Rob's red Fiat Spider car was one of his most highly prized possessions; an item that demanded thorough care and the upmost precaution when in its presence. It looked out of place though, amongst all the council flats, and the rough estate - shining in the sun like a polished trophy, a gloating tool to all those who passed it. Khamil was by it now, carrying out the routinely car-wash that earned him a fine sum of 50p an hour (generous for Rob), the soapy suds dripping down the windows as he swiped the sponge across the laminated glass. The bucket sat at his feet, water sloshing dangerously near his worn trainers every time he swirled the sponge in it. 

"Oi, Brooke!"

At the sound of his surname, Khamil glanced up, squinting with one eye as the sunlight bounced off the car - a fluorescent glister. He chucked the sponge back into the bucket, finally recognising the figure walking towards him, holding out a friendly hand.

"Wah'gwan, fam?"

"Alright, Raff," Khamil nodded, leaning forwards to meet his old friend's hand with a bro-shake. "What you doing back here?"

Raff leant against the Fiat, and Khamil neglected to adhere to Rob's strict rules on the car, instead offering a lighter to his friend as he brought out a cigarette.

"Cheers. Just back down the ends for a few days, thought I'd drop by, innit."

"Safe. It's good to see you, man."

Khamil watched, as Raff brought a cigarette to his lips, passing the lighter back. 

"Sweet whip."

"Ain't mine," Khamil smiled wryly, and Raff laughed, shrugging as if it didn't make a difference. 

"You still rolling with Pikey and that lot?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Standard," Raff nodded, exhaling a breath of smoke. Raff had been at Khamil's primary school two years above, dropping out to pursue a career in business, and it had been heard that he'd been pretty successful too. He was making Benny's a minute during a working day, and it showed too; his clothes were far flashier than Khamil had ever seen him wear before. 

"Look, Khamil -" he suddenly said, holding out his cigarette as he spoke to elaborate whatever point he was about to make. "I confess, I came down here to ask for a favour."

"Sure," Khamil replied, wiping his wet hands with the old rag that had been sitting on the car roof. 

"I got some business down here, but my boys are flat-roofin' it at the moment - you get me? Bare stressed out about feds and that, apparently they aren't good to be seen on the street right now, innit."

Raff spoke quietly, though with extreme informality, almost as if he were letting Khamil in on some private joke, his cigarette smoke escaping his lips with the words. Khamil nodded, not sure where this was heading, though he trusted Raff - he'd been a part of Bateson road for years. 

"You couldn't spare a half hour to help me shift some stuff could you? I got eighty quid going spare for some help. Trust me, this shit is off the hook."

Khamil paused, before chucking the rag back on top of the car and raising his eyebrows.

"Eighty quid, fam, are you serious?"

"Dead serious. You in?"

Khamil glanced back at the car, and then up at the window - Rob probably couldn't see him. 

"Course I'm in, mate," he grinned, and Raff mirrored it, clapping Khamil on the back in solidarity.

"That's what I'm talking about brother. Come, follow me."

-

Had Khamil known what exactly it was that Raff needed help with, he would have most likely denied it - despite the offer of £80, though once they'd made their way down the alley towards the old, underground carpark, it seemed too late. Seeing a huge van, the ramp leading into an old Honda, and several people passing packages down caused a spike of uneasiness in Khamil, and he slowed a little as he reached the clearing. Raff steamed ahead, only turning around when he realised Khamil had dropped his pace and was hovering a distance away from the van.

"You good?"

Khamil looked down at Raff, his mind still paused as he tried to assess the situation in front of him. 

"Hurry up, man - we need to go quick," Raff said to him, before turning back and grabbing an armful of the packages that were stacked up inside the van. Khamil slowly walked towards the scene, his hand out as he began to explain. 

"Raff, I can't do this shit - I need to leave."

"Who's this chief?" one of the other guys said, his voice deep and snarky, his eyes scanning Khamil as he passed more packages to Raff. 

"Just an old brother from my ends. Khamil, grab these."

Ignoring Khamil's objections, Raff dumped the parcels into his arms, his former nonchalance gone as he now hastily transferred the drugs from the van to the Honda. 

"Raff! I need to go!"

"Tell him to shut the fuck up, Raff!"

Raff shot a look at Khamil. 

"Get a move on and then you can."

Realising that words weren't going to get him anywhere, Khamil dumped his packages back into the truck angrily, his eyes wide as he walked backwards, quickly towards the exit. All around him, guys were quickly loading up the Honda, running like the ants that scurried about in the cracked pavement ... clearly they were expecting trouble. No sooner had Khamil thought that thought, the familiar blare of police sirens echoed, and the dark carpark was illuminated with red and blue lights, dancing over the floor.

"DIP!"

Instantly, the guys dispersed, dashing through the carpark to escape the prospect of jail, and Khamil felt his heart almost jump through his mouth in a welling feeling of sickness. He'd get kicked out of school, the fucking house even ... 

