A pause. More kids were crying. Panic was rising again. But the targets remained in position. Max glanced at T7. Of all the targets, he was closest to Max. He seemed to be muttering something to himself. And while the other targets seemed pumped up, T7’s shoulders were slumped. His body was somehow different. For a moment, Max doubted that he truly had the courage to go through with this.

And talking of courage …

Max checked his watch. 13:56. They had four minutes. He could feel his blood pumping in his veins. When he heard Hector’s voice again, he started so violently that a couple of the nearby kids gave him a sharp look, despite their own obvious fear.

– This is what’s going to happen. When I give the word, Lukas, Abby and Sami must jump off the stage, leaving only four targets on the stage. The sniper teams will take shots at the window targets. Simultaneously, there will be an explosion beneath the stage and the team below will take out the targets on stage. That will neutralise all targets except one: the fake decoy. From what you say, he’s the only target without a suicide vest, but his weapon is probably loaded.

Time check: 13:57.

T1 looked at his watch, then stared straight ahead. T7 was still mumbling to himself. He caught Max’s eye and cocked his head strangely. Max looked away.

– We don’t know who the fake decoy is, so you’re going to have to move fast. There will be confusion, smoke and noise. There will be bright lights and loud bangs as the SAS team detonate flashbang grenades. This is to make the environment so confusing that the remaining target is too disorientated to harm the hostages. But we will have limited time to identify him or her. You must go through the room, demanding the decoys’ names. We will be able to hear their responses over the comms. If they give a correct name, we’ll tell you. Make them lie on their front with their hands on their heads. If you find a decoy who cannot answer the question correctly, you must do everything you can to overwhelm him or her. Get him on the ground and shout ‘Target’. One of the SAS team will find you and do the rest.

The words ‘do the rest’ had an awful note of finality about them. Max swallowed hard. He checked his watch again.

13:58.

They had two minutes. Maybe less.

– Are the targets still in position? Cough once for yes.

Cough.

– Then prepare for the strike. Assault team, stand by. Sniper teams, stand by. Lukas, Abby, Sami, get ready to jump. We are a go in three …

Maybe it had been a premonition. Maybe something Max had said had touched him. But in the fraction of a second before the order was given, T7 looked in his direction.

– Two …