Storm and Stone

by Joss Stirling

  Good luck with that, thought Raven.

  Siobhan and Johnny arrived in the orangery under the escort of a policewoman.

  ‘Raven, is everyone safe?’ Siobhan asked anxiously. ‘Where’s Kieran?’

  ‘He’s gone to hospital with his godfather.’ She held up a hand to pre-empt Siobhan’s next question. ‘Don’t worry: he wasn’t hurt—it’s Isaac who was roughed up. They interrogated him forcibly to find out what he knew.’

  ‘But he’s going to pull through?’

  ‘I think so.’

  Johnny yawned. ‘Sorry, can’t help myself. This mess is going to take hours to sort out. Do you think it would be OK if we went back to our rooms until they need us?’

  Raven was flattered he looked to her for a lead, especially when she was feeling so confused herself. ‘I imagine so. I take it you’ve already given a statement?’

  ‘Yes. Back at the crash site.’

  ‘I’m waiting to give mine.’ She closed her eyes briefly, weariness catching up with her. She wished she still had her phone but that had been left somewhere in the manor, and she doubted she would be reunited with it for quite a while.

  ‘Good, then we’ll see you in the morning.’ Johnny glanced outside where dawn had arrived an hour ago. ‘I mean in the afternoon.’

  ‘Yes, see you then.’

  Siobhan gave Raven a hug. ‘I know we hardly knew each other before all this happened, but I just want to say a big thank you again. You’ll get sick of me saying it. You were so great—so were Joe and Kieran. Friends?’

  ‘Yes, of course, we’re friends.’ Raven grinned, pleased that she had at least two allies in Westron.

  The pair walked away hand in hand.

  Joe came over with the man in camouflage. ‘Raven, this is Sergeant Rivers. He headed Isaac’s team.’

  Rivers shook her hand. ‘Pleased to meet you, Miss Stone. I hear a lot of the success of today’s operation is down to you.’

  ‘I think it was more of a joint effort.’

  ‘Yes—Storm and Stone to the rescue. They made quite a team, sir,’ said Joe, ruffling her hair.

  Rivers folded his arms across his broad chest, biceps bulging in his tight T-shirt. ‘I still can’t believe Kieran drove that minibus off the road. I’ll have to see if he’ll consider a transfer to Wolves. We like recruits who can jump in with the right action at the right time.’

  Joe laughed. ‘I think he’s a total Owl, sir. The most owlish of the bunch.’

  Raven wrinkled her forehead in puzzlement. ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘Our organization, Miss Stone,’ said Rivers. ‘We have nicknames for the groups of young people taking our training.’

  ‘It’s good training, Raven—none of that brainwashing stuff they did at the manor,’ Joe added.

  ‘I’m in charge of the Wolves, the hunters.’ The sergeant cleared his throat, realizing he was saying too much to an outsider. ‘But I won’t bore you with the details for the moment. You need to get some rest.’

  ‘I don’t find it in the least bit boring,’ she assured him, pleased to learn something real about Kieran and Joe at long last.

  ‘Ask Kieran about it when you see him,’ said Joe. ‘Look, Raven, I just came over to say goodbye. I’m going back to headquarters. We’ve still got a huge amount of mopping up to do on this operation—two trustees still at large and an entire global network of international schools to be investigated. Kieran and I are going to be very busy. But I just wanted to say that it’s been an honour to work with you.’ He embraced her. ‘You’ve shone from beginning to end.’

  ‘Oh, er, thanks.’ So was this it? No, it couldn’t be. ‘I’ll be seeing you again soon, won’t I?’

  Joe flicked a look at the sergeant’s forbidding expression. ‘We’ll have to see. I’m sure Kieran will be in touch to give you his own thanks.’

  She didn’t want thanks. He could screw thanks! ‘He will? You’re sure?’

  His gaze was fixed somewhere over her head. ‘Just stay strong, OK? Oh, I forgot to mention: they arrested your granddad along with the other staff members … ’

  ‘What! You’re only just telling me this now!’

  ‘Don’t worry—I told the policeman to release him immediately. He should be on his way back.’

  A policewoman came over and touched her shoulder. ‘Are you ready to give your statement now, Miss?’

