There were a lot of foreigners in Libya now – dogs who had shamed the name of Islam.

He hated them, and the trouble they had brought, but this man did not look like one of them, nor a militia man, nor a smuggler.

Carr asked him again, and the man, this time speaking Arabic himself, said, guardedly, ‘We’re going to the market at Sawknah. I want to be there before daybreak, for my prayers and to get a good stall.’ He paused. ‘Why do you ask? Who are you? Americans?’

‘No, my friend,’ said Carr. ‘We’re British, and everything is fine. I promise you, we mean you and your family no harm. We are here for a few minutes only, and then we are gone.’ He gestured to the bed of the truck. ‘What are you selling?’

‘Dates,’ said the man, almost defiantly. ‘So you don’t need any help?’

‘No,’ said Carr. ‘But thank you.’

The man nodded. ‘Then I will be on my way,’ he said, and started to turn.

‘I’m sorry,’ said Carr. ‘But I can’t allow you to leave. You must stay with us, until we’re gone. Only a few minutes, I promise.’

Behind him, Geordie Skelton spoke.

‘Five minutes, John,’ he said. ‘We need to move this fucker on, or flatpack him.’

Carr spoke into his radio.

‘Got a family stopped here, Kev,’ he said. ‘Shit timing, but there it is. We’re sorting it, but I don’t want to rush things, so Geordie’s going to send up the red flare and give us ten minutes.’

Behind him, he heard Geordie Skelton mutter something in exasperation.

In front of him, the man had begun to look angry.

‘You can’t hold me,’ he said. ‘I need to go.’

Carr grinned in appreciation of the guy’s courage – stopped in the pitch dark, by armed men, and here he was, laying down the law.

‘My friend,’ said Carr, firmly. ‘We have an aircraft coming in to land on this road in a few minutes. I can’t let you stay here, but I also can’t let you drive on. If you were to tell somebody about us…’ He shrugged. ‘So I ask you a small favour. If you follow me a little way, and wait with us until our aircraft arrives, I will pay you two hundred US dollars for your time. And then you can be on your way.’

As he spoke, he raised the Diemaco slightly, but enough to send a message.

I’m calling this a favour, pal, to save your face.

And I’m offering to wedge you up, into the bargain.

But make no mistake: it’s an offer you can’t refuse.

A few feet away, Skelton had taken out a mini-flare, already prepared.

He looked towards the heading on which the aircraft would come, and lifted his night-sight and started to scan the low horizon.

Any moment now.