‘Does anybody want to throw in their hat?’ he asked.

Max looked along the line. Lukas was jutting his chin out defiantly. Abby looked uncertain, but stayed put. It was Sami, standing next to Max, who appeared tempted. It was clear to everyone that he was the best weapons handler and the sharpest shooter. But he seemed on the brink of stepping forward. Max put one hand on his shoulder. Sami gave him a grateful look and kept his place.

When it became clear that nobody was putting themselves forward, Hector nodded. ‘In that case,’ he said, ‘the people going home tonight are …’

He caught Max’s eye. Max felt sure his name was about to be called. He felt his stomach turn.

‘… Maddy and Els. Get your kit, girls. The chopper will be ready in half an hour.’

Woody looked sympathetically at them. Angel frowned. Max sensed that she didn’t like the idea of the two girls being sent home. The girls hung their heads and started to walk back to the Nissen huts. Woody and Hector followed, then the remaining recruits: Sami, Lukas, Abby, Jack and Ash. All except Max, who hung back to talk to Angel. He was still slightly in awe of her, a little nervous maybe. But he felt that, out of any of the Watchers, she was the most likely to give him a straight answer.

‘Lukas and Sami have used weapons like that before, right?’

‘You know the rules,’ Angel said curtly.

‘I just thought you could tell me –’

‘You thought wrong.’

Angel started to follow the others. Max kept up with her.

‘You looked at Lukas when you talked about drive-by shootings. Is that what he’s into? Gang stuff? I’ve seen his tattoos.’

Angel looked straight ahead and didn’t reply.

‘What about Sami? How come he’s such a crack shot with an assault rifle? Why does it make him cry?’

‘Seriously, Max, you ask me another question like that and you’re on the next chopper out of here.’

She upped her pace. Max stopped. ‘Hey, Angel,’ he called after her, ‘who’s R.E.J.?’

Angel stopped abruptly. Max saw her shoulders rise as she inhaled deeply. She turned and looked Max directly in the eye.

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she said. She held his gaze for a full five seconds. Then she turned her back on him and continued on her way.

As Max watched her go, he wondered if the Special Forces Cadets training would include learning to tell if somebody was lying. Not that he needed special training in this instance, because Angel was obviously not telling the truth.

9

Paracord

It was the final day of selection and there were six recruits left: Max, Lukas, Sami, Abby, Jack and Ash. Woody had made it clear that only five people would pass selection. At the end of today, one of them was going home.