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Rattling Snakes Cage 2 Ch. 01

By: shandal



For those of you who have requested a follow up on my original story about Patrick, Rachel, Snake and Jerry here it is. Chapters 1- 12 can be found in Novels and Novella's or just click on my name, Shandal, and go to my complete list of stories..

If you are of a sensitive nature please be aware that there are in this multi part story some graphic scenes of romantic sex between male and female lovers, some non consensual sex, male on male violence, oral sex, and scenes of male masturbation.

There is also a daring prison escape, so please read on and join the many characters that make up this romantic crime thriller and find out what happened next.

*

Patrick lay on the top bunk in his cell inside Wandsworth Prison, the sound of his cell mates snoring reverberating through the dark and enclosed space. He lay on his back, the hard mattress that had supported hundreds, if not thousands of male bodies over the years lumpy and uncomfortable. He closed his eyes and tried to lose himself, as he had done every night since his capture eight months ago, in fantasies of Rachel and himself.

Fantasies where they were in the Florida Keys, swimming together, the warm silky water bathing his skin, the droplets running down her neck to collect in the small hollow at the base of her throat. In his mind he imagined licking them off her as their two bodies entwined suspended in the water. His hand ran down his body as he lay in the bed, the noise of the snoring from below him fading as he fell deeper into his fantasy and the pictures his imagination were painting.

Moving his right hand into the his briefs he felt his semi hard penis as his mind played out the scene, Rachel's skin glistening in the sun, the feel of the water against his skin, the feel of her body as it pressed against his, the smell of her mingling with the salty smell of the sea, and their sweat. 

His fingers and thumb wrapped around his now hard cock about halfway up the shaft and slid the skin up and down, making his body arch restlessly, and his breath catch in his throat as he stifled the groan, not wanting to awaken his cell mate. Speeding his hand up and varying the motion and the pressure of his fingers he let his mind float away, picturing her nails scrapping across his hard and aching nipples. Moving his left hand up to his own chest as his right hand jerked away at his now rock hard rod, he raked his nails across one hard nub peaking on his chest before pinching it, and then running it on down his body to join his right hand to cup his balls and manipulate them.

His body hummed, his penis felt good as he wanked himself, the spunk in his sacs getting ready to draw up into his prick for release.

Feeling the snoring body in the lower bunk turn over, the metal framed structure rattling, Patrick held his breath, holding himself still, and he waited for Ritchie to settle down and then re-start up his steady wheezing indicating he was fast asleep.

Bringing up one hand he spit into the palm, lubricating it before returning it to rub his glans and then forming a loose fist he moved his hand up and down building himself with momentum back up towards release.

When he came he shot the white thick fluid onto his belly, and reaching with his hand he grabbed the tissue he had placed under the thin pillow below his head earlier, and wiped up his cum, before throwing the balled up mess towards the open toilet in the corner of the small cell, missing it by about three inches so that it lay in a clump on the bare stone floor.

Shit he would have to remember to get up before Ritchie tomorrow and pick it up and flush it away.

Turning over onto his side he lay, dried eyes staring into the darkness, like he had every night since he was banged up, and pretended he was holding the woman he loved in his arms, before he drifted off into a restless sleep.

*

Rachel drove home from work through the very woods that only eight months before she had driven home through that fateful night. Her heart beat hard and fast, just as it did every night on her way home as she approached the traffic lights at the cross roads. Checking for the twentieth time that evening that her doors were locked she held her breath praying that the lights would remain green. 

As they turned orange she put her foot on the accelerator and sped up, shooting across the road just as the light turned red. Never again would she be able to sit at those lights waiting for them to allow her to go. She always timed her forward movement of her car so that she wouldn't have to stop. 

She knew it was stupid. Patrick was in prison and no one else was likely to kidnap her. But psychologically she was scared of those lights and stopping at them.

Her thoughts went onto Patrick, and that last time she had seen him in the courtroom as she gave her testimony. She had kept much of what happed from the police, preferring to keep the sexual part to herself. In her mind she justified it as not letting Patrick be charged with rape, but in those rare moments, in bed by herself at night, she admitted that she didn't tell them because they were special to her.

She had been shocked when he had been handed out a twenty year sentence with a chance to be paroled after ten years. Her heart had broken for him, the thought of him locked up, his freedom taken away ate at her, and she dreamt at night of his smile, his gentle teasing, his body moving inside hers and the short time they had spent together.

She never noticed the car that followed her each night, the men inside noting her movements, keeping tabs on her for their boss.

*

Jerry climbed over the balcony of the apartment, the sound of crickets chirping somewhere in the hot sticky Spanish night, and getting out his tools from his pocket he picked the lock of the double glass doors that led to the apartment of the couple who right this minute were partying down at the small club half a mile away. 

From his past couple of day's observation they would be well away, getting pissed out of their minds for at least another four hours before they tottered down to the cab rank and made their way back here in the early hours of the morning.

Slipping through the doors he wandered around the apartment opening drawers, sizing up items, his latex gloved hands careful not to make too much mess. In the bedroom he picked up a gold chain with a gold crucifix on it and placed it in his pocket, then opened the bedside drawer, taking out the cash that lay in there but leaving the Travellers cheques. Counting it before putting it in his pocket, he shrugged. Only fifty Euro, not much, and he turned and walked over to the dressing table to find a couple of rings, one with a small diamond stone laying amongst the make up and perfume, the other a cheap dress ring. Picking up the one with the diamond and putting it with the rest of his haul in his pocket, he left the dress ring worth nothing, and left the flat the same way he had entered, careful not to be seen.

Climbing into his car which he had left in the apartment block car park across the road, parked deep in a shady area, he drove off making his way to the club and his job as security at Patrick's mate Danny's place, working the late shift.

*

Megan lay sleeping like a baby, her now healthy body sprawled across the bed in their apartment, her once mousy brown hair shining and with subtle streaks made from the sun, her skin a golden tan, and a happy smile on her face even in sleep.

On her finger was a ring that Jerry had bought for her, the small diamond twinkling in the night, proof of his love. He had placed it on her finger last week, asking her to marry him over a romantic dinner at their favourite beachside restaurant, and afterwards they had walked along hand in hand across the sand, shoes off and dangling from their fingers, the soft sand and gentle lapping water from the sea tickling their feet.

Over the past eight months she had made a home for the two of them, relaxing and gaining strength, but now she was keen to do some work to contribute to their income, so that she didn't feel as if she was living off of Jerry. Yesterday she had spoken to the owner of a small bar at the end of the road and asked him if he needed any bar staff. He had asked her if she had any experience and she had admitted that she hadn't but was keen to learn. Offering her a part time job behind the bar of two nights a week she had accepted and was due to start work tomorrow night.

The only problem was telling Jerry.

He seemed to want to keep her wrapped up in cotton wool, as if she was fragile. But she now felt so much better than when she arrived, and getting a job was the next step. 

*

Snake looked down at the redheaded girl as she sat cowering on the bare mattress, the thin blanket pulled tight around her as she tried to cover her naked body that was covered in small bruises. Her once long hair was now cut short and ragged as if someone had taken a scissors to it and just hacked at it. Her eyes had dark smudges under them, and were red from crying.

He put the cup of water and bowl of soup on the small table next to the old iron framed bed that the mattress and the girl cowered on.

"You know the score bitch, you want to the food, you have to earn it. Get down on your knees and ask for it."

Slowly as if her body hurt she crawled off the bed and onto the bare wooden planked floor, the blanket still around her.

"Please......"

"Please what?"

"Please Mr Armstrong Sir......"

"What are you bitch?"

Tears rolling down her cheeks, she looked up at her tormentor and in a quiet voice replied, "I'm nothing......."

"That's right bitch, you're nothing.....nothing to no-one......a common slut.....even your uncle gave you up.......all you're good for is servicing my men. Ask to suck my cock bitch."

"Please.....can I......"

"What?"

"Can I suck........"

Moving forward he grabbed her chin, laughing in her face, "You think I want to put my cock in that hole that my men use. You're filth.....I don't touch filth....." and with that he turned around and left the bare room that was in the basement of the lab. The place that the girl had been kept locked in for the last month so any of his men that wanted to use her could.

Gathering up the blanket tighter she moved like an old woman towards the food on the small table and started to eat, hearing the bang behind her of the piece of wood put into place outside the door, effectively barring it and stopping her from escaping her living hell.

*

Tony Montgomery sat at the table in the main room carefully cutting the coke and mixing it to dilute it before placing the measured amounts into the small plastic bags. Out of the corner of his eye he kept watching and waiting for Snake to appear from the basement. Carefully schooling his features so that the other men and Snake would not see the anger and worry about the girl in the basement that roiled within him he worked quietly, taking a deep breath when Snake came up out through the entrance to the stairs leading down to where the girl was being kept. 

Tony was a young twenty five, and had been working for Snake for four months, the last couple of weeks at the lab.

Tall, with dark blue eyes and a shaven head, he had been recruited into the firm and had been moved to work in the lab before being trusted enough to go on any courier work. He was third generation criminal, his grandfather having been a well known short term fraudster, and his father and mother part of a gang who shoplifted to order.

What was happening to the redheaded girl was burning him up, and he wasn't sure what to do. Ratting to the old bill was not an option, it went against all he had been taught in his life, they were the enemy and he was no grass, and getting her out by himself would be as hard as polishing a turd.......near on impossible.

So he sat doing his work, grinding his teeth, trying to work out what to do.

*

Jerry stood at the entrance to the club watching the queue of young people waiting to be let in. It was a busy night and the place was packed. He still had the chain and ring in his pocket, but pretty soon he would have a break from the door work and he could go in and search out Davy Ritchens who was in there and get rid of the stuff with him. It wouldn't bring him much, but he was steadily breaking and entering now and along with the money from the job he was doing alright.

Big William came over and tapped him on his shoulder, "Ok Jerry?"

"Yeah no trouble."

"Want to take your break?"

Handing over to William he entered the club, the noise that had escaped through the main entrance increasing as he made his way into the club proper to an almost intolerable level. Weaving his way through the crush of bodies he made his way to the long crowded bar and Davy Ritchens who leaned up against it nursing an ice cold bottle of beer. Tapping Davy on the shoulder Jerry nodded and inclined his head towards the door to the right marked private and the two men entered through it and closed the door shutting out some of the noise.

"You well Jerry?"

"Yeah sweet as a nut Davy......got a little souvenir for you from earlier." And handing him the chain and ring told him, "Diamond looks like a good one, should be easy to sell on."

Davy looked at the two pieces in the palm of his hand and looked at Jerry, "Give you a ton for these." and peeled off a hundred Euro from a wad of notes and handed it to Jerry. "By the way, think you and Megan can swing by my place tomorrow about two for lunch. I've got a few friends coming to discuss that little problem back home in Blighty and what we can do about it."

Putting the money in his pocket Jerry looked up, "What problem?"

"The one that has the wrong fucking man locked up and doing a long twenty spot when we all know the fucker that should be inside is swanning his way around, free as you fucking please."

"You got a plan."

"Might have.....you in?"

"Yeah.....who else?"

Patting Jerry on the shoulder and replacing the wad of money in his trouser pocket along with the jewellery Davy told him, "Turn up tomorrow about two and you'll find out." And then he was gone, the noise slamming through the open door as he walked out back into the noisy club.

*

Tony packed up the stuff in front of him, walked over to the sink and washed his hands. Turning his head to check that he wasn't being watched he sauntered over to his chair and put on his leather jacket before making his way towards the stairwell that led down to the room that held the redheaded girl.

A couple of the other men working in the room laughed as they noticed him walking towards the door, calling out after him, "Going for a good poke young 'un?.....know what hole to put it in?"

Tony smiled back nodding, although his fury at the men who were abusing the girl was eating at him, "Well if it's on offer......"

One of the men laughed, "She looks like a bag of shite in that state now......I'm not touching her with a ten foot barge pole, let alone my prick." 

Tony stepped through the door and down the stairs, the sound of the men, their laughter and ribald comments floating down after him.

Lifting the plank of wood from the metal hooks that barred the door he opened it and stepped through. The girl sat on the bed whimpering when she saw him and she scooted back into the corner of the bed where it rested against the wall.

"It's ok.....I'm not going to hurt you." And he took out the foil wrapped piece of chicken he had in the leather jacket pocket and placed in on the bed. Taking from his other pocket a packet of wet wipes he placed them on the bed as well. "Here its all I could fit in my pocket....its food and something to clean yourself up with.....see I'm going over there." And he pointed to the other corner of the room, "I'm not going to hurt you.....you eat and I'll just stay here for a while and then take the remains up with me when I go."

The girl grabbed the foil and unwrapped the chicken, eating it fast and watching him out the corner of her eye.

"What's your name?"

"Maria."

"Maria....pretty name.....mines Tony." Sliding down onto the floor and leaning against the wall he continued, "I don't know how I'm going to do it, but I promise you Maria I'm going to get you out of here."

She stopped eating and looked at him, "You are....when."

"As soon as I can......I promise you....as soon as I can. You are just going to have to hold on a little longer until I can."

Sobbing she shook her head, "I don't think I can......the men......"

"I know....but you're going to have to.....while I try and come up with something. Until then I'll smuggle down stuff for you." And standing up and walking over to the bed he picked up the remains of the foil and chicken leg and stuffing them in his jacket told her, "It might take a week or two but I promise on my mums life I'm going to get you out of here."

*

Rattling Snakes Cage 2 Ch. 02



This is a character driven romantic crime thriller that tells the story of Patrick and Rachel, Jerry and Megan, and their enemy Snake. It follows on from the original story Rattling Snakes Cage that can be found in Novels and Novella's.

Will Patrick and Rachel get back together to resume their love affair?

*

Patrick walked out of his cell onto the landing of D Block still buttoning up the light blue prison shirt and tucking it into the regulation darker blue trousers. The noise of a hundred or so men rose up to him here on the second landing, the clanging of doors opening and feet shuffling echoed around the stone space as the men made their way down towards the steel stair well and on their way to pick up their breakfast tray from the bottom area.

Roger Hartwell who occupied the cell next door and once worked as a hard man and enforcer for Patrick and Snake on the outside clapped his hand on Patrick's back, "Another day Patrick, lets see what shit this one brings down in this hell hole."

"You're just so full of the joys of spring aren't you Roger?"

Looking over at Ritchie who was standing next to Patrick as they moved slowly forward he replied, "There's so much to look forward to in here, slops to eat, screws to annoy, maybe start a fight or two and punch some ones lights out for fun.....later there's the new intakes...."

Shaking his head Patrick asked him, "Don't you want to just get along peaceful like Roger....do your time....keep your nose clean.....then get out?"

"Naw....what would be the fun of that?" and the big man with the flattened nose of a boxer and the look of a hard man walked past the two cell mates and shouldered his way to the front of the queue, pushing smaller men out the way.

"He's a complete arse hole."

"Yeah but a good man to have on your side when the chips are down."

*

Later in the D wing exercise yard during 'exercise' Patrick stood leaning against the side of the building, watching men gathering in small groups getting the fresh air with the sun shining down on the spacious yard. Standing around him were some of the men who in the past had worked for him, their loyalty towards Patrick strengthened by the many kindnesses he had shown their families and loved ones when they had been put away. Kindnesses like the time Patrick had organised a 'charity' boxing evening, the proceeds going to three of the men's families that stood not far from him right now.

The three brothers were famous in South London for attempting a jewellery raid on a famous West End jeweller, but had been caught leaving wives and kids to fend for themselves whilst they did their time. Patrick had set up the event, given the money to the wives so that they could survive and made sure word went out that the women were off limits to anyone who fancied trying it on with them.

The wives now sent stuff in for Patrick, little things to make his time inside more comfortable, re-paying his kindness to them, and their husbands had set themselves up as Patrick's unofficial bodyguard as there were some in the nick that would have like to have had a go at someone as well known as Patrick in the criminal world and upped their standing.

One of the screws walked over and stood next to Patrick, "Curtis, there's word on the block that Hartwell is looking to start a fight with Manning. Word is you put him up to it......"

Patrick straightened up and looked the screw in the eye, "Not me Mr Drummond Sir. He doesn't work for me anymore......not in here."

"Better keep him on line Curtis......he starts anything....you go down too." and the screw walked away.

Swearing to himself under his breath he looked across the yard at Roger who was doing squats pumping him self up ready for the scrap. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

One of the brothers stepped forward, "What's wrong?"

"I just got word Hartwell is about to start a fight with Manning, isn't he part of James Balantines firm from North London?"

"The fucking bleeder, you want me and the boys to lean on him to stop."

"The man's a fucking nutter.....too much sap and nowhere to shoot it."

Patrick watched as the three brothers walked over to Roger and when the large man stood up he saw one of the brothers' stand behind him, whilst the other two stood in front. From where he was Patrick watched as one of the brothers leaned down his hand and grabbed the big mans balls, whilst the one behind held his arms and whispered in his ear. After a while they let the man go and sauntered over to Patrick, "Sorted......" was all one of them said and Patrick nodded watching as Roger rubbed his sore bollocks. 

*

Rachel sat in her kitchen at the table, the phone in her hand, her heart beating fast in her chest. She had taken the morning off work, lying to them saying she had a dentist appointment. Biting her lip she was so unsure of what she was about to do. Twice she started to dial the number on the piece of paper in front of her, and twice she cancelled the call.

Getting up and pacing she tried to build up the courage.

Finally she sat back down and taking a deep breath dialled the number and waited for an answer.

"Hello, Her Majesty's Prison Wandsworth, PACT here, can I help you?"

"Yes I would like to book a visit to see a prisoner.....is that possible?"

"Are you family?"

"No friend....."

"Have you visited before?"

"No...."

"We can book a timed visit, but we will need to confirm with the inmate whether they wish to have the visit from you and be put on their list......who is the person you wish to visit?"

"Patrick Curtis."

"....and your name....."

"Rachel McCormack"

"......and the time and date you wish to visit? Earliest available would be Sunday at 6.15, the visit lasts an hour and is in the Visitors Centre entrance to the side of the Prison."

"That would be good....."

"Bring a photo ID, like a passport or driving licence......get there at least half an hour early, look for the orange sign saying PACT. The visiting form will be there for you to sign when you arrive...."

"Thanks."

Putting down the phone she sat there shaking. 

She was going to see him. See Patrick.

If he agreed to it.

Last night she had lain awake thinking this through and she knew she wanted to say sorry to him, sorry that he was in there and put in by her testimony. She wanted to see him, tell him she loved him, and ask if she could visit him and write to him from now on.

She knew he was away for a long, long time, and there would be no guarantee she could wait for him, but she felt that she didn't want to just break ties with him like this, knowing where he was and what she felt.

*

Jerry pulled up the car outside the lovely villa down a street not far from a golf course near Marbella. Bright red and white Bougainvillea tumbled down from beautiful sandstone walls, and palm trees grew in abundance along the wide and clean walkways. Opening the car door for Megan to step out he then reached into the back seat and took out the bottle of wine and flowers for Davy and his wife.

Megan loved coming here to Davy's and Shirley's place. Back home she hadn't had that many friends and Shirley was like a mother hen the last eight months, scooping her up and fussing over her, making her laugh, and she was a lovely hostess which Megan wished she herself was. Each time they came she would watch and absorb what Shirley did, noting it down and soon she wanted to ask Jerry if they too could entertain and have some of his friends over to their place.

The last eight months had seen her blossom, and she was keen to do things she had never done before. Never dreamt she would ever do.

She loved the life here in Spain with Jerry and as they walked through the open gateway to the front of the one story villa she squeezed Jerry's arm and smiled up at him. Bending down to give her a kiss on the nose he winked and as the door opened Shirley, all blond peroxided hair, deep golden tan, low scooped tight tank top, and heavy gold dangling jewellery swept out and scooping one arm around Megan's shoulders and grabbing the flowers with the other told him, "Davy's out on the terrace with the others, the girls are all in the bedroom, I've organised a local shop to come and give us a private showing of some clothes." And winking over her shoulder at Jerry she led Megan away to the other end of the villa out of earshot of the men.

Jerry strolled out through the wide open lounge doors to the terrace overlooking the swimming pool to find four men sitting with drinks in their hands.

"Jerry, my man.....what's your poison?"

Handing over the bottle of wine, "Cold beer thanks." and he nodded to the three men still sitting smiling up at him. "Gentlemen....."

"Sit down here Jerry.....nice to meet you...Nat Smith....." a guy with a head that sported a bald spot with comb over wisps of obviously dyed black hair held out his hand to shake. He looked to be about sixty, slight pot belly under a bright pink polo top, long floral shorts and dark glasses, "Davy has told me what a good man you are.....look forward to working with you."

Accepting the beer from Davy who sat to his right he shook the hand of the only other person he knew there, his boss from the club, "Didn't expect to see you here Danny."

"Why not.....Patrick's an old mate, we go back a long way.....done me a lot of favours in the past....good man Patrick...salt of the earth.....and like Davy I don't like that he's rotting away right now."

Jerry looked at the forth man.

"I'm Alan Block....you might have heard of me."

