‘We’re out of here,’ Bowman bellowed at the soldiers. ‘Back to the wagons!’

The soldiers slipped through the small gaps either side of the technical and bundled back into the two Defenders. Pockmark and Toothbrush jumped back into the wagon closest to the archway, Lanky and the others got into the second Defender. They U-turned across the front lawn, tyres churning up the dry earth, then shot back down the driveway towards the mansion. They pulled up behind the Unimog near the front steps. The men got out again, Bowman grabbing his rifle as he leaped down from the vehicle. He ran for the front door while the Karatandans sprinted over to the gun pits.

The sun was coming up fast as Bowman emerged to the rooftop. He weaved past the skylight and the maze of satellite dishes, crouched down beside his GPMG on the west side of the parapet. Mallet and Loader had taken up spots across the eastern flank and rear. Webb observed the north side of the stronghold.

Bowman set down his rifle, helped himself to a glug of water from one of the plastic bottles. He hefted up the Gimpy. Looked out to the north-west. He saw the garden, the ruined wall, the irrigation ditch. The scrubland. The tall grass beyond the chain-link fence. The palm grove to the west. The landscape was utterly still. No movement. Nothing except the rustling of the palm fronds in the gentle morning breeze.

‘You see anything?’ he asked.

‘Nothing,’ Webb said. ‘It’s dead quiet.’

‘They’ll hit us soon,’ Bowman said.

Webb looked up and blinked, resting his tired eyes. ‘Reckon they’ll attack us the same way?’

‘I doubt it,’ Mallet said. ‘Even the Machete Boys aren’t that thick. They’ll want to try something new after seeing their mates get clobbered.’

‘There might be more of them, too,’ Bowman added. ‘Any rebels in the area will want to get in on the action. They’ll be all over this place like flies on a turd.’

Loader said, ‘So what? We’re up against a load of amateurs. Probably high as kites by now.’

‘As long as D Squadron doesn’t run into trouble.’

‘Mike’s in contact with the platoon guarding the runway,’ Mallet said. ‘They’ve not had any reports of enemy activity yet.’

‘We’ll get through this,’ Loader said confidently. ‘Everything’s sound, boyo. We’ve got nothing to fear.’

Bowman checked his watch.

06.05.

Two hours until D Squadron was due to arrive.

We’ll be out of the shit soon.