by Jon Robinson
‘The pleasure is all mine,’ Blythe chortled. ‘Take care now. And you tell me if he works you too hard; I shall have words!’
The three of them walked back to the foyer and parted ways, with a laughing Blythe giving a final wave and heading for the bar.
43
Henry slowly opened his eyes, finding himself enveloped in a blue-tinged darkness. He felt around, finding only cold stone beneath his fingers. As his eyes became accustomed to the lack of light, he saw wisps of silver vapour flowing from his mouth.
‘Where am I?’ he said aloud, still groggy. ‘Someone … Is someone there?’
Moments later there was the sound of footsteps and a door opened with a heavy clank.
Henry squinted at the shape in the doorway and managed to pull himself upright.
‘You remember me?’ Rayner asked, looking down at his prisoner.
Henry nodded as Rayner stepped inside the cell, closing the door behind him.
Henry pushed himself back against the wall. His arms were weak, and his hands were just beginning to feel the ache of arthritis.
Rayner folded his arms. ‘Where have the kids gone?’
Henry looked down. He wiped his white beard with his sleeve.
Rayner leant down, grabbing Henry’s shirt. ‘You’d better start talking,’ he growled. ‘Or you won’t be leaving this room for a long time.’
Henry opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it.
‘Giving me the silent treatment?’ said Rayner. ‘I’m used to the kids talking a lot sooner.’ He contorted his hand so that the joints in his knuckles cracked.
Henry lowered his eyes.
‘You don’t know what you’re interfering with,’ Rayner continued.
‘I know exactly what I’m interfering with and it’s madness,’ Henry blurted out.
‘We’re saving the country from collapsing,’ Rayner argued.
‘You’re not saving anything or anyone except the rich. The Pledge, you think they care about anyone else? They’re only trying to preserve things so they can keep their power!’
‘You don’t know anything, old man,’ Rayner said. He released Henry’s shirt from his grip and stood up.
‘They’ve tricked you,’ Henry spat, soothing his throat. ‘You’re just another pawn, like everyone else here. If you don’t stop the project and release those children at once, you have no idea what kind of damage you’ll do. Tell me, have any of them started acting strangely yet? Losing their sense of reality?’
Rayner hesitated.
‘I thought so,’ Henry said. ‘Because that’s how it’ll start.’
‘How what will start?’
Henry paused, watching Rayner closely. ‘You didn’t really think you could get away with manipulating reality without any consequences, did you? If you continue this project, the children are all in great danger …’
At that moment the door opened. Rayner looked over his shoulder.
‘I want to speak to him,’ said a female voice from outside the room. ‘Alone.’
Rayner looked at Henry, then at the woman. ‘I’ll be right outside,’ he said.
Henry shielded his eyes from the momentary wave of light as Susannah stepped into the room and closed the door behind her.
‘Hello, Henry,’ she said, smiling. ‘It’s been a while.’
44
‘Why are we stopping?’ Jes said. She had been in a trance for the last few hours.
‘Cos we’re being followed,’ Ryan said, leaning between the seats towards Charlie. ‘Isn’t that right?’
Their driver nodded. A vehicle had been tailing them for ten minutes, and despite Charlie’s best efforts to throw off their pursuer, the car still remained.
‘We can’t have them following us to our building,’ Charlie said.
‘Couldn’t we just use the Ability to crash their car?’ asked Jes.
Charlie looked at her. ‘On a main road?’ He pulled a face. ‘Who knows what damage we’d do.’
‘So you’ve got your own building, eh?’ Ryan said, watching as the trailing car turned down the same road as them, the hazy rain swirling in its headlights.
‘We do,’ Charlie answered. ‘You’ll like it. It’s pretty badass.’
Jes was looking at the crucifix dangling from the rear-view mirror.
‘Lock your doors,’ Charlie said as the car drew nearer.
‘I still got this, remember?’ Ryan said, tapping his ibis.
The car pulled alongside theirs. The tinted driver’s window slowly descended.
‘Is there a reason you’re following us?’ Charlie said.
The driver of the other vehicle said something that neither Ryan nor Jes could hear.
