Red and blue lights flashed, sirens screamed, and tyres screeched on the damp road as the police cars tore through the narrow streets. Their target – a rather nondescript brown Ford Fiesta – looked a rather unlikely escape vehicle, but the way it raced over the potholed tarmac showed that its sole occupant thought otherwise. Rounding another sharp corner (and ricocheting off yet another lamp post), it swept down towards the docks.

It is a well-known fact that no-one, no matter how good a driver they may be, can outrun highly tuned police cruisers in a beat-up Ford Fiesta. The chase will always end with a rather sharp stop. In this case, the stop was provided by a carelessly parked 18-wheeler. The Fiesta clipped its bumper, spun round, and came to rest against a wall, surrounded by cheerless uniformed men holding pistols.

“Step out of the car and keep your hands above your head, sir!” shouted one of them. For a moment, there was silence.

The door slowly swung open, and Ezra Palmer emerged.