Chapter 51

Lined up, like tin soldiers in a shooting gallery, Saim's guard stared forward blankly. They could see by Saim's body language, fidgety with clenched fists, that he was not a happy man. It was a full ten minutes before Saim looked up. Marching back and forth in front of them, like an officer inspecting his troops, he began.

"I don't know what is going on or how it started but this needs to stop now" Looking each man directly in the eyes, he continues,

"First we lose a shipment, and then we lose two of our biggest buyers. Three of our deliveries have now been hit and that has led to losing our last major buyer."

The guards stood as still as mannequins and dared not say anything.

"It's obvious that Pat D is behind this but the reasons as to why are less obvious. He turned my guard's loyalty and hit our van, out of the blue, for no reason, he must have expected that I would retaliate. So why not leave it at that?"

The question was not directed at the guards and he didn't want an answer.

"If this does not end there will be blood spilt, and lots of it. Unfortunately I have to say, it will be most likely ours more than theirs."

For the first time the guards showed emotion, their faces showed alarm at the thought of their bodies, lying battered broken and bloodied, in the gutter somewhere. They had not wanted to be the main guard in the first place but it was chosen for them. They knew they could not refuse once they had disposed of the other guard's bodies. They were happy doing their mundane jobs in the background. Now though, by the tone of Saim's voice, it seemed they might have to join a full-scale blood feud.

"Are we going to war?" As soon as the guard asked the question, he wished he hadn't. Saim shot him a look of pure distain.

"When did I ever mention that?" The wrath in Saim's response, directed at the guard, came with the full power of a hurricane. Spittle from Saim's spray landed on the lips of the guard but he made no attempt to wipe it off.

"If you ever interrupt me again when I have not finished talking you will not have a tongue left in that big mouth of yours."

The guard bowed his head, more to avoid another drenching of spittle than anything else, and looked at the floor.

"I need to speak to Pat and find out why and see if we can come to some agreement. To answer your question," he says facing the guard, "I don't want to go to war with him. I have done some digging and his organisation, although similar in size, is better manned better trained, better armed and better organised."

One guard, unsure of himself, raises his hand. Turning towards the guard, Saim nods.

"I don't want to speak out of turn Boss but can't we just take care of him? Take out the chief and the Indians scatter as they say."

It was a valid question, and normally Saim would not hesitate, but this is the Stratford crew and they have a tier system.

"I understand what you are saying but it would be pointless. As soon as Pat falls, the next in line would take over and that would be his son, and I sure as hell don't want to deal with him."

Little was known about Pat's son, not even his full name, he was just known as G but his reputation preceded him. Talk on the street was the only way anyone could find out about him and that did not make easily listening. His age, depending who you spoke to, ranged from mid-thirties to mid-forties. G thought Pat was too easy against his enemies and competition, apparently, and was a punch first and ask questions later kind of guy. As to what he looked like nobody knew for certain. The only thing that everybody agreed on was that you only saw him if you needed to be dealt with, which usually meant, you would not be able to identify him once he was done with you.

"No, better the devil you know" Saim assures "I will call Pat and get to the bottom of the why's and who's"

"Pat it's that Saim bloke on the phone asking for you," the member said with an expectant smile.

It was the call that Pat had been waiting for but it had taken longer to come than he thought it would. Composing himself, taking the call off hold, he answers calmly.

"Hello Saim, so nice to hear from you"

The softness in his tone caught Saim off guard. He was expecting to have a slanging match from the offset. As he replied, he found his own voice had automatically matched the calmness of Pat's.

"Good morning Pat. I hope I have not caught you at an inconvenient moment"

"Not at all, what can I do for you?"

Saim's head was spinning, he wanted to unleash a torrent of abuse and warn Pat away but that would have done no good. He had to stay cool.

"We need to talk about recent events Pat"

There was an awkward silence for what seemed longer than it actually was. He knew Pat would not make this call easy for him.

"Pat, we have had a good relationship over more years than I can remember and I was wondering what went wrong."

"I thought so too Saim and I thought you might be able to inform me of the answer to that," Pat calmly stated

Saim did not know the answer and he didn't take kindly to being toyed with over the phone.

"Your boys hit my merchandise being delivered and now, as I have now been informed, you have taken over my most profitable buyers. I just need to understand why"

Pat couldn't believe the audacity of this man. Did he think that he could just stroll up, torch one of his processing labs, and get away with it without any consequences?

"Yes I admit, I ordered the hit on your vans and the take over's. Count yourself fortunate it was only that" Taking a slow, conscious, breath Pat continued "Losing my lab, the one you torched, has cost me dearly, not only in monetary terms but delays to my shipments too"