by Jon Robinson
17
His head pulsing from so long on the motorway, Alyn sat up and rubbed his eyes to see snowflakes tumbling gently all around the car.
‘You can get out and stretch your legs while we fill up the car,’ said Pyra. ‘But if you even think about trying anything …’
‘No chance. I’ve seen what happens to people who annoy you. Anyway, I’m looking forward to meeting this Guild you guys have told me about. And then going after the Pledge, or whatever they’re called …’
Pyra laughed. ‘You won’t be going after the Pledge, Alyn. You’d get yourself killed.’
‘Then why are you?’
‘Because we’re trained,’ Anton said, chipping in. ‘You’ll be able to join us as soon as we’ve trained you, but until then …’
‘The Pledge put me in that place,’ Alyn seethed. ‘They put us all through this. And now you’re telling me I can’t do anything?’
‘Don’t look too annoyed, Alyn,’ Anton said. ‘We’re not exactly looking forward to it.’
‘Whatever. Anyway, I need the toilet,’ Alyn said, and unbuckled his seatbelt.
Anton looked at Pyra. ‘You stay here. I’ll take him.’
‘Take me? You really think I’m going to run? I’ve got a cosy ride home …’
‘Home? You ain’t going home, Alyn. You’re with us now.’
They got out of the car and Anton shoved him in the small of the back towards the services. Alyn trotted forward and sank his hands into his pockets. ‘Can I have some money, then?’
‘For what?’
‘Sweets.’
‘Sweets?’ Anton rolled his eyes and wearily slapped some change into Alyn’s hand. ‘Bloody kids.’
The electric doors parted and Alyn stepped inside, followed by Anton. The door to the toilet was over on the far wall, beside an assortment of car accessories: ice scrapers, air fresheners and ornaments.
‘Be quick.’
Alyn nodded, pushed through the door and stepped inside.
He locked the cubicle door behind him, lowered the toilet seat and stood on it, fiddling with the clasps of the window above. When there was a gap just large enough, Alyn pulled himself up and squeezed through.
I’m not with you, Alyn thought as he landed on a couple of black bags outside. I’m on my own. And I’m going to find the Pledge whether you like it or not.
18
‘I see someone’s been taking pity on you.’ Julian smirked, kneeling beside a miserable-looking Harlan and Elsa. The pair were sitting in a little alcove, a short way from the main platforms. He nodded to the few scattered pennies. ‘Pity,’ he went on. ‘What an awful word that is! It just forces itself from the lips; you practically have to spit it …’
‘Get lost, Julian.’ Elsa turned away from him and closed her eyes.
How had he found it so easy to steal? Elsa regretfully accepted that other than being cunning, smug and treacherous, Julian was that most useful of traits: adaptable. She remembered learning about survival of the fittest in school, with the class rat shown to them as an example of such an attribute. In her mind’s eye, the rat’s pointy little features slowly transformed to Julian’s.
‘We’re twenty-five pence off a sandwich,’ Harlan said.
Julian shook his head. ‘Cruel to be kind, et cetera, et cetera. Someday you’ll understand.’
As Julian said this, Elsa caught sight of a wad of money nestled inside his coat pocket. Keep him talking, Harlan, she thought, gradually bringing her hand up and pretending to scratch her neck.
‘You’re going to let us starve?’ Harlan pleaded. ‘Elsa’s only a kid, Julian. How can you –’
‘I’m not going to tell you again,’ Julian hissed, getting to his feet. ‘I look after number one – that’s me, if you hadn’t guessed. You’re wasting your time waiting for Jes and Ryan. They aren’t coming! If I were you, I’d find somewhere else to stay.’
‘Wait,’ Elsa said, her hand hovering mid-air. ‘Where are you going?’
‘I’m going to start looking for some answers,’ he replied. ‘By myself.’
With that, he turned and merged with the hurrying crowd.
Harlan carefully manoeuvred into a sitting position. He closed his eyes and tilted his neck back.
‘We need to go back out, Elsa.’ His head sagged. ‘We have to keep trying. The others will be here soon. We’ll find them and then everything will be OK …’
‘Harlan,’ Elsa said, nudging him.
