by Emma Newman
“I dunno what you did, Zane,” Jay said. “But it was cool.”
Zane just nodded, his eyes heavy with fatigue. The boy on the sofa was breathing more normally and looking around the room in confusion, his pyjama top still gathered under his armpits.
Miri, seeing how disoriented he was, smiled at him and said, “You’ll be alright now. We’ll look after you.” She pulled his top back down again but stopped when she noticed something. She beckoned Jay over. “What’s that?”
Jay peered down and frowned at a mark just visible near the base of the boy’s spine. “Lean forward a second,” he said to the boy, who did as he was asked without complaint.
A small dark rectangle, looking something like a tattoo was inked on to the boy’s back. A series of numbers, small and difficult to read, ran along the bottom of it, with different width stripes running along above them.
“My God, it’s a barcode,” Miri gasped.
“A what?” Jay asked but she didn’t reply. “Where’d you get this?” he asked the boy with concern.
“Get what?” he replied, drowsy and disoriented.
“Let him rest, we’ll talk to him later,” Miri said quietly, picking him up and carrying him to her bedroom, the child falling asleep in her arms as she spoke. By the time she came back into the living room, her son was fast asleep too. “Perhaps you should come back later, Jay,” she suggested. “Just don’t tell anyone what you saw, please.”
He nodded. “I’ll get rid of that stuff,” he said and left the house. Titus lurked in the corner of the room, observing everything silently. Miri looked at him.
“It’s alright, Titus. It’s over now,” she said reassuringly, draping her shawl over Zane.
“I won’t tell anyone either,” he promised, watching her shaking hands ease a cushion under Zane’s head.
She nodded, looking down on her son’s sleeping face. “I’m not even sure what I saw,” she mumbled to herself as Titus slipped out of the house.
He drifted outside and watched Jay carrying the saucepan away at arm’s length in the first light of the dawn. He listened to the birdsong, watched the grey palette of the garden beginning to take on the first hints of colour in the strengthening light. He glanced back towards where Miri watched over Zane, sighed, and then walked back to his house, alone.
That evening Jay returned to Miri’s house with a troubled frown. He was welcomed into the living room and offered a bowl of stew that he accepted gratefully. Zane was now awake but still looking somewhat drained, and the new boy was sound asleep in Miri’s room.
Jay perched on the edge of the sofa and wolfed the stew down, not saying a word until the bowl had been scraped and then licked clean. He put the bowl down and ran a hand through his hair.
“Sommat weird is goin’ on,” he said after a few moments. “The stuff that came out of the new boy had to be burnt for a couple of hours before it was gone. ’Ent never seen nothin’ like it before.” He fidgeted. “It tried to get out of the pan when it was getting hot … almost like it was an animal. ’Ent natural.’ He shuddered.
“At least it’s gone now.” Miri tried to sound as comforting as she could.
“That’s not all,” Jay sighed. “I got all the lads together and checked them for that mark. Ten of ’em have got it. That’s most of my Boys!”
Zane frowned. “Does the new Boy who’s scared of me have one?”
Jay nodded. “Look … I didn’t want to ask them … could you check me?”
Miri nodded and he stood, allowing her to check his back. “Nothing,” she said in relief and he let out a long breath.
“Good. That freaks me out, my Boys being marked. I dunno what gang done it, but they don’t remember anythin’ about it, not even how they got ’ere.”
“I should check them,” Zane said quietly. “Make sure that they don’t have that stuff in them.” He thought for a moment, remembering that shiver that went through him when he first met the other Boy and then said, “I think the other new Boy might.”
Jay nodded. “He’s damaged, that one. Been through sommat really bad. He’ll be alright one day, but it’s hard work. You know, I’ve always wondered where they all came from, but I never worried about it. If one turns up and he ’ent in another gang, we take ’em in and that’s that. Now I’m startin’ to wonder about it. Maybe they were in a gang before comin’ to our patch.”
“Do they always turn up in those funny clothes?” Zane asked.
