The bulletproof vest still fitted perfectly snug under her top. With a thick coat, no one would even guess she was wearing it. Not that it would stop her from getting killed by a bullet through the head, though. She looked down at the wooden cases below and pulled out two handguns. She shoved one into her waistband under her jacket and tucked one in her boot. She tried to walk but it felt awkward, and the boot looked bulky. Deciding to swap the second gun for a knife, she replaced the false front and closed the cabinet door. She then looked in the mirror. The vest didn’t show, and her right boot hid the knife sufficiently.

She took one last look around her father’s bedroom. ‘Oh, Dad, if you can hear me, send me good luck. I think I just might need it.’

As she opened the front door, she felt the cold air hit her face. Winter was definitely on its way. The sky was dark, and yet she felt so alive; perhaps it was fear or excitement, but either way, she was charged up on adrenaline and ready for the fray.

Her Range Rover was kept out of view beyond the four-car garage. She marched across the gravel drive before she took one last look around and then she hurried behind the garage and opened the car door. It was freezing inside, so she turned on the heaters and waited for the windows to clear. With her new leather gloves covering her hand and the prosthetic, she gripped the wheel and pulled away. There was only one road to her house, so she was safe in the knowledge that no one was following her. She paused at the end of the long drive and looked right carefully, studying the passing points along the narrow lane. It was clear there were no cars waiting, except for an old banger that had been dumped at the side of the road. No one was inside, so she knew she wasn’t being watched. She had her hair in a ponytail, her hair now being long enough to do so, and with a pair of night driving glasses on, she thought that it was very unlikely anyone would recognize her. To ease her nerves, she put the radio on, and to her delight, Alicia Keys was singing ‘Girl on Fire’. How apt, she thought, as she sang along to the words. The beat and the lyrics boosted her conviction that she was in the right frame of mind for what lay ahead. That was until the song came to an end, and a sudden icy feeling crept over her body. The lane was pitch-black, but her powerful headlights guided the way.