charades and as the information registers in Dylan’s mind Steve points up and over the bush and ahead into the forest. Dylan arches his neck slightly to see what he wants him to look at.

His eyes flash open and he drops back down to hide, staring at Steve and raising the pistol again. Steve nods and holds a finger up to his lips again, then hands him his rifle and holds his hand up with the palm facing him to tell him to stay here.

Steve: This is what you are going to have to learn kid.

Dylan watches from the cover of the bush as Steve slides away silently into the trees and draws his sword. The drones are just standing there, looking towards Steve’s house which is no more than one hundred meters ahead.