Ward had travelled with Abbott, who had raised a surprised eyebrow when he turned up wearing the same overalls he’d been wearing for work. Abbott thought it diplomatic to say nothing, but standing here with Ward in his overalls and Miller looking like one of The Chippendales, it struck him what a strange and eccentric bunch they had always been and clearly still were.

Miller had turfed out the last of the customers and closed up for the evening. They stood in the semi-darkness, surrounded by gym equipment, regarding each other awkwardly. Three men who had been through so much together. Who had killed and seen comrades die before them. Who had saved lives and taken them.

‘Ward said something about a job,’ said Miller.

‘If you’re up for it,’ said Abbott. ‘If you’re not,’ he lifted his head and looked around, ‘because you’ve clearly got a nice thing going here, then I’ll quite understand.’

‘Tell him what it’s worth,’ said Ward. Miller licked his lips when Abbott revealed the figure.

‘When do we get to hear the details?’ asked Miller.

‘If you’re on board, then the next step is to get into touch with Tom Brace.’

‘This isn’t a job the three of us could handle?’ said Miller.

‘Maybe so, maybe not,’ said Abbott, ‘but I don’t plan to risk it. We did jobs together as a four. Call me superstitious. Call me loyal. Call me somebody who wants the best sniper I’ve ever worked with at my back. But, yes, I don’t want to proceed without Tom.’

‘Then you’re in luck.’ The voice came from the shadows and was followed by the man himself. Tom Brace, who appeared from the dark apparently having lost none of the stealth for which he was famed.

Abbott’s eyes travelled from Ward, who shrugged nothing to do with me, to Miller, who smiled. Abbott wasn’t sure how he felt. If it was a test then, sure, he’d passed it with a show of loyalty. How he felt about having that loyalty tested, and therefore questioned, was another matter.

Clearly his thoughts were displayed for all to see, Brace coming forward to take him by the shoulders. ‘Don’t read anything into it, Abbott,’ he said. He spoke as he always spoke. Quietly. A surgeon mid-operation. ‘We just thought it would be a laugh to see your face, that’s all. You wouldn’t have been asking for me if you didn’t want me, right? Nobody ever doubted you, dude.’

Abbott calmed himself a little. Trust was needed. Of course it was.