Today’s track is ‘Surrounded by Green’ by Peter Connelly and Martin Iveson, taken from ‘The Dark Angel Symphony’ album. You can listen to the track HERE and visit the online store HERE. Be sure to check out the shop where Janice is offering some great Black Friday deals!
With Pierre’s retrieval job fresh in my mind, I slovenly made my way back to Le Serpent Rouge, giving a smile to Janice as I disappeared down the alleyway. Pierre’s warning of potential threats was water off a duck’s back, nothing I couldn’t handle – Saying that, I did not have any firepower to fall back on. If this place was as staked out as he had described, I’d have to sneak my way around.
I took in my surroundings; the Parisian streets were deserted, but I found it second nature to double check. Looking up, I couldn’t spot any surveillance cameras either. Hopefully their security would be as lax inside as out.
I slid the key in quietly, twisting its handle with held breath and letting myself in. After hearing footsteps, I crouched behind some beer crates and waited. I frowned as I heard the fuzz of a radio and faint chatter; from his response and swearing after being disturbed, I knew this was my chance.
As he clomped past me, I rose. Tracing behind him and dragging him into a small storeroom, my forearm tightened around his throat until his body became flaccid. I smirked after laying him down as my eyes glinted after spotting the pistol holstered to his waist. I’d been so overcome with making sure he stayed out of the way that I’d managed to miss this little treat first hand.
I tucked the gun into the back of my jeans and ransacked the office he’d come from, finding a little time as I hid behind the desk to wolf down his lunch that he’d laid out for himself, a meal he’d never have the chance to eat.
My stomach thanked me for it and I set off again slowly, my pockets now a little fuller than when I’d arrived. Recalling the small conversation that he’d had before lights out, it eluded to an issue with the lighting booth. Hopefully there was just another one of Bouchard’s goon’s to deal with – I had a lot to get done before nightfall. I did not have the time or the patience to be in here all afternoon to find this stupid box.
I entered to be greeted by the underwhelming dancefloor. Its heights make me think that it had probably been used as a warehouse before. It wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. It was hard to picture this place filled with patrons; with the threat of the Monstrum causing people to stay at home, it was understandable as to why people didn’t feel the need to let loose on a Saturday night as they had done previously.
As I manoeuvred carefully and quietly, I frowned as some equipment had been packed in black cases. Janice had mentioned that Bouchard had moved premises, but it hadn’t explained why he’d needed armed guards to perform such tasks. With the ammo I’d found in the office, it was obvious that these were more than just ‘removal men’.
I darted behind the DJ booth as I heard a door open and chatter pour out of it. I peered around the stacks of vinyls and saw three heavy set men walking by the bar, sharing vulgarities that no one needed to hear in any language. I squinted as my eyes fixated on more accessorised hips.
As they spoke, I took in details of the booth, spotting a switch next to an image on the back wall of an alien wearing headphones. I smirked; the last time I saw one of those things, they weren’t listening to music. Following the red wires from the switch, I noticed some were trailing to the decks and others straight up the wall. The location of Pierre’s trinket was hidden above me – could this be connected?
I wonder… I thought.
I backed up slowly and threw the switch; the lights illuminated and danced to the beats of the techno track as soon as it started. I saw sparks fall to the floor, knowing immediately that the fizzing lamp was my goal. The question was, why had Pierre gone so out of his way to hide something like that in such an obscure place?
Footsteps boomed down the metal stairs and down to the dance floor; this place wasn’t as abandoned as I’d hoped. With my blaring of the music, I’d hit two birds with one stone: I’d managed to lure these idiots straight into the proverbial lion’s den and into my line of fire – and I’d also get to have a little fun, too. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d set foot into a nightclub.
Victoria Pheasey 