Arthur put a hand out to signal that the deal was over and received a firm, almost hard, handshake. They nodded in agreement and held eye contact. Arthur felt they were both sizing each other up, looking for confirmation that they had a deal.

Then the man put the rucksack over his shoulders and sat on the back of the motorcycle, which revved its engine and headed towards the border.

Arthur stood for a minute and watched them disappear, before calmly getting into his car and driving towards Elbeyli. He sent a text message to his team: ‘All done.’

He then wrote a message via Susanne’s email to the captors, reporting that the money had been handed over to the men on the motorcycle.

‘We exchanged the passwords that you sent and I shook hands to seal a successful transaction with your representative, who had a very impressive grip,’ he wrote and asked for instructions on where and when Daniel would cross the border.

· * ·

Anita packed a large bag. After conversations with the crisis psychologist, she had gathered various things that Daniel would want when he came out; first and foremost, a pair of glasses so that he could see properly again. She had already sent them with Arthur to Turkey.

She filled Daniel’s old toiletry bag with luxury body scrub and a scrubbing glove, shampoo, lotion, a razor and shaving cream, nail clippers, a face mask and pills for diarrhoea.

She and Susanne found some of Daniel’s old, worn Birkenstock sandals and trainers in a cupboard. She had been told that people store a lot of their memories in the feet and Daniel should therefore have something pleasant and recognizable to wear. She also packed some clothes. Susanne had bought a pair of boxer shorts with hearts on them. In addition, Anita packed a new mobile, Daniel’s favourite kind of liquorice, and some notes and photos that she had collected from Daniel’s friends and immediate family.

On 15 June, three days after the money had been delivered, Anita flew to the Turkish town of Gaziantep with the crisis psychologist. As they prepared to land, she stared into Syria and wondered if she could see the building in which Daniel was being held.

They settled into the hotel, where the representative from the Danish Foreign Ministry had already arrived. The hotel was situated in a beautiful old castle, but, as the psychologist pointed out, the otherwise romantic setting might present some challenges for a recently released hostage. By the entrance, old bullet holes adorned the wall, while the rooms were small and dark with bars on the windows. Anita’s room had bare stone walls and only a small window that made it feel like a cave. The psychologist didn’t think it would be a good idea for Daniel to sleep there.

They checked the bridal suite, which had gold painted walls and furniture, but that wasn’t appropriate either. Daniel shouldn’t be spending his first night of freedom in a bridal bed with his sister. They finally found a corner room with large windows and more air. It would just about do, so Anita set herself up there.

Everything was planned down to the last detail. The emissary from the Danish Foreign Ministry would receive him, while Anita waited in the adjoining room. The psychologist and Anita had already discussed what they would say if Daniel asked about Signe. It seemed to Anita that Signe had become more distant recently, and she rarely answered the phone when Anita called. Perhaps Signe was no longer waiting for Daniel to come home. Perhaps she needed to move on with her life.

The border police along the Turkish−Syrian border were informed that they should call Arthur if they came across a blond Dane. Arthur kept a lookout for him, too, and drove back and forth along the border for several days, but nothing happened.

Time passed. Anita sat in the sun at the hotel, managing the fundraising, crocheting and, during the first days, waiting patiently for her brother to cross the border. Then a nervousness began to spread. All the evidence suggested that Daniel would be the last hostage to be released for the time being. It had occurred to them more than once that ISIS might refuse to release him if this was going to be their final deal.

Arthur sent messages to the kidnappers and asked about Daniel, but there was no reply.

· * ·

Daniel woke up every morning with a heavy head and body from disturbed sleep and nightmares. Hostages were usually released in the morning, but the Beatles kept Daniel in suspense.

You think you’re going home and then you don’t, said his inner voice.

Most of the other released hostages had been freed two, three or four days after the last proof-of-life question. One had had to wait for eight days, but that didn’t make Daniel feel any easier, even though he had been waiting for only three days.

He went and sat with Alan and David.

‘If I get out, I’ll tell your children how great you’ve been,’ he said.

‘You’ve also been great, Daniel. You helped us to work out.’ They told him that they couldn’t understand how he had managed to recover from the torture he had been subjected to in the beginning.

They hugged each other. Daniel never knew whether he would suddenly be fetched, so he wanted to make sure that he had said goodbye to the remaining seven hostages.

Four days after Daniel had been given his question about the apple-green car, the Beatles asked Toni a question. It only made Daniel even more uncertain and despondent, because it could mean that the German was first in line to be released.

The days crawled by and so did the nights. Daniel lay sleepless, staring out into the darkness and got up before dawn.

On the morning of 17 June, James was also awake. He went over and sat with Daniel and put his hand on his knee.

‘You need to be strong,’ said James softly. ‘Don’t worry, everything will be OK. They’ll probably come in a minute and then you’ll be on your way.’

Daniel didn’t understand where James got his extraordinary reserves of inner strength. He wished so much for all of them to be on their way home, not just himself and Toni.

James went back to sleep in his place in the corner. Shortly after, the Beatles banged on the cell door. They all knelt and turned to face the wall, their hands over their heads a few inches from the concrete. It was now, thought Daniel, that he would either die or go home.

The Beatles asked Daniel and Toni to turn around. In front of them stood a woman whom Daniel hadn’t seen before, but who had to be the other woman who was locked up with Kayla. When she removed her veil, he saw that she was quite a bit older than him.

‘Can you confirm that she’s alive?’ asked the Beatles.

‘Yes,’ answered Daniel.

The Beatles ordered the woman to pass on a message.

‘Just say they should hurry up and pay the money and do what they’re being told to do,’ she said.

Then she had to write the ransom sum on a piece of paper. She seemed nervous and Daniel tried to calm her by asking whether there was anything else he should tell her family.

‘Yes,’ she replied. ‘Tell them I love them.’

‘Is there anything else you want to say?’ asked one of the Beatles irritably.

‘No.’

Then she was taken from the cell.

Daniel ended up leaving the cell without another word. He and Toni suddenly had blankets thrown over their heads; their hands were handcuffed behind their backs and, with a heavy shove, they were led away.

They were put into the back seat of a car. All three Beatles were going with them and George started the car. The hostages were told to duck down so that no one could see them.

‘Tell us what you know about us,’ ordered George from the front seat.

‘I know you’re from Great Britain and that you’re here to perform jihad,’ said Daniel.

‘Who are the Beatles?’ they asked.

‘That’s you,’ said Daniel.