by Mark Robson
‘David and Callum are on their way. Now it’s our turn,’ Nathan announced, his voice urgent. ‘Let’s get the hell out of here. Crick – take point with Sherri. Newton, you’re rearguard with me. We know they’re gonna come after us, but let’s try to get a bit of a head start. And when they come, let’s make them wish they hadn’t. Edison – stay with Sam. Keep him moving and don’t leave him, no matter what.’
A simple push button opened the door from the inside. The Imperium science team was clearly more interested in keeping intruders out than keeping them in. Sam checked his weapon again. He was tempted to leave the safety catch off, but his mother’s voice intruded in his mind, warning him of the dangers.
‘Always make sure the safety catch is on when you carry a gun, Sam. Only switch it to fire when you’re ready to shoot. When possible, take a rough aim first, flick off the safety, refine your aim and then fire. That way you will only hit the things you intend to shoot at. If you run round with the safety off, all it would take is one slip of the finger and you could shoot me, or Callum, and none of us want that, do we?’
With one final glance back towards the holographic projection, he thumbed the catch to safe and followed Sherri and Crick out through the door. They set off at a run, quickly traversing the open area and taking to the cover of the trees.
One of the flying machines circled round and passed overhead again just after they had made the relative safety of the trees. Sam looked up, but he couldn’t see if it was David or Callum flying it. Whoever it was appeared to have the attention of the approaching raptors. They were all following its progress as if hypnotised. The pilot was drawing them away, flying off on a diverging course.
‘Genius!’ he breathed.
Sam prided himself on his fitness, but it had been a long day and he was amazed by how quickly weariness set in. Within a few minutes, the rifle he was carrying felt as if it had doubled in weight, his lungs burned and his legs reached the leaden state he normally felt at the end of a long cross-country run.
Sam found the next hour a living hell. Periods of sprinting across open ground alternated with tough stints of forcing his way through thick undergrowth beneath the trees. The constant fear of pursuit drove them onward, though if hunters were tracking them, they did not show themselves. They were well out of the city vale before Nathan called a rest stop.
‘Do you think they managed to fly those machines and land them safely, Nathan?’ Sherri asked.
‘It doesn’t really matter either way,’ he replied with a shrug. ‘If they have, we’ve gained ourselves some flying machines. If they didn’t and they wrecked them, then the raptors no longer have flying machines. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a win-win situation.’
Sam’s breath caught in his throat. If Nathan had a heart, he was good at hiding it. The man was the most callous individual Sam had ever come across. A flush of guilt rushed through him. He had been so caught up with the fate of his mother that he had totally forgotten about his best friend, Callum. What if his friend had crashed in that crazy-looking thing David had designed? He might be dead or badly injured and Sam had not spared him a thought in the last hour.
Then there was David. Sam closed his eyes and pictured the young inventor’s face for a moment. He hadn’t even wanted to be a part of this.
Suddenly, everything seemed so real; this wasn’t an adventure any more, it was real people he cared about getting hurt. God, please not Callum! he thought. I couldn’t bear to lose him and Mum in the same day.
The image of his mother impaled on the spike filled his mind again. More tears welled and his chest tightened with emotion. He opened his eyes and dashed the tears away with the back of his hand. A tight knot of anger in his gut squeezed and twisted as he thought about what he would like to do to the raptors on the High Council. A quick death was too good for them after what they had done to his mother.
‘That’s a bit harsh, Nathan,’ Sherri told him, glancing across at Sam to see how he had reacted. ‘I would be thankful that it wasn’t your job to fly one, if I were you.’
‘That would have guaranteed a wreck,’ he growled.
‘Exactly!’
Nathan grunted and took a swig from his water bottle. ‘Has everyone had a drink?’ he asked. ‘If not, take one now. We move again in one minute.’
Sam groaned. It seemed as if they had only just stopped. He ached all over. How far was there still to go? He couldn’t remember. The day had been a blur since they were chased from the underground HQ this morning. Had it really only been this morning? So much had happened.