Nodding Jerry held out his hand and shook the smartly dressed and cultured man's hand proffered to him. He recognised the name as a very well known Kent villain. "I've heard of you.....didn't expect to see you here."

"Let's say I'm the money man.....and the right connections to pull this off."

Taking a deep pull of his beer Jerry sat back and listened as Davy started to explain.

"What we're going to do has been done before......over thirty years ago with Ronnie Biggs, but now with a little added extra.....its going to take precision and guts, and Alan here has got a plan, with all the connections and access to the right people to pull it off. Less than two weeks from now we're going to spring Patrick from Wandsworth, get him over here, and then on to Florida......new identity, new life."

Jerry looked from one to the other of the men sitting at the table, "Just like that?"

"Yeah just like that." And the men all laughed.

"It's simple; we cause an electricity blackout in South London during the exercise time, mess up the sub station in Clapham. I can get hold of a crane that will look like it's the council changing the street lighting in the road next to the prison, we have a man on the top in overalls, looking official like a council workman, and he'll have a rope ladder. The traffic lights will go out with the electricity cut, as well as the prison electrical systems...."

"What about the prison back up emergency generator?"

"Taken care of....we get certain, shall we say, diversions set up at the same time the blackout occurs inside the nick......set places, set times.....a couple of the men inside will cut the cables in the nick.....they're going to be well paid to do it.....the crane moves over to the wall, the ladder gets thrown, Patrick climbs up it....we abandon the crane where it is, ladder hanging down into the yard...mass breakout while Patrick and the crane driver and the guy on top of the crane go off on motorbikes that are set up in the road....we leave the crane where it is to aid the mass escape.....London will be in chaos, prisoners legging it over the wall and all over Clapham and Wandsworth....cops trying to round them up, panda cars and the meat-wagons stuck in grid locked traffic due to the build up at blacked out traffic lights.....we have a removal van parked about a mile away in a side street.....bikes drive up, into the back, close the doors and we drive off....cops are looking for men on bikes or on foot....we make our way leisurely down to Brighton Marina where I've got a small six berth boat.....slowly make our way out of the Marina on the boat looking like were going fishing....and make our way over to France and then Spain......bish bosh and its done."

"Just like that...."

"Yeah....just like that...."

"You've been watching too many adventure movies!" exclaimed Jerry.

"It's a bit like The Great Escape.....Patrick on the bike, instead of Steve McQueen."

"Except Steve fucking McQueen got caught."

"He didn't have the removal van waiting for him, or the boat at Brighton Marina."

"What are the men inside going to cut the cables with?"

"Don't you worry about that....Nat's got it sorted.....the stuff needed will be smuggled in over the next couple of weeks.....we got it all covered. Dodgy Screw, up to his fucking arse in gambling debts....."

"What are you getting out of this?"

"Revenge."

Jerry looked at Alan Block, "What for?"

"My youngest lad died last year inside.....hung himself while on remand......this is my way of shafting them back.....that and Patrick has a good reputation....Davy's convinced me that this is the right thing to do......"

"....and."

"Life is too boring living out here retired in the Costa Del Sol....I yearn for the old days....living on the edge....bucking the system....two fingers up to authority. This is my way of getting back a little of my youth."

Jerry looked over at Nat Smith, "and you?"

"Me......I'm a bent copper....got done twenty years ago....spent five in Wandsworth and like Alan I want my pound of flesh from the bastards. What about you?"

"Patrick's my mate.....nothing I wouldn't do for a mate."

"Then let's get down to brass tacks and get this plan thrashed out.....Jerry got any questions and ideas?"

And the five men sat for the next couple of hours working the plan from every angle, looking for possible flaws and solutions, whilst the woman tried on clothes and Shirley made sure everyone had some food and drink.

*

Tony opened the door to Maria's basement room; she lay huddled on her side staring at the wall opposite. He was worried for her mental state as well as her physical well being. Sitting next to her on the bed he stroked her cheek. 

"Maria....it's me Tony....I've brought you some stuff...here." And taking from his jacket the small bottle of Raspberry and Banana Smoothie and the cheese sandwich he then helped her to sit up, pulling up the thin blanket over her naked body when it slipped down. "How you holding up?"

"I want to get out......when can you get me out?"

"I'm working on it. I need you to build up some strength......I'll bring you some food every day to help build you up.......I'll come up with a plan and then get you out....."

"Why are you going to help me, why are putting yourself up against Snake?"

"Because this is wrong......"

"Snake will get us.....he'll kill you."

"Not if I get him first."

*

A couple of men were sitting in the Queen's Head in Penge talking amongst themselves about this and that. One of the men looked around to check no one was listening and then in a quiet voice asked his friend, "You seen any sign of Johnny 'the slice' he owes me a few quid and I've heard some rumours. Wondered if you've heard them too?"

His friend sat forward, lowering his voice he replied, "You mean the one about him laying in deep cement somewhere, courtesy of Snake."

"That's what I heard. Holding up some foundations so I heard."

"Word on the street is Snake is getting too obvious without Curtis keeping him in check. People are getting jumpy and scared. You don't know when you'll be next."

"Still Johnny was a real little bleeder.....good fucking riddance to him."

"You won't be saying that if it was you or one of yours that Snake beat seven shades of shit out of."

*

The officer walked up to Patrick where he sat working in the machine room of the prison. "Curtis you're wanted up in administration."

Getting up Patrick followed the man out of the noisy room where he worked for a pittance inside the prison to be able to buy the basic necessities needed to make life inside a little normal, soap, shampoo and ciggies to use as currency to get other things not legal here inside, but obtainable through certain routes.

Walking into the admin office he stood in front of the officer at the desk, waiting to be acknowledged but being ignored by the man. This was the thing that annoyed him most here in the nick, the treating of men with contempt by some of the officers, making them wait, like they were the lowest of the low. Biting the inside of his cheek to stop himself from reacting he waited until the man looked up and said, "Seems like someone wants to see you from outside Curtis. There's been an application for a visit." 

Patrick's left eyebrow rose. Since he had been incarcerated the only visitors he had were his Solicitor and the Police trying to find out more about Snake and his exploits. But even though it would have been a way to get back at Nick, he had kept his mouth shut, turning informer was not something he would ever consider. Besides anything he said would end up putting himself deeper in the shit as he had been the brains behind much of what went on.

"You need to agree to any visitor you want on your list, so Curtis a Miss McCormack has requested to see you this Sunday. You want her on your visitor list?"

Patrick stood there in shock. He never expected this.

"Rachel McCormack?"

"Yes Curtis....do you want to see her? I need your signature on the visitors form."

Bending over and signing the form Patrick couldn't stop the big grin that spread across his face. He was going to see her. Only a few more days and he was going to see her. Straightening up he stood there waiting to be dismissed by the bastard sitting at his desk.

But he didn't care about any pompous screw right now. Nothing could annoy or hurt him at the moment.

Rachel wanted to see him. 

*

In a pub not a million miles from the pub that the two men had sat drinking in discussing the missing Johnny 'the slice' in Penge, a young man of nineteen, more the worse for wear because of the amount of booze he had drunk told his companions. "I'll fucking kill him for what he's done to my family."

"Shhhh...shut the fuck up John, someone will hear you."

"I don't fucking care....me mum is out of her mind with worry....dad's missing ....she's heard the rumours...and Maria snatched off the street....that fucking Snake is taking the piss with my family." 

"Ok, calm down; don't get in such a paddy."

"What the fuck do you mean 'don't get in a fucking paddy'....it's not your dad that Snake has fucking done a number on.....nor cousin that is holed up somewhere servicing half the male population of fucking South East London."

"You're pissing in the wind if you think you can get Snake....they didn't even put him on trial for that Black Dealers murder....claimed it was self defence, even though they say that the girl Curtis got put away for kidnapping, gave a statement to the police......un – fucking – touchable is Snake....even the fucking Police leave him alone."

"I'll fucking get the cunt.....no one hurts my family and gets away with it, not even Snake. " and he drained the rest of the pint of lager in his hand, "I'm going to get the bastard.....I know others that are ready to get him....others who have been shitted on by the bastard....his time is running out....."

One of the companions told the others standing there, "Don't pay no notice of him, it's the drink, he's all mouth and no trousers." Nervous lest he's mates' ravings got back to Snake. "He's just being a Pratt."

"No I'm fucking not....nor are the others."

*

Snake sat in his office on the first floor of the house that was the drug lab, he was counting out the money that some of his dealers had brought in. In front of him one of his men sat smoking a spliff, the pungent smell wafting over towards him. "The girls unaware she's being followed?" he asked the man.




Rattling Snakes Cage 2 Ch. 02



"Yeah....the bitch is just going about her business.....boring....work to home.....home to work....same way every bloody day...."

"Good....I have plans for her.....make sure she's still watched and unaware until I'm ready....she makes any changes keep me informed." Standing up he told the man, "Go....and stop fucking smoking my goods.....unless you want to pay for it."

Grinning the man walked out the door closing it behind him. Snake went over to the other side of the room, moved a large cupboard aside and opened the safe behind it, placing the wad of two grand in with the rest of the money sitting in there. Closing the safe and pushing the cupboard into place he walked back and sat down at his desk, lent back and smiled. Yes he had plans for that girl that had been with Patrick and had made a statement to the Police against him, and he was looking forward to implementing them.

Once he had her and he got word back inside Wandsworth to Patrick about what he was doing to her, his revenge against his once best friend and partner would have started.

It would be the first turn of the screw.

*

Megan wrapped her arms around Jerry's neck and kissed him, "its only two nights a week and you're not here those nights working."

"You don't have to work, I support us."

Squeezing him she smiled up at him, "I know....and I love you for it, but I want to do this.....I want to bring in something....I need to do this....you don't mind do you Jerry....please sweetie."

"But at a bar! You're an innocent abroad Megan."

"It's just a local one, very quiet. Close to home. You can drop me off on your way to work and I'll get a cab home."

"I'm not sure......."

"Please baby....let me....."

Unable to not let the woman he loved do what ever she wanted Jerry kissed her, "Ok, but it will cost you."

Laughing she asked him what.

Picking her up and slinging her over his shoulder he smacked her butt, "a little afternoon roll in the hay....."

"What no siesta!"

"That comes after......"

And walking into the bedroom he carefully sat her down in the middle of the bed and started to remove his tee-shirt over his head as she pulled down the straps and cups of her bikini, revealing the snow white skin of her breasts tipped by dark pink nipples, the pale skin that had been hidden from the sun in contrast to the tanned skin of her body.

Kneeling on the bed Jerry leaned forward his mouth finding Megan's, his tongue entering her mouth, swirling and tasting her sweetness. Reaching up Megan removed his glasses, and lay back, his mouth still joined to hers, a deep sigh of pleasure emanating from her.

She loved her man, and loved his tenderness when making love.

She was totally unaware that soon he would be going back to the UK without her to take part in what would be a daring attempt to rescue Patrick from where he languished in the old Victorian Prison close to the Thames in the heart of London.

*

The redheaded girl knelt on the floor, her head held by the man behind her as the one in front pumped his cock in her mouth. His prick smelt foul with sweat and sour tasting it pushed into her mouth, deeply hitting the back of her throat, and her hands reached up to push his hips away as he laughed deep and loud at her discomfort.

"Put your hands down bitch, take my cock, all of it." and he pumped even harder as his mate held her head still, making it impossible to avoid the invading shaft of flesh, making her gag.

After he had shot his wad into her, the two men changed positions, uncaring of the pitiful sight of the woman cowering on her knees in front of them as she heaved, chucking up her guts from the taste of the foul cum in her throat.

Up stairs working at his bench Tony sat, hands shaking with rage, aware that the two couriers who had come back with some of the collection money from dealers were downstairs abusing Maria, but unable to do anything about it.

His stomach burnt with fury and his head pounded, but he knew he had to bide his time until he could work out a way to get her out and them both away in one piece. Last night he had started to ask around as to where he could buy a gun, and had been told of a pub where some Bulgarian called Metzov could be contacted and supply at a price whatever he wanted.

*

Davy sat at the beach side bar, the bright blue azure sparkling Mediterranean stretching out in front of him, Alan Block on his left, "So what do you think of Jerry?"

"Seems a good man....I'm impressed that he's said that he'd be the one on the top of the crane ladder. It's a big gamble as it's the most dangerous place to be in the escape plan. If it all goes pear shaped he's the one that's least likely to get away."

"Yeah....we need to keep the least amount of people as part of the plan, too many and someone's mouth might wag. You on the boat ready at the marina, me driving the van, Danny the crane.....by the way where did you say you were getting the crane from?"

"An old friend owns a large building business only a stones throw from the prison.....he owes me a few favours....he's going to make it easy for us to break in and make it look like its been stolen....we just take it and drive it out and up the road to Wandsworth....no one will look twice at it as it moves along....lots of road and building repairs in the area at the moment....he told me where the keys are kept and he's going to make sure all the men are out doing work on jobs so there should be no one there to see us take it."

"What about the bikes?"

"Stolen the day before.....plates changed and parked up over the road.....we don't even have to park them on the road...there's a large house almost opposite which is converted into bedsits for rent...we put the bikes in the front driveway on the way to steal the crane, and then grab them to get away....helmets on will cover up our faces to hide our ugly mugs....CCTV camera's won't be working as they'll be put out of service due to the power cut.....and the prison doors won't open to let out the officers to chase us as they're also worked on electrical circuits that will be useless once the cables on the emergency generator is cut. The only way out will be on the rope ladder and they'll have to fight their way through the escaping men to get to it."

Laughing Davy said, "Pure fucking chaos.....I'm getting a hard on just thinking about it."

"Whole thing should be a piece of piss to pull off."

"It will be famous...mass escape from Wandsworth nick, shame we're going to have to keep quiet about being the ones to pull it off."

*

Patrick followed the officer that escorted him back to the machine shop in the jail. He felt like he was walking on air. The noise and the smell of the place faded as he took his place and started working. In his mind he was with Rachel, laying with her, cuddling, rubbing his fingers up and down the side of her arm, her head on his shoulder, at peace together. 

Across the room sitting at his place, working at his machine was a six foot four thug called Nash. He had worked for Patrick and Snake a few years ago, and was a complete psycho, inside doing a fifteen year stretch for rape and aggravated assault. Out of the corner of his eye he watched Patrick who sat there a smile on his face as he day dreamed about Rachel. Irrationally thinking that Patrick was laughing at him he got more and more wound up. When Patrick had re-entered the room his eyes had happened to fall on Nash without being aware of it, and this, along with the smile on Patrick's face was enough to set the big man off.

Suddenly lurching up and throwing the table out of his way Nash hurled himself across the room at Patrick and tumbled him to the floor, punching him hard across the face before the officers pulled Nash off of him. 

"What the fuck are you playing at Nash!" one of the screws screamed at the flailing man as they started to restrain him, "Keep still." And they put the cuffs on him and led him out whilst he screamed and cursied at Patrick, as another screw bent over Patrick and helped him up. "What was that all about Curtis?"

"No idea Mr Rodgers." And he rubbed his bruised chin, "No idea what got into him."

"Well you need to go up and make a statement with the chief....."

"I've got nothing to say...."

"Still have to get a report made up...come on, out with you." And they walked back up to the administration block.

"This won't affect a visit I have for Sunday will it?" Patrick asked the screw worried that the visit with Rachel might be cancelled.

"We'll see."

*



Rattling Snakes Cage 2 Ch. 03



Patrick and Rachel love each other and want to be together, but are things conspiring to keep them apart, or will the lovers be able to be together. Jerry and the men plot an escape plan to get Patrick out of jail.

This is a character driven romantic crime thriller telling the story of Patrick and Rachel, Jerry and Megan, and their enemy Snake.

*

A couple of nights later Nash sat in the cell that prisoners were sent to as part of his ten day solitary confinement as punishment for attacking Patrick in the machine shop. He paced back and forth in the small space fuming. The past forty-eight hours by himself had wound him up further and all he could hear in his head was that all his troubles were Patrick Curtis's fault, that the man had been laughing at him when he had come back into the machine shop that day and that he, Nash, was going to get his revenge against Curtis one way or another.

Listening to the loop of unreasonable thoughts playing in his head he sat there alone, no distractions to stop the insane internal chatter and plans from forming inside his skull.

He was now a man with a mission.

*

Patrick had spent the last couple of days excited at the prospects of the visit. Torn in two at both the prospect of Rachel seeing him in such circumstances, dressed in prison clothes, under supervision, in his own eyes half a man, and yet to be able to see her and be able to talk to her kept him to himself, quiet and introspective, slightly apart from the swirling mass of men. He watched from his position leaning against the wall as Roger Hartwell walked around the exercise yard, strutting and intimidating some of the new arrivals, amongst them one young man of about nineteen, slim, scared and tearful, and Patrick guessed this was the kids first time in the nick.

Hartwell was a bully, enjoying himself as he menaced others, barely held in check by the warning given out by the three brothers on Patrick's orders and the often shaking of his head at the big man when he could see he was up to something. Patrick knew it wouldn't be long before the big beefy man blew, the pressure on men inside waiting for release so intense, and that he couldn't stop it from happening for much longer.

Sitting down and leaning against the exercise area wall he looked up at the small expanse of blue sky above him. Fluffy white clouds hung in a clear bright sky and a bird flew overhead, making him feel depressed at the thought that for the next twenty years this was all he would ever see of the outside world. In the distance he could hear the noise of traffic as it made its way up Trinity Road to Wandsworth Bridge or down towards Tooting, a road he had often driven up when going out in the West End of London, and now so close, and yet so far, whilst other people outside went on with their busy lives, a painful reminder of his own circumstances.

He would be fifty five by the time he got out. Too old to start again, the best part of his life stolen away by the law, and that thought brought him down.

Seeing Rachel would be such a double edged sword, the need to see her burning inside him, the thought that he was not the man he wanted her to see, hurting and twisting his gut.

*

Rachel had gotten up that Sunday morning nervous but excited at the prospect of seeing Patrick. Later that day looking at herself in the mirror she stood wearing only a lacy white set of bra and pants, her hair now slightly longer hung down past her shoulders, curling slightly, shining and freshly washed. Turning sideways, she inspected her body, the gentle swell of her belly, the pert bottom half hidden by the white briefs, the slim long legs.

Walking over to her wardrobe she moved clothes back and forth looking for something that would show off her body without looking too tarty or obvious. Pulling out a capped sleeved black figure hugging tee shirt with a V neck and short black skirt she then sat down at her dressing table and looking in the mirror proceeded to carefully apply her make up and brush her hair.

After dressing she slipped on a pair of strappy high heeled shoes and put in her pierced ears a large pair of silver hooped earrings and on her wrist a matching silver bangle completing the outfit.

Grabbing her keys and her bag she left the small house in Biggin Hill and started the drive up to London and Wandsworth not wanting to be late and not sure of the parking around the prison. 

*

He looked at himself in the small hand mirror and then at the plastic razor that another prisoner had lent him. It was an illegal mirror and razor and it had cost him a packet of tobacco to borrow them, the usual currency inside. He had shaved yesterday and a slight dark shadow of stubble made him look a little roguish, unfortunately here inside he was only able to shave every other day when he was handed the plastic bic razor during showering, before it was taken back by the screws, so he proceeded to make his face clean of the days growth with the illegal blade. His hair, cut by the prison barber was now slightly longer than before, the brown hair thick and slicked back, his pallor pale due to the only sunlight over the last eight months to touch his skin from the hour's recreation in the yard each day.

Washing his face in the small sink in the cell and running the comb through his hair he studied himself in the reflective surface in the glass in his hand. 'At least' he thought to himself, 'this time he wouldn't have the split lip and bruised face when she saw him during visit', like she had during that wonderful five days they spent together hiding out.'

Changing his top from the light blue shirt to the grey sweatshirt he pushed up the sleeves and took a deep breath to steady his nerves. He felt like an innocent teenager again going on his first date, and laughed out loud to himself. He was never that innocent and this was hardly a date.

Putting the contraband mirror inside the pages of a magazine that had been lent to him from one of the three brothers. he placed the glossy men's publication under his pillow and sat waiting on the lower bunk for the screw to come and collect him.

*

Snake sat at the bar of the club nursing a Scotch, feeling maudlin.

His drug empire was running smoothly, money coming in, dealers working for him too scared to skim money or do a dirty for fear of what would happen to them. His reputation as a ruthless man was well known, and he was aware of the gossip about the missing Johnny 'the slice' and others in conjunction with himself, but wasn't scared of the talk, as he believed he was untouchable by the cops. His slice of payment and protection money by people that pulled jobs in his area was pulling in more money than he could spend, and he knew he could have any woman he fancied, whether she wanted him or not due to his standing in the area.

People were scared of him, he saw it in their eyes.

But he was restless with something missing. And in his blacker moments he could admit to himself it was that he missed the company of Patrick. 

For ten years they had been friends. People gravitated towards Patrick, his happy go lucky and friendly nature, and he had enjoyed being part of Patrick's social swirl, even though they had been scared and wary of him whilst partying with the two men, but now even that was gone as people held themselves apart, no Patrick to make him and others laugh, to pull him out of his mercurial moods, to come up with perfect plans and ideas.

