Even Heroes Fall

Chapter Eleven - Ghoul

'I swear I don't know anything!' The little posh snot that Castlemain apparently put in charge of his counterfeit money operation on the west side of London cringes up at me from the roof floor.

He wet himself the first time I held him over the side of the building roof, his chinos have the tell-tale wet patch around his crotch. If I wasn't getting more and more frustrated at Castlemain's lack of appearance I may have found the snivelling idiot at my feet more entertaining.

One of the reasons Castlemain was able to swoop in and successfully take over a bunch of different crime operations within London is because he knows how to work different levels of society. Whilst in South London he has organised the gangs to work for him, here in the west he managed to manipulate a bunch of bored rich kids into answering directly to him. After disrupting the gangs across the whole of south London and leaving a trail of felons behind me for the police to clear up, I found myself following this posh kid from Chelsea. The word on the street is that he heads the counterfeiting operation working out of Belgravia, an unlikely place for illegal activity which may be why the police and Justice never noticed.

He still has a black eye from where was punched in the face the previous week which tells me this is the kind of guy who people enjoy punching. Because Castelmain approached him personally he thinks he is some kind of big deal, and saunters about like the King of Chelsea. Now he doesn't seem so confident, lying at my feet, snot dripping onto his Luis Vuitton jacket. I picked him up on the way from a club home where his charming and often aggressive approach to picking up drunk women has previously resulted in his black eye.

'Don't fuck with me, kid,' I growl, even though we are about the same age. 'I know Castlemain is involved in your business. I don't giveashit about the counterfeit money, I just want Castlemain.'

'I'll pay you whatever you want,' he replies desperately. Another kid scared shitless of Castlemain. I know he has the capacity to be extremely intimidating but I have seen a whole new level of loyalty born out of fear since following him to London. It should scare me, if I didn't already know exactly what Castlemain is capable of. And despite what these kids might think, even Castlemain has limits to how far he will go.

I pick him up by the jacket and haul him once more over to the edge of the roof whilst he squeals in fear. He is the same height as me and wider, but I lift his as easily as if he weighs no more than a child.

'No-o-o!' He frantically scrabbles at me to try and get free but I overpower him of course.

I thrust him over the edge so he is dangling in mid-air with only my grip on his jacket keeping him from death. I have employed this technique a few times recently and found it to be quite effective for getting people to talk. Usually. Whatever Castlemain has on him clearly scares him a lot.

'Please!' he begs as his feet dangle in the air underneath him. 'I don't know anything!'

I do not believe he knows nothing so I give him another shake. 'Where can I find his base of operations?' I ask, for what feels like the hundredth time this week.

'I don't know! Please! Man!' His eyes are wide with fear. 'You can ask... ask Justice!'

'Excuse me?'

'Y-yeah,' he says, gasping between sobs, 'ask Justice! I heard she was looking for him too, before you showed up!'

I wonder if he is throwing me a false lead so I will leave him alone. I drag him close to eye level.

'Are you making a fucking joke?' I snarl, faking fury to be more intimidating. If my original assumption is correct and Justice does know more about Castlemain than I originally thought I want to make absolutely certain this is true before approaching her.