Andy McNab - Meltdown

Lee checked that Danny had a firm grip on the Taser before whispering to him, 'You all right?'

Danny nodded.

'Good. Don't worry, you'll be OK. You take the one on the right. Be sharp. Don't think, just do.'

Danny nodded again, his mouth suddenly dry and his hands clammy. He knew why Lee was concerned and anxious to reassure him. He was about to take offensive action for the first time; actually attack another person. Until this moment Danny had always been on the receiving end of an attack, only fighting to escape. This time it would be very different. Siddie was sitting in an armchair close to Teddy, who was still sprawled against the sofa, one hand holding his side. He was sure that at least one of his ribs was broken.

Siddie toyed with the baseball bat as he considered his options. When he spoke, his words terrified Teddy more than all the punches, blows and kicks he had received in the previous fifteen minutes.

'Now, I see it like this,' said Siddie in his highpitched voice. 'You've got a business that I want. I like the simple life, Teddy, so I'm giving you a choice.'

Teddy groaned; he was convinced now that he was going to die.

'I could make this long and extremely painful for you, Teddy,' said Siddie, standing up and giving the bat a gentle swing to and fro as if preparing to receive a pitch. 'But I can't be bothered with that stuff any more. So this is what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna ask you just once to tell me all I need to know about Meltdown: where you make it, how you sell it, distribute it – everything. Understand me so far, Teddy?'

Teddy nodded, then winced.

'Good. And you're gonna tell me everything. Right? Because if you don't, I'm gonna hit you once with this baseball bat. It will only take one blow to the side of your head. You'll be dead, Teddy. Gone. Capisce?'

Teddy swallowed hard and nodded again.

Siddie gave the bat a proper swing, as if he were attempting to hit the ball out of the stadium. 'And when you're dead, I'll just get everything I need from your brother. Time to start talking, Teddy. And remember, you only get one chance.'

Teddy drew in a breath and opened his mouth. But as he watched Siddie's fingers tighten on the baseball bat, his throat convulsed and he choked.

'All right, Teddy, you've had your chance…'

Teddy gasped and once again tried to speak, and then his eyes widened as he saw a figure appear through the door from the hall.

Siddie saw his victim's eyes flick to one side and then the tiny glimmer of hope that followed.

He wheeled round, grasping the baseball bat tightly; ready to take on whoever was behind him.

Fergus was less than three metres away, pistol raised and aimed at Siddie's head.

Siddie's narrow eyes registered a moment of total confusion.

A dull thud sounded and he staggered back, blood spurting from the back of his head like a red aerosol spray before his legs gave way and he fell back like a toppling chimney. He thudded to the floor. Both legs twitched for a moment and then were still.

Fergus walked over and stared down at the body. In death, Siddie's eyes were wide open.

At that instant Teddy's bladder finally gave way, and he pissed himself. He felt shame, terror, relief that he was still alive – and an overwhelming gratitude towards the man who had saved his life.

'You… you killed him,' he mumbled as Fergus turned towards him.

Fergus shrugged, hiding his disappointment that he had been forced to act before Teddy had revealed any of the info on Meltdown. He shoved the weapon back into his waistband. 'He won't be missed.'

Mr Muscles and Blubber Man were chatting contentedly as they made their way down the stairs. They rarely got the opportunity to pulverize posh boys; it was almost always other low-life like themselves. So when the chance came along, they liked to enjoy themselves and make the most of it. Their only regret was that it had been all too brief; they could happily have done a lot more damage before Siddie took over. Still, it was a job well done.

The staircase was little used; the residents of the apartment block hadn't paid over the odds merely for a canal view. There were two efficient lifts that made climbing stairs an unnecessary inconvenience.

So the two heavies were not expecting to meet anyone as they plodded down. They reached the landing of the third floor, turned and continued down the next flight of stairs.

Danny and Lee were waiting out of sight on the second floor, immediately after the next turn. Danny's hands were wet with sweat and he was repeatedly wiping his Taser hand on his jeans so that he could keep a firm grip on the weapon.

His face was a mask of concentration as he got the nod from Lee to go. They both held their Tasers in their right hands as they heard the approaching voices getting louder in the stairwell above them. As Danny turned the corner with Lee, he could see the two targets at the top of the stairs. The huge guys' conversation immediately shut down when they caught sight of Danny and Lee and came down towards them.

Lee kept his eyes lowered: he knew the rule – never make eye contact with a target because he will be alert and suspicious. And no matter how hard an attacker tries to disguise it, his eyes will always show intent, or fear, or determination. The target's inner self-defence mechanism will always spot this.

The two pairs closed on each other, but the targets had no intention of giving way to the two young dickheads coming up towards them.

Lee stopped and stood to one side, with the targets about ten steps above, waiting for them to pass before zapping them from behind.

Danny's head was thumping in time with his heart. He could feel his pulse in his neck; he was certain everyone could hear it as he too stopped and waited.

Then Danny made his mistake. He knew he shouldn't have but he couldn't stop himself: his eyes moved upwards towards the two heavies. Maybe he was checking out where he was going to zap his target, maybe he wanted to see what they were thinking, or maybe he was just scared.

But he did it. He fixed his eyes on the target on his side of the stairs. Blubber Man's pupils closed down as he focused on Danny's eyes. And he knew. Danny had given him all the information he needed.

'Oh, shit!'

The rest happened in an instant. Blubber Man launched himself at Danny, and Lee had no option but to move up to take on Mr Muscles before he too had registered what was happening.

Danny didn't even have time to raise his Taser as the mass of fat slammed into him and projected him down the stairs. His head thumped on the last few steps before crashing back onto the landing.

Starbursts flashed in his head and eyes as his brain struggled to recover. His head was telling his legs to move, to get him up and ready to fight, but the message wasn't getting through. All Danny could do was keep a grip on the Taser as Blubber Man hurled himself down onto his body. Every bit of breath was forced from Danny's lungs and he fought for oxygen, kicking and bucking beneath the giant man as a massive hand gripped his neck and two staring, bloodshot eyes blazed into his own.

'Who the fuck are you?'

Danny didn't even attempt to answer. He didn't have the breath. He couldn't move his hand to zap the huge bulk on top of him. All he could do was writhe and twist as Blubber Man's face came closer. He could smell alcohol and tobacco and feel a couple of days' stubble rasp across his skin as the man shouted loudly into his ear.

'Little shit!' Then Blubber Man's free hand was reaching into the back pocket of his jeans for the pliers.

Danny didn't know if it was his survival instinct or training – it was as though he was on auto mode. He opened his mouth and sank his teeth into Blubber Man's stubbly face. The huge guy growled and Danny felt the skin break as his teeth sank into the flesh and scraped against cheekbone.