The Tale of the Wolf (The Kenino Wolf Series) (31 page)

Once we were all bound, he picked up the paper with Kevin Milkie's address and looking down on me said.

‘
I wish I had an hour to spare.’ Then he kicked me full force in the ribs and walked out closing the door behind him.

‘
I take it you know Scott Frazer then?’ Jeremiah asked.

‘
Yeah, I kinda hung him upside down and hung weights from his nuts … truthfully it's a long story … what did he mean Secret Service? I thought you were Interpol.’

‘
Nah, Secret Service.’

‘
You never said.’

‘
Because it’s a secret, Kenino.’

‘
Oh yeah, sorry J. So, when's the back-up coming?

‘
There ain't none. I got the the sack … Ex
-
Secret Service.’

‘
That's brilliant J.’

‘
Don’t start, Kenino. I only stepped in here to save you lot.’

‘
Well you certainly did that, Double-O Dole Cheque.’

‘
Fuck off, Kenino.’

‘
Maybe Leon will save us!’ Muzzi hoped in vain.

‘
I doubt it,’ Boom-Boom chipped in. ‘I saw him drive off ages ago.’

‘
Typical bloody Leon!’ I said.

‘
Do you blame him? Being around you is bad for people’s health,’ Boom-Boom sneered.

‘
You really want to start that shit again, Boom?’

‘
It don’t look like there’ll be another time.’

‘
Oh for god’s sake, Boom, shut up!’ Tabatha shouted at him.

‘
Who you telling to shut up? I told you he was trouble. It’s exactly this kinda bullshit I was talking about.’

‘
Listen, you coconut-headed, arse …’

‘
All of you shut up!’ Jeremiah commanded ‘I saw this show outside. I don’t need a re-run. We need to get out of here. Can’t you smell that?’

Jeremiah was right. I could smell smoke; the house was on fire.

‘
So come on J. Get us loose. Use one of your gadgets.’

‘
I haven’t got any.’

‘
What kind of spy don’t have gadgets? Ain’t you got an exploding button, a laser watch?’ I was stretching with the watch I know, but I was getting desperate.

‘
That’s the movies, Kenino.’

‘
So you got nothing then?’

‘
No.’

‘
Great! I’m about to be burned to death tied to the spy who snubbed me.’

‘
You think I’m happy? You think I want to go out like this?’

We could hear the fire crackling it was growing more intense.

‘
Boom, can you break lose.’

‘
Of course I can’t, otherwise I’d be free wouldn’t I, you idiot.’

‘
Don’t idiot me. What’s the point of all them fucking muscles if you can’t break out of a bit plastic?’

‘
I’m gonna kill you, Wolfy. I’m gonna fucking kill you.’ Boom-Boom was struggling to free himself, but couldn’t.

‘
Will you stop bickering,’ Jeremiah shouted.

‘
What? At least I’m trying something.’

‘
And what were you trying? To argue your way free?’

‘
No, I thought if Boom got angry enough, he’d break loose.’

‘
That was your plan?’

‘
Well, I ain’t heard you come up with anything, Super Spy.’

‘
This is why we don’t speak.’

‘
Oh, I thought it was because you’re a kiss-arse, and I locked your boss in a coffin. Hold on, was that M?’

‘
Does it really matter?’

‘
Yes. Did I capture M in Uncle Clement's sarcophagus?’

‘
Kenino.’

‘
Did I?’

‘
Yes ... okay. Happy now?’

‘
Oh, that’s priceless. I captured M.’

‘
Brilliant, Kenino, very impressive. Now how does that help us?’

‘It doesn’t obviously. Comrade!’ I called one of the Russians.

‘
What?’

‘
Are your legs tied?’ I couldn’t remember whether I’d tied their legs together or not.

‘
No.’

‘
Well, wiggle this way. I need to borrow your leg. Shuffle round, Jeremiah.’ Jeremiah and I shuffled round so that I faced the Russian. He was giving me a sceptical look. ‘If you want to live, you need to help us. You’re the only ones with any appendages free.’ He looked at his compadres.

‘
If you wanna live you gotta help. Hurry up. My phone’s in my inside pocket. I need you to push it out with your foot.’ He looked again at his pals. They all nodded frantically. He shuffled across towards me put his foot on my chest and started to edge my phone out. ‘Slowly ... slowly. Ouch!’ He kicked me in the head. ‘I know you did that on purpose.’

‘
Accident,’ he replied slyly.

‘
Just hurry up. Muzzi, is Anna still at your house with Bruny?’

‘
Should be, Wolfy.’

The Russian edged the phone out of my pocket and it flopped out before me.

‘
How are you going to use it, dickhead? Nobody can move their hands.’ Boom-Boom jeered.

