21 Guns ~ a Phanfiction

{One}

*

It was a cool night, on the brink of winter, yet the roads were still littered with amber and gold leaves. They seemed to be melting into the ground from the rain that had fallen only ten minutes prior, and even now, it was still raining, if only a little.

Phil stepped outside, wearing a large trench coat, a small knife hidden in his pocket. It was small but sharp, the handle made from a rich dark oak, polished to give it a handsome shine. The blade was only ten centimetres in length but it was artfully crooked at the edges to inflict unimaginable pain on the recipient. It was a gift from David on his seventeenth birthday, handed down from David's own father, who had passed it down to him at the same age. Though Phil knew very little about his grandfather other than he was assassinated at the age of 36, it was a great honour to be in possession of such a precious weapon.

The group were there waiting for him already, all of them nodding at him in greeting apart from who Phil assumed to be the new kid. He was a good inch taller than the others but he held himself with an air of timidity. He had a mop of curly chestnut hair atop his head, his clothes dark, as if trying to hide himself from sight.

"Shall we get going, then?"

*

The car journey wasn't particularly eventful; Felix was driving with the new kid sitting in the passenger seat next to him.  Sean and Emma were in the back, Phil squashed in the middle of them.

"So what's his story?" Phil whispered to Emma, gesturing towards the boy, who was staring moodily out the window, his figure casting shadows as they passed streetlights.

"His name's Dan," Emma whispered back, "got caught up with the wrong crowd and now he's here, probably because he doesn't want to die."

Phil nodded, despite hearing the exact same thing from his father only a few hours ago; he wondered how long Dan would last before making a run for it.

"Here we are," said Felix, pulling up on the pavement outside the fish and chips shop, which at a first glance looked like it was closed and if you didn't know any better, you'd never question it, "remember the case."

"Yeah, like I'd forget the whole reason we're here." Scoffed Sean, retrieving a large black suitcase from the boot of the car before slamming it shut again.

"Right, let's just go through everything again," Felix gestured for them to stand closer, "Phil, Dan, I know this is your first deal so I want you to just follow our lead. Don't talk and definitely do not attack anyone unless they start first. Got it?"

They both nodded, Dan eyeing the other with curiosity before focussing on Felix again.

"I'm confident in both of your abilities to handle yourselves in case something goes down but we're hoping it doesn't come to that. These are new clients; we don't know what they're gonna pull, which is why we've got so much backup. I'm just hoping for their sake that it goes smoothly."

The group headed into the alleyway, Felix leading them, Dan and Phil hanging back a bit.

"First time, huh?" Phil muttered casually.

"Yeah..." He didn't sound the most enthusiastic but what could be expected.

"I'm sure you'll do great."

"Really?" He looked hopeful, a slither of a smile playing at his lips.

"Yeah. I've never done this before, either so don't worry about embarrassing yourself."

"Thanks, I guess."

They walked in silence for a few paces before Dan spoke up:

"How do you know I'll embarrass myself, though?" He asked indignantly, "you've never seen me in a fight, have you?"