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like that answer. His scowl intensified and his knuckles whitened. The guide’s back straightened. Victor ignored them both. He watched Georg’s reaction, first shock and anger that eventually became a smile and Victor knew he’d played it correctly.
    ‘Okay,’ she said, ‘we’ll do it your way.’

CHAPTER 6
    Victor heard them a few seconds before he saw them. They entered fast, through the entrance on the wall next to the sink – five men full of intent, four with guns in hand. One shotgun. Three handguns. They didn’t move or look like trained professionals but the way they held their weapons showed they were no strangers to violence.
    The muscle reacted fast, turning and reaching for the Colt but a shout to stop and muzzles pointed his way made him think twice. The guide showed the palms of his hands while Georg kicked a crate in anger, or disgust or both.
    Victor remained as he was. Aside from the elevator there was no exit close enough to risk moving to, and no way to get the shutter opened and closed before bullets started taking pieces out of him. Until he knew what was happening, there was nothing else he could do.
    As he entered, the last of the intruders shouted, ‘Ah, my dear Georg. Fancy finding you here.’
    He was short, slight of build, dressed in a cheap suit. His hands were free of weapons but Victor paid him the most attention. The others moved closer and spread out, one covering Georg, the guide and Victor. Two at the muscle. The one with the shotgun pointed it at Victor.
Typical
.
    Georg held her arms out questioningly. ‘What are you doing here, Krausse?’
    The man in the cheap suit stepped into the light. He was maybe forty years old. His thinning hair was black and short. Pockmarks covered the skin of his cheeks and forehead.
    ‘I could ask you the same thing, Georg,’ Krausse said, glancing around. ‘But it looks to me like you’re conducting some business, and without my prior knowledge.’
    ‘Get out of here, Krausse,’ Georg shouted, ‘and take your clowns with you. What we’re doing has nothing to do with you.’
    ‘Oh, but it does,’ Krausse laughed. ‘We’re business partners, remember?’
    ‘We
were
,’ Georg corrected.
    Malice was in Krausse’s smile. ‘I’ll be the judge of that.’ He looked at Victor. ‘Who’s the suit?’
    ‘What does it matter? He’s no one.’
    ‘It matters.’ Krausse gestured Victor’s way. ‘Who are you?’
    Victor stood casually. ‘Like she said, no one.’
    ‘You will be no one if you don’t tell me what you’re doing here.’
    Victor glanced at each of Krausse’s men. The three with handguns were twitchy – lots of little movements, swallowing. Light caught the sweat on their skin. The one with the shotgun was calmer, more focused, his small eyes barely blinking. The nostrils of his flat, misshapen nose flexed with relaxed, regular breaths.
    After a moment Victor said, ‘I’m making a buy.’
    ‘And what are you buying?’
    ‘Flowers for my mother.’
    A couple of Krausse’s men smiled.
    Krausse exhaled. ‘Funny fucker, aren’t you?’
    ‘I’m reading a joke book.’
    Georg looked over a shoulder. ‘Do us all a favour and stay quiet.’
    ‘That’s good advice,’ Krausse said. ‘We don’t have to get unpleasant. I’m just here to take my rightful share of any transactions.’
    ‘You mean you’re here to steal,’ Georg said.
    Krausse smirked in response. ‘If that’s how you want to put it, my sweet, I’m not going to argue.’ He turned to Victor. ‘What are you buying? And think about your answer before you speak this time.’
    Victor remained silent.
    ‘He’s buying explosives,’ Georg said after a few seconds. ‘A gun, stuff like that.’
    ‘Interesting.’ Krausse raised his eyebrows at Victor and nodded. ‘Are they for your mother too?’
    ‘She likes to stay active.’
    Krausse laughed and his men joined him, guns lowering a fewinches. Victor watched the guy with the shotgun turn to one of