Legion (An Apocalyptic Horror Novel) (Hell on Earth Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

they needed to do it now. Two-hundred quid was better than five years in the nick.
    But Vamps wasn’t about to let this wannabe Tony Montana take them for a bunch of mugs. This might be his manor, but Vamps was no victim. He clapped his hands together loudly, making the two thugs either side of Pusher flinch. “Sorry we couldn’t do business. Thanks for the time though, blud. Respect, yeah?”
    Pusher didn’t react. His eyes shifted to Vamps and stayed there. It was some time before he spoke. “You fuckin’ me around, blud?”
    “Nah, man.” Vamps opened his arms out to the side, trying to keep things light and non-threatening. “Just didn’t meet our price. Business, yeah?”
    “This is my fuckin’ manor. I name the price, and you fucking take it.”
    Damn it. Shit is about to go down. This fucker is looking for a fight.
    If Vamps showed the slightest bit of nerve, the situation was lost. Respect was a cold war, and the moment the other guy thought you were weaker, the violence started. Vamps took a step forward, chest out, chin up. “Hand me back the product, yo. You want it, the price is five-hundred.”
    Pusher glared at him, the slash on the side of his face quivering as his jaw locked. A standoff ensued, and it was some time before the other guy eventually moved towards Vamps. He offered out the packet, but when Vamps went to take it, he pulled it back again.
    “Actually,” said Pusher. “Think I have a new price for you. I’m going to take this off your hands for free, and you mugs are gunna fuck off out of my patch before you get your skulls caved in.”
    Vamps realised that the boys from the bar had entered behind him. They were boxed in by at least nine guys. A couple brandished snooker cues. Mass started hulking up, bunching his muscles and preparing to fight, and Vamps figured his big friend could take out at least three by himself. Maybe Vamps could take another three. But Ravy and Ginge would get hurt.
    Vamps moved his hand into his pocket and gripped his grandfather’s Browning. The pistol would shift the power back to them, but it wasn’t a move to make lightly. If just one of the other men in the room had a gun of their own hidden, things would turn into a shootout—and you couldn’t predict what would happen when bullets flew. Also, aside from Pusher, who deserved a bullet, Vamps didn’t know a thing about any of the other guys. For all he knew, they were decent lads just showing some front.
    No, too risky. Vamps moved his hand back out of his pocket. If it were only him, then he might escalate things, but he didn’t want to take risks with his friends’ lives. They all walked here in one piece, and that was how they would leave.
    “All right, we’re leaving,” said Vamps. It hurt him to lose so much face, but it would be stupid to fight when they were at a disadvantage. He’d lost count of the number of guys he’d seen go down because of their egos. Backing down was smart, even if the taste it left was piss and shit.
    Pusher grinned like a ghoul. “Smart boy. I see you round here again, I won’t let you leave.”
    Ravy sucked at his teeth. “Man, this is fuck—”
    Vamps snapped his fingers. “I said we’re leaving, yo, so let’s bounce.”
    Everyone was silent as they left, boys on both sides. Eyeballs screwed into Vamps and his friends as they headed back out into the pub and towards the exit.
    “Pleasure doing business with you,” Pusher shouted after them to an audience of laughter.
    Vamps paused, stopped walking and clenched his fists.
    The laughter stopped. The air froze.
    “Come on, man,” Ginge whispered to him. “This ain’t worth it.”
    “It’s my fault,” said Mass. “The guy mugged me off!”
    “It’s just money,” said Ravy. “Let’s go.”
    “You lads got something to say?” Pusher shouted after them.
    Vamps looked at the door in front of him, took a deep breath, and left.
    But he would be back.

    * * *
    T he street outside bustled . When