It was only much later that Adam was able to piece together what had happened, replaying the few sound and visual clues that were stored in his subconscious. Just as he realised exactly what the rider and his passenger were about, he was hit from the right by what felt like a steam train whose brakes had failed. As he went down, an apparent flying saucer appeared, spinning through the air before him. He heard three or more cracks, which – thanks to his time in Helmand – he recognised as gunfire.
He hit the hard, unyielding terrace with a bonejarring – and it later transpired, rib-cracking – force that propelled all the breath from him. There was a flash of light and then the world turned to smoke. He must have passed out for a moment because he awoke on his back, a woman’s face inches from his own. At first he thought she was going to kiss him, but then he felt the jittery little slaps she was delivering to his cheek.
‘You OK?’ she asked. It was the dark–haired hiker.
‘Yes,’ he croaked. ‘You can stop hitting me now.’
‘OK, but don’t move. I heard something pop as you went down.’
‘I think that was my pride.’
Adam twisted his head slightly. One of the circular café table tops – the flying saucer – was lying in the road. The blonde was talking to the three other customers, who were standing next to it. One of them held a big automatic pistol in his hand. Adam could smell the fumes from discharged weapons swirling in the air.
His stomach cramped and he thought he might be sick.
‘What happened?’ he asked the woman. Then, as she touched his torso: ‘Ow, FUCK!’
‘Ribs bruised or cracked,’ she announced.
‘Who are you?’
‘Call me Freddie.’
‘Are you a doctor, Freddie?’
She shook her head. ‘Are you a gangster of some kind?’
‘What?’ he replied. Why would she think that? ‘No, of course not.’
‘Well, who have you been rubbing up the wrong way?’
‘Nobody.’
Now the blonde was standing over him. He had to squint as he looked up at her, the sun flaring behind her head. ‘Really?’ Blondie said. ‘Because someone just called in a hit on you.’