‘Jesus.’ Shaw sat back again, shaking his head. ‘And you have no idea who this Nemesis is?’

‘None at all. There’s probably a long list of people with the right motivation. Although there can’t be too many people with the sort of information he’s been giving me. If Nemesis is a man.’

The ex-soldier grimaced. Clearly unhappy with the degree of uncertainty involved.

‘He could have twenty or thirty men in those arches. The odds are less, of course. Probably more like five to ten, given he has no idea you know us. Or what we can do. But the risk you’re asking us to take is pretty fucking full-on.’ He thought for a moment: ‘250k. Sterling. Even at that price it’s still possibly more risk than my team will want to take. Do you have a quarter of a million pounds available at short notice?’

‘No.’

The former soldier shrugged. ‘Then I can’t see what—’

‘But Martin does. Lewis’s money. We just have to get him out of there alive.’

‘And if he gets killed in the attack? That leaves us empty-handed.’

Mickey shrugged. Tossing his last card onto the table.

‘You want a quarter of a million? There could be ten times that much in used notes in there. And whatever else passes for ready cash for a man like him. Gold. Drugs. I don’t know, diamonds, bearer bonds, crypto… A man like that always needs to be ready to make a sharp exit. Which means he always needs assets to hand. Portable. And liquid. Easy to carry, easy to spend.’

‘So, what are you suggesting?’

‘A five-way split. Simple as that. Whatever we find gets shared between us.’

Shaw stared hard at him. Pursing his lips.

‘You clever bastard. You’re offering me the chance to get my team retired. One more job, against a bunch of amateurs. Kill this goon Castagna. Clear out the valuables. And we’re on the beach.’

Mickey said nothing. Waiting. Knowing that nothing he could say now would tip Shaw’s decision either way.

‘Wait here.’ Shaw stood up. ‘Make yourself comfortable, because this could take a while. I’ll be watching you through the window, so don’t touch your phone. I see any sign that you’re talking to anyone else, I’ll walk. From now you’re comms dark. I don’t care if the commissioner herself calls you, ignore any incoming.’