Harlan slowly opened his eyes. In Elsa’s hand was Julian’s wad of stolen money.
‘Never thought I’d say this,’ Harlan murmured contentedly. ‘But I couldn’t eat another thing …’
He slunk deeper into the metal chair and tiredly examined the few solitary pizza crusts in the grease-stained cardboard box.
Elsa, who was sprawled beside him, groaned. ‘Tell me about it. That pizza was bigger than me …’
‘Not hard.’
Elsa nudged him with her elbow. ‘Shut up and pass me the drink.’
Harlan lazily reached over and pushed a large cup of Coca-Cola towards her.
‘I don’t fancy being around when Julian realizes his money’s gone,’ she said, grabbing it.
Harlan smiled, imagining a flustered and irate Julian. ‘I can’t think of anything better.’
19
After his escape from Pyra and Anton, Alyn walked into the late afternoon, not knowing where he was.
Before long he reached a motorway underpass daubed with erratic graffiti. A snow-covered sign for Leicester loomed over him, indicating that London was still eighty-five miles away. Some empty bottles and polystyrene cups were strewn across the concrete slope and puddles, and wrappers and plastic bags had accumulated in a little nest.
Alyn ventured along the incline, treading down clumps of weeds that were poking through the stone. He stamped down a bush and curled into a foetal position. Although it was too cold to stay long, the sides of the underpass were enough to shield him from the lashing winds, roaring at his face.
If I sleep now, I can walk through the night, he thought.
He waited, eyes closed, and snuggled deeper into his jacket.
As a lorry thundered by, Alyn awoke, shivering. The scent of smoke and oil seemed to hover in the air, and he coughed, spluttering.
Maybe I should’ve stuck with those two weirdos, Alyn considered sleepily, staring at the rattling traffic. Then again, they’d said that going after the people responsible was strictly forbidden, and there was no way he could ever agree to that. If only I had something to go on.
‘Give me a clue,’ Alyn said aloud, looking towards the sky. ‘Anything! Let me know who’s behind it all!’
It was not so much a prayer as an order.
With a tingling sensation in the back of his mind that he attributed to fatigue, Alyn climbed clumsily out of the foliage and stumbled to a metal barrier. He walked for a few minutes with not even a thought in his mind to accompany him, when a car flew past, sending a muddied newspaper flapping into his face.
Alyn cursed and peeled the wet newspaper away. He was about to throw it into the undergrowth at the side of the motorway when he spotted the words:
HIDDEN CONNECTIONS?
Beneath was a photograph of an amiable-looking white-haired man with heavy-lidded blue eyes and glasses.
‘James … Felix,’ Alyn read the caption aloud, straightening the page.
A car whizzed past, making the newspaper flutter in his hands. Alyn held it firm and stared at the rippling image.
It’s him, Alyn realized, as a chain of memories suddenly joined together. He was there the night I was taken.
Alyn lowered himself against the barrier, squinting at the sagging paper.
It is not the first time that the sixty-five-year-old billionaire has come under fire. Protestors last year staged a demonstration outside Pillar, home to Felix’s offices, as a response to his company’s continuing tax avoidance …
‘Pillar,’ Al
yn muttered and looked at the photo below, depicting the glass skyscraper towering over its neighbours.
That’s where I need to go, he thought, folding the paper and shoving it inside his pocket.
20
‘Here,’ Henry said, and tossed the lifeless hare towards Ryan, who moved out of the way.
Jes leant down and picked up the animal. The harsh white of the snow burned into her eyes.
‘You OK carrying that thing?’ Ryan said, with a look of disgust.
Jes nodded, gazing at the floppy animal in her hands.
Ryan waited until Henry was out of earshot before saying, ‘It still don’t make any sense,’ he spat. ‘And I still think the old man’s crazy.’
‘Have you got a better explanation?’ Jes said serenely, lowering the hare.
‘Whoa, hang on. Don’t tell me you’re even considering it …’
‘Ever since they took us it feels like we stepped into the looking-glass.’
‘Eh?’
‘Alice in Wonderland,’ she said. ‘Never mind. You know, Ryan, my friends always said I was really lucky. Like I always landed on my feet, no matter what. Maybe this whole time it was this Ability thing.’
