The Job: Part Nine

~ beetleypete

This is the ninth part of a fiction serial, in 787 words. It may contain some swear-words.

Alan makes some decisions.

By the time he had woken up the next morning, Alan had made some firm decisions. One meant he would have to see Graham sooner rather than later, so after breakfast he walked to Old Reg’s flat off the Essex Road. The place was shabby, and smelled bad inside. Since Reg had lost his wife to breast cancer over twenty years earlier, he hadn’t kept up any domestic routine to speak of. Hattie had been his childhood sweetheart, and the love of his life. Reg had taken it hard when she went.

Not even wanting to sit down on the greasy furniture, Alan spoke in a friendly manner. “Reg mate, I can’t stop, things to do. But I wanted to tell you that I am going to have to meet with Graham again, soon as. Can you get him to Gloria’s place tonight d’you reckon?” The old man nodded. “Well if it’s important, he’ll have to come, won’t he? Leave it with me, Alan. We will be there”.

Next stop was Rupert’s shop in Camden Passage. As it wasn’t raining, Alan walked there too.

“Alan Gill, well as I live and breathe. I didn’t expect to see you again old love”. Rupert turned the sign on the door to read ‘Sorry, we’re closed’, and slipped the top bolt into place. “Come out the back, and we will have a drinkie to celebrate your return”. As usual, Rupert was immaculate. Fresh flower in the buttonhole of his jacket, and his military striped tie firmly done in a nice Windsor knot. He hadn’t seemed to gain an ounce in weight in the last twenty-five years, and only a large bald patch on the back of his head betrayed his advancing years.

Gloria had been rude about him, when asked if he was still around. “Rupert? You mean that bum-bandit? Yeah, his shop is still going”. Alan didn’t concern himself about the man’s sexuality. He was good at what he did. The best.

In the comfortable office behind the shop counter, Alan was handed a very large whisky in a crystal tumbler. “Single malt old love, only the best for you. I take it you are here on business of some kind? I don’t suppose you came all the way from wherever you got that tan to buy some Ming vases of dubious heritage?” Alan sipped the whisky and made an appreciative face.

“Let’s suppose I had a job that needed a bit of firepower for show. Let’s suppose I wanted four good revolvers and a couple of shotguns. What are we talking about, Rupert old mate?” Smiling, the dealer stood up, his military bearing still very much in evidence. “Bring your drink and follow me”.

The small yard at the back was completely filled by a metal shed the size of a shipping container that left no room to even walk up the side of it. Rupert unlocked the huge padlock with a combination, and switched on a light before walking in. Behind random stacks of furniture and vases were some old trunks, the sort rich people used to take on world cruises. Laying out his wares on an antique Chinese table, he described each one in turn.

“You have your basic S&W .38, short-barrel, completely reliable. Or my recommendation of these Colt Pythons. They take a .357 magnum round, and the six-inch barrel gives more accuracy. And shotguns are so ninteen-sixties, old love. What I have for you are a couple of Chinese-made AK-47 paratroop assault rifles. Stick twenty-eight rounds in the magazine, and let go on full automatic. Nobody will still be looking at you after that, believe me. They are still in their packing grease, never been fired, and I have ammuntion for everything. If you don’t fire any of them, I will buy them back for half the price. But if they are used, dump them somewhere. They are all untraceable, you know me”.

Nodding at the Colt pistols, Alan smiled. “I’ll take four of the Pythons, and two of the AKs. Just enough ammo to load each one though, I don’t intend ending up in a firefight. And I don’t need them yet. If it turns out I don’t need them at all, I will bung you something for your trouble of cleaning them and getting them ready. There is something I need now though. Have you got a smallish .22 automatic? I’ll take a short silencer for it too, and maybe twenty rounds”.

After a quick rummage in a tea-chest at the back, Rupert appeared with what Alan had asked for.

“A .22 with a silencer? Dear me, are you going to actually kill someone old love?”

42 thoughts on “The Job: Part Nine”

          1. Oh, I didn’t know that. That’s why I hadn’t heard of gun clubs. Here with us, the shooting continues. I couldn’t really get used to it yet. As a toddler, around six years old, my father let me irresponsibly shoot birds. With a very powerful air rifle with aiming device. What could have happened here. ;-( xx Best wishes, Michael

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          2. I almost forgot. The Bundeswehr would have offered me sniper training. I was dreadfully bad with the pistol, but fine with the rifle. But since this time I was actually preparing for the priesthood, I had to decline. Who would have trust into a sniper priest? Lol Best wishes, Michael

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  8. (1) “By the time he had woken up the next morning, Alan had made some firm decisions.” He needed to get a softer mattress.
    (2) Overheard:
    “Reg mate, I can’t stop.”
    “Otto mate, your hands are useless now.”
    “Annie mate, you’ll make a fine wife for Dr. Frankenstein’s monster.”
    (3a) “That bum bandit stole my heart!” admitted Joey Butterfield after visiting Rupert’s shop for the first time.
    (3b) “He was good at what he did. The best!” explained Joey Butterfield to his proctologist after his second visit to Rupert’s shop.
    (4) Overheard:
    Rupert Pennington: “I don’t suppose you came all the way from Spain to buy some Ming vases of dubious heritage?”
    Alan Gill: “No, I’m into Lladró porcelain fakes now!”
    (5) Overheard:
    Cautious Horse: “Are you going to attack me?”
    Coiled Snake: “No, you’re too big. I’m a colt python.”
    (6) My friend in Anchorage assures me there is only one AK.
    (7) “Packing Grease”—A sequel in which Danny Zuko and fellow greasers Kenickie, Doody, Sonny, and Putzie become suburban gangstas that pack a lot of heat.
    (8) Overheard:
    Alan Gill: “Have you got a smallish .22 automatic with a silencer?”
    Rupert Pennington: “No, but I’ve got a single shot M1 bazooka…and some earplugs to go with it.”

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    1. I have no doubt that Rupert’s weapons will all work, Sue. 🙂 Most AK-47s around these days are Chinese copies, and are used widely in conflicts like Afghanistan, and by ISIS.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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