Read Online Outside Chance by Lyndon Stacey - Free Book Online Page A

out!’ From somewhere in front of Ben, Mal’s voice cut through the haze, bringing him to his senses. He stopped kicking, took deep breaths and forced himself to calm down. He found though, to his dismay, that whilst he could to some extent control his breathing, he couldn’t control the muscle tremor that had set in.
    At Mal’s bidding, the two holding Ben transferred their grip to pin both his wrists and his shoulders flat to the table, and he had to bite his lip in an effort to stay silent under the increased strain. It occurred to him, dismally, that it wasn’t the first time they’d done this; their moves were way too efficient and well-synchronised for that. He managed to get his feet flat on the tarmac and lift some of the weight off his body, but his back was arched and his stomach felt horrendously vulnerable. He tried not to think about what Mal might intend doing next.
    He found out soon enough.
    His feet were swept forward and, robbed of even that tenuous support, Ben’s bodyweight dropped, wholesale, on to the right angles of the table and bench. Wincing, he fought another surge of terror.
    â€˜Ahh. He’s shaking. The tough guy isn’t so tough after all, is he boys?’
    Mal came round to Ben’s right side and leaned over him, grinning and affording him a less than enviable view of the stained teeth, pale skin and eyebrow stud. He opened his mouthand put out his tongue to display another stud then laughed and, with his forearm, bounced on Ben’s midriff.
    That was more than enough. This time he couldn’t prevent a grunt of pain. His back was killing him. Much more of that kind of abuse and he was afraid something would rupture. His knowledge of anatomy was sketchy at best, but something plainly had to be done, and fast.
    Mal moved his forearm up to rest across Ben’s throat.
    Oh God, no!
    Mal must have seen the fear in his eyes because he chuckled again. ‘You don’t like that, do you? Well, now you know why no one fuckin’ messes with me!’
    He began to lean and Ben felt panic rising as his breathing was restricted. He couldn’t think that Mal really intended to kill him in broad daylight, in so public a place, but neither was he sure the youngster knew his own strength, and how easily fatal damage could be caused in just such a way.
    â€˜Credit card – back pocket,’ he gasped.
    The pressure continued to mount.
    â€˜I can take those anyway,’ Mal pointed out.
    Ben shook his head slightly.
    â€˜Pin . . . number,’ he managed, hoarsely. His vision was dissolving into a mass of black patches.
    The thug leaned closer.
    â€˜Tell me now.’
    Ben shook his head again. At first he thought it wasn’t going to work, that Mal was enjoying himself too much. But then greed took over, thepressure on his windpipe eased and blessedly sweet air flooded back into his lungs.
    â€˜OK. Let him up,’ Mal told his cohorts. ‘But hold him.’
    Somewhere nearby Ben heard a door open and the sound of it obviously registered with Mal, too, because he snapped, ‘Stand him up. Quickly!’
    As they hauled him to his feet, Ben purposely let his weight drag on his two captors, causing them to move closer together as they tried to support him. Using the leeway he’d gained, he suddenly straightened his legs and turned his head to butt the one on his right side with all the force he could muster which – it had to be said – wasn’t nearly as much as he would have liked.
    It was, however, enough.
    The youngster hanging on to his right arm immediately let go with one hand and clutched at his face, allowing Ben to pull his arm free and swing it at the second one. This lad, unwilling to take on Ben without a substantial advantage, released his hold instantly and tried, unsuccessfully, to dodge the punch.
    â€˜You cretins!’ Mal screamed, but a shout from behind him signalled that help was on