Georgieva: Yes. He spoke like he was from England. Like the bald actor from those action movies. You know? The one from The Fast and the Furious.

Smith: Jason Statham?

Georgieva: Yes.

Smith: And where was the bomb?

Georgieva: I couldn’t see it, but the man at the back had a backpack so I assumed it was in there.

Smith: And what happened next?

Georgieva: My husband whispered to me to sneak out when the man wasn’t looking our way. To take my son Goran into the bathroom and climb out the window. He said if the man turned round, he would make a noise and distract him.

Smith: And did you manage to get to the bathroom?

Georgieva: Yes. But the window was too high, so I just I took Goran into a cubicle and locked the door. Then I heard screaming. Then a big bang. That’s all I remember. And the next thing I knew, Goran and I were in an ambulance, and a man was telling us that we had survived because the bathroom, with its tiles and pipes, had strong walls.

Smith: I am sorry about your husband. I’ll come back again tomorrow to see if you remember anything else. Please think about it. Write down anything you remember, even the smallest detail could help.

Sami moved to statement number three, a much smaller file – he’d have just enough time to get through it before they arrived at the office. Again, he skipped past the introductions.

Statement of Mr Goran Georgiev, age 12 (26 September, 10 am, interviewed by Special Agent Ryan Smith and translated by Ivan Stoyanov, Second Main Directorate, Bulgarian Committee for State Security)

Smith: You don’t think he sounded English? Not like Jason Statham, the guy from The Fast and the Furious?

Georgiev: No. That’s what Mama thinks but she can’t tell difference between anyone who speaks English. I play rugby union at school, and I watch many games on TV, especially when the World Cup is on and Bulgaria play. I think he sounded like he was a Wallaby.

Smith: Excuse me. Did you say Wallaby?

Georgiev: Yes, a Wallaby. Australian. They wear yellow jerseys and are very good. Much better than Bulgaria, but not quite as good as the All Blacks. I’ve heard them speak to reporters after matches, so I know how they sound.

Smith: Are you certain? He was Australian?

Georgiev: Yes. A Wallaby. Or maybe an All Black. The Wallabies and the All Blacks sound the same.

Maverick’s mobile phone rang as they pulled into the basement car park of the building that housed the CIA’s Bulgarian bureau. It was a short conversation.

‘Survivor number four is dead,’ Mav said as he put down his phone.

CHAPTER 29

Goulburn Correctional Centre, Goulburn, NSW, Australia