Glancing across at Nathan, Sam experienced a surge of bitterness and anger. Why did Mum choose him to be her second-in-command? he wondered. Why not Alex or Sherri? Nathan’s no leader. He just likes to order people around and doesn’t care who gets hurt. Without Mum to keep him in line, he’s going to be unbearable. If he stays in charge, the rebel group will die a quick death. He’ll kill it with his attitude in no time.
Nathan began talking with Newton – clicking, growling and grunting in the raptor language. He looked troubled and Newton was shaking his head. What was going on now? Sam had no way of telling, but whatever it was, it didn’t look good. This whole language barrier thing was so frustrating.
Sherri was sitting nearby, so Sam leaned towards her. ‘What’s that all about?’ he asked in a low voice.
‘Nathan’s just asking Newton if he’s seen any sign of the hunters,’ she replied. ‘I must admit, I expected them to catch up with us long before now.’
‘But surely it’s a good thing that they haven’t, isn’t it?’
‘I’m not sure,’ she said, glancing across at Nathan and Newton who were still clicking and growling fiercely at one another. ‘Just because they haven’t attacked doesn’t mean they’re not there. They might be deliberately shadowing us, waiting to find our hideout so they can return in force later. Nathan is suggesting that we take a more roundabout route to the cave.’
Sam groaned.
‘I know how you feel, Sam, but think about the alternative. We take pains to lose them now or we get cornered by a horde of Imperium raptors later. I know which I would prefer.’
‘Rest stop over,’ Nathan announced. ‘On your feet, everyone. Let’s press on.’
* * *
Night had fallen by the time they finally reached the cave. Sam was dead on his feet, mindlessly putting one foot in front of the other. Drained of every last drop of physical and emotional energy, even seeing the shadowy figures of Callum and David sitting by a tiny campfire on the far side of the stream failed to spark life into his spirit. An empty shell, he stumbled across the stepping stones to his blanket where he sank to the ground without a word.
‘So what kept you guys?’ Callum asked cheerily. ‘You look beat.’
‘Glad to see you made it back in one piece, Callum,’ Sherri replied. ‘But it’s not really a time for levity. The Imperium executed Claire and Alex.’
‘Oh, God!’ he gasped, getting to his feet and walking swiftly to where his friend was lying. ‘Sam, I’m so sorry. I had no idea.’
Sam didn’t respond. Inside he was delighted to see Callum alive and well, but he was so exhausted that he was beyond expressing emotion. He looked at Callum for a moment with unseeing eyes and then his eyelids dropped down over his eyes like storm shutters.
Callum stood over Sam feeling helpless. He wanted to offer his friend sympathy, but had no idea how to do it. What could he do at a time like this? There were no words that were sufficient. After a moment of silence, he crouched down and placed his hand on Sam’s shoulder. Giving a single squeeze, he tried with all his heart to convey something of how he felt.
‘And Nipper?’ he asked, standing up and looking back to where Sherri was sinking down next to the fire. ‘What happened to Nipper?’
‘As far as we know, he’s alive,’ Sherri answered, depositing a lump of wood into the heart of the ashes and staring as flames immediately started licking around it. �
�By chance, we arrived in time to see him kill the Imperium’s champion on the holo-projector in the hangar, but after the fight, the Imperium Council decided to change the rules to suit their own purpose. They only released Einstein.’
Callum hesitated, torn between wanting to be close to his friend and wanting to leave him to rest and mourn in peace.
‘I’d kill for a hot drink right now,’ Sherri hinted.
‘I’ll sort that,’ David offered, getting to his feet.
‘Thanks.’
‘But I don’t get it,’ Callum said, walking slowly back across to the fireside and throwing frequent glances back at Sam. ‘How could the Council change the rules after the fight? Surely, as the leaders of raptor society, they’re supposed to be the heart and conscience of their people.’
