‘So.What’s your endgame?You have no leverage.’
‘Oh come on now, don’t insult my intelligence.We’ve got leverage a-plenty, mate.Top three billionaires under our feet and Mikhail Sorrenko’s eldest boy?If that’s not leverage, I don’t know what is.’
‘What do you want?’
‘I want to know how my brother died and who did it.’
‘Did you launch this operation for that reason?’
‘This operation was commissioned via private contract.I just made sure I was leading the team.’
‘Who’swe?’
‘Tase him.’
Lachlan barely has time to brace before the shock hits far too close to his heart.Every muscle in his body locks up violently, spine arching hard enough to hurt as his teeth grind together with enough force to chip enamel.
‘Now drop him,’ the younger Fenwick says.
The pain leaves but Lachlan’s muscles stay locked after, body juddering in the aftershocks.It’s a debilitating kind of agony that requires a few seconds to pass, but before he has even a moment to recover, he’s kicked backwards.
The shock of it steals his breath.
Lachlan is plunged into the water.What mild relief there is to be had from the heat is of no comfort whatsoever because he was spasming mildly from the electric shocks so he can’t help but swallow some of it, choking.The weight of the chair sinks him immediately, all the way down.He struggles hard, but he’s got no chance.All he can do is desperately lock his body up tight and force himself not to inhale.
After ten seconds that feel like years, the restraints around his middle tug hard and they drag him out by the rope.It’s far from ideal.
They accidentally drop him back in twice.
No leverage from above, not enough thought gone into it.
They’renotprofessionals like Lachlan is used to dealing with, but that doesn’t make them less dangerous, far from it.
When he’s finally upright, he ventilates slow and deep, forcing his body to regulate.He tastes iron from the blood and chlorine from the pool.
‘That was a fucking graft,’ one of the men complains, very British.‘Next time justdiphim in, maybe.’
‘How is dipping him any easier?’someone else asks, also British.
‘Like, tip him backwards and pull him up again.’
‘How?’
‘Y’know.Under the water, under the sea.’
‘The fuck are you talking about?’
‘Catching fishes for my tea.’
‘Chubb, shut the fuck up.’
‘I’m just saying he weighs a ton on that chair.’
‘Enough!’younger Fenwick snaps.‘Fuckme.Go check on the bunker, see if they’ve made any progress.’
Both men walk away.Staring down as he is, Lachlan sees a fat land crab make its way into the pool.The bodies must be attracting them.
‘Sorry about that.’
