Phil looked at his watch for the tenth time in so many minutes, then stared at the mains switch which would cut the power to the whole building should he decide to turn it. At 1.30am., the plan was to give the group 30 seconds to enter, un-detected before reactivating the security system. At 2.00am., he would repeat the procedure. If all went well the theft would remain undetected for two weeks before the contents of sensitive files were checked. Phil didn’t know what information they contained and he didn’t want to know. He didn’t even know if he wanted to be part of this operation which could either put him in jail, or put him on the run if he refused to cooperate. What was he doing in this miserable job anyway? If it wasn’t for the accident he’d still be the successful, respected exercise coach he’d trained for, and probably never set eyes on Will again. Will Brown – such a simple, ordinary name, and to look at him you’d never suspect the personal power he yielded. Phil had first come up against him at school. They were in the same class and Will had been the brains behind any trouble, but never in Phil’s memory, been caught. He hadn’t seen Will until three weeks ago when he’d turned up with a couple of cronies in Phil’s local.
‘Hey Phil. Where’ve you been hiding?’
‘I haven’t.’
‘Didn’t know this was your drinking hole.’
Phil stared at him and said nothing. It was this stare which had saved him from many a beating at school.
‘Hu. I’d forgotten how smart you were.’ Will made a sign to his two cronies who drank up and left. ‘You’ve guessed right. I wanted a word. I’ll get you another drink. How’s the job by the way?’
‘The job’s crap, but then you know that already.’
Will passed him a fresh pint and leaned slightly forward.
‘It may be crap but it could be useful.’
And that was how it started. Phil didn’t want any part of Will’s world, but he didn’t want to be a night security guard for the rest of his working life either. His existence had narrowed. Where once he’d enjoyed a promising career, good salary, loving wife and family, he’d been reduced to a lowly job and living in a pokey, rented flat. If Will’s plan worked he would be handsomely rewarded. If not and he landed in Jail, well, life couldn’t be much worse.
Phil looked at his watch. It was 1.30 am. He turned the switch.
(c) 2024 Katya Marsh.
