‘Time to go!’ Eddie barked, shoving Krämer towards the alley.

Nina followed. ‘Cheng, come on!’

The young Chinese was frozen in bewilderment. ‘But what is—’

She pulled him after her. ‘Run!’

Eddie and Krämer hurried around the corner. Still towing Cheng, Nina glanced back – to see the blond man draw a suppressed pistol. ‘Oh shit! Gun!’

She yanked Cheng into cover. The crack of a bullet striking brickwork just behind them almost drowned out the silenced weapon’s flat chack.

Eddie and Krämer were a few metres ahead, but the sailor could only manage a loping run, one leg hurt in the fall. The alley stretched towards the glare and noise of the Große Freiheit. If they could reach it, they could lose themselves in the crowd, or even find some cops—

A loud crash from behind warned they wouldn’t make it. The shooter had dropped down on to the dumpster. He would be able to take another shot before the fleeing group reached the street.

Eddie realised the same thing – and changed direction, shoving a startled smoker aside and pushing Krämer through the theatre’s side entrance. ‘In here!’

Nina swept Cheng inside as the theatre worker shouted after them. They were in the backstage area, loud music from the auditorium echoing through narrow passageways. ‘Which way?’

‘Dunno – try here!’ Eddie rounded a corner, the others following. Doors marked with peeling stick-on stars greeted them. ‘Dressing rooms; we must be near the stage.’

The smoker at the entrance shouted again, then cried out as he was clubbed down. ‘He’s coming!’ said Nina. Running footsteps echoed behind them.

The corridor ended at two more doors, one a lavatory bearing a symbol of a male figure – wearing a huge beehive wig. The other was ajar, bright lights beyond. The Yorkshireman barrelled through. It was indeed a dressing room, illuminated mirrors along one wall and rack upon rack of showy female clothing against the other. A pink-haired drag queen gasped as the interlopers burst in. ‘Sorry, ’scuse us,’ said Eddie as he hurried past. ‘Nice wig!’

There was an exit at the far end, but the pursuing footsteps were catching up fast. ‘Go, go!’ Nina shouted to Cheng as she halted. If she could jam the door with one of the racks . . .

Too late. The blond man was almost at the entrance—

She snatched up a large container of face powder and hurled it into the hallway.

The cardboard tub burst open like a smoke bomb, a dense cloud of flesh-toned powder erupting in front of her pursuer. He reflexively jumped back, coughing. Nina shoved a clothing rack at the doorway to block it, then ran after the others.

Eddie reached the exit. ‘Keep going!’ he barked, pushing Krämer and Cheng through before turning back to Nina. ‘Come on, quick!’