Haut and Cavalier watched as the taller man took five minutes to change the tyre. Mac filled the silence with the occasional growl and bark of frustration. Haut took the men’s rifles, wandered off the road to a ravine about twenty metres away, and hurled them into it.

Cavalier examined the spent tyre. The bullet hole was low and to the left.

‘Good shot,’ Haut said, running his fingers over the hole, ‘or a fluke? It meant a slow drift off the road.’

Cavalier did not reply.

‘Wombat did say you were the best shot ever.’

Cavalier smiled. Haut turned to the two young miscreants.

‘Drive to the nearest hospital,’ he said, ‘and get yourselves fixed up. If you come out this way again, you might not be so fortunate.’ He moved up close to the taller man, bent down and scooped up some earth in his hand. ‘The earth is soft here.’ He stared at both men in turn. ‘Very easy to bury a man. Understand?’

Both men nodded.

‘Now make yourselves scarce.’

The men scrambled for the vehicle, much to Mac’s fierce protest. After a nervous minute of attempting to start the car, they left in a hurry.

Cavalier removed his hood.

‘Will they be back?’ he asked.

‘Nah, not them. Farquar and his thugs will choose men next time, not boys.’

‘Farquar?’

‘Yeah, Neil Farquar. He runs a security firm. That’s where his killers come from. He’s Estonian but he’s been in Tasmania for decades.’

They began the drive, slower this time, back to the mine site.

‘Farquar wants me out of the way. He once worked for MRT and is one of Conquer’s stooges in Tasmania, doing their bidding. I had him organise protection for me until I realised who his real masters were. This effort to scare me is proof he’s back again after time in Southeast Asia.’

Haut swerved the car and jammed on the brakes. Mac barked. Haut took his rifle, alighted from the ute and pumped bullets into a two metre long reptile.

‘Black snake,’ he said as he jumped back into the car. ‘Deadliest of all. Never miss a chance to kill one.’

‘Many out here?’

‘Some. But don’t worry. You won’t see another while you’re here.’

*

Next morning, Cavalier was outside the tent and lathered up for a shave with a safety razor. He used a small mirror hanging from a tree. He looked around to see Haut emerging from the tent.

‘Uh-huh,’ he heard Haut say in a hoarse whisper, ‘don’t move a muscle, I mean not even in your face.’