“Both sets of spotters have disappeared!”
“You what!”
“Two of the guys are scrolling through the surveillance now to find out when and what happened.”
“Be fast about it – we can’t send our men in if we don’t know the perimeter.”
Moments later, another voice announced, “Found them. Siggerty’s spotters have been killed by the other group.”
“What! When?”
“A few minutes ago.”
“All the more reason to go in – now!” Will interjected. “They’ll be distracted and won’t be expecting us.” This was time for action, not discussion.
* * *
“Teams 1 and 2, take the building. Team 3, cover and control the front and Team 4, take out the spotters. Go!”
Immediately, at a rapid jog, the teams moved out from behind the neighbouring buildings.
“Update,” called Will, sitting on the edge of his seat. “We need a video patch to the teams’ head cams.”
* * *
As the armed police swung into action, the discussion between Siggerty and those facing him was going nowhere. Siggerty was clearly agitated from not having heard from his spotters for far too long – he had given explicit instructions that he be informed when his nemesis had arrived but had heard nothing. However, Siggerty also noticed a slight change of expression on his opposite number’s face that registered confusion and concern.
What Siggerty had no way of knowing was that the man had just received a disturbing message – his spotters had alerted him to the presence of armed police!
* * *
With a pounding of heavy boots three teams rushed the building, Team 3, with assault rifles raised, yelling at Kamal’s men who had remained outside.
“Armed police! Out of the vehicles and lie on the ground!”
There was no time for them to respond, other than to obey the orders. Grudgingly, the men acquiesced and lay on the ground.
Bursting through the front, rear and side doors, Teams 1 and 2 stormed into the building. “Armed police! Lie down on the ground! Now!” barked the lead officer.
Gurning and his companions sat rigidly in their chairs, eyes fixed on the screen displaying the jerky live video feed from the raiding teams’ shoulder cams.
Siggerty and his companions spun around, desperation clear in their actions and expressions as they sought a way out. Likewise, Kamal’s men scattered, seeking their own cover. As they did, the lead man yelled “Siggerty, you ain’t getting out of this, boss wants you!” and he raised his handgun to shoot.
Armed police immediately responded immediately taking Kamal’s man out. Siggerty spun round looking for an escape. As he did, he and his men raised their firearms and started to shoot Kamal’s remaining two men. They, in turn, returned fire as they sought cover behind some concrete columns.
“Bugger it!” exclaimed Gurning bitterly as he watched the fire-fight erupt. “This is going to end badly!”
“Don’t forget we’ve got the men from out front,” Will reminded him.
“Yes, I know. But that’s not entirely the point. We need Siggerty to understand the void that will be created by losing his drugs operation. We need to know what that will mean. We’ve already lost the lead for the other side. Whether anyone else will know how to contact Nikki Williamson is doubtful.” Gurning was careful as he spoke about Siggerty, I also want to hear Siggerty’s side of working with Burak, and at this rate it won’t be possible!
An intense gunfight broke out as Kamal’s and Siggerty’s men alternated shooting at each other and the police from behind their concrete columns. With the red mist of hate and blood-lust in their eyes they were not about to surrender. Bullets slammed into the bare walls, or smashed through already cracked windows.
“Will, we need to close this down fast!” Gurning said urgently. “But without casualties on our side!”
“Boss!” one of Siggerty’s men called out, standing sideways behind his column to ensure he wasn’t exposed. He withdrew the magazine from the handle of his handgun and shrugged – he was out of bullets!
Panic flowed through Siggerty’s veins and his stomach clenched – the idea of a lengthy fire-fight had never entered his thinking and he was not prepared for it! He quickly checked his own weapon – five bullets remaining and he had already used his spare magazines. Fuck it!
Suddenly a desperate yet wicked thought struck and inspired him. Signalling to his other side kick he was informed the man had three bullets remaining. Just enough to make this work. Siggerty chambered a bullet, slid another round into an empty magazine and then inserted that magazine into his gun. Finally, Siggerty slipped the magazine with the remaining few rounds up his sleeve. Nodding his understanding, Siggerty’s side kick did the same thing.
Waiting for a momentary lull from the other side, Siggerty swung his gun arm out so he was clearly visible and squeezed the trigger, once, then twice. His side-kick did the same. Their guns’ slides remained wedged back indicating that they were out of bullets.
Both were slow withdrawing their arms back out-of-sight.
“You out o’ ammo Siggerty! Come on out or you copper fodder!” one of Kamal’s remaining two men called. While his accomplice fired a few more shots towards the police to keep them back, the man stepped forward, arm outstretched targeting Siggerty and his companions.
Siggerty and his side-kicks stepped forward. I need to pull this off, Siggerty thought, his thumb hovering over the release button for the magazine. Need to choose my moment. Sweat trickled down his back and his palms became clammy in anticipation.
Keeping his gun visible, Siggerty continued to walk forward until he had a clear view of the man who was still shooting at the police positions. He took one more step and then flung himself to one side and rolled on the filthy floor, wincing in pain as small, sharp pieces of rubble dug into his side and back. As he came up on one knee, Siggerty released the empty magazine and allowed it to clatter away.
A bullet kicked dust and shards of concrete into Siggerty’s face, then a second – his opponent was not good at shooting a moving target! I may just have a chance! Siggerty flicked his left hand and felt the reassuring coolness of metal as he slid the hidden magazine into his palm. As he slammed the magazine into the gun another two bullets slammed into the floor beside him. Shit! He levelled his gun as a searing pain surged through his body when a bullet tore through his left shoulder, shattering his collar bone. “Arrrgh!”
“You’re dead, Siggerty!” the man yelled, stomping towards him, arm outstretched and firing constantly.
Siggerty rolled again leaving blood splatters on the ground. With clenched teeth, he glanced over at his side-kicks hoping for support. His heart fell – both were sprawled on the floor, one clearly dead, the other about to be as he was being used for target practice by the other of Kamal’s men.
“Bastard!” Siggerty yelled and squeezed two well-placed shots into the oncoming man’s chest. The man’s onward charge immediately faltered, his legs buckled and gun arm lowered. An involuntary spasm sent a final bullet into the floor at his feet before he collapsed, a stunned expression on his face.
