Using children’s toys as Trojan horses masking listening devices was inspired by the mess of my own home. No one with kids would notice if something they thought was in one room was now in another. I thought of the time I’d found a legless Barbie stuck in my underwear drawer. Just this morning there had been a tin teacup and two marbles inside my right shoe. And as Hattie had pointed out, Security Service operatives would be on the lookout for devices in the more usual places like the landline or the smoke detectors. Not the very toys that they were permanently tripping themselves up with.

‘By the end of today we should have the Pigs’ online histories, their phone records, and be able to listen in on all their conversations. Having their whole lives in our hands will fast-track any intel that rings alarms bells.’

‘I’m betting whatever they didn’t want us to find on the phones would’ve been deleted by now. They wouldn’t risk us making another grab for the intel without making sure it was wiped.’ I knew this as it’s exactly what we would do.

Hattie nodded. ‘And that’s why you need to stay on the women. Be their friend. Find out what you can. They will know something but they probably don’t even realise its significance. They’re our best chance.’

Jake and Cameron walked into the meeting room, each holding a large chocolate bar.

‘Thank God the vending machine still works,’ was all Jake said as he slumped down into a chair.

‘That was a total waste of time. Those Ghosts know nothing,’ Cameron said as she tore off the wrapping with her teeth and took a bite. I remembered that she was one of those people who ate whatever she wanted and ‘just couldn’t put on weight’. Her annoyingly fast metabolism was yet another reason I couldn’t wait for her to disappear back to America.

Hattie eased into the seat at the head of the table. ‘Each of you will have individual operational objectives outlining exactly what you need to. Please familiarise yourselves with everything expected of you.’

Hattie observed us as we all pulled out our phones and clicked onto a ‘$$$HornyHotMums’ email.

‘I don’t need to remind you that we only have each other. We’re running on a shell on the biggest mission we’ve ever had. But the Committee were clear. Until the Tenebris Network is shut down no one else can be trusted. Dugdale and Frederick will not come back to the Platform again – it’s too risky. Any intel we want exchanged between Six and Eight happens through Lex and Frederick at the nursery.’

We all scanned through our email orders.