And this is what he was thinking:
Mr Grey.
He was the most powerful man in town.
He had cameras hidden everywhere.
He was probably watching Jim drinking right at that very moment.
It was all very scary.
A BAD business indeed.
But Jim was involved, and there was no way out of it now.
As he drew up his third drink his right sleeve rolled back revealing his tattoo on his hand - the sign of the Tailors.
Jim was one of them whether he liked it or not.
And he liked it not, if he was honest. But he liked a lot less the idea of dying.
But the idea of becoming the next Banker of Town was a warming one. It was what Grey had promised him.
So Jim took a final swig of his drink and decided he was going to do his masters bidding.
Yes, he was going to do it:
He was going to kill his friend, Butch…
It was the only way.
Just as Jim was about to stand a stranger entered the bar and taking a seat right in front of him started casually speaking:
‘Well knock me down with a whale! If it isn't Jim! It is Jim and him, one and all! How fine! It’s fine to meet you finally, Jim.’
The stranger then moved his chair around the table and started whispering right into Jim’s ear:
‘Call me Mr Twaddle! Ha! That is my code name, if you get my meaning? Don’t look so confused! You and I are brothers!’ The stranger rolled up his right sleeve and showed Jim the sign of the Tailors…
‘O yes we are brothers indeed we are,’ the stranger continued. ‘My real name is Michael. But until further notice you will call me by my code name, Twaddle. O how nice this is, fellow brothers united by a single cause! Mr Grey sent me, if you want to know. I understand he has given you a task? He would like to know your answer? Yay or nay? What say you, sir Jim?’
‘Yes, I will do it,’ Jim replied solemnly.
‘Good man!’ Mr Twaddle replied. ‘I would like for us to have a chat, Jim, but knock me down with a whale look at the time! I need to be away, I have business to do! But listen here Jim before I go, the boss has your back and this as well. Take this fine gift! Let it help you in the task at hand.’
Mr Twaddle handed Jim a package, and with some encouragement from his Tailor associate Jim peeked under the lid to find that it contained a gun!
‘Get the job done, Jim,’ said Mr Twaddle. ‘And yes, before you ask the gun does work! Mr Grey has friends high up in the places high. He is in cahoots with the government, don’t you know? It has bullets as well. So it is not a toy! Use it well, Jim my son. But bless me and let a whale knock me down I must be away! I am so busy! Goodbye Jim, and enjoy your day! And stay away from the sea, my dear boy! They are full of whales, whales large enough to eat a single person in one snap… O me o my I must hurry before the tide comes in to sweep me away!’
And with that Michael, code name Mr Twaddle, quit the building.
Jim looked at the gun and knew the truth of his dire situation.
This was not a fantasy anymore.
He had agreed to do it and no he had the tools to complete the task.
It was time for him to get down to business then.
So Jim went on the hunt…
He found Butch finally standing outside the ruins of Rod’s old house.
The large burly man seemed to be contemplating something.
He also seemed very sad:
‘They destroyed everything,’ said Butch, as Jim approached.
Jim asked what had happened, and Butch replied saying this:
‘The Brazilians attacked. They killed Rod straight out. No mercy. After that they gutted the whole house. Left it in a mess as well. I feel really bad about it. I mean this house was supposed to be our base of operations. We were supposed to build our empire here. Now look at the place. I know it is a cliche, but it is like a bomb dropped down here and shook everything up to oblivion.’
‘It is sad I know but what is done is done,’ Jim replied.
‘I am glad you are alive,’ said Butch, turning around to look at his friend he smiled and patted him on the shoulder. ‘I took you to the train because I had orders. I am working with the Tailors as well. I kept it quiet but you know the truth now. Please listen to me, Jim. When the boss gives an order I have got to obey it. It is just the way of things here in Fenwick. The boss has cameras everywhere, hidden in every nook and cranny. I had to take you to him. But you are alive and it seems things went well between you two, and I am happy about that. I don’t want to lose you as friend, Jim. I want us to have drinks at the bar and talk business. I think we can do this. The contract with the Kings is going to make us good. So how about it, Jim? Should we forget the last few days and move on? We both get the deal - we are on the same page. We are both Tailors, we are both united by the one cause. We have the same boss, the same ambition and the same enemy. So what about it, hey? Let’s go out there and make some money? Do you like my idea, Jim?’
