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It was textbook brilliance—and one of those moments Stone deserved that pat on the back for his skill.

Flying low enough to track the van along the dirt road while keeping the scrublands between them, that when the helicopter burst over the top of the trees, its skids barely missed the top of Bastion’s van.

The noise would have been deafening.

And the surprise tactic had the van shuddering, to then dangerously careen close to the side of the bridge, skidding across the sandy road—only to get dumped with a load of dirt and debris.

And with the windows open, due to the heat from those crocodile boxes, Bastion would have been given a proper dust bath behind the wheel of that van.

Stone laughed, turning the chopper around to land on the other side of the bridge with a slow running river below them.

‘You are such an arsehole! ’ Romy gritted her teeth. Her knuckles were white as she gripped her seat, with her drone control box hanging by the straps around her neck.

‘I told you what I was doing.’ He peered around for the drone, spotting it on the far side, automatically hovering above the trees waiting for the next command.

The bridge wasn’t long, but high enough for Stone to spot a large bask of crocodiles sunning themselves on the riverbank, just below the large sandbar, that had created a swirling pool on one side of the river.

‘I want to throw up.’

‘Hold it.’

‘Why?’

Stone pointed at the van, dead ahead. ‘Bastion could go either way.’

‘You are not playing chicken with a van! Over a bridge. Are you?’

‘Out you get, then.’ Stone unclipped her seatbelt. It’d be safer and cleaner if she was going to be ill. ‘Fresh air will settle your stomach.’

‘What are you doing?’

‘Getting you somewhere safe.’ He slapped a two-way radio into her hand, then pushed her out.

‘Go over there. Away from the bridge, because there are crocodiles down there on the riverbank.’ He was surprised they hadn’t run from the helicopter, which meant they had nests nearby or were hunting for food.

‘You’re leaving me here?’

‘You can keep in contact with the two-way. Just no dirty talk as it’s an open line to the rest of the Stock Squad. Go.’

Romy wore the same fearful look she had yesterday when searching for land after the crocodile had lunged at her on Chook’s houseboat. With wide eyes, she peered over her shoulder at the van.

‘Don’t do it, Stone.’ It was the last thing she said to him before removing her headphones and walking away.

‘I won’t, if he won’t.’

Ensuring Romy was safely far enough away, Stone barely lifted the helicopter, to let it hover over the ground while facing the van. He then smirked at the pasty-faced driver. ‘Come on, Bastion. Show me what you’ve got.’

Bastion brushed the dust and dirt from his thin hair, then patted down the shirt that hung loosely off his skinny frame. He glanced back into the van, and then through the side mirrors while clutching the steering wheel.

‘What are you going to do, Bastion?’ Stone wasn’t going to move. Hell, no. Not with those crocodiles on board, and with a chance to learn the identity of the Stock Agent, there was only one way out of this.

Bastion must have realised the rest of Stock Squad was behind him, because Stone could see that plume of dust in the distance from Finn’s troopy tearing down the track.

The options weren’t hard for Bastion. Stop, get out and behave? Or play?

When a high plume of red dust suddenly poured out from under the van’s tyres until they gripped the asphalt on the bridge and sped straight for the helicopter.

The only problem was that asphalted section of the road was covered in a soft powdery layer of red bulldust, courtesy of the chopper. It made the road slippery like ice, and the tyres struggled to gain traction. Stone watched as the van skidded sideways, hitting the bridge’s side barrier.

‘Well, hell.’ In seconds, Stone landed the chopper, unclipping his harness. He ran for the van, which ever so slowly toppled over the edge.

The splash into the river was massive, and the van bobbed up and down before it floated, then the water’s flow pushed it against the large sandbank.

‘ Stay in the van, Bastion. You’ll be safer in there .’ Stone ran along the bridge, searching for a way to rescue him.

But Bastion, with his skinny frame, climbed out of the driver’s window and started swimming—the wrong way!

‘ Bastion, get out of there. The crocodiles are coming .’ Stone stopped for just a second to peer back at Romy, safe at the far end by the trees.

In the blink of an eye, he took her in, her natural fuss-free beauty and the way a few soft strands brushed over her face, with her soft brown eyes on him, and with no camera to hide behind—it only took a moment to lock it into his memory banks, like a picture to remember for all time.

Stone then gave her a nod and did the most daring thing in his life.

He jumped over the side of the bridge and plunged into the depths of hell.