As The Fight Begins

Chapter One - Land Rovers & Rifles

The autumn wind whips up the ash hanging from the end of the figures cigarette as he takes another puff. The orange glow lighting up his wrinkled, worn face. He drops the cigarette to the ground and stomps on it with his shoe before returning back to the passenger seat of the Land Rover.

There are a further three figures in the vehicle, situated on a poorly lit dirt track in an empty field. The figures are suddenly jolted out of their own thoughts as they hear the faint rumbling sound of an engine and spot a set of headlights cut through the darkness towards them. They check their shoulder holsters under their jackets. Feeling the cold metal of the handguns concealed in them.

The other vehicle stops around fifty meters in front of the Land Rover and flashes its headlights twice before turning off altogether. Annoyed by the amount of time they waited, the men in the Land Rover step out of the vehicle and head to the dark motor parked up ahead of them. As they get closer they realise it is a large black pick-up truck with a tarpaulin covering something large and bulky in the back.

Two men in suits exit the pick-up, "Joey! How are you, my friend?" The man's thick, American accent echoes through the empty field. He is wearing a black Armani suit with black Oxford shoes.

"I'm not bad Marco, you got the merchandise?" The man known as Joey says, lighting another cigarette. Blowing the smoke out of his nose.

Joey is fourty five and tends to lead the gang from the rear. Leaving the action to his son and his nephews. Shrinking with age, he is a mere five foot six and has deep wrinkles on his forehead, around his eyes and on either side of his mouth. His knuckles sunken and scarred from his younger years of illegal boxing. However, even with his age he has managed to keep his dark brown hair.

"You know I do," Marco says whilst gesturing with his hand. "Luis! Get the crates!" His tone loud enough to grab Luis' attention, for he whips his head around before snatching off the tarpaulin, revealing ten, wooden crates.

"Marcus, Connor. Help him with the crates," Joey orders in a commanding tone. The two men grunt and head to help Luis. Marcus and Connor Lang being brothers and part of The Lynch Family since they were eighteen.

Luis, with the help of Marcus and Connor, unloads the crates onto the ground in front of Joey before he returns to the pick-up and grabs a crowbar and a flash light. Throwing the flash light to Marcus. With Marcus lighting up the first box, Luis thrusts the crowbar into the lid of the crate and levers it open. He then, in turn, does the same to the rest of the crates.

The first eight carrying firearms, the ninth holding explosives and the tenth filled with military-style metal ammunition boxes.

"As you can see Joey, right here you got assorted handguns including revolvers, Glocks and Colts. A case of Russian standard AK's. Got some AR-15s as well as a case of M4A1s. Let's not forget two cases of assorted sub-machine guns," Marco counts off, removing an example of each and handing it to Joey and his men for inspection. They take turns feeling the weight of the weapons and aiming down the sights.

"Now we move onto explosives. We got frag, smoke and stun grenades plus several pounds of C4. Last but not least, ammunition for all the firearms in the tenth," He continues, reciting from a manifest which he stuffs roughly back in his pocket.

"Any attachments? Sights?" Joey asks, inspecting a Colt .45 in his hand. Removing the magazine, pulling the slide back and checking in the chamber.

"Absolutely," Marco smiles. "All the assault rifles apart from the AK's come with a range of attachments. Night vision and optical sights, grenade launchers and foregrips. Let's not forget some of the handguns come with suppressors as well," he explains, removing some of the attachments from the crates.

Joey hands the .45 to the man stood beside him, Jimmy Brass, Joey's right-hand man and main advisor, knowing each other since they were kids. Jimmy has fought alongside Joey all his life. He is only a couple of inches taller than Joey and age seems to have been a bigger enemy to him. His once black hair turning grey and white. Receding on the front and thinning around the crown.

After handing Jimmy the handgun he proceeds to the Land Rover and opens up the boot, removing a black briefcase and walking back over to the pick-up. Handing it to Luis. Luis places the case on the bonnet of his vehicle, opens it and begins counting the stacks of cash inside.

"So Joey, when is young Nicky out the pen?" Marco questions.

"He should be out tomorrow hopefully," Joey states. Marco turns to Luis who has finished counting the money. He looks up from the briefcase and nods his head before putting the briefcase in the vehicle.

"Well that's good news!" claims Marco, "Anyway Joey, it's been good seeing you but I'm afraid we got to get the fuck outta dodge brother. I'll be seeing ya,"

With that, Marco shakes Joey and Jimmy's hand before hopping back into the pick-up with Luis. It bursts to life and the lights are blinding as it reverses back the way it came.

Joey removes a mobile phone from his trouser pocket and punches in a number before putting it to his ear, "Red, bring the truck round. The deals gone through,"

As the call ends, an engine revs and a white Transit van pulls out of another dirt path into the field. It stops just short of the Land Rover and three men hop out and begin moving the crates. Marcus and Connor lending a hand.

Once finished, the six men gather round their boss, "Marcus, Connor, Jimmy, you're coming with me. Red, Jerry, Charlie, you get the goods back to the warehouse and we will meet back at the club,"

Kieran "Red" Ortega, Charlie Shred and Jerry Spence are trusted member in The Lynch Family. Red being one of the best boxers at the club Joey owns, second only to Joey's son. Gaining his nickname from his bright, ginger hair.

Charlie and Jerry gaining Joey's trust when they saved his life. An enemy gang was trying to make a move on The Lynch Family. Specifically the boss. Charlie and Jerry knew about the plans and wanted to impress Joey. They launched a surprise attack on the hitmen hired to kill Joey and from that day they have been like family to Joey and his son.

"And Red," Joey starts as the three men begin to return to the Transit, "Make sure you meet Brody and Sean. Remind them that they are picking Nicky up tomorrow and give them this to give to him," He orders, handing Red the Colt .45 he took off Jimmy.

"Aye I will boss, see ya at the club," Red responds, hopping back into the truck.

With Red driving, the truck heads out of the dark field also known as Seymour Park. Not far away from the Manchester United football ground. Whilst en route to the warehouse, they pass Old Trafford.

Red slows the truck almost to a halt. Several military vehicles situated in the car park of the brightly lit stadium. The armed soldiers removing large chainlink fence segments from the trucks. Some being taken into the playing ground whilst others are set up outside.

A large flatbed truck pulls up next to the soldiers. The bed filled with several concrete barriers and rolls of razor wire.

"Are the reds playing any major games anytime soon?" A look of confusion covering Charlie's face.

"Not for another two weeks. Even the North-West Derby don't have this much security," Jerry answers. The North-West Derby being Manchester United playing against their biggest rivals Liverpool.

"Something is going on here. Let's drop these crates off and then we'll run this by the boss," Red decides, pulling away.