7Clean Sweat and SalivaThe men sped over the bridge across the Thames, the breeze whipping at their faces and gulls screaming disapproval from their perches on the decaying wooden channel markers that stuck out of the river like stained teeth. It was a desperate race.
The first man had about twenty feet on the other. He was tall and broad, and stretched with the long stride of a big cat, looking like he could run forever. His fair hair was cut long, though right now it whipped back over his ears disguising its length.
His lope served him well on the straight, but when he reached the other side of the bridge, he lost ground on the turn. Trying to shorten his stride he skidded around the corner onto the road, lost his footing, and dipped his left hand to the pavement to balance himself bef
