“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Matt asked. “You’re one of the sheep. What do you think you’ll get out of this? You’ll be president, king, is that right? That’s your plan, to be king of a graveyard?”

Drummond’s smile never faltered. “Better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven. Isn’t that how the saying goes?”

“Who the fuck is that?” Abrams pointed his gun at he huge figure in the cowl.

Drummond looked at the tall being beside him, and then to Abrams. “Please, show some respect. This is the Father; he is the gatekeeper, and a personal attendant to the Great Old One. Some courtesy and deference is in order.”

“How about we show our respect by putting some holes in him.” Adira raised her gun.

Drummond reached across and dragged one of the girls in front of himself. “Careful you don’t hit these little beauties.” He stroked the hair of one of them. “I chose them myself. They were going to be a delicacy for the Father here, but I thought they might come in handy during our…discussions.”

“You want to negotiate?” Matt said. His head throbbed and he couldn’t take his eyes off the tall being beside Drummond. He knew it watched him back just as intently.

“Negotiate? Does the plankton negotiate with the whale?” He shook his head. “You’re already dead, and just don’t know it.” He grabbed the collar of one of the girls and shook her roughly, causing her to scream and dance like a puppet in his hands. She cried and covered her face. Her sister reached out to her, clinging on, and was also shaken.

“But if you really want to play a game for the last few minutes of your lives, then so be it. Let’s see, hmm, you can have one of the girls if you give up your guns.” He waited a few seconds, and then shook the child even harder. “Come on, throw them down. It’s a good deal – flesh for steel.”

“Both girls,” Matt said evenly.

“Ah, well, for both, I’ll want something else…I want one of you.” He looked directly at Matt. “You.”

Matt felt his legs go weak.

Abrams shook his head. “Nope, it’s me or nothing.”

Drummond grinned. “Ah, the sacrifice of the soldier patriot.” He looked across to the tall figure. No words passed between them, but Matt knew they spoke just the same.

Drummond shrugged. “Okay, we’ll play…for now. After all, we’ll be having all of you soon anyway.”

Abrams looked at Adira, who shook her head. Her gun muzzle drifted across to the tall figure, and then travelled down to the girls.

“Why would we want a pair of your disgusting Shoggoths? We’ve already had the pleasure of their company.” Adira’s eyes carried a challenge. “I killed them both.”

Drummond’s head rocked back and he roared with laughter. “Oh, you mean Tania?” He laughed even harder, and then he wiped his eyes. “Put on a bit of weight, didn’t she?” He grinned again. “She was a good soldier. Enlisted Mr Andy Bennet…but you know that now.”