‘London has got to keep him sweet, mate. If he had agreed to the deal with the Russians, we’d lose everything in Karatandu. The cobalt, all our commercial interests and training facilities. The lot. They’d do anything to stop that from happening.’

‘Doesn’t make it right,’ Loader said.

Mallet overheard them and said, ‘We’re soldiers. We’re not paid to have an opinion. Even your short Welsh arse should understand that.’

‘I’m just saying, John.’

‘Well, don’t. Six has given us a job to do. We’re doing it. End of.’

The Cell leader marched aft to consult with Webb. Casey kept her gaze fixed on the president at the far end of the cabin as he finished his Scotch and yelled at the attendant for a refill.

‘He doesn’t seem too concerned about his family,’ she observed softly.

Bowman laughed. ‘That guy doesn’t care about anyone other than himself. He’d throw his family under a bus if it benefited him.’

‘Why ask us to protect them, then?’ said Loader.

‘The only reason Seguma wants them safe and sound is because they know all the skeletons in his closet. If they’re captured, it’ll all spill out. His relatives have been dipping their hands in the till for years. They’re just as corrupt as him.’

Casey said, ‘If you feel that strongly, why did you agree to come along?’

‘I’m only here because of Mike,’ said Bowman in an undertone. ‘He was one of the best officers they’ve ever had at Hereford.’

‘You’ve had better luck than me, then,’ Loader scoffed. ‘Most of my officers were bleeding idiots.’

‘Mike’s a friend. He’s in trouble, and he needs our help. That’s all I care about.’

Loader finished packing the mags into his webbing, then moved over to the luggage compartment to check on the rest of his kit. Casey remained quiet for several moments as she reassembled her Glock pistol. When she was sure they were alone, she said, ‘Do you really think this mission could go wrong?’

‘There’s a chance,’ Bowman admitted. ‘We’re rushing in. That’s when mistakes get made.’

‘Six doesn’t think so.’

‘That’s just the typical Foreign Office mindset. They’re academics.’ Bowman spat the word out. ‘They don’t know how it works in the field. They think we’re a bunch of super-soldiers.’

‘I hope you’re wrong.’

‘Me too,’ Bowman said. He nodded at her. ‘What’s your story, anyway? How did you end up in the Cell? I’m guessing you had a nice upbringing.’

She gave him a wry smile. ‘What you really mean is: What’s a privileged middle-class woman like you doing here?’

‘I didn’t mean it like that.’