Max inhaled deeply in an attempt to slow down his racing pulse. ‘They … they look like they’re getting into position … I think they’re going to detonate their suicide vests. I think Lili was right. She said they were going to do it at 14:00. if there was no rescue attempt by then. We’ve only got fifteen minutes.’

And when there was no reply, he spoke as forcefully as he dared. ‘Can you hear me? How am I supposed to keep cool when we’ve only got fifteen minutes before this whole place blows and we go with it?’

18

State Your Name

The targets turned.

They looked around the room.

Then they started to spread out.

Four of them moved up onto the stage, where they stood behind the recruits, spaced out. The remaining four lined up alongside the blind-covered windows. They positioned themselves in between the teachers, facing inwards with their backs to the window. Max had lost track of who was who. All he knew was that T1 was on the stage and T7 by the south window. T1 had something in his hands: a black box with a flick switch. Max realised what it must be: a remote detonator for the IEDs. His mouth turned dry as he worried once more whether he’d cut the right cable.

‘They’re putting themselves into position!’ he said, louder than he intended. One of the decoys looked over at him. So did a few nearby kids. Max rested his head against his knees, as if in desperation.

Hector’s voice finally burst once more over the comms.

– That’s what we want them to do, Max. Are some of them standing by the windows?

‘Yes,’ Max hissed.

– That’s because they want the explosion to be spectacular, when it happens, for the press cameras. Blowing out the windows is the best way to do that. Now listen carefully. We have SAS personnel moving onto target. There is a four-man unit currently in hiding underneath the stage.

‘What?’ Max breathed, lowering his head so he couldn’t be seen talking. ‘How did they get there? I didn’t hear them.’

– Of course you didn’t hear them. They’re the SAS. They gained access via the sewer system. We also have two sniper teams on the perimeter of the school and on the roof of Block Red. They have rifles trained on the two long windows of the hall.

‘But they can’t see through them. The blinds are down …’

– That’s where you come in. Remember, we can see shadows through the blinds. Are you able to see all the targets?

He looked around the hall again. There were four targets at the back of the stage. Two along one wall, two along the other, mixed up with the decoy teachers. ‘Er … I think so.’