The car tore through the darkened streets, its tyres screeching as Tad slammed his fist against the dashboard. He was seething, his chest heaving with barely contained rage.

Beside him, his so-called friend sat lounging as if they hadn’t just left a storm of bullets behind them.

The smug grin on the man’s face was enough to make Tad want to throttle him.

"What the hell was that back there?" Tad barked, his voice sharp with anger. "You said we were making a quick stop, not walking into a fucking war zone!"

The man turned to him with an air of casual amusement as he brushed nonexistent dust from his...