The Red Viper by Jack Probyn

Author:Jack Probyn [Probyn, Jack]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cliff Edge Press

8

Patience

13 October 2006, 09:55

‘What? Are you mad?’

‘I said you wouldn’t like it.’

Freddy looked to the ground. Back up. ‘How do you know it will work?’

‘I don’t,’ Jake said honestly. ‘But it’s the only thing I can think of. Unless you’ve got some other brilliant plan?’

Freddy fell silent.

‘What do you think?’

‘Just give me a minute,’ Freddy snapped at him. ‘I need to think about it. If it goes wrong, I’m going down for a long time.’

‘You’ve got a better chance of succeeding than staying in here all day. You’ve got to think about yourself. There’s no way they’ll release the other members of your team. If they caught them, that is.’

Freddy’s eyebrows rose. ‘You don’t reckon they arrested them?’

Jake shrugged. ‘Difficult to say. It wouldn’t surprise me if they were lying to convince you had nothing left. But you do; you have something left. You’ve got this—’ Jake tapped his temple ‘—and you’ve got this.’ Jake pointed to the gun. ‘Like you said, never stop. Be the Red Viper you’ve always been. Make them know who you are. Make your son know who you are. For now and forever.’

Jake let his words sink in. He hoped they’d be enough. For what felt like an eternity, Jake waited. And waited. Until eventually, he had his answer.

‘Fine. I’ll do it.’

Jake felt elated, and he struggled to suppress a beaming smile from breaking onto his face. The plan was set; now all he had to do was put it into action.

‘Good choice. It won’t be easy, but it’ll be worth it. I promise.’

‘You better be right. You’re the dickhead who got me into this mess.’

Jake felt himself blush, and a blanket of guilt fell over him. ‘Call it even?’ Jake extended his hand.

Freddy shook it.

‘If it all goes wrong, at least I’ll know I’ve had a good run. Twenty-three years on my own untouchable. I think that puts me in the record books. What do you say?’

‘I say if it doesn’t, I’ll add your name to them myself. Now, make the call.’

Graciously, Freddy removed the mobile phone from his pocket and dialled the last number. He held the phone to his ear.

He spoke on the second ring.

‘Hello, Charlie. I have a proposition for you. Want to hear it?’ Freddy paused a beat. ‘Good. I don’t care if you’ve got the rest of my team locked up in some imaginary jail cell, because I know them, and I know they wouldn’t have let themselves get caught so easily. They’re smarter than that. More resourceful. Intelligent. They can slip right through like fucking snakes. Because we’re the Crimsons, and we’re bigger and better than anything you ever throw at us…which is why I’m giving you an ultimatum. You give me what I want, then I give you the opportunity to catch me. How does that sound?’

Freddy waited for Charlie to speak.

‘What don’t you understand? What do you need me to explain? The meaning of the words I used? Just shut up and pay attention. Here’s what

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