Charlie got out of the driver’s seat. ‘Stay here,’ he said, and hurried outside.
Ryan leant forward in his seat, trying to see. ‘Have a look out of your window,’ he said. ‘I can’t see what’s going on. Jes? Are you listening to me?’
Ryan glanced over his shoulder, just as Jes grabbed the ibis and sprang out of the door.
‘Jes!’ Ryan hissed.
He watched as Jes hurried towards the other car, leant in through the open window and fired the ibis.
She ran back round to the open door, threw the ibis on to the seat and leapt back inside beside Ryan. ‘All right,’ she said. ‘Let’s go!’
Charlie appeared at the rear of the car, rain dripping from the brim of his baseball cap. ‘Jes, what the hell are you playing at?’ he said. ‘He only wanted to tell me the back lights were busted.’
Jes’s mouth fell open. ‘But I only meant to help us.’
‘We need to get out of here,’ Charlie said, getting in and driving the car away from the kerb.
45
There was a frenzied cheer as Stephen’s black limousine sidled up to the pavement and the door opened. Hidden from view among the crowd, Julian watched as the billionaire stepped out of the back of the car, ignoring his adoring fans until an adviser whispered in his ear that there were cameras following him.
With that, Stephen’s demeanour changed. He smiled sweetly and blew kisses several times to the onlookers. ‘Thank you,’ he announced. ‘Thank you to all my Nover-dosers. You really are the best fans anyone could ask for!’
There was a collective cheer. ‘Can’t believe they fall for this stupid act,’ Julian muttered despairingly as the grinning Stephen walked towards the crowd. He reached out for an autograph book without even bothering to look at the owner, scribbling something quickly and shoving it towards her.
‘Will you marry me?’ said a flushed teenager with frizzy hair.
‘Marry you?’ he sneered, momentarily forgetting himself. ‘What do you think I am, blind?’
The girl’s mouth fell open. Stephen’s adviser quickly leant in, whispering something to him.
‘Because if I were blind I wouldn’t see all these other amazing, wonderful fans!’ Stephen exclaimed, quickly correcting himself. ‘And by marrying one of you, I would deny everyone else the opportunity … wouldn’t I?’
There was another enthusiastic cheer. Even the recipient of his insult breathed a sigh of relief and graciously accepted his signature, clutching the autograph book to her chest.
Julian narrowed his eyes. Bet you think you’re so clever for sending your thugs after us, he thought.
After a few more hurried autographs, Stephen found himself accepting a notepad that had been thrust towards him. ‘There,’ Stephen said, and offered the notepad back.
Julian looked up, saying nothing, his face partly covered by the shadow of his hooded parka.
‘I don’t even get a thank you?’ Stephen said. ‘Charming …’
He pushed the notepad towards Julian and snatched another.
‘I know who you are,’ Julian said quietly. ‘I know what you’ve done.’
Only then did Stephen make eye contact with Julian.
‘Stephen, please sign this!’ squealed a girl, waving a piece of paper in his
direction. ‘Please, please!’
‘The ball’s in my court now,’ Julian hissed. ‘And I only play when I know I can win.’
‘Is that so?’ Stephen giggled. He leant towards Julian and whispered, ‘Someone’s mad that I outsmarted him.’
‘Outsmarted me? I’m still free, aren’t I?’ Beneath his cool facade, Julian felt himself tremble with anger.
‘For now.’ Stephen signed the girl’s paper and stepped away from the crowd, then whispered something to his adviser, who raised himself up on tiptoes to catch sight of a disappearing Julian.
‘No more autographs,’ Stephen declared. ‘I have work to do.’
Much to his fans’ dismay, Stephen walked away from the crowd, followed by a suited convoy, and headed inside the skyscraper.
46
It was dark when an excitable Elsa returned to the tower block with Pyra.
As they were waiting for the lift in the dingy hallway, the door clicked and Harlan pushed inside, batting the rain out of his coat. He tipped the hood back and noticed the pair a short way ahead of him.
‘You sneaked out!’ Pyra exclaimed, narrowing her eyes at him, and Harlan jumped. ‘We told you to wait here. Are you stupid? There are people still looking for you.’
