An almost subconscious flicker of Hui’s eyes towards the clock in the corner of her computer’s screen told Wu she was stalling for time. ‘This isn’t the day to test me, Doctor,’ she snarled. ‘Tell me where she is, or I will have you arrested – and then I will make you tell me.’

Hui drew in a slow, deep breath, summoning courage. Even before she spoke, Wu knew she would have to get the information the hard way. ‘I’m afraid I can’t help you, Major.’

‘Your choice.’ She swept items on the desk aside to reach the phone, and called the security station. ‘This is Major Wu. I need armed guards to Dr Hui’s office, immediately. She is under arrest for treason!’

Chapter 39

39

India

‘So let me get this straight,’ said Australian Prime Minister Bruce Sainsbury, voice thick with sarcasm. ‘You’re telling me there’s a UFO full of fallen angels on its way to Uluru?’

Nina gritted her teeth. ‘Well, when you put it that way, of course it sounds ridiculous!’

The plane was three hours into its flight, now clear of China and crossing eastern India. The first two had been the most tense; while the jet was still in Chinese airspace, it could be intercepted and forced to turn back. The passengers’ worries had not eased once they crossed the Indian border. Even though Dr Hui had given Eddie a pistol, he was far from certain he would be able to force the pilots to disobey orders to return to Cangliang.

But the plane continued southwards. The pilots left the cockpit door open at Cheng’s request, ostensibly so he could watch the plane’s operations, but in reality so the compass was visible and any radio exchanges could be overheard. All so far had been mundane dialogues with air traffic controllers.

Nina held off from using the jet’s satellite phone until they were out of China, partly because she didn’t want to alert eavesdroppers from Chinese spy agencies to their escape, and partly to plan the best way to warn the Australian government what they were facing. Unfortunately, when boiled down to the basics, her story did indeed sound less than plausible. ‘But I’m telling the truth,’ she pressed on. ‘The Chinese woke the Nephilim, and it was not a successful first meeting. You only have to look at what’s left of Xinengyuan to see that!’

‘I’m looking at my computer right now,’ drawled Sainsbury, ‘and the only news out of that part of China is that a gas main blew up and wrecked some buildings. Lucky for them, it was one of those ghost cities in the middle of nowhere, so nobody was in them. There’s even a picture. No UFOs hovering over it, though.’ That last was said with a little chuckle.