Dark Direction

Chapter 11: Fire and Ice

As the neon lights flash to the beat of the music, laser lights cut through the smoke from the fog machine. Girls were seen on stage in fishnet stockings and stilettos as they swing their hips to the music and wrap their legs around the poles. The Ice & Sugar Strip Club was packed now that the murderer of the local prostitute was in jail.

Simon and his buddy enter the club just as a table becomes available. "Hey mate, what do you think?" Simon's buddy asks as they took a seat at the table.

"I think I wouldn't have come if you told me where we were going!" says Simon as he looks around.

"Oh man, seriously?" Simon's buddy says as he whistles and flags a cocktail waitress over. "You need to get away, you've been working way too many hours." he says as he reaches over and pats Simon on the back. "Loosen up and live a little" he chuckles as he scopes the whole place over.

With empty glasses and beer bottles on a round tray the waitress nods and smiles as they give her their order. Raising the tray above her head she squeezes through the crowd. Simon and his buddy can't help but to gawk at her as she makes it to the bar.

Simon does a double take as he sees a young spikey blonde haired kid at the end of the bar talking to a couple guys. "holy shit that's the punk." Simon thought to himself. Simon turns and looks at his friend. He stands up and says to his buddy "I'll be back" and walks towards the crowd

"Man we're not even here for ten minutes and you see something you like already?" Simon squeezes through the crowd slowly making his way over to the end of the bar where the kid is in deep conversation.

"So, Nialler" Liam says as he turns his head to the side glancing at Niall. "You up to doing a job for me?" he asks as he grabs a half empty beer bottle into his hand.

"Ok, what's up?" Niall asks as he takes a drink from his frosted mug.

"A couple of my girls have been complaining about a cult recruiter preaching to them while they're on duty!" Liam says as he looks into the mirror behind the the liquor bottles stacked on the shelf at the bar. 

"So what did you have in mind?" asks Niall as he turned his bar stool in Liam's direction. Liam turns his head to face Niall

"Maybe a little arson in the recruitment building." he says as he starts twisting his beer bottle on the bar counter. "I don't want anyone to get hurt, I just want to keep them busy for a while and away from my girls."

Niall takes the last drink of his Irish beer. "Sounds good boss!" he says as he tips his mug in Liam's direction. "I'm may need a couple liquor bottles and a few other supplies." Niall says as he places his mug on the counter and stands up.

"Get what you need from the stock room and office." Liam turns his head and nods in the direction of the back room labeled 'Employees Only' "I'll have Andy take you there within the hour." 

"On it boss" Niall says as he turns and heads towards the back of the room.

Liam turns his attention to the VIP lounge where Andy was standing. As he waves Andy over he places his beer bottle on the counter next to Niall's mug. Andy is standing next to Liam with his arms crossed over his chest. "Andy, my mate Niall has a little job to do for me. Can you get  him over to the cult compound across town? Don't bother returning until the job is done!" Andy says nothing but nods his head in response.

Just as Simon was pushing through the crowd, he is suddenly cut off by an exotic dancer. She starts swinging her hips and slowly wraps a feathered boa around his neck. Simon is briefly distracted by the girl as she starts combing her fingers through his hair. When he returns his attention back to the spikey haired boy, he is gone. Completely frustrated and totally irritated by the dancer, Simon yanks the boa from around his neck and shoves it into the dancer’s chest. Simon clears a path through the crowd of people and makes it back to his table quickly.

"Hey" says his buddy "It must be your lucky night!" he says with a grin "Got yourself in on a little action already! You're a real lady's man!" he winks his eye at Simon.

"Not exactly" Simon protests. "Can we get out of here?" Simon asks as he takes a gulp of his beer.

"Hey! we just got here, the night is still young!"

Simon puts his hand on his hip "Well then I'll take a cab!" Simon says walking towards the exit.

"Alright, alright I’ll take you home" his buddy exclaims as he throws money on the table.

Niall rummages around the office after grabbing a couple bottles of ninety proof alcohol. He finds rubber bands, packs of matches and some dusting rags from the cleaning supply room. "Perfect" Niall thought to himself. "Liquor bombs will be enough to cause a scare and nothing more." He stuffs the matches, rubber bands and rags in his pockets and walks to the door leading back into the club.

He signals Liam that he is prepared and ready for the 'job'.  Liam sends Andy into the back room where a rear  exit will take them to the back parking lot of the club. Once in the SUV, Andy takes them both across town away from the city to the cult compound which happens to be a series of abandoned brick buildings. Before pulling up outside the compound Andy turns off the headlights of the SUV and slows down to a stop. 

Niall gets out and immediately starts making his home made liquor bombs.  He douses the cleaning rags with the liquor, rolls up the rags and wraps the rubber bands around the end of the rags. He meticulously places matches in the rubber band and throughout the rolled rags. He carefully shoves the liquor soaked rags into the neck of the liquor bottles and wedges a pack of matches into the top of the rags.

He signals Andy for help. As Andy approaches, Niall places the liquor bombs on the pavement near his feet. "Hey mate," Niall says “I’m going to need you to help me out with a few things." Andy stands in front of Niall with his arms crossed. Again he nods his head in response- Andy is a man of a few words. "OK, the first thing that I need you to do is boost me up onto the roof of the SUV." Andy raises an eyebrow at Niall. "In order for me to nail the window straight on I need to be level with it."

Andy nods for Niall to continue. "Then I need you to carefully hand me the liquor bombs. Once you do that you need to get back in the SUV, these things are highly flammable." Still nodding his head, Niall continues. After I throw the first bomb, start up the vehicle. When I throw the second bomb I'll side down the windshield and get into the SUV. Don't hesitate once I'm in we'll need a quick get away! Ok mate, we good?" Niall asks making sure the plan is clear before being boosted onto the roof of the SUV.

Andy hands Niall the bottles, balancing them in-between his fingers he fishes a lighter out of his front pocket with his other hand. He lights the first liquor bomb and shoves the lighter into his mouth as he tosses the bomb into a window. Andy following through with his end of the plan is already in the driver’s seat of the vehicle. Niall quickly lights the second bomb and throws it into the same window as the first. He quickly slides down the windshield and jumps into the passenger side as Andy spins the wheels for the getaway. Niall looks out the side mirror to see the flames shooting out of the window of the cult building.