The student passed on the request. The soldier in question gingerly made his way past Cheng and Macy to Eddie. By the time he arrived, the Yorkshireman had unfastened his rifle’s strap. He gestured for the soldier to do the same with his own weapon, then examined the rocket launcher. Its strap was riveted to the launch tube; he would need a blade to cut it. The soldier might have one, but it would take time, and probably fray and weaken the fabric.

Instead he shouldered the launcher again and tied the two rifle straps together, making a tough canvas line almost six feet long. ‘Okay, I need him to brace himself against the frame here, then lower me to the hose,’ he said, resting his gun against the frame’s upper side.

‘Will you be able to reach it?’ said Cheng dubiously.

‘Bloody hope so, ’cause we’ve run out of rifle straps!’ He waited for the young man to translate, getting a nod from the soldier. ‘All right. Here we go . . .’

He looped one end of the strap around his left wrist and gripped it. The soldier took hold of the other end and wedged himself into the corner, then crouched. Eddie started to lower himself down.

The soldier let the strap out slowly. The knot creaked. Eddie gave it a worried look, but it held. The makeshift rope reached its full extension. The hatch was a few feet below him. He stretched out his free hand, but it was just out of reach. ‘A little more, just a bit . . .’

The man above him grunted something. Eddie looked up – if the soldier bent any lower, he risked losing his balance and sending them both to their deaths. ‘Okay, different approach,’ he said. ‘Tell him to hold on!’

He waited for Cheng to relay his message – then he swung and kicked the door as hard as he could.

Metal buckled, but the hatch remained closed. Another kick, then another. The door began to cave in.

The soldier let out a gasp of effort. Sweat beaded his face . . . and his hands.

The strap started to slip through his fingers.

Eddie redoubled his efforts, laying into the hatch like a football hooligan. The soldier groaned. The strap jerked, dropping by an inch—

A final kick – and the hatch rebounded open, revealing the red hose reel inside.

It was still beyond Eddie’s reach, and the soldier’s grip was failing. He would have to do something desperate—

‘Tell him to brace himself!’ he shouted, giving Cheng a moment to pass on the warning – then he let go.

He fell, feet hitting the open hatch. It tore from its hinges – but slowed him just enough to let him grab the hose reel with one hand as he dropped. It swung outwards on a heavy-duty pivot, stopping with a jolt. Eddie dangled from the reel as the broken hatch spun out of the window. Macy screamed.