When Boerman lunged as expected, Nash dropped to one knee and swung his right fist into the Afrikaner’s groin. It was like hitting a bowl of jelly. In an explosion of breath, the big man crumpled to his hands and knees.

‘That’s for the poor sods you murdered today.’

He threw a savage knee at the Afrikaner’s unprotected face, but the big man dropped his head to take the bone-jarring impact on his craggy forehead. With a gasp of pain, Nash tried again, but Boerman was too fast. With one giant hand he caught Nash’s weight-bearing leg and upended him. Nash slammed down hard and flat on his back. In a flash, Boerman was on top of him, snarling like a pit bull. The enraged man’s size and weight were irresistible. Pinning Nash with his knees, Boerman took him by the throat with his left hand and squeezed so hard that Nash thought his trachea was about to break. With a roar of triumph, Boerman raised his huge right fist like a piledriver.

It was Sura who saved his life. Before the Afrikaner could deliver the killing blow, she wrapped herself around his mighty arm like a pole dancer. Somehow her screams penetrated the red mist inside Boerman’s skull. Abruptly, the killing rage left him, and he looked at her with a bewildered and disappointed expression on his bloody face.

‘Go to the cabin, Jaap,’ ordered Sura, ‘and wait for me there.’

At the helm, Kaboro had not moved a muscle.

‘Lieutenant, make your speed full ahead.’ Sura looked down at Nash. ‘The only reason you are alive is because you have a use to me. From now on, keep your mouth shut and do as you are told, and maybe it will stay that way.’

Sergeant Singkepe was waiting in the doorway. He gave Nash an apologetic nod, but the FN was still firmly pointed in his direction.

Boerman slammed his huge right fist into the metal wardrobe. Then his left. With a loud roar, he unleashed a flurry of blows, until the door was a crumpled mess hanging from one hinge.

‘Feeling better?’ Sura observed him dispassionately from the cabin doorway.

‘Don’t mock me!’ he exploded, whirling around to face her.

‘Get yourself under control, Jaap.’

‘You should have let me kill that fucking devil. I could have pounded his smug face into pulp!’

‘We need him. Just like we need the others to keep him working.’

‘No – You need him.’ He took a menacing step towards her. ‘Ever since your meeting . . . I’ve seen the way you look at him.’

She burst into a loud peal of laughter. ‘Oh, you great big fool, where on earth did you get that idea?’

Disarmed, he suddenly looked like a sheepish teenager, and she reached up to ruffle his hair.