‘I just … I had some stuff to do.’ He unzipped his coat and Elsa noticed a wad of money poking from the inside pocket.
‘Did you help him sneak out, Elsa?’
‘No, I swear it! I swear I didn’t do anything!’
Pyra glared at Harlan. ‘Well, don’t do it again. You could’ve been followed or anything. If you have to go out, make sure one of us goes with you. Understood?’
Harlan nodded.
‘We were spying on someone!’ Elsa said excitedly as he joined them in the lift. ‘It was so cool. I sneaked inside a hotel and everything.’
‘Nothing would surprise me any more,’ Harlan said.
The lift soon arrived at the top floor and Pyra stepped out. ‘You should try to get some sleep,’ she said to Elsa and Harlan. ‘It’s been a long day. Training is early tomorrow. And no more going out alone.’
‘Hey,’ Elsa said once Pyra was some way down the corridor and out of earshot. ‘Is that your money? Where did you get it?’
‘Mind your own business.’ Harlan glared at her and walked round the corner.
Elsa hurried after him. ‘Did you steal it? Did you rob someone? Tell me, Harlan, tell me –’
‘I won it,’ he answered. ‘If you must know.’
‘You’ve been gambling,’ she said. ‘You’ve been using the Ability to cheat.’
‘I found somewhere nearby,’ he went on nonchalantly. ‘Just some little place that let me play without ID. No big deal.’
‘So you were gambling.’
‘No, I was training. I thought what better way to practise than to actually use it.’ His eyes widened. ‘I tripled Julian’s money in less than an hour, Elsa!’
‘I hope you’re not going back there,’ Elsa said. ‘They’ll think you were cheating and I don’t want you coming back in a wheelchair.’
Harlan shrugged. He pushed open the door to his room and went quietly inside. He knelt by the bed and shoved some of the money underneath the mattress.
‘Can I tell you something, Harlan?’ Elsa said.
‘I’ve a feeling you’re going to anyway. What’s up?’
‘While we were spying, I – I saw Alyn,’ she said.
Harlan stopped what he was doing and looked at her.
‘He was wearing a suit and tie. It’s like he’s Felix’s assistant or something.’
‘It can’t have been him.’
‘It was. I swear it!’
Harlan sat down on the mattress. ‘Did he see you?’
Elsa shook her head. ‘Nope. And I didn’t tell Pyra anything. You think Felix might have brainwashed him?’
‘Either that or he’s going after Felix himself,’ Harlan said, considering the likelihood of this. ‘I don’t know, Elsa.’
Elsa nodded. ‘Anyway, I’d better practise this coin thing if I ever want to impress Baldy …’
Harlan looked behind her and cleared his throat.
Elsa glanced over her shoulder. ‘Oh crap,’ she muttered, seeing Luthan standing beside the open door.
‘So are you going to impress me?’ he said, folding his arms.
‘Nope,’ Elsa spluttered. ‘But Harlan is – he can do the coin thing already – isn’t that right, Harlan?’
‘I can speak for myself, Elsa.’ He turned to Luthan. ‘I think I’ve got it. So what next? When do we start proper training?’
‘This is proper training. If you don’t master the basics, you’ll never manage some of our more advanced techniques. But, if you think you’re ready to be examined, meet me on the roof tomorrow, noon. I’ll let you have a few hours of practice first.’
47
Eight members of the Guild were waiting in the central meeting area when Luthan came through the oak doors. Moonlight was gushing through the row of windows.
‘I’m glad you could all attend this emergency meeting,’ Luthan said, stepping between two pillars. Between them was an easel, presenting an architectural blueprint mounted on a board. ‘I thought it was about time we got together.’ He removed a photograph from his jacket and pinned it near the top of the board. ‘As you all know, this is James Felix. The kids confirmed his involvement in the Pledge after they found his name and number in a phone they stole back at the prison.’
Anton was leaning against one of the stone columns in a tight black T-shirt, torn jeans and a flat cap. He lifted up a picture of Stephen Nover, showing it to the rest of the group and saying, ‘The second-wealthiest man in the country – and Harlan and Julian realized his company made the ibis weapon.’ He walked over and pinned the photograph beneath the one of Felix.
