What is the worst-case scenario? That Karl never shows up, but the Russians do? That Karl doesn’t know anything about what happened to Gabriella or why they’re being followed? What are they supposed to do then? They haven’t even discussed that.

Four minutes.

Klara’s almost at the square below the elevator now, and she allows the car to creep along the asphalt while she searches for somewhere to park. She can’t go all the way to the square without risking discovery, so the plan is for George to lead Karl here.

That’s when she sees it.

Just ten metres ahead of her, very close to the square, a black van with its engine idling. It has to be the Russians.

The lit clock on the dashboard says 4:00 as she takes out her phone and calls George.

He answers on the third ring with a concentrated, resolute tone in his voice. ‘I think I have him,’ he says.

Klara feels the stress tearing inside him, inside her. ‘They’re here,’ she says. ‘The Russians. You’ll see the van when you turn around the corner onto Rue Haute.’

‘Damn,’ he whispers. ‘Are you sure?’

‘No,’ she says. ‘Or yes. My gut is quite distinct on this point.’

She hears George take a deep breath.

‘Just take it easy,’ Klara says. ‘Continue walking towards the car like we agreed.’

‘How are we gonna get away from them?’ he says.

Klara feels her blood pumping and pounding through her body. What she’s about to suggest crosses all boundaries. But she didn’t choose to be involved in this. They, whoever they are, will have to suffer the consequences.

She sees George coming around the corner further down the street. ‘Wait,’ she says quietly. ‘Do you see the Russians’ van?’

She can see him searching along the street. ‘Yes,’ he says. ‘I see it.’

She takes a deep breath. ‘You brought the gun, right?’ she says as quietly as she can.

24 November

Brussels

He’s about halfway across the square when the shots ring out between the old, grey buildings. He freezes, no place to hide in the middle of this square. At first he doesn’t even make the connection. The sound’s too loud and violent. But then there’s another shot, and he hears screaming, slamming doors, footsteps running in all directions.

The man who met him is gone. Jacob is now almost at the street. Standing there in a daze as a shiny, dark-blue Audi suddenly stops right in front of him with the man from the elevator hanging out the window, screaming at him.

But it’s as if he can’t hear him. As if he’s behind a glass wall and reality can’t penetrate, the world is just a silent movie.