Chapter Twenty Eight – Will

“What the fuck is happening?” I ask Michelle as she staggers over to me. “Why have they let you out?”

I go to take Jordan from her, to hold him to my chest again so I can feel him. I’m so fucking glad that he’s okay, but the fact that he’s been sent out worries me. If it isn’t about him, then why are we here? But before I can grab my son, Michelle holds him tighter to her. “I’m not allowed to hand him over to you, I’m sorry.”

“What?” I demand angrily. “What do you mean? Why not? He’s my child, why can’t I hold him?”

“They said I’m not allowed to hand him to you. I need to take him to Cici so she can put him in the car.”

“Cici?” I automatically turn around, and surprise, surprise, there’s her car, sitting not far behind me. “Oh my God, what the hell is she doing here? I told her to stay at the police station. Now she’s in danger too.”

“You didn’t honestly think that she’d wait patiently while you come and save her child?” Michelle cocks her head and gives me a curious look. Even with all the trauma that she’s been through, she’s more switched on than me. “Well, she wouldn’t, would she? And you should be glad because now Jordan will be safe.”

I lightly grab onto her arm as she walks away. “Did you see his face? Do you know who it is?”

“I didn’t see any of them,” she whispers back. “They kept balaclavas over their faces the whole time.”

Well, if my experience in the law has taught me anything, it’s that they haven’t got any intention of killing Michelle, which is good. If they’d shown her their faces then she’d really have to worry because they’d have to keep her quiet. Now, she can say what she wants to the police, but she won’t know anything for sure. I highly doubt I’m about to get the same treatment. If Jordan is safe then I’m sure I’m not.

“And did you see anything in there? Are they doing any of the drug stuff inside that building?”

“Honestly? I think that’s just where they keep all their weapons. They have bombs, Will, it’s scary.”

Oh God, there’s no way of telling which way this will go now. This isn’t a major city, we aren’t used to lots of high crime, which is why this has been so difficult. There’s no need for all this drama. It’s theatrics for the sake of it. Kingpin is playing out a performance and this will be his grand finale. Or more likely, mine.

“Right, well you get Jordan to the car and make Cici get out of here. I don’t want her distracting me.”

Michelle gives me a guilty look. “So, you already know that he’s told me you must stay.”

“I don’t need you to tell me.” I cock my gun by my side. “I already know how this asshole works.”

As Michelle walks away from me, holding my son like the precious little being that he is, I can see the pain in her eyes. She assumes this is the last time that she’ll ever see me alive and she’s sad that I didn’t get to say goodbye to my son properly. But I’m not as worried. I don’t think I’ll be the one who comes out dead from this situation. I have enough rage to get me through anything. I’m not going to be the dead one here. I don’t say anything for a while, even if I have plenty of things to yell, because out the corner of my eye I’m waiting for the car to go first. I need to be certain that my family is safe before the next step. It takes a while, I’m sure that Cici is arguing with Michelle about going and leaving me here, but thankfully in the end common sense wins out and the car engine rumbles away. The tight knot of stress loosens in my chest once I’m alone.

“Is this the spot in which you killed Andre?” I yell out loudly. “Did you shoot him without revealing yourself to him like the fucking coward that you are?” I extend my arms wide and spin around. “Well, I’m here now, so if you’re going to kill me just do it. If you’re not too afraid to face me after dragging me all the way here.”

A gun shot rings out and the bullet lands near my feet, making me jump in the air. It was a warning shot, once it’s done I can see that. But that didn’t stop me from diving like a fool. A robotic laugh, like the one that I heard on the phone, rings out, echoing through the place like a freaky ghost. “Ah, Will Yoker. Always funny.”

“You don’t know me,” I reply sneeringly. “You don’t know that I’m funny.”

“Ah, but I do. I know you much better than you think I do. You honestly have no idea…”

“Oh, right, I see. Because you have someone following me around with a camera, you think you know me.”

“I know that your mother’s name is Ellen,” the robot tells me. “And that you don’t like onions.”

“I’m sure that’s easy enough to find out.” I roll my eyes dramatically. “A social media check would tell you that. You don’t know me, and you can’t. I don’t let anyone get to know me. You couldn’t possibly know anything about me. So, go on, run off your facts at me. I honestly don’t give a shit. This is pointless.”

There’s a thick silence for a while, it seems to cling to the air. It’s almost as if the whole world has taken a breath in and it’s waiting to release it. my limbs stiffen up and I stand awkwardly while I wait for something to happen. I remain in this paused moment, knowing that I can do it forever if I need to. And then, it does.