  ‘What? Yes. Yes, I am.’

  Joe patted her back as he stepped away. ‘I’ll leave you to it then. Goodbye, Raven.’

  ‘Goodbye, Joe.’ She caught his sleeve as he turned to leave. ‘Before you go, tell me something: were your parents ever in prison or rehab?’

  He smiled sheepishly. ‘Never. Dad’s biggest crime is having a golf handicap lower than mine and Mom is a sweetheart who would be mother to the entire world if she could.’

  ‘Was anything you told me the truth?’

  ‘They do live in New York. Everything else was a smokescreen,’ he gestured around him at Rivers and the police officers, ‘for this.’

  She let him go, depressed that she had known so little about him and Kieran. It revived all her old fears that her relationship with Kieran had been equally fake. ‘I’m glad you’ve got them behind you. Be happy, Joe.’

  ‘You too.’

  ‘Now, Miss, where would you like to do this? Is there a responsible adult we can have sit in on your interview?’ asked the policewoman.

  Yeah, you just arrested him.

  ‘My grandfather. Joe said he’s heading back to our cottage.’

  ‘Shall we take this over there then?’

  Raven decided she had had her fill of the swimming pool. She plucked the last rose still hanging on in her hairclip and dropped it on the tiles, petals spilling like drops of blood. ‘Yes, let’s do that.’

  When the policewoman left, Raven and her grandfather sat facing each other across the table.

  ‘Well,’ he said.

  Raven toyed with the mug she had drunk from while giving her statement. ‘It’s been quite a night.’

  He took her hand. ‘You need to know, darling, that my job has gone up the spout. The business behind the school has been suspended pending investigations. The policeman who drove me back said parents were being informed and told to make arrangements to collect their children today.’

  ‘I hope not. Half of them should be in the dock for putting their kids through the manor experience.’

  ‘The manor children are being handled separately. Social workers are coming here to counsel them. The majority of the students never went there though, so they’re being sent home.’

  ‘I see.’ Raven sipped the last cold mouthful of tea. She hadn’t been to bed yet and, though she felt exhausted, couldn’t imagine sleeping with so many questions buzzing round in her head, chief of which was whether Kieran was ever going to contact her.

  ‘Do you want some more bad news?’ her granddad asked.

  ‘Not really, but I suppose I’d better get it over with.’ Her life was one big sigh at the moment.

  ‘My pension was a company one. If the Union of International Schools goes under, I may not see a penny of it. Apparently, they did not organize their finances to protect their staff as they were legally bound to do.’

  ‘We’ll have no income?’

  ‘And no home. We’re going to have to leave here.’ His eyes were suspiciously bright. ‘But don’t worry: I’ll find something. I have some other savings and I’m going to the job centre tomorrow and … and we’ll talk to the benefits people about getting somewhere to stay.’

  Raven absorbed this new blow slowly. They were only a whisker away from being destitute.

  ‘I’m really sorry, darling. It’s my fault. I’ve been working for the wrong people—I should’ve seen it. I should’ve asked more questions.’

  ‘You mustn’t blame yourself, Granddad. How were you to know?’ She came round the table and hugged him tight. ‘Don’t worry—I’ll get a job too. I’m se
venteen. I’m sure I can find something.’

  ‘But college … ’

  ‘College can wait a year or so until we are back on our feet.’

  He shook with silent sobs. Raven buried her face in his neck, refusing to cry. He needed her to be strong and that’s what she would be.

  ‘We’ll come through this, trust me.’

  ‘I don’t deserve you, Raven.’

  ‘You deserve so much more, Granddad.’

  After a much needed shower and sleep, Raven decided to brave the school to see how the students were doing. She went over at supper time to find a very subdued gathering. Many of the pupils had already left in their parents’ cars, the celebrities and other important people wanting to put as much distance as possible between themselves and scandal. The media had taken up residence at the end of the drive, police and social workers in the grounds—nothing was as it had been at Westron. The catering crew were still there, with the same shamed, stunned look as her grandfather, but they had obviously agreed to the authorities’ request to stay on and feed those left behind. She took a tray and helped herself to a packet of sandwiches and crisps. She could feel the eyes of many of her year on her and wondered just what they were thinking now. It must be so odd to them to find the hate figure of the school had ended up bringing the whole place down around their ears like the Bible story of Samson chained to the pillar. Unlike that ancient hero, she had no intention of going down in the rubble. She straightened her spine and braved the dining room.

