He watches them, glancing away from the street just for a few seconds, and he feels himself loosening still more. And through it he feels the old fierce protectiveness reasserting itself, doubled now. Anything for them. Absolutely anything, to make sure they're safe.

"We'll make it work," he says, bringing the car slowly to a stop. Ahead of them the street opens up again and there are the cars, but the ones in front of them are dark and dead. The tracks dip down and down, into the ground, and it's there that light shows. In front of the opening with fire burning in a metal drum sit a few men, also with guns, but they don't look like the thugs prowling the streets.

Check-in. He almost smiles. He's never liked this place all that much. They've been here, but he never liked it.

"C'mon." He pulls the keys out of the ignition and shoves the door open.