Madison asked where, and Ben told her about the orphanage. ‘You guys are seriously going to rescue forty children?’ she said, cocking an eyebrow. ‘What’s the plan, you gonna lead them away to safety over the border like the Pied Piper?’

Wolf grinned, a glint of gold in the moonlight. ‘That’s the general idea.’

‘God bless those poor innocents,’ murmured Father Bugnolio sadly.

‘We’ll figure something out,’ said Holt.

‘Hope it works out for you,’ Madison said. ‘As for me, I’ll be staying right here.’

Chapter 27

Ben looked at her, startled by her words. ‘No chance, Madison. I came here to bring you home. First I need to help these guys take care of their business. But then I mean to finish what I set out to do.’

He could tell from her body language, the defiant set of her head, her feet braced apart and her hands planted on her hips, that it wasn’t going to be easy persuading her. Same old bull-headed Madison Cahill. ‘The hell you will,’ she replied firmly. ‘This was Dad’s discovery and wild horses couldn’t drag me away until I’m good and ready to leave of my own accord, thank you very much.’

‘You can’t stay here,’ Ben protested, aware of the others all watching like hawks. ‘It’s not safe.’

She crossed her arms and shook her head, not budging an inch. ‘Uh-uh. No way.’ Then her expression softened a little and she said, ‘Look, Ben, it’s not that I don’t appreciate what you did for me. Because believe me, it means a hell of a lot. But don’t you see, if I leave now, with all that’s happening I won’t be able to come back for years. Maybe not ever. This was my one chance to see what Dad discovered.’

‘And now you’ve seen it,’ Ben said. ‘Did you think you could live here forever? There’s nothing here.’

‘Not quite nothing,’ Madison replied enigmatically.

‘Well, you two can stand here and bicker all night if you want,’ Wolf said. ‘But the rest of us are going back to the camp and break out the food. I’m famished.’

‘We’re all hungry,’ Aziz said. He laid an affectionate hand on Madison’s shoulder. ‘Come on. You have to eat. We can argue about this tomorrow.’

She heaved a sigh. ‘All right. But I tell you I’m not going anywhere.’

They made their way to the rock shelter, carrying some of their provisions from the vehicles along with their personal weapons, just in case of unexpected visitors. Nobby Scraggs had retrieved a large cardboard box from deep in the back of the Humvee and was clutching it to his chest. It looked heavy. ‘Is this where we get to find out what’s in that bloody box you’ve been carting around with you everywhere, not letting anyone touch it?’ Wolf asked him.