Holm shrugged. He began to descend the spiral staircase. Javed and Palmer clattered down behind him. When he was halfway to the ground floor he realised he could make a run for it. Palmer wouldn’t be able to hit him, not with the tight angle and with Javed in the way. Of course Javed would take a spray of bullets in the back. Holm muttered a curse under his breath.

‘What did you say?’

‘I asked you why, Harry? Why Taher? Are you a convert?’

‘A convert? Don’t be crazy. I can’t stand Taher’s brand of Islam. To be honest I can’t stand any brand of it or any other religion. All of them are prejudiced and bigoted. There’s nothing worse than self-righteousness, and believers of any faith tend to have it in spades.’

‘So it’s the money.’ Holm nodded to himself. ‘Something for your retirement.’

‘Ask yourself, Stephen, if you’re happy with the way we’re treated. Here we are, defending the realm, and what do we get for it? Bugger all. No thanks, low pay, the chance of a tribunal if we cock up, a slow decline if we don’t.’

They reached the ground floor and Holm moved into the kitchen. Without being asked he went to the table and pulled out a chair.

‘How much did they pay you?’

‘You’re mistaken – the money was good but it wasn’t just about the financial rewards.’ Palmer aimed the gun at Javed and encouraged him to sit too. ‘I met Jawad al Haddad years ago and he offered me information on various terrorist groups. I used the information to save lives, understand?’

‘I bet Haddad twisted what he gave you. Everything was designed to strengthen his own position and promote his own factions.’

‘Sure, but the result was that individuals were taken out and plots were disrupted. Isn’t that the point of what we do?’

‘Means and ends, Harry. They have to match. Pocketing cash while looking the other way when some of the bombs go off doesn’t work for me.’

‘The problem with you, Stephen, is your idealism. This is the real world. Compromise. Two steps forward, one step back. Progress always has a price.’

‘Paid in bodies and cash, right?’ Holm shook his head. He was stalling, all the while trying to find some kind of angle. ‘Tell me how this is going to end. I assume you can’t let us live?’

‘Sorry, Stephen, no, but you’ll be heroes. You tried to save Karen Hope, but there were too many terrorists. In the end you went down in a blaze of gunfire.’

‘Taher’s AK-47.’ Holm looked at the assault rifle. ‘He left it for you.’

‘There was no time to work out a plan after Hope was shot.’ Palmer gave a flat smile. ‘But it’ll do.’