Ben, though. She frowns in puzzlement as the cold water rinses the bubbles from her hair. She can’t read Ben. One minute he seemed fine and the next he was morose, completely withdrawn. One minute he was laughing at Harry dancing with that carnival girl while Roland was having kittens and the next he was staring into space and drinking bottle after bottle of beer. He was drunk too. Completely drunk. She had to help him back to the portal with Harry, where Malcolm and Konrad were in fits of panic at how long they’d been away.

‘Ah fuck off,’ Ben slurred at them. ‘Got a time machine . . .’

It was funny the way he said it but he didn’t say it with humour. Shock. She nods to herself. It’s just shock. She and Harry have an advantage in that their roles kept them away from home for long periods of time. Ben has never had that. He just needs to adjust.

She ends the shower and wraps a towel round her body before stepping out into the main room to snort a laugh at the sight of Ben and Harry sitting slumped in the blue chairs looking like shit.

‘Shower’s free,’ she says bright and loud, moving into her room to get changed. She pushes her door to but leaves it slightly open. ‘We need a team leader,’ she calls out. ‘Harry? You were a sergeant. You up for it?’

‘No,’ he croaks.

‘Is that the hangover talking?’ she asks from her room, wincing at having to wear yesterday’s street clothes again.

‘No,’ he croaks again. ‘You do it.’

‘You sure? Can you handle a woman telling you what to do?’

‘Yes, if you stop shouting.’

‘Roger, I’m team leader then. I would have done it anyway . . .’

‘I know,’ Harry mutters.

‘Ben, you’ll need training.’

‘Training?’ he asks, his voice croaking much the same as Harry’s.

‘You’ve fired a weapon already,’ Safa calls out. ‘So that’s a head start at least . . .’

‘Eh? What? Why do I need training? What for?’

‘Those two idiots didn’t have a clue when they came for me. They need professionals. We’re the professionals,’ she says, coming out of her room now dressed to shake her head at them both still feeling sorry for themselves. ‘We’ll start training today but we need kit. You two get ready. I’ll find Roland and give him the good news.’

‘Good news?’ Ben asks, completely confused and still feeling like his head is struggling to catch up.

‘That we’re staying,’ she says. ‘Come on. Get showered. You’ll feel better. Drink lots of water. I’ll be back in a few minutes . . .’

Ben and Harry watch her go then look at each other and shrug.

‘We’re agreed,’ Safa says, coming to a stop in front of Roland’s desk with her feet planted apart and her hands clasped smartly behind her back.