New Story - again written exclusively on Steemit - WiP - Bouncer Part 26

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 Part 24 Part 25

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

60 pages, 23,588 words so far.

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Zack, Taylor and Crackers were still amused at the antics on the doors, even as it became obvious that time was drawing on and if they were to get any sleep before they started work, it would have to be soon.

Zack promised to bring the car back in the morning on the way to work. “I’ll post the keys through the door,” he said.

With that plan made, the brothers went home for a couple of hours’ kip.

“If you need to go back home tomorrow morning, that’s OK because you’ll need to be awake for the night shift at The Cobalt,” Zack said.

“What? Why do I have the first night shift?” Taylor asked.

“Because I’m sober and OK for work in the morning. I doubt you’ll even be safe to drive. I’ll have to make sure Crackers is ok without his car at least until the afternoon,” Zack said.

At 8am the next morning, Zack stood at the back door to The Cobalt club, waiting for Liz to open up and let him in.

He heard the clunk sounds of the locks being undone and he stood away from the door so he didn’t get hit when she opened it.

“Morning,” he said in a cheerful voice.

“Morning,” she said, matching his cheery demeanour.

“You look better than Taylor did this morning,” Zack said with a laugh.

“Oh dear, did he have a hangover?”

“Not really, but I think it was the residue of Saturday night that did it for him.”

“Thanks for not telling him Viktor is my father,” Liz said when they got upstairs.

“Not my place,” Zack said. “But if you wanted it keeping secret, you shouldn’t have mentioned it last night.”

“I did mean for him to know,” Liz said. “I like Taylor, and when I realised that, I thought it was OK to tell him about Viktor.”

Zack nodded and went to check the venue as was his habit.

“The back fire escape wasn’t secured,” he said when he got back from his rounds. “Is there a reason for that? I doubt anyone could get in, but I’d prefer the chains and padlock on in future.”

“Yes, there’s a reason for it, but I’m pleased you’re on the ball,” Liz said. “The final work is being done on the outside of the club this week and the builders are here from 6:30.”

“You were here at 6:30?” Zack said. He hid his concern well, but Liz saw it.

“Yes, I was here at that time, I got here at 6am and it was my call that you should come in at 8am,” she said. “It’s been fine up until now, but once the mail-shots go out, attention will be on this place, which is why I requested 24-hour security.”

Zack nodded, his concern satisfied. “Makes good sense,” he said. “You seem to know exactly what you’re doing and I’m happy to take your lead.”

Taylor arrived at The Cobalt at lunchtime and brought Zack a sandwich box with one of his pre-prepped meals. He handed it over and went to find Liz.

Zack smiled to himself and found a fork with which to eat his lunch.

Liz figured she’d be OK while they went to take Crackers’ car back and the brothers left.

Zack looked up at the side of the building. Sheets of plastic covered the walls, waiting for the ‘big reveal’ on opening night.

Taylor and Zack conducted interviews all afternoon, taking frequent breaks to check on the builders and the venue. None of them believed anything would happen, but Liz’s phone had been ringing off the hook with requests for pre-opening night tickets.

During a lull in the phone calls, she rang Viktor and let him know how it was going.

Liz came to find Zack and Taylor and let the know that Viktor was pleased with progress and they would be expected to field a full team for Thursday night.

“Viktor said that he’s going to come to town on Wednesday night and run through the opening with us,” she said. “He said to be aware that representatives from the Kornikov group will be entertaining some of their guests in the VIP lounge.”

“Kornikov is Mikhail’s family name,” Zack said. “That can’t just be coincidence, can it?”

“The guy that owns the club you worked at lately?” Liz asked.

“The very same,” Taylor said.

Zack nodded his head, a deep frown furrowing his brow. “You keep a good look-out tonight,” he said to Taylor. “Joe will be here too, but don’t get lazy.”

“No worries,” Taylor said in a serious tone. “I know exactly what’s at stake here and I’m not going to let this opportunity slip through our fingers, not at this stage.”

When Zack left to go home, Liz was telling Taylor and Joe how the CCTV worked. The screens in the main office were new and high-tech but easy to operate. Joe nodded as she explained, taking all the information in and Taylor thought he had it figured out.

“Go home, I have your number. I’ll ring the police first and you second if anything happens,” Taylor said.