Paul Mageen

A Line in the Sand Paul Mageen

Jack Mclean was 32 years old. Six foot two and knocking on seventeen and a half stone. This was well proportioned as Mack kept himself in shape. In his teens and early twenties he had studied the martial arts. He was a third Dan Black Belt in Bushinkai karate, a street-fighting style developed in the East End of London. He was also a Black Belt in Taekwondo specialising in breaking boards and blocks. He had taken up body building about ten years ago but downgraded that to heavy work outs to avoid becoming too big and too immobile. You see, mobility was everything to Mack. He had developed his hand and foot speed to incredible effect. If he hit you, you rarely saw it coming. The problem was you wouldn't see the next one coming either. And the worst thing was, for the recipient, every blow was like a sledge hammer. He would take somebody out in seconds without the need to increase his breathing. The thing was though, despite this ability, he was not a bully and never intimidated anyone. His demeanour was generally laid back. He was outwardly friendly, and genuinely so. He enjoyed a pint (not to excess) and mixed well. There was only one downside to being amiable and approachable. Occasionally some idiot would have a beer too many and think it was a good idea to come the "hard man" either towards Mack or in his company. Mack's world was turned upside down by drug dealing thugs who considered themselves 'untouchable'. They lived in a world outside the law, peddling misery to unfortunate souls who had taken the wrong path. Why, just because you were raised in a shithole, did you have the right (or believe you had the right) to intimidate other people either for violent ends or financial gain? Others may be intimidated but Mack wasn't wired that way. So affected was Mack that he took it upon himself to infiltrate these gangs and dish out his own brand of justice. If they thought they were untouchable they had another think coming.