kid when you got run out of town, and you’re still a bullshitter now. Porter is dead right about you. This is all a fucking fantasy. We’ll crush you, Young, and you too, Farmer. What a total twat you were, getting taken in by this old cobblers.’
Young smiled, got up, and held out his hand. But Roberts was already on the move, making for the front door. ‘Thanks for your time, Mr. Roberts’, said Young, to his back. Roberts was about to barge into the front door when it opened, as if by magic, and Roberts half fell onto the rain-swept pavement beyond. Young turned back to Massie.
‘And how about you? Are you ready to step up?’
‘I believe you, aye, I do. So yes, I’m in, like. Roberts has made a mistake, hasn’t he?’
‘He has, it’s true. But look at it this way, Mr. Massie, it’s the last bad decision that he’ll ever make. Now, we need to discuss the arrangements from here. A car will take you back to your house, and will collect your wife and daughter. You’re going for a nice long weekend away, and I promise that’s not a euphemism. You’re one of the family now, as they say. And we need to protect you against any attempted acts of vengeance.’
‘And my money?’
‘Waiting in the car. You’ll be taking up your new post next week. Welcome to our world, Mr. Massie.’
Two minutes later Massie was gone, almost bowing as he backed through the double doors to the kitchen.
‘How about my family?’ said Farmer, as soon as Massie had left.
‘They’re safe, don’t worry. They’re going away for a short holiday too, tomorrow, just until this is all resolved. But I’ve got couple of little jobs for you to do first, mind.’
‘No problem, and thanks, Dai.’
‘It’s the way we operate. But you’re my deputy now, Alan, and with the rewards come real responsibility. You do understand that, don’t you?’
‘Aye. What do you need me to do?’
‘Roberts. I want you to do it yourself.’
‘You mean…’
‘Of course. We have him already, naturally. You’ll be driven to where he is, and all I need you to do is finish it. He’ll beg you to, I expect. The lads who have him, well, they do enjoy their work. A bit too much, if you follow me.’
‘Shit, Dai, I’ve never…’
‘I know, but it’s another rule we have. All senior management have to undertake this kind of assignment in front of subordinates. It helps to reinforce the management structure, we find.’
‘And have you? Done the same thing, I mean.’
‘Oh, aye. More than once. But we’re not the same, are we, Alan? Because I enjoyed it, see. The biggest rush of my life, the first one was. It was the absolute making of me, I’ll tell you that for nowt. Like seeing God, or some shit like that. You’ll never be the same again after, I promise you that.’
‘And what happens, you know, after? He’ll just vanish, will he?’
‘Christ, no. He’ll be found in the morning. Has to be. It’s a key element in our whole strategy, is that.’
‘So you knew he’d turn you down?’
‘Of course I did. He’s loyal is Roberts, stupid too of course, and they’re not what you’d call ideal qualities in this game. People need to be smart, and they need to do what’s best for them. Call it selfishness, if you like. Fear and greed, that’s how you run an operation like ours. So it’s much like any other corporation, isn’t it?’
Young smiled, but Farmer didn’t. He was thinking ahead, about what he was expected to do. The front door opened, and a figure walked in, but stayed near the door.
‘Time to go,’ said Young. ‘And just do as you’re told, and you’ll be fine.’
‘How will I do it? Gun?’
‘No, a bit more up close and personal, for your first. A blade, I thought.’
‘Jesus. And if I can’t go through with it, like?’
‘That won’t happen, I promise. Because one way or another that knife will be getting warm and wet tonight, and it’ll make no odds if there’s one blood group
Young smiled, got up, and held out his hand. But Roberts was already on the move, making for the front door. ‘Thanks for your time, Mr. Roberts’, said Young, to his back. Roberts was about to barge into the front door when it opened, as if by magic, and Roberts half fell onto the rain-swept pavement beyond. Young turned back to Massie.
‘And how about you? Are you ready to step up?’
‘I believe you, aye, I do. So yes, I’m in, like. Roberts has made a mistake, hasn’t he?’
‘He has, it’s true. But look at it this way, Mr. Massie, it’s the last bad decision that he’ll ever make. Now, we need to discuss the arrangements from here. A car will take you back to your house, and will collect your wife and daughter. You’re going for a nice long weekend away, and I promise that’s not a euphemism. You’re one of the family now, as they say. And we need to protect you against any attempted acts of vengeance.’
‘And my money?’
‘Waiting in the car. You’ll be taking up your new post next week. Welcome to our world, Mr. Massie.’
Two minutes later Massie was gone, almost bowing as he backed through the double doors to the kitchen.
‘How about my family?’ said Farmer, as soon as Massie had left.
‘They’re safe, don’t worry. They’re going away for a short holiday too, tomorrow, just until this is all resolved. But I’ve got couple of little jobs for you to do first, mind.’
‘No problem, and thanks, Dai.’
‘It’s the way we operate. But you’re my deputy now, Alan, and with the rewards come real responsibility. You do understand that, don’t you?’
‘Aye. What do you need me to do?’
‘Roberts. I want you to do it yourself.’
‘You mean…’
‘Of course. We have him already, naturally. You’ll be driven to where he is, and all I need you to do is finish it. He’ll beg you to, I expect. The lads who have him, well, they do enjoy their work. A bit too much, if you follow me.’
‘Shit, Dai, I’ve never…’
‘I know, but it’s another rule we have. All senior management have to undertake this kind of assignment in front of subordinates. It helps to reinforce the management structure, we find.’
‘And have you? Done the same thing, I mean.’
‘Oh, aye. More than once. But we’re not the same, are we, Alan? Because I enjoyed it, see. The biggest rush of my life, the first one was. It was the absolute making of me, I’ll tell you that for nowt. Like seeing God, or some shit like that. You’ll never be the same again after, I promise you that.’
‘And what happens, you know, after? He’ll just vanish, will he?’
‘Christ, no. He’ll be found in the morning. Has to be. It’s a key element in our whole strategy, is that.’
‘So you knew he’d turn you down?’
‘Of course I did. He’s loyal is Roberts, stupid too of course, and they’re not what you’d call ideal qualities in this game. People need to be smart, and they need to do what’s best for them. Call it selfishness, if you like. Fear and greed, that’s how you run an operation like ours. So it’s much like any other corporation, isn’t it?’
Young smiled, but Farmer didn’t. He was thinking ahead, about what he was expected to do. The front door opened, and a figure walked in, but stayed near the door.
‘Time to go,’ said Young. ‘And just do as you’re told, and you’ll be fine.’
‘How will I do it? Gun?’
‘No, a bit more up close and personal, for your first. A blade, I thought.’
‘Jesus. And if I can’t go through with it, like?’
‘That won’t happen, I promise. Because one way or another that knife will be getting warm and wet tonight, and it’ll make no odds if there’s one blood group
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