‘This is a good deal,’ Mallet said. ‘You won’t get a better one.’

Seguma didn’t reply. He stared at the gold crown on his cane, his face stricken with indecision.

‘Mr President, we’re running out of time,’ the Voice said. ‘We need an answer now.’

Seguma raised his eyes to the laptop. He took a deep breath, nodded.

‘Very well. I’ll go back. But on one condition.’

‘What’s that, sir?’

‘You need to protect my family.’

‘Are they in danger?’ asked Casey.

‘The Russians threatened to kill them if I did not cooperate.’

Webb said, ‘Why would they target your family?’

The president stared at him as if he was mad. ‘My relatives are some of the most important people in the country. My brother is the vice-president. His wife is the head of the Women’s League in Karatandu. My wife is the party secretary. They are my closest allies. The rebels would do anything to get rid of them.’

The Voice said, ‘Where are they now?’

‘In Karatandu. At my palace in the capital, Marafeni.’

‘Who else is there?’

‘My children. My newborn son. My nieces. Some of my cabinet ministers. No one else.’

‘What are they doing there?’

‘It’s the only safe place in the city. They’ve been holed up there for the past few days, making radio broadcasts denouncing the protestors, running the country in my absence.’

‘Why didn’t they leave with you, sir?’ asked Bowman.

‘I couldn’t take the risk. I needed to keep them in place while I met with the Russians. Otherwise my enemies might have realised what was going on with my plans.’ He rubbed his brow. ‘You must protect them.’

‘The Russians would want them out of the picture, that’s for sure,’ Mallet agreed. ‘The army would throw in the towel double-quick.’

‘There’s another reason they would be interested in my family,’ Seguma said quietly.

‘Aye? What’s that?’

Seguma looked down at the cane on his lap. ‘Some of my relatives, they know my secrets. The Russians might put them on trial. They could use them to spread lies and discredit me.’

He spoke in a cold, impersonal tone. Bowman had the impression the president seemed more interested in his political credibility than the welfare of his loved ones.

‘You must protect my family,’ Seguma said. He lifted his eyes to the laptop. ‘That is non-negotiable. I will not return to my country unless you can guarantee their safety.’

He leaned back, his arms folded across his ample chest. The Voice was silent for so long Bowman thought the connection had been lost. Then it spoke up in its train-station-announcement tone.

‘Mr Seguma is correct. The security of his family is of paramount importance. Their capture, or worse, would represent a major victory for General Kakuba and his Russian backers. We cannot allow that to happen.’ There was another pause. ‘There’s only one thing for it.’