‘If you mean, did he offer to ship me straight back to my home parallel, then yes.’

Bramnik’s expression hardened and he stared out of the door to where we could see the two Patriot agents getting into a jeep.

‘I want you to understand something.’ Bramnik’s voice was taut with anger. ‘What I said back there is true. The Patriots don’t have any jurisdiction here. And we have never sent anyone “back where they came from”.’

I nodded, relieved. ‘What about Nadia and Rozalia? Aren’t you going to let them out?’

‘I already took care of that,’ said Bramnik. He stood. ‘What you and Miss Mirkowsky did yesterday was very brave, but it’s not easy for me to protect you unless you’re right here on the island. Anywhere else, and you’re technically out of my jurisdiction. Got that?’

‘Sure,’ I said. ‘I’ll remember.’

Bramnik made for the door, beckoning to me to follow. We stepped outside, and I saw that Greenbrooke and his aide were gone. The two soldiers waited with Kip Mayer next to a parked BMW that looked like a well-preserved antique. I saw Yuichi waiting with them also, dressed in blue denim and scuffed cowboy boots, a bandana around his forehead.

‘Hey, jailbird,’ he said with a grin as I came up beside him. Bramnik meanwhile stepped over to Mayer, conferring quietly with him while the two soldiers got in the front of the BMW. ‘I hear they let you out early for good behaviour.’

‘What happened to Nadia and Rozalia?’

‘They’re over at the Hotel du Mauna Loa getting a late breakfast. Bramnik asked me to come fetch you.’

‘Commander Bramnik,’ I called past Yuichi’s shoulder. ‘Can I ask just one more question?’

Bramnik turned to look at me.

‘Why is it,’ I asked, ‘you don’t want us to know who the Authority are, or where they come from?’

Beside me, Yuichi had become completely still, as if he was holding his breath.

Bramnik’s expression, as he gazed back, was as solid and unmoving as any of the statues dotting the island. ‘We all deserve more answers than we can find, Mr Beche,’ he said finally, then climbed in the rear of the BMW. I watched as they drove away.

‘What the hell did that mean?’ I asked Yuichi.

‘Beats me,’ he said, reaching up to adjust his bandana. ‘Nice of them to offer us a lift back into town.’

‘None of this,’ I said, ‘needed to happen.’ I told him what Greenbrooke had said to me, about Nadia and Rozalia.

‘Of course it didn’t. The Authority folk are definitely on the conservative side when it comes to certain kinds of people. Like people of colour, atheists, women or lesbians. And Rosie in particular, God help her, ticks all four boxes.’

‘They’re like something out of a different era,’ I said. ‘Talking to them is like stepping into the past.’