Mason couldn’t contain his amusement, and he squatted down next to Sinclair, who flinched.

‘Do you know what the rest of your life looks like, pal?’ Mason smirked. ‘What do you think happens to crooked cops in prison?’

The realisation caused the colour to drain from Sinclair’s face, and he couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. Feebly, he turned to Alan once more, pressed his two hands together and sobbed.

‘Please, Joe. Just kill me.’ Sinclair was distraught. ‘At least do that for me.’

Alan stared down at his mentor and a man he thought of as his friend. The Riders were right. Sinclair would be tormented in prison, most likely to spend his sentence in solitary for his own safety. The man had thrown away a long and respected career, his legacy and every fibre of his freedom for a payday. It saddened him, and as Alan looked into the man’s desperate gaze, Alan could feel his finger twitch.

‘Don’t do it, Joe.’ All of them turned their heads to Sam, who had stopped a few steps away. He’d watched Alan toy with the idea in his head. ‘If you do it, there’s no going back. Different paths, remember?’

The words hit home, and Alan slid the gun into his holster, much to the dismay of Sinclair who slumped onto his side. Behind them all, the Riders began to filter out of the mill, the remaining members of Vasquez’s crew with their hands on their heads and their mortality clearly on their minds. Donnie emerged, dragging a bound and gagged Sykes through the dirt, the man howling through the cloth as they paid little attention to his shattered shin.

Wyatt and Mason stared unblinkingly at him, and the fear in Sykes’s eyes was palpable. Lighting another cigarette, Wyatt turned to Alan and blew smoke into the sunshine.

‘Sykes is coming with us. The rest are for you. Hell of a bust.’ Wyatt nodded his respect to Alan. ‘Did you do that to Sykes?’

‘You’re damn right I did,’ Alan confirmed proudly. ‘Pretty sure I don’t want to know what you plan to do with him, do I?’

‘No, Agent Alan.’ Wyatt turned with a smile. ‘No, you don’t.’

As the Riders filtered towards the exit, Sam shuffled slowly alongside Alex, watching with amazement as the scene concluded around him. Whether the outcome was for the greater good or not, didn’t concern him.

All that mattered was Alex was safe.

He clung to her for support, adding a little extra squeeze of happiness that he’d made it in time.

* * *