s taking the stairs more often now if he isn’t sure about who’s outside so he can’t be caught slipping in the lift. Nowhere to dip, nowhere to hide. He knows people on a few of the levels and has a key to a client’s flat on the second floor. He hasn’t had to use it yet, but for a few grams of coke it was a decent investment if shit hits the fan.

He needs this job, and he needs it quickly. This isn’t a way to live he thinks. It won’t be enough, just enough to pay for a few weeks without having to lick the windows before he leaves. The kettle boils.

‘Here you go Mom, I’ll be back later.’ Said Justin handing over the cup and her half-closed eye. She shoes him out the room. The TV is on, the one he picked up for a gram of coke last year. She has ‘This Morning’ on with the subtitles because after a heavy night her ears are sensitive to the change in volume during the constant ad breaks.

Justin checks the windows one last time before leaving. He knows he can’t rely on his eyes so high up though. They could be out there, they know where he lives, at the very least, they know the block he’s in and unsure on the flat. It wouldn’t be hard to find out though, everyone already knows who he is and what car he drives. A few notes go a long way around here and none of them would be loyal. He parks in the other blocks carpark to confuse them. There weren’t any cars he hadn’t seen before, certainly no one sitting in them watching his.

‘Hey Smithy, I’m on my way.’

‘I’m ready and starving, going maccies first?’

‘Ye ye my guy, we’ll go on the way, won’t be long.’ Said Justin leaving his flat and checking the knife is in his pocket. He opens it up ready and grips the handle. These guys carry shooters. He wishes he had one at hand. Better nothing he thinks.

Justin rushes down the stairs until he reaches the exit. He then walks slowly to his car, checking every arc and every car. He doesn’t see anyone, although never really satisfied continues on. He’s safer in his motor. The police can’t catch him when he doesn’t give a fuck about a few years most of the time, he knows he’d level up not knowing how hard he’d get it from heavies who couldn’t care less about hitting a red zone.

He starts his engine and pulls away, taking corners at speed, fifty to sixty in the thirties and within a few minutes he slows down. He looks behind and feels he may be able to move forward without a sentence or more scars.

Lights turn red. Justin was tempted to run it until he seen the flashing blue lights of an ambulance from the left side. The siren wailed as they crossed the junction. As it passed all he could think, would that be the last sound he’d hear if they catch him? He looks around, seeing no one of concern. Then again, he wouldn’t see them coming. They’ve been chasing down debts on these streets longer than he’s been alive, let alone dealing. He knows he’d be lucky to hear sirens and see flashing blue lights, more likely the festering smell of cow shit and the sound of shovels while he waits bound in the dirt. He’d see the worms that would feast on his rotting flesh. The only tears at his graveside would be his own. He would never be found. If he’s lucky they’d just shoot him as he sat in his car.

He pulls off fast and takes the corner as the lights turn green, within the next few corners he’d be out the tight streets and safe from being blocked in. he hates living like this. It was only a few months ago he was on top of the world, a plan in motion and credit he could pay.

‘Fuck, fuck.’ Said Justin as a white transit pulls out in front of him. It was parked on a double yellow outside a drive leading to a blind corner. They didn’t indicate, pulling out aggressively without a care for a smash. That’s not unusual around here though. Some of the highest insurance costs in the country, let alone the city for a reason. He looks to the number plate and it’s obvious there’s more than one. He can see one is double sided taped to the original. It takes seconds to rip it off. Most going about their day wouldn’t even recognise the signs. The police barely look for it themselves. It’s second nature to Justin, his own is done the same most days and today is no different. He isn’t paying the speeding fines or getting the knock on the door when he runs the police. He changes often, switching it about whenever feels a watcher, be those police, or a rival. At the moment, he’s changing more often than his socks. There’s so many blacked out Audis that it’s like being invisible. Slight tint all round is enough to make everyone question if it’s him. He pulls his hat close to his face. They’d need a positive ID if they’re going to attack, he hopes in vain.

Justin watches the vans mirror and the driver who covers his face when he spots Justin eyeballing him. He doesn’t recognise him. He knows he shouldn’t expect to. Justin looks behind, an old lady with a freshly lit cig is chatting unawares. There’s no one behind her, which is surprising for how slow the van is going. He was going slow enough for the next lights to turn red. Justin thinks a lot of things. Was he on the phone, did he want to stop, is he watching him? He wasn’t sure.

