Jailbird
Episode 81
HOLLISON RESIDENCE
The blinds are drawn.
There are no lights on the outside of the incredibly luxurious house.
It is pitch black, and there is no indication that there are people in the house.
However, deep within the confines of the beautiful house, inside an air-conditioned room, four men are in an uneasy conference.
It is evident that they are very agitated and on edge.
Two of them are even sweating, although the room is chilled with the silent air-conditioner.
There is a single shaded light on a desk in the corner.
Sergeant McBaiden is lying on a deep sofa with an arm thrown across his face.
Jonathan Afful is sitting at the desk, busily transferring funds from various accounts to a particular off-shore account on his laptop.
Cuger, acutely agitated, is standing at the window making a call.
Steve Hollison is packing cocaine in huge transparent rubber packets into a briefcase.
Steve and Afful are dressed in suits, whilst Cuger and McBaiden are in police uniforms.
Cuger cuts the call and turns to look at them.
There is a look of sheer malice and disgust on his face.
CHIEF INSPECTOR CUGER
Alright, the arrangements have been made. King Shapiro just told me a driver called Joe Gharbin will come for us. He’ll take us to a safe house in Togo, and tomorrow a private jet will take us to South Africa. Two days from today we’ll be in Australia.
For the first time in about two days McBaiden smiles with relief.
AFFUL
Now that is what I call good news.
STEVE
(anxiously)
And when is this Gharbin guy rolling in? Every second wasted is precious, you know. Warrants for our arrests could be issued any time.
CHIEF INSPECTOR CUGER
(disdainfully)
Yeah, you’re right. But all that could’ve been f***ing avoided if you a***oles had stopped f***ing Chinese asses and concentrated on that d–n Elaine shit!
AFFUL
(angrily)
Hey, watch your d–n mouth! It’s my wife you’re talking about!
CHIEF INSPECTOR CUGER
And it’s your f***ing wife who put us in this shit in the first place, which wouldn’t have happened if you had kept a d–n leash on her!
SERGEANT MCBAIDEN
(placatingly)
Come on, guys! You all knew the shit was bound to hit the fan the moment that Bawa a***ole left prison early. The milk is already spilt. Let’s just get out of here whilst we still have the time!
Cuger sighs deeply and strains for calm.
CHIEF INSPECTOR CUGER
Right. The car will be here in thirty minutes. You guys get your shit together!
They get up, and begin to gather personal effects.
Afful shuts down his computer, packs it into its bag and then picks his phone.
He dials Elaine’s number and is waiting for the phone to ring when suddenly Cuger descends on him.
Cuger knocks the phone out of Afful’s hand and steps on it with his heavy boot, cracking the screen.
Afful shouts and pushes Cuger back furiously.
AFFUL
(wrathfully)
What the f*** is the matter with you? That’s a f***ing Supreme Goldstriker f***ing iPhone 3G you f***ing f***ing stupid f***!!
CHIEF INSPECTOR CUGER
(shouting)
Shut the f*** up, man! The cops would’ve put a trace on your bloody phone by now! They’re probably in your house now as we speak, waiting for you to call your wife! Is seventy years in prison better than your f***ing Goldf*** of a phone?
AFFUL
You stupid f***!
He bends and picks up the phone.
They are all on edge as they wait, and forty minutes later Cuger’s phone rings.
He picks the call.
CHIEF INSPECTOR CUGER
(carefully)
Hello?
JOE GHARBIN
(softly)
I’m Joe Gharbin. The King sent me. You have exactly five minutes, and then I’m gone.
The phone goes dead.
CHIEF INSPECTOR CUGER
The carrier is here. Let’s get the f*** outta here!
Quickly they leave Steve’s house.
When they get outside there is a sleek black S-Class Mercedes parked in front of the house, and a huge, tall man in an all-black attire leaning against it.
Steve locks the mechanical gates of the house, and they move towards the man.
CHIEF INSPECTOR CUGER
Let’s get the hell out of here, man!
The man moves from the car, and Cuger notices suddenly that there is a gun in his hand.
He cries out a warning and goes for his gun, but suddenly giant lights come on in the darkness, blinding them, and immediately a lot of huge, heavily-armed policemen in operation fatigues materialize out of the darkness.
Their assault rifles are aimed on the four men.
The tall man leaning against the car steps forward, and his face is grim as he looks at them.
JOE GHARBIN
You’re surrounded by a combined team of the army and police, you a***oles.
Anyone so much as sneezes and we’ll blast you all to hell!
McBaiden whimpers and almost collapses with fear.
The briefcase drops from Steve’s nerveless hands because he is trembling so hard and can barely stand straight.
Afful, frightened by the huge armed men, drops to his knees and raises his hands.
Only Cuger remains solid, his eyes darting everywhere as he assesses the risks.
JOE GHARBIN
Don’t even try it, Cuger! Believe me, I’ll kill you where you stand if you give me the tiniest of reasons.
CHIEF INSPECTOR CUGER
I’m a policeman, you-
Joe Gharbin cuts in contemptuously.
JOE GHARBIN
Oh, spare me that drivel! I’m Chief Inspector Joe Gharbin. For your information we received recorded tapes from a man called Darlett Thompson. Name sounds familiar to you?
The four men wince with dread, and Joe Gharbin nods his head.
JOE GHARBIN
I see you knew Darlett. Based on the information on his tapes, we were able to arrest the lord, King Shapiro. He set up this operation from our cells. We know all your operations. You’re being arrested on charges as long as the Nile River, a***oles. From drug trafficking, the murder of Darlett Thompson, the framing of Mr. Chris Bawa, his torture in prison, you name it. Mr. Jonathan Afful, you’re also being arrested for drug trafficking, drunk driving leading to personal harm to a human, murder of Darlett Thompson, and the list goes on. Mr. Steve Hollison, for being part of the biggest drug cartel in Africa, you’re also being arrested. You guys are going to prison for a f***ing long time! Cuff them, guys!
The policemen move forward.
One of them opens Steve’s briefcase and displays the huge quantities of cocaine.
Joe Gharbin steps forward suddenly and delivers a savage blow to Cuger’s midsection.
It makes Cuger cough and gag, and he falls to his knees and vomits instantly.
JOE GHARBIN
You disgust me! You’re a disgrace to that uniform, motherf***er! Get them out of my sight!
Click 2 below to continue reading