Max jumped to his feet and spun round. There was such panic and chaos all around him. Kids yelling. Bodies pushing up against each other. He held his breath to stop the dust in the air getting into his lungs. He heard Lukas’s voice in his ear.

– Me and Abby are searching the north side. Sami and Max, take the south.

It was a good plan. ‘Roger that,’ Max agreed. He surged towards the south window of the hall. Almost immediately, he encountered a decoy. ‘State your name!’ he shouted over the deafening noise of and panic. ‘Tell me your name, now!’

The decoy did as she was told. ‘S-Sandra Wilkinson …’

Hector immediately gave an instruction over the comms.

– Confirmed. She’s a teacher. Get her on the ground.

‘Lie on your front with your hands on the back of your head!’ Max shouted at her. ‘Do it now or they’ll shoot you!’

The teacher didn’t need telling twice. She fell to the ground as if she had been shot. Over his comms earpiece, Max heard three other teachers being identified by Lukas, Abby and Sami.

– Helen Wilcox.

– Confirmed.

– Get on the ground!

– Jeremy Wood.

– Confirmed.

– Get down, now, or they’ll shoot!

– Ali McGuigan.

– Confirmed.

– Get on the ground, hands behind your head!

Max moved along the window towards the stage, feeling his way through the smoke. He felt something slippery underfoot. Looking down, he realised it was blood, oozing from the head of one of the targets who had been shot. He retched but kept moving. Five seconds later, he encountered another decoy. ‘State your name!’

The decoy said something but her words were lost as Lukas shouted over the comms.

– State your name!

No reply.

– STATE YOUR NAME!

Max’s decoy whispered something.

‘Alexandra Marriott.’

As Hector confirmed that she was a genuine teacher, Max pushed her to the ground and spun round. The dust was clearing somewhat. The hostages were all crowding at the back of the hall, away from the stage, though some of the younger ones, too terrified to move, were still huddled in the middle of the hall. Through watering eyes, Max could see Lukas clutching one of the decoys by the front of their overalls. The decoy was taller and broader than Lukas. He was kicking out. But Lukas, smaller though he was, was plainly stronger. He had the decoy on the ground in seconds, and was ripping off his balaclava.