So when one of them raised their gun again and approached, blinking into the darkness, it was the girl Luke thought of first. He could have had his shot. He could have killed them both. But he couldnt risk it. Not with her in harms way.

BOOM!

Luke grabbed her and spun her around and fell on top of her a split second before the gun fired.

He felt excruciating pain as he felt the bullet graze his arm. Blood squirted everywhere. But he knew from experience it was a flesh wound. It was a small price to pay for saving her life.

Her mother shrieked, and Nassar yelled: STOP FIRING, YOU MADMEN!

Luke heard the men raising their guns, and sensed them finally locking him in their sights. He knew this was his last chance.

He spun, took a knee, and fired two shots. He knew they had better be perfect shots, or else he was dead. He wouldnt have time to take a third.

BOOM. BOOM.

Luke saw no movement, as all became still. Finally, there was silence. He looked outside and saw the two men, both dead, both with perfect head shots.

He breathed a long breath of relief.

You are a madman! Nassar repeated again, his voice tremulous, shaking.

Luke turned to him and scowled as he leaned in and grabbed his shirt.

I want them out, he said. Both the girl and your wife. Far from here. More people are coming and they might get hurt. And this is between you and me now.

Nassar nodded to his wife, but she made a deep moan in the back of her throat.

ALI! Luke shouted, and raised his gun to his head. NOW!

The woman started to howl, and now the girl was crying, too.

Nassar leaned across, took the woman by both shoulders, and shook her violently. Irina! Get hold of yourself. Take Sofia and leave.

The woman unclipped herself. She climbed out and took the girl. The woman and girl were thirty yards away and running. Now fifty. For a second, Luke watched them go. He took a deep breath. If hed ever had a daughter, he wondered if she would be like her.

Nassar made a move to leave the car. Too late. Luke grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him back. He slammed the door and put his gun to Nassars head.

Nassar stared at Luke with fierce eyes.

Now you listen to me, Luke said. I want to know everything. Who youre working for. How you did it. When it started. What happens next. Everything, you got me? If I even smell a lie, I swear to God Ill kill you.

If you shoot me, I promise it will be the last thing you ever do.

Talk! Im going to count to three. Just like last time. Remember how that went? But this time, on three I blow your brains out.

Youre insane! Do you know that? Youre insane! Youre…