mess up quickly.’
Smiling at Trigg, Major Roux told him the golden words, ‘You’re in, Trigg, for now, though we will keep it small with you, a few pick ups here and there to get you acquainted with our people on the street. If all goes well with your problem then I think we can point some major operations your way. If you prove competent and loyal to X Company, you’ll find that the rewards are exceedingly high.’
Disappointed but understanding the Major’s perspective, Trigg nodded in agreement. ‘You have my word, Major Roux. I will erase the problem, quietly and with no comebacks.’
‘ Outstanding,’ concluded Major Roux, ‘now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get my brag rags on (full military uniform with medals). The last time I was nuts-to-nose in ribbon was the day of my court martial.’
‘ I heard, Major, a goddam disgrace. However, you know what they say, your rank is your rank, in or out of the shit. We earned it, and no cock-faced judge with fake stripes can take it from us.’ Trigg stood to attention as the Major walked to the door and opened it for him. ‘It’s been an honour meeting you, Major. I hope to speak with you soon.’
‘ Likewise,’ replied the major. ‘Now haven’t you got a wife to go home to or something? It would do you good.’
‘ Not me. I’m a million dollar man who needs a billion dollar bitch. Ain’t many of them about, so I just fuck the rest.’
‘ Fucking is a young man’s game’ commented the Major, ‘but good luck to you, if that is what you want.’
Walking to his car with a sweat on, Trigg could hardly breathe, so he eased his tie loose. He lit a cigarette and puffed on it, taking quick drags. He grabbed his phone from his inside jacket pocket and dialed Mario.
‘ Fucking knew it, Mario, cunt ain’t even back yet and things are fucking up for me. The mere fucking whiff of him has people backing off - him and that fuckhead lawyer.’
‘ Relax, Trigg, we can sort this. What about the Major? Can they help? You in or what? Talk.’
‘ Yeah, I’m in, but they said they can’t do too much shit with me till this mess is sorted. I send them two kilos of uncut shit to be repaid like this. It’s fucking bullshit, Mario.’
‘ It’s necessary bullshit though, Trigg. You want the ride, you gotta pay the toll, in this case the toll is getting rid of the problem.’
Walking in circles near his car, Trigg was getting more and more wound up. ‘I KNOW! Fuck me; the thing is how do we get rid of the problem? We can’t buy Tommy, and we sure as fuck can’t buy that fuck lawyer. So where does that leave me, Mario. What other choices do I have?’
‘ You haven’t any, Trigg. Tommy has to go. No two ways about it. Should have killed him back in Basra, but how were we to know he’d get out of that shit alive. Should have been dead ages ago, but he keeps coming back. You know as well as I do he’s a dangerous motherfucker who raises friends quickly. The Major knows that too.’
‘ I know. He has to go.
‘ And the lawyer?’
‘ Don’t worry about him. I know exactly what to do with him.’
Chapter Nine
During the interrogations we were always blindfolded and, daft as it may seem, it did make a difference. The whole concept of not knowing when or where the pain is coming from is terrifying. No amount of training I had received prepared me for it. Sure, we had the standard training should we be caught and then tortured, but nothing prepared me for this.
Tommy sat there with his blindfold still tight around his eyes. His breathing was erratic. He was scared. The men who had collected him loved seeing their subjects quiver in fear. The room was silent. This in itself was a form of torture, the wait, the long wait of fear, the fear of knowing that something so so awful was going to happen. The fear of knowing that some indescribable pain was going to strike on some part of my body.
‘ Please God, not the nuts’ I prayed silently as I waited
Learning to Kill: Stories