22rd April
Hunter watched Leadbetter through the bars as Leadbetter heated a knife sharpening steel over a burner of a calor gas cooker.
‘What are you doing?’ asked Hunter as the tip of the implement started to glow red.
‘I don’t want to waste time,’ Leadbetter replied coldly. ‘I’m going to ask you some questions, and you are going to give me the correct answers. If you don’t answer my questions, then I have a use for this steel. If you lie to me then the steel will also be useful.’
Leadbetter lifted the steel from the flame and theatrically inspected the glowing tip. ‘I’ll know if you lie to me,’ Leadbetter explained, ‘because I will check what you say. I have no plans for releasing you from here at the moment. There are enough supplies in your section of the shelter to keep you alive for months. You will wait here and hope that I’m satisfied with the outcomes that follow from what you have told me.’ Leadbetter inspected again the tip of the steel. ‘This will burn through the seat of your trousers and underpants very easily,’ he concluded, ‘so you won’t have the indignity of undressing again.’
‘You’re insane!’ gasped Hunter.
Leadbetter did not reply. He turned off the calor gas burner and placed the steel on the metal surround of the stove to cool.
Leadbetter then picked up a pen and a writing pad. He turned to face Hunter. ‘Tell me all you know about Arkangel,’ he said.