Chapter Forty-One

Lincoln didn't talk to them for the rest of the journey and they seemed to sense it was best not to talk between themselves.  Lincoln felt drained.  His throat now hurt and he was just shocked about what had just gone on.  Had that really happened?  It seemed like a dream.  He felt like he could sleep for a week.

Terry pulled into the club car park and led them through the back door.  It seemed strange to Lincoln that it was still only 7pm – it felt like it should be midnight at least.

As the door opened, Jack and Billy looked up from the paperwork in front of them.

"How did it go?" said Jack, going towards them.  He frowned when he saw their messed up faces.  "Trouble?"

Terry spoke.  "Yeah, they wanted to take the money and the drugs with them."

"Yeah, but Lincoln sorted them out."

"You got the gear?" asked Billy.

"It is in the boot" said Lincoln.  Terry threw him the keys and he headed for the door.

"Let's get you guys some drinks and you can tell us the whole story" said Jack, leading them to the sofas and nodding to one of his staff.

Large measures of whiskey were given to each of them.  Jack watched as Lincoln downed his in one.

"Nicky, just leave the bottle here" he instructed, taking it off her and filling Lincoln's glass again.  Lincoln tipped the glass to him and took a smaller chug of this one. 

The whiskey warmth spread through him and he felt himself begin to relax slightly.  He hadn't realised how tightly wound all his muscles were until now.

Lincoln said nothing as Jason and Terry retold the story, exaggerating slightly as they went.  They only looked to Lincoln at one point.

"What did happen with your guy?"

"He grabbed me from behind, knocked me to the ground.  He was strangling me but there was a bit of wood nearby and thumped him over the head with it."

They then told how Lincoln came out with the gun and everyone listened intently.

"You should have seen Linc.  He was calm under pressure man, ice cool.  Even I was afraid of what he might do" said Terry with a grin.

Lincoln downed the rest of the drink and half noticed Jack looking at him from the corner of his eye. 

When they had finished retelling their stories, Lincoln remembered and pulled the cash from his pocket.  He leaned over and handed it to Jack.

"What is this?"

Jason gave him a glare as Terry spoke for Lincoln.

"Oh yeah, I forgot.  Lincoln decided to tax them for trying to pull a fast one."

Jack let out a laugh. "Tax them?!  You didn't just take the money back?"

"We had the package we came for.  Figured you wouldn't want to be accused of stealing" Lincoln shrugged.

"So you let them live?" said Billy, coming back in from the car park.

"Killing anyone wasn't the job" said Lincoln looking at him darkly.

"You should have done.  They've disrespected us.  What kind of message does that send? Bones should have been broken at least" said Billy scowling at him.

"You want to sort it, here are their pictures" said Lincoln holding his phone out.  "Hurting anyone wasn't part of our deal."

Billy glared at him but took the phone from him and stalked off to the other side of the room.

The rest of the gang started talking excitedly and Lincoln got up to go to the bathroom.

After relieving himself, he splashed cold water on his face and looked at his reflection.  What a day.  His cheek was still bruised from Sam's fist and the cut along his head was still bright red.  It seemed like it had happened a lifetime ago and should be long healed.  There were red finger marks around his neck now where the guy had tried to strangle him, and a bump on the side of his head where it had crashed against the unforgiving floor.  He looked and felt like he had been in the wars.  He felt old beyond his years and eager for a shower. 

As he came back out, he saw that the atmosphere had turned to celebration.  Coke had been brought out and he watched as Jason snorted a line and grinned goofily at Nicky the waitress.  Had he learned nothing?  He swallowed his anger, he couldn't deal with anymore today.

He came up behind the group.

"I'm off" he said.

Jason and Terry protested.  "No, stay and celebrate.  Jack said he is providing the party for free."

Lincoln shook his head.  "Count me out.  I need a bath."

They all laughed a bit but went back to drinking and snorting.

As Lincoln headed to the door, Jack caught up with him.

"Lincoln, you won't stay for a bit?  It seems you are the hero of the hour."

