Part 26 (1/2)

'Hail Mary, Mother of G.o.d, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.' Mary closed her eyes for the last time.

'Amen.'

Jack poured out most of the petrol in a semi-circle around himself, keeping his back against the rear of the house. He kept a last reserve of the accelerant in the can, which he put on the ground between his legs. He pulled his precious Zippo lighter from the inside pocket of the suit jacket and ignited the flame.

As the policemen drew nearer, Jack bent over and lit the semi-circle of petrol.

It burst into flame, hungrily consuming the gasoline on the ground. One of the policemen tried to step across the line of fire but his trousers caught light. He stumbled away, flames racing up his uniform and engulfing his head.

'Don't like that, do you?' Jack sneered. 'I love it. Fire is alive, it's powerful. It doesn't need friends, it doesn't need family, it doesn't need a Mum or a Dad. It just needs fuel and oxygen.

Then it can burn forever.'

Another policeman tried to cross the flames and was driven back by the intense heat. But the ring of petrol was burning away too quickly. Soon it would be gone and Jack would be vulnerable. He was trapped, surrounded and unable to escape.

He stared at his warped reflection in the polished metal casing of the lighter.

'I wanted to burn forever too. But I guess it's better to burn out young than get old, all your fire gone, no spark left.' Jack made a decision. He glared at the policemen gathering around him. 'Who wants to come with me?'

Jack picked up the can and poured the last of the petrol over himself. It stung his eyes but he didn't care anymore. He ignited the lighter one last time. Around him the flames on the ground were spluttering out. Jack touched the lighter to his sleeve. He screamed as the flames shot up his arm and around his head.

Jack threw himself at the nearest policeman.

Brick, Billy and Charlie were leading the way to St Luke's, while the Doctor and Tommy followed just behind them. The smog got denser the closer the group came to the church, cutting visibility to an arm's length. The leading trio disappeared into the mist, leaving the Doctor and Tommy behind.

'Brick! Slow down, or we'll lose each other!' Tommy shouted.

'Alright Tommy!' a voice replied from up ahead.

'Alright Tommy?' another voice hissed quietly. The gangster turned to see Detective Valentine emerge from the smog, a shotgun aimed at Tommy's chest. 'Who's your friend?' Valentine asked, jerking his head at the Doctor.

'My name's Smith, Doctor John Smith but everyone just calls me the Doctor.' He offered a handshake to Valentine, who ignored it.

'I'm not everyone, am I Tommy?' the detective replied. 'I'm your stooge, your little flunky, fetching and fixing at the sound of his master's voice.' He nudged the gangster in the chest with the end of the shotgun. 'You don't mind if I call you Tommy, do you? I know you prefer to be Mr Ramsey, but since our circ.u.mstances have changed...'

'Now then Bob, there's no need to go overboard,' Tommy said.

'Oh, it's Bob now is it? I don't recall inviting you to use my first name.' Valentine swung the b.u.t.t of the shotgun around, striking Tommy in the side of the face. The gangster staggered but stood his ground.

'You treated me like dirt,' Valentine said. 'You took my weakness and exploited it, turned me into a bent cop, a standing joke on the force. I was just a washed-up drunk waiting for a pittance of a pension. But things are different now the shoe's on the other foot.'

'What are you on about?' Tommy asked.

'I saw your friend Steve MacMa.n.u.s earlier.'

'He's no friend of mine!'

'He's no friend of anybody's anymore I spread his brains over the back window of that precious car of his. Of course, he was never anybody's friend to start with so I doubt many will mourn his demise.' Valentine paused for effect. 'You've probably been wondering where all your best men have got to Dave Butcher, the others. I took care of them as well.'

'Why you ' Tommy was cut short by another vicious blow to the head.

'Compensation, you see, for all those times you humiliated me. Now it's your turn, Mr Tommy Ramsey.' Valentine smiled.

'You thought I was your little lapdog, but I've got a new master now. They speak to me in my head, telling me what to do. They sent me to kill you and anyone else I thought might offer some resistance.'

'Look, old chap, we really don't have time for ' the Doctor began.

'Shut up, or I'll shoot both of you!' the detective shouted.

The Doctor took a step towards him. 'It's just that we're in quite a rush '

'I said shut up!' Valentine swung the shotgun towards the Doctor, his finger beginning to squeeze the trigger. 'I don't know who you are, big nose, but you can keep your hooter out of my business. Permanently!'

Tommy grabbed for the shotgun but the detective was ready for him. He neatly side-stepped the crude lunge, sticking out a leg for Tommy to trip over. The gangster went sprawling on the road. Valentine turned back to the Doctor. 'Now, where was I?'

The Doctor silenced him with a chop of the hand, the finely directed blow catching Valentine's windpipe. The detective was choked for breath, dropping the shotgun. The Doctor followed up with another strike, this time punching two fingers into a nerve cl.u.s.ter on the side of the neck. Valentine went down, the left side of his body numb and useless.

'As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted,' the Doctor announced, 'we really don't have time for settling old scores.'

'That's where you're wrong,' Tommy replied. He picked up the shotgun and held the end of the barrels beneath the chin of the stricken detective. 'There's always time for settling old scores. Goodbye Bob.'

'Tommy, don't ' the Doctor protested but it was too late.

Tommy pulled the trigger, a smile playing around his lips.

Brick, Billy and Charlie ran back to find the two men arguing over the headless corpse of Detective Valentine. 'What the h.e.l.l happened?' Brick asked.

'This murderer just executed another man!' the Doctor said furiously.

Tommy was unrepentant. 'It was self-defence.'

'He was lying on the ground, unable to move!'

'But he tried to kill me. He tried to kill both of us,' Tommy replied. 'You should be grateful I stopped him.'

The Doctor shook his head sadly. 'Murder can never be justified.'

Tommy leaned close to the Doctor's face, their noses almost touching. 'Yeah? Well how are you planning to stop the Xhinn?

Ask them nicely to leave?'

'I already tried that.'

'Then I guess you still need me and my methods.' Tommy smiled triumphantly. 'Face it, Doc you and me, we're quite similar.'

The Doctor glared at the gangster. 'You couldn't be more wrong.'