Nathan gave a sudden bark of scoffing laughter. ‘You’re attributing human ethics to them, boy, but don’t forget that human history has not been without its share of atrocities. Raptors play by a different set of rules. Their mentality is totally different. There’s no Geneva Convention here. The Council of the Imperium can do whatever they want to do; kill who they want to kill. They rule with absolute power and that is accepted without question. If they want to change the law, they do it as and when they want to.’
‘Then their days could be numbered,’ Callum replied. ‘If there’s one thing that history has shown, it’s that ruling a population by fear will often result in a revolution.’
‘I’ll say it again, lad: among humans that might be true,’ Nathan said, shaking his head. ‘But the Imperium has controlled raptor society for centuries. The iron fist style of government seems to suit the raptor mentality. There have been no revolts. The Imperium is accepted and the Council is the unquestioned law.’
‘So what about these guys?’ Callum asked, pointing at Newton and Crick. ‘What do you think they’re doing? I’d call them rebels. A small stone can sometimes trigger an avalanche, you know.’
‘Don’t presume to preach at me, boy,’ Nathan growled. ‘I’ve been living among raptors for over twenty years. You think I don’t know what I’m talking about? Since Claire came along and organised us, we’ve been a thorn in the side of the Imperium – yes. But it would take more than us few to take them down.’
Edison suddenly gave a loud grunt from over near the cave entrance. He followed it with a loud sequence of clicks and growls.
‘Damn!’ Nathan swore. ‘That’s all I need!’ He picked up his gun again and ran across the stepping stones, his weariness apparent in his gait.
‘What is it?’ Callum asked. ‘What’s going on?’
‘We’ve got company,’ Sherri told him. ‘Edison says there’s a large party of raptors approaching along the base of the valley.’
‘You were followed?’
‘Must have been,’ she replied through gritted teeth. ‘But how they did it, I’ve no idea. Nathan’s pretty good at throwing off pursuit and he used every trick going today. How a group could be that close behind us without our detecting them, I really don’t know. Grab a weapon and as much ammunition as you can carry. You too, David. Get up, Sam! We’re going to need everyone who can hold a weapon.’
Callum ran to where the small stack of rifles was leaning against the wall, grabbed one and scooped several pre-loaded magazines from the open box next to them. By the time he got across the stepping stones, only David and Sam were behind him. He reached the cave entrance and jostled for a position where he could see out.
The valley below was dark, but the darker shadows moving alongside the stream towards them were unmistakable.
‘Blimey! There’s loads of them!’ Callum breathed.
‘At least a hundred, boy,’ Nathan growled. ‘And we’re in no state to run again. I guess this is it – the last stand. Anyone who feels up to it had better leave now, but I’m tired of running and hiding. I’m gonna take down as many as I can before they get up here. Who’s with me?’
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Staring at the entrance to the visitor centre at Woodhill High Security Prison, Niamh had mixed feelings about going inside. She felt both scared and excited at the same time, and the mixture of emotions was playing havoc with her stomach, which felt as though it was churning and turning inside her like a bag of live eels.
‘Why do I feel like a bad person just being here?’ she asked aloud.
‘Perhaps because mu— mother would have a fit if she knew we were here,’ Archie suggested.
‘No, I don’t mean that. Just being here somehow makes me feel as if anyone looking at me will think that I’m a criminal.’
‘Well, technically you are, Niamh. You did steal a boat after all.’
‘You’re not helping, Archie.’
‘No. Sorry.’
‘Don’t you feel it?’
Archie thought for a moment. ‘Actually, no,’ he said eventually, giving her a nervous smile. ‘I just think today has been amazing so far. I’ve never done anything like this before. And we’re going to see inside a high security prison. I can’t wait to tell Rupert about this.’
Niamh shook her head and sighed. Archie had shown aspects of himself in the past twenty-four hours that Niamh would never have believed possible had she not seen it with her own eyes. It transpired he was both a remarkably efficient organiser and a convincing liar. She had been amazed to see him deceive his mother without hesitation.
Archie had anticipated Niamh’s plan, phoned the prison, altered her booking and had memorised the entire visiting procedure. Where Niamh would have met with a brick wall on arrival by coming without an adult, Archie had not taken any chances.
