‘This is bad news,’ Webb said. ‘Very bad.’

Mallet turned down the volume, reached for his phone.

‘I’ll call Six. Tell them what’s going on. They’ll have to get a message over to the main strike force. Those lads need to know what to expect before they land.’

Casey was silent for a moment. ‘If the KUF are in the capital, it won’t be long before they attack the palace.’

‘Or they might be there already,’ Webb said.

‘We don’t know that. Not for sure,’ Mallet said.

‘Why else isn’t Mike answering his phone?’

Mallet tapped open the messaging app and dialled the most recent number. The Voice answered immediately. He filled them in as the convoy hurtled north towards Marafeni. The reports of gunfire elsewhere in the country, the radio broadcast by General Kakuba. The likelihood that the rebellion had already spread to at least parts of the capital. Then the Voice took over the conversation. Mallet listened in silence, his frown lines deepening, forming trench lines across his brow. He asked a couple of questions, hung up.

Then he said, ‘Six has been monitoring the situation in Marafeni. The situation is worse than we thought.’

‘What did they say?’ asked Casey.

‘They’ve picked up widespread reports of violence in and around the capital. Gunfire. Looting. Killing. Buildings being torched.’

‘Christ.’

Mallet said, ‘That’s not the worst of it. Rebel forces have released hundreds of inmates from the main prison. Political prisoners, activists, murderers, petty thieves. They’re out on the streets, tearing it up. Six has heard that the Machete Boys are joining in the fun too. It’s chaos out there. A free-for-all.’

‘Shit,’ said Loader.

Webb’s face crumpled in puzzlement. ‘Why would Kakuba and his men attack the capital before the airport? These guys normally go for the major roadheads and airheads first.’

Mallet said, ‘They might have a different strategy. They could be trying to coerce the airport garrison into surrender. Now they’ve got control of the airwaves, they can send out messages to the troops, telling them it’s over, they’re fighting for a lost cause, all that bollocks. Which might persuade the garrison to lay down their arms. They could take the airport without firing a shot.’

‘Would that work?’

‘You saw the looks on the faces of those guys at the airport. They’re not keen to get into a scrap with the enemy, not if they can help it. If they think the game is up, they’ll give in.’

‘Whoever is advising them rebels knows what the fuck they’re doing,’ Loader said with grudging admiration.

‘It’s the Russians,’ said Mallet. ‘Those bastards know how to fight.’

Bowman thought back to what Lang had told them in Monte Carlo.

They’re sending in some guys.

Military advisers.

Special Forces. Big blokes with guns.