‘Right, get back outside and keep watch,’ Nick ordered Scotty. ‘Make sure there’s no sneaky farmers hanging about on the back field, ’cos I want this over with as quick as.’

‘Please don’t do this,’ Frank croaked. ‘It’s barbaric. Think about her parents—’

‘I thought I told you to shut it,’ Nick roared, kicking him and the chair over.

‘Pack it in!’ Gaz snapped. ‘We haven’t got time for this. If you’re gonna do it, just fuckin’ do it!’

Flashing him a dirty look, Nick pushed past him and made his way outside.

‘Please don’t let him do it,’ Frank begged Gaz as he hauled himself up off the floor. ‘You’re not like him, and I know you don’t agree with any of this. But it’s not too late to start over. I’ve got money; I can help you. You just need to—’

‘Oi, dickhead, don’t be telling him what he needs to do,’ Nick sneered, walking back in at that exact moment and kicking the door shut behind him. ‘He’ll do as he’s told – same as you. Now, quit snivelling like a little bitch, and start this fucker up.’

He shoved the rusted chainsaw he was carrying into Frank’s hands.

‘You’ll be doing the honours,’ he said, grinning nastily. ‘And no funny business, or the grunts’ll be getting double rations tonight.’

‘No!’ Frank spluttered, throwing the ancient piece of machinery onto the table. ‘I can’t!’

‘Oh, I think you can,’ Nick drawled. ‘Or your dickhead son is gonna—’

His voice petered out, and a look of confusion came into his eyes as he stumbled against the table.

‘What the fuck?’ he said, his voice sounding suddenly slurred.

At the exact same time, Gaz’s legs gave way, and Frank watched in confusion as the man sank slowly to the floor. A bang outside the back door brought Frank’s head around, and he gaped at Irena.

‘What’s going on?’

‘I have drug them,’ she replied coolly, her gaze fixed on Nick, who was still holding himself up on the edge of the table, desperately trying to fight the effects of whatever she’d given him.

‘You backstabbing fuckin’ whore,’ he wheezed, his head wobbling as he tried to focus on her face. ‘I’m gonna . . . fuckin’ . . . kill ya.’

‘I do not think so,’ she replied, her voice as icy as the glare in her eyes. ‘You are monster, and is your time to die, not mine.’

‘Irena, what the hell are you doing?’ Frank gasped, frozen to the spot as he watched her shove Nick onto the floor with her foot before skirting round him and reaching up to the top of the fridge for the key to the gun cabinet.

‘Is over,’ she said, her hands shaking wildly as she unlocked the cabinet and took out the shotgun. ‘I need make this stop before they hurt anyone else.’