Tom braced himself against the low roof and cursed as they clattered over the gaping hole in the road, banging his head on the ceiling in the process.

"Aw, Jesus," Tom muttered, glancing back to make sure Neil and Dexter were okay. "The roads here are crap. Makes the boardwalks look like a damn freeway."

He gave Mike a look over the gearshift and did something he'd never been able to do before, not here at least. It never would have occurred to him. He reached out and grasped Mike by the bicep, just squeezing gently, thumb swiping the inside of his arm.

"Hey," he said softly, "Take it easy. We leave the undercarriage up and down this footpath, we're twice as screwed as before."