‘You got shot.’
‘But I survived.’
The pair stopped walking as Henry halted and raised his arm. ‘Guards,’ he hissed. ‘Two of them. Both of you get back.’
Henry retreated slowly, his eyes fixed on the men, two black shapes in the trees.
Ryan trod back up a ridge of snow and held his hand out for Jes to take. ‘Down here,’ he said, pulling her back towards the stream. ‘The tunnel is just over this way.’
The pair hurried to the cover. Ryan kicked the snow aside and pulled the lid away. He gestured for Jes to go first.
Jes knelt and lowered herself on to the ladder. Ryan waited until she was a few metres below and went in after her. He soon reached the bottom, where Jes was leaning against the wall, clutching her side.
‘Guess that was a bit ambitious,’ she said, forcing a smile.
‘Here,’ Ryan said. ‘Let me check.’ He moved closer to her and lifted up her cut uniform. His fingers fell on skin. Jes gasped with how cold they felt. ‘Sorry,’ he laughed.
He looked at the dressing. ‘Looks OK still. I mean, it’s not reopened.’ The ladder at the end of the corridor began to rattle. ‘That sounds like Henry.’
‘You can take your hand away now,’ Jes said.
Ryan’s cold face seemed to burn. He released Jes’s uniform and dusted the snow crystals from her coat as Henry emerged back in the tunnel.
‘Give me the hare,’ he said. ‘We’ll have to wait until later to cook it. I’ll find somewhere to store it for now.’
Jes passed him the animal. ‘Henry,’ she said before he had a chance to turn away, ‘I just wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done. For saving me – us – from the guards. For letting us stay here.’
‘It’s no problem.’ He went to walk away but Jes stopped him.
‘We really mean it,’ she continued. ‘Who knows where we’d be if it weren’t for you. But, we have to meet our friends.’
‘The others,’ Ryan clarified. ‘We were supposed to meet them down in London.’
‘So if it’s OK with you, we’ll be on our way,’ Jes added, ‘first thing tomorrow.’
Henry seemed taken aback and Jes thought for a moment that she might have offended him.
‘I can’t let you leave,’ he said, shaking his head.
‘Hey, hang on a minute,’ Ryan said.
‘No,’ Henry said firmly. ‘You saw what happened just now, didn’t you? The forest is still being patrolled.’ He turned to Jes. ‘And you can’t even run with your wound. What chance have you got? None.’
‘The Ability,’ Jes said.
‘You don’t know how to use it. Which is why I’ve arranged for the Guild to come and collect you.’
‘What about the other kids in the prison? Who’s coming to save them?’
‘I’m figuring that out,’ Henry said. ‘That’s why I’m here.’
‘So this Guild is coming to rescue us?’ Jes confirmed, to make sure she understood.
‘But we don’t need rescuing!’ Ryan said, frustrated.
Henry looked at him. ‘You really think so, Ryan?’
‘Yeah, I do actually. Where were your lot when we needed them? Where were they when we were stuck in that dump, with nutters trying to brainwash us? They weren’t anywhere. We did it all ourselves. No one helped us. No one!’
Henry opened his mouth to answer him, but Ryan had already walked away.
21
It was late afternoon inside the train station. Crowds of passengers were breezing past Harlan and Elsa, mostly oblivious to the pair of ragged teenagers on the metal bench. If anything, it was the stench of their unwashed clothes that attracted the most attention from passers-by, who avoided their eyes out of fear that they might be expected to part with their spare change.
‘Here,’ Elsa said, stealthily passing a small cylinder of notes held with an elastic band to Harlan. ‘I think we should each keep half. Just in case …’
‘In case?’
‘Something happens to one of us.’ She looked around carefully. ‘Can I tell you something?’
‘Sure.’
‘I think we’re being watched.’ I know we’re being watched, she thought, peering at a couple of men stood by a bench.
‘Watched? By who?’
‘I dunno exactly. But I’ve seen people looking at us. And not just regular looking. I mean looking. I don’t think we should stay.’
‘You’re paranoid, Elsa. It’s probably the lack of sleep. No one even knows we’re here.’