  ‘Raven, over here!’ called Siobhan. She was sitting with Johnny on the central and most coveted table.

  Raven put down her tray. ‘Had a good sleep?’

  ‘Yes. Woke to find multiple messages from my parents but I’m not talking to them. I’m thinking of asking my aunt in London if I can go to her for the moment.’

  ‘Which has the advantage that it’s near my older sister. I’m going to her,’ said Johnny. ‘Both of us are divorcing our parents.’

  ‘Can you do that to parents?’ asked Siobhan.

  ‘Un-adopting them. There should be a ceremony. My sister hit the roof when she heard what had happened here.’

  ‘And so she should,’ agreed Raven. She felt a pang of gratitude that her own parents had always been perfectly happy with her as she was. She missed them so much. She could do with their help now.

  ‘How about you?’ Siobhan’s enquiry was interrupted by Adewale, who came to stand beside her.

  What now? Raven wondered.

  ‘Raven, can I have a word?’

  ‘Sure.’ She pushed her tray away.

  ‘Gina’s in with the counsellors.’

  ‘That’s good.’

  ‘She had a bit of a meltdown when the police arrived. The cracks were showing, to be honest with you, before then.’ Adewale struggled to meet her eye and finally made himself do so. ‘Anyway, she confessed that she had no proof that you put my watch in her things—that she might even have done it herself—not that she remembers either way.’

  ‘I didn’t take it, Adewale.’

  ‘Yes, I guess I know that now. So I’ve a massive apology I owe you—not just for accusing you but for what I did afterwards.’

  The cricket pavilion.

  ‘You were cruel. I don’t know how you could do that to someone.’

  ‘I know.’ He swallowed. ‘I’m trying to think how I can make it up to you. This isn’t enough but I’ll make a start now.’

  Then to her shock he stood on the chair beside her then got on to the table and clapped his hands. The dining room fell silent; the police officers in the room looked distinctly unhappy, ready to intervene if Adewale did something threatening.

  ‘Can I have your attention for a moment, please, guys?’

  Raven tugged his trouser leg. ‘Seriously, you don’t need to do this.’

  ‘I do. Everyone, you all heard the accusations against Raven. I was one of those who made them. I want to state here before we all go our separate ways that she was innocent—set up by these maniacs who brainwashed our fellow students. In fact, from what I heard, she was a big reason why their scheme was exposed. Without her, the rest of us might have been put through the same thing.’ He paused.

  Raven squirmed with embarrassment.

  ‘So, that’s it. That’s what I wanted to say.’ As he leapt down, applause started at the far side of the hall—Mairi and Liza from her dance class. It quickly spread and soon everyone was clapping Raven, or drumming on the table top. Johnny and Siobhan looked delighted.

  ‘See, they love you now!’ Siobhan squeezed Raven’s wrist.

  It had only been a few hours ago when sitting in this same room might have meant she was attacked. Raven was not so quick to take it on trust.

  She got up and held up her hand. ‘Thanks, Adewale. Thanks, everyone. I’m not one to bear a grudge and I know how it looked, so good luck with … well, with wherever you go next.’

  Adewale waited for her to sit down again. ‘Not enough, I realize that,’ he said sadly. ‘I don’t know what came over me. Madness, the way we behaved towards you.’

  She shrugged. That about summed it up. ‘It did look bad—the watch and everything.’

  ‘There are no excuses. Will you be OK, you know, now?’

  Would she? She had no idea. ‘I hope so. You?’

  ‘Mum is trying to get me into Eton or Rugby. She has contacts. I think they’ll take me next year.’

  Of course he would come out of this better than her, money making for a soft landing.

  ‘I hope you enjoy it there.’

  ‘Yes, me too.’

  ‘Just don’t pick on the scholarship kids, OK?’

