New Story - again written exclusively on Steemit - WiP - Bouncer Part 23

This story is evolving with a pace all its own. I'm listening to the feedback and if something resonates, I've decided that I'll go with it (thanks @kiwideb). Feel free to give feedback on characters, storylines etc - even if you think it's harsh.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23

Pictures from Google free to use search

Please note: This is the FIRST DRAFT, no editing, written straight onto paper. I don't know how to highlight that any more than it is. I'll NOT be making any alterations to what's already been written. As a good friend and excellent author has said, First draft is a race to get the story down before it decides to stop telling itself to you. Thanks Glenn. @alienbutt

51 pages, 20,312 words so far.

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Sunday nights in town gave few opportunities to go drinking anywhere after the pubs closed. There were two clubs and The Snooker Hall.

Some of the lads went home. They said goodnight to Zack, Joe and Taylor and left. Half a dozen others decided to go on to the next club and a couple said they’d stick with Zack.

Taylor and Liz stood close together, chatting, they were certainly getting to know each other better. Joe went across to speak with a friend, and Zack watched as the pub cleared. He kept his eye on the door team, ever on the lookout for new recruits. Crackers had disappeared and they wouldn’t leave until he got back because he needed Zack to drive his car home.

Zack and Taylor were almost the last to leave. Joe hung back. Liz went out of the door first and Zack said goodnight to the door team. He handed the head doorman his card and told him he could give him a ring if he fancied a change of scenery.

They shook hands and Zack heard a commotion outside.

The door team, Zack and Joe ran from the pub to see a group of guys confronting Liz and Taylor.

Mob-handed, outnumbering Taylor and Liz didn’t seem to be enough for the guys; some also had weapons of some sort. A bottle in each hand seemed to be the weapon of choice.

Taylor pushed Liz backwards to try to get her to go back to the safety of the pub.

The guys were just starting to move forward, dealing out insults and threats, too quiet for Zack to hear. Taylor stood nodding at them, agreeing with whatever they said.

Before Zack had chance to get to his brother’s side, a shout from behind the mob made them pause and turn.

“Go on, fuck off out of here!” the angry voice yelled at them.

Zack couldn’t see who was coming to help them out, but the mob decided that Zack, Joe, the doormen from the pub and the newcomer were a step too far and they scattered.

“You’ll fucking keep!” one shouted, pointing at Taylor. He launched the bottle and Taylor ducked. The bottle smashed on the road behind him.

“What the fuck is he doing here?” Zack said to Joe.

“I have no idea, Boss,” Joe said. “But I’m not one for coincidences, I’ll tell you that much.”

“Me neither,” Zack said. “I’ll deal with this, Taylor, you get Liz back to the pub. Me and Crackers will fetch his car.”

“Where is Crackers?” Joe said.

“No idea. We’ll find him later, after I sort this out,” Zack said, walking past Taylor to meet Sinbad, their erstwhile rescuer.

“What do you know, Sinbad?” Zack said before Sinbad got right up to them.

“That lot,” Sinbad said, nodding his head in the rough direction in which the mob had run. “We’d just cleared them out of the pub. They’d been causing shit all night and then one of my lads heard them say they were coming up here. I knew you’d been coming this way, so I decided to follow them, make sure you lot were all ok.”

Zack nodded, mouth down-turned, appraising his explanation. “So you decided to come up here all on your own to rescue us?” he said.

Sinbad’s eyes narrowed. He studied Zack. “I don’t know what you’re trying to imply,” he said.

“I’m not trying to imply anything. I’m asking you outright. What’s your fucking game?”

“I’m not playing fucking games!” Sinbad said. “I told you, I was doing you a good turn.”

“Yeah, that’s where I have a problem, Sinbad,” Zack said. “You don’t do good turns unless it’s for your own benefit. Taylor told you the other night, there’s no place for you in our firm, so don’t bother.”

Sinbad jerked his head back as though shocked at Zack’s accusation. “You what? You think I’m trying to get on your good side so I can have a job in your poxy firm? Fuck off!”

“That’s exactly what I think,” Zack said. “Since when do you go running off up the street to help anyone else? Not on your own, not unless they knew you were coming and were told to do one as soon as you arrived, like fucking Superman, swooping in to save the fucking day.”

Joe started laughing behind Zack. “Is that the best scheme you could come up with Sinbad?” he said. “Even at short notice, that’s pretty pathetic. I told you the other night, Taylor has you outclassed. It looks like Zack has you outsmarted too.”

“Look, if you’re so desperate for a job, have a word with Mikhail, I think him and his two goons are the only ones left back there. I’m sure you’ll get to be Head Doorman now. Just make sure your contract says that and not Head Glass Collector too,” Taylor said.