Singkepe was on the quarterdeck, aiming the FN machine gun at the big man’s head. Nash hoped to Christ it wasn’t on full auto.

Sura clamped a hand on Boerman’s tree-trunk arm and hissed, ‘No, Jaap!’

Tense seconds passed before Nash nodded.

‘Whatever you’re up to, I’d put money down that it’s something illegal. What say you, Lieutenant?’

Kaboro cleared his throat. ‘Ms Suyanto, there are serious matters regarding the nature of your business that may require further investigation. Our priority, though, is securing and recovering this ship. Mr Nash will conduct an underwater survey to see if it is possible to refloat her, and I will then decide on an appropriate course of action. Until then, you will kindly restrict yourself to your cabins and the mess, and follow my orders.’

‘You overreach yourself,’ said Sura icily. ‘Your role was made abundantly clear to you yesterday evening.’

Pursing his lips, Kaboro hooked his thumbs over his military belt.

‘I am sure Sir Julius will understand that circumstances on the ground have changed.’

Balanced on the edge of the sloping helipad, Nash strapped the scuba tank to his bare back. It was going to be a shallow, muddy dive, which is why he was wearing a pair of shorts and a weight belt. Clipped to his forearm was a sheath knife – not that it would be much use against crocodiles and bull sharks. For these, Kaboro had posted sharpshooters around the ship, while Singkepe covered the bow with his machine gun in case of wantok attack.

‘Watch your back down there, laddie.’ Douglas was staring down at the murky water.

Nash hesitated before pulling on his mask. ‘Is Mia OK?’

In the haste to get underwater, he hadn’t had time to check.

‘Honouring her Hippocratic oath with that stupid arsehole, Goki. And don’t worry about Sura and Boerman – would you believe they’ve confined themselves to quarters?’ Douglas snorted derisively. ‘Two of Singkepe’s finest have been posted outside their door to make sure it stays that way.’

Nash grinned and stuck the regulator between his teeth. Taking firm hold of the mask, he took a big step and splashed into the tepid water. A moment later he landed on the muddy river bottom, to be instantly enveloped in a dense cloud of silt.

Feet buried in the mud, he reached up and located the square bulk of the stern. Its steel plate was covered in rough anti-fouling paint, and the sensation was eerily like searching for an exit in a silted-out cave.