‘
You’re getting untied last for that statement.’ The house was blazing by now: flames were chewing at the door, smoke had started to seep in and the heat had already risen considerably.

I pressed the green dial button with my nose and spoke the words. ‘Muzzi’s house.’ It dialled. ‘Voice dialling. Don’t need hands.’

‘
Let’s see if anyone picks up before we start cheering,’ Jeremiah responded. It was ringing, ‘Why don’t he pick up?’ Muzzi squealed.

‘
Hello? Muzzi’s house.’ It was Bruny.

‘
Bruny, it’s Wolfy.’

‘
Hi, Wolfy. Muzzi’s not here. I thought he went with you.’

‘
He did, Bruny. Now shut up and listen. We need you to come to 27 Warwick Road. We’ve been tied up in the house and the house is on fire. Bring a knife and come quick. Take Muzzi’s car if you have to, just get here.’

‘
I’m on my way, Wolfy.’

‘
Bruny?’

‘
Yes, Wolfy.’

‘
Come fast, or we’re all dead.’

‘
On my way.’ He slammed the phone down.

‘
Well done, Kenino.’

‘
Cheers J. Them are the gadgets you’re meant to have.’

‘
Now what?’ It was Curtis, who’d been strangely quiet. The wallpaper had started to peel and the paste was staring to bubble.

‘
Damn, Curt. I forgot you was here.’

‘
I wish I wasn’t.’

‘
What and miss all the fun?’

‘
This is what I mean. He thinks this is fun.’ It was Boom-Boom again.

‘
You just keep talking, Boom. You just remember your last.’ Smoke was coming into the room. Breathing was becoming hard even if the bickering was still easy. I was starting to lose consciousness. I could feel the smoke starting to take my life from me, drown me in its poisonous fumes. I was half out when I heard the loud crash of the window and felt the cold air come rushing in. I was facing the wrong way and couldn’t see anything.

It had been five minutes since he’d hung up but I knew it was Bruny; he drove as fast as Tabatha. I felt my hands released from their restraints and turned round to see Muzzi climbing out the broken window. Tabatha, Curtis and Boom-Boom were already out. With the speed and agility of a gazelle, Bruny cut the Russians and Jeremiah loose and helped us out through the window into the street.

Coughing and spluttering we returned to the world, saved by a blue fireman in a Hawaiian shirt.

‘
Bruny, you’re a bloody hero!’ I spluttered.

‘
You handled that real well. You showed real courage and skill. You should be a fireman,’ Jeremiah spluttered.

‘
I am a fireman.’

‘
Oh.’ Jeremiah fumbled back.

‘
Bruny, you’re a star and I owe you one.’

‘
Why’s he blue, Kenino?’

‘
Long story. Stop being ungrateful.’

‘
I ain’t. It’s just he’s blue.’

‘
That’s not important ... J what the hell is going on?’

‘
Kruchenko stole Magenta Devine's
Black List.
It's what he's after.’

‘
What?’

‘
Magenta Devine's
Black List
is the key to her power. It's the information about who she controls and how she controls them. Whoever has it controls her empire. Kruchenko is attempting a coup. He's trying to overthrow Magenta Devine. Somehow Kevin Milkie ended up with the list. That's why Kruchenko wants him. You have to get to Milkie before Kruchenko. Save Milkie. If Kruchenko gets to him first, everything's fucked.’

‘
Where are you going?’

‘
I’ll meet you there. I need to see someone.’

‘
Do you know where we going?’

‘
Text me.’ Jeremiah was running down the road.

‘
I don’t have your number.’

‘
I’ve got yours.’

‘
Eh.’

‘
Super Spy, remember?’

‘
Yeah. Bollocks! Tabs, Curtis, come on. We got to get to Wales.’ They ran across to Betsy and jumped in. Muzzi raced across as well and jumped in, still carrying the bloody cat.

‘
Muzzi, what you doing?’

‘
I’m coming to help save Mrs Milkie’s son.’

‘
Why'd you bring the cat?’

‘
He might help.’

‘
True … good thinking.’

‘
We going to get the list aren’t we?’ Tabatha stated, slamming Betsy into gear.

‘
Yep.’

‘
We’re going to swap it for our lives,’ Curtis announced proudly.

‘
Yep. You on fire now, Curt!’

‘
Wolfy, after what’s just happened, that ain’t funny.’

‘
Yeah fair enough. Bad choice of words. My bag ... Anyway, forget that. Tabs, drive!’

She sped down the road past Boom-Boom who was talking to Bruny. I could actually smell the rage on Boom-Boom as we sped past.

‘
You know he wants to kill you now, don’t you?’ Tabatha said, braking left.

‘
Yeah, I know. But it’s a long queue and he’s far down the list.’