She was planting a shaped explosive device directly above an energy conduit that snaked through the city, from which every home, office and governmental department drew power. The device was not powerful enough to kill anyone, but would send a laser spike into the conduit, slicing through it like a guillotine and initiating a feedback pulse that would disrupt every transformer within a kilometre. Anneke had only planted a few, but she intended to sow many, many more. If she got the chance. She heard a tiny click and spun round, knowing it was too late. Even throwing herself to the side would make no difference. She knew this. Knew in the deepest part of herself that her time was up. Then everything happened at once. As she spun and dodged, twisting her head to see, a man came into view. Gun out, point blank range. The perfect kill shot. In the same instant in which she registered this, there was a furious flash of light.
