Chapter 8

Chris Henderson

Chris had another headache, they had been increasing in number and severity over the past week, but he tried not to show this to his men, although Grogan was aware of them.

"You've got to do something boss, get that quack back and let him deal with it!" Grogan demanded.

Chris shook his head, "No Grogan, it's not a thing he can deal with; I've got too much in my mind trying to get out! I can ... can manage ... it!" Chris said but his hands went into fists and then started to turn white with the pressure.

"Geesh Boss, when this happens I'm not sure what to do, if it was a person I could cosh 'im for you." Grogan said trying to help.

Chris gave a slight smile, "Then you'd be hitting me Grogan! Look I've got to ... leave for a few minutes; you couldn't just close the door when you go can you?" He asked.

Grogan shook his head, "No way boss, I'm not leaving you like this. You ... need ... help!" He insisted.

Chris nodded and then winced, "Yes, I know. But I've got to ... oh sod ... you ... you'd never understand." He said feeling the pain increasing again.

"So tell me boss." Grogan said feeling lost about Chris's words.

"Alright, lock the door and then sit down." Chris said Grogan did as he was asked and then sat down in a chair. "Now drink this." Chris said handing him a small vial. Grogan didn't ask any questions but just tipped it back and drank the contents.

Chris gave a small smile and then took another vial, opening it and swallowing the contents.

Grogan looked around, 'where am I?' he wondered to himself and then Chris appeared beside him. "Jesus boss, where did you come from?" He asked.

Chris smiled, "From the safe house, we're not really here Grogan, or here doesn't exist." He said which confused Grogan.

"You mean this is like some weird trip, you know big H?" He asked.

Chris shook his head, "No Grogan, this isn't a trip, you're perfectly sober and clean, just not in your body!" He said smiling at Grogan's look.

"Not in my ... just what shit did you give me boss?" Grogan asked which made Chris laugh out loud.

"Grogan didn't you see me sleeping during the day and then being tired at night? Didn't you ever wonder why?" Chris asked him.

"Well I thought you were planning boss, I know brain work takes it out of people, that's why I don't like it!" Grogan said smiling; he'd been planning bank jobs for several years (most of them successful!)

"It's alright Grogan, I won't let on. Now I've brought you here for a reason." Chris said feeling the pain returning.

"You're not going to give me your headache are you?" Grogan asked slightly worried.

Chris shook his head, holding it slightly with the pain that it caused, "No Paul, but you are about to get your own set of head-aches." He said looking behind Grogan to where Bemalin had gotten up from his chair.

Grogan however didn't notice, "What do you meant boss? And why am I here?" he asked.

"You're quite safe here Grogan, I just want you to meet an old friend of the Association — a very old friend indeed." Chris said pointing behind Grogan.

Grogan turned around to see a dark skinned man not black but an Arabic type of colouring. "Paul Grogan I would like to introduce Bemalin sur Nisir." Chris said.

Bemalin salaamed to Grogan, 'May your loins be full and your wives happy.' He said with a smile.

"Wh ... what is this?" Grogan asked looking from Chris to Bemalin.

Chris smiled, "Grogan, this man is the real force behind the Association, and he decrees what is done and teaches the apparent leader the true history of the Association and the direction it has to take to achieve its aims!" He told Grogan to which Bemalin smiled and inclined his head.

'A teaching that the current leader has failed to attend! For that reason I will need to increase your knowledge. Will you accept me as your teacher?' Bemalin asked Grogan.

Grogan looked to Chris, "Now's your chance to learn all there is about the Association. Are you willing to learn from Bemalin, it will be worth it!" Chris said.

Grogan looked uncertain, he wasn't sure about this, but then he nodded and said, "Okay I'm in." At which point he seemed to freeze in place.

Chris looked at Bemalin, "What's happened to him?" Chris asked in surprise.

'I need some time to work on him, but you seem to be in some trouble of your own. I sense that you have some pain and that's distracting.' Bemalin said, Chris wasn't looking at him and so missed the predatory look in Bemalin's eyes.

"It's just that the information I have seems to just want to escape from my head. I can't stop it from overwhelming me!" Chris confided while holding his hands to his head (even in this world it was painful to him.)

"I know a way to help you, but like Grogan you must trust me ... do you trust me Christopher Henderson?" Bemalin asked Chris.

At this point the pain began to increase, almost seeming to split Chris's head with its intensity. Bemalin nodded as if in sympathy with Chris's condition, "GOD YES!" Chris shouted out as the pain peaked.

Bemalin pounced, that was the only word for his actions; his hands went to Chris's head and seemed to enter it. 'Now boy, what's the matter ... ahhh I see, you have emotions that are blocking your actions! ... Let me sort these out for you; build a wall to help you ... help you ... there! Now Christopher Henderson let me help you file away yourself.'