And most of all there was that burning anger that his friend had wanted to get away from him and had stolen from him to do it.

All his life he had felt an outsider. Until he had met Patrick ten years ago when they were both inside and shared a cell. After they had gotten out they had planned and worked together, Patrick the brains, Snake the chilling and disturbing top man, as they had built his firm and territory in the South East of London, and for the first time he had felt a part of something, and he loved the feeling. But now he felt cut adrift, the boss isolated amongst his own employees.

And he wanted revenge so much he could taste it.

The chance to hit back at Patrick was burning him up, but how to do it?

He could have him cut up whilst in prison. He could have him beaten up on a regular basis. He could have a contract put out on him and have him killed. But he wanted to really put the pressure on Patrick and make him suffer mentally and the beginning of a plan was forming in the twisted mind of the man who sat by himself drinking. His two enforcer henchmen sitting across the room left him to wallow in his introspective thoughts knowing it was best to leave him to his own company when he was like this.

*

Sitting in the waiting room along with the other inmate's visitors, Rachel looked around at the other people in the room. Children sat with weary faced woman, elderly woman, probably prisoners mothers, sat with creviced faced men that had seen too much of life, younger men sat hunched over reading newspapers, young women dressed up, much like her, watched expectantly as prison officers took groups of people through the door ahead.

The ambiance in the waiting room was not exactly bright and cheerful, but nor was it dark and intimidating like she imagined it would be. Suddenly her name was called and with a beating heart Rachel rose from the plastic padded bench and with the other people in her group walked through the door and into the next room where she and her bag was thoroughly searched after she had first walked through a metal detector. The woman officer explained to her that her bag must be placed along with any other of her effects into a locker, as nothing could be taken into the visiting room. 

It was also explained that there was a small café in the visitor room and any food or drink could be signed for and paid for on exit as no money was allowed in the visiting room.

After a second body search once everything was in the locker she followed the others into a brightly lit room, small Formica tables with chairs, much like a cheap café filled the large room, and visitors sat expectantly at the tables waiting for the men who would soon arrive. Sitting at a table near a wall, Rachel sat and waited, straightening her top, subconsciously smoothing her hair into place, biting her lip.

The door at the end of the room opened and a stream of men entered, one after the other, all wearing red security body bibs, eyes darting around the room looking for their visitors, wide smiles on their faces. The soft murmur that had been in the room became a loud noise of people as they hugged, greetings made, and the sound of chairs scrapping. 

And then she saw him, a red cloth body bib over his light grey sweatshirt like all the other prisoners, his eyes searching the room until they lit upon her, his face just like she remembered, the smile warming her as he moved towards her.

Unaware that she had risen as he approached, she stared at him as he stood unsure before her, and then without realising what she was doing she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, crying into his chest and murmuring "I'm sorry.....I'm so, so sorry."

Feeling his arms around her she heard his deep voice rumble in her ear, "Shhh...its okay.....shhhhh."

A prison officer came over and told them to let go and sit down opposite each other.

Taking their places, hands holding hands across the scratched Formica table they stared at each other. Patrick reached up and with the pad of his thumb wiped away the tears on her cheeks. "You look so beautiful.....I've dream of you every night.....and you look more beautiful here in real life than my mind could ever conjure up."

"How are you?

"I'm alright.....how are you?"

Shyly she smiled, "Ok...I like your hair longer....."

And for the next hour they talked, Patrick's thumb stroking the sensitive skin of the inside of her wrist, their eyes drinking in each other, his eyes sometimes moving down to look at the gentle cleavage showing in the V of her top. Towards the end of the hour she asked him if he wanted anything from the small serving hatch, maybe a drink or something. He asked for some chocolate and she went over and bought a couple of bars.

Popping a piece into his mouth he sighed and told her that this was the first bit of chocolate he had tasted in over eight months, grinning as he said it. "The small amount of money I earn in here goes on necessities."

"Are you allowed to receive stuff if I sent it in for you.....I could send in chocolate for you if you want...or anything else you want."

"Not without clearance....you can send in money or some stuff but it has to be cleared, and then checked......things can be sent in."

"But I can buy you a bar each time I visit?"

"Are you going to visit me again....?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Does man have to breathe?...of course I do!....."

"Then I'll come next week."

"Sorry has to be the following week, I'm only allowed two visits from you a month.....but I'll count the days until you come."

"Can I write to you?"

Kissing the inside of her palm, his teeth biting gently on the soft pad at the base of her thumb he told her. "Put some of your perfume on them so I can put them under my pillow at night and pretend you're there."

*

Tony had met up with the Bulgarian that sold guns in the Rising Star pub, doing a deal to buy a small automatic hand gun and ammunition, The black curly haired man of about forty with the strong Eastern European accent told him to be at the car park behind the pub tomorrow night with the money to do the exchange. 

Nodding, Tony got up and with the sour taste of fear in his mouth walked over to the bar and ordered a pint. Hands shaking he paid for it and surveyed the rest of the patrons in the room, noticing a slightly drunk John, a scowl of his face leaning against the other end of the bar. He knew John vaguely from the area and from local clubs at night, and he nodded towards him. The angry and drunk John walked over to Tony and together they started to drink, both men unaware at first that each were worried about the same person.

The redheaded girl held down in the basement of Snakes lab for sex, John's cousin and Tony's obsession. 

But fairly soon the drink and the worry that both young men held inside them loosened their mouths and John found out where Maria was being held and Tony heard all about the missing Johnny 'the slice' who was Johns dad, and his need for revenge against Snake.

Together they started to make plans.

*

Reporting back to Snake the men that were following Rachel told him where she had been visiting that Sunday afternoon. 

Raising his fist in a punch in the air an exulted Snake shouted, "Yesssss got him." Smiling a cruel smile Snake told the men, "Tomorrow night we pick her up on her way home from work, and bring her back to my place, and I don't want her hurt so we'll do it like this........"

Later, after the men left him he sat back, hands behind his head, long legs stretched out in front of him, a wide smile on his face. Patrick himself had handed him a great way for getting his revenge, and he was going to play it for all it was worth at turning the screw and settling the score.

*

Staggering out of the pub Tony and John made their way up the road, unrealistic plans rolling around their head, fuelled by the drink and the burning rage at the wrongs done by Snake.

"He's a complete dickfuck....."

"A fucking cunt......."

"We're going to fucking do it to him for what he's fucking done......."

"No fucking question about it.......he's dead meat....."

"We're going to hammer the bastard into the fucking ground...."

"Stomp his bleeding goolies into the fucking mud....he thinks he's a fucking hard arse....but he don't know who he's dealing with.....I'm as hard as fuck and I'm going to rip he's fucking arm off and stuff the soggy end down his fucking throat....."

Tottering up the road the lads bragged to each other on how they were going to get the better of Snake and teach him the lesson needed. Stopping at a shop doorway John unzipped his fly and getting out his prick peed a stream of golden urine, emptying his full bladder. "I'm going to piss on his fucking broken body after I've finished with him."

And the two men drunkenly giggled, picturing the vision of the dangerous powerful man broken and beaten at their feet, a stream of piss mingling with his blood.

*

Davy and Danny strolled along the promenade in front of the beach in Marbella, a large cigar in Davy's mouth.

"Nat's got the stuff in place inside.....mobile phone for Patrick topped up with enough credit, it will be given to him tomorrow so we can talk to him.......the cable cutters have also been smuggled in.....told me they're hidden and ready....the men know what to do and the money will be placed in the bank accounts for them as soon as the escape pulls off."

"When does Jerry leave for London?"

"Tomorrow......he's going to grab the bikes, change the plates and hide them until needed.....also he says he knows a place to pinch the van,......says he's going get some sign graphics on the side......"Wandsworth Removals....we can move anything anywhere'......nice touch." 

Laughing Danny asked, "What about the marina.....Patrick can't just turn up wearing prison blues and stroll up the marina onto the boat......."

"No problem.....change of clothes for him in the van.....change of clothes all around.....we ditch the van half way down to Brighton......there's an old factory that was abandoned when the M23 was built, about half a mile from the motorway. We dump it there with the bikes and clothes.....have a car parked with the fishing gear in the boot....do the exchange....bish bosh we become four guys in a Merc going fishing."

"No prints for forensics as we're all are wearing gloves....."

"I'll get the cheapest most common tyres put on the Merc so that it's difficult to trace the car....."

"No CCTV camera's around there?"

"Nah, its rural......nearest camera is a speeding one which we need to make sure we're under the limit as we go past about a quarter of a mile before the turn off."

"When do you fly out?"

"Day after tomorrow, into Gatwick.....you?"

Wednesday night.....flying into Manchester airport and getting picked up and driven down by my daughters husband.......staying with her that night......you?"

"Visiting my old mum......"

"Just like mixing business with pleasure."

"Believe me my mum is never a pleasure....why do you think I live over here......"

And the two men strolled along laughing, holiday makers crowding the wide boulevard, the noise of people enjoying themselves swirling around them, the smell of the sea wafting and mixing with the smell of Paella and the almond smell of sunscreen oil.

*

Patrick looked at the screw that had cornered him in his cell, grey haired and podgy, the man seemed to be nervous, his face a pasty look coated with a sweaty sheen, his eyes shifty and carefully checking to see if they were being observed. Taking a mobile phone out of his trouser pocket he handed it to Patrick telling him.

"This is for you from a friend. It's got two numbers set in it and it's loaded with fifty quid of credit. If you get caught with it you had better not say where you got it or I'll make sure your life is a living hell in here. Phone the number labelled number one."

And the man left the cell as if there was a nasty smell in it, leaving Patrick with the small communication device in his hand and a quizzical look on his face. Climbing up on his bunk bed he pressed the send button after finding the number listed under one on the contact list.

The phone at the other end rung and at first he thought no one was going to answer it, but then a voice answered, one he recognised. "Patrick is that you?"




Rattling Snakes Cage 2 Ch. 03



"Davy?"

"My man....how're you doing?"

"I've been better.....but I'm surviving......how did you get the screw to pass me this phone.....?

"That's not important now.....you need to listen......we're getting you out of there Friday......its all set up our end......we're pulling you out during exercise at exactly four thirty five...... a rope ladder will come over the wall nearest the road...about the middle of the wall......you need to set up as many distractions in the yard to keep the screws busy.....the electrical power will go dead in the surrounding area and the prison at four thirty exactly so there'll be real confusion anyway....leg it up the ladder and we'll get you away from the area real nippy like on a bike....."

Patrick lay on the bed, a feeling of elation running through his body, "You have to be joking......Friday?....you sure?"

"No joking Patrick.....be there....set up the distractions.....we'll tell you more on another call tomorrow...you need to call the number under two then."

"Number two?"

"Yeah....its Jerry....he'll tell you more.....we need to keep the calls short.....look after yourself Patrick and I'll see you on Friday."

And then Davy was gone, the line dead.

Patrick lay there, adrenaline running through his body, and the thought of freedom glowing inside him. Friday he would be out of here. Friday he would escape and then he would be able to see Rachel, hold her, kiss her, and make love to her.

It was so near he could almost taste it.

*

Nash stood kicking the cell door, roaring with fury, his fists sore from pummelling the hard metal in front of him.

"LET ME FUCKING OUT. LET ME FUCKING OUT YOU CUNTS."

Giving the door one last kick he stormed around the small enclosed area and grabbing the plastic tray of food threw it across the room, his temper at an all time high and nowhere to channel it.

"FUCKING CURTIS....I'M GOING TO FUCKING RIP HIS GUTS OUT THROUGH HIS FUCKING MOUTH WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON HIM.....I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL THE BASTARD....."

His time in solitary had intensified his 'so called' injustice and hate for Patrick at the supposed slight. The madman locked in solitary was a time bomb now waiting to happen.

*

Megan lay under Jerry on their bed in the apartment in the South of Spain, her tanned slim legs hooked around his hips as he slowly thrust deep inside of her, her small teeth biting down on his shoulder as the waves of an approaching orgasm built deep in her belly.

Their lovemaking was always sweet and gentle, with Jerry careful of the love of his life.

The sounds of his manhood moving inside her wet and tight womanhood made a soft squishing sound as he picked up the pace, his wet tongue seeking out her ear, his hands holding her tight to him.

He loved her with an intensity that grew day by day.

She loved him for his sweet, caring and gentle nature, believing him to be a good and honest hardworking man who provided for her and treated her like she was a princess. Making love before he left for London, and what she believed was a business trip for his boss, Megan whispered to her man as he filled her body with his that she loved him, and he whispered back that he loved her too.

Their mouths met and tongues swirled around each other in a deep and passionate kiss, the pace of their movements picking up as each drew closer to reaching orgasm and fulfilment.

Megan felt the waves of pleasure run through her as her swollen and tender nerve endings in her vagina pulsed, the smooth rubbing of Jerry's hard and smooth penis chaffing the sensitive inner walls of her and she came with a primal grunt that drew Jerry over the edge into his own spilling of his life force into her.

*

Alan's contact in London was sussing out the electrical boxes that needed to be disabled to cause the power cuts. He figured that it would take just four boxes found around the Wandsworth area to be wiped out to cut off the electricity required, and that was going to be a piece of piss to do. 

All he had to do was over the day before Friday dress up in the blue work overalls, sit in front of the boxes after breaking into them, and then leave a timed device rigged to explode enough to destroy the wiring inside the box, but not enough to cause any human injury. The problem would be the CCTV cameras near two of the boxes, so walking around the area he stood back so that the cameras didn't see him, but looked at every angle.

Nodding to himself he could see that it only needed a well placed parked high sided van to obliterate the view of him as he did his business.

Picking up his mobile from his pocket he dialled the number given to him of the recently bought Pay as you Go mobile out in Spain and when Alan answered told him. "It will be all go for Friday, the area will be shut down at exactly four thirty, put the money in my account to show that morning."

Alan smiled and answered into the mouthpiece of the handset, "Half in the morning, half next day if you pull it off."

"I've never let you down before......"

"No you haven't........you're a good lad, and your old man would be proud of you."

"Thanks Mr Block, that means a lot to me...."

"Half on Friday morning, rest next day on completion." And he terminated the call.

*

Patrick was walking on air all day, a smile on his face, the vagaries of prison life not really affecting him. Friday he would be out of here, and on the way out of the UK he was going to see if he could persuade Rachel to join him.

He had replayed in his mind over and over the visit yesterday, the way she hugged him, the way her eyes seemed to melt into his, the feel of the skin of her hand as he had stroked it, and the way she had held onto his hand when the visit was over as if she never wanted to let him go.

Her not going with him would be something he wouldn't concede.

Walking with the three brothers towards the shower room he heard the sounds of a struggle, the whimpering and grunting of someone as if they were being held. Looking at one of the brothers with a quizzical look on his face the four men ran the last ten yards to the room and as they turned the corner the sight that met his eyes turned his stomach.

Hartwell stood behind the young scared prisoner of nineteen who had arrived only days before, his pants were around his ankles, bent over one of the dividing ledges between the sinks the whimpering young man was struggling to avoid the bully who was about to take him by force. Snarling with rage Patrick and the brothers rushed forward, pulling off Hartwell and throwing him down on the tiled wet floor.

"You fucking animal Hartwell....."

And one of the brothers kicked the big man in the bollocks, "You big fat fucking ponce....."

Grabbing his bruised nuts the squirming man looked up at the four men, "You're not the big man in here Curtis......you can't protect him, or Manning, or all the others all the time......I'll fucking get them and you...."

Scrambling to his feet the man lurched out the shower room, pulling up his trousers around his waist as he went.

Turning to the shaking young lad Patrick asked him if he was alright. Nodding and pulling up his own pants the red faced man thanked the men that had saved him, and as they left the room they made sure he was in the centre of the group. "Stay with us for protection....no one will touch you whilst you're with us."

One of the brothers pointed out to Patrick, "It seems you're gathering enemies in here Patrick......Nash and now Hartwell."

"Nash is fucking dead from the neck up and Hartwell all talk and no trousers."

"Still, look out for them....they're both dangerous."

"Bollocks to them......"

Nothing was going to spoil his excitement at the approaching escape and seeing Rachel again, as a free man.

*

John and Tony looked at the four other males sitting in John's mums' front room, the look on their faces intense with anticipation.

"How do we get past those thugs he always has with him?"

"If we all have guns pointed at them they'll give up....we need to have more of us though....maybe ten or twelve.....think you can get more willing bodies?"

"There's a few of his chain of dealers who have been through a beating on his orders....if we tell them they can grab as much of the coke laying around in the lab as they want, as well as get their revenge on Snake.....they'll join in."

"Andy Smith is a real hard nut....part of the Millwall supporters crowd that always are getting into fights with opposition supporters.....I know he'd be up for a rumble....."

"Then there's the boy's down in the Cray....hard nuts all of them....."

"Tell them they can also have as much coke as they can get their hands on when we do him."

"What about after?"

"What do you mean what about after........?"

"You know.....what do we do with him.....the body?"

"Basement....set fire to the place.....wipe him and his base out."

"OK then.....it's a go."

*

Rachel drove her car down the country lane, the odd car passed her in the opposite direction, her doors were locked, and behind her, far back was a black car, the windows tinted so you couldn't see who was driving it.

She thought back to the visit with Patrick yesterday and smiled to herself. He looked just as she remembered, sexy and all male. Somehow seeing him in his prison clothes didn't take anything away from him, and she was looking forward to sending in the visit request for two weeks time.

Not sure yet where this was going to go, she had decided to just go with her feelings and live in the moment. Never had she ever thought she would end up involved with a criminal, nor become a prison visitor. It was so out of her normal everyday humdrum life. But here she was, driving home from work, planning to visit the man who only eight months before had kidnapped her and held her hostage for five days.

Five mad, interesting, illogical and sexy days.

Driving along she started to slow as she noticed a car blocking the road up ahead, the hazard lights on and a body and bicycle laying on the road as if knocked over by the car. A man was waving her down to stop, a look of frantic worry on his face.

Stopping the car about ten yards behind the blocked car she sat biting her lip and the man ran up to her knocking on her closed window. "Help.....please help me....I've knocked down this cyclist....he needs help."

Unlocking the door and stepping out Rachel started to ask, "Have you phoned for an ambulance?......" but then stopped dead as she saw the gun pointed at her, and then the car that had been behind her pull up close behind her own.

Gasping with fear she watched as first the body on the road stood up, and then turning towards the newly arrived car to ask for help she watched as a tall slim man got out of the back, someone whose face she would never forget.

Snake.

*

Sitting next to him in the back of the limousine, Rachel shook with fear. As the expensive car moved along he took her hand in his, and she tried to pull it away from him, but he held it tight, telling her, "Now, now Miss McCormack, be nice..." his smile wide, his dark eyes glittering. The Snake head on his neck stood out vivid against his smooth skin, and seeing it filled her with dread.

"Please Snake, let me go, I don't know........"

"My name is Nick Armstrong.....please call me Nick. And I'll call you Rachel."

"Nick....please...."

"Rachel" and he let go of her hand and placed his arm around her shoulder, pulling her towards him. Her body went rigid. "You and I have some unfinished business.....which we will discuss once we arrive back at my place.....a business deal which I think you might find impossible to say no to....or to quote a certain character in a certain film....I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse."

*



Rattling Snakes Cage 2 Ch. 04



Snake has Rachel, whilst Patrick dreams of the escape from jail his friends are planning and being reunited with his love. Tony dreams of rescuing Maria from the basement of Snakes coke lab, and Nash dreams of getting his hands on Patrick in revenge for being put in solitary.

The plot thickens in this romantic crime thriller.

In this chapter is some non consensual sex, but I have tried to keep it as tasteful as I can for those that prefer not to read stuff too hard core.

*

The panoramic window showed a wide expanse of the river Thames with a block of high class apartments opposite, the windows lit up in the dark night. Rachel stood staring out through the glass as she heard Snake behind her uncorking a bottle of Champagne and pouring out two glasses of the golden bubbling liquid. Walking over to stand beside her, she saw the reflection of herself and Patrick's nemesis next to her holding out a glass for her to take.

"Please take it Rachel, its not drugged, poisoned, nor am I aiming to get you so drunk you don't know what will happen to you....."

Rachel took the glass of Champagne and took a sip of the crisp bubbly.

"What do you want with me?"

"Sit down and we'll have a talk about your future."

Walking on shaky legs she went over to the large black leather sofa and sat down, the glass of Champagne held in her nerveless fingers, Snake sitting on the sofa opposite.

"It appears you went to visit a certain mutual friend of ours yesterday, Patrick Curtis." Leaning back against the thick padded back of the sofa, his legs crossed, Snake continued, "Now don't get me wrong...I understand Patrick is an attractive man....you spent five days and nights with him...you're not the only woman to fall for his charms....he's broken more than one heart along the way." Leaning forward he told her, "The bastard ripped me off for more than a million in coke, I'm out of pocket, and I want pay back...."

"But what's that got to do with me?"

