He couldn’t help but see it—the path they were on led straight to it. A huge, looming, circular shadow that at first he thought was the peak of the rock face they were climbing. Then he realized it was in fact a tent, the biggest tent he had ever seen—a massive, perfectly round shadow, hanging over the mountain like a malevolent spider.

Colby saw him looking at it and grinned, rather wolfishly. ‘Welcome to the Pit. Check your coats and lives in at the door.’

The man had an unexpectedly dark sense of humour, thought Albert as they moved ahead. Soon they were almost there, the path ahead widening into a circular depression. A few feet past it he could see the entrance to the tent, with a lone man standing outside. Here they stopped. He felt a presence behind him and turned and saw Kieran and Joe standing there, almost close enough to touch him.

‘Well?’ he said, looking at Colby. ‘We’re there. Are you going to tell me the plan?’

‘Oh, well. I suppose it’s time.’

He nodded at Kieran and Joe. ‘All right, boys.’

Before Albert could blink, they were on him, both of them, grabbing his arms, holding him in a vice of iron, so tightly that he couldn’t even move.

He looked uncomprehendingly at Colby. ‘Is this part of the plan?’

But Colby was standing in front of him, looking at him contemptuously, a smile prancing on his lips, the light of mockery dancing in his eyes. ‘Actually, Al, this is the plan.’

‘Wh—what?’ He looked at Colby, mouth dropping open, eyes wide, unable to comprehend what was happening. ‘What are you doing? Let me go! Let me go!’

The hands holding him tightened their grip. He looked at Colby, shock and anger welling up inside. He didn’t know what was happening or why, only that those whom he had thought were his friends had betrayed him, and now he was their prisoner. He felt rage surge through him, at the men holding him, at himself for being such a fool, for allowing a few words of camaraderie to let him forget that these same men had not so long ago wanted to kill him. But most of all, he seethed at that serious-faced young man, the one who right now was smiling at him mockingly.

‘Always best to leave it to the end,’ he said. Then he turned around and started walking. ‘Bring him.’

Kieran pushed him roughly and he staggered forward, anger slowly being replaced by despair. He shifted, tried to break free, but it was useless. He could do nothing except be herded helplessly forward, taken wherever it was his captors wanted, though he had a pretty good idea where that was.

In front of him, Colby hailed the guard outside the tent, who came loping over. ‘What’s this?’

‘One for the high jump. Let us through.’

‘What’s this all about?’