They followed Sanguine’s car round the corner, swerving to avoid an oncoming van. The roads were slick with rain and the back of the Bentley swung wildly, but Skulduggery kept it under control. They overtook a car on the inside and then overtook another by crossing to the opposite lane. Half a dozen drivers blasted their horns as Skulduggery nudged the Bentley back into their own lane, and now there was nothing between them and Sanguine except a whole lot of road.

“Fletcher,” Skulduggery said, “can you teleport over? Grab the Professor?”

Fletcher stared at the car in front, gripping the headrest of Valkyrie’s seat.

“It’s moving too fast,” he said. “A moving target’s too hard.”

The speed piled on. Valkyrie never had any idea that the Bentley could go this fast. They were gaining and they were gaining easily.

The car in front took a right and took it hard. The tyres squealed as the car drifted sideways, but Sanguine was good and with a sudden burst of speed it leaped onward.

Skulduggery turned the wheel and tapped the brake, his hand working the gear stick, and the Bentley growled in appreciation. He straightened the car out and brought it to a roar again and Valkyrie felt herself being pressed back into her seat. The streets whipped by. She saw Springheeled Jack open the passenger door of the car in front and move out slightly. He looked down at the road passing beneath him, like he was judging their speed.

Fletcher leaned forward. “What the hell’s he doing? He’s not going to jump, is he?”

But he didn’t jump. Defying all laws of inertia and velocity, Jack planted his foot on the ground and simply stepped out, and now he was standing on the road as they hurtled towards him.

“This is not good,” Skulduggery murmured.

Jack leaped before the Bentley hit him, landing on the bonnet without even swaying. He looked down at them, his ragged coat flapping in the wind and his hat staying on.

“If there is one thing I cannot abide,” Skulduggery said, pointing his gun out of the window, “it’s hood ornaments.”

Before he could fire, Jack stepped up on to the roof.

“I’ve got him,” Tanith said, handing her sword to Fletcher and opening the window. Moving with unerring grace, she slid out of the car.

“We can’t do this,” Valkyrie said, glimpsing the astonished faces of people they passed. “We’re in public, for God’s sake! People can see us!”

But Skulduggery’s attention had returned to closing the gap on the car in front. They swerved on to a side street and the Bentley roared. They were gaining again.