  He winced. ‘I think I’ve learnt that lesson. And Raven, remember, if you need anything in the future, anything at all that I can help with, just call me. I owe you a big favour.’

  ‘Thanks.’ But somehow she knew she had no stomach for calling in such debts. This place had put her off that for life.

  ‘How’s your friend, Gina?’ Siobhan asked as Adewale walked away.

  ‘I don’t know. We aren’t friends any longer.’ Raven took a bite of sandwich but it tasted like sawdust.

  ‘You used to be, you know, like inseparable.’

  ‘I suppose we were. She got re-educated out of that.’

  Siobhan grimaced. ‘I remember—she was on the same course as me for a time. They really piled on the pressure. She was in pieces for weeks before they glued her back together.’

  Johnny stole a crisp from Raven’s packet. ‘From what Ade said, she might be back in pieces again. You should go see her.’

  ‘You think? I’m not sure it would help.’ Raven felt sick at the thought.

  ‘I don’t think it would do any harm though.’

  Taking Johnny’s advice, after supper Raven went in search of Gina. The worse-affected students were in the medical wing being monitored by psychiatrists. They still had drugs in their system, thanks to the top-up doses distributed each day at their reinforcement morning meetings. The longer Raven thought about it, the more she realized she had missed the signs: the clothes, dawn meetings, the weird language, the strange expressions and vicious mood swings—Gina had been showing the symptoms of someone in a cult. The fact that it had been a social rather than religious cult didn’t make it any less powerful.

  Gina was sitting up in the same bed Kieran had occupied, knees drawn up to her chin.

  ‘Hey,’ said Raven, coming to stand by the foot.

  Gina turned tired eyes on her. ‘I didn’t expect to see you here.’

  Not exactly an enthusiastic welcome. ‘I didn’t expect to come but a friend suggested I give it a go. How are you?’

  ‘Confused. Adewale tells me I owe you an apology.’

  ‘You got mixed up. They did some bad stuff to you—made you something you’re not.’

  ‘My dad liked me like that.’ Gina sniffed.

  ‘Yeah, well, between you and me, he’s a moron.’

  A fli
cker of a smile curved Gina’s lips. ‘That’s what Mom told him. She’s moved out.’

  ‘Can’t say I blame her.’

  ‘She’s coming to fetch me tomorrow. Take me back to the States.’

  ‘I’m glad. You need to get away from here.’

  Gina bumped her forehead on her knees. ‘I’m sorry, Raven, for what I did to you.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘I should never have believed them—but they kinda got inside my head.’ Gina twisted the sheet in her fingers.

  ‘I understand. You were drugged too, you know?’

  ‘Is that really an excuse for me? What’s tormenting me was that I think I must have despised your background somewhere inside me for it to work.’

  So much honesty was hard to hear. ‘We all have bad stuff inside us—I’ve never been too impressed by all you rich kids.’

  ‘But you never hit out at me for it.’

  ‘But if it had been me on that programme, with a message playing to my prejudices, maybe I’d be the one apologizing to you right now. I’m still guilty of stereotyping you all and I know that’s dumb. People are people. But they were clever, those brainwashers—clever because what they did made you feel guilty for succumbing to the pressure. It is a form of child abuse you know—not a normal kind but still very sick. It’s very common to make the victim feel they were to blame.’

  Gina’s expression lightened a little. ‘Child abuse? Yes, it was, wasn’t it? Put it like that and I think I can live with myself.’

  ‘Good.’ Raven was pleased she’d found something helpful to say, though it was sad to stand at Gina’s bedside; it felt like attending a wake for their friendship. ‘Have a good rest of your life, won’t you?’

  ‘I’ll try. You too. Let me know how you get on.’

  ‘OK. And if you want to prove you’re sorry for what happened, do me a favour and don’t listen to what that dumbass of a father of yours says.’

  Gina laughed a little desperately and shook her head. ‘I won’t.’ But Raven feared she would. Things were never simple with family.

  Raven walked out of the medical room, nodding to Hedda as she passed and receiving a stony look back. OK, you couldn’t win over everyone. She had to remind herself she and Hedda had never liked each other even before the manor had got hold of the other girl. She couldn’t blame brainwashing for every bump in the road at school.