**This is an excerpt from my new novel, ‘A Justified State’.**

He raised his hand to shield his eyes from the water spray as the launch drew closer to the base of the towering wall. He could make out the gate that was lodged halfway open. The water lapped around the base as the pressure on the other side forced waves to push through the gap. Bobbing up and down, hooked around the gate and preventing it from shutting, Frank caught a glimpse of pale white, the burgeoning light highlighting the object. A body, he grimaced. He had been doing this job for too long.

The computer guided the launch in gently, cutting the throttle and holding position when they were within a couple of metres of the gate. The water was rougher here, caught in the wash caused by the big waves on the other side. Frank secured himself…