There was a murmur of interest from the other members. Pyra raised a photograph of a ruddy-faced Blythe, dressed in a fox-hunting uniform.
‘Lord Blythe,’ she said. ‘Elsa helped me with surveillance as part of her training and, as we expected, Blythe met Felix. But they weren’t talking about business …’
‘They were talking about the Pledge,’ Luthan confirmed. ‘Blythe is the third richest in the country. Notice a pattern? The fourth richest is Antonia Black, a very secretive heiress.’ With that, he showed a photograph of a diminutive woman with a black bob, exiting a limousine. ‘We don’t know if she has any involvement, but I’d say it’s likely. The Pledge is simply based on who has the most money. After all, that’s what they value, more than anything.’
‘And by that logic, Felix has the most so he’s the one in charge,’ said the man sitting beside Pyra. ‘It’s gonna be hard getting to these guys.’
‘Indeed.’ Luthan clasped his hands behind his back. ‘But Pyra has some news for us, don’t you?’
‘There’s a charity gala at the opera house this Friday … A performance, then some masquerade party in the ballroom. Felix and Blythe are both going … and Nover’s funding the majority of the thing so he’ll be there.’
‘The Pledge together under one roof,’ said Anton. ‘Looks like we might have to gatecrash this party.’
Luthan pointed to the blueprint, tracing his finger along the labyrinth of lines. ‘There are two entrances,’ he said. ‘The front is where the cameras will be –’
‘And the attention-seekers,’ Pyra cut in. ‘Like the celebrities. I’ll bet that smarmy little idiot Nover won’t miss making a dramatic entrance.’
‘Pyra and I will find a way in,’ said Luthan. ‘Too many of us will raise suspicions. The most important thing is that the project is ended and the children freed. And at the moment we don’t have a bargaining chip … unless we take a hostage.’
‘There’s going to be cameras and security everywhere,’ said a man sat at the table. ‘How do you think we’ll manage to get a hostage?’
‘I’ll use the Ability to get one of the Pledge alone … and unconscious. We
should be able to get them outside with relative ease; after all, we’ll just be concerned a fellow guest has had too much to drink and are escorting them to their car.’
‘And we’ll be in masks, which should make the whole thing a bit easier,’ Anton said.
‘In masks?’ Elsa had sidled over. She looked at the easel and her eyes widened. ‘Whoa, are you lot planning something? Can I come?’
‘Yeah,’ said Pyra, pushing her back outside. ‘We are planning something. And, no, you can’t come. Now get lost.’
‘Even after I helped you today?’ Elsa looked disappointed.
Pyra shoved Elsa back towards her room. ‘What part of getting lost don’t you understand?’
48
‘OK,’ said a relieved Felix, as he left Antonia’s office, rubbing his hands briskly together. ‘I think that went well.’
Alyn had been sitting in a chair in the deserted reception area, using the Ability to influence Antonia to agree with Felix’s request.
‘Well done,’ Felix said, putting an arm round his shoulder.
‘I’ve got a headache,’ Alyn said, holding his brow. It was the same sensation he had felt after being made to watch the peculiar films in the prison.
‘You’ve worked hard. You deserve tomorrow morning off.’
Alyn smiled and walked with Felix to the waiting car.
‘So what did she say?’ Alyn asked when they were inside. ‘Did she agree?’
‘Not yet,’ Felix answered. He adjusted his tie and combed his white hair with his fingertips. ‘But she’ll give me her answer by tomorrow morning.’
Alyn seemed disappointed. ‘I thought she might’ve agreed then and there.’ And I can be done with this whole thing.
‘That’s not how it works, Alyn. Remember, this is a natural process. It isn’t magic. The Ability guides things. Nudges them. It doesn’t make things happen out of thin air. Your influence might’ve helped produce a memory somewhere in the back of her mind. Or perhaps a feeling. Tonight she may find she can’t sleep and those feelings play on her mind, and she starts to obsess over them. She keeps thinking about Stephen and what might happen if he takes control of the Pledge …’