‘Jasmine,’ Tom hissed. ‘Woollard’s making a call in there. Come on, let’s listen in.’

Though puzzled, she moved quietly as a cat, creeping out after him into the hall.

‘Yes, I’ve got what you’ve been waiting for.’ Woollard’s voice was clear enough through the door for Jasmine to hear every word. ‘Ready for delivery. Will you pick up or shall I arrange for them to be delivered?’

Tom gripped Jasmine lightly by the arm. ‘This is a trap,’ he whispered. ‘Woollard’s selling us out!’

Her face darkened. ‘Who to?’

‘I don’t know, but he’s got Rico in there!’ Tom pressed his ear to the Examination Room door, but still couldn’t decipher the voice on the phone. ‘There’s only one way to find out.’ He gripped the handle, ready to throw open the door.

g

Kate felt colder than she’d ever felt in her life. A big knot had formed in her throat as she watched Eric grapple with a succession of screaming opponents. She turned to Swagger in shocked disbelief. ‘Isn’t he supposed to be your friend or something?’

‘Sure. But he’s got a lesson to learn.’ He gave her a crooked smile, then scratched the pustules around his mouth with his dirty fingers. ‘It’s OK. Eric can look after himself.’

‘When it’s ten against one?’ Kate muttered.

But Swagger seemed to be right. Eric was kicking and punching and knocking heads together like a cut-price Jackie Chan, smashing his way through his opponents, sending them reeling. What he lacked in fancy moves he made up for in raw violence.

‘Yup,’ Swagger chuckled. ‘No need to worry ’bout Eric.’

It seemed the odds were lessening. Kate stared in disbelief at the antics of another Average Joe hovering at the periphery of the fighting. Each time Eric knocked one of Joe’s rivals to the ground, Joe would scuttle in and try to finish them off. But the third time he tried it was the last. He’d picked on the stocky woman, who lunged for him, screaming, hands reaching for his throat.

Swagger turned to Kate. ‘Think we should let ol’ Eric off the hook now, baby?’

Kate stared at him, helplessly. She wanted no part in this, no responsibility for what happened to any of these wretched people.

But Swagger took her silence for tacit approval. ‘OK, warm-up’s over. Forget Eric,’ he commanded, ‘and forget any bonus. Stick with your team, now. Bring down your opponents – if you want what’s waiting …’

What the hell was waiting for these people, Kate wondered. What could be worth all this?

Eric stood back, folded his burly arms and watched as the teams regrouped, panting and gasping, clutching at wounds, wiping blood and sweat from their faces. Then they were bawling and yelling as they bundled together to fight, eyes wild and limbs flailing.