Jay shook his head. “I think a couple might’ve done, ages ago, but they turn up in all kinds of things.” He jabbed a thumb towards Miri’s room. “This one alright to stay ’ere a night? Just so I know he’ll be alright? I’ll make it up t’ya.”
Miri smiled reassuringly. “Of course.”
“Tomorrow I’ll come over and check the ones with the mark on them,” Zane offered.
“Ta,” Jay said and went to the door as Zane followed to wave him off. When Jay had left, Zane took a moment to look across to Erin and Luthor’s house, but saw that it was still dark. Something about their being gone for over a day made him nervous, made him mindful of other people’s lives being shaped in ways beyond his knowledge. Oh but how little he was aware of then! How little did he appreciate how the delicate thread of his life was already being woven tightly in the affairs of others.
Chapter 24
BIGGER THAN GANGS
Later the next day, Jay shut the door to the hotel room and went over to Titus and Zane, who were standing by the window looking out onto Russell Square.
“So … whaddya find?” he asked, trying to seem nonchalant in an effort to hide his concern. It wasn’t working. Zane noticed how tired he was and suspected that he’d hardly slept since his conversation with them about the markings the night before.
“Squeak has some of that black stuff in him,” Zane began, his voice quiet and tired. “Only a tiny bit and he won’t let me near him enough to get it out. I think some of the others used to … not any more though.”
Jay peered at him. “How’d ya know that?”
Titus stepped forward. “Jay, we have an idea about where they came from before they arrived here, where that mark on their backs comes from.”
His diversionary tactic worked. Jay scratched his head. “Go on.”
“The Unders,” Titus stated calmly, making no attempt to soften what he was saying. “Squeak was definitely there and he has the mark.”
“I dunno much about them,” Jay admitted. “Why are the marks there? What are they for?”
Titus spread his hands and shrugged. “I don’t know. When the Boys with the marks were asked about … certain things, most of the others had similar memories about being locked in rooms and the corridor that Squeak told me about.”
“All of them knew someone there called Eve,” Zane added.
“And this Eve mentioned Lyssa to the newest Boy,” Titus continued, keeping his face and voice as neutral and calm as he could, whilst tightly gripping the windowsill that he leant against. “Which confirms that she’s down there now.”
Jay leant against the wall, rubbing his face as if trying to wipe away something clinging to it. He dropped his hands to his sides. “I really don’t know anything about this Unders gang– don’t know their sign, their territory, nothin’.”
“No-one knows much,” Titus replied. “We know that the Giant comes from there, that they can make lightning, that they take people –”
“Women,” Zane interjected, “Mum said they take women and they never come back.”
Titus looked down at the floor briefly. “That too.”
“How’d you know the Giant came from there?” Jay ran a hand through his hair, clearly agitated.
“The marked boys recognised the picture that Dev found,” Zane replied, handing it back to Jay. Zane then looked to Titus, but he didn’t add anything about his dream.
“Hell,” Jay muttered. Then he frowned. “Hang on. If they were with the Unders, and locked in rooms like you say
, how’d they end up out ’ere with us?”
Both Titus and Zane shrugged. “None of them can remember,” Titus said. “They only remember waking up outside and you finding them.”
“I don’t like this,” Jay muttered. “I gotta think this over.”
Zane nodded sympathetically. “You know where to find us.”
He and Titus reached the door and as Zane was opening it, Jay moved towards them with a jolt, as if he hadn’t noticed they were leaving. “Er, look … thanks for this, for helpin’ me out an’ all. I won’t forget it.” Zane smiled and Titus gave a small nod. “And Titus.” Jay held him back with a brief touch on his arm that made Titus tense immediately. “I’ll help you get Lyssa back. It ’ent right, what ’appened …”
Titus examined the earnest expression on his face. He wanted to shout, “It’s your fault this happened at all!” but he held it in. He forced that blame and suppressed rage into a tight ball that burned in his chest whilst he acknowledged Jay’s offer with a curt nod. He left the room quickly, with Zane following silently.
