The Formidable

58

"Well I never thought I'd see the fucking day," Benny grinned manically as Kieran was brought into the house. Kieran smiled back, looking every inch uncomfortable as he felt. Benny had always made him uneasy, he was a few slabs short of a patio and everyone knew it. There was always this sadistic, crazy look in his eyes and now it was more prominent than ever. He'd clearly been getting worse since Sam kicked him out. His teeth were browning and his gums looked sore, not to mention the tracks along his forearms and the distinct smell of vinegar lingering .

"Alright, Benny?" Kieran greeted, slipping his hands in his pockets in an attempt to look relaxed. Benny nodded, staring at Kieran absently, looking right through him. There was a pipe and some tinfoil on the floor, next to a sleeping bag. He hoped this wasn't where they'd kept Mia.

"Kieran has a plan, don't you Kieran?" Tommy said, leaning up against a wall with the wallpaper curling off the walls, tar stained and piss soaked. Kieran nodded.

"Get out with it then," Benny snapped, pulling the small coffee table by his side over to him. There were empty baggies with cocaine dust films littered across the top. Kieran's hands clammed and his mouth dried, maybe it wasn't heroin he had been doing today. Benny was unpredictable and skittish at the best of times. Cocaine amplified this behaviour.

"Madison has to go get her car from the garage at some point, Jase told us to make sure it was clean and ready for her. I've put a tracker on her phone. I was thinking we could grab her, use her as bait to get the pair of them away from the kid," he said. Benny sniggered, nodding erratically as he racked up with the speed of a veteran chef dicing onion.

"Do you hear that Tommy? He thought," he said. Kieran looked at Tommy who just rolled his eyes. At this point, he was used to Benny being like this and took no notice. Only half the shit that came out of his mouth made sense. He was completely losing his mind but Tommy didn't care, he was only using Benny as a step up anyway. He knew how the house worked now, he knew drug suppliers and launderers, the works. Once he and Benny had dealt with Jase and Madison, he would deal with Benny and set about making his fortune.

"I think it's a good idea," Tommy said nonchalantly, rolling a cigarette. Benny looked over at him, his laughter coming out with an eerie immediacy. Then he turned back to Kieran, all serious.

"Do they know you're here?" Kieran shook his head and Benny grunted. "And why have you suddenly had a change of heart towards Jase? You idolised him, far as I can remember." Kieran rolled his shoulders.

"He's not who he used to be, not now he's got a kid and Madison's back on the scene. You thought he was soft back then you should see him coo over his daughter. It's embarrassing. I didn't want to be a part of this business to watch everyone turn into a wet lettuce. How are we supposed to make money if Jase loses his edge? Because Sam is leaving as well." Benny's brows shot up as he thought for a moment, squinting at Kieran.

"I told Jase we'd let things lie once we had Mickey, I got my own back," he said finally.

"Madison isn't willing to let it go." 

Benny growled.

"Ugh, she did my fucking nut in back then and she does my fucking nut in now. Fine. You let us know when we can get her on her own, and we'll go through with your plan. But you better hope it works boy, because if it doesn't and Jase doesn't kill you first, I fucking will." He snorted another line, inhaling deeply and hacking the back drop at the back of his throat. Kieran resisted the urge to recoil at the sound.

"Understood," he said. Benny nodded, his eyes now alive with substance.

"Good, now fuck off before I change my mind and get rid of you now."