“I know you, and you know me,” the robot voice continues. “I’ve been doing this right under your nose for years. I’ve tried to warn you to keep out of my way, I’ve done things that I’m really not proud of…”

“Like kidnapping my baby boy?” I spit back. “That was pretty fucking low of you, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, that wasn’t great, I’ll admit that, but I want you to see that I’m serious about this, but also that we can co exist. I’ve brought you out here today to have a frank and honest discussion with you about the future.”

I shake my head and snort. “You have some front, don’t you? The future, honestly!”

“Will, it doesn’t need to be this way. It doesn’t have to be a battle. Why do you keep on fighting when you’re only going to lose anyway? I haven’t let you overtake me at any point, even when you’ve started to get close with your latest research, I’ve always been one step ahead of you, haven’t I? You can’t beat me.”

“Yes, Charles Manz,” I snap, wanting him to know that I’m really not clueless. “I’m sure you’re winning.”

“Ah yes, my alias. My name that’s brought me into many useful companies for my operation. I’m sure you understand better than anyone how costly and challenging it is to have two identities. I’m very proud of that side of my operation, it wasn’t the easiest. But to run on the scale that I do, you have to have fingers in many pies.”

“Is there a point to all of this?” I make a show of rolling my eyes. “Because I’m getting bored.”

“I want you to understand, Will, that my operation is professional. I’ve thought about it from every angle and every single thing that I do is clean. There’s no fucking about. My operations are secretive, my product is pure, it isn’t like the shit you get on the streets, and it’s profitable as well. It’s tight and well run.”

“You’re talking about it like you’re doing the world some good. You sell drugs for crying out loud!”

“People will get their drugs from wherever. Why not have a reputable source?”

I laugh mirthlessly and shake my head. “That’s such business talk that means nothing. Where are your morals? What about all the poor loves that you’re tearing apart? If you could see what I do when it comes to drugs, then you’d know. This isn’t a joke, it’s not something you want to mess about with. It’s horrible.”

Mr. Robotic Voice isn’t derailed by my wise thoughts. “People will get drugs,” he repeats. “It’s better if it comes from us because it won’t be mixed with shit. With us, you know what you’re getting.”

I bite down on my bottom lip, trying to work out where all of this is leading. “Okay, fine.” I give a blasé shrug. “Let’s say that your product is the safest and the best, I’ll go with that. Are we forgetting that it’s illegal? That it kills people and ruins families all over the country? You’re acting like I shouldn’t arrest you for it.”

“You aren’t here to arrest me. You’ve come alone.”

His smugness winds me up. “I’m here alone because you had my son. What did you expect?”

“I wanted you to come alone so we can talk. Like old friends.”

“Old friends?” My temper bubbles and boils again. “We are not friends. Not now, not ever.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. And as your friend, I intend to give you a choice. You can back off now, turn away, leave this place, and let the investigation grow cold. Forget about me, let my operation continue in private, knowing that at least people will be getting cleaner drugs, move onto something else…”

“Right and get fired. Lose my job, my home, my whole life. What’s the other choice?”

“Oh, you’ll be paid very handsomely if you go for the first choice, there’s no mistaking that.”

“So, I’ll be a corrupt cop. If you know me, you’ll know that won’t happen, so what’s choice two?”

“The second option is that I show you who I am. I know it must be killing you, not knowing after all this time. So, I will step out of this building and reveal myself to you. Of course, the moment you see my face you’ll have to be killed. Nothing personal, it’s just the only way. I’ve kept out of prison for this long and I want to keep it that way. Then, to stop their pain, I’ll be forced to kill your family as well. I don’t really want that, murder isn’t exactly the highest thing on my agenda. But, self-preservation, and all that. I’ll have to do it.”

“So, I either walk away and ignore the destruction that you cause on a damn daily basis, or I die and so does everyone else? Some choice old friend.”

“I’m giving you an out, because you’re an old friend.”

I suck in a deep breath. “I don’t want it. I don’t need an out. I’m not going to change my mind so you might as well come out here now. I came here knowing that one of us would die, so it’s time to find out which one.”

“It won’t be me. I’m always ten steps ahead of you. I think you should reconsider. I don’t want you to die, Will.”

I clutch my gun as ragged breaths fall past my lips. “I’m not going to die. Now come out here already.”

“You’ve made your choice.” He doesn’t sound too impressed. Did he actually think that I’d go along with his crazy plan? I would never turn a blind eye to what he’s doing. “I’m coming.”

I brace myself, stiffening my spine and rolling back my shoulders. The time has come. Everything that’s been building is all about to explode. I’m sure it won’t be pretty when it does.