He’d tried to convince himself that he’d been saved for a greater day – but now that that greater day seemed upon him it occurred to him that he didn’t really want to die.

Not yet.

All around him was the sound of automatic gunfire.

Another fighter appeared – a young Libyan, unscathed, wide-eyed.

‘Argun,’ said the fighter. ‘Almost everyone is dead or wounded. What do we do?’

Shishani opened his eyes and looked at him.

‘You and me, Jalal,’ he said. ‘We’re going out of the back gate. They must have vehicles here somewhere nearby. We can hit them as they load up.’

The man nodded.

‘Good idea, Argun,’ said a voice behind him.

Shishani turned to see the towering figure of Kadyrov looming over him.

‘I will come with you,’ said the older man.

‘Maybe you should keep them occupied at the front?’ said Shishani.

‘No,’ said Kadyrov, a strange look entering his eyes. ‘We’ll fight together, and die together if necessary.’

‘Inshallah, brother,’ said Shishani. ‘Let me get my weapon.’

He ran back into the room in which he’d been sleeping, picked up his own Krinkov, and threw his magazine carrier over his shoulder.

Then, an eye on the door, he opened a bag at the foot of his bed. He pulled out two passports and a wallet stuffed with hundreds of US dollars and credit cards in four names, lifted the front of his shirt, and pushed it into his underpants.

Steeling himself, he strode from the room.

Chapter 101.

101.

JOHN CARR HEARD the brief lull in the fire from outside, followed by the boom of the 66mm rocket hitting the building.

A moment later, both Minimis resumed firing.

He pressed his mike.

‘Rapid fire,’ he said. ‘Rapid fire.’

He went straight out of the doorway.

Over to his front left, he saw the muzzle flash from Geordie Skelton’s gun, as the big northerner put down a withering burst of sustained fire.

A second later, Fred West blew the charge at the gates – there was a huge bang, and they were smashed inwards, twisted and ruined, taking a metre of wall with them on either side.

Almost instantly, Carr heard Fred’s Minimi join Geordie’s.

Carr went left, weapon up at the ready, moving fast and smooth.

Behind him, Charlotte Morgan had hesitated, frightened by the explosion and the suppressive fire, not understanding that it was for her own benefit.

Kev McMullen pushed her in the small of the back.

‘Go,’ he shouted. ‘Fucking go!’

And she was off and running, following Carr.

Kev was a step behind, Martha Percival thrown over his left shoulder, his Diemaco held in his right hand, ready if needed.

Martha was light, but it made running awkward, and he had to fight to keep up with the others.