‘One of my brother’s men decided that was the moment he was going to take a piss on the flag, and he opened fire just as the deal was beginning. In an open, public market, he took his M16 rifle, and he unloaded it. He killed three members of the terrorist cell. Five innocent members of the public’ – Alan took a deep breath – ‘and he killed my brother when he tried to stop him.’

Sam sat back in his chair, exasperated. He didn’t need Alan to connect the dots for him. Alan’s reason for hunting Sykes was clear as day.

‘When the dust settled, to avoid a shitstorm of investigations, Sykes was dishonourably discharged, and he disappeared. Can you believe that?’ Alan shook his head. ‘The man should have been rotting in a military prison, but due to the rising wave of discourse in this country against our armed forces, they swept him under the rug. Maybe they were planning on something after the fact, but the man disappeared. Vanished. So, I honoured my brother, I served for a decade and when I was discharged, I tracked him down and every bit of me wanted to put a bullet between his eyes.’

‘I know that feeling,’ Sam offered.

‘No, you don’t. Because you don’t have the restraint.’ Alan kept his eyes firmly on Sinclair’s truck and the neighbouring car park. ‘I found the person responsible for killing the person I held dearest in the world, but I knew killing him would make me no different. So, I went to work, I worked my way to this position and now we are this fucking close to bringing him down and I’ll be damned if I let you or anyone stop me.’

A silent tension filled the car like it was taking on water, and before Sam could answer, a black van rolled past their car. Both of them watched as it drove past Sinclair’s van and turned into the car park.

Alan’s hand instinctively gripped the door handle, the other sliding into his blazer, his fingers wrapping around his pistol.

‘You’re wrong.’ Sam spoke quietly. ‘I found the man responsible for killing my little boy, and I beat him near to death. I had every intention of killing him. I mean, this guy took away my boy. But I didn’t. I realised that if I did that, I couldn’t make a difference. I couldn’t fight back against those who break the law and those who let them get away with it.’

‘You’re a vigilante.’ Alan spun his head round. ‘You may have good intentions, Sam. But you still chose your path.’

‘I did.’ Sam sat up with pride. ‘And I’d walk it again.’