As the door to the police cars slammed shut, Khamil frantically debated whether or not to follow Raff, who was sprinting to the opposite exit doors of the now hectic carpark, but his chance to escape had been a flash of doomed opportunity, and he felt himself shoved forwards, his hands instantly pulled behind his back. The cool metal of the handcuffs clipped around his wrists as he winced; the policeman was showing no mercy by pushing him against the window of the Honda. 

"Got one!" he yelled, before dragging Khamil back up by the back of his jacket - incredibly nearly everyone else had disappeared, and those that were still visible were not being chased at all. In fact, the three officers out of the car had all gone straight for Khamil, despite him being some way away from the actual van. 

"Walk him up to Smith's car," came a reply, and Khamil felt a heavy hand on his shoulder shove him towards the ramp that led back up to the daylight, away from the ensuing chaos. 

"I've done fuck all," Khamil was trying to argue, though at his protests, the officer escorting him up the ramp was digging his hand into his back, provoking quiet curse words. 

"Why don't you save the bullshit for the station?"

As soon as they hit the street, the sunlight streamed over them, and Khamil instinctively tried to raise a hand to shield his face, though the restraining metal on his wrists didn't allow it. A crowd of people were already gathered along the road, oggling at the dramatic bust that was occurring,  a police man ushering them backwards.

"Khamil!" 

At the sound of his name, Khamil tried to turn around, but the officer leading him forwards shoved him, showing utter resent. 

"Leave him alone!"

At a second cry, Khamil finally managed to twist his head, his eyes falling on Gaz's mum, who was running after him. As she reached the officer, she blocked him off by bustling in the way, a furious look on her face.

"What are you doing with this boy?"

"This boy, ma'am, is an accomplice to a mass cocaine delivery, now I'm going to have to ask you to mo -"

"No! That's not true. I saw him go in, and he can't have gone down there more than two minutes ago!"

Gaz's mum was set firmly, unbudging as the officer tried to veer Khamil around her, purposely gripping the handcuffs as Khamil winced again. 

"This is a police matter."

"Where are the others then?"

"I'm sorry?"

"One boy alone cannot have conducted a 'mass cocaine delivery', if you'll excuse me."

Despite his current situation, Khamil couldn't help a tiny smile at Gaz's mum's stubbornness, her eyebrows raised sassily. 

"So?"

"So where are the others? You're telling me you have three police cars, and over eight men and yet all you caught was one boy?"

"What are you insinuating?"

"I'm insinuating that you've singled this boy out!"

"You need to get out of my way, ma'am."

Before Gaz's mum could open her mouth to continue, another man appeared next to her, a little out of breath; he had on a luminous yellow jacket, and was clad in a janitor's attire. 

"I'm sorry, officer, but I was in the building, on cleaning duties and I saw what happened - I hid behind the pillar. This boy was - he tried to leave."

Lip curled, the officer simply barged through the two objectors and dragged Khamil towards the police car waiting, ignoring his struggling, and slamming him against the door. 

"Ow, for fuck's sake!"

"I need to check for weapons," came the blunt reply, and Khamil felt the door handle jamming into his stomach as the policeman patted him down. A little rashly, and out of frustration, he attempted to push himself off the car, but was immediately pushed back down. 

"DO NOT RESIST!"

"OW!"

A swarm of voices were now approaching, a babble of arguments and disapproval.

"I saw him too - he was only in there for a minute!"

"About ten boys just sprinted out of the other side of the carpark, what about them?!"

"Leave him alone!"

"It's legal requirement to call his guardian!"

Eventually, one hand still holding Khamil against the police car, the officer turned to the crowd. 

"She's right!" someone called out, over the noise. "You have to call a guardian!"

"I'm his guardian," came a voice, and Khamil recognised it as Gaz's mum. "I'll come with him." 

-

After just ten minutes of questioning, it was clear that Khamil had had minimal involvement in the criminal activity, and now he was waiting in the hall of the station for Gaz's mum to emerge. As she came out of the door, she nodded at him, and he grabbed his jacket following her out.

"Samantha, I'm so sorry," he said as they jogged down the steps back outside to freedom, and she rolled her eyes.

"You did nothing wrong, Khamil, I'm just happy I was there. That officer was a right dickhead."

Khamil smiled a bit at her foul language, pulling on his coat, and then hesitating. 

"Look -"

"I know, you had one last warning. I won't tell. It was that little rat Raff who got you down there - not your fault."

Khamil let out a sigh of relief, grateful for her manner towards the whole thing. 

"I was just dumb."

"I know - but although I don't like to admit it of my own son, I know Gary would have done the same. You treated the situation responsibly."

It was weird hearing Gaz referred to by his actual name, and Khamil nodded, stopping as he reached the corner that led to his house.

"Thanks."

"No problem, Khamil."

Before she walked away, she made the motion of zipping up her mouth and tossing away the key, prompting a grin from him, before he turned back down the road, his footsteps sounding on the concrete, fading away.