A single security guard dressed in a blue uniform with a baton attached to his belt stood next to the barrier that provided entry to the docks.
Michael’s heart was racing like a piston in a formula one car. He closed his eyes and began to run through the operation in his head. Timing and precision was paramount to their success. Thoughts of consequence were being replaced by an adrenaline he had never felt before. Mathew began to psyche himself up, punching his right fist in to his left palm. He then paused. In that very moment, time had frozen and reality was a picture frame that was about to be altered by 3 thieves in the night.
“Mincy, take your mask off and get your arse in the front. We’ll do the switch around when we get to the warehouse. Like I said boy’s, 5 minutes.” Old greek confirmed one more time.
Mincy took a deep breath, opened the back of the van and looked around to see if anyone was there. With the coast clear, he took off his balaclava and stuffed it in to his pocket. Him and Greek Pete met eyes at the middle of the van, as though examining the other guy to see if he still had the resolve to carry this out
“We got this, don’t worry about it.” Greek said confidently to Mince.
“Never this big guv” Mince replied anxiously.
“Like I said, we got this...” Greek repeated. His voice then lowered and he moved his face close to Mincy’s ear “If choir boy grows a conscience at any time, be sure to take him out”
Mince nodded reluctantly, although accepting they couldn’t afford any weak links on the team.
The engine of the van then spluttered in to life and slowly made its way to the security gate.
A flashlight beamed in to the eyes of Mincy in the driver’s seat. Mincy squinted, which caused him to slow the vehicle down to a halt, directly in front of the barrier.
“Alright mate, out late tonight aren’t we?” said the stocky security guard with a high pitched voice.
Mincy rolled down his window.
“Alright guv. I’m here to do an inspection on the facilities, by order of her majesty the Queen” Mincy said trying to sound as professional as possible.
“Inspection? At this time? You’re having a bubble mate. Go on, let’s see some ID”. The guard said bemused.
“A bubble indeed mate. But Maggie and her boys up in number 10 want to make sure those Jap’s don’t start flooding the market with lesser quality goods, if you know what I mean.” Mincy replied as he reached in to his pocket.
Mincy then provided the guard with the ID, which they lucked in to on one of their previous outings. The guard pointed his flashlight at the ID which read “Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs Security Officer. John Barrow”. There was a picture of Mincy on the front, which had been expertly incised in to the laminated ID courtesy of a few of his less than angelic contacts from the local estates.
The security guard’s eyes zoned in on something and gave it further inspection.
“Which department did you say you were from John?” The guard asked while still focusing on something which appeared to bother him on the ID
Mincy’s heart began to pound erratically and the beating of it was clouding the thoughts in his head.
“Urrr. HMRC mate. Special inspector’s unit” Mincy said with the slightest of hesitation
The security guard then peered up to Mincy, who had sweat profusely running down his forehead.
“Right” the guard said without giving anything away.
In the back, Greek and Mathew were trembling in anxiety awaiting the conclusion of this episode. They could hear everything at the front and were hoping Mincy’s gift of gab could get them through it.
“I could swear, these identification badges are getting worse and worse every year. My 5 year old could make something like this at home.” The guard said, looking disgusted at what he saw.
Mincy knew the jig was up. There was no way an experienced security guard working at a multi-million pound international shipping port would fall for this amateurish security badge. The butterflies in his stomach became wasps that were stinging every part of his inner torso. Mincy slowly reached his hand out and placed it over the key, which was still in the ignition.
“Alright here you go. When you see Maggie, tell her Liam from the docks tells her to do one.” The guard offered the ID back and Mincy without trying to expose himself slowly lifted his hand away and grabbed it.
“One more thing, I have to do a regulation boot check”
“Oh fuck” Greek said in a panicked whisper to Mathew. “Fuck, fuck, fuck”.
“Is it open?” Liam asked, flashing the light in the face of Mincy once again.
“I’m afraid the contents of the back are confidential my friend. No one can look in there or gain access to it, except an authorised individual, which in this case, is me”. Mincy said, regaining his composure.
Liam the security guard pulled a walkie talkie from his buckle
“Boss, we got a guy here from HMRC refusing me access to his boot, what shall I do?” Liam said in to the static of the walkie talkie.
“Who is he?” a voice from the gadget asked
“Name’s John Barrow from some new specialist inspection unit. Sounds a bit upmarket if you ask me” Liam replied.
There was a pause on the line.
The hearts’ off all three men once again began racing profusely and the silence seemed to be unending. Liam smiled weakly at Mincy to let him know he was awaiting word from his boss.
After what seemed like a lifetime, Liam’s walkie talkie suddenly crackled back in to life
“OK, let them through. We’ve been instructed to give these guys full access to our facilities”. The voice said.
“You heard the man. Have a good day sir. If you need anything, just give me a shout. I’ll be right here”
“Thank you Liam. Have a pukka day” Mincy said beaming.
The guard peered inquisitively for a moment before letting him through.
