‘You stay right there! Put your hand on the alarm, Geoffrey! That’s right! Now keep them covered! If anyone so much as moves, pull it!’

The guard started forward again, till he reached the three blasters on the floor. Roughly, he kicked them one by one, sending them sailing over the edge of the Pit.

‘Those are official weapons!’ shouted Colby. ‘You can’t—’

‘Quiet! Geoffrey, plug him in the leg if he speaks again.’

‘Look, this is all just a misunderstanding,’ began Colby.

The man didn’t reply, he just kept moving towards them.

Kieran and Joe glanced at each other. Albert stared at them. Again there was silence, and then everything happened together—Colby pointing towards the hole at a place near the man’s feet shouting, ‘Hie! Look out!’ even as a tiny, man-shaped part of the shadow lurking over the mouth of the hole detached itself from the surrounding darkness, moving towards the guard with unreal, inhuman speed.

‘No!’ shouted Colby again. ‘No! No!’

But it was too late, because Marcus had the man, swooping down on him, grabbing him in a chokehold from behind. Somehow, in the split second it had taken him to cover the distance from the Pit and grab the soldier, he had also managed to take his blaster from his hand, and it was now pressed against the man’s temple. As Albert watched, Marcus pressed the barrel of the blaster a little harder against his prisoner’s head, looking at each of them in turn, a disdainful look on his face. His clothes were sodden, his long hair loose and damp, his gaunt visage even more pallid than usual but, even now, all Albert could see were those frightening eyes, focused on him, fixing him to the spot.

Geoffrey gave a shout and turned, one hand still on the rope, training his weapon on Marcus, who moved backwards, back against the wall, using his prisoner as a shield, the gun still pressed to his head.

‘Abel!’ shouted Geoffrey.

‘Move and he dies,’ said Marcus softly, as calmly and casually as if he had been telling them what the time was.

‘Look, take it easy!’ shouted Colby, his face red and flushed. ‘Don’t do anything!’

Marcus ignored him, turning to look at Geoffrey, standing there, mouth open, eyes wide and aghast, one hand still on the rope, the other shakily pointing the blaster at Marcus.

‘Throw your weapon down and step away from that rope, or I will kill him.’ said Marcus. His voice was flat, detached, as if he didn’t really care which option Geoffrey chose.

‘Don’t do it, Geoffrey!’ shouted Marcus’ prisoner defiantly. ‘Sound the alarm!’

Geoffrey swung around, reaching for the rope behind him.

‘I will not warn you again,’ said Marcus.