She sluiced the debris out from under his eyelids with a bottle of water. The world was a murky soup of indistinct colour and light.

‘Listen to me, Rob. I know it hurts like hell, but I want you to open your eyes as wide as you can. I need to see what’s going on.’ He complied for as long as he could. ‘That’s good,’ she said, ‘keep blinking. The tears will wash it out.’

Eyes burning and stinging, he began to regain partial focus.

‘I think you’ll be OK,’ she reassured him. ‘Some abrasions, but no visible damage. The iris looks fine. Keep blinking.’

Someone was sluicing him down with water. He realised he was surrounded by a sea of legs. Frank Douglas’s worried face came into view.

‘Are you all right, Robbie? Jesus, I thought we’d lost you there.’

Then Boerman squatted down, covered from head to toe in a thick coating of mud. The whites of his eyes glowed preternaturally with some kind of inner satisfaction.

‘What the fuck were you doing, Nash? I had no idea you were under there until the pumps stopped and you came out of the water like a stuck pig.’ His grin widened. ‘I never heard any man squeal like that before – but more than a few women, hey?’

With a wink at Mia, he gave Nash a hearty slap on the shoulder which sent tentacles of pain radiating through his body.

‘Leave him alone,’ snarled Douglas. ‘Can’t you see he’s in a bad way?’

Kaboro and two of his men carried Nash down to his former cabin. With Goki occupying the lower bunk, they threw the top mattress on the floor. When they placed Nash down upon it, he cried out. Every part of his body was on fire.

‘Lieutenant, wouldn’t it be prudent to arrest Jaap at once?’ Mia sounded angry.

‘Doctor Carter, I am sure this was an unfortunate accident.’

‘How many more “accidents” are you prepared to accept?’

‘Please, Doctor Carter, my men are in control, and everything will be investigated. How is Goki now?’

‘I believe he has a fractured skull, and he needs to be evacuated as soon as possible.’

‘I will arrange it at once,’ replied Kaboro. ‘We can get word out, too.’

‘I’d say that’s not a moment too soon.’ Mia dropped her voice. ‘Please don’t underestimate these people, Lieutenant. I believe we are in great danger.

Nash must have fallen unconscious, because almost immediately there was a knock at the door. Muted talk. Nash heard them lift Goki up. The man groaned and cried something out in Indonesian. He sounded scared. Mia gently touched Nash’s shoulder.

‘They’re flying him back to Angoram. A hospital plane can land there. Now, let’s see to you properly.’

Gently she dabbed the grazes on his nose and forehead with an alcohol swab.