Possibly because I stayed up so late, both Xander and Amelia both beat me down to breakfast. I was hungry so ordered a full English. I’ll say one thing for the hotel: it had a very international menu. While waiting for my breakfast to arrive I filled my friends in on my plan. They exchanged a knowing glance before I finished talking.

‘I thought you might say that,’ said Xander when I shut up.

‘Knew it actually,’ Amelia agreed. ‘Or at least thought it so obviously likely we’ve already started getting organised.’

‘How?!’

‘Remember Joseph, the pilot who flew us here after we were diverted?’

‘Of course.’

‘Me too. Unlike you though, I also remember the number he had written on the back of his clipboard. I called him. He’s flying you and me back to Goma.’ Amelia checked her watch. ‘In an hour and half’s time.’

‘And Marcel is going to meet you at the airport,’ Xander added. ‘He reckons he’s worked out who Yannick would have lined up to look after your folks. Or at least he’s narrowed it down.’

‘But how –’

Xander cut me off, spinning a credit card next to his coffee cup. ‘The ransom money was beyond my reach, but this worked to pay Joseph. I’ll hold the fort here, smooth things over with Langdon when he turns up.’ He tapped the card on his plaster cast and said, ‘I’d break a leg to come with you, but it seems I already have.’

I was gobsmacked they’d done all this before I’d even got up. ‘Am I that predictable?’ was all I said.

‘Pretty much,’ said Amelia. ‘Waiting, and being bossed around by people – named Langdon or otherwise – has never been your thing.’ She put her hand on my arm as she said this, then swiftly took it away again. A warm shiver went through me nevertheless.

I immediately turned to Xander. ‘Thanks guys,’ I said.

‘Better eat up and gather your stuff,’ Amelia said. ‘The cab will be here soon.’