‘To fight mobsters.’ A crafty grin played out on Mallet’s face. ‘I’m offering you the chance to come and work for the Cell.’

The words hung in the air between them, like apples from a tree. Bowman felt a surge of relief sweep through him. Mallet didn’t call me here to give me the boot.

This is a job interview.

‘Why me?’ he asked.

‘I’ll explain everything in a moment. But first, let me remind you that what I’m about to say is strictly confidential. You are not to repeat this conversation to anyone. Not your mates, your OC, not even your own mother. What I’m about to tell you stays between us. Clear?’

Bowman nodded. ‘Crystal, boss.’

A hot feeling of excitement swelled up inside him. A few minutes ago, I thought I was about to get booted out of the Wing. Now I’m being offered the chance to join the inner sanctum of the Regiment.

‘Tell me,’ Mallet said. ‘How much do you know about what we do?’

‘Not much. The same as the other guys at Hereford, I suppose. You’re part of the Wing. You work closely with the police, Five and Six. Something to do with organised crime.’

‘That’s true. But we do a lot more than that.’

He gestured past his window at the Tower of London. The Shard rose above it on the far side of the Thames, the spire illuminated like some ancient beacon warning of an imminent invasion.

‘Our real job is to protect all of this. The state. Which, in this day and age, means defending British business interests.’

‘From what?’ asked Bowman.

‘From whatever hostile forces threaten it,’ Mallet explained. ‘Mostly, it’s organised crime groups working within or alongside foreign governments. These groups aren’t seeking to engage us militarily, do you see? Their main point of attack is on British businesses, at home or abroad. We’re talking about some of the world’s biggest companies. Huge deals. Billions of pounds at stake.

‘The spooks don’t like to admit it, but British business is what keeps our place at the top table in world affairs. Not nuclear subs or foreign aid, but cold, hard cash. Our task is to protect these interests at all costs, at home and abroad.’

‘Isn’t that Six’s job?’

Mallet’s smile played out across his face. ‘It used to be. But Vauxhall can’t handle the new threats we’re facing. Not alone, anyway. They don’t have the skills for the task. They’re smart people, with their Oxbridge degrees and City contacts, but they’re not good at the rough stuff. They need guys like you and me. That’s why we created the Cell.’

‘To protect some greedy bankers and tax dodgers?’

‘That’s not what we do. We’re the only specialist team dedicated to fighting the gravest threat to our country: foreign criminal elites.’