SO COLD (18+) currently editing

Chapter 60.4

SO COLD

The night sky was pitch-black, clear of clouds. It was midnight, the clock struck twelve and the streets were deserted and bitingly-cold. An empty can of pop clattered noisily down a stretch of black tarmac, on a lonely stroll. Wind howled. The ambiance was electrifying.

The black transit van had a magnetic sign on either side of the doors. It was a logo of a non-existing plumbing company with a spanner grinning cheerfully and promising cheap, competitive prices. The van was stationary opposite Arnold Pearce's home. Inside, behind the wheel was Trevor in jeans and a ratty t-shirt. He had a toothpick in his mouth and his dirty fingernails tapped rhythmically on the wheel. On his laptop was a tablet with a street view on the screen. "Like always, three hundred and sixty seconds as soon as you've stepped out. Don't waste a second."

Irvin and I were clad in black. From bottom to top: patrol boots made of leather, combat trousers, a lightweight jacket that was heavy with stuffed pockets, tactical gloves and a paintball mask that completely covered the face, neck and our ears. I carried a tranquiliser gun and Irvin wore a rucksack and we were both strapped with semiautomatics with an extended clip and a silencer.

Our expressions were serious and grim. We had one take and although we had done this three times in the last month, it was still nerve-wrecking. Anything could go wrong. There were a lot of variables even though we'd been over routines, the house layout, the weather, and the neighbourhood. It was extensive work but it was a necessity. Safety was important and we needed to minimise all possible risks.

I took four deep, calming breaths. Level-headed. Steady. Focussed. Static crackled in my ear and I heard Trevor's voice as if he was right beside me. "Countdown. Five. Four. Three. Two. One." The tablet went blank. Cameras were off.

Gripping the door handle, I slid open the van sliding doors and jumped out. Stealthily, and like wildfire, we got across the street in a handful of seconds. There was going to be no explosive break-in. No smashing of glass. Nothing suspicious that would raise eyebrows and the dialling of 9-9-9 tomorrow morning. Irvin inserted a skeleton key, twisting the lock, and pushing open the door. He darted ahead, vanishing. "Room one. Clear." He transmitted. "Room two. Clear."

I rounded the corner, grip secure on the handle of the gun. I paused with my foot on the bottom of the stairs, flattening myself against the wall as a shadow passed overhead. "Target is on the move. Possible retreat..." I kept my voice low, ready to abandon the mission if Arnold twisted around to head in my direction. He was on the landing upstairs in cotton-blue pyjamas. "Steady. Steady." I warned Irvin to stay still.

"Room three. All clear. Heading back now. Be aware." Irvin relayed of his presence to avoid any sudden surprises and squeezed triggers.

Trevor dispatched. "Forty seconds gone. What is your position?"

"Change of plans. Target will come to us. Be aware, partner." I passed on, moving across the hallway to the door of a closet. I opened silently and slipped in, keeping the door open slightly. "Ready to take the shot?"

"In position. Whenever you're ready." Irvin broadcasted, crouched down beside the open doorway of the dining room, beside the table, a dark blur in the shadowy room.

I raised a gloved hand and knocked thrice. Silence. And then footsteps heading down the stairs and a disgruntled grumble. "Who the hell is at the door at this time of night?"

I waited, aware of my surroundings. His loud breathing in the quiet house, the huffs, the exhales from his nostrils. His figure marched past my door and in that split second, I knocked again. Quieter this time. He paused, cocked his head. "What the hell?" Confusion was evident on his face and he frowned deeply, brows furrowed. He shoved his glasses on his face and stared intently at the closet door. Just as he reached for the handle, Irvin fired. The tranquiliser dart hit him on the square of his back and was fast spreading and effective. He toppled to the ground in an unconscious heap.