The alleyway was dark and uninviting, the rain lashed down and fog started rolling in from the sea.  In the shadows stood a tall bearded man who looked out onto the main street as pedestrians scurried from doorway to doorway.  

William towered over everyone he met.  Standing at about 6 feet 7 in his socks his life had been a perpetual discussion about what the weather was like so high up ever since he had started outgrowing all his friends in the neighbourhood where the thick Scottish accent and ginger hair had also marked him as an outsider.  He did not blend in, had never blended in and now took great pride in being instantly recognisable.  Even if it did get him in trouble with the local business owners and law enforcement.  A car pulled up and some goons on the pavement checked it out for

All of a sudden a movement in one of the doorways caught his eye.  The sneaky Ed Longshanks had finally left the shelter of his house and walked hurriedly towards the waiting car.  The car window opened, a package was handed to Ed and he ran back inside.  The same as he had done every Wednesday for a month now.

What’s that sneaky wee bastard up to?

William walked out of the alley and glanced towards the car.  He instantly recognised the passenger in the back as John Balliol.  Basically an empty coat; put in place as a puppet leader in an attempt to placate the people in the north side, and despised by everyone for being Longshanks’ poodle.  William pulled his hat further down and walked down the street.  This would take some doing.

Later that week, William stood in his kitchen talking to his associate Robert Bruce.  Neither man was going to have a hope of progressing in the local gangs due to their outspoken nature and Scottish blood so they were on their own.  Over the coming hours they hatched a plan to get at both.

The following Wednesday morning, the sun broke through the clouds and they both waited outside the Balliol complex until the Buick came out.  They followed for about a mile and William drove their stolen car alongside at the traffic lights.  In a matter of seconds, Robert had leapt out of William’s car and over powered the driver smashing him over the head with a blackjack and dragging him onto the street where he was left in a bloody heap.  William put the car into reverse and backed over his legs, he could see Robert shouting at Balliol to stay where he was.  William parked at the side of the road, grabbed a long package out of the back and ran over the road.  He climbed in the back, put the package on the back shelf and shouted

Shut up, get down and we’ll get this over quickly.

He watched as Balliol cowered down.

Go Robert, go!

As they sped along, Balliol plead for his life.  He knew both William and Robert and had assumed they held him in high regard.  The true level of that regard was starting to dawn on him as they weaved through the traffic at speed.  He pleaded again, offering riches they could not imagine.  William leaned past Balliol, opened the door and pushed him out into the moving traffic.  Cars screeched to a halt behind them but the first few couldn’t stop in time.

That’s better, peace at last.

Robert drove up towards the Longshanks building.  They were pulled in by the goons earlier than anticipated. William nodded to Robert and they opened the doors.

Step out and let us check you both.  Why are you here?

William smiled.

Balliol asked us to come, he’s been held up in traffic.

Ok, we need to search you and the car for weapons

Robert nodded down at the blackjack on the passenger seat.

I’ve got that for security.

The goons looked at both the blackjack and Robert, it seemed highly unlikely anything could be done with that.  They patted both down and looked under the seats for guns.  There was nothing visible or untoward.

Right, head down the road.  Mr Longshanks doesn’t like your type at his doorstep or on his property, he’ll deal with you face to face so he can look you in the eyes.  He doesn’t trust you Scots at all.

No problem, we understand.

The neighbourhood had been a hotbed of sedition for a  couple of years now but Balliol had insisted on personally delivering the weekly tribute to show good faith.  They rolled up the street and stopped outside.  William reached on to the back shelf and rummaged with the package and opened the window.

Longshanks ran out, just as he had the previous weeks.  From up close he looked like nothing.  A little nyaff William’s mother had called him once and that seemed about right.  Longshanks looked at both Robert and William and stopped.

These guys are cleared aren’t they?
Yes boss, no shooters anywhere.

No guns, indeed...Longshanks bent towards the window.  A glint of silver in the sunlight was all that was visible as William took the sword from the back shelf and plunged it into Longshanks.

Get the fuck out of here Robert.

Robert booted the car as Longshanks’ bloody body slid down the side of the car and they sped off before the goons even had an idea what had happened.  Shit was about to get real but parts one and two of getting the neighbourhood back had just been done…six hundred years late.