"You Miss McCormack are going to be the payback."

"I don't understand....."

"It's very simple. Patrick is inside.....captive so to speak....you and I are on the outside. From all reports he is more than a little fond of you....and in the past we have shared quite a lot of things, money, adventure, a prison cell, and women. You Rachel are going to be my source of revenge, and we are going to become very intimate. You are moving in with me.....photo's of the two of us together are going to be sent and shown at regular intervals to Patrick...he is going to be very aware that I am screwing his woman....and that she's enjoying it. In the photo's you are going to be smiling and looking like you are in love with me. It will be a slow torturous turn of the screw on him."

"You're mad."

"No Rachel, not mad.....angry as hell."

"I won't do it...you can't make me."

"Do you want to know what the alternative is?"

Shaking her head, she started to stand up.

"The alternative is that I pay someone inside the prison to regularly cut up Patrick, starting with that good looking face of his. A stripe from a blade down his cheek, next across his eye.....a few weeks later maybe a shiv in the back....not enough to kill him but enough to really hurt him....maybe a few months down the line another more intimate part of his body....well you get the picture."

Sitting down in a shocked heap, Rachel stared at the monster in front of her.

"Rachel, the choice is yours. Your virtue or Patrick gets cut up. Oh and by the way, if you do refuse, I have locked up in a basement somewhere a girl who grassed me up to the cops, and she's servicing my men. They can fuck her at their leisure. I haven't forgotten that you gave a statement about me to the cops. Refuse me and you join her."

Putting his glass down on the coffee table between the two sofa's he stood up and walked around to stand next to her as she sat stunned. Taking the glass from her hand and placing it next to his on the table, Snake bent down and with his hand under her armpit pulled her to stand up.

"No time like the present to start our relationship." And without letting go of her arm he pulled the stumbling Rachel towards the bedroom. "Tomorrow we'll go get your things from your home and bring them here, and start to take some pictures to send to Patrick. I think the best way will be on a mobile phone, that way we can even show him a video of us. Maybe a nice one of you giving me a blow job to start with."

*

Rachel stood inside the bedroom, her back to the bed, her arms wrapped around her stomach. Her eyes were wide with fear as she watched Snake slip off his jacket and casually lay it down over a brown easy chair in a corner of the room. Turning towards her he told her, "you look a little over dressed, strip off Rachel, and I mean all of it."

Crossing his arms across his chest he stood waiting.

The shaking woman stood there staring back at him stunned.

"Come on, let's see those legs first.... remove those slacks."

Nerveless fingers moved to undo the zip and slowly, tears running down her cheeks, she slid the black material down her legs, and then stepped out of them so that she stood there in her white blouse. "Please don't make me do this...."

Giving a dramatic sigh he told her, "You know you might get to like it with me....you might even get to eventually like me...of course I don't really care Rachel if you do or don't....but I do expect a little more enthusiasm from you....put a little more oomph into it...I'm a man and I like to see my women strip off a lot more sexily than what you're doing. Come on take off the blouse and make it good. Think strip tease."

Her shaking fingers started to unbutton her blouse until it hung open, a glimpse of skin and her white bra and pants showing between the two sides of material.

"Let down your hair Rachel. I want to see it loose."

Reaching up to undo the clip that held her hair in a high ponytail, she let her hair fall down loose around her shoulders.

"Now slip the blouse off your shoulders and down your arms."

Slowly, her heart beating hard in her chest she shrugged the white blouse off her shoulders and let it drift down her arms to fall on the floor at her feet. She stood there wearing only the white bra and pants and the black strappy high heeled shoes.

"Nice....very nice...."

Reaching up and unbuttoning his own white shirt, Snake then pulled it out of the waistband of his trousers and shrugged it off his body, letting it drop onto the floor. Rachel stared at the long tattoo of the Snake as it curled from the snakes head on his neck, down over and around his left shoulder, down over his pectoral muscle on his chest and curling around the side of his body and belly, disappearing into the waistband and beyond.

Slowly undoing the belt of his trousers, he pushed them down, along with his boxers and shoes and socks to reveal the rest of the tattoo that gave him his nickname. The multicoloured body of the snake made its way around his hip bone, skimming past his manhood, over his groin and down and around his left leg, the tail of the snake finishing at his ankle.

Rachel stood there transfixed, and then her eyes met his.

What she saw in his eyes made her take a step backwards, until the bed bumped into the back of her legs.

"I'm begging you please don't...."

Stepping towards her he told her, "I'll have you begging soon sweet Rachel.....but for something completely different....the sweet release of cumming......"

"Never....."

"Now there's a challenge if ever I heard one."

Standing in front of her he turned her around so she faced the bed and slipped his hands inside the cups of her bra, his fingers finding her nipples that were hard with fear. Nuzzling the side of her neck he whispered, "Get used to it Rachel....you're mine now."

"I hate you....."

"Good, it will make the revenge all more sweeter....." and he applied more pressure on the hard points making her gasp out.

*

Jerry sat on the plane in a window seat staring into the reflection of himself in the small double glazed window. He hated leaving Megan and worried about if he got caught what would happen to her. When he had left he had told her that he would call her whenever he could, and that Davy's wife would look after her, but he was still worried as she was a real innocent and hadn't clocked on what he was really like and what he did.

Closing his eyes he tried to settle into sleep but couldn't get comfortable in the small space, so he flicked through the films and entertainment on the screen in the back of the chair in front, popping the headphones into his ears. Finding an episode of The Office, he stared at the screen, his mind wandering as Ricky Gervais did his crazy dance and the other members of the cast of the comedy sitcom looked on at the ridiculous man with perplexed uncomfortable puzzlement.

*

Rachel lay below Snake, his long body pinning her down to the bed, his mouth roughly sucking on her breast, the bra and pants now no longer on her, but on the floor beside the bed. She stared up at the ceiling trying to distance herself from what was happening, but the insistent tongue and teeth, and the cruel squeezing fingers on her flesh made it impossible and her hands grabbed at the sheets as the man on top of her rubbed his rock hard prick into the cradle of her thighs.

Biting her lip to stop herself from crying out and giving him the pleasure of seeing her distressed reaction she lay there every muscle tight, and then felt the tip of his cock pushing at her entrance. 

"No....I'm not ready..."

"Too bad....I am." He growled and gave a hard thrust, entering her semi dry vagina, bruising her so that she yelped out at the invasion. Laughing Snake moved his hips, starting a steady rhythm, staring down into her eyes. "See Rachel, I'm fucking you.....and I'm going to keep on fucking you for how ever long I want....now move those fucking hips of yours or I'll bite your tit so hard it will bleed."

Lifting her hips slightly she met his thrust and counted the minutes until he would cum and it would be over for a while.

*

Nash lay on the hard prison bed in his solitary cell, his fertile mind picturing up all the supposed slights in his life from people that had had the misfortune to cross paths with the mad man. People like the kids at school that didn't include him in their gang, and that he had beaten up on the way home from school, getting him expelled. The girl that he had asked out when he was a teenager and who laughed in his face before she walked away, and who ended up with a shattered cheek after he beat her up, causing him to get put in Juvenile Prison. The young offender who in the Juvenile place that he had beaten up because he had refused to give up his seat in the film room, and the lad who when he got out stared at him in the café and now bore the knife scar in his back..

At twenty eight he had spent his life on the edge of anger, seeing the world in a different way from everyone else, and now he wanted to get his hands on Curtis.

*

Laying next to Snake on the bed, Rachel cried softly, feeling dirty and used. He lay sprawled on his back, his chest rising and falling from the exhaustion of sex, his face turned sideways watching her, "You'll get better with practice."

"I hate you."

"Yeah well hate is a good emotion, it shows passion, and its one I understand."

"You can't watch me all the time, be with me all the time, this is rape....."

Turning on his side and skimming his hand down her body in a gentle caress he told her, "Remember what will happen to Patrick if you so much as try to run, plus my men have orders to find you and put you down with the bitch in the basement if you so much as try to hurt or incapacitate me in any way. You'll have free run of my home and as my woman no one will dare to touch you or give you anything but respect so there are some advantages to having sex with me. Just lay back and think of England."

"How long do I have to put up with you?"

"As long as I want...."

"You bastard...."

Putting his hand around her throat he smiled a parody of a smile as he lent up over her, his face close to hers, "Yes I am. Literally and figuratively. Just you remember that and behave yourself and you'll find you get a lot more than you think out of this, and Patrick keeps his looks. Of course it will drive him mad as he has a strong Sir Galahad complex has our Patrick.....and that's what I'm counting on to drive him crazy."

Rising up and placing his body over hers he bent his head down and kissed her, his tongue pushing through her lips, invading her mouth, just as previously he had invaded her body.

*

Tony sat in his bedroom stroking the gun he had bought from the man in the pub car park. The ammunition lay on the bed in front of him. Pointing the unloaded gun at the mirror he practiced pulling the trigger, bolstering up his courage, and picturing shooting Snake.

John sat in his own bedroom in his mothers house swigging from a bottle of beer, feelings of revenge swirling around his head against the man who had his father killed on his orders and his body missing so that his mother was spiralling down in her grief, and the terrible indignities being perpetrated to his cousin Maria in the basement of the lab.

Hartwell lay in his cell, the testosterone in his body needing an outlet to explode, either fighting or fucking. So he lay there wanking off, frustrated at having the new young fresh meat pulled away from him by Curtis and the three brothers. 

And Patrick lay on his bunk in his cell dreaming of Rachel and his escape on Friday, unaware of what was happening to her, and not caring about anything else but his soon to be freedom.

*

Kneeling doggy style, the sweat glistening on her skin, her hair falling damply around her flushed face as it hung down, Rachel tried to ignore the thrusting hard cock pounding into her, and the hands holding and squeezing her hanging breasts, but it was impossible. The man riding her from behind wouldn't let her ignore him or blank out what was happening to her and she felt his hands move to her hips where he pulled her back towards him, making sure she felt his invading prick deep inside her as it hit against the entrance to her cervix, causing a loud gasp of pain to escape her.

"That's it baby, feel it deep inside you....you're one real fuckable bitch...."

*

Jerry walked through Gatwick airport his case in his hand and out into the dark late night air. Thanks to Davy the false passport he had supplied he followed the man that Davy had arranged to collect him, getting into the back of the car as the man placed his suitcase in the boot, and he closed his eyes as the car made its way up the M23 towards London and the Travel Lodge on the outskirts of the South East of London where he was going to stay for the next four night under the assumed name of Thomas Meyers, and an anonymous base where people came and went unnoticed.

*

Most of the morning Patrick had tried to get some space to be alone in his cell, but the young lad he and the brothers had saved from being taken in the shower room seemed to be stuck to him like glue, and his frustration at being unable to get the mobile from where he had hid it and make the call to Jerry was making him short tempered.

"Hey kid, why don't you do me a favour," he growled, "I need a little privacy and space right now, can you stand outside the cell and be a look out for me. If you see a screw or anyone coming my way give the door a knock."

The fearful look on the young mans face told him all he needed to know.

"Nothing should happen to you standing outside on the landing in full view of everyone, just don't look like you're on lookout or you'll have every screw zoning in on me."

Nodding he went out the door and stood leaning against the wall trying to look carefree but feeling scared. Patrick pulled out the illegal mobile and dialled the number two on the contract list. Jerry answered the ring straight away.

"Patrick, that you?"

"Yeah....how you doing Jerry?"

"Great...Megan too....now lets get down to business.....can you get the diversion set up for Friday?"

"Yeah....going to organise a fight with everyone betting on who's going to win. Get it started a few minutes before the power is set to go off.....all eyes in the yard will be on the fighters and not on the wall. Screws will run to stop it, the men trying to stop the screws from doing that and spoiling their fun, and as soon as the ladder comes over I'll shimmy up it."

"Great...you got two fighters in mind?"

"Yeah. Manning and Hartwell....they're gagging to get at each other anyway.....they'll grab the chance to do it and think they'll make some money out of it."

Laughing Jerry told him, "I'm stealing the van today and getting it signed up, licence plate changed and hidden until we need it. Tomorrow the bikes."

"How are we getting out the country? I can't just walk through passport control anywhere."

"No problem, we've got access to a boat down at Brighton Marina, we just go onto the Marina, get on the boat looking like four fishermen out for a long weekend's fishing trip and make our way around the coast and over to France and Honfleur Marina. Dock up, refuel and make our way down the coast of France, hitting small open Marina's to refuel until we get around to Porto Banus in Spain. Davy will get you a new false passport and identity in Marbella and then it's up to you where you want to settle."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah, just like that.....the boat has a small compartment that has been used to smuggle stuff into the UK in the past, you can hide out there each time we hit land while we refuel and stock up with food. To everyone we will look like four men having a fishing holiday and relaxing, we make our way down to Spain having fun. What more can you ask for from an escape......"

"How about a woman......Rachel.....do we have room and time to pick her up on the way and take her with?"

"Patrick!"

"Jerry, I don't want to go without her."

"Are you crazy!"

"Run it past Davy and see if we can get her....."

"She testified against you..."

"She came to see me on Sunday....we love each other....you wouldn't leave without Megan if it was you...."

Taking a deep breath Jerry cursed, "You were always a real risk taker you fucker...ok I'll run it past Davy, Danny and Alan and let you know. Give me a call tomorrow." And the line went dead.

Patrick smiled as he hid the phone in its hiding place and went out his cell whistling, wrapping his arm around the young mans shoulders that had been keeping guard as lookout, "Come on lets go and have some fun, how good are you at playing chess?" and they wandered down to the communal day room where men were socialising before the call for lunch.

*

In the connecting bathroom to his bedroom Rachel looked at Snake as he leaned naked against the door frame, "Can't I even have some privacy in here?"

Straightening up he walked over to her as she stood in front of the shower and flicked her hair behind her ear, "Nope....no privacy."

Her eyes were red and gritted from crying, and last night after Snake had fallen asleep she had lain next to him, exhausted but unable to sleep herself until the early hours of the morning, trying to work out how she could escape the situation.

Praying her house mate would phone the police when she didn't turn up last night, after all the last time she had not come home from work and been out overnight it had turned out she had been kidnapped by Patrick. And now she was kidnapped again but was in a worse situation.

Looking him in the eye Rachel lifted up her chin, "I'll stay with you, I'll let you fuck me without putting up a fight, I'll even pretend I'm enjoying it if that's what you want, but I hate you, I'm only doing this because I love Patrick and it will keep him safe, but I do demand that I'm allowed some privacy to myself when I'm in the bathroom. Or first time you put your cock in my mouth I'll bite the thing off, and I won't care what you or your men do to punish me, I'll rejoice that I've left you emasculated.....take it or leave it."




Rattling Snakes Cage 2 Ch. 04



Snake stood looking at her for a few tense minutes then turned around and left the bathroom saying over his shoulder, "Don't you believe it Rachel; I doubt you would last as long as the red headed bitch in the basement has. Have your fucking privacy....just don't try anything stupid."

As she slammed the door behind him she shouted, "What can be more stupid than getting tangled up with a cold hearted bastard like you?"

His laughter echoed through the closed door mocking her.

*

Patrick walked over to Manning and looked at the hard man, a random selection of messy prison tattoos adorning his arms and chest under his open shirt, with a shaved bullet shaped head topping a massive muscled body. 

"Manning...."

"Curtis....."

"Seems Hartwell has it in for you...."

"I can handle him....without even breaking sweat, the man's a slimy maggot and not all there."

"I'm sure you can, which is why I've got an idea that you might find interesting and allow you to make some moollah out of it at the same time."

"I'm listening Curtis."

"A fight....on Friday in the exercise yard.....we'll get a book open on it....you get a cut of the pot....a large cut.....the fight is between you and Hartwell....you can make mincemeat of him....the men all get good entertainment and we fix the odds...clean up between us."

"Sounds interesting...what about the screws...they'll stop it before we can finish it."

"What if I told you that we get a few of the men to deal with the screws to hold them off for a while, long enough for you to knock Hartwell out. How long do you need to floor the bastard?"

"I could get him down in less than five."

"So you're up for it?"

"Start arranging it Curtis...set the odds and set up the fight...I'll punch the sucker's lights out and he'll never see it coming."

Shaking on the arrangement Patrick went looking for Ritchie, his cell mate.

*

Rachel sat in the car as it drove up the long winding private lane close to where she lived. The private lane ran through the woods, daylight filtered through the veil of heavy trees causing a dappled and eerie early afternoon light. Snake sat driving the expensive sports car, the hands that last night had held her down and raped her, holding the steering wheel of the car lightly and reverently.

He wore a leather jacket over a tight black tee shirt and jeans, and the hard planes of his face seemed relaxed and carefree, in contrast to her dishevelled clothes left from last night and retrieved from the floor of the bedroom, no make up and a taut red eyed and frightened expression on her face.

"Where are we going?"

"My main base of work....its an old farmhouse in the centre of the woods that I use away from prying eyes...."

About half a mile up the lane they came to a closed link gate guarded by a man. Waving at Snake the man opened the gate to allow them through. A little way up she saw the house, a large sprawling affair with a few cars parked outside, men standing outside smoking. The men straightened up as Snakes car approached, throwing down their cigarettes and stamping them out. They watched as he parked his car in the space next to the door, and then curiously watched as he helped Rachel to get out the car and holding her arm he escorted her into the building.

The downstairs smelt strongly of a sweet pungent substance and as they walked up the stairs she noticed the hum of male voices coming from behind the closed door on the right.

"What is this place? What is that smell?"

"Learn to mind your own business and keep your nose and your curiosity clean. It's healthier that way."

"Healthier for whom?"

Stopping at the top of the stairs he turned left and opened a door to a large office with a large desk sitting at one end.

"For both of us....now sit down and shut up."

During the afternoon men came up to the office and handed over bulky envelopes to Snake, they all showed him due respect. He wrote down in a ledger who had handed what and told them who to deliver what to and Rachel sat both fascinated and horrified as she guessed what was happening.

She watched as every so often he would go to the large bookcase, move it, step behind and she guessed open a safe and put in the money stuffed envelopes, before reappearing. Every so often he would have strange conversations on the phone, making deals and giving orders.

There was an excited buzz about him, and she could see he gloried in his position which gave him an air of menace, authority and control. Comparing him to Patrick she could see he needed this to bolster his ego, whilst Patrick wore his masculinity with a teasing grace and comfortable power. She compared their looks, and whilst Snake was dark, tall and conventionally good looking, Patrick was sexy and masculine, with a charismatic twinkle in his eyes.

Both men had technically raped her, but Patrick had made sure she wasn't frightened, being gentle and looking for her to have an orgasm, caring that she was not in any pain, where as Snake had just taken and mocked her, uncaring about her feelings.

They were like chalk and cheese, these two men who had entangled her in their lives and their conflict with each other.

*

Ritchie looked at Patrick and laughed, "Yeah I can organise the fight from Hartwell's end....you're right he won't deal with you....I'll sort out the bets and the cut for the guys....should liven up this week a little."

"We need to get some of the guys to keep the screws from breaking it up before Manning floors Hartwell..."

"You think Manning is going to win...."

"Hell yes, Hartwell is all mouth and Manning will wipe the floor with him."

"So you going to put some money where your mouth is?"

"Fuck no.....betting is for suckers...we'll take the pot. Just remember don't let them start fighting until I give you the nod."

"Why's that?"

"Ritchie, don't you know its all in the timing......success is always in the timing."

*

Jerry phoned a mate that had access to the electoral register in the area that Rachel lived and got her address. He had spoken to Davy and had had to hold the mobile away from his ear as his friend had sworn loudly and very effectively at Patrick's request to go and find Rachel to ask her to go with him before they fled down to Brighton and the safety of the open water.

Today he had rushed around sorting out the things on his list and as soon as he had gotten the information from his mate he settled down for a call to Megan.

*

John had been busy too, drumming up people who hated Snake and wanted revenge. The group of men who wanted to join in to get him was growing from a band of about twelve to a crowd of about twenty. 

A meeting of everyone was going to happen so that they could plan. It was due for the next night, Wednesday, upstairs in the Whyte Hart pub. 

The haphazard way in which the two men, Tony and John had started to make plans to get Snake were now building with a life of its own as dealers who had been beaten up or ripped off wanted to join in, men whose women had been screwed by Snake were keen to join in, and young men whose fathers had been cut up on Snakes orders due to some supposed slight were desperate to become part of the revenge.

*

Grabbing Rachel's hand, Snake dragged her down the stairs and out to the car. She was light headed from hunger but too proud to ask him for any food, the last she had eaten was an omelette at his apartment around lunchtime which was all she had had for almost twenty four hours. During the afternoon he had eaten a burger and fries someone had brought into the office but never offered her anything, just smiled as he bit into it at her. A look on his face challenging her to ask him for a drink or some food, but stubbornness and defiance held her back.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see...." And he drove the car down the country lane and turned towards the village where she lived.

"Are you letting me go....are you taking me home?"

