Jakes Dilemma ( Part 9)

Jake got home, ran up the stairs, straight into the bathroom and locked the door. He was violently sick in the sink. He then sat down on the toilet. He hadn’t felt this ill since he was a kid.

He showered, put on some old clothes and went downstairs. Mum and Dad were sat, as usual, in the kitchen.

“God you look rough Jake, you coming down with something?”

Mum stood up and put her palm to his forehead.

“Your very hot Jake, sit down let me get you some paracetamol”

Jake sat down exhausted.

“It’s Ok Mum, think it was something I ate at lunchtime in the café, I’ll be fine”

Jakes Mum ignored him, popped out two tablets and filled a glass with water.

“No arguments, take these and then have an early night, probably best not to have any tea, its curry!”

Jake did as he was told, downed the water, swallowed the tablets and took himself up to bed.

Sleep wasn’t easy to come by; he had far too much on his mind. He was only nineteen for fucks sake and here he was involved in something that was totally out of his control. In twenty four hours he would have to shoot and kill a man, then what, prison? or even worse maybe they would just kill him afterwards. The alternative was even worse, Dad a cripple, Mum disfigured somehow, he eventually got to sleep just after 3.am.

His bedroom door opened.

“How you feeling love, any better?”

It was his Mum.

“Look, Dad and I were thinking, maybe you’re working too hard, all these early starts recently and then getting home late, why don’t you call in and say you can’t work tonight, have a night off, take a rest?”

“No, no, I’m fine Mum honest, it’s good money tonight and they’re counting on me to be there, I’m fine really!”

“Well if you’re sure then Ok. Me and Dad are off to Tesco to do the shopping, see you in a bit”

She left the room and shut the door behind her.

Jake looked at the alarm clock, bloody hell it was half past ten!

He went downstairs, put the kettle on and poured himself a bowl of cereal. He took it into the front room sat down and put the television on. There was something on but he wasn’t really watching, his mind was elsewhere thinking about the night ahead. His mobile rang.

“Morning Jake, everything OK?”

He recognised the voice as Squashed Nose.

“Yeh everything’s OK”

“Good Boy, by the way, your Mum and Dad just bought some yogurts in Tesco’s, see you tonight, don’t be late!”

The phone went dead. Just as they promised they would do, they were keeping a close eye on Mum and Dad and probably him as well!

The day passed by slowly, Jake didn’t leave the house until it was time for work. He kissed his Mum on the cheek and gave her a hug. Then he walked over to his Dad. For the first time, ever, he hugged his Dad and gave him a kiss on the cheek as well.

“Blimey Jake, you’re only going to work mate not going away forever!”

His Dad smiled and so did his Mum.

As he left them and walked out the door he could feel the tears forming in his eyes.

Thirty minutes later he was opening the steel door of the Railway arch. They were all there, the Three Amigo’s!

“Hello Jake, you’re a few minutes early, well done, we’ve got quite a bit to go through so best you sit down and listen!”

Squashed Nose pushed the swivel chair towards him, Jake sat down.

“Right then Jake, let’s get started, it’s a big night tonight, one that can go two ways, one, it all goes well and we get the right result, two, it goes badly and everyone comes away losing. What one would you like it to be Jake?”

“The first one!”

“Good boy, I was hoping you’d say that, cos that makes our job a lot easier, knowing that you want the same outcome as us!”

The three of them laughed, even Quiet Man!

Squashed nose continued.

“It’s all about timings Jake, the removal business runs to a very strict timetable. Now we know that the metal arrives at around nine o’clock, it has to be smelted first before you can do your bit with your machine so you should start your bit about ten thirty, same time as the Russian arrives. Your big Guvnor will meet him, shake his hand, welcome him to the company, usual bollocks really, then show him around the warehouse. The Russian will want to see every stage of the process, your machine is at the very start, so we estimate that he will be with you, or very close to you, at around eleven o’clock, got that Jake, eleven o’clock!”

Jake nodded, but once again remembered the rules.

“Got it, eleven o’clock”

“Good, at exactly eleven o’clock, not one minute before or one minute after, you stop what you’re doing and shoot the Russian, aim for the centre of his body Jake and then just keep firing”

Jake was surprised at just how “matter of fact” Squashed Nose was, as though he was talking about a trip to the seaside and arranging the train times!

“That’s it?”

“Of course that not IT, but that’s all YOU need to fucking worry about!”