Max looked at the target. ‘Do you want to see your brother again?’

T7 looked away again.

‘I think you do,’ Max said quietly. ‘I want to see mine too. I … I think you can help me make that happen. I don’t think you’re like the others.’ And that, Max realised, was the truth. There was something different about this one. ‘We will see our brothers again, won’t we?’

The target’s eyes narrowed. Did he know he was being played? He pointed at the boys’ toilets. ‘Go,’ he said. He crossed his arms to show the conversation was at an end.

Max headed towards the boys’ toilets. But then he turned back. ‘If I get out of here, I’ll tell them you’re not like the others,’ he said. Then he entered the toilet alone.

– That was good.

Hector sounded almost proud. Max didn’t reply. Not yet. He wanted to make sure he was alone. There were six urinals and five cubicles. A line of washbasins. No windows. Three of the cubicles had closed doors. Max checked the gap at the bottom of each door to ensure nobody else was in here. Only then did he speak. ‘I’ve identified the wire,’ he said. ‘I’ve come to the toilets to remove my razor blade. But I don’t know how I’m going to cut the wire without anyone seeing. You said earlier you can create a distraction. Can you do that now?’

– Negative. We’ve had to change our strategy. If we’re right and the targets intend to detonate, we can’t risk doing anything that will encourage them to do so. You’ll have to do it covertly.

‘Great,’ Max whispered. ‘Just eight terrorists and two hundred and fifty hostages to worry about … Are you sure I’m going to be cutting the right wire? I’m not going to lie – physics was never my strong point.’

It was Angel who answered.

– Not going to lie, hun: I aced it.

Max chose the leftmost cubicle and locked himself inside. He closed the toilet seat and sat on it, then took off his left shoe. He unclicked the heel and removed the razor, leaving the button compass inside. He gently slid the razor blade into the back pocket of his jeans. Clicking the heel shut again, he put the shoe back on. Then he stood up, flushed the toilet, and exited the cubicle. As he headed to the door, he caught sight of himself in the mirror above the washbasins. He was shocked by how pale his face was, and by the dark rings under his eyes. He ran a cold tap and splashed some water on his face. Then he dried his face. It wasn’t much, but it gave him a little bit more confidence.

‘I’m heading back out,’ he said into the comms.

– Roger that.