Colby laughed. ‘I suppose it does. Now shut up, friend, and listen. The three of us will have to head to the barracks now, but I’m hoping I can pull a few strings and get us put on general patrol. Now, put on your thinking caps, because if we’re going to have any shot at this, we need to plan it right.’

They clustered around him in a circle, as he bent on the ground, drawing a series of concentric circles in the ground with a stone. ‘The Pit is located halfway up the East Face. It’s on top of the sheer part of the face, which can’t be climbed, not unless you have a day in hand. There’s a path but it’s the only one. There’s nothing around it at all, so you can’t sneak up without being seen.’

A deep ringing sound filled the air, carried out across the valley, seemingly circling around. Albert swung around but could see no sign of anywhere it could have come from. Having said that, crouching where he was near the steps, there wasn’t much he could see at all.

Colby paused, looking at Kieran and Joe, and shook his head, pointing back to the drawing at their feet. ‘We’re running late. All right boys, back to work. Now, there are three security perimeters—one outdoor, two indoor. Same concept as the path—one way in, one way out. Nobody has access except the soldiery, and most of them are restricted from crossing into the building. For instance, I can, but Kieran and Joe can’t, not unless they’re escorting a prisoner, and I’d have to be with them anyway, paperwork in hand. Once you get in, you find the first of two more security perimeters.’

He smiled at Albert. ‘Getting an idea of what it’s like? Now the first indoor ring has holding cells on the sides. The cells are like the Pit, only they don’t fill up with water, just people. There’s less security here, but it doesn’t matter because nobody gets through. The next is the same. And then there’s a partition there, leading into the mountain.’

‘The mountain?’

‘Yes the mountain itself. And through there is the Pit area. Nobody’s allowed through, except the commander and the Council members, unless it’s to put someone in there. And you need a signed order from the commander or Father to do that.’

He looked up at them. ‘So the question is—how do we get through three perimeters of security, have a chat with Marcus and get back out, without the twenty men on guard nabbing us? Anyone? I’d love to hear somebody.’

Kieran and Joe looked at him, then at each other, then at Albert, before shaking their heads. ‘Dunno, Cap’n.’

‘Doom and disaster, like I said. Only it’s already started, even before we’ve begun.’