Intoxifresh

Chapter Thirteen

Simon forced his heavy eyelids open and remembered his desperate situation. He was cold, dehydrated and his back hurt like hell from the nights slumber in his car. He was also in desperate need of a toilet. His head was pounding and his mouth was dry. He needed water.

He took a good look around and unlocked the BMW before stepping out onto the road. 'There's nobody about. It's safe to go up now,' he thought to himself. He reached his apartment door, pushed on the wood close to the light brown bubbly debris left by the acid, then sprinted towards the bathroom for relief. He drank plenty of water before stepping out into the corridor and walking down the concrete steps back to his car. His headache stopped him from thinking straight and he desperately needed rest. He closed his eyes for just a few more minutes and tried to figure out what to do next. He knew he couldn't live in his car forever; he needed to find somewhere else to live.

An hour later and feeling slightly better he opened his eyes. He quickly ducked down underneath the steering wheel after seeing a large hairy man enter his apartment building. He recognised him from the surveillance footage he'd watched the previous day. Simon's heart began to race, his breathing quickened and he felt his palms moisten as his worst fears were confirmed; the gun wielding maniac was still after him.

He felt through his jacket for his mobile phone and fished it out, then scanned through his small list of contacts. He had to think fast, who was the nearest geographically? He stayed out of view as he dialled the number of a guy he'd met at a wine bar not so long ago, 'surely he must live in the same area if he drank at the same bar,' he thought to himself. He put the phone to his ear and it started to ring... and ring... then went to voicemail. 'No, no!' he shouted to himself in despair as he ended the call. Simon raised his head just above the steering wheel to peek outside and check on the situation. He found it hard to breathe as he saw the intruder looking angry as hell and running towards his car. He reached for the door handle and pushed it open and, as quickly as he could, he jumped out to make a run for it.

'Stop right where you are, Mr Sampson.' Simon turned around and was only inches from the gun held in the outstretched arm of Jack Fox. He felt sweat forcing its way through his skin pores and he was visibly shaking. He knew he'd failed himself once again as he was far too hung over to attempt any karate moves on the man.

'What do you want?'

'There's no escape now, so just hand them over.'

'What? Hand what over?' asked Simon.

Jack began to raise a smile. 'Don't you fucking dare say you don't have them? Hand them over right now!' Jack moved closer, the barrel of his .44 magnum now pressed firmly against Simon's forehead. He asked one last time. 'The pills, you prick. Give them to me or I'll blast away.

Simon looked to the floor and then back up again, somehow finding confidence he never knew he had. 'If you kill me right now you'll never get them. I know where they are but I don't have them here.'

'Listen to me, Mr Sampson, and listen good or you're a dead man, you understand?'

Simon nodded and closed his eyes, thinking fast about his immediate options. 'I know where the pills are,' he said, still shaking. He knew they should be in the Merrick and Smyth building somewhere.

'You don't have time for games, Simon. Where are they?'

Simon was still holding his mobile phone. 'I can call by boss. I think... I mean I'm certain he has them.' Jack gave him the go ahead and Simon felt the cold metal of the gun on his forehead as he bypassed the main switchboard and dialled directly into Mr Merrick's office. He knew it was a good idea to press the hands free button and after doing so he held the phone close to his mouth so they could both hear. The phone began to ring...