Page 32 of Savage Warrior

I grab a torch from my holdall and lower myself into the space. Arina crouches on the edge, watching me.

“You wait there.” There’s barely enough room for two down here anyway.

The space is cramped, and I can’t stand upright. I swing the beam around to discover a small storage area, though it is currently empty apart from one wooden crate tucked away in a far corner. I ignore that for the moment and check out the ceiling for another trapdoor. I find it easily enough and put my shoulder to it to see if it opens.

It does, and I find myself blinking at the sharp daylight reflected off the pristine snow. The door is about two metres from the cabin, and as Arina said, is currently concealed by the blanket of snow. I decide not to clear the snow away, but I take a few minutes to relocate a pile of logs intended for the fire. I move them close to the trapdoor to shield it from sight even further.

Satisfied that we have a second way of getting in or out, hopefully unnoticed, I return through the underground store to check out what’s in the crate. I have a suspicion, which turns out to be spot-on.

Half a dozen AK-47 assault rifles, complete with ammunition. I extract one, check it over, load it, and set it aside to take up into the cabin with me. The rest I leave where they are.

Arina’s eyes bug in her head when I emerge from the trapdoor complete with the rifle. “What…?”

“There’s a crate of them down there,” I explain.

“I never saw…”

“In the corner. You’d need a torch to find them. Have you ever fired a gun, Arina?”

She shakes her head.

“Best not to let you loose with one of these, then. If it comes to it, you can use my handgun, but for fuck’s sake, don’t point it at me.”

She gapes at me. “I can’t shoot anyone. Why would I…?”

“I said, if it comes to it. If it’s you or them. You’ll do it if you have to.” I dust myself off, then crouch to drag my holdall from under the bed. “I keep my gun here, in the side pocket. Remember that and grab it if things go pear-shaped. Okay?”

She doesn’t answer.

“Arina, do you understand?”

“Yes,” she whispers, “but…”

“No buts. Remember, if anything happens to me, you’ll need to defend yourself. And don’t forget, there are more guns down there if you need them.”

I leave her to process what I just told her and return down below to load all the other rifles. I leave three in the storeroom and bring the other two up to have them at hand. Just in case.

Half an hour later, my preparations are complete. Arina watches me throughout, though I fancy she is less timid now. I guess having access to a weapon has done the trick.

“Do those belong to your boss?” she asks when I stash one loaded rifle by the door, another under the bed, and the third on a ledge below the window.

“Yes.” Any moment now, I’m expecting a message from Ethan to tell me where the weapons were hidden. He’ll have heard about my situation from Jack and he’ll no doubt think like me. Best to be prepared.

“Are you like them?” she demands. “You, and your boss, and…?’

“Like them? You mean the men who abducted you?’

“Yes.” She levels her gaze at me. “Criminals. Armed gangs.”

“You could say. We don’t deal in flesh, though.”

“What, then? Why would you need all of this?” She gestures to my small armoury.

I think about evading, putting her off, but decide against it. If I want her to trust me, I can’t achieve that by lying to her. I settle for some of our more innocuous activities. “Gambling. Counterfeit currency. Clubs and bars.”

“Is that all?”

“It’s enough to be going on with, don’t you think?”

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