LOW-LIFE [3]

Sure, I'll correct the spelling errors in the passage:

Beyond the vestibule area was a corridor on their left, which led deeper into the building, and a staircase on their right.

'Weapons this way,' said Dani, pointing to the staircase. They ascended two flights to the floor above and passed through a set of double doors into a corridor leading to an open-plan office which contained eight desks, a drinks machine, and several filing cabinets.

They were crossing the office when three dark shapes – one on either side of them and one directly in front – rose up like shadows, guns in their hands. Immediately Purna started to raise the shotgun, but the man to their left barked out, 'Try it and you're dead.' She froze, as if assessing her chances, then reluctantly lowered the weapon.

'Put the gun on the floor,' the man said. 'The rest of you, drop your weapons too.'

When they had complied, Sam slowly raised his hands, showing the men his palms. 'Easy, guys,' he said. 'We don't want no trouble.'

'So what do you want?' said the man directly in front of them. He was weaselly, twitchy, with a sparse beard and pockmarked cheeks.

He looked pale and ill, like a junkie in need of a fix. In his hand was a chunky silver handgun, which he was pointing at them side-on.

Before anyone else could answer, Dani said, 'We're here to get more guns.'

The man who had first spoken sniggered.

In contrast to his skinny colleague, he was powerfully built and clean-shaven, his skin a light shade of brown.

His features were heavy, pugnacious, and he had a tattoo of what looked like an eagle on the left side of his neck, the tips of its outstretched wings stretching across his cheeks like the shadow of a hand.

He had more tattoos on his bare arms and was pointing a hunting rifle at them.

'Then you've come to the wrong place,' he said. 'There's no guns here.'

'Yes,' said Dani. 'I know the code.'

Loudly, Purna said, 'So why are you guys here?'

The weasel ignored her. Staring at Dani with narrowed eyes he said, 'What do you mean, you know the code?'

Dani licked his lips nervously, realizing too late, that he had said too much. Deliberately the weasel moved his arm so his gun was pointing directly at Jin's face.

'Tell me now or the pretty girl loses her head.'

Dani's eyes widened, and his mouth opened and closed, but he was clearly too scared to speak.

In a steady, almost casual voice, Purna said, 'Dani installed the security systems here. He knows the code to gain access to the armoury.'

The third man whooped.

He was older and heavier-set than the others, his hair thinning and his eyes small and piggy in his fleshy face.

He had large sweat stains under the arms of his brown T-shirt, and like the tattooed man, he was holding a hunting rifle.

'Looks like we hit the jackpot!' he cried.

'What do you need guns for?' Xian Mei said. 'You've already got them.'

'Best currency there is right now,' the weaselly man said. 'Guns. Ammunition. We got those, we can be ourselves in here till all that shit out there blows over.'

'Oh yeah? And what about food?' asked Purna.

The weaselly man looked uncertain. Then over-confidently he said, 'We'll find enough to keep us going. Place this size, there's bound to be plenty.'

Purna shook her head. 'This is a police station, not a restaurant. If you're thinking of bedding in here and waiting for help to arrive, then you're going to need provisions.'

'How about we send you to get us some?' proposed the tattooed man.

Purna turned slowly and looked at him. 'How about we do a deal?' she countered.

The weasel sneered. 'We don't do deals.'

'Then you're idiots,' said Purna calmly, looking him straight in the eye. 'We're not your enemies.

Those things out there are your enemies. Think about it for a minute. Fighting is a waste of time and energy.

There are plenty of resources for everyone, and we're in a position to help each other out here.' She paused.

'So – this is the deal. We get you food, you allow us access to the armoury. Food for guns – and plenty of both for everyone.

Once we've both got what we want, we go our separate ways. That sound reasonable to you?'

The weasel stared at Purna for a moment, then glanced at his colleagues. 'How do we know you won't just run out on us?' he asked finally.

'We want guns,' said Purna simply. 'One isn't enough.'

'You look hard enough, you can find guns anywhere,' said the tattooed man.

'We ain't got time to go lookin',' said Sam.

The weasel thought about it, then eventually he nodded. 'OK. But you get the guns after you get back, not before. And just so's we know you won't run out on us, we keep two of you here.

As insurance. Him and her.'

He gestured casually with his gun at Jin and Dani.

Purna shook her head.

'That's unacceptable.'

'That's the deal,' said the weasel. 'Take it or leave it. But if you leave it, I reckon that'll be bad news for you.'

He grinned, and looking into his eyes, Purna knew exactly what he meant. But she tried not to show her anger or frustration; for now the weasel and his cronies were holding all the aces.

'I'll be OK,' Jin said bravely.

Dani nodded. 'I'll look after her.'

Purna glanced at Sam and Xian Mei. Sam raised his eyebrows. Xian Mei's face was stony. Sighing, Purna shrugged. 'Guess we don't have much of a choice,' she said.

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Volume 1 is almost finishing, I hope you guys enjoyed this story so far if you have reached up to this point.