The Hitman - Chapter 4

The Hitman

Chapter 4

Slipping In Unnoticed

Two weeks had passed since the last job and nothing had surfaced that indicated a problem with Scotland Yard or the media . Two bombs went off in Belfast which indicated an approval of the hit  .

Harry had a new flat in Central London and a new appearance that sported a spiked hair do with a silver ring pierced through his nose . He had three new tattoos on his right arm , rings on his fingers and heavy silver chains hanging from a black studded belt around his waist . Leather gear around his body and big black boots on his feet with steel on the heels that clicked with every step he took . 

It was a busy street below that greeted Harry as he opened the curtains from his second floor apartment .  From his brief case he took out a black book and opened it at a page with a heading “Things to Do”  .

There were three names on the page . He ran a line through Hilda’s name and underlined “ The String ” He took out another book from his brief case with information about The String and started to read it through .. After he finished reading the information he had a break for lunch . Making his way to the sidewalk he walked through the streets and was given a wide berth by those on the footpath . He was left alone to get on with his business and appreciated the acceptance of his new identity .

Harry was in a killer state of mind somewhere between insanity and genius . He had already thoughts pinging through his head like sparks from a wild fire .He walked into a pub and ordered a steak and chips with a black stout and went to make  a phone call in a quiet corner . The number rand three times and Harry hung up and rang again . The voice on the other end said ,

“O’Neil here “  Harry coughed three times and then said

“Yeah , its Harry here “ . The other voice said ,

“We thought you’d surface sooner or later, so what’s happening Harry ?“

 

Harry lit up a cigarette and replied. 

“I’m back in the game, first hit complete, second game in operation .”

The response came ,

“Excellent well done Harry  “

Harry caught the bartender calling his lunch was ready . He blew some smoke down his nostrils and said ,  

“I need more information about the string. His habits or health issues . I haven’t got all day . I’ll ring you back in an hour ok ..“

Harry hung up the phone and made his way to the bar . On the way  he thought he would check if his reflexes were ok so he took a coin from his pocket and dropped it from his hand . As it fell to the floor he caught it between his knees and then let it go catching it on his boot . Then he flicked it up into the air and caught it with his right hand . The bartender applauded  and Harry threw him the coin and sat down at the bar and ate his lunch . He looked at the bartender and asked

“Is there a catholic Church around here anywhere ?”

“The only one I know is Westminster Cathedral , its about fifteen minutes walk from here.”

The bartender seemed puzzled and said . .

“You don’t seem like the church going type to me.

“ I’m trying to organize a funeral for someone .”

“ Oh that explains it . Is there anything else you need ?”

“Give me another black stout “

Harry pushed a few notes at the barman and said

“The steak was nice , keep the change .“

After he finished his drink , Harry left the bar and took a taxi to Westminster Cathedral . He took a seat inside and made a phone call .

The number rang three times and Harry hung up then rang again .

A voice on the other end said ,

“ O’Neil here .”

“Harrys in the game , Did you get those details I need ?”

“It seems your target has a heart condition and likes going to church . He had no bad  habits and enjoys watching football .

”Great , so can you get me another contact over here  ?”

“Sure thing Harry , another contact . Male or female ?”

“I need a middle aged female who knows what she’s doing. I don’t want any part time operator , give me someone good . I need an A team professional player so don’t get me a B grade time waster . I expect to hear from you by the end of the week .”
 Harry hung up the phone and returned back out to the street where he was met by two young men on the pavement . The smaller one approached Harry and said ,

“You remind me of Elvis Presley “

Harry stepped aside and the taller one asked Harry for some money .   Harry swept him aside and delivered three swift snapping jabs and as he fell to the ground he executed a severe front kick that finished him off . The smaller of the two ran off like a rocket  down the street as Harry lit up a cigarette . Two London policemen had noticed what happened and grabbed the young lad and approached Harry  

“Is there any problem sir?”

“I was coming out from church and these two young louts tried to mug me. I was just defending myself officer .“

“Would you like to press charges sir? “

Harry smiled and replied

“No , that won’t be necessary. Have a good day “

Harry walked away and left the scene for the police to sort out . A crowd had gathered around the young man who lay unconscious on the ground . After a few minutes the siren of an ambulance cut through the usual traffic noise and made its way in and out to Westminster Cathedral .

Three sunsets and sunrises passed and Harry got details of how to recognise and meet his new contact in London .He sat looking out the dirty window of his apartment and watched the world below make its  way like a passing parade from some movie that was destined to miss the mainstream market . On the window ledge there were dead flies lined up in a row . All victims of the swatter that was hanging from a hook on the wall nearby.

