8. Astagfirullah an Islamic expression of disapproval meaning: shame.
9. Haya is an Arabic word that means: sense of modesty.
10. As-Salaam-Alaikum is the Arabic greeting meaning: Peace be unto you.
11. Wa-Alaikum-Salaam is the Arabic response to the Arabic greeting and means: And unto you peace.
12. Insha’Allah an Arabic expression meaning: If Allah wills it.
13. Masha’Allah is an Arabic exclamation meaning: Allah has willed it!
14. Sharia Islamic law is a religious law and the basis of state law in many Islamic countries.
15. Ummah is an Arabic word meaning: Islamic community.
The Robbery
London, England
David and Gazza are sitting in the silver C Class Mercedes that Gazza had ‘acquired’ last week and kept in Reggie’s rented lockup garage on the local council housing estate. David keeps the engine purring and they both sip from take away coffees in Starbucks paper cups that David had ‘grabbed on the way’. The rain is falling softly and is brushed away from the windscreen intermittently by a silent swish of the windscreen wipers. They watch in the car’s wing mirrors as people enter and exit the Santander Bank twenty yards behind the car. Gazza decides the time is right and turns to David.
“So, look, it’s like I said, the response time for the armed fuzz16 is eight minutes, anything that shows up before that is not going to want to tackle me with this.”
Gazza nodded to the AK47 assault rifle held between his knees, the butt of which he had placed on the floor of the car.
“Six minutes we agreed.” David reminded him. He took his watch off his wrist and set the timer function to zero.
“Yeah six minutes, you just keep the engine running, Davy boy.” Gazza playfully slapped him twice on the cheek.
Gazza wrapped the sackcloth around the gun and stepped out of the car and pulled down the rubber mask of Arnold Schwarzenegger over his face.
He pointed the gun through the window at David.
Exaggerating the Schwarzenegger accent, he teased. “Ahl bee bahk!”
“Nutter.” David mumbled under his breath and sank lower in his seat pulling his Spurs cap down over his eyes as Gazza swaggered off towards the bank. As Gazza entered the bank door, David started the timer function on his watch and placed it on the dashboard.
Gazza swung open the door of the bank, marched in and brought the gun up towards the lone young girl at the only open counter who jumped up and threw up her hands.
“That’s right, it’s a robbery!” Gazza barked. “Don’t touch any alarms sweetheart.”
Gazza swung the gun around at the handful of customers in the bank. “Now everyone, DOWN ON THE FLOOR!”
Everyone stood in silence and raised their hands slightly, purposely avoiding eye contact with Gazza.
“NOW!” barked Gazza.
Everyone quickly and quietly sat down on the floor keeping their hands raised.
The manager came out of his office. “What’s all this noise . . . ?” He squinted his eyes and adjusted his glasses as Arnold Schwarzenegger turned and pointed a gun directly at him.
“Oh, I see . . . ” he muttered as he feebly raised his hands.
Gazza grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around and placed the gun behind him with the barrel in the nape of his neck.
“Now listen to me, everyone!” Gazza announced. “There are three simple rules: Anyone sets off an alarm, everyone dies. Anyone tries to escape, everyone dies. Anyone fails to cooperate . . . ” He shook the manager roughly by the shoulder. “ . . . what do you think, Mr. Manager?” Gazza demanded.
“Er, everyone dies?” The manager offered weakly.
“That’s right!” Bellowed Gazza. “So, the only way we all get out of this alive, is if we all cooperate. So now Mr. Manager, you have exactly three minutes to fill this sack.” Gazza shoved the manager towards the cashier door. “GO!”
16. Fuzz—British English slang for Police.
Armed Response
London, England
Liz edged forward another twenty feet in the dense London morning traffic and then pulled up behind the other cars waiting at the traffic lights. Her high visibility blue and yellow checkered BMW X5 patrol car stood out from the other cars and the circular yellow stickers on the rear bodywork indicated that this was an armed response vehicle or ARV. She had been working for SCO19, the UK’s armed response police,17 for almost two years now. During that time, she had never had to un-holster her standard-issue Glock 17 pistol on duty, although she had used the Taser almost every week, usually on aggressive alcoholics or drug addicts. The ARV’s two, standard-issue Heckler and Koch MP5 automatic rifles were safely secured in the vehicle’s trunk. Jim her regular partner had retired last week. Mick, her new partner was a bit younger than Liz and was obviously new to the unit. She had seen him around the station this past week but not had the opportunity to speak with him. Mick had been assigned to replace Jim and today was their first day on patrol together. They had been driving now for almost two hours and Mick had hardly said a word. Liz found that hours driving through London’s clogged streets can quickly become monotonous without some conversation. The silence in the car was bothering Liz who had enjoyed her chats with Jim who would often regale her with stories of policing the streets of London in the ‘good old days’. She glanced over at Mick as she checked the passenger side mirror. He was sat bolt upright with his arms folded. Liz noticed the ‘short back and sides’ military-style haircut and the UK forces tattoos on Mick’s forearms.
“So, Mick, you’re ex-military, huh?” She nodded to his forearms.
Mick followed her gaze down to his forearms.
“Two tours of Afghanistan with the Paras.”18 he replied matter-of-factly.
“So, how’d you end up in ARV’s?” Liz offered, prompting the conversation along.
“Got out last year, the Army’s fine an’ all but I figured I’d done my bit and looking to settle down. Got a nipper at home and