Laughing he looked at her, "Don't get your hopes up Rachel. We're going to swing over to your place and pick up some stuff. I don't intend seeing you wear that crumpled blouse for ever....also we'll let your house mate know you're with me and not to worry.....you're not to say anything or try anything stupid....remember Patrick's face staying uncut and stitch free depends on you keeping your mouth shut."

*

Later that night she sat on the bed, naked, teeth gritted as Snake explained that tomorrow they would make a video on the mobile to send in for Patrick to see of her on her knees giving him head, and that tonight she would do a trial run.

Standing in front of her, he told her to get down on her knees and unzip his fly.

"and keep those teeth to yourself....once you've swallowed my wad you can have something to eat...I know your starving and I don't want you passing out on me."

She looked up at him and snarled, "You're all heart."

The slap across her face knocked her sideways, and came out of the blue.

"No I'm not Rachel. And don't you forget it...."

*



Rattling Snakes Cage 2 Ch. 05



The escape plan is building up, and Patrick dreams of getting out and being with Rachel, whilst Snake plans his revenge on Patrick.

Jerry misses Megan and they talk dirty to each other over the phone, whilst Snake torments Rachel.

This is a romantic crime thriller full of characters. Please be aware there are scenes of violence and non consensual sex within this multi part story.

*

The buzz was going around the prison about the fight on Friday afternoon between Manning and Hartwell, and men were placing bets with Ritchie, some had money, some used their tobacco ration as currency and some even used drugs and telephone PIN cards that they were allowed for using the public telephone on the wing to place their bets with.

Patrick was in his cell with the three brothers, the young prisoner they had saved from assault from Hartwell outside keeping an eye out, as Patrick told the three brothers about Friday and the escape, inviting them to climb out after him and have the chance of getting free.

Jim the oldest of the three brothers looked at his siblings as they slouched around in the cell, "We only have another eighteen months to go before release. If we do a runner and are caught we'll get another two to five years added to our tariff, but we're happy to help in anyway you need us."

"Just make sure the guards don't break up the fight too early to give me enough time to shimmy up the rope ladder and over the top, and then get the attention of some of the men to the ladder to start the mass escape. The more focus of the authorities on as many escaping men the more unlikely they are to have me as the centre of attention for capture."

"No problem.....what about the nipper?"

"You mean the kid?" nodding towards where the young lad stood outside on guard. 

"He's not going to last without some attention from Hartwell and the other nonce's once we're all gone after our sentence is up. He's far too pretty."

"He's only in for two, with time off for good behaviour and you guys, he should make it. Keep him away from the ladder or he'll get the added five."

"Done."

*

Rachel knelt heaving up, tears running down her cheeks, as Snake watched the short video he had just filmed on his mobile. "Good shot of you here, you want to have a look?" and he turned the screen around to show her.

Shaking her head and then covering her face with her hands as she sobbed into her palms he laughed, "Maybe I should look to start producing porn films, with you as the star. I hear they pull in a load of money."

Rachel looked up at her tormenter and screamed, "I HATE YOU....I HATE YOU."

"....and I told you woman, I don't care. This is just the start....better get used to it as I intend to send lover boy a video of us each week. The first time you refuse I give the orders to have him cut....lets see how long you last."

*

"The fight is on for Friday in the yard so there should be no-one looking towards the wall when you throw the rope over." Patrick told Jerry on the mobile after the brothers left his cell. "The screws in the yard will have their hand full trying to break it up."

"Great. On Friday make sure you're near the wall, you need to move your arse as quick as you can. I don't want to be up there like a sitting duck for too long."

"Don't worry; I've no reason to take my time Jerry. It's not like I want to say some goodbyes....have you spoken to Rachel yet?"

"I'm going to do that tonight....I don't think you should build your hopes up Patrick."

"Just talk to her Jerry....tell her I love her and ask her to come with me....that's all I ask...."

"Damn Patrick....you need to be thinking with your head, not your prick."

"It's my heart that is doing the thinking not my prick."

*

Jerry sat in the car in the supermarket car park near to the motorbike parking area. He was waiting for a likely looking bike to steal once the owner had arrived and gone into the shop leaving time for him to rip off the bike. He was passing the time chatting to Megan on his mobile. Missing her and worrying about her he had phoned her a few times over the last twenty four hours and now he was teasing her as he waited for some sucker to leave their bike and go into the shop.

"Do you miss me or just miss using my body for your own nefarious needs." he teasingly asked her. 

"Oh your body, you don't have much of a mind." She teased back. "When are you coming home?"

"Hopefully I'll be back end of next week." he paused and then asked her, "What are you wearing?"

"A towel, I've just had a shower."

Jerry wriggled in the tight seat of his hired car, his imagination kicking into gear, one eye still on the bike parking area he asked, "Nothing else?"

In a low voice she answered "No....nothing else."

"Take off the towel Megan.....lay down on the bed....is your hair up or down?"

"Up...."

"Lay down on the bed......run your hand over your breasts......" He could hear a rustle through the phone and then the small voice saying, "I'm on the bed, on my back."

"Touch your breasts Megan....pinch your nipples." Moving so that his now growing cock had some space inside his jeans, Jerry pictured in his mind Megan on their bed, her small hand touching her high firm breasts and her lovely sensitive nipples that he adored growing hard under her touch. "Arch you back for me...."

"I feel silly Jerry...."

"Do it for me Megan....please.....I miss you sweetheart and this will keep me going for a while....telephone sex is fun...."

"Ok. But only because I love you Jerry...."

"Are you touching your breasts?"

"Yes." she quietly told him.

"How do they feel? Tell me what you're doing and how it feels."

"They feel nice....firm....damp?"

"Damp?"

"I've just had a shower Jerry....."

"Are your nipples hard?"

"Yes....hard like when you suck them."

"Pinch them for me Megan. Pull at them and roll them around between your thumb and finger." He was now totally focused on the picture in his mind and the conversation with Megan. "Squeeze your tits baby, squeeze them and make them tingle." Hearing a giggle he asked her, "Are you doing it?"

"Yes but it doesn't feel the same as when you do it. I feel a little silly."

"You're not silly sweetheart.....its really turning me on thinking of you touching yourself, its such a turn on for a man Megan to see his woman touch herself, to make herself feel good. Does it feel good?"

"Yes....."

"Touch yourself between your legs; use your finger to rub your clit....is it wet?"

"Yes.....ohhhh..."

"That's it baby, make yourself feel good." He could hear her breath in his ear through the mobile as she stared to pant, "move your finger faster, tell me how you feel."

"Ohhh Jerry....it feels soooo good.....it's so wet and my legs are moving, pulling together as the feelings are building."

"Tell me baby....tell me about the feelings....."

"Its feels like it's tightening.....tingling....its like a pulse between my legs....I wish you were here inside me Jerry."

"Put your finger in yourself; rub it up and down baby...." He could hear her movement, the bed creak, her gasp as she did as he asked. "Put two fingers in Megan, make yourself come for me......" his whole focus was now on the voice at the end of the phone so that he didn't notice the biker who pulled up and slid off his bike, pulling his helmet off and walk towards the main door of the supermarket. "Pretend it's me inside you baby, sliding back and forth. Are your fingers wet baby? Does it feel good?"

He could hear her panting, then a small cry as she came. He nearly came in his jeans hearing her small cry, "That's it sweetheart, come for me....."

Just then he noticed a biker pull up into the space next to the other bike, and straightening his jeans over his bulging cock he whispered down the mobile, "Sweetheart I have to go.....just hold that thought and feeling and I'll be home soon to be deep inside you...love you baby." And then he pressed the end button on the mobile, keeping a look around for anybody who might notice him as he stole the bike, and seeing none, he slowly got out of the hire car and stood next to it, patting the small pack of tools in his jacket pocket.

As soon as the biker had entered through the entrance to the shop he walked purposefully towards the bike, then hunkered down next to it, did the business to start it and swinging his leg over the seat after grabbing the helmet and putting it on his head, made his way out of the car park and onto where he was going to stash it, along with the van and the other bike once he had it.

*

Nash lay doing push ups, building his strength for when he got out. He was covered in a fine sweat all over his muscle bound body, and his teeth were gritted together with the effort it was taking to do the push ups. 

"Two hundred and three, two hundred and four....two hundred and five....."

For the past few days he had been climbing the walls of the cell with frustration and boredom. So now he was working out until he was exhausted, and as soon as he was finished with the press ups he would do his sit ups. His total focus was getting through the next three days and when he was finally going to get out of solitary and get his hands on Curtis.

*

Hartwell was going around during exercise in the yard bragging that he would beat the shit out of the scumbag Manning to whoever would let him spend more than a few minutes with them, and then they would rush up to Ritchie to lay off a bet on Manning to win. The main view in the prison was that Harwell was a big mouth and would get pummelled.

Manning just smiled, enjoying the build up to the fight, occasionally turning his cold dead eyes towards Hartwell and staring at him, sizing him up.

Ritchie was starting to panic, if Manning won he wasn't sure how he was going to cover off all the bets. Later that night in their cell he spilled his worry to Patrick asking him what to do.

Patrick looked at Ritchie and grinned, "Ritchie my man you won't have to cover the bets, by Friday night you will be far away from here...."

"What do you mean?"

And Patrick told him about the escape and how Ritchie could climb the ladder to freedom, putting life inside behind him during the commotion of the fight. "But keep your big mouth shut about.....we don't need to let anyone in on it or we'll get busted before we have the chance to leg it."

That night Ritchie went to sleep dreaming of freedom, Guinness and the tarts down Kings Cross. Just a few more days until he could indulge himself after five long dry years inside.

Heaven.

*

Jerry parked the hire car outside the address his mate had given him for Rachel's house and got out and closed the door. He looked at the small terraced cottage with a small front garden, and the ivy climbing up the front of the stone house. Walking through the black wrought iron gate he went up the short path and knocked on the door, waiting quietly for someone to answer.

After a while a woman of about twenty five answered, her brown hair cut short, her large doe eyes warily watching him.

"Can I help you?"

"My name is Jerry, I'm a friend of Rachel's. Is she here?"

"A friend? I don't recall you, how do you know Rachel?"

"We met about a year ago....is she in?"

"She doesn't live here any more....she moved out yesterday."

"Yesterday! Do you have her new address?"

"No....she moved out suddenly.....she came home last night with a man and packed up some of her stuff and left with him. I've never met him before either....."

Jerry went very still; he noted that the woman looked worried and confused. "What was this man like...?"

"He was tall and frightening....dark black hair and a tattoo of a snake on his neck....Rachel didn't look as if she was close to him, but she told me not to worry and she was going with him, she called him Nick."

Cursing under his breath he looked at the woman standing holding the door half closed as if she was worried he would push his way in, "and she didn't say how long she would be or where she would be staying?"

"No."

Nodding and thanking her, Jerry turned and left, climbing into the car and sat there for a few moments before hitting the steering wheel with his palm, "SHIT...SHIT..SHIT." 

Snake had Patrick's woman.....how was he going to tell him....how would Patrick take it?

Starting up the car and pulling out into the dark country lane the cottage was in, he drove towards where he was staying, his mind swirling with all the various possibilities that this new development created.

*

In his cell the young lad lay on his bunk holding a match to the corner of a plastic telephone PIN card heating it up until it was soft enough to beat and ease into a sharp and dangerous point. He wasn't going to take any chances and was making a weapon to protect himself against Hartwell and the other nonce's that had been eyeing him up as if he was for the taking.

He had listened to Patrick and the brothers as he stood on guard outside the cell and he had his own plans. Bollocks to them making sure he was protected, they couldn't be with him twenty four seven, and when the time came he was going to make an attempt to get out of this hell hole and make a runner over the wall as soon as Patrick was up and over.

Patrick and the brothers were the only men in the prison that he liked and trusted, but as on the outside, it was really every man for himself at the end of the day. He would take his chance of escape, even with the possibility of an extra five on his tariff if he was caught.

*

Tony lay on his bed worried about Maria, she was sinking fast into a deep emotional void, the abuse she was suffering taking away any feeling of self or strength to keep her focused on survival. This afternoon when he had gone down to her she had refused the food he had smuggled down, and just lay on her side on the bed, the smell in the basement overpowering, the grime on her body and hair mingling with the dark bruises, making her skin look like she was in camouflage.

John and the others had decided to move on Friday late afternoon as Snake would be there collecting the money from the collectors that had gathered and taken the drugs to the dealers that afternoon ready for the weekend rush. He knew from experience that Snake never left the lab until late on Fridays, before going clubbing.

He just hoped that Maria could hold on until then.

It was only a couple more days.

Just a few more days and then he would be able to rescue her.



Rattling Snakes Cage 2 Ch. 06



Time is moving towards the escape, but now there are complications. Will Patrick and Rachel be reunited, or will Snake manage to continue to make their life hell. 

I hope you are enjoying this multi part 2 to Rattling Snakes Cage and the many colourful characters whos paths cross in this romantic crime thriller.

*

The noise in the D wing shower room was overpowering, with the roar of twenty or so showers thundering water onto old white tiles, and the deep cadence of naked prisoners talking and laughing as they had their chance of sluicing off the smell of sweat and prison for a little while. Some men stood shaving in old cracked and sealed mirrors above sinks, and the subtle and not so subtle insults were exchanged between men forced to live together, and towards the handful of screws who watched the process, making sure nothing untoward was happening.

Patrick stood naked under a shower, letting the tepid water run over his skin, his now longer hair wet and dripping into his eyes, the suds from a hard bar of cheap soap swirling around his feet into the stained rusty grill in the floor. Glancing to his right he watched as Harwell deliberately knocked a couple of men as they stood shaving, always the bully, and then glanced up further into the large shower room checking on the young lad, and making sure he was with one of the brothers out of Hartwell's reach.

Satisfied all was well he continued to shower and as he turned off the water he realised that two men were standing close to him. Looking over his shoulder at them he wrapped the thin white towel around his hips and turned around to face them.

"We have a message from Snake for you...he wants to show you something."

Patrick's stomach plunged at the mention of Snake, knowing that it would be easy for him to set up something to happen to him even here inside. Putting on a brave face so as to not let the two men see he was intimidated in any way he retorted, "Fuck Snake and any message he has for me...tell him to go fuck himself." and he started to walk over to the sinks so that he could shave.

Grabbing his arm as he went to go past, the nails of his fingers biting into Patrick's bicep, one of the men hissed, "Your cell later...you need to see the message...don't be a silly bugger and get Armstrong any madder than he already is with you."

Just giving the man a steel eyed look face to face and then at the hand holding his arm so he would let go, Patrick continued walking towards the sinks.

*

Jerry paced back and forth in his hotel room, the Pay as you Talk mobile grasped tightly in his hand, trying to find a way to tell his friend that Snake had Rachel. He knew that Patrick would go ape shit when he found out and he wasn't looking forward to being the one to break the bad news to him.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed he ran his hand through his blond hair and took off his glasses, huffing on them with his breath and then wiping them with the edge of the mussed up bed sheet, cleaning them before returning them to his face. Damn Snake, he thought, every time they thought they were clear of him he would pop up like a bad smell on the sole of your shoe. He knew that Patrick, once he knew that Snake had Rachel and had completed the escape, wouldn't go down to Brighton to the boat and out of the UK until he had freed her from the bastard.

For there was no way Rachel would willingly be with Snake.

And quite frankly he knew in his heart he couldn't let Patrick go to rescue her by himself. So as well as breaking the bad news to Patrick he was going to have to explain to Davy, Danny and Alan that there was going to be a big change to the plan. 

Not sure what the new plan would be, but he knew his biggest problem would end up getting the others to hold off on the final part of the escape to allow Patrick and himself to go and get Rachel out of that evil motherfuckers clutches.

*

By now Nash was coldly lethal, his head focused on ripping Patrick's head off. That's all he thought about in his solitary cell as he sat out his punishment. In his minds eye he could see the bloody broken body of Curtis as he lay at his feet, and his hands clenched into tight fists on his thighs as he ran through the images in his head.

Smiling to himself he started counting down the minutes until tomorrow when his punishment would be up and he could get his hands on him.

*

Tony sat at the bench dividing the white powder into small plastic bags whilst in his mind he counted the amount of men that he thought would be probably present tomorrow when he, John and the rest of the gang hit the lab and got Snake. 

He had told John and the others that Friday, late afternoon, would be the best time to make the hit as Snake was always in his office on a Friday until about eight before going on to the club. He would be there as that was when most money came in with the collectors who had delivered the weekend supplies to the dealers and collected and brought in the money owed from them for the past weeks supply.

Looking around at the other men in the room he figured that out of the seven men in the room only possibly one might have a gun, a skinny collector who also did some protection for Snake. There was always a couple of men at the gate up the lane, and he guessed they would be armed, and of course Snake always had a couple of heavies with him and they definitely would be armed, and then of course he guessed Snake himself would have a shooter, especially after being shot six months ago by that rival dealer he had killed.

That made five or six armed men.

There were a couple of dogs out the back roaming around, and they were vicious, but easily handled from afar. A couple of shots and they would be out of it.

No the main problem was the two gate men and the heavies guarding Snake.

But with the numbers that they were going to hit the lab with and the element of surprise he was sure that they would win out in the end and rescue Maria, getting rid of the scum in the process.

*

The two scumbags that had cornered him in the showers were now standing in his cell, Ritchie and the young 'un crowding into the small space each side of him on a face off.

"Get rid of the clowns Curtis...."

Nodding to Ritchie and the serious faced young man he indicated it would be alright for them to leave. They left but hovered outside on the landing just in case they were needed.

Standing lightly on the balls of his feet, his hands lightly fisted at his side just in case, he snarled, "Get it over with......what nugget of wisdom from Armstrong have you got for me."

Pulling out a mobile from his pocket, one of the men handed it to Patrick, "Go into video on the menu, it's a personalised message." He sneered, "Enjoy." and the other man laughed. Patrick pressed the buttons pulling up the video store on the menu and watched with growing horror as he saw a crying Rachel on her knees, a mans cock stuffed in her mouth, and then the camera panned up to reveal the man as Snake, a grin on his face. The tinny sound of Snakes voice came over the mobile as Patrick felt his anger rise, his face heat up and his teeth grind. "Patrick, my old friend, your woman is good at giving head....shame you can't get it from her for the next twenty years, but as a good friend of yours I'm going to get her to service me in your absence, film it, and send it in to you regularly so you can enjoy it from there." And then the video scanned down to show Rachel, hands holding her head as Snake thrust into her mouth.

Throwing the mobile across the cell Patrick took a swing at one of the men, a roar of fury accompanying his movement. Ritchie and the young man rushed in and grabbed him, Ritchie hissing at him, "Patrick, think......keep your cool...you don't need to be put in solitary today for fighting...."

Patrick stood breathing heavily his friends holding him back from attacking the two bastards, "Tell Nick that I'm going to kill him..." he snarled, "tell him that he had better start making his will.....I'm going to ram his own cock down his throat when I get my hands on him."

Backing out of the cell one of the men bent down and picked up the mobile from the floor, "Yeah Curtis.....when's that going to be? When you're an old man...."

And then they were gone leaving a furious Patrick shaking, the image of what he had seen seared into his brain.

*

When the mobile rang Jerry nearly jumped out of his skin. Pressing the answer button he put the small device next to his ear, only to hear Patrick's frantic voice. "He's got her. The bastard has got her....."

"I know...I went over to her place last night and her flat mate told me she came accompanied by a man with a snake tattoo on his neck to get her things......"

"Tomorrow...after I get out I'm going over there to kill him and get her....."

"Patrick calm down....we need to plan....if we're going to get her we need to work out how...."

"I know how I'm going to do it...I'm going over to the lab, it's where he'll be at that time of the day....and kill him."

"I don't know if I have time to get hold of some guns...."

"If you can't, get me a good knife....after I'm out, you guys go down to Brighton and get away....I'm doing this by myself."

"Don't be crazy....you'll need more than just you to get into the lab and get him....I'm coming with...."

"Don't you be crazy....you have Megan to think of."

"I am thinking of Megan....we get rid of Snake once and for all, he'll be off both our backs...and then we get the drug money out the safe.....should be close on a million in there on a Friday evening....do you know the combination?"

"If he hasn't changed it..... only he and I knew it.....we can get in there by the back way.....the way I escaped when he caught me stealing the coke...its not usually guarded.....the thick woods are behind the lab...we can climb in through the wire fence, I know a weakness in it, we'll need to have some poisoned steaks for the dogs....and then we can sneak up and get into the lab through the rear....take him by surprise. The men have a loyalty to me more than him, we should be able to handle them. Promise them some of the money."

"I'll get on it. Just you get the diversion up and running for tomorrow and get up the rope ladder as quick as you can....I'll have everything set up this side.....I promise you we'll get her away from him."

"And then he's dead meat....."

"Once and for all....."

*

Davy and Danny were unaware of the proposed changes to the plan and were going ahead with their parts in the escape plan. Everything was going along just as they had planned it, the boat was ready and fuelled down at the Marina, the Merc was parked out at the disused factory half way down the M23, four sets of fresh clothes, black plastic bags and a couple of cans of fuel ready to burn the remains of anything that would have DNA or fingerprints on them that could identify them.