Cigarettes butts over split the ashtray on the table and Harry decided it was time to make a move . He rang his new contact and asked about some of the drug dealers out there and he specifically asked to score LSD . An arrangement was made to meet and Harry took to the street without shaving his face or brushing his teeth .

 He stepped out from his flat and made his way to the underground and got caught up in the frantic pace of life that swept everybody along in the stampede towards the Angel Islington . He emerged back on the street to board a double decker bus and remained there until his new contact got on board . As she had said she was wearing a green gaberdine skirt with a red sweater and in her hand was a bright yellow handbag . She sat down next to Harry dressed in black leather and displaying his full head of orange coloured spiked hair .

He looked at her and she smiled . Her lips stretched like they were made of elastic and Harry asked her ,

“You’re not afraid to talk to strangers then ?”

She replied ,

“You don.t look that strange to me. “

They got of the bus as twilight fell and Harry stopped and made a cash withdrawal form am automatic cash teller .

He looked at her and said ,

“How did you go with that LSD ?”

She said ,

“ I already have  .“

“Good “ Harry asked her how much it cost and she replied  .“

 “One hundred .“

 He handed her the cash and told her to keep the blotting paper with the LSD .

They walked along  the street and he spoke to her about the job  .

“I need you to meet this guy on Saturday at a football match . He passed her a photo of The String . He goes there every week to watch his team . I will bring you to the game . I have already allocated you a seat next to him .  Get acquainted with him . Try to set up a dinner date and let me know how it goes .

“Ok Is that all ?“

She asked .

“Yeah , for now .“

Harry replied .

“So what now ?”

She asked .

“I’ll be in touch , wait for my call on Friday at 11. “

With that they went their separate ways .

As the dark night shade fell upon the streets Harry fell upon his single bed and heard nothing until the chirping of birds on his outside window ledge awoke him . It was early and the dawn chorus of life had just begun . Harry opened up the curtains and watched the traffic on the street come and go . A cement mixer was grinding inside Harrys head and his thoughts were agitating like a well sung song over and over again  .He played out some of his anger when his phone rang .

“The voice on the line said,

“ Is that Mr Wall ?

“You’ve got the wrong number. “

Harry said and the caller replied 

“So there’s no Mr Wall there ?“

Harry replied ,

“I’ll try again ,  I said you’ve got the wrong number .?

The caller laughed and said ,

“So if there’s no wall there, what’s holding the roof from falling in on you Harry”

 Harry was just about to throw his phone at the wall but he suddenly couldn’t contain himself and started laughing . He went into the kitchen and opened the cupboard  door and pulled out a small handgun and put it to his head . He squeezed the  trigger to the sound of an empty click and her said  .

“Just my bloody luck . The first time I’ve had the guts to go through with it and there wasn’t a frigging bullet in the gun.”

He rang headquarters and again hung up before calling again .

“O’Neil here . “

Said the voice on the other end . Harry answered in a screaming tone . 

“Harry’s on the game and I just had some nutter call me on the phone asking if I had a wall in the flat ‘”

“Harry , calm down its just a random . Wrong number . Chill out .“

Harry took a deep breath and said .

“Ok , I already met the new contact . What’s her name ?”

The answer came back .

“ Call her Jo Harry “

Harry lit up a cigarette

“Ok thanks .“

Harry hung up and then rang Jo .

“Hello “ she said and the reply came  .

“Jo  , its Harry . I’ll pick you up at ten in the morning . We’re going to Upton Park to see a game . I’ll be sitting in the seat behind you . On the right is your target .”

She replied

“OK Harry. You can pick me up in the path of a parlour home in Rushmore Street .The front door is covered with flaking red paint .”

Harry replied ,

“Fantastic , can you wear something Blue ?”

“ Sure thing.”

She said and Harry said

“See you tomorrow morning .“

The call ended .

Harry sat and did some meditation and stretching for a while . He spent the day quietly like a hermit who has lost his way somewhere between the high road and his cave . He sat in contemplation of what was to come and narrated aloud his plan going through the motions of what would unfold for the String .

Pity the man with a weak heart that has never experienced the hallucinations of a heavy  LSD experience . How innocent is the infusion of that blotting paper placed in a cup of tea by the pretty woman that he trusts . How deadly is the blow never felt in before by his subconscious mind that taunts him with audible hallucinations . Sadly the man called the string will break , he won’t have any idea of what is happening and his world will become a nightmare at the door step of hell . I myself will be there to make sure those heartstrings are stretched beyond their limit that will result in a massive heart attack and with a final thud to his troubled heart The String will no longer be tied to his mortal existence .

