‘Ah, Tom.’ Marcie pronounced his name with an odd relish. ‘If only you would give in to your lupine blood, overcome your ancient resister’s heritage. What a leader you would make.’

‘You wanted me dead before.’

‘My judgement was perhaps a little coloured … Takapa has studied the preliminary genetic samples we took from you in New Orleans. It seems there is much we can learn from you.’ Another step closer. ‘But why should we have to take your body’s secrets from you by force? If you were to work with us, help us – we would spare your life and your family too.’

‘Don’t listen to her,’ Kate snapped. ‘She’s trying to trick you.’

Tom’s mind was racing. ‘And Kate?’

‘She must do as she is told,’ said Marcie firmly. She took another step closer. ‘We must continue our bloodline, Tom.’

‘She’ll give me to Takapa, Tom.’ Kate’s voice was high and forced. ‘She’ll have me raped.’

‘I prefer the phrase “force-mated”,’ said Marcie, eyes shining. ‘To cement the union of our ideals, the forging of our beautiful lupine future.’

Unable to go forwards or back, Tom and Kate edged towards the side of the bridge, where the top of the scaffolding peeped over the rail, their one teasing hope of escape.

Marcie, Swagger and his heavies began to close in on them. Only Polar hung back, still clutching his camera.

‘She’s won, Kate,’ Tom said bitterly.

Marcie crowed in triumph. ‘Broken at last!’

Kate stared at him in disbelief. ‘Tom, no!’

Then, suddenly, for a split second the bridge was lit up with a blinding flash – Polar, to Tom’s left, had taken another picture.

‘You stupid freak!’ Swagger shouted, rubbing his eyes, distracted.

And in that moment, Tom and Kate acted.

Kate kicked her mother in the stomach. Marcie screeched and fell back.

At the same time, Tom wrested the club from Swagger’s hands. It was a gruesome weapon. But what choice did he have? He hefted its weight, his hands sweaty and arms tingling. A strange tinge of red blurred across his vision. Then he swung the club at Swagger.

Swagger took a hard blow to the head. He shouted out and crumpled to the ground. One of the heavies grabbed Tom around the neck, but Tom shoved the spiked end of the bat up into his attacker’s face. The thug cried out in pain, staggered and fell. Tom kicked him to make sure he stayed down. Kate screamed, but he ignored her, swung the bat again and knocked another thug’s legs from under him, felt the nails snag on clothing and flesh, and wrenched them free with vicious satisfaction.

‘Tom!’ Kate was screaming. It sounded like she was a hundred miles away.

The fourth of Swagger’s thugs was running away back down the bridge, Polar close behind him, ignoring Marcie’s demands that they stand their ground.