Latex gloves for all men were ready, and the team to black out Wandsworth and the surrounding area and the prison were prepared, people paid off, bent screws receiving the cash for smuggling in the cutters and mobile.

As far as Davy and Danny thought all was ready and nothing was going to go wrong.

*

Hartwell and Manning were squaring off during lunch in the queue, eyeing each other up, chests puffing, muscles tightening with anticipation. Everyone in D wing was hyped up waiting for the fight, watching the two men, discussing the odds, looking forward to the big show.

The three brothers deliberately wound the two men up, a quiet word here, an insult there keeping them on the boil. The young prisoner kept his silence, keeping close to the brothers, watching and waiting, his hand in his pocket fingering the telephone PIN card that was now converted into a very sharp and lethal weapon, one corner of the plastic card now a melted and flattened long point .

The day was going by quickly for everyone except Patrick who felt like time was moving as if in slow motion. Pacing his cell he kept closing his eyes only to see Rachel's tearful face and Snakes cock in her mouth and his mocking comments. Each flash back was like a cut in his soul and in his heart, and as he walked back and forth in the small space of his cell he promised to himself he would make Snakes end as slow and as painful as he possibly could.

*

Jerry walked around the DIY Superstore looking for the area that stored the tins holding something that would be dangerous for animals to put on the steaks that were in the plastic carrier bags in the boot of his car, bought at a butcher only half an hour before.

After he had purchased some weed killer that on the tin said to keep away from animals, he made his way in the car to a hardware store and bought a kitchen set of very sharp knives, including a meat cleaver and a lethal looking carving knife. 

At the storage unit where the van and the bikes were stored, using gloves, he put the knives, meat and weed killer in the motorbikes side compartments, and made sure they were full of petrol, also that the vans tank was full.

He had decided not to tell Danny and Davy up front about Rachel and his and Patrick's change of plan, but opted to tell them once Patrick was out and in the van, just in case they pulled out of getting him out of the nick.

Going back to his hotel room he lay down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling and tried to relax, but the coming day he knew could go down in so many ways that he just lay there trying to figure out every angle and how he could anticipate it to reduce the possibility of failure.

*

Night fell, the dark descended and all the players in the drama lay in darkness in their own separate spaces, each lost in their own thoughts and fears, for tomorrow would be a day of reckoning that would affect each and every person for the rest of their life.

And for some that life would come to an end.



Rattling Snakes Cage 2 Ch. 07



Explosive emotions and desperate need of the men in prison collide together as Patrick makes his try to escape, causing one of the main players in this romantic crime thriller to lose their life.

Character driven this story is moving towards its conclusion. Will Patrick succeed in escaping to go and rescue Rachel?

*

Nervous tension ran through Patrick's body and he hadn't slept a wink all night. He and Ritchie had whispered long into the night laying on their bunk beds, going over the escape from their side, how Ritchie would get the fight started at exactly four twenty five, how both he and Patrick would then make their way surreptitiously through the surrounding bodies of men watching the fight to the outside of the crowd and towards the wall, and at four thirty when the electricity went out and the rope ladder came over the wall how they would leg it up and out. 

When the cell door opened to let them out for wash up and breakfast at seven thirty Friday morning they were ready and waiting full of nervous anticipation.

The three brothers joined the two men as they walked down the stairs amid the crowd of other prisoners, and the young man they had saved from Hartwell slipped in amongst the men as they made their way from the landing down to the bottom of the wing to where the food was distributed, and the five men shuffled along in the queue of noisy men, not really hungry, stomachs tight with tension.

The day went slowly and uneventful inside Wandsworth, those involved in the plan getting themselves ready for their part. All was ready, but as usual the day to day boredom of life inside, the rules and regulations, guarded movements and the ever presence of the prison guards made the countdown to the exercise hour slow and stress filled.

Glances at each other across rooms, nods of acknowledgement of a shared secret made the anxiety move up a notch.

Hartwell and Manning eyeballed each other and tried to psych each other out, and the screws started to smell the tension running through the wing, but were unaware of what was causing it.

*

Snake had settled down in his office with Rachel mid afternoon which was his usual way, to collect the money brought in by his collectors and place it in his safe, give out his orders, make some deals and decide who in the manor needed a lesson.

He was on a real high, knowing that yesterday Patrick had seen the video, and the men inside that had shown it to him had fed back that his erstwhile friend hadn't taken it well at all.

Looking across at Rachel who sat desolate and scared he told her, "Tonight we go out to celebrate....when we get back to my place, make yourself look good, dress up and we'll go clubbing....I want to be seen out with you and we'll film it ready to send to Patrick. He can see you and me out and about....while he sits locked up and stuck in the same four walls of his cell."

"You really are a complete bastard aren't you? How long is this going to last?"

"As long as I'm having fun.....aren't you having fun? Last night I had a great time...."

"You're sick.....screwing an unwilling woman is sick."

"No it's a turn on....the more you hate it, the more you struggle against me, the more I like it."

"I'll remember that and lay under you like a dead body."

"Necrophilia...now I haven't tried that yet....could be a new turn on."

"Is there nothing sick you won't try?"

"Not really....just remember you belong to me now....but your usefulness to me depends on your ability to wind up Patrick...behave and do as you're told or Patrick gets cut up."

"You bastard!"

"So you keep reminding me...."

*

Jerry drove the removal van to a side road not far from the prison and went back to take the first of the bikes over to where they were going to be parked in the grounds of the house opposite the prison. He kept the helmet on to hide his face from the CCTV camera's and walked away towards the hire car parked a way down the road, away from electronic eyes that he had parked earlier to go back and retrieve the other bike.

Davy had the workmen overalls in a bag and met up with Jerry at the storage site just as he arrived. Shaking hands he asked him, "Everything going to plan?"

Nodding Jerry told him, "Van is in the place agreed for Danny to sit in waiting for us, first bike parked up, how about you. Everything done?"

"Yeah, Merc's in place. Spoke to Alan and he's on the boat, food stocked up, tank gassed up and ready to go down to the Marina to take us over to France. I have the security code for the doors into the Marina for easy access, and I'm getting the crane in about an hour....I've got the rope ladder here in the bag with the overalls and safety helmets, and we'll secure it as we pretend to change some of the street lights while we wait for the time to get in place at the prison."

"Well let's go and get this last bike in place and over to the meeting point......"

Swinging up onto the bike the two men took off out of the storage unit and up the road towards Wandsworth and Trinity Road, the London afternoon traffic beginning to build so they had to weave their way between slow moving cars to the large multi rent house a stones throw from the Victorian red brick walls of the prison where it stood nestling amongst the highly populated residential area close to the South Bank of the River Thames and Wandsworth Bridge.

*

At three forty five Davy, wearing his blue workman overalls, and an orange safety helmet pulled down over his head, slipped into the deserted building yard of his friend. Carefully looking over his shoulder he slipped into the hut and took the keys left on the hook on the top right of the line of hooks with keys hanging from them on the wall and then out again, making his way towards a small mobile pick and carry crane with a hydraulic boom long enough to reach to the top of the prison wall, but small enough for him to cope with.

Climbing up into the seat in the glassed in cubicle he looked over the controls and started up the vehicle, and using the joystick control he carefully made his way out of the yard and into the road, aiming for the pick up point about a quarter of a mile down the road.

Trundling along in the heavy late afternoon traffic, he looked into the rear view mirror and smiled to himself seeing the tailing cars going slowly following him.

*

The prison officer unlocked the solitary cell door and looking in told Nash, "Come on lad, time for a meeting with the Head Officer. Behave yourself and you'll get to go down and have some time in the exercise yard before supper."

Standing up Nash glared at the screw, "Great, I get to see the head cunt...."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah Nash.....heard it all before. Keep this up and you'll end up back down here...show some respect and contrition and you'll get to go down in the yard with the rest of the men."

Walking out the cell the quietly furious man strode past the middle aged officer who had seen it all. "Better take me to your leader then mate."

*

Alan's contact sat in the small white unmarked van, counting down the time until the small explosive devices inside the electrical boxes would go off, destroying and cutting off the current in the area. He had managed to get the devices placed without any trouble and he had checked that the first half of the payment was in his account this morning.

Looking at the Rolex rip off on his wrist that he bought on a stall in Spain last year he then looked up watching as the beginning of the increase of traffic started to build as it streamed past his vehicle.

Smiling to himself he pictured the mess that would occur up ahead at the big roundabout at the junction of Trinity Road and York Road, two of the busiest roads out of London in the South in the rush hour where they met at the juncture leading to Wandsworth Bridge and Chelsea.

Glancing the other way was the South Circular, wending its way to Tooting, Balham, Streatham and all points south for the commuters desperate to get home on a Friday afternoon.

The blackout would cause real havoc.

*

Jerry climbed up the hydraulic boom towards the street light, his latex covered hands holding the folded up rope ladder. He nearly cacked himself as he looked down at the concrete far below whilst perched up high on the shaking wobbling metal boom arm, taking a big swallow he prayed silently that everything would go according to plan. 

Davy had the crane in place, and was keeping an eye out for any trouble; the bikes were now in place fuelled up and ready, Danny was sitting in the parked van waiting, and Alan on the boat. He just hoped all the others were in place on the inside or he, Danny and Davy were going to be joining Patrick in the very place they were trying to get him out of.

Reaching the top of the boom Jerry started to attach the rope ladder to the end of the boom, hooking it over the hanging hook, but keeping it folded up so as not to arouse suspicion from any curious onlookers. Reaching up he pretended to fiddle with the plastic cover of the street light, glancing at the watch on his wrist as he did so. Four o'clock, not long now.

*

Collectors had been coming and going all afternoon, bringing money and taking away supplies to be delivered to dealers around the manor ready for the weekend. Tony sat at the bench, watching and waiting. He hadn't seen Snake all afternoon as he had been up in his office, along with the woman who had suddenly appeared at the start of the week and seemed to be glued to Snakes side.

Tony chewed the inside of his cheek with worry. The attack by John and the crowd of young disaffected men was due in about an hour and a half and the woman was going to be a real problem. She would be a witness, and would have to be dealt with, but rescuing Maria who was laying downstairs on the filthy mattress exhausted and abused was all he cared about.

Half listening to the other men working at preparing the drugs ready for the collectors as they discussed what they were going to do over the weekend he kept one eye on the door and the other on the clock on the wall.

*

The men were being escorted down and out into the exercise yard, anticipation at the coming fight and the entertainment that it would bring running through them, smiles and ribbing between small clusters of them making a loud and raucous noise swelling up into the grey and dull late afternoon air.

Amongst the crowd of men Hartwell strutted, chest puffed out, a cruel smile on his lips, ready and eager to get into the fight. Manning, heavily tattooed stood looking relaxed at the other end of the large yard, the breeze ruffling the open blue prison work shirt to display a rock hard heavily muscled chest sporting the blue inked tattooed picture of a fallen angel, his dark brown eyes crinkled at the corners with amusement at the ridiculous display his opponent made.

Ritchie was standing in a corner as men came up and whispered to him last minute bets, and a handful of prison officers stood watching, as their charges were obviously up to something, but they just couldn't put their fingers on it, but they stood watching, their hands on their radios and batons just in case.

Patrick stood with the brothers, the young lad hovering near them, waiting, one eye on the wall the other on Hartwell and Manning.

The young lad stood fingering the sharpened PIN card in his pocket, teeth clenched, the anger and frustration of prison life and hatred of Hartwell roiling inside him.

*

Davy moved the crane to the next street light, moving slowly towards the corner of the road, and where he wanted to be to be able to turn the corner and move the vehicle into position at the correct time. Jerry stood at the top of the boom arm as the machine moved, clutching on for dear life onto the metal in front of him, the wind blowing his blond hair into his eyes under his safety hat, sweat trickling down his back despite the cool weather.

Davy got it into position and gave Jerry the thumbs up just as a Police Car pulled up near them and a young copper got out of the panda car and started to walk towards the crane. Jerry looked down, watching the cop as he put on his police hat as he walked towards them, a feeling of bile gathering deep in his gut with worry. Shit, he thought, they'd been made.....and he looked down at Davy sitting stock still in the cab of the crane and saw his friends hand move towards his trouser pocket as if about to remove something.....

But the cop suddenly stopped in his tracks and taking the radio from his belt spoke into it and then turned around on his heels abruptly, running back to the parked police car, pulling open the door, and climbing inside, and was then off in a screech of tyres with the siren blaring and blue lights flashing.

Jerry took a deep breath, watching it disappear around the corner, only just then realising he had been holding it in. Davy gave him the thumbs up and then started to move the crane up to the next street light and that much closer to their end destination.

*

John sat in the pub as one by one of the men who wanted to bring Snake down arrived. Drinks were ordered and drunk to give them liquid courage as the numbers swelled as each time the door opened another person in their number entered, a nod towards their comrades, and a quick walk up to the bar to order a strong drink.

*

Inside the prison a couple of cons walked up to the screw standing near the internal control room and nodded. The screw bent down and from inside his trouser leg removed the cutters, handing them over after checking no-one was watching. 

The large amount of money he owed the illegal bookie would be paid off by the end of the night, once the escape had finished and his part in it complete. He left the area and made his way to somewhere in the prison he could be seen with another officer to establish an alibi and finding one he greeted him, "Tom, how's it all going?"

"Quiet Bill. How's it going with you?"

"Quiet....not long now to knocking off time....you got anything planned for tonight?"

"Nah....the wife and I are just going to sit back and watch what ever is on the box tonight."

"Probably Simon Cowell and one of those many talent shows that's always on now....is there anything on the box that man hasn't got one of his sticky fingers in...."

"Seems not.....it's criminal if you ask me."

*

Nash walked down the metal stairs accompanied by the officer, making their way towards the ground floor of the wing and then the corridor with the many locked barred gates leading to the exercise yard. His fists clenched at his sides, he walked quietly as the officer escorted him, totally unaware he was taking his charge closer and closer towards his intended target of revenge. Patrick Curtis

*

In the yard Hartwell and Manning were starting to square off, men gathering around, the atmosphere in the yard tense. Officers were beginning to realise what was about to go down and were trying to contact their chief officer on their radios, to alert him to what was happening and ask him to send down more men to help break up the crowd starting to form around the two men facing each other in the centre of the mêlée. But the radio's suddenly died as the electricity failed in the prison, cutting off the control centre.

Ritchie stood between the two protagonists, looking down at his watch, trying to keep them apart until the correct time.

Patrick stood in the crowd of men, facing the possible fight, but his real focus was completely on the wall behind him.

The brothers were spread amongst the crowd ready to start some smaller fights or to stop the officers from breaking up the fight.

The young lad stood at the back of the crowd, watching, quiet, introspective. On edge.

*

The crane moved slowly towards its own target, the centre of the large red brick Victorian wall of the prison, Jerry perched on the top of the boom arm, Davy driving it towards the light at the side of the road, but close to the final place they were going to set up.

*

The screws in the yard moved forward batons drawn.

*

Davy moved the crane into position and Jerry stood poised, holding the folded up rope ladder, his mouth dry, and his hands shaking.

*

Hartwell moved forward snarling, "Bring it on Manning you fucker...."

Men cheered and drew closer in a tight crowd as the officers tried to break up the large group of men.

Patrick moved backwards towards the outside of the crowd of men, glancing over his shoulder at the wall behind him.

Manning moved forwards, his fists tight, his muscles bunched, his jaw clenched, and took a swing at Hartwell, connecting with his gut, causing a great deep cheer to rise up from the crowd watching as the bully seemed to stagger, trying to keep his balance.

The young lad stood at the edge of the crowd watching and waiting, his hand in his pocket, his fist clenched around the weapon nestling there.

Davy moved the boom towards the wall, Jerry looking over seeing the crowd of howling prisoners, the fighting men, his eyes searching for Patrick as he threw the ladder over the wall and on into the inside of tall structure, the boom hanging over the electric barbed wire that ran around the top of the brick enclosure.

Patrick moved closer towards the back of the crowd, seeing the rope ladder as it unravelled down the inside of the wall over his shoulder, turned and pushed his way out and hurriedly started to make his way towards the hanging escape route.

Ritchie had stepped back from the fight and also was pushing his way out of the crowd, towards where Patrick had disappeared from the mass of moving broiling bodies, all intent on the fight now taking place in the centre of them, screams and shouts of "Fucking kill him. Get him Manning.....kill the bugger." As the screws tried vainly to break up the men and stop the fight.

*

Nash stepped through the door into the afternoon light of the yard, the scene in front of him one of officers pulling men from the crowd, trying to break up the mass of excited cons. Pulling bodies back himself he scanned the crowd looking for Curtis, his temper rising with each man he pulled back that wasn't him.

*

Patrick made the bottom of the ladder and grabbed it, looking behind him at the carnage that had unfolded behind him and he started to climb the swaying ladder looking up at the face hanging over the wall above him. 

Jerry and freedom was almost within reach.

*

A fuming Nash saw Patrick as he was half way up the ladder, Ritchie about five feet from the bottom moving fast towards it ready to follow Patrick to freedom. Screaming Patrick's name, his guttural cry coming from deep in his soul Nash pushed his way through the crowd, knocking men on their butts to get past them and ran towards the wall and the climbing Patrick.

Ritchie turned towards the scream just as Nash's arm came swinging across his face, breaking his nose and knocking him to the ground.

"FUCKING GET OUT OF MY WAY YOU CUNT."

Reaching the ladder he reached up and grabbed at Patrick's legs trying to pull him down from his ascent.

"CURTIS I'M GOING TO FUCKING RIP YOUR FUCKING HEAD OFF YOU FUCKER."

Patrick tried to kick out at Nash, but the man had his legs in an iron grip. He couldn't move up or get away from the tugging arms that threatened to pull him down back into the prison.

Jerry looked down in horror as it all unfolded in front of him.

And then out of nowhere he watched as a young man of about nineteen jumped onto Nash's back and almost in slow motion saw the young prisoners arm rise up and then come down hard against the big thugs' neck that was holding onto Patrick's legs. Blood spurted out, spraying Patrick's trousers, Nash's shirt, and the young lads arm as the wounded man let go of the legs and staggered back, gurgling and grabbing for his neck and then sank to his knees.




Rattling Snakes Cage 2 Ch. 07



Looking up at Patrick the young man shouted, "Go....get going.....run." and Patrick looked down at the fallen Nash and Ritchie who still lay on the ground and then up at Jerry who beckoned him, "Hurry up Patrick, lets go."

Climbing up to the top of the wall, Patrick felt Jerry's arms grab him and help him up and over onto the metal boom and the two men shimmied down to meet Davy at the bottom who stood holding the two bikes ready.

*

Some of the men in the crowd had turned around at Nash's screams and witnessed what had happened, and about eight of the men made for the wall, fighting each other to climb the rope first and escape themselves.

As Manning kicked Hartwell in his bollocks with a vicious kick, the bully screamed out in pain and grabbed his balls, and the victorious Manning did an uppercut to his opponents chin, knocking the man senseless.

*

Ritchie got up off the ground, his nose streaming blood and joined the mad scramble up the rope ladder just as a couple of the screws noticed what was happening and rushed over towards the escaping men, stopping when they found Nash's lifeless body surrounded by a pool of blood and the young man standing quietly over him, the weapon still in his raised hand, a look of blank flatness in his brown eyes.

Screws took hold of him, as others started to try to pull escaping men down from the wall.

As more men noticed the scene behind them at the wall, more men started for the rope, until there seemed a steady flow of escaping men pushing past the screws and making their way up and over into the South London surrounding area, some running across the green grass space dividing the prison from the main Trinity Road, some running towards the River Thames in the near distance and others making their way towards the many residential roads around the back of the prison, weaving amongst the cars moving slowly in the heavy traffic, the look of total shock on the drivers faces. Many of the commuters reached up and internally locked their car doors, picking up their mobiles and phoned the police to report what they were seeing.

*

Patrick sat on the back of one of the bikes, Jerry guiding it, weaving in and out of the long line of traffic, Davy riding on the other one in front of them, leading the way. The wind whipped at his hair, and he looked down at his leg, the stain of Nash's blood drying on the blue fabric of his trouser. When it got too difficult to weave between the cars Davy guided the bike up onto the pavement, moving it along, and then back onto the road further up, Jerry following, as they made good time towards the rendezvous place where Danny and the van were parked in a quiet side street.

*

The Prison officials and the Police were going crazy. Inside the Prison it took a good half an hour to round up and get the cons back inside, pull the last of the men off the rope ladder as they were trying to escape, secure the scene of Nash's demise and take the young lad up to solitary where he was stripped of his blood soaked clothes, and placed awaiting the police and forensics.

A count of the prisoners had to be done, and it was found that at least sixteen men had escaped that day, and a list of names was passed onto the police. 

The news wires were buzzing with the mass escape from one of England's most famous prisons, and reporters were starting to write the copy that would make the TV news and papers, including the fact that approximately thirty years before the famous Ronnie Biggs, one of the Great Train Robbers had escaped from the same prison in nearly the same way.