Bemalin worked on Chris's brain, compartmentalising it so that Chris could easily retrieve any information he needed, but separated from an emotional bias.

Chris opened his eyes, Grogan was still seated down unconscious — but he'd soon recover, and if he didn't well there was always someone else.

Chris got to his feet, God he felt so good! The pain in his head was gone! Whatever Bemalin had done was the answer to his problem, Bemalin ... he'd never really trusted Bemalin before, but now Chris could see that Bemalin was his real friend.

Chris shook his head. He had work to do!

Grogan groaned and shook his head, "Boss that was brutal!" He said, "But that Bemalin knows what he's doing. When do we take over?" He asked.

"In a couple of months, we need to consolidate our base of operations. I've got the basic structure in place, people who can take prime positions when we want them to." Chris said not looking up from the plans on the table.

"What if someone complains?" Grogan asked.

"What if they do? We just remove them." Chris said looking up now to regard Grogan, his eyes were completely black, no whites.

Grogan smiled, "Of course!" His eyes were now the same as Chris's.

In the Dreamtime Bemalin laughed out loud.

The training of Chris's troops changed, they were now given tasks to complete — by any means necessary.

Jones managed to meet his girlfriend one evening, after they returned to her flat he started to speak. "I donno luv, the boss has changed." He said.

Gwen Sheargold held her 'lover's' head in her hands, "How do you mean changed?" She asked him.

"He's making us study pressure points on the human body, to learn how to use them to get information, or to kill with them! I tell you luv he's getting as bad as the Leader."

Gwen looked at Jones, he'd been giving her information ever since the Lewisham bank job, although he hadn't realised it, at first she though he was just another robber — but her D.S. thought there was something else involved and now, it seems, he was right.

Jones had been telling her about some group he belonged to — which, in turn, was just a small part of something called The Association, whose mastermind was a person called The Leader — whom it was thought was evil incarnate. But recently it seems that there was a coup in the air. This was getting bigger all the time.

"But why Jonsey? What's it all in aid of?" She asked.

Jones smiled, "We're going to be the main guard for Grogan, and he's going to take over from the Leader.

Gwen frowned, "But what about this boss? What's he going to do?" She asked.

Jones lay back on the bed, "Well he's going to be the real brains behind the whole lot! Grogan's just a figurehead — the 'public face' as the Boss says." He said to her.

"Well as long as you don't get hurt? I mean who else will I get to look after me?" Gwen asked him to distract him from thinking about her questions; Jones started kissing her back — and for the next few hours they were too busy to talk anyway.

"So what do you think?" The Chief Inspector asked after reading Sheargold's report.

Andrews, the Detective Sergeant, shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure, it's a rum deal all over, I've tried checking on this Association firm, but all I get is a top-secret flag and a message to pass any information to something called Alpha One." He said.

The Chief Inspector sat up straight, "Alpha One! If they're interested then it must be even bigger than we thought — your constable may be in trouble! Can we pull her out?" He asked.

Andrews shook his head, "Not without causing ripples sir, she has an ... uhm ... understanding with this man Jones, if she was to break it off ... well I wouldn't be able to say what might happen." He said.

"How did she get involved in the first place?" The Chief Inspector asked.

"Pure luck, she was in the Lewisham bank when this gang attacked, she managed to convince this man Jones that she was attracted to his type and his actions, at first we did think it was a lead to the case and we might get information about any other banks jobs ... so far all we know is that the money isn't the main target it's the stuff in the safety deposit boxes that are their targets - they've taken computer files as well - this is what their boss is more concerned with." Andrews said.

The Chief Inspector nodded, "Of course, with bank details you can cut new credit cards and transfer funds directly out of people's accounts." He said.

Andrews nodded, "But, of course, as soon as we find out whose information they have the accounts are changed and locked out, so it's only about a week before they are safe. It's the stuff in the boxes that have priority, and this is what he is interested in." He said

The Chief Inspector looked up, "Do we know what that is?" He asked.

Andrews shook his head, "No sir, which is why Sheargold has to stay on the case, we need to know what they are after!"

"Right, now this is our next objective, the security office of McMaster's and Fiennes. This one is slightly different as there is no real public entrance, so we are depending on the inside men to open the doors for us." Chris said to his men, who all listened closely, Grogan was seated beside him watching them closely.

One man raised his hand, "What if they make a fight of it?" He asked when recognised.

"That's the reason for your extra training. Now we know they have guards around the place but most of them are elderly, so there's no real loss to anyone." Grogan said — some of the men did expect Chris to speak up against this but were surprised when he remained quiet.

"Now here's exactly how we're doing it — by the way we're not sure when the inside men will be in place, so we're expecting a call anytime in the next few days so we must be ready at the drop of a hat, this means that we're on an active state — nobody is leave this house at any time, we need everyone to be here and ready, we can't wait to pick up any stragglers." Chris said.

