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said. He swam around the submerged Land Rover and dived beneath the water’s surface. The ship’s generator pounded in his ears. He found Sarah immediately. She was slumped over the steering wheel. He wrapped an arm under her breasts and pulled her clear. Once on the surface he swam sidestroke to the beach. Heinrich had stripped off his gear and was in the water as well. He waded to shore.
    Together they dragged Sarah onto dry sand. Alex checked and found she had a pulse but wasn’t breathing.
    Alex blew two sharp breaths into Sarah’s mouth and seawater erupted from her as she coughed and choked. Alex rolled her onto her side as the convulsing continued. ‘Jesus, you had me worried,’ he said, wiping his mouth.
    Sarah tried to sit up and coughed again, but Alex told her to lie down. ‘Fuck. That was wild,’ she spluttered. She reached up for him and pulled his head to her and kissed him.
    Alex broke free and said to Heinrich, ‘What are you staring at? Let’sget on board and give these Hummers the only taste of beach driving they’re ever going to get.’
    They had to sidestep as the first Hummer bounced off the main ramp onto the rickety extensions. The old Land Rover on the seabed took the strain and Alex breathed a little easier as the new four-wheel drive splashed through the shallows and carved twin ruts through the wet sand. Inside the ship, Kufa, a black Zimbabwean former mercenary, was climbing into a vehicle. He waved at Alex, grinning broadly.
    Sarah insisted she was fine and followed Alex and Heinrich back onto the ship. Alex pulled on his gear again. He went to the nearest vehicle and ripped off the shipment papers taped to the windscreen and got behind the wheel.
    Alex gunned the big engine and drove across the deck to the square of light at the end. He geared down to second as he hit the ramps and felt the truck lurch as he bounced over the swaying, rising bridge. He accelerated up the beach and pulled to a halt next to Danielle’s beach tent. The young Irishwoman sat behind a fold-out camping table, on top of which was a laptop computer and a laser printer powered by a truck battery and an inverter.
    â€˜How’s Sarah?’ she asked. It was, Alex thought, as though she was asking if the other woman was over a headache, rather than recovering from a near-death experience. Why was it that women said they didn’t mind being in an open relationship when they didn’t mean it?
    â€˜She’ll live. Everything OK here?’
    â€˜Give me your engine and chassis numbers.’
    Alex ignored the rebuff and read the lengthy numbers from the paperwork he’d taken from the windscreen. Danielle was the antithesis of Sarah. The Irishwoman rarely made a move in life without carefully weighing the pros and cons, then setting herself a detailed plan for the way ahead.
    Danielle typed the numbers into her computer and sent the document to the laser printer. The paperwork that emerged was identical to that which Alex had taken from the Hummer, except for the vehicle identification and destination details. Danielle passed the documentand some tape to Alex and he fixed it to the windscreen, where the original had been.
    He turned back to her. ‘Danielle, I . . .’
    â€˜Forget it. You’re the one who kept telling us speed was essential. Now get moving. I really was worried about Sarah, and I’m pleased she’s OK. I hope you’ll both be happy together.’
    He shook his head and trod angrily on the accelerator. Alex climbed the pass through the dunes and sped along the narrow tracks that led to firmer ground. Jose waved him forward, until he was at the rear of a semitrailer, a double-deck car transporter. The vehicle’s African driver hovered nearby, dragging on a cigarette.
    â€˜Everything OK, brother?’ Jose asked. The Mozambican’s smile showed he was enjoying himself, as ever.
    Alex nodded. ‘So far so