Wu reached the intersection and rounded the corner. Liu had put his torch on the floor, shining it up at the ceiling to act as a makeshift lantern. He only had one prisoner: the girl, tears streaking her face. ‘Where’s the woman?’ she demanded.

He gestured up the side tunnel. ‘Dead. She tried to run.’

‘Chase is coming. Put down the bomb and help me kill him.’

‘Where are the others?’ he asked as he started to unfasten his heavy cargo.

‘He’s killed them. Move, quick!’ She grabbed Macy and pulled her close.

‘Get off me!’ Macy cried, struggling and kicking as Wu forcibly manoeuvred her into position as a human shield.

‘Shut up!’ She aimed her gun at the intersection, tactical light illuminating it. Running footsteps grew louder – then slowed.

‘Daddy!’ shrieked Macy. ‘She’s got me! There’s another man—’

Wu angrily clamped a hand over her mouth. Macy writhed, driving her elbow into the Chinese woman’s stomach. The major grunted – the blow was surprisingly painful. She retaliated by cracking her MP7’s grip against the girl’s skull. Macy let out a muffled shriek.

Liu finally released his harness and carefully swung the bomb to the floor, then raised his weapon. Wu watched the intersection intently. The tunnel had gone silent. ‘Chase!’ she shouted in English. ‘I know you are there! I have your daughter. Show yourself.’

‘Let Macy go or I’ll kill you,’ came the blunt reply.

‘Show yourself or I will kill her!’ Wu placed the muzzle of her gun against Macy’s head – but frowned. Something wasn’t right, Chase’s voice sounding . . . odd.

It didn’t matter. He was no more than five metres away, almost impossible to miss at such close range. ‘Turn your light out,’ she told Liu in muttered Mandarin. He obeyed, collecting and switching off the torch. ‘Countdown from three – I’ll turn mine out on one. On zero, fire a sweep around the corner. Move into position.’

The soldier crept forward. Macy tried to shout a warning, but only stifled moans escaped from behind Wu’s hand. ‘Three,’ the major began. ‘Two . . .’

At one, Wu switched off her light, plunging the passage into darkness – and a moment later, Liu whipped around the corner and sent a deafening blaze of fire down the tunnel, bullets ricocheting from both walls.

The MP7’s thirty-round magazine fell empty. Liu switched his torch back on and shone it down the tunnel, expecting to see the Englishman lying dead on the floor.

He was on the floor – but still very much alive.