"Yeah, it seems the cops are getting restless and they might be on to us. So we're trying to cut down any chance of leaks." Grogan said looking at the men as if daring them to protest.

"Anyway, our main target is their security files, the main ones are held in the vaults in the basement and there are a few files held in the manager's office, so you'll be split into two teams, best safe crackers in both!" Chris said, "Be careful not to destroy any of the files, we need the equipment details they have."

Another man held up his hand. "What equipment details?" He asked.

"NEVER MIND WHAT DETAILS! It's important and that's all you need to know!" Chris snapped making several men look at him in shock, he'd never spoken like this before.

The rest of the evening was spent running through the plans and where everyone was supposed to be. Finally at Eleven O'clock Chris looked up.

"Alright, you know what's expected and what you have to do. Now I suggest you all turn in, we've got more training tomorrow as we have to be ready when our inside men give us the nod." He said.

Grogan watched the men leave the room, he listened to them as they went out, " ... donno, nothing changes does it! Just when you think you know someone..." he heard but couldn't see who had spoken.

He turned to Chris, "I'm not sure if we should have done that, we were being a bit rough on them." He said

Chris just looked at him, his eyes dark again, "They're just going to have to learn Grogan. I mean, we are the Association, aren't we?" He said.

Jones managed to sneak out of the house and made it to a telephone, "'Ello luv, I can't come round for a few days, the boss has something planned." He said to Gwen.

"Oh Jonsey, and I was looking forward to you tonight. What's happening?" She asked him.

"He's got some job planned in town, that's all — a security place this time, not a bank. But I can't say too much ... Look luv, I've got to go, I'll call when I can, bye." Jones said and hung up.

He made his way back to the house, making sure that nobody had seen him.

Gwen put her phone down, thought for a moment and then dialled Andrews. "Sir, Sheargold here ... no, he didn't turn up, there's a plan to rob a securities firm in London ... no, he didn't say which one ... he didn't say when either ... sorry sir, but I thought you'd need to know this anyway ... Yessir, I'll write it into my report ... yessir, goodnight sir." She said.

Andrews put his phone down, this was annoying! He had some information but not enough to be useful. There were so many securities companies that it would be impossible to cover them all, this was getting too big for his people.

He sipped on the whisky that he'd prepared just before Gwen phoned, feeling it warm his insides but not allowing the cold feeling in his mind to thaw. He reached for the telephone and then his notebook, looking through it for the number he had written down earlier.

He dialled the number and listened, there was no ringing tone, but instead a voice began speaking. "This is an unlisted number; please state your name and how you were given this number?" — It was a recorded voice and gave no clue as to where the place was.

"I'm Detective Sergeant Andrews; this number came up on my screen when I tried to access information on the Association and I..." But that was as far as he got as the recorded voice cut in.

"You are being transferred, please stay on the line." It said.

This time Andrews could hear the ringing tone as the call was being connected. A woman answered the phone. "Detective Sergeant Andrews, I am Marcia Stevens at Alpha One, do you have information for us?" The woman, Marcia, asked him.

"I ... I'm not sure, I mean I don't know where to start." Andrews said.

"One moment please Detective Sergeant, I'm just pulling up some ... ah, I see. Has PC Sheargold found out anything new?" Marcia asked him and surprised him at the same time.

"How do you know about that?" Andrews asked shocked that a report would be available to people outside of the police.

"You see Richard, I may call you Richard?" Marcia said trying to put Andrews at his ease, "Our Organisation is deeply involved with the negating and foiling of the Association, so any cases that involve the Association are automatically passed on to us from all Police forces, they are held securely so that only those authorised to know the details can use it." She said.

"That's all very well Marcia, but I'm not used to top secrets being mentioned out loud." Andrews said.

Marcia laughed, "Oh this call is secure; our software ensures that the line is scrambled and then decoded at your end, we are the experts in this. Now what information do you have with regards to this team?" She asked him.

Andrews sighed, "I have a problem, Sheargold's contact, this Jones person, said he couldn't meet her as they have a securities job to do in London, but..." He said and Marcia continued.

" ... with the number of firms in London you'd be too stretched to cover them all, I see ... do you mind if we take over some parts of this, we'll have a list of the securities companies and allocate staff to some of them leaving others to your people."

Andrews breathed out, this was what he wanted — but didn't know how to ask, "If ... if you can do that it would be helpful, but I'm not sure how to pass this by my C.I." He said.

"Don't worry about that, we do have a liaison person who will do that, his name is Inspector Clark, I'll have his details passed on to you tomorrow ... I mean later today. I suggest you get some sleep now Richard, we will do our best to help you." Marcia said and then the phone went silent.

Andrews looked at the handset and shook his head, somehow he felt better about this, but there was still a worry about Sheargold.