Police helicopters took off from Battersea Heliport and were buzzing in the air looking for a sighting of the escaping men, and police cars, sirens blaring pushed their way through the heavy traffic following possible sightings reported in.

South London was in chaos.

*

Turning into the side street the three men on the bikes saw the van, its back open and Danny standing there holding onto the door ready to slam it shut as soon as they were inside.

Pulling up behind the van they got off the bikes, picked them up, threw them in and climbed in after them. The doors slammed shut and Danny climbed into the front and started it up, pulling out onto the road and the small queue at the end of the road waiting to pull into the heavy traffic and the way down towards Brighton in the South.

Giving Jerry and Davy a hug, Patrick told them, "You guys are the best....." and then, "Right let's go rescue Rachel and kill that bastard Snake."

The exclamation left Davy's mouth, "What?.....what the fuck is he talking about?"

Patrick looked at Jerry, "You didn't tell them......?"

Jerry shook his head, "Not exactly."

Davy looked from Patrick to Jerry, "Not exactly what?"

"Well it's like this....." and as the van trundled slowly forward Patrick and Jerry explained the slight change of plan to the stunned man.



Rattling Snakes Cage 2 Ch. 08



Love means gambling your freedom against the need to rescue the one you love. Patrick goes to liberate Rachel from Snake, whilst Tony, John and their friends storm down to the lab to set free the redheaded girl from the basement.

Will they succeed?

*

Davy banged his fist on the wall that was between the inside of the van and the driver's cab where Danny sat driving it slowly in the heavy traffic. He glanced behind him at Jerry and Patrick who sat balanced on the overturned motorbikes staring back at him, Patrick wearing the blood soaked prison blues and Jerry still wearing the workman overalls just like he was. Banging his fist again he felt the van move slowly to the side and stop, and then heard the slamming of the cab door as Danny climbed out.

"Shit this is taking the piss Patrick......" he hissed at the two men sitting quietly in the van with him.

The back door of the van opened and Danny climbed in and shut the door. "What's wrong?"

"Just these two piss artists wanting to get us killed."

Danny looked from Patrick to Jerry and then to Davy. "What?......"

"Patrick's woman has been taken by Snake.....he wants to go and rescue her.....now.....before going down to Brighton...."

"WHAT?.....ARE YOU FUCKING OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND......"

Patrick stood up and said, "Look, you guys don't have to come with me.....I'll get out here on one of the bikes and go down by myself......you go onto Brighton and I'll take my chances by myself.....I don't expect you to fight my battle for me."

"Fight your fucking battle for you!....we've just pulled you out the nick....we just put our arses on the line Patrick for you......."

"And I appreciate it....you guys are the best....I'll never be able to thank you enough....but Snake has Rachel and I'm not going anywhere without going down and getting her, and doing that bastard...."

Jerry stood up and looking Davy in the eye told him, "I'm with Patrick......that Tosser has it coming.....neither Patrick, nor Megan and myself will ever be safe until he's finished. Davy if it was your Shirley he had you would do the same....."

"If it was my Shirley I'd pay him to take her......and thank him."

Patrick bent down to straighten up the bike from where it lay on the floor of the van, "Just go on down to Brighton and get away safe.....once Jerry and I are safe we'll get your share of the money over to you......"

"Money! What money?"

"The million or so that's in Snakes safe, and that I'm the only other person who knows the combination apart from him to get hold of it."

Grabbing Patrick's arm Danny growled, "A Million......?"

"Plus.....a million plus....."

Turning around on the spot Danny muttered, "A million.....let me think on this."

Davy just stood there shaking his head and then asked, "And how do you propose to get at Snake, surrounded as he is by those heavies with guns....he's not just going to take one look at the four of us, raise his hands above his head and say 'I give up...take her...kill me'"

Patrick laughed, the first laugh since he had seen that vile video on the mobile of Rachel being forced to give Snake a blow job. "Firstly I don't intend killing him, I'm not a murderer, just hurt him very badly and burn down the lab. If you're both going to be in on it Jerry and I thought we would do it like this....." and he proceeded to tell the two astounded men the plan.

*

In the pub a group of sixteen young men, slightly pissed, were working themselves up to go and take Snake down. Each one was either tooled up with a gun that they had bought over the past few days from dodgy dealers at the back of pubs in the area or lethal looking knives. Each man was pumped up with adrenaline, a feeling of being part of a gang with a purpose, of going on the rampage at the lab and grabbing as much of the drugs there for themselves and then selling them to make some money.

Only two of them really had a focus and purpose. Tony and John. Their focus was to get Maria out of the basement and get revenge for all Snake had done to John's family.

The debasement of Maria and the death of his father on Snakes orders.

*

Snake leaned into Rachel as he pushed her up against the wall, his hand tunnelling inside her bra under her top, his groin grinding into her parted thighs that his knee had pushed apart, his cock hard behind his flies. "Tonight I'm going to finish what I started all those months ago with you bitch....I'm going to take your arse....I'm going to use you like you've never been used before......"

The look of horror on her face made him laugh. Licking a long wet lick up the side of her neck he continued, "I've got plans for you.....ways I'm going to screw you that you've never experienced before.....I'm going to make you aware of every part of your body....and wish you weren't."

Closing her eyes Rachel prayed for escape from this monster.

*

As Danny prepared to climb out the back of the van and get into the front to drive it on down to Biggin Hill and the lab he looked back at the three men behind him, "You know we're all barking mad for even thinking of doing this."

"If you're not one hundred percent up for this......."

"Nah.....I'm up for it.....I'd better give Alan a call on the boat.....we might be a little later than we planned getting there."

"Tell him about his slice of the money....that will keep him happy to sit it out a little while longer."

*

The van moved slowly down towards the South East and Biggin Hill where the lab was situated in the thick wooded area away from prying eyes. Inside the van Patrick, Jerry and Davy divvied out the knives that Jerry had bought and prepared the pieces of steak with the poison for the dogs. Davy showed the gun that he had concealed in his pocket and that he had in there all along during the prison break.

"Just in case."

"In case of what?"

Looking at Jerry he shrugged, "Jerry we were breaking Patrick out of Wandsworth, you didn't really think I would go and do it totally unarmed."

Jerry looked at Patrick who shrugged and looked down at the lethal looking knife he had in his hand. It made him angry. He hated violence. Hated the way it was part of his life. That was the reason in the first place he had been stealing the coke from Snake and running. To get away from the mounting violence that was going on around him. He was a thief at heart and somehow had got caught up over the years in drug dealing and helping Snake running the manor, but he never in his life had hurt anyone deliberately and here he was, a knife in his hand, murder in his heart, ready to fight his best friend and destroy what he had helped to build up. "Davy don't you wish sometimes that you had taken a different path in life. Been straight.....walked a different route...done it all differently?" he asked quietly.

"Nah....I've loved every crooked minute....why?"

Bending his head Patrick just shrugged. He still could picture the scene that he had left behind at the prison, the young man of nineteen whose life should just be beginning standing over the body of Nash, a life sentence now hanging over his head after helping him to escape to his own freedom by getting the big thug off his legs.

"Just that maybe those I've touched in my life I've hurt....."

Clamping his hand on Patrick's shoulder Jerry told him, "Don't go down that road Patrick......everyone has choices, its not all been down to you...."

"Hasn't it been? Look at what's happened to Rachel....if I hadn't kidnapped her and fallen in love with her, Snake wouldn't have grabbed her and be using her to get back at me..."

"Again, stop beating yourself up. Just concentrate on us getting her free of him."

Patrick nodded and resumed turning the handle of the knife around and around in his hand. He had no intention of killing his old friend, just making sure he would wear the scars for the rest of his life to remind him that he couldn't touch his woman and get away with it.

*

The crowd of inebriated men climbed into their cars and started to make their way in the early evening traffic from the pub in Penge across to Biggin Hill and the lab. Climbing into cars their bravado on a high they flowed along in the early evening traffic comparing stories and bragging about fights they had had previously, beating up opposing football fans and the such like.

As they left Penge and moved on towards Beckenham they decided to stop at a small off licence and buy some more lager. 

Babes in arms, watching and playing too many computer games, not realising what they were really going to face, but believing they were going to come out victorious the sixteen strong crowd of young men made there way slowly down towards their goal.

*

Patrick asked Davy how long he thought it would take to get down there.

"As long as it takes Patrick! The traffic is bad. Some stupid fuckers blew out the power causing traffic jams throughout London to rescue an old mate. Wonder who?"

"Ok, ok.....Its not like I don't appreciate it.....it's just that I hate to think that Rachel is with him, and every minute seems an hour about now. When we get there leave him to me....."

"You bet....I have no intention of tangling with him, he's a real bastard. You know he's not going to fight fair."

"I know....if he wins and kills me, finish him for me."

*

The long line of cars filled with the drunken men weaved its way from Beckenham over to Hayes. Tony, the only one not inebriated sat dry eyed with fury as they got closer and closer to their journeys end. John sat in the back of one car, the gun he had bought nestling in his lap.

"Put the damn thing away before it gets eyeballed by some copper."

"Ain't no coppers about at the moment!"

"Never one around when you need them, and on your back when you don't."

"After I shoot Snake I'm going to get me a copper."

"Are you two sandwiches short of a picnic? John the police will thank us for getting rid of Snake.....probably give us a bloody medal, but you do a copper and you'll have every plod in England after you out for revenge....."

Picking up the gun from his lap he aimed it at his friend in the front seat and made a 'bang bang' sound with his voice before putting it back in his pocket. 

*

Around about West Wickham Danny looked up through the windscreen of the van at the helicopter hovering overhead. He nearly chucked his guts up as the police copter moved away and then seemed to return, hovering a while high up over the top of the common and then took off towards Croydon.

Turning the van left he turned away from that direction and made for the main road towards Keston, keeping one eye on the sky and the other on the road.

*

Rachel stood slightly behind Snake looking for a way to escape from the house in the woods. It was getting on for six thirty and a few of the men were getting up to leave, Snake handing over a wad of notes to each of them, wages she expected for work done.

Outside it was starting to get dark, dusk falling and the wind whipping up. If she was going to make a run for it, now or never was the only option open to her. Surreptitiously moving sideways she started to make her way towards the door that led to the front hall whilst Snakes attention was diverted, only to hear his deep voice say, "Don't even think it Rachel. I've got the dogs' loose outside and you'll get ripped to pieces, and I don't want to have to get the dogs checked out by a vet tonight in case they pick up something nasty from ripping you apart. It would spoil my evening."

Glaring at him she didn't know what to say so she just stuck out her tongue at him and sat down in a huff, fiddling with the heavy brass scales that sat in front of her on the desk, its small weights piled up neatly next to it."

*

Patrick paced back and forth inside the hot stuffy van, kicking the tyre of one of the bikes each time he went past it. The material on his trousers and shirt where Nash's blood had dried was stiff and the metallic smell rose up to him, reminding him of the young lad left behind facing a murder charge and the dead Nash.

Jerry stood leaning in a corner, arms crossed, head facing downwards, thinking of Megan, praying he would see her again, whilst Davy sat going over the plan in his head, "You reckon there should be at least a million then Patrick?"

"At least....Friday is a major payment and collection day....staff get paid, protection money is collected in....might be close up to two possibly."

"Jesus Patrick, why the hell didn't you steal that instead of the coke?"

"Easier to steal the coke....Snake is in and out of his office all the time, but the new delivery.....well a bag here a bag there....easy."

"Not so easy you didn't get caught."

Stopping his pacing he looked down at Davy, "When I get my cut of the money after we're finished I'm taking Rachel to the Florida Keys, get a little bar and go straight. Get out of the business...that's it...no more...how about you?"

"Let Shirley spend some, put a little away for a rainy day, have a little fun. How about you Jerry?"

Looking up at Patrick he said, "The Keys sound about right, how about me and Megan joining you...."

"Could always do with someone friendly around...."

*

The cars parked up the road from the lane that led to the lab, and two men got out of one and made their way through the woods to the back of the building where a high wire fence surrounded the property cutting off the access to the large overgrown back yard. Two large Rottweilers prowled, their noses up in the air as they got the scent of the two men. Levelling their guns through the wire mesh at the dogs they took aim. Just as one of the dogs started to growl and move towards where they stood he pulled the trigger. The loud retort rang through the air as the dog yelped and fell.

A second shot rang out and then a silence as they stood watching at the two bodies of the animals lying quiet amongst the long overgrown grass.

Inside the house everything had stopped as Snake and his men heard the gun shots, the two men that were his bodyguards drew their guns and made their way to the window, looking out.

"Can you see anyone?"

"No....can't see anyone...."

"Go out the fucking front and take a look around...."

"What if there are a lot of them?"

Snake pushed one of the men towards the door, "What the fuck do I pay you for......go take a fucking look."

Rachel sat stock still in shock, the rest of the few men left seemed to shrink into themselves as the two thugs, guns drawn, gingerly crept out to the front door and peered out into the dimly lit night.

*

At the sound of the two shots those young men still in the parked cars turned them up towards the house up the lane, and revving the cars drove fast towards the padlocked and guarded gate. The man on security by the gate stood, his gun drawn pointing towards the three cars that were barrelling towards him, but didn't manage to get off a shot as one of the cars made straight for him, hitting him and knocking him down, breaking a leg and some ribs. Another car drove at the gate, banging it and making it bow inwards. Reversing the car back a few yards it then shot forward again, smashing the gate open.

The three cars, full of hyped up young men, drove at speed up to the house, positioning themselves surrounding the front and sides of the old farmhouse that was now a drug lab.

The two thugs behind the front door took aim and starting shooting.

Inside the house men ducked under tables protecting themselves as Snake grabbed Rachel around the neck and pulled her in front of him as a shield.

One of the cars, the one in front of the house, started revving up, the men inside cowering down to avoid the bullets, and then shot forward at speed towards the front door causing the men inside to stumble back out of its way to avoid being mowed down as it hit the front door.

The crowd of young men jumped out the cars and ran towards the house, breaking windows and shooting in, others jumped over the front of the car now crashed into the house and took pot shots through the door into the hallway.

Screams rang out as some bullets connected with bodies and then all was silent.

*

The van pulled up at the end of the lane and Jerry and Patrick got out holding the steaks, and entered the woods to make their way to the back of the property to throw the poisoned steaks to the dogs. Creeping as quietly as they could they suddenly heard the two shots and the sound of the dogs yelping. Standing stock still in the dark tree surrounded space they stayed where they were, holding their breaths, hearts pounding.

"You hear that?" Jerry whispered.

"Yeah it came from the back where we're going."

Suddenly the sound of the crashing gate and squealing tyres came across the night air.

"What the fuck?"

"Jesus H Christ, what was that?"

"Sounded like the gate......lets go take a look."

Walking towards the edge of the wood they saw the security guard lying groaning on the ground and the smashed gate, then heard the exchange of gun fire.

"My God, it looks as if someone beat us to it....."

The sound of the car crashing into the house rang out, and then more shots in the night.

"Who the fuck do you think it is?"

"No idea.....lets go get the others and go see."

Moving back into the cover of the trees they made their way over to where Davy and Danny waited by the van. As they got to where the two men stood, Davy excitedly asked them, "What was all that shooting?"

"Not sure but it looks as if someone else has beaten us to it.......and with our plan."

"Well then lets go....we could make it to Brighton in an hour."

Patrick turned around and climbed up into the drivers' seat of the van, "I'm not going without Rachel.....either climb in or wait here."

Jerry climbed into the seat next to him, and then Davy and Danny climbed into the back. Manoeuvring the vehicle Patrick drove it slowly up the lane, through the now demolished gate past a groaning injured security guard, down the driveway and to the front of the house. There in front of them was the sight of the car crashed into the doorway of the house and the sound of men shouting.

Looking at Jerry, Patrick asked, "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be....." and the two men got out the van, and knives in hand, crept carefully up to the side of the house, followed by Danny and Davy, and looked through the broken window at an extraordinary sight.

"What the hell is going down here?"

"Fuck me......but it looks like most of our work has been done for us."

"Only problem is are they friends or foes."

*



Rattling Snakes Cage 2 Ch. 09



Patrick and Snake fight. Who will win?

Love is worth fighting for, but will it give Patrick the edge? 

*

Patrick slid on his bottom over the front of the car and into the front door as quietly as he could, Jerry followed. They crept stealthily down the hallway and towards the room that the voices were coming from. There seemed to be lot of shouting, loud deep voices kicking off, and the two men pushed the door that stood ajar to the room more open and slipped inside. 

The scene that was in front of them was of a couple of men laying wounded on the floor, blood dripping from wounds, a few sitting with their hands on their heads surrounded by a crowd of men holding guns pointed at them, and at the end of the room, facing them was Snake, holding Rachel in front of him, a wicked looking knife to her neck. "Ah....look at what the cats dragged in.......hello Patrick, thought you were locked away?" Snake drawled.

All eyes in the crowed room turned towards Patrick and Jerry, some guns swivelling around pointing at them.

"Nick...." Patrick nodded towards Snake, not letting him see any emotion at the fact that his old friend but now deadly enemy had Rachel and was holding a knife to her throat. 

Looking around the room at the men holding guns, "Mark.....Brian....John....." he acknowledged those he knew, "What's going down here?"

John stepped forward. "This bastard killed my dad.....he's got my cousin......we're going to kill the fucker....."

Patrick stepped forward into the middle of the room, guns still pointing at him, his heart beating heavy in his chest, sweat starting to drip down his back, "Sorry to hear that John.....but Snake is mine......don't get blood on your hands lad......its not worth it......believe me....."

Just then the door behind them opened and in walked Tony, the redheaded girl wrapped up in a thin blanket in his arms. There was a murmur that ran through the room at the sight of her in the state she was, dirty, emaciated, bruised and nearly unconscious. 

Patrick looked from the sight of Tony carrying the woman to Snake, "My God Nick, what have you done?"

Rachel gasped as the knife went tighter against her skin, the blade slightly breaking the skin, a drop of blood trickling down her throat, "You always were a stupid bugger about the bitches.....too much kindness....you like this one?" and he pulled his hand tighter, making Rachel gasp, "Want her in one piece? Then call off your dogs and tell them to fuck off......"

"They're not mine Nick.....and this is between you and me. Let Rachel go and you and I can fight it out just between us.....man to man....."

"Just you and me......don't make me laugh......" looking around at the crowd of men in the room, Snake snarled, "The moment I let her go they're going to kill me......"

Patrick looked at John, "Tell them to put the guns away John......"

The angry young man stepped in front of Patrick, his face contorted with rage, "Who are you to give me orders......this fucker killed my dad....I don't fucking care about any fucking woman......" and he turned around taking aim at Rachel and Snake.

"STOP....THINK....YOU KILL THEM AND GET CAUGHT YOU GET PUT DOWN FOR LIFE, THROWING IT ALL AWAY......AND FOR WHAT......YOU WANT TO DO THAT TO YOUR MUM.....HASN'T SHE LOST ENOUGH?"

Patrick watched as Johns gun wavered. Stepping forward and placing his hand on the young mans shoulder he told him in a quieter voice, "I've screwed up my life John.....don't do the same...get the girl to a hospital for some medical help....look at her...she needs you....your mum needs you." Looking around the room at the men as they stood there watching him, some guns now pointing down he told them, his natural ability at leading men taking over, "Let me deal with Snake....take the drugs and go.....I promise you the madness all ends tonight....go home to your families without any deaths on your hands.....you're not killers."

Some of the men stepped back, John still stood pointing his gun at Snake and Rachel, who stood at the end of the room, the knife at her throat, held in front of the evil man, her eyes wide with fear.

Patrick continued, "John believe me I don't want you to end up inside....its hell on earth....the old Bill are looking for me as we speak, wanting to put me back inside......twenty years....if you kill him and they get you you'll get thirty or more.....you'll be an old man when you get out.....don't throw it all away." And he reached around and slowly removed the gun from John's wavering hand. Stepping forward towards Snake he said, "You and me Nick.....knives....I promise you if you win that will be the end of it....you always were a better fighter than me...you'll have the advantage...."

Out of the corner of his eye he could see some of the men grabbing coke and bags of grass. "Come on Snake, you a coward?....are you showing your yellow streak in front of so many?.....scared I'll beat you?" and he put Johns gun down on the table next to him.

"You'd never beat me Patrick....you don't have the killer instinct....I'd win every time."

"Prove it Nick....or are you all mouth."

"I win, the woman is mine....to do with what ever I want."

"I win, I burn down this drug factory and put you out of business....."

"I'm going to gut you Curtis....I should have done it back in that flat eight months ago...."

"Yeah Nick you should have.....but you didn't, and now it's just you and me....."

"Outside..."

"Outside it is....."

Jerry stepped out the door and with Davy and Danny pushed the crashed car away from the front door. Men streamed out, hands full of drugs, forming a big circle on the bare grass. Snake, still holding Rachel in front of him pushed her forward and they walked out the door to stand in the centre of the group of men, Patrick walking in front, removing his shirt and rolling it around and tying it over his left arm as protection. His naked skin glistened in the crisp night air, and his face had taken on a tight hard look as he stood ready, knife gripped in his raised right arm, feet slightly apart, balanced. Without looking away from Snake he told John and Tony, "Go....get the girl to the hospital....NOW."

