‘I’ve been thinking about your team and the logistics of them getting here and arranging shifts—all the things I know you spend a lot of your time organising.’
Squeezy nodded, looking authoritative and concerned. He couldn’t keep it up for long and smirked. ‘And?’
‘I think we need a base here at the house. Like a guardroom.’
‘Somewhere to make a brew would be nice without having to bother the ladies in their cottages. Although I reckon Enid enjoys the company. Place to have a piss would be nice too.’
‘Somewhere to safely store their…tools of the trade?’
‘Yeah, tricky driving with them these days.’
‘Communications centre.’
‘Good idea.’
‘And overnight bunks, if they need them—bedrooms, I suppose we could call them.’
‘You’re going to build something here?’
‘Yes, by the gate. I think it’s long past the time when I wanted the appearance of no one here. I want a presence that states that someone is definitely here so fuck off. What do you think?’
Squeezy was nodding. ‘What’s up?’ He had good reason to ask this. He had the right to ask this, given their history together.
Aleksey just replied simply, ‘Isn’t something always fucking up?’
The moron wobbled his hand, possibly a comment on paranoia versus common sense, but only suggested, ‘Make it unobtrusive, if you want my advice. You want that fuck off to work, but for those it doesn’t, don’t give the game away too soon.’
‘Yes. But if I useunobtrusiveoak and glass, the glass will be bullet proof.’
Squeezy chuckled and picked up a stone to toss for PB. ‘I’m gathering Diesel don’t know about this. Won’t see the need for it.’
‘No. He won’t want to acknowledge the need for it. He tends to assume the world is—’
‘Nice?’
Aleksey laughed. ‘Yes. I suppose if you greet it with a smile and a face like he has then the world smiles back at you.’
‘Yeah. We know better. Stare into the abyss…’
‘Yes. I think he knows better really. I just prefer seeing that smile too.’
‘Ruin my day not his?’
‘Exactly. You owe me one house now…’
Squeezy went for him, buthewas too quick and he’d been waiting for it, so the headlock was completely ineffectual and only got the moron an elbow in the ribs. Squeezy nonchalantly stopped his attack—it was too hot, apparently, and obviously he didn’t approve of unnecessary physical violence. They began to saunter back towards the lawns. ‘I guess I should say thank you for the house.’
‘Not try to strangle me?’
‘Just testing your reactions, old man. But I do. You know…thank you.’
‘Do you realise you have not said fuck once in the last two minutes?’
‘Huh. Fuck. It must be these new people I’m mixing with. Got to watch my Ps and Qs.’
‘I thought you were working with the homeless.’
‘Exactly. So, we good? I’ve thanked you for the one point two million pound fucking house—yeah, the professorial set had it all valued up before they stepped foot in it—and I can get back to being rude and generally trying to ruin your life?’
