Gerard was carrying the toolbox. He didn’t know how to use the tools and neither did Colin. But the leader did.

‘Good to go,’ Colin whispered and waved them on.

Sure-footed thanks to their night-vision goggles, they entered the clearing. None of the men would admit it, but their hearts were beating in time with their ragged breathing and adrenalin was coursing through their bodies.

With another glance around, Gerard jogged to the first of the machines and pulled the keys out of the ignition. He pocketed them and moved on to the next one.

Colin shadowed the other man and waited for instructions. The leader took some wire-cutters from the toolbox then popped the bonnet of the first bulldozer.

‘Need a light here,’ he said in a low voice.

Colin saw the man had lifted his night-vision goggles and he did the same. He took a small torch from behind his ear and shone it onto the engine.

A small snip and it was done.

‘Easier than having a vasectomy,’ the leader had joked when he’d told them his plan. ‘A quick snip and the machines won’t start in the morning.’

Colin had thought it was an excellent idea, which was why he’d volunteered his services. At home his wife and daughter would be sitting in front of the television, waiting anxiously for him to come home. This was more important, though. He’d sat down with them both before he’d left and explained what he was doing was for the future of the world. For them, for his grandchildren.

Colin trod softly through the clearing to the next bulldozer, the moon reflecting off the cab window. He watched as the other man placed the pliers on the wires and cut. It was simple, he marvelled. His one hope was what they were doing would make a difference. That was what he wanted to do; make a difference to everyone’s future.

‘Next one.’

They moved methodically from one machine to the next. Colin looked at his watch. It had taken them less than twenty minutes and there was only one left to go.

He heard the pop of the last bonnet and then swearing as the pliers rattled through the engine, sounding very loud in the dark clear night, before landing heavily on the grass.

‘Shit.’

Colin went to help, shining the torch under the tractor. The other man shimmied under and grabbed the pliers, before quickly disabling the machine. ‘I’m just going to take a coupling fitting off the back of this one,’ he said. ‘I’ve got a place to on-sell it to. In fact, I might go back and remove a few other bits and pieces. I bet a starter motor would be worth a few hundred.’

‘Go for it. Might as well make a profit from these bastards while we’re at it. Can go into our fighting fund.’ Colin wandered around the front and stood with his back to the loader. The stars were incredibly beautiful tonight. There was a movement off to the side and, slipping his goggles back on, he saw a kangaroo staring at him through the trees.