‘I swear I will never set foot in the 20th century again,’ muttered Parrish. ‘It’s full of dirt and disease and disgusting people. Do you think those kids are feral? What’s the betting that when – if – we ever get back to the pod, the little buggers’ve got it up on bricks and had it away with the wheels.’

‘Come on,’ said Farrell urgently. ‘We can’t leave her on her own.’ He set off at a run and after taking a moment to gaze down at his soiled self in disgust, Parrish followed him.

At the end of the park, a pair of wrought-iron gates led out on to another, busier street, where they could see traffic zipping by.

‘They’ve got to get him before he gets out into the street,’ said North, not moving. ‘If they lose him, we’ll have to bring in another team to assist and that’ll be embarrassing for everyone.’

‘They will.’

‘You’re very confident.’

‘They’re doing fine.’

‘It’s hardly a textbook retrieval, sir.’

‘Their methods are just a little unorthodox, that’s all. I bet you they get him.’

North regarded him for a moment and then said, ‘I bet you Lockland gets him.’

‘No. It’ll be Farrell.’

‘Not Parrish?’

‘He’s all mouth and trousers, that one. No, it’ll be Farrell.’

She grinned.

‘No, I’m not saying that because I was his mentor. It’s not favouritism. I just think it’ll be him.’

‘You’re wrong, sir. It’ll be Lockland. Bet you anything.’

He looked sideways at her. ‘A drink in the bar afterwards. Loser pays.’

‘Done. Don’t forget your wallet, sir.’

‘They’re closing on him,’ he said, swivelling the drone controls. ‘Hello, who’s this?’

Panting along in the rear, the Plimpton family were lumbering across the grass. Complete with dogs.

‘You’re not telling me they climbed over that wall? Look at the size of them.’

‘There was a gate,’ said North, straight-faced. ‘Which, in the excitement of the moment, everyone seems to have missed. Look at those dogs go. Legs like little pistons.’

Glancing over his shoulder, Henry Plimpton veered off in a different direction.

Ellis sat up straighter. ‘Hang on. Is he running from us or from them?’

North shrugged.

Parrish was breathless. ‘Lockland – can you hear me?’

Her response was even more breathless. ‘Yes.’

‘He’s coming your way.’

‘No, he’s not. He’s gone into someone’s garden.’

‘Whose?’

‘Well, how the . . . how should I know?’ she snapped back, hot, breathless and just for once, entirely forgetting always to be polite and considerate to others.

‘I bet you,’ said Ellis thoughtfully, ‘that she swears before this assignment is out. Properly, I mean.’

‘Not a chance,’ said North confidently. ‘She doesn’t have the vocabulary.’

‘We’ll see. She’s still with him.’