‘Well, I think we need to get out of here,’ Elsa said, unconvinced.
‘We need to give Jes and Ryan some more time to find us,’ Harlan replied, slipping the money inside his coat.
‘We can’t wait any more,’ Elsa argued. ‘We were better off back at the prison.’ At least we had a bed.
She wearily watched the swarming passengers moving incessantly in great floods.
‘Hey, I’ll look after you,’ Harlan said. He put his arm across her shoulders. ‘I promise.’
Elsa tried to smile. She looked at the display board, watching helplessly as the letters and numbers slid past. She wished she could confess to Harlan her desire to leave, to get aboard the next train home, but it was hopeless. She knew what he’d say, scolding her. Who did he think he was, her brother? Elsa only had one brother, and he was waiting for her at home.
‘Cheer up,’ Harlan said, playfully jabbing her side, as though reading her mind. ‘At least things won’t be as bad as before.’
‘I guess,’ Elsa said. She wiped her face with her hands to keep herself awake. ‘I’m thirsty. I’m going to get a drink.’
With that, Elsa scurried into the crowd of passing commuters.
‘I bet you think you’re clever,’ came a voice from behind Harlan. He felt something pressing into his back.
Julian stepped round to the front. The ibis was tucked into his sleeve.
Harlan shrugged, standing up. ‘I only have half. Elsa has the rest.’
Julian gestured with an open hand. Defeated, Harlan reluctantly reached into his coat pocket and removed the notes.
‘You wanted us to fend for ourselves – guess that came back to bite you, didn’t it? Things have a way of doing that around you, Julian.’
Julian reached for the money but Harlan moved his hand away.
‘Maybe I ought to remind you how being on the other end of this feels,’ Julian said, nodding to the ibis.
Harlan swiftly reached inside his coat and grabbed his own ibis, aiming it level with Julian’s chest.
The sudden, hostile movements caught the attention of a few commuters.
‘Really?’ Julian said quietly. ‘You’re really going to do this here, in front of everyone?’
He turned to a pair of men who were wat
ching them. ‘If you thought we were going to have a lightsabre duel, you’re mistaken, I’m afraid,’ he said with a grin, limply presenting the black baton. ‘Just a toy.’
Harlan pushed past Julian, but as he looked up he noticed Elsa at the far end of the station. She was suspiciously hurrying away from a ticket window with her hood up.
‘Elsa!’ he called out, speeding towards her. ‘Elsa, come back!’
By the time Harlan reached her, Elsa had passed through the ticket barriers.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said shamefully, and lowered her head.
Harlan exhaled. ‘You’re leaving us? But after everything –’
She had tears in her eyes. ‘I can’t do this any more!’
‘You’ll be walking right into their hands,’ he said. ‘They’ll be looking for you. You’re making a mistake, Elsa. We already talked about this; we all agreed!’
Elsa shrugged. ‘Maybe,’ she said. ‘Maybe you’re right.’ But maybe I am.
‘Don’t you want to know why you were taken? Or who was behind it?’ Harlan’s voice grew desperate. ‘We have to do this together, just like we said …’
‘I don’t care,’ she said. ‘I don’t care about any of it. I just – I just want to be with my family. Bye, Harlan. I’m sorry.’
She turned and sprinted along the platform to the waiting train.
22
A short while after leaving the underpass, Alyn trotted along the side of the road with his thumb outstretched, hoping for some generous stranger to stop. He walked for miles, shivering in the slicing winds stirred by the speeding traffic, before a car pulled over.
‘I’m going to London,’ he said desperately to the figure inside. ‘Any chance of a lift?’
The driver studied him for a couple of seconds, nodded and gestured for him to get in. Resting his head against the rattling window, Alyn watched vacantly as the procession of motorway lights strobed past, blurring into a single neon spool.
After leaving the car near Victoria station, Alyn spent the early hours of the morning navigating a puzzle of deserted, hostile-seeming backstreets and empty roads. Using little more than a mix of signposts, directions from the occasional, abrupt solitary walker and a touch or two of luck, Alyn journeyed deeper into the city and, before long, Pillar presented itself on the horizon, shamelessly dominant.