‘But still, if I could just see him?’

She wasn’t going to relent, and the head nurse could see that.

‘Oh, I suppose I could let you put your head in the ward for one minute. But you must stay well within the infection control zone. Under no circumstances must you approach him or attempt to communicate with him. Do you understand?’

‘I do. Thank you.’

She had thought the matron might summon an underling to escort her up there, but apparently she didn’t trust this eager young thing to behave herself. Almost expecting to be hauled along by the ear, like a naughty child, Jules followed along in her wake. She passed through a number of infection barriers to end up masked and gowned in an observation room, where she was able to see the Rhino through a large window. She had to remind herself to stay in character as her throat clenched and tears threatened to well up.

Two nurses in bio-hazard suits were changing his dressings, allowing her a glimpse of incinerated flesh. She forced herself to remain composed lest she be overwhelmed with pity and rage. If Cesky had walked into the room, she would’ve pulled out her pistol and shot him in the face. The consequences be damned.

Cesky wasn’t here, yet he was a spectre, hovering over all of them. Would this particular outrage be enough for him? Or would he send his people back to finish the job? She resolved to shut the bastard down before he got another chance.

‘Thank you, Matron,’ she said quietly.

‘It’s very upsetting,’ replied the older woman. ‘Even when you don’t know them personally.’

‘Yes,’ agreed Jules. ‘It is.’

She bade a silent farewell to her old shipmate before following the matron out of the observation room, and retracing their steps back to her office. Julianne thanked the woman again as she left. She was just about to call up Granger, but instead found herself hurrying into the nearest bathroom, first to splash cold water on her face, and then to stagger into a cubicle and vomit up her breakfast.

She emerged, shaky and light-headed after a few minutes. The driver answered on the second ring when she eventually made the call, and pulled up outside the hospital entrance just two minutes later.

‘Jeez, you look like death warmed up,’ he said as she half climbed, half fell into the seat beside him. ‘A bit rough, was it?’

‘It could’ve been better,’ she muttered.

‘Okay, sorry to hear that. Where to now?’

She wanted to talk to Shah, but they had agreed to keep their distance while she trailed her coat about town, looking to draw out Cesky’s hitter.