‘We’re in the middle of a man-made extinction event rightnow. Up to ten thousand species vanish every year – that’s thousands of times higher than the natural rate. And this is just over a couple of hundred years. Just imagine what we’d do over the course of a million!’

McCormick made the mistake of looking into Grant’s eyes, and saw his unbridled enthusiasm. He believed every word, and worst of all, he knew that science backed him up.

McCormick dipped his eyes away from Grant’s stare. At least a dozen people in his life had been part of the climate change protests before Takeover Day. If they were still alive they were now being kept in the Citadels, due to be killed off by a rich man in the glorious name of ‘saving the world’ – as if they were the people the world needed saving from.

‘This is the first time in the known history of the Earth,’ Grant continued, ‘that a mass extinction has been caused by one of its own species. If it were any other species, we’d wipe them out and call it saving the world. So tell me… who are the real monsters?’

McCormick raised his head again.

‘The real monsters,’ he answered, ‘are those who force whole families into concrete prisons, then collect the bodies of their starved children.’

At the back of the room, Marshall took the opportunity to interrupt.

‘Radio message, Nick,’ he said. ‘Kate Arrowsmith got six Perimeter Points.’

McCormick’s broken face lit up just a little. Grant’s culling of the human race was not a certainty just yet.

‘Six? How long will it take to—’

‘An hour. Maybe more.’

Grant gave McCormick his deepest head teacher stare, before turning and heading for the exit.

‘Well sod it, then,’ he shouted, ‘I’m staying in my quarters until the show’s ready. Or at least until this bomb scare is sorted.’

‘You’re not watching the prisoner?’ asked Roth.

‘No. We’re leaving him with Iain.’

‘We?’ asked Pearce.

‘Yes. Nathaniel, you’re going to your own office. Oliver, you’re going downstairs to hunt rebels. Try not to get killed again. Iain, you stay here. And when Gwen Crossland arrives, tell her she’s a slow cow. Stay close to your phones, gentlemen.’

As Grant passed through the exit, McCormick shouted after him.

‘Hey Nick,’ he yelled. ‘May I call you Nick?’

Grant did not turn around.

‘Sorry,’ he answered, ‘did I just hear a dead man talking?’

‘Probably. But you’re forgetting one thing about the human race.’

‘And what’s that?’

McCormick gave a proud smile.

‘It’s made up of people like Ewan and Kate.’

Grant abandoned McCormick without another word. With a shrug, Pearce walked out and made his way towards his own office.

Marshall stepped further inside. At first, Roth refused to leave.