the man’s abdomen, winding him. This man collapsed to his knees unable to draw a breath. The man whose nose had been broken was slowly getting back to his feet. With his eyes watering he was unable to see clearly. Dennis readied himself to attack him again when he was suddenly grabbed from behind, his arms pinned. Whoever held him was taller, bigger and stronger and though Dennis wriggled he was held easily. The black man with the broken nose shook his head and snorted blood and snot on the floor. Then focusing his eyes on Dennis he bared his teeth, bellowed and rushed at the journalist. Dennis was able to push against the man holding him and he jumped up while still being pinioned. He kicked the man with the broken nose in the chest which sent him crashing away and in the same instant Dennis threw his head back and butted the man holding him in the face. This man released his grip and as Dennis fought out of the way a fist from the fourth man crashed into his temple. Dennis saw stars and he groped for the work bench. His fingers found the heavy spanner and he grabbed it, turned and swung it into the face of this man. He sank to the floor without a sound. The big man that had been holding him let out a bellow of rage and at rushed Dennis. The first two punches were swung wildly with both arms and Dennis was able to easily duck under them. He hammered his fists into the man’s ribs and met solid muscle. The big man roared with rage and brought a foot up and kicked Dennis in the chest. Winded, Dennis fell against the work top. The large spanner was where he’d dropped it and his fingers closed around the handle. The big man hammered blows at Dennis with huge fists. The journalist instinctively brought the spanner up just in time with both hands to deflect the blows. Dennis heard the crunch as flesh and blood connected with the inch thick heavy steel. The man turned his knuckles towards himself and stared in disbelief at his shattered fingers. Dennis calmly took a step forward and brought the spanner up in both hands in an uppercut and connected it with the man’s jaw. The big man grunted and fell onto his back. Dennis let the spanner clang to the floor. He took a few gulps of air, leaning on the work bench. The first man he’d headbutted with the broken nose was trying to get to his knees and Dennis slid over to him and crashed his fist into the side of the man’s head. The man went out. Dennis got up and surveyed the scene. The four crewmen were prone on the floor. Three appeared to be unconscious, completely out cold. The fourth, the big man, was still moaning and groaning, though he didn’t appear to be with it. His eyes were open but distant.
Dennis took off the boiler suit he was wearing and wiped the sweat from his brow before throwing it to the floor. He quickly searched the men’s pockets for mobile phones. There weren’t any. He picked up the heavy two foot long adjustable spanner and dashed over to the watertight door. He checked that the coast was clear and stepped out into the corridor. He pulled the heavy watertight door behind him and closed it and began winding the hand wheel until it clicked. Then he placed the heavy spanner between the hand wheel and the door and pulled with all his strength until the hand wheel began to move. Dennis paused to get his breath. He then filled his lungs with air and held his breath and gave another supreme effort. Then just as spots appeared in front of his eyes and he thought he would pass out he felt the wheel move away from the door as the thread was stripped. He put a foot up against the door and snatched at the spanner and suddenly the hand wheel came spinning off. It clattered on the steel corridor floor and Dennis kicked it to one side. He dropped the spanner with a clang and flexed his hands from the pain of having used all his strength. The muscles in his forearms were aching. He looked at his ribs and saw fresh blood on the T-shirt. He’d opened the cut from the razor wire.