Findo’s breath slammed out of his body, right as my shoulder slammed into his midriff. I wrapped my arm round his waist, the momentum carrying us both back and over the table. The bags broke along with the table and we crashed on to the ground. Powder exploded. Wood cracked and splintered.
I rolled off Findo. Tried not to breathe in the powder that had exploded into the air. My body ached. My muscles stretched to snapping point. Bruises threatened to form across my abdomen and upper body following the impact. I waited a few moments and then used the wall to clamber back on to my feet. My movements were stiff and slow. I looked down, saw I had wound up next to the prick with the cap, the one who now had a hole in his face. I swallowed. Tasted copper and vomit.
Findo got to his feet. Slowly. Maybe feeling the same pain I was. But he was confused. His face twisted with a lack of comprehension. ‘The fuck, man?’
‘There was no need for that. Jesus, you didn’t have to kill anyone!’
‘Fucksakes, you really are a Bubbly Bairn, aren’t you? I’ve been telling the old man you don’t have the stomach for this. Every time, he says you’re an asset. Aye, well, he’ll soon know, eh?’
‘We were here to fuck the operation. Not kill anyone.’
‘Is that your line, then? Fucking think about it, pal. We sell drugs. Those drugs kill people. One way or another. What I did was fucking humane!’
‘That’s not what I’m talking about.’
‘You sure?’
I ran at him again. He was ready this time. Sidestepped and locked me into a headlock. His thick forearms threatened to cut off my oxygen supply. My head swam in bubbles. He walked me round fast, got my feet off the floor and threw me on top of the corpse with the hole in his face.
I got back up, fighting the urge to vomit. My legs felt light and useless beneath the leaden weight of my upper body. But I remained standing. I wiped the back of my hand across my face, certain I could feel blood there.
‘You done?’
I wasn’t done, but there was no point running at him again. I held up my hands. Findo laughed, stepped towards me. ‘You’ll learn, pal.’ Like all was said and done. Forgive and forget. Like I was the kid here, the one with a lot to learn.
I took a deep breath. My legs felt more solid. My head clearer. I could think straight. I could step back, look at the situation and see what needed to be done.
When Findo was close enough, I grabbed his shoulders, hoisted my right knee into his balls. Hard. He let loose a loud breath and collapsed. I grabbed the back of his head, slammed his face against the side of the table. He didn’t resist.
He collapsed.
I watched him for a moment. No movement other than his chest rising and falling. He was still alive, at least. Although in that moment, I could happily have killed him.
I staggered back, pulled my phone out my pocket. Swapped sims with the one hidden behind my driver’s licence. Called Griggs. Figuring he might have a few ideas.