She listened in silence while he told her what had happened. He didn’t know who they were or where they had taken him but there was no question about the video. After this she was quiet for some time. He felt himself sinking back to the frame of mind he had been in during his visit to his mother. He should never have agreed to try and help Karza. And judging by the blankness of Nasima’s gaze, he could not expect any sympathy from her.

‘Maybe I should go to the Foreign Office.’

Her face was like thunder. ‘Are you crazy? This group is classed as a terrorist organization – both here and in America. And your position with the Party would be compromised.’

She looked away, as if what she was about to say pained her deeply. Then she nodded thoughtfully. ‘It’s a lot. And it’s non-negotiable. Now they know someone’s looking for him, they will at least keep him alive. But because they don’t have any support from the West, they have to ration their medical supplies. Don’t imagine they will look after him indefinitely. So we have to do something fast.’

Sam pushed the cup away. He felt sick. The thought of his brother, and then his mother, shook him to the core.

‘Plus the cost of transport. Depending on his condition we might have to airlift him back, which could add another half-million.’

She waited while Sam digested this, her eyes trained on his face. He felt stupid. It hadn’t occurred to him that any kind of payment would be demanded, let alone a ransom. He hadn’t given it any thought.

‘What do you think you want to do, Sam?’

This time her whole attitude was different. None of the flirting that he was sure he had detected last time. She was direct, business-like.

‘I don’t know where I could get that kind of money.’

The thought came back into his head that he could ask his new employers, after all – or maybe one of their funders. No, no, that was too naïve, and what would they think of him if they knew about Karza? He wasn’t about to jeopardize his new status with the revelation that his brother was a jihadi. He felt desperation pressing down on him.

‘I have to find a way. I don’t have any choice.’

It had just the right effect. Her face softened. She took his hands. ‘I know how hard it is when there’s only one option, believe me. A brother is a brother.’

It was the nice Nasima again, the sympathetic friend who might one day be something more.