"It was just a job" said Lincoln, wanting to get out of there.

Jack gave him a considered look.

"So are we all square?" asked Lincoln.  "With Jason's debt?"

"Yes" said Jack.  "A deal's a deal."

"Good" said Lincoln.

"Here, have this" Jack pulled out the money Lincoln had given him.  "It seems like you earned it."

Lincoln put his hand up.  "No thanks Mr Minchella."

"I insist" said Jack.  "Think of it as a retainer if you like."

Lincoln looked at him.

"I don't want to work for you."

"I need someone who is calm in a crisis."

"Well that isn't me" said Lincoln.  "They didn't mention that I puked my guts out afterwards."

Jack smiled and patted him on the shoulder.  "That is just the adrenaline.  It happens to all of us the first few times.  You'll get over it."

"I said I wasn't interested" said Lincoln sharply.

Jack's smile dropped and he spoke through gritted teeth.  "What else are you going to do?  Go back to being knocked about by your Dad?"

Lincoln looked at Jack.  Was he right?  What would he rather do?  He clenched his jaw and spoke.

"I made a promise to my mother and I intend to keep it.  Can you respect that?"

Jack held his gaze for a moment.  "You are definitely your mother's son.  I can respect that.  Remember, the door is always open."

Jack extended his hand and Lincoln shook it.

"Thanks Jack."

He opened the door to the flat and walked into the living room.  The place was still a mess from the interrupted party but Lincoln didn't have the energy to tidy it up.  He slumped onto the sofa.  As he did, the cold metal of the gun touched his skin.  Slipping his gloves back on, he pulled it out and placed it on the table.  He'd have to take it back to Jack tomorrow.  Grabbing a tea towel from the floor he rubbed it all over.  He had kept gloves on but he thought it wouldn't do any harm.  He enjoyed the quiet for a moment before getting up and running himself a bath.

After a good hour in the bath, hunger suddenly rose in him as he realised that he hadn't eaten all day.  He headed out to get some food from a local burger joint.  He strolled around the neighbourhood, running into some old friends and hanging out with them for a bit.  It was almost 11pm when he headed back to Jason's.

As he climbed the final flight of stairs he saw that the door to the flat was wide open.  As he turned into it, he saw Luca slumped on the floor with blood spreading over his shirt.  He saw Jason with his arms wrapped around his legs, the gun at his feet.

"Luca" screamed Lincoln, running to him.

Luca half opened his eyes, groaned and closed them again.

"Did you call an ambulance?" he barked at Jason.

Jason spluttered and Lincoln knew instantly he was wasted.  He looked for his phone and then remembered that he'd left it with Billy.  He ran to Jason. 

"Where is your phone?"

Jason pointed to the living room.  Grabbing the phone, he ran back over to Luca as he rang.

"Please, I need an ambulance.  My friend has been shot" begged Lincoln.  "He is a police officer" he added, hoping it would mean it would get it there sooner.

As soon as they confirmed the address and that it was coming, he threw the phone at Jason and ripped his jacket off.  He pressed it onto Luca's chest to stop the blood flow.  Luca moaned in pain.  Lincoln had no idea if this was the best thing to do.  It was just what he had seen on TV. 

He grabbed Jason by the neck and pulled him up the wall.  Tears streamed down his friends face and his body shook.  His pupils were the size of saucers.

"How long has he been there?"

"J, Just about five minutes before you got here" stuttered Jason.

"Why?  Why would you do this?" he screamed in Jason's face, banging him against the wall.

"There was banging on the door, I thought it was those Manc guys come to get me.  I grabbed the gun.  He burst through the door and I just panicked and it went off" He started sobbing and Lincoln threw him back against the wall and went back to Luca.

"Luca, Luca, it is Linc.  Please don't die.  Please don't die."  He cried as he stroked Luca's hair from his face.  The sirens were close now and the lights flashed through the dirty window of the hallway.

Lincoln ran down the stairs to the paramedics.

"He is up here, hurry."