Leaving the scene and getting into the car they drove off, along with one other car load of men, and some of the injured men hobbled off into the night, climbing into their own cars. A handful of men stayed to watch the fight, along with Jerry Davy, and Danny and a deathly silence descended over the scene. 

After a few tense minutes Snake threw Rachel to one side, and Patrick heard her scream as she fell, but didn't take his eyes away from the man charging at him, the deadly knife swiping down towards his face.

He stepped back as the tip just missed him and took a swipe himself at the moving body coming at him, but Snake had anticipated it and moved to the side, bringing up his hand, the blade in it catching Patrick's side, cutting a small slice that stung like hell. Hearing Rachel's scream at the sight of him being wounded told him she was alright and he swung his own knife out, moving forward, catching his opponent on his arm tearing Snakes shirt.

Panting with exertion the two men circled each other, knives held ready, eyes locked, in deadly battle.

Snake suddenly swept forward with an upper cut movement, Patrick raising his shirt wrapped arm to deflect the deadly knife coming at him, the blade cutting through the fabric and slicing his arm, but his other arm came up and caught Snake in the side and the man grunted with the pain as he staggered back, taunting Patrick with, "Learnt to do your own fighting inside Patrick? Not relying on others anymore to do your fighting for you?"

Not even bothering to answer him Patrick stood chest heaving, blood oozing from his wounds, eyes narrowed ready to carry on the fight.

In a mighty roar Snake surged, grabbing Patrick's hand that held the knife with his free one and Patrick did the same, holding Snakes, and the two men struggled together for supremacy, trying to get the better of the other.

Rachel watched from her place on the ground, her heart in her mouth, as she watched the two men fighting, Patrick's naked torso glistening with sweat, the blood red against his prison pale skin. Slowly she watched as Snake seemed to get the better of Patrick, his greater height and strength making Patrick bend backwards, twisting his arm down to the side. Looking wildly around at the men who stood watching she saw Jerry holding his knife loosely at his side, his face one of shock at the sight of the two men fighting. Lurching to her feet she grabbed the knife from Jerry's hand and ran towards Snakes back as he managed to get the advantage over Patrick, his arm raised up to bring his knife down into his chest.

Plunging the knife in her hand into Snakes back she collapsed on the floor and watched as he staggered, tripping over the crouched Patrick and then fell onto the ground.

Jerry ran over to Patrick, helping him up, "Quick we need to leave....the police will be here soon, some of Snakes men might phone them and there'll be questions asked at the hospital about the girl and what happened."

Getting up off his knees Patrick rushed over to Rachel, "You alright?....did he hurt you?" and he hugged her, kissing her hard on the mouth, "My God when I saw him hold that knife to your throat......"

"Are you hurt bad?" She looked at the wound with blood seeping out of it at his side.

"It's not bad, just a nick."

"Come on you two lets get a move on...."

Davy grabbed Patrick's arm, "What about the money?"

Jerry pushed Davy back, "Are you mad....forget the fucking money....lets go."

"No, he's right.....lets get the money.....then we burn down the place." And giving one last look at Snakes body laying on the grass he put his arm around Rachel and made his way to the front door, the four men following. They made their way back into the house and up the stairs into Snakes office as fast as they all could.

Pushing aside the bookcase Patrick stepped forward and turned the dial on the safe while the rest watched. Opening the door of the safe Patrick looked in, Davy peering over his shoulder. A low whistle escaped Davy's lips. "Wow looks like more than a million Patrick and pushing past the injured man started to pull the money out in fists full of wads of notes.

"We need something to put it in.....Danny grab a black plastic bags from the cupboard......Jerry go downstairs and get a pile of inflammable stuff in a pile in the lab room. We need to light it as we leave.....set another one in the main hallway if you have time." And he started along with Rachel to pile up newspapers, wooden chairs, curtains and anything they thought would burn to make a small bonfire in the centre of the room as Danny and Davy grabbed the money from the safe and shoved it in the empty bin bag from the safe.

Moving quickly they lit the paper in the centre of the pile of stuff with Danny's lighter and then ran out the room and down the stairs to join Jerry as he finished making a similar pile in the hallway. Lighting that with the lighter they left the house and ran, Davy carrying the now stuffed bag, to the van, climbing in and made their way out of the grounds and down the lane, turning into the long country road away from the sound of the Police cars they could hear coming towards them from the other direction.

*

As the van made its way down the twisting country road in the dark towards the M23 and Brighton they could hear the wail of sirens in the distance. Fire engines, ambulances and Police cars.

Rachel and Patrick sat on the floor of the moving van next to the two bikes that lay in the centre, arms around each other, hugging and kissing. Davy sat with Jerry leaning against the side, semi counting out the money. "Jesus look at it Jerry.....must be close on a million and a half....."

"Drug dealing pays....."

"Fucking too true mate.....fucking too bleeding true."

Patrick gently stroked Rachel's neck where the small wound from Snakes knife had dried over with blood, "Does this hurt....do you need a doctor? I nearly died when I saw him hurt you."

Looking at the wound in his side and then his arm, "These need stitches."

"Nah....just a plaster. They're not deep...."

"Patrick you need stitches they're bad...."

"No time....we need to get down to Brighton.....the boat is waiting to take us out of the country.......you are coming with?.....aren't you?" and he looked deep into her eyes.

Hesitantly she looked at him and murmured, "Patrick.....I don't know."

He looked back at her, "Rachel I can't stay here....I've escaped from Prison and if they catch me they really will lock me up and throw away the key....." and then in a quieter voice, "and I've just killed a man..."

"But it wasn't you....it was me...." And then clamping her hands over her mouth as she realised what she had said was true, "My God I've just killed a man....I stabbed Snake."

Patrick watched as the true horror of what she had done sunk in, then pulled her into his embrace whispering, "and saved my life......I love you sweetheart....so much. But if we are caught it was me....remember that. It was me that stabbed him." And he slightly shook her by the shoulders looking deep into her eyes, "Remember it was me, not you.....understand?"

*

Back at the site of the drug lab paramedics knelt over the prone body of Snake working to save his life as a couple of cops stood nearby. Fire-fighters were trying to stop the fire that had taken hold of the building as flames leapt up into the night, the sound of burning and crackling wood and the flames lighting up the small group of people trying to work on the body on the grass. "He alive?"

"Just....we need to get him over to the hospital as quick as we can.....the wound has punctured a lung and broke a few ribs. He's losing blood fast." And they started to stabilise their patient as one of the police lifted up his radio and called in the report.

The other policeman said to his partner after he finished his call, "Its all go tonight. What with that mass escape from the nick and now this.....seems all the nutters are loose tonight."

"Yeah...." And they turned and watched as the firemen stood pointing their hoses at the burning building, "Hope they get it under control soon. I would hate to see these woods go up."

One of the ambulance men asked as they moved the unconscious man to the ambulance on the stretcher, "You know who this man is?"

"Yes, he's a notorious gangster and drug dealer called Nick Armstrong....looks like a turf war might have started..."

And they put the barely breathing Snake into the ambulance and drove away sirens blaring followed by the two cops in the police car.

*

Johns mum hovered nervously behind Tony as he carried Maria into the bedroom of her small flat and wringing her hands told John, "She should be at the hospital John, she needs medical help."

"Sorry mum we can't.....if we do that there would be too many questions we can't answer...and Tony and myself would end up arrested."

"But she's in a bad way."

"I know but wasn't your friend Rita a nurse once?"

"That was a few years back John."

"Can you phone and get her over here....see if she can help?"

"Are you sure John....maybe of we took her to the hospital and left her on the doorstep...."

Tony turned around and said, "NO.....Get the damn friend who was a nurse....we need to look after her for Gods sake...go get the woman." 

When he was left alone with Maria he sat stroking her hair back from her face, "Can you hear me Maria....I promise to get you help."

Flickering eyes opened and she looked up at him a slight smile on her face, "You did it, you got me out of there....."

"Damn right and I promise you you're going to be ok....we're getting a nurse to look at you...I wont let anything bad happen to you ever again."

Gripping hold of his hand she told him, "I believe you....what ever you say you'll do....you're my hero."

"And my responsibility from now on....forever."

*

Rachel looked down at the nasty slash on Patrick's side when he winced, "Its bleeding again.....you need stitches Patrick....you're losing blood." And she held the torn bloody prison shirt against his side trying to stop the slow flow of red liquid from his side."

Jerry crawled over to them and took a quick look, wincing as he saw the wound. "She's right Patrick, it's a nasty one...."

"When we get down to Brighton Marina there's a twenty four hour superstore there, someone can get out and buy a load of first aid stuff and patch it and my arm up before we go on the boat."

"I don't know....it looks nasty...you could get an infection."

"Just get me to the boat and away from here.....we can worry about it all once we hit France."

"Patrick...." Rachel started to say, but was stopped by a kiss.

"Whenever we're together I'm injured. First the beating from Snake when we met, and now this."

Giving him a half hearted smile she whispered, "I just think you do it for attention."

"You think?"

"I know."

And the van kept on its journey taking the fugitives south towards where the Merc was parked and the fresh change of clothes. Ever closer to the last part of their escape plan.



Rattling Snakes Cage 2 Ch. 10



The final part of the escape, but will they make it?

I hope you have enjoyed the story and if you want me to write the third part of the story of Patrick, Rachel, Jerry, Megan and Snake and what happens next, let me know.

*

Patrick felt the movement of the van change as it seemed to be going over a rough area of ground, suddenly it stopped and he felt the engine turn off. All the people in the van stood up, Rachel holding onto Patrick, her arm around his back, Jerry and Davy standing slightly behind them towards the back of the van. They felt the drivers door open and then shut and after a second or two the back doors of the van opened and Danny stood there, "Come on you lot, we've got to hurry." And he disappeared to the side of the van.

Patrick jumped down and helped Rachel out the high back of the large vehicle, and they walked around to where Danny stood next a Silver Merc, the boot open. They were parked in an old abandoned factory area, large signs saying, 'Danger -- Keep out'. 

"Here Patrick, here's a fresh change of clothes. Put your prison blues in the back of the van in a pile." And then Danny started to get out of his own clothes and change into fresh ones from the car. Jerry and Davy walked up to the back of the car and threw the money stuffed black bin liner into the boot, and then started to get out of the workman's overalls and took out fresh sets of clothes, jeans and casual shirts, and put them on.

When they were all re-dressed in casual looking clothes, Danny threw a baseball cap at Patrick, "Here put that on and pull it down a little. We need to hide that ugly mug of yours just in case." 

Putting all the discarded clothes in the back of the van, Danny took a couple of cans of petrol and poured it on the pile and around the inside of the van and over the bikes still on their sides inside the van. Davy got in the Merc drivers seat and Jerry, Patrick and Rachel got in the back. 

"What's he doing?" Rachel asked Jerry.

"Destroying evidence. Any DNA, fingerprints or anything that can lead them to us."

Starting up the Merc and moving it so that it was away from the van, but close enough for Danny to run to, they all watched as Danny stood behind the vans open back doors lighting a piece of rag until they could see flames from the burning rag. Rachel saw Danny throw it in the back of the van and run towards the car. "Get a move on.....quick or we'll go up with the fucking van." He yelled as he got in the passenger seat.

The Merc leapt forward and out of the run down old yard onto the country lane and up towards the ramp for the M23 and Brighton. Just as they started down the ramp they heard the explosion. Laughing Danny said, "We're turning into right little arsonists, that's two fires in one day."

"That will be our last...." and the car sped up on the motorway moving at a good speed towards their final destination.

*

In the hospital Doctors and Nurses battled to save their patient, cutting off his clothes and rushing him up to the operating theatre. Barely conscious, his eyes squinting, he held on to life as he was moved from the trolley onto the operating table, and the last thing he felt for a while was the prick of the needle entering his vein as the anaesthetist prepared him for the surgeon to work on.

As he lay there one operating nurse looking over her mask used her eyes to signal to the other nurse about the unusual tattoo that adorned his body. Nodding in acknowledgment the blond nurse passed across the sterile piece of equipment the Surgeon requested, and thought about the two policemen that were waiting outside in the corridor, waiting to see if the patient with the stab wound to the back would survive.

*

Davy reached over and turned on the radio as they drove down the road and the five occupants of the car listened to the news station as reports came in on the mass escape from Wandsworth Prison and the murder during it of one prisoner by another. Reports were stating that so far of the sixteen escapees only five had been captured, one had been chased and cornered by a crowd of commuters as they had been getting off the bus near Wandsworth Bridge. Another prisoner had been captured as he climbed down to the outside of the prison on the boom, and a third had been picked up as he climbed over back fences in a road about a mile away.

Warnings were issued about the prisoners being dangerous and for the public not to approach them. Rachel snuggled up to Patrick asked him, "Are you dangerous?"

"Only in bed....." and he kissed her on her nose, "But you all ready know that."

The four other men groaned, "Not what I heard.....I heard you're no great shakes in the bed department."

"Needs Viagra to keep it up....."

"Needs a magnifying glass to find it...."

Laughter rolled around the car as the release of the last twenty four hours left them and they teased Patrick and Rachel all the way down to Brighton.

*

When they reached the Brighton Marina Patrick told them to drive into the big ASDA superstore car park. "I'm going to need some fresh clothes and dressings for my wounds. There's blood showing on the shirt again. Rachel can go into the store and get something's for me." And he looked at her asking her, "Is that alright...."

Nodding she held out her hand and said, "Anyone got any money, I seem to have come without any of mine."

"Just some small change in the back in the boot. Think we've got enough there for you Rachel."

"We'll take what you spend out of Patrick's cut...."

Grinning she told them "Then I had better not spend too much."

When Davy had parked the car he got out and opened the boot, and looking over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't being observed he put his hand into the bag and pulled out a handful of twenty's. Closing the boot he got back into the car, turning around and handing the notes to Rachel. "Be careful and keep a look out for any cops. If you see any don't come back to the car but walk out of the store and up the ramp to get out of the Marina. We'll watch you and follow on after a while. If it's clear we'll pick you up as you walk back towards the town on the sea pathway. If it's not clear go into the town and get a train back home."

"Patrick......?"

"Do as he says.....its more important for you to save yourself.....remember what I said......I stabbed Snake....me....it was me. You saw it....it was in the fight....he fell...I stabbed him in the back....make sure that's what you say if they ever question you."

"Patrick!"

"Now go....get me some dressings for this damn wound, some painkillers and a fresh tee shirt or shirt....." and he gave her a hard kiss, and a soft shove to make her leave the car.

Walking quickly to the store from where they were parked, Rachel felt her heart pound and her palms sweat. She held the screwed up notes in one hand, and her face turned continually searching as she walked, looking for any sign of the police.

Reaching the store she went in and hurriedly chose a black tee shirt and black denim shirt, then went to the aisle that held the pharmacy goods. Within ten minutes she was out the front of the store looking around and seeing no police she ran towards the Merc and slid in.

"Good girl....you're turning into a real gangsters moll." Davy laughed.

"Shut up Davy." Patrick growled, "I'm now officially retired. She's no moll. She's pure class."

"Whoops, pardon me for breathing....." and he turned his head sideways and winked at Rachel.

*

While the group were fighting Snake and then escaping down to Brighton Ritchie had broken into a house close to the prison, found a change of clothes, cleaned up the blood from his broken nose, grabbed some food and casually strolled out along the road down towards York Road and the pub. In the pub he pick-pocketed a wallet from some guy standing drinking a pint with his mates and then bought himself a lager. After quickly downing it, he left the pub and walked up to Clapham Junction Railway station, brazenly passing a couple of coppers on the way, and buying a ticket for Kings Cross went up to the correct platform and waited with the crowd of commuters for the train. Once inside the crowded train where people stood packed in, he stole another wallet so that by the time he had finally made it to his final destination he had enough money for a good night on the town.

In the pub near the station he stood drinking his Guinness, looking around the place for a bit of skirt and noticing two tarts drinking Vodka and limes he walked over and said, "You girls up for a refill?"

"Yeah...."

Within minutes he was chatting them up, the pain of his broken nose fading with the amount of alcohol he had drunk, and within an hour he was walking back to their place for a couple of hour's fun, paid for by the commuter and the man in the pub.

*

Jerry winced as he dressed the wound on Patrick's side and arm, then helped him to slip his blood stained top off and the fresh ones on. Inside the back of the crowded backseat of the Merc it was a little difficult.

Davy then drove the car over to the private garage that Alan had given them directions to, parked and they all got out. Grabbing the fishing gear out the boot with the bag of money the group of four men and one woman walked casually down to the jetty and the security entrance. Danny entered the security code that Alan had given them and they carried on through, keeping their faces away from any CCTV cameras. Following the directions that Alan gave them they found the boat and Alan and climbed on board.

"Shit, I nearly gave birth to kittens waiting for you lot.....you must be Patrick."

Shaking hands Patrick thanked him for his part in his freedom and escape.

"No problem Patrick, its been fun listening on the radio to the news.....the old Bill are having a real hard time....heads will roll for this escape....once we're on our way you can tell me all about it first hand."

Patrick and Rachel went into the cabin putting down the black bag, and Jerry, Danny and Davy helped cast off and the boat slowly moved from its berth in the Marina out into the wide harbour and made for the narrow entrance to the sea and freedom.

The water was choppy once outside the harbour and the boat hit waves, making the journey out a little rough, but slowly the water settled down as Alan steered the boat around the southern coast of England, towards Eastbourne.

After a while Patrick got up and stood outside the cabin watching the lights of the small seaside towns as they moved along, a wistful look on his face. Rachel came up behind him and slipped her arms around him holding him, the side of her face resting against his back, comforting him.

He sighed, "Its just hitting me.....I'll never be able to come back.....this is the last I'll see of home...."

Giving him a small squeeze, "It's the last we'll both see of home."

Turning around and taking her in his arms he held her, his chin resting on the top of her head, "I'm sorry.....I'm so sorry I pulled you into all of this......its all my fault.."

"Well I'm not.....I realise I wasn't really living until I met you, just drifting through life, not really feeling anything,...and although I'm scared....and I've done things I don't want to even think about....right now I'm alive and happy."

And the two lovers kissed, the velvet darkness of the night surrounding them, the twinkling of the lights from the land and the stars in the sky making a romantic background, the sound of lapping water the music of the night and the elation of being together and free giving them peace, The three men sat down and started to count out the money as Patrick and Rachel kissed and Alan stood at the helm moving them along. Putting it into six piles, including a smaller one for Nat back in Spain for his help in organising and bribing the screws the haul worked out at four hundred and twenty grand each, a good days pay off.

Opening the wine, they drank, laughed and celebrated as the boat moved slowly towards the English Channel and France, and their fist stop and re fuel at Honfleur, dreams of how they were going to spend it swirling in their heads.

*

Settling the patient into the intensive care unit the nurses told the hovering policeman who waited for the chance to speak to the semi unconscious man lying in the hospital bed to wait outside.

In his drifting consciousness Snake lay, the painkilling drugs dulling his brain, but not enough to stop the thoughts of vengeance running through it. The need to get even with Patrick was embedded deep and his major reason for surviving and getting well. 

Just as he was about to drift back down into a deep sleep his last thought was, "Even if it takes me for ever I'll find him and get him. That bastard is mine. Vengeance will be mine......"

*

The men stood watching as the bright lights of Honfleur Harbour flickered in front of them, the early morning light bathing the area in a misty glow. Alan walked over to Patrick and clapping him on the shoulder told him, "Better to be safe, there's a space under a couple of the bunks that we can hide you in. Slip in and we'll put the money under there as well just in case customs climb on board. We'll refuel in a couple of hours when it opens and be on our way as quickly as we can."

Making his way to the cabin Patrick slipped inside and just as Alan was going to close the wooden cover, Rachel bent down and slipped in, aligning her body face to face with Patrick's she snuggled up close as Alan closed and secured the cover, leaving them in darkness.

Kissing they took this opportunity to be able to touch each other away from prying eyes in the utter darkness of the enclosed space, giggling and wriggling as they tried to move hands and legs to accommodate each other.

Cupping her breast in his hand Patrick whispered, "How would you feel about us opening a small beachside bar in the Florida Keys with the money.....I promise to go straight....no more shenanigans for me....just the easy laid back life with no complications."

Burrowing her hand up under his tee shirt and stroking the hair covered skin of his belly she whispered back, "Straight Patrick?.....no more excitement?"

"No more excitement....I've had enough for a lifetime....how about you?"

"I think life with you will never be quiet.....I think you attract excitement....but I'm up for what ever comes our way." And they kissed, not knowing that back home in his hospital bed Snake was already making plans in his head to find them and that he had a large mental list of settling of scores.

For the stolen coke, for the stolen money, for stealing Rachel, for stabbing him and for Patrick's rejection of their friendship, for that hurt him most of all. 

The end.....or is it.

If you would like me to write the third and final part of Rattling Snakes Cage please let me know.