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Sunil was snoring softly next to me and I’d only started to dose off when we began our descent. I kicked his leg to wake him up.
“I thought you said it was a long flight,” I said.
“I lied.” He grinned but didn’t open his eyes. His grin was starting to annoy me.
“Where are we?” I asked as I peered out the window, searching for any kind of recognisable landmarks. There weren’t any. All I could see were mountains, a forest, and lots and lots of snow and ice.
“Somewhere in Siberia.” He yawned without covering his mouth and stretched. “I hate this place. It’s the arse end of the world, and our host is a pig. He’s also another reason you want to keep as close to me as possible while we’re here.” He didn’t elaborate further.
You know that expression when hell freezes over? Well...climbing down the stairs from the plane was pretty much like descending into a frozen hell, or at least my idea of it. The beauty I’d seen from the air had been replaced by heaps of brown slush that looked like someone had a really bad case of diarrhoea and the sewage had been pumped into the snow. Don’t even get me started on the smell. I was gagging the whole way down the stairs.
“What is that smell?” I asked while trying to cover my mouth and nose with my scarf and jacket and pretty much anything I could find to keep the stench away from my olfactory senses.
“It’s the tannery. Our host likes to keep things traditional out here,” Sunil said through his own layers of protection. “I fucking hate this place,” he mumbled as he walked ahead of me.
Von Zimmer strode ahead of us, his long coat flapping around his legs, and shook hands with a man who resembled a squat balding toad with sausages for lips. The moment the Toad’s head was turned Von Zimmer wiped his hand on his coat while keeping a gracious smile plastered on his thin lips.
I followed closely behind Sunil. I had every intention of doing exactly as he instructed. Which, let’s be honest, is not exactly my usual way of doing things. But my instinct screamed at me that doing as he said was the smart play. And the one thing I do believe in is surviving.
The Toad led us through what looked like an old factory which belonged in an era before the industrial revolution. The workers looked like miners or street urchins. It was a scene straight out of a Dickens novel. They were covered in filth and were so thin, they could have just escaped from a concentration camp. They watched us walk past with dead eyes. I understood why Sunil hated that place. I shared his sentiments.
A convoy of black SUVs waited for us on the other side of the factory.
“Why didn’t they get us at the plane?” I asked Sunil and pointed at the SUVs.
“He likes to show off his factory and gets off on making his guests uncomfortable. He thinks it puts us at a disadvantage,” Sunil said with an edge to his voice.
“Has he seen Von Zimmer’s castle?” I asked. “Does he really think that his pathetic, stinky, factory is impressive?”
“It’s not about impressing us with the size of his factory or his wealth. It’s about subjecting us to the sight and smell. It’s about bringing us down to his level. This is where he came from. His parents worked in this factory. He didn’t inherit his wealth and power like our Patron and most of the others in the Organisation. He schemed and clawed and killed his way to his wealth and power. He’s now one of the most powerful men in the Organisation.”
I wanted to ask Sunil more about our host but we’d reached the convoy and were no longer out of earshot of everyone else. Car doors were opened and we were herded by men with assault rifles and split between the different vehicles. I was separated from Sunil and only had Olga and Doctor Mannheim for company in the back of the third SUV, while Sunil was pushed in with Von Zimmer and our host.
Sunil must have seen the panicked expression on my face. He tried to change vehicles but Von Zimmer stopped him.
“She will be fine,” Von Zimmer said in a low voice. “I have greater need of you at this moment.”
Sunil glanced at our toad-like host and nodded. They climbed into their SUV while I was pushed into mine. Olga and the Doctor were already comfortably seated inside. The heater was on full-blast. It was a reprieve from the Siberian winter. I sat next to Olga on the soft leather backseat while two soldiers with guns sat in the front.
“Sorge dich nicht, Liebchen,” Olga said. “You are Runner and will be respected by all. I take good care of you. Life is not so bad for you now.” She struggled over every word, but I appreciated the effort she put into trying to speak English.
Mannheim nodded and patted Olga’s hand with a gentle smile, but there was something in his eyes that didn’t convince me he completely agreed with Olga.
“We are only here as witnesses. The Graff is an excellent strategist. The chances of you having to compete in any events in the near future are remote. You are not in any danger, Fräulein. All is well,” the Doctor said nodding some more. He took his glasses off and polished them before putting them back on.
I sighed. As much as I wanted to relax I couldn’t shake the feeling in the pit of my stomach. It could just have been nerves. Or the whole being in a strange place with people I didn’t know or trust, but all I wanted to do was escape. As I stared out the window I realised there was nowhere to run. We were surround by ice and mountains. I’d freeze to death before I got very far.
In my experience, the more people feel the need to keep telling you that everything is going to be okay, they know it’s not going to be okay. And you really shouldn’t believe them. So despite what the Doctor and Olga said, I knew the shit was about to hit the fan and so did they.