Chapter One: The Grit
“Are you sure you want to do that?” Max said as his companion lit a cigarette.
“Yeah, it makes us look less conspicuous.” Said Mark.
“You're only allowed three a week, you sure you want to waste one here?” Max asked.
“It's extra, came with the disguise, man.” Mark said with a bit of a grin.
“How'd ya swing that, then?” Max asked him.
“I told you, it makes us look less conspicuous. You look fucking federal.”
“I'm alright, aren't I?” Max said. He gestured down at his outfit. Black leather jacket covering a long sleeve plain black t-shirt with black jeans and black leather boots.
“Pff, I dunno.” Said Mark with his slightly brighter coloured outfit. “Shit, here they come.”
A car pulled into the dimly lit car park where the two men were conversing.
“Trap them in.” Mark said as they approached the car, covering the exit. “Remain confidant and don't show them any fear.”
“I fear no man.” Max replied, with a sly smile.
Three men in their early 20s got out the car.
“Alright, fellas.” Said the one who'd gotten out from the driver's seat. He was clearly the boss of this operation, the other two were just muscle.
“Alright, lads.” Max replied. “You got some product for us, then?”
“Easy...” Mark whispered in a voice just loud enough for Max to hear.
“Fuck me, you're keen, ain't ya!” Said the speaker from the group. “You must really want to get high..heh heh.”
“I just want to get this done before the pigs show up.” Max said. Mark shot him a quick sideways glance as he said these words.
“How do I know you guys aren't swine?” Said the speaker.
“Do I fucking look federal?” Asked Max.
“Well I dunno, do I?” The speaker replied.
“Listen, we've got money if you've got product.” Mark said.
One of the other guys threw Max a small package, which he caught with his left hand. He initially reached for the small dagger, safely sheathed and strapped inside his jacket, before hesitating for a second and returning his hand to his side.
“Got a blade?” He asked the main speaker from the group. Max was unwilling to show them that he was armed.
“Aye, I do...thanks for asking..” The main said sarcastically.
“Well let's see it, then. I need to get this package open.” Max told him.
“You ain't touching my blade, boy.” Said the speaker, advancing slightly on Max, squaring up to him.
“Here...” Mark said, anticipating the situation. “Take mine.” He handed Max a small dagger.
Max took it and made a small incision in the package that revealed a snow white powder, before handing the dagger back to Mark.
“You've already crushed it?” Max said. “I was told you'd have rocks.”
“I wanna see some notes first, then maybe you'll see some rock.” The man said.
Max nodded at Mark, who dropped his cigarette and extinguished it under his foot before producing a roll of bank notes.
“There's a grand, there.” Mark said. “And there's 5 more in it for you if you've got the rocks.”
“I didn't come all this way for a thousand notes, pal. I wanna see the rest.” The speaker said.
“Well we want to see some rocks, then.” Mark said.
One of the other men glanced over his shoulder, back at the car they pulled up it. Max followed his gaze..he was looking at the boot of the car.
The main speaker caught Max's eye, then looked over his shoulder at the car himself.
“Now or never.” Max thought to himself, before sending a fast, snapping front kick into the speaker's groin, causing him gasp surprise and buckle forwards in pain. Max took this opportunity to lean forward and send a powerful knee strike into his face, breaking his nose.
“Fuck!” He heard Mark exclaim, before he rushed forwards.
Max moved diagonally forwards towards the second man, while Mark engaged the third.
Max's opponent had produced a knife while the initial scuffle ensued. Max was still carrying the package of white powder, which he flung towards the face of his opponent, buying him enough time to deliver another snapping front kick to his opponent's wrist, causing him to drop the knife and the rush forwards to send a flurry of fast and hard punches to his face and chest. They stumbled backwards far enough for Max to send another powerful stamping front kick into his opponent's groin, again buckling him forwards at the waist so Max to deliver a final hammer fisted strike to the back of his neck.
He looked over to see Mark ducking a hooking punch from his own opponent and countering with an uppercut to the body, before standing up and delivering a hooking punch of his own to his opponent's face, knocking him to the floor.
Mark swiftly took a pair of handcuffs from inside his own jacket and put them on him.
The first man, the one who was doing all the talking was just standing up now.
Max grabbed him by the hair and pulled him the rest of the way up to his feet, then with his other hand, grabbed their hand and twisted it into a painful wrist lock. He marched him over to the car and threw him against the bonnet.
“Where are the fucking keys?” He asked, aggressively.
“Aaahh, you're gonna break my fucking arm, man!” He shouted.
“I'll break your neck if you don't give me the keys!” Max shouted at him, applying more pressure to the joint lock.
“They're in my pocket, ahhhh just let me go!” He cried. Max reached inside his victim's pocket and produced a set of car keys, which he threw to Mark.
“Check the boot while I deal with this one.” Max said, producing a set of handcuffs of his own and suitably restraining his suspect.
“What about that one?” Said Mark, nodding towards the other man Max had fought with.
“He's unconscious. I'll deal with him in a second.” Max said. He held his conscious suspect while Mark looked in the boot of the car.
“Jackpot. There's easily £10,000 worth in here.” Mark said.
“Well in that case...” Max said “I'm arresting you on suspicion of possession of Glass Dream with intent to supply. You do not have to say anything, but you may get harmed if you attempt to resist. Do you understand?”
“Fuck you, pig fucker.” Said his suspect.
Max threw his suspect towards Mark, who grabbed him and threw him to the ground with the other man he'd arrested, while Max went over and cuffed the other man, slapped his face to bring him around, then read him his rights too.
After a brief radio conversation, a pair of squad cars arrived to escort the two suspects and Max and Mark back to the Police Station.
“Well, that could have gone a lot better.” Said Mark, as the two of them walked through the doors of the Police Station.
“We got everything we needed, didn't we?” Max said.
“Yeah, and now we'll have to stay all night doing the paper work.” Mark replied.
“We were going to have to do that anyway.” Max told him.
“We could've avoided that fight” Mark said. “You can't keep flying off the handle like that.”
“I knew it was in the boot, man.” Max said.
“How?” Mark asked
“I saw them looking.” Max said.
“I dunno if that's gonna be a good enough reason to use for starting a punch up like that.” Mark told him.
“They were there, though.” Max argued. “We got three collars as a result.”
“One day you're gonna start a fight with some innocents and then you'll be in the shit.” Mark told him. “Do ya think they're gonna let you join the Armed Response Unit when you can't even keep your hands in your pockets?”
“Well...” Max started, but Mark cut him off.
“If they give you a gun, you'll end up shooting someone who doesn't deserve it and you'll not only get thrown off the force, you'll go to prison for murder.”
“I'm not that bad.” Said Max. “I get dangerous criminals off the street and that's what matters.”
“Just 'cause you know Kaju-whatsit, doesn't mean you can start throwing your fists around.” Said Mark.
“Kajukenbo.” Max corrected him. “Ka-Ju-Ken-Bo.” He pronounced each syllable. “Karate, Jujitsu, Kenpo and Boxing. All mixed together.”
“Aye, whatever. We'd better get to de-briefing and then get started on this paper work.” Mark told him. “We really are gonna be here all night now.”
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