Read Online DEATHLOOP by G. Brailey - Free Book Online Page B

had been presented with a similar conundrum was during his chemical days and a reason if he should still need one to steer clear.
    Zack had gone a bit overboard with LSD, at Cambridge. He’d read about Timothy Leary’s exploits and was curious to say the least, so one day, after struggling to get his local dealer interested in his request to track down a few tabs, Zack found himself nagging Justin Dunsmore, a brilliant psychology student to try his hand at rustling some up.
    Armed with his chemistry A level Justin was prepared to give it a go because Justin was in love with Zack and if he could do anything to impress him, he would. The stuff turned out to be dynamite and as most of Zack’s friends and acquaintances were involved with other stimulants at the time, Zack found himself with what seemed like an endless supply.
    Sam became increasingly concerned and told Zack he must have a death wish because he was dropping tabs of acid like Victory V’s, so one night when he was off being crazy somewhere, Sam took his entire stash and destroyed it. Zack had come very close to killing Sam when he found out and barged off confidently to find Justin to make him some more, but Justin refused to make him anymore, and surprised Zack by bursting into tears saying he had no intention of speaking to him ever again.
    Only now, twenty years later did Zack admit that it was probably just as well because at the grand old age of 19 his brilliant mind was beginning to get a bit tangled.
    Zack jumped when Veronica crept up behind him and swept a hand across his back, then turned to face her. They smiled a little shyly at each other.
    “I can offer you coffee I’m afraid, but not much else…”
    “Coffee as well?” said Veronica, straight faced, “goodness, I’ll come here again.”
    “Promise me, promise me you will, Veronica,” said Zack.
    “Of course I will,” she said, quite touched by the tone of his voice. “But we don’t know much about each other, do we?”
    “I’d say we know everything we need to know,” said Zack, “but if you want to tell me how you finance your weekly shop in Waitrose, then go right ahead.”
    “It can wait,” said Veronica.
    “Yes,” said Zack, “it can.”
    Patrick recognized Zack this morning in his usual Gucci suit and threw him an awkward smile, and Zack was in such a good mood that he forgave him for being so dim and unobservant yesterday, and so responded in kind.
    “Oh, Mr Fortune this is for you,” said Betty, as Zack walked past, handing over a very dog-eared A4 envelope. “I’m not sure what it’s all about,” she said, when in fact the first thing she did when Jason gave it to her was to take a quick look inside, the envelope was in such a state, that coaxing back the once sticky tape and fixing it down again was simple.
    “Okay, thanks Betty,” said Zack, as he started to move away.
    “Er… Mr Fortune?” said Betty, popping out from behind the desk and catching him up, “I’m sorry to ask,” she said, dropping her voice to an emphatic whisper, “but this boy has been in here twice now, and to be honest, we’re not sure quite what to make of him.”
    “Oh yes, in what way?”
    “Well, the other day for instance, he told us he was your friend.”
    “ My friend ?” said Zack.
    “A client and a friend were his exact words. Well, he certainly doesn’t look like a client and neither does he look like a friend, so you can see our predicament.”
    Zack threw Betty a tight little smile. “And you know what my friends look like, do you Betty?”
    “Well no …” said Betty, a bit flustered now, and worried that she might have put her foot in it, “of course not, it’s just for future reference that’s all, we don’t want to do the wrong thing.”
    “Just put in a call to the office, Rose will know what to do,” said Zack, as he went off, leaving Betty none the wiser.
    This wasn’t what Betty was expecting at all. She had wanted Zack to sympathise with her at