“I wonder if Erin and Luthor will be back tomorrow,” Zane mused out loud once they had left Jay’s territory. “They’ve never been away for more than a day before … do you think something is going on?”
There was a brief pause before Titus answered, his mind on other things. “Probably,” he replied.
“Can we try to speak to her again tonight? She has to sleep sometime.” Titus nodded. Zane looked at him. “It’s good that Jay offered to help … don’t you think?”
Titus didn’t respond. Zane sighed and left his friend to his thoughts. They parted with quiet goodbyes and went to their respective homes, Zane being greeted by his mother with an embrace and questions about the Bloomsbury Boys, Titus by silence and candles waiting to be lit.
“I wish Erin was here!” Titus said loudly, and Zane silently wished the same just as strongly.
And sure enough, Erin appeared at the centre of the dream room, looking asleep in the first moment, but then opening her eyes to look around herself in surprise.
“Oh!” she gasped, realising where she was.
“We’ve tried to get you here three times!” Zane said, smiling affectionately at her. “And last night too, are you –”
His voice trailed off when he noticed what she was wearing. Titus stared at her open-mouthed and she looked down at herself. She was dressed in red leather trousers and a linen shirt, the uniform of the Red Lady’s Hunters. Even in the dream, her weapons were present, the bow and quiver strapped to her back, knives at her belt.
“What have you done?!” Titus exclaimed, immediately putting her on the defensive.
“What does it look like!” she retorted loudly, her fists balling.
Zane moved between them, holding his hands up. “Wait, wait.” He looked at Titus who backed off. “Erin,” he said softly, turning to face her. “We’re just surprised, that’s all.” Her focus slowly shifted to Zane. “I’ve been worried, you’ve been gone for ages, and when Titus couldn’t bring you here last night …”
Just as she began to relax, Titus jumped back in. “Did they make you? Did she force you to join?”
Zane sighed in frustration as Erin pushed past him to face Titus. “Do you think I’m weak or something? That I would do something I didn’t want to?”
“You wanted to join them?” Titus asked incredulously.
“So what if I did?” she shouted back.
“Stop it!” Zane yelled, putting himself between them again. “Don’t be like this!” he exclaimed. “Don’t fight. Please. Can’t we … can’t we just talk about this?”
Zane was upset, not only because of the tension. More than that, it was seeing Titus be anything but calm. He hadn’t realised how much he’d become accustomed to his friend’s usual coolness until now, when it had gone.
Titus and Erin glowered at each other, but that gradually faded when both of them noticed the desperation on Zane’s face.
“Please,” Zane continued. “So much is going on. Stuff has happened whilst you were away, Erin, and we need to talk about it.”
“But everything we talk about will go straight to the Red Lady now!” Titus moaned, gesturing towards Erin.
“Not if it’s secret!” she replied, appearing to be hurt by the assumption.
“Really?” Titus raised an eyebrow. “Would you really lie to her about talking to us?”
The muscles in Erin’s jaw tensed as she considered his words. She looked from Titus to Zane then back again, standing straighter and holding her chin up stubbornly. “Yes,” she stated firmly. “Yes, I would, if I needed to.”
Titus was surprised into silence.
Erin let out a long sigh. “You’re my friends and that means a lot to me. I’ve never had this before,” she said quietly. “It doesn’t feel right to lose what we’ve found. I don’t want to stop being close to you both, not like this.”
Zane was heartened by her words. “I don’t want that either. Surely you don’t, Titus?”
Titus was contemplating his shoes. He shrugged. “No,” he finally replied. “I just don’t see how you can be loyal to us and to her at the same time.”
Erin looked away, jaw set.
Zane chewed his lip, trying to see a way forward. “Anyway,” he began, “most of the things we have to talk about are things the Red Lady will have to know … if she is going to help us to find Lyssa like she said.”
Titus nodded slowly. “I suppose.”
“And even though it might be harder for us three to talk in the really real world, we still have this room here, don’t we?” Zane continued.