‘I think it is a fine idea, Butch,’ Jim replied.
‘Let’s celebrate!’
‘I have had a drink already,’ Jim replied. ‘I would prefer a walk. A nice quiet stroll. What say you to that Butch?’
‘I say that is a good plan,’ Butch replied.
‘I would like to see the Swamp again,’ said Jim. ‘Listen to me, Butch: The boss and I we talked for a long time. There are a lot of people he would like to see, you know, vanish from the annals of life? And he wants me to help him. So I think it would be a good idea for me to become more familiar with the Swamp. You know the place? You showed me once. A pleasant little dumping ground for traitors under the ground. Will you show me the way again, Butch?’
‘O indeed,’ Butch replied.
So Butch took Jim below ground, to the sewers, to the infamous swamp - the sleeping ground of traitors and fools.
‘This is the place,’ said Butch. ‘Stinks mighty awful - but what do you expect? There be a lot of dead fools sleeping in this filth. And a lot of them I put there myself! But well! I shouldn’t laugh! It’s a sad old place, really. And nobody knows anything about to except us Tailors.’
‘You are right Butch,’ Jim replied. ‘Only us Tailors know about this place. And if anyone of us were to die right now nobody would ever find us or know about it. And it would seem like the boss has decided it is your turn to join the filth of the sewers. Sorry old friend. Life, well, it’s a sucker hey?’
Butch turned round suddenly and very afraid he saw Jim standing behind him with a gun in his hand aimed right in his direction.
Butch started to shake, and when he started to speak he stammered for his fear was very high:
‘Jim? Friend? What are you doing? Why are you holding a gun up to me like that? Why is the gun cocked? Jim? Please? We are friends! I know I was harsh when I led you to the train - but I only did that because of the boss. I like you Jim… please don’t do this… I beg of you?’
‘Mr Grey wants you dead, it’s as simple s that. Don’t ask why because I don’t know myself. Like you, Butch, when you took me to the train, I’m just doing what I am told and here we are. It turns out in the end that the boss rather likes me, but he doesn’t care much for you, Butch. But then it does make sense, when you think about. I know the formula for the G-Juice. I got the contract with the Kings. I am the money man. And what are you, Butch? A thug? Hired help? Basically you are nothing in the grand schemes of the Tailors. Now listen to me, Butch, before you start crying, I liked you too. Yes. I even considered you a friend. But all that changed after you pulled a gun out on me. Now I can’t trust you, Butch. And if I can’t trust you, then you are not my friend. It is over between us. The boss wants you gone, and so, well, I must make it happen. Goodbye Butch. I am sorry it came to this. But it is your own fault. We could have made this work - we could have built a thriving business together. It’s what I wanted. You should not have betrayed me. So this is how it ends.’
Butch fell to his knees and began to weep.
He was reduced from a giant thug to a tiny child in three seconds, about the time it took for Jim to drown a pint…
‘Don’t do this,’ Butch cried. ‘I only did what Grey said because I was scared Jim! I was scared the boss would destroy me! I never wanted any of this, not really. I told you. I just want a quiet life. I want kids, a house and peace. Please Jim, don’t pull the trigger. I beg you. You are not a killer. I know. You won’t do this. Let me go, Jim. Lie to the boss if you have to, just don’t shoot me! Tell the boss I am gone. I will find a way to escape Fenwick. Once I am free I will never return, I promise. Just give me a chance.’
Jim heard this and started to shake with fear.
Butch was right on this:
Jim was not a killer.
So what was Jim going to do?
There was the boss, the banker and his future to think of…
The money, the house, the business…
G-Juice!
All of that was his for the taking -
He just had to do it…
Just once… he could do it just ONCE!
‘Do what you have to do, Butch,’ Jim ordered the quivering and humbled giant.
Jim waited a couple of seconds and then he pulled the trigger.
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