 

The morning arrived and Harry made his way to Rushmore Street where he picked up Jo . They went to a café and ate some food . Harry gave Jo A ticket to the game that had previously belonged to the a man who couldn’t make it to the game due to a broken leg he had incurred after recently falling down some steps.. Out on the sidewalks a small exodus of football supporters began to make their way to Upton Park for today’s game between West Ham Rovers and Chelsea .The funny thing is that although The String has a season ticket for all the West Ham games he actually  supports Chelsea and  each year sits among the West Ham supporters wearing his blue Chelsea shirt and scarf . Now for the first time today he was gong to have a fellow Chelsea supporter right there beside him and without any doubt is about to become his new number one friend .

Harry and Jo made their way along the footpath with the other supporters to Upton Park and eventually  took their seats before the game . Jo was already seated as The String arrived  . He was impressed immediately when he saw Jo in Chelsea colours and the impact of her sitting there next him opened a friendly conversation  between them  .

“Hello my name is Bill Stringer , my friends call me String . So here you are , a Chelsea fan just like me ?”

 

“Hello String my name is Jo . My uncle wasn’t feeling well today and couldn’t come to see his favourite team West Ham take on my beloved Chelsea , so he let me use his season ticket .  

“Jo nice to meet you . It should be a great game.’.

The both of them continued to talk until the whistle sounded for the kick off . Jo was very good at flirting and it was clear to see that The String had taken the bait, hook line and sinker and now sadly for him he had met his fate .

Chelsea scored first and the entire Stand of West Ham supports were silenced except for Jo and The String who watched intently as Chelsea piled on the pressure with attack after attack however they were unable to hit the back of the net . It was almost the last kick of the game when West Ham scored the equaliser . At that moment  Jo reached out grabbed The String by his hand and said  .

“Oh damn that String , I thought we had the game in the bag “

The String replied ,

“Not to worry . It was a great game . If you’re not in a hurry would you fancy some dinner ?

Jo responded,

“I’d love that . Where do you have in mind ?”

“I know this great steak restaurant in Victoria. They have this great Australian wine there . If you like we could go there “  .

Harry was very pleased and walked away from the stadium .

The next morning Harry rang Jo .

“So how was your dinner date Jo?’

He asked and Jo replied .

“ It went well and he wants to have dinner at the same place on  Wednesday  .”  

“Great news now see if you can set up a dinner date with him at his house . It’s a heavily secured place in Brixton . Get back to me when that happens . Ok Jo ?.

Harry packed a bag and placed it by the door and waited for the call . It was now just a short  matter of time for The String to come to the end of his rope  .

It was Wednesday night when Jo rang Harry .

‘He wants us to have dinner at his home this Friday at eight “

Harry replied ,

“Listen Jo , inside his front door there is a small electronic device called South Hawk Bell . When you go inside he will arm this device and a green light will start flashing .“  

“ Ok then what  ?”

Jo asked  

“ Go and have dinner . After you have finished tell him you’d love to have a cup of tea . It’s one of his favourite things . Tell him you will make the tea then him if he would like to have the tea in bed . Make sure that you drop that blotting paper with the LSD on it , into his cup . It should take about a half hour after he drinks the tea before it will start to affect him .When he agrees tell him to go and get dressed into his pyjamas . Go to the toilet and call me so I know everything is going to plan . Next its important that you press the disable button on the South Hawk Bell at the front  door . Then open the door for me to get inside . I will drive into his yard and park the car unnoticed  . Once I’m inside the party will  begin .Have you got that Jo“ 

Jo replied ‘.

“Got that . I  will carry out your instructions Harry. “

“’Right see you Friday then  . Great work Jo “

Friday night came and Harry was ready for action . He sat in his car with his bag of tricks on the Brixton Road until Jo called and gave him the green light to go ahead . Harry made his way to the house and opened up the front gates of the driveway .

He made his way inside the house put on a very frightening mask of a strange evil creature . He put on a dark robe that cover hm from head to foot and took out a large book of photos and walked into the bedroom . The String was already lying there on the bed freaking out with whatever he was experiencing with the LSD .

Harry called him by name In a harsh gravely tone  .

“, it’s time for you to pay your dues for all these people in this book who lost their lives because of your involvement in a conflict that was not yours to be a part .“

The String was screaming out in fear as Harry open page after page calling out the names of all those who had been tortured and shot . It was so traumatic for him and it wasn’t too long before his heart gave up . He lay there on bed like a chicken with no head as dead as dead could be ..,

End Chapter 4

 https://www.abctales.com/story/mcscraic/hitman-chapter-5