Both Titus and Erin nodded and Zane sighed with relief, going over to flop into the captain’s chair. Erin went over to the window and leant on the sill. Titus watched her carefully, sensing that she was holding something back.
“What is it, Erin?” he asked quietly.
Erin turned and stared out of the window into the void. He could see her trying so hard to keep it all in, gripping the sill tightly.
“I’m sorry I was angry. I promise we won’t think you’re a bad person, or strange either,” Titus prodded gently. “You can tell us.”
Erin lowered her head. “I’ve had a really bad couple of days. You were right Titus–they did make me join them. Sort of. They all got together in a big room and waited for me, and then she offered me a place in her gang when they were all watching.”
“So you felt you couldn’t say no,” Zane said sadly.
Erin nodded. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to join … I sort of did, but I was worried about us three. But then I looked at my father and …” Her voice trailed off.
Zane got up and went to her, taking her hand gently and squeezing it. “I think I would have joined too, if I’d been you.” He let her hand go, wanting to embrace her, but sensitive to her dislike of it. “But it’s not all bad,” he said, trying to sound cheery. “The Hunters will teach you lots of things, and you’ll always be safe, and you’ll see the Red Lady lots too.”
Erin looked into his eyes and nodded uncertainly. She forced a smile. “So what’s been going on whilst I was away? I promise I won’t tell anyone about it unless you want me to.”
Between them, Titus and Zane told her about the events regarding the Bloomsbury Boys, the black substance, and the markings on their backs, all the while stressing that the Red Lady was not to know about them. They told her what they had pieced together about the Unders and Zane even told her that his father was involved somehow. She listened carefully, saying nothing until they’d finished.
“What do we do now?” she asked.
“We wait until we have a sighting of the Giant again,” Titus replied. “Jay has people out looking for him. When we have that, we may be able to follow him back to the Unders’ territory.”
Erin nodded. “That’s when you’ll have to tell Dad if you want the Red Lady’s help.”
Titus agreed, albeit reluctantly. “As soon as we have a chance o
f finding Lyssa, we’ll need everyone we can get to help us.” He was distracted briefly and then looked back to Erin and Zane. “I think someone’s knocking on my door. I have to wake up,” he said. “We’ll talk more later.”
Lunchtime the next day, Titus waited at a corner of Miri’s square, deep in thought. Zane was drifting over towards him, munching a raw carrot, as Jay approached from his square too. Titus looked in the direction of the Red Lady’s territory and took a deep breath to steel himself as he saw Erin, Luthor, and David striding towards him. Titus had deliberately positioned himself there; it wasn’t possible for Jay to see the Hunters on their way.
Zane and Jay arrived first, Zane radiating curiosity and Jay doing all he could to look tough and in control.
“Watchya.” He nodded to both of the boys.
“Thanks for coming,” Titus said, taking care not to glance towards where the Hunters would soon come into view.
“S’alright,” Jay said, leaning against the low wall next to Titus. “I told you everythin’ the Runner said this mornin’ though.”
It was then that Luthor rounded the corner, David and Erin behind him. Titus was surprised to see David with them; of all the Hunters to send, why would the Red Lady pick the one with whom Luthor had the greatest rivalry?
“What the hell is this?!” Jay exclaimed, moving away from the wall, hands flying to his knives.
Luthor stayed icy. “Calm down, boy, and run home. We are here to speak with Titus, not you.”
Before Jay could respond Titus stepped forward. “Actually, I invited all of you here to speak together.”
David made a loud false cough and stood next to Luthor, looking amused more than anything else. Erin was obviously uncomfortable, electing to stand to the left of her father so she could be next to Zane.
Jay turned on Titus, furious. “You never said any of that bitch’s mooks would be here!”
Luthor moved towards Jay, hand on the hilt of his sword. “Call her that again, and I will kill you,” he growled.
“Oh yeah?” Jay spat back, drawing the knives, prompting Luthor to reveal half of the blade of his sword before Zane jumped in.