Eddie gave the cockpit a wary look. ‘Think I’ll keep an eye on things in there. Make sure there aren’t any unexpected radio calls.’ A sympathetic hand on Cheng’s shoulder, then he engaged the pilots in mock-casual conversation.

Nina stayed with her student. ‘My God. Cheng, I’m so sorry . . .’

He put on a brave front. ‘I don’t think she’s told her anything yet. Otherwise someone would have ordered us back to China. But . . .’ The tears broke free, rolling down his cheeks. ‘When they say “interrogate”, they mean “torture”! They’re torturing my mom!’

‘She hasn’t told them anything yet because . . . because she’s protecting you,’ said Nina, trying to provide some comfort, however small. ‘She’s protecting all of us. She’s doing something unbelievably courageous to give us a chance to stop the Nephilim.’

He jumped up. ‘And that’s supposed to make me feel better?’ he shouted in sudden anger, the outburst making Macy jerk awake. He turned towards the exit, but with the plane’s steps still raised, there was nowhere to go. Instead, he stormed to the cabin’s rear, dropping heavily into a seat.

‘I’m sorry,’ Nina said again, but to no response.

Macy looked after him in concern. ‘What’s wrong? Why’s Cheng so upset?’

‘He got some bad news, honey. About his mom.’

‘Is she okay?’

‘I don’t know,’ was the only answer Nina could give.

The refuelling took less time than predicted; the plane took off after thirty-five minutes. Eddie moved to the seat nearest the cockpit door, paying even closer attention to the activity within. Sure enough, thirty minutes after departing, both pilots reacted in surprise to a radio message. ‘Cheng, I need you,’ he called out. ‘Now.’ This was not a time for empathy: he needed to know exactly what was happening.

Cheng reluctantly walked up the aisle, giving Nina an angry look as he passed. By now, Eddie had returned to the cockpit door. ‘There a problem, guys?’ he said loudly, hand slipping inside his jacket.

The pilot looked back at him. ‘We have been ordered to return to Cangliang.’

‘Oh yeah? Why?’

He and the co-pilot exchanged worried glances. ‘You, ah . . . they said you are not supposed to be on this flight.’

Eddie gave him a humourless grin. ‘Well, we’re more than halfway through now, so we might as well finish it.’ He indicated a spare set of headphones. ‘Cheng, put those on and tell me what the radio’s saying.’

The sudden tension overcame Cheng’s recalcitrance. He squeezed past Eddie and donned the headphones, sitting on a folding jump seat behind the pilot. ‘It’s someone at Cangliang,’ he whispered. ‘He’s waiting for an answer.’

The Yorkshireman could tell from the pilot’s brief lick of the lips that he wanted to respond. He drew the gun. Both officers reacted in shock. ‘Yeah, let’s keep quiet for now, eh?’