‘Live, meaning what?’ Ben asked him. ‘Let us walk away and starve to death out here?’

‘Or remain hiding like rats in your hole,’ said Nabi. ‘Why should I care? As long as I have what I came here for.’

‘And you’d give me your word on that?’ Ben asked. He could see the horror on the faces of his companions as he said it, especially the prince’s.

Muhammad Omar Nabi replied, ‘My word of honour. Will you agree to our terms?’

‘Tell him to go stick that machine gun up his own heathen ass,’ Baldacci said.

Ben could appreciate that sentiment but put his response in slightly more diplomatic terms. ‘I have a problem agreeing to that, Muhammad. I know how little your word of honour counts for you when you give it to a kafir infidel like me. Deception in war was permitted to you by your prophet. I don’t play that game but I do understand the rules.’

Ben took his finger off the radio’s talk button to give his enemy a chance to reply. Nabi remained silent, so Ben went on: ‘But even if I could trust what you say, Muhammad, I’m afraid I’m not in the habit of giving up my men to the enemy. You’re just going to have to come and get him. Better go easy, though. You don’t want your prize hostage to get hurt.’

A slight pause; then Nabi said nonchalantly, ‘Oh, rest assured, if I cannot have him alive, I will be content to bring back his head. For the entertainment of your western public. That is how it will be, Mashallah.’

Hearing that, the prince turned a shade paler.

Ben replied, ‘You get too close, Muhammad, then maybe I’ll just blow his head off myself. In which case you end up with nothing. No prize, no glory, and let’s see how your superiors feel about you coming home empty-handed and on your knees, begging for mercy that you won’t get.’

If Nabi was stung by those words, he hid it well. ‘You lie, Hope. But I see you have made your choice.’

‘It was made from the start,’ Ben said. ‘So be it, and let the best man win.’ The negotiation, such as it had been, was over. He turned off the radio, and turned to the others. ‘Everyone take cover. It’s about to begin.’

Chapter 47

‘I’m not running and hiding from anyone,’ Wolf said.

‘Me neither, dammit,’ said Madison.

Ben looked at her. ‘Do we have to have that conversation again? I really need you to be inside the cave to help us carry out the gear.’