The next day the men were training away when Chris received a call, he put the handset down. "Fuck! Well that's buggered that up!" He exclaimed to Grogan.

"What's up boss?" Grogan asked.

"They've stepped up the security! Apparently they got a call from the cops about an attack on a securities site; they didn't know which one and so they're letting them all know about it. McMaster's have doubled the staff and improved their coverage ... How did they find out about it?" Chris said pacing the floor.

Grogan shook his head, "Can't have been any of our guys, they wouldn't blab to the cops. Maybe it's some other crowd going after a place?" He suggested.

Chris rubbed his chin thinking, "Could be ... our man did say it was going to all the firms, not just ours. But it means we've got to change our plans. We need a backup target ... pass me the list will you?" Grogan reached behind himself and picked up a piece of paper on the desk, he handed it to Chris, on it was a list of names, four had been crossed out, Chris skipped over three of the uncrossed one and selected one.

"Yes, this one, it will mean our experts will be working out of sequence, but that's what we're paying them for ... if only we could get the location of the working model ... it would be so simple!" Chris said going to a safe and removing the blueprints for a bank from it, he unrolled it and started to work on it.

Grogan shook his head, "I still don't know boss, why do we need this one?" He asked.

Chris looked up from the plans, "Because it's supposed to be brilliant, with it we'd be able to control any system, anytime! We'd control it all!" He said and in his mind he heard 'and the Association will rule the known world, as is its destiny!'

They both entered the training area. "Alright, hold it there! The job's scratched for now. So we're going to a backup job." Chris said bringing the training to an end; he put the blueprints on to a large board. "This is our new target. The branch of Barclays Bank at Brixton. We're going to use the same routine as before."

Grogan looked around the group as if checking them for guilty looks, but there was none visible. He spoke up, "Okay now the main target is in box 32, Archie you're going to have to open that one, there's a special trip in the mechanism that's designed to destroy the contents. Can you deal with that?" He said.

Archie Andrew's closed his eyes for a moment, as if recalling some unseen plans. "Should be okay, but the boys would have to keep the noise down while I'm working."

Grogan nodded, "Good, after that you'll have to reset the trap and close the door. So that when they find the box empty they'll think the vibrations set off the trip." Grogan said.

Archie had seen such a trap before; his mentor (A Mr. Myers of Quigley Street) had met up with one which not only destroyed the money in the safe it also sprayed back on to his hands and face. Quick thinking by Archie had saved his hands but couldn't do anything about the eyes. — Archie had taken the mechanism to study it just in case.

"Good! We'll assign duties to you others later, but for now I want to talk to the guards, everyone else is dismissed for the moment." Chris said - the men moved out apart from the four requested, Jones being one of them.

Chris regarded each man in turn and then he asked them the same question. "You were looking after the doors last night! Did you see anyone leave during the night?" And each man answered 'No boss'. Chris studied each man as he spoke, he could tell that none of them was lying.

The men were dismissed, Chris turned to Grogan. "It wasn't our men who told the cops; even if one of those four saw anyone I would have known." He said and the matter was filed away as a coincidence.

As he returned to the stand-by room Jones was happy that Chris hadn't asked if they had left the house, he wasn't sure how he could have answered that question.

Chris was seated in the van, it was parked in Brighton Terrace, on double yellow lines but he wasn't concerned about that, he was watching the doors of the bank which were now closed.

Inside the bank there were a couple of unconscious guards and a group of cowering customers, the clerks were face down with their hands tied behind their backs with plastic ties.

The financial adviser was nursing a bloodshot eye — where his attempt at fighting back had resulted in a thumb in his eyes.

The manager was down in the vaults with some of the team and Archie, "We need your keys, you do have the master on you haven't you?" Archie was asking him.

"Well ... yes, but it won't do you any good you know, you need two keys, I only have the one." He said.

Archie nodded his head, "Let's just say I'm collecting them." He said while holding out his hand, the manager was about to say 'no' when the man holding him tightened his grip, and so he meekly handed them over.

Archie nodded and the men left the vault to him — while it's true that two keys are needed to open the safety deposit boxes, the other necessary part is knowing how the locks are constructed! Every manufacturer has their own little additions to ensure security, by knowing when the boxes were installed and, more importantly by whom, gave Archie all the information he needed.

Now to try out the knowledge ... Archie went to box 31 and began working on it, he quickly opened it and was happy to find that his touch hadn't deserted him. He put the contents of the box on the floor and then closed the box up, ensuring that it was locked securely.

He then took a deep breath and exhaled, he turned to box 32. Working carefully he unlocked the box, and then stood back. He knelt down and studied the front of the box, he noticed the small slot near the top, about the size of a credit card, he nodded and started to whistle as he removed a piece of clear plastic, it was the same device that had hit Myers all those years ago and so he was now prepared.