He could feel an energy, an energy he felt in prison. He thinks maybe it’s because he’s trapped. He knows it’s more than that. It’s his gut screaming to him while keeping his mind calm and alert. He feels the same when there’s a police car close by, even undercovers. They’d may as well have signwriting when his gut warns him. He can’t explain the feeling to anybody else, struggles to comprehend it, yet, trusts it more than any human he knows. Smithy thinks it’s paranoia. His cousin always thought he was a lunatic until undercovers were spotted hovering behind when they had half a kilo under the seat. Dipped them without them realising they were had and dropped his cousin and the long sentence off while he put his foot down. He didn’t lose them, couldn’t help a smile though while waiting for his interview with only a few grams of weed in his glovebox. It was good weed a small fine.

He looks behind and there’s nothing but the old lady in a Ford KA smoking a cigarette while talking loudly on speakerphone. She could’ve been in his backseat. Even though his ears heard every word his mind didn’t process what she was saying. The energy changed, gut was focusing through the noise and blacked her out like white noise. She was wafting like the smoke out of her tarred lungs. His stomach turns as if he’s had too many coffees and needs a shit. His heart beats faster. Throat pumping and the veins on his temple dilating. Scared and it wasn’t of shitting himself in traffic. He didn’t know why he felt like this, but he knew he had to pay attention. Then he seen it.

Another transit hurtles down the street, one second it’s a hundred metres behind the KA, the next only ten. The lights ahead are green and other transit in front doesn’t move. Justin notices the tyres have been moved to the right, they’re ready to swing out and block the road. His Audi’s fast but he knows he wouldn’t make it. He should’ve just gone round when he had the chance, he should’ve listened to his gut. He fingers the door handle, looking around at the wall to the left and the fence to the right across the road. He could mount both, however they go nowhere safe. He’d be on his toes without much cover. He isn’t as fast as he used to be. The toes hit accelerators not tarmac these days and his little legs show it. He’s too heavy on top to go far enough to look back without worrying.

‘Fuck sake.’ Said Justin and the transit pulls behind, the other swings out in tandem in front of him. It happened fast, screeching tyres were seamlessly followed by sliding doors. He heard metal on metal, like there was banging inside the van. It was the crowbars and metal bats as they were exiting. He couldn’t count how many, they moved too fast in black with ballies on. They were all armed. They weren’t here to talk. None of them said a word. All eyes on him.

The transit should not have pulled to the right. It was enough, the low curb of the driveway was too inviting. Scuffed alloys or a broken skull isn’t much of a choice. The lights turn red as quickly as they did green but that’s not even thought about. He sees the gap, the only opportunity before he hasn’t a choice, with a fate in the hands of men he can’t pay. Justin pulls away, mounting the curb, missing the back of the transit by a skidmark in his boxers.

He didn’t look back. He floored it in the direction of Smithy’s, he needs the job, he won’t be so lucky next time, and he knows it.

He receives a text a few minutes from Smithy’s house. ‘Hope we got your attention. You might have a week, you might not. Depends on if we have the time to get you. You’re not the only one who owes. We’ll be using someone to send a message to the rest of the bums. Don’t call this number. One week or less, see you very soon. You turn up with payment and you won’t be harmed. You have our word, unlike yours, it means something. It just business. You know the place.’

*

‘Smithy, get outside and be ready to move man.’

‘What’s up?’

‘I’ll tell you in a minute, in a rush man, get outside.’

‘Sound, how long?’

‘Two minutes, two minutes, get outside.’

‘Fuck sake, I’ll be outside.’ Said Smithy and the went dead. He sounded out of breath thinks Smithy and that’s rare, he hasn’t seen him do cardio since they were still in school together.

‘Get in, fucking move you slacker.’ Said Justin and before the door shuts, Smithy’s struggling to put on his seatbelt through a hard corner.

‘Woah, fucks up with you?’ You’re sweating.’ Said Smithy and Justin wipes his brow and then his jacket, leaving a very moist palm on his grey jacket.

‘No questions man, give me five minutes and we’ll be sound.’

‘Fuck is going on?’ Said Smithy looking back and expecting a blue light in the distance or a chopper in the air. Nothing, other than angry drivers and the head shaking of an old man walking his startled dog.

‘Five minutes.’ Said Justin facing forward, then to the mirrors like a robot and back to the road. He looks angry, somewhat wired and not on the coke too heavy type of wired. Smithy would’ve felt that before he got in and have more to say through grinding teeth for sure.