He rang Ben Jacobs, a local eighteen-year-old who had been working part-time as a gardener for his mother, and offered to pay him if he would accompany them for the day. Archie’s money bought Ben’s cooperation with ease. Given the choice between a day of hard labour and taking a paid trip to Milton Keynes was a no-brainer as far as Ben was concerned. He had spent all summer taking on all manner of work so that he could save some money before starting university in the autumn. He was not going to turn down a cushy job like this. Niamh nearly choked when Archie told her he’d booked Ben in as their guardian.
Archie also planned their journey in detail. Having looked at buses and trains, he had come to the same conclusion as Niamh that the easiest way to Milton Keynes was by train, changing at Coventry where they would pick up a London-bound train that stopped at Milton Keynes. Niamh had been more than a little impressed. Annoying geek or not, Archie had proved his worth today.
When Archie had given a stellar performance, pretending to arrange a meeting with his friend Rupert at the shopping centre in Banbury, his mother had not so much as raised an eyebrow. Niamh had no doubt that when Aunt Aggie dropped them in town, she was completely in the dark about their true plans.
‘Have you got your passport?’ Archie asked, taking his from his inside jacket pocket.
‘Yes, Archie,’ she sighed. ‘For the third time, I’ve got my passport. Look.’
Niamh fished through her handbag, pulled out her passport and waved it under his nose. No sooner had she done it than she felt bad. Although the irritation factor of his talking at her incessantly since they left Banbury was high, she knew she could not have done this without his help.
‘Just checking,’ he mumbled, putting his passport back in his pocket. ‘We won’t get in without the correct ID, you know.’
‘I know, Archie. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap. I’m just a bit nervous, that’s all.’
‘That’s OK. I know how you feel. I’ve never seen a prison before, let alone gone inside one.’
Niamh looked at her watch – twenty past one. Perfect. Their visit was booked for two o’clock and the prison website had said to allow at least half an hour for the check-in procedure. She looked across at Ben and then at Archie. Ben was wearing scruffy jeans and a T-shirt, while Archie was in immaculate slacks, a collared shirt and a jacket. Would anyone really believe he wa
s Archie’s guardian?
‘Time to act like a grown-up,’ she announced, pulling the earphone of Ben’s iPod from his right ear and giving him a meaningful look. ‘I said. . .’
‘I heard,’ he interrupted, taking out the other earpiece. ‘Come on then. Let’s go inside.’
They went in through the door and up to the desk.
‘Hello. Who are you here to see today?’
The lady on the counter did give Ben a strange look when Archie did all the talking, but after confirming with her records that they were expected, she directed them to take a seat. And so the procedure began. Niamh jumped when their names were called. First their ID was checked and the boys were photographed and had their index fingerprints taken on an electronic scanner. Next they, and all of the other visitors in the group, were directed to put all of their belongings into a locker. Not so much as a scrap of loose paper could be taken into the prison. The only things allowed were the locker key and loose change up to the value of twenty pounds.
A prison officer led them from the visitor centre and into the main prison building where they had to remove shoes, belts and jackets to be put through a scanner while another officer conducted a wand search of each of them in turn. Once they were done, it was another wait in an enormous holding room before a door eventually opened into a corridor and everyone was ushered in. Only when everyone was in the corridor did the door close behind them and a sequenced door opened ahead, allowing them to progress across a courtyard and into another gigantic room with lines of chairs bolted to the floor, where they were asked to wait again.
Niamh was completely overawed by the experience. She passed through the entire procedure in a daze. When they were finally called to a table, she was on the point of tears. It was unthinkable that her father was being held in this place. Prison officers dressed in black trousers, white shirts and black jumpers with black ties watched everything. The sheer greyness of the place was overwhelming. All around the room were dozens of security cameras. Every possible angle was covered. There was no way anyone could so much as twitch without at least two cameras recording it. Privacy was impossible. How could her dad stand it? Would he have changed? How could he not have been changed by a place like this?