‘I will,’ Alpha says, holding her eye contact. ‘I, er . . . best go then.’

The would-be lovers part reluctantly. He casts a last look over his shoulder. She smiles and waves with a blush in her cheeks. He laughs softly and turns away as his men jeer and make remarks that she can hear and laugh at. He waves again as he climbs in and offers one last smile as they drive off. Only once they are out of sight does that smile fade.

‘Her phone was encrypted,’ Bravo says quietly.

‘Let Mother know,’ says Alpha.

Only when the ambulances are gone does the smile fade from her face. She activates her phone and checks round to make sure no one can see her.

Five men just took them in two ambulances. Medicare patient transport services. The form is legal. One of the men was very flirtatious. We swapped numbers.

She sends the message and goes about her duties. The manager of the hospital had told all the staff that the twelve men brought in were getting a lot of attention, but their rules were to remain the same as ever. No information was to be given out under any circumstances.

Two days ago, she was at home. A courier delivered a package. Inside was a phone. She was puzzled and switched the phone on. A message told her to log in to the website of an established bank. She used the log-in information and gained access to a bank account in her name that held funds of one million euros. The next message told her to check the phone directory. She did so and found it was a replica of her own phone. Every contact, every message, every photo held in her own phone was now in this new one. This was surprising in that it had happened to her, but the technology of phone cloning had been around for years. The next message told her she had nothing to fear. You are not at risk. We will not harm you. The message said she could throw the phone away right now and keep the money, or she could provide information and see that balance increase. Reply now if you are interested. She wrote back. I am interested. The balance of her new account immediately increased to two million euros.

Now she goes about her duties behind the reception desk of the private hospital. Her phone beeps. She casually checks round to ensure privacy.

Good work. Payment made to your account. Send a copy of the form. Inform immediately if the man contacts you. Stay at your job.

She checks her account. It is now at six million euros. The increase from two to five came from simply sending messages about what she knew. Now it is up by another million.