Lauren took a one-knee firing position and looked through her scope. ‘I’ll work from left.’

‘Roger that,’ Bruce said. ‘Ready?’

‘As I’ll ever be.’

Lauren felt grim as she looked through her sight. Greying hair, sweaty necks. Someone’s husband, someone’s granddad. She shot two guys between the shoulder blades, while Bruce did exactly the same. The fifth target was in front of the truck, but seemed to think the bullets were coming from Tovah’s direction and actually stepped out of cover and right into Lauren’s field of view. It was so easy it seemed unfair.

‘Shit, yeah,’ Bruce shouted, as he whacked Lauren on the back. But she was shaking and he realised he’d hit the wrong tone. ‘You OK?’

‘No,’ Lauren said, choking back tears. ‘No I’m not.’

Bruce realised he needed to take charge. They were less than two hundred metres from the supermarket, so it seemed pointless going back to the bikes. ‘Let’s roll,’ he said, as he rubbed Lauren’s back. ‘You’ll be fine, mate.’

Tovah came enthusiastically over the intercom. ‘You kiddies can shoot!’ she yelped. ‘Kyle, what’s the situation with incoming?’

‘James and Ryan are almost here,’ Kyle said. ‘Looks like the Mercedes and the van didn’t like what they’ve seen and are presently keeping their distance.’

‘Copy that,’ Tovah said as she started running in the open towards the Toyota. ‘There’s still two hostiles out by the garage.’

‘Will they attack after we just wiped their buddies out?’ Bruce asked.

By this time, Tovah had jogged to within speaking distance, and could see that Lauren was shaken up. ‘Our wings are an eight-metre target and one shot will deflate them,’ Tovah said. ‘We can’t have anyone close enough to take pot shots.’

Bruce nodded, but Lauren seemed spaced out. ‘Get back inside with Kyle,’ Bruce told her soothingly. ‘Get your plane running and leave when you get the all-clear.’

‘Right,’ Lauren said, unable to keep her eyes off the dead bodies.

‘You and me drive,’ Tovah told Bruce, glancing about warily as she opened the driver’s door of the Toyota, and pleased to spot a key in the ignition.

‘I’ve had my eye on them,’ Kyle said, over the com. ‘They’re around the garage. They’ve definitely not made a run for it.’

‘Roger that,’ Tovah said, as Bruce jumped into the rear of the pick-up.

The garage was five hundred metres, heading away from the supermarket. The drive was a straight line, interrupted only by a couple of speed humps. Tovah kept super low, peeking over the dashboard as she rammed the accelerator. In the distance, she heard James and Ryan’s dirt bikes approaching from the opposite side of the supermarket. Then she jolted in fright as a bullet shot through the cab, shattering both front and rear screens.

‘Crap!’ Bruce shouted, shielding his face as glass showered the open rear compartment.