New Story - again written exclusively on Steemit - WiP - Bouncer Part 23a

This story is evolving with a pace all its own. I'm listening to the feedback and if something resonates, I've decided that I'll go with it (thanks @kiwideb). Feel free to give feedback on characters, storylines etc - even if you think it's harsh.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23

Pictures from Google free to use search

Please note: This is the FIRST DRAFT, no editing, written straight onto paper. I don't know how to highlight that any more than it is. I'll NOT be making any alterations to what's already been written. As a good friend and excellent author has said, First draft is a race to get the story down before it decides to stop telling itself to you. Thanks Glenn. @alienbutt

A nod to @meesterboom for one of the quotes in today's story. Thanks to @kiwideb for the alternate direction this scene went in.

53 pages, 20,830 words so far.

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“What do you know, Sinbad?” Zack said before Sinbad got right up to them.

“That lot,” Sinbad said, nodding his head in the rough direction in which the mob had run. “We’d just cleared them out of the pub. They’d been causing shit all night and then one of my lads heard them say they were coming up here. I knew you’d been coming this way, so I decided to follow them, make sure you lot were all ok.”

Zack nodded, mouth down-turned, appraising his explanation. “So you decided to come up here all on your own to rescue us?” he said.

Sinbad’s eyes narrowed. He studied Zack. “I don’t know what you’re trying to imply,” he said.

“I’m not trying to imply anything. I appreciate you coming up to help us out. Thanks for watching our backs. I’ll do the same for you one day.”

Sinbad studied Zack, watching the taller guy, a frown of suspicion on his face. He folded his arms, making the biceps bulge under his shirt. “Is that it?” he said.

“Is what it?” Zack asked, his face a mask of neutrality.

“Is that all you have to say?” Sinbad said.

Sinbad’s scowl seemed belligerent to Zack and he sensed Taylor approaching. Zack waved Taylor to stay back. Sinbad moved his head to see Taylor better.

“What you you want, Taylor?” Sinbad said with a snarl curling his lip.

“Let it go, Sinbad,” Zack said. “You’re marked up as on duty this evening and the CCTV cameras will be recording this. You don’t want the good turn you just did turning into a brawl with you in the starring role, do you?”

Sinbad looked from Taylor to Zack and thought about the advice.

“Yeah? Well like you said, you owe me one. Don’t forget it,” Sinbad said and turned away.

Zack turned to Taylor and Liz only after Sinbad had turned the corner and gone from his sight.

“OK, let’s find Crackers and get everyone home. I think there’s been enough excitement for one night,” Zack said.

“What did I miss?” Crackers said, emerging from the pub door.

“Where have you been? We looked everywhere for you,” Taylor said.

“Obviously not everywhere,” Crackers said with a huge grin.

“You’ve been off shagging, I suppose?” Joe said.

“A gentleman never tells,” Crackers said. “My mate, Scott told me that a long time ago. It’s stuck with me and I try to keep to it.”

Zack shook his head. “Where did you put your car?”

“Down the street, in the car park with the working CCTV,” he said, starting off in the same direction as Sinbad had gone.

They caught up with Crackers, filling him in as they went.

“Sinbad doesn’t do good turns unless it’s for his own benefit. You know what I think?” Crackers said.

“Go on,” Zack said, encouraging him.

“I think he’s trying to get on your good side so he can have a job in your new firm,” Crackers said, nodding his head as though agreeing with himself.

“Taylor told him the other night, there’s no place for him in the firm, so I don’t see why he’d bother,” Joe said.

“That’s exactly what I think,” Zack said. “Since when does he go running off up the street to help anyone else? Not on his own, not unless they knew he was coming and were told to do one as soon as he arrived. He comes in like fucking Superman, swooping in to save the fucking day.”

Joe started laughing behind Zack. “Is that the best scheme he could come up with?” he said. “Even at short notice, that’s pretty pathetic. I told him the other night, Taylor has him outclassed. It looks like you have him outsmarted too.”

“If he’s so desperate for a job, he should have a word with Mikhail. I think him and his two goons are the only ones left back there. I’m sure Sinbad’ll get to be Head Doorman now. He just needs to make sure his contract says that and not Head Glass Collector too,” Taylor said.

Empty ones though

“Even with just the glass collectors as competition for the positon, I don’t think Mikhail will have him as Head Doorman. If he didn’t give him the job this weekend, when he was under pressure, at short-notice, I don’t think he’ll give it to him when he has almost a week in which to replace him,” Crackers said.

The group laughed and bantered all the way to the car. Liz hardly spoke, but she listened.

When they got to the car, Liz said, “I’ll walk from here. I only live a few streets away and it’s the wrong way on the one-way system.”

Zack, Taylor, Joe and Crackers all looked at her and said a version of, “No, you’re not walking alone at this time of night,” at the same time.

Liz laughed. “Such gentlemen. I think my father knew what he was doing,” she said and looked directly at Zack.

Zack studied her for a moment and smiled. “Yeah, looks like he did,” he said.

“What street do you live on?” Taylor said. “I’ll walk you home. Zack can drive round to pick me up.”

Liz nodded and agreed because she realised she was being escorted safely home whether she liked it or not.