Smithy sits there and holds the door, feeling his stomach rise as the slight dips in the road are hit with speed. If he’d already eaten it might be more of a problem. Justin would normally slow down through these bumps, he moaned for months about the cost of CV joints the last time he hit a pothole.

He wants out. It’s too early for this shit and he didn’t sign up for this straight off the curb.

‘Bro, this is bullshit.’

‘It’s all good, chill out, chill out man, it’s all good.’ Said Justin putting his hand on Smithy’s thigh and laughing as its batted away.

‘Me? You’re driving like there’s a station of police behind us, fuck sake.’

‘Easy, easy, we’re here now man, just got to take precautions.’ Said Justin pulling to the back end of an industrial estate. Smithy didn’t even know this existed. He thought he knew this manor, well, not as well as he thought he did. The road is littered with canisters, cans of cider, McDonalds bags and condom wrappers. The road passes a few empty looking industrial units towards a dead end, there, a collection garages behind a locked metal gate. There are a dozen well maintained garages, at least in comparison to the weeds on the pavement and the potholes making work on his lower back.

‘Need to change the car, it’s an emergency.’ Said Justin with a wide smile. Smithy looks around and up to the sky, expecting the chopper or the police to block them in any moment.

‘Yes, fucking emergency is my empty stomach. This a joke man?’

‘Nah man, the police, just bombed them before getting to you.’ Said Justin, turning and smiling. He didn’t look in Smithy’s eye this time, he didn’t want to be caught out in the lie.

‘Should’ve left me at home you daft twat.’

‘Nah, got to get shit done.’ Said Justin jumping out the car, opening the boot, soon emerges with a set of keys and opens the gate quickly. He swings them both open until they rattle of the sides and jumps back in.

‘Cousin’s garage to hide and switch the motor. Go to the gate and close it over and watch the road for a minute.’

‘For what?’

‘You thick man? Anything out the ordinary for fuck sake, you’re like a toddler today, wise up man.’

‘Some joker you are, driving like prat.’

‘Have a look, shut the gate and head back, make your slacker ass useful.’ Said Justin fiddling with the keys, crouching down he opens the padlock to the garage. Smithy looks back as the shutters are pulled up and there’s a motor covered in black fabric. Nothing else is in there other than the cobwebs from the roof.

Justin looks around, watching smithy pull the gate close. It’s been a while since he’s been here, he wasn’t sure they’d still be a motor stashed. Aways keep a clean motor on the sly for emergencies his cousin would say. He said a lot of things, and this was one he never listened to. He’s piggybacking on someone else preparation. He’s lucky his cousin doesn’t need the money. He pulls back the cover and an eighteen plate Seat Leon sits there ready to go. Nothing special, he’d prefer his Audi, but this will do. It’s a shame his cousin couldn’t keep his hands to himself he thinks, life wouldn’t be fucked up with his preparation.

‘You’re not fucking about, are you?’ Said Smithy as Justin pulls the Seat Leon out, jumps back in the Audi and reverses straight into the garage without a pause. In the time it took Smithy to walk to the gate, close it over and walk to the garage, Justin was already getting out the Audi.

‘Why you close the gate? We’re leaving now.’

‘What? You just said close it over.’

‘Why would I say that? Do you see another exit you idiot.’

‘You just said.’

‘I don’t think I did, go back and open up and close it behind me when I pull out.’

‘Telling me to wise up, fuck sake man.’ Said Smithy walking back to the gate. He looks behind and the Audi is being covered with black fabric.

‘Wakey fucking wakey, get your hand off snakey and get in, we’re not staying you know.’ Said Justin pulling to hard stop outside the gate, shouting from the motor.

‘You better not fuck me about anymore, I’m hungry and pissed off.’

‘Come on man, straight to Maccies.’

‘Alright, if we’re not stopping at Maccies right now you can drop me home, I’ve got sausages in the freezer.’ Said Smithy putting on his seatbelt.

‘No drama, my treat.’

‘Why do we need to scout the place when I’ve got google streetview here?’ Said Smithy showing Justin his phone.

‘Doorbell cameras?’

‘Is that going to stop you?’

‘No, stolen car and bally on anyway.’

‘Fuck it, we’ll sit in and just google the road.’

‘Fuck it. If there’s something that looks interesting then we’ll go, if not, we’re going very soon.’

‘Should’ve stayed in bed and had a joint.’

‘We both should’ve.’