She nodded. ‘You?’
‘Yeah.’ I ran my hand through my hair. ‘I’m just a few doors down,’ I said. ‘There are security guards at the end of our corridor.’
‘Oh?’ Rachel said. ‘Is your mum here?’
‘Yep.’
‘How’s your arm?’
‘Fine.’ I showed her the bandage. ‘I have to keep it dry for a few days.’
‘A few days.’ Rachel’s voice shook slightly. ‘I guess we’ll both be gone by then.’
‘I guess.’
There was a pause. Then Rachel looked down at her T-shirt.
‘These are gross clothes,’ she said. ‘Mum brought all the wrong things with her.’
I nodded, not really paying attention. The clothes looked okay to me – a pair of jeans and a blue T-shirt.
I didn’t want to talk about clothes.
I took a deep breath. ‘Rachel?’
A knock on the door. Lewis poked his head round.
Rachel squealed and ran over to him.
He hugged her and waved at me across the room.
‘You guys hungry?’ he grinned.
We ate lunch with Lewis. Which was fine, except when Rachel said she was really sorry about Mel, and Lewis looked as if he was about to cry.
Then all the parents turned up and wanted to see us. It was weird meeting Rachel’s dad again. He told me he’d known I existed and about my code name, Apollo, but no details about my life. He said how scared he’d been when I’d turned up at his house with Rachel. How I’d seemed weirdly familiar. How he’d realised who I must be when I ran my hand through my hair – just like Elijah does, apparently.
After a few hours I was interviewed again – this time by the FBI in a little room at the end of the corridor. I asked them about Daniel and Elijah, who still hadn’t been found. I hoped Daniel was all right. It was weird – I hardly knew him, yet he was my younger brother. Sort of.
Mum and I talked for a bit about what was going to happen next. She’d got permission for me to call Jake and Max on some safe line. So I did, even though it was really late at home.
Jake was all overexcited about everything that had happened.
‘So there were guns and a shoot-out, dude?’ he said breathlessly. ‘That is way cool.’
It was impossible to explain to him how totally not cool everything that had happened yesterday had been. So I changed the subject.
‘Seen anything of Max?’ I asked innocently.
Jake snorted. ‘Some. Between you and me I don’t think she’s into boys.’
I laughed. ‘You mean she’s not into you.’
Jake sighed. ‘Maybe I should try Rachel again.’
‘She’s not coming back,’ I said quickly.
I explained about the relocation stuff. That I didn’t know yet where I was going, but it wouldn’t be back to London. Jake fell silent. Then we talked a bit more about school and football and stuff. Then we said goodbye.
It was weird thinking I might never see him again. Or at least, not for a long time.
I suddenly realised what it was going to be like, going to a new town and a new school. Starting all over again making friends. Never being able to really say who I was.
Never letting people in.
I called Max.
Perl and Java were barking in the background. She asked a few questions about what had happened, then launched into a long and complicated explanation of how she had hacked into some bunch of government records to create the new identities which Lewis and Mel had given up to RAGE.
‘The police were here all yesterday afternoon. I was nearly arrested,’ she said.
Yeah? I was nearly killed.
I thanked her for everything she’d tried to do.
‘How’s Rachel?’ she said.
‘Good,’ I said.
I checked my watch. Nine-thirty p.m. At this rate Rachel would be asleep again before I could see her. I started trying to say goodbye, but for some reason Max didn’t want to end the call.
‘Jake keeps coming round,’ she said eventually.
‘And?’ I said, checking my watch again. 9:38.
‘He’s a jerk,’ she said flatly.
‘Mmmn.’
‘Still,’ she said. ‘I guess he’s quite a cute jerk.’
I grinned. ‘You should tell him,’ I said.
‘Mmmn,’ she said.
We said goodbye.
I put down the phone and stood up.
No more delays. I was going to see Rachel. Now.
I cleaned my teeth and strode to the door.
As I reached for the handle, it opened.
She was there. In front of me.
With Lewis.
‘I’ve come to say goodbye,’ Lewis said.
‘Right now?’ I said. But one look at Rachel’s face told me it was right now. She was miserable about Lewis going. My stomach twisted into a knot.
Lewis nodded. ‘Tomorrow I have to talk to the FBI. Tell them about Elijah’s work. What I know of it. And about RAGE. If I cooperate fully they’re going to relocate me under their witness protection programme too.’
He shook my hand and kissed Rachel on the cheek. I couldn’t bear watching how fiercely she hugged him.
I walked over to the window.
The door shut with a click.
‘I have to go too,’ Rachel said.
I turned round. Her eyes glistened with tears.
‘Tonight?’ My voice sounded hoarse, like there was no breath holding it up. Like all the life was being sucked out of my body.
She nodded.
We stared at each other. ‘You saved my life yesterday,’ she said softly.
‘You saved mine by coming to the compound,’ I said. ‘You and Lewis.’
Rachel sighed. ‘I’m going to miss him so much.’ She walked towards me. She stood beside me at the window. Right beside me.
‘I love how much he loved Mel. Did she ever mention him?’
‘Er . . . no. Not that I remember.’ My mind raced.
If she loves him loving someone else, then surely she can’t . . .
Rachel looked up at me. ‘I don’t want to go tonight.’
My heart hammered. My mind was flailing around for something to say.
‘I just spoke to Jake,’ I said.
‘Yeah?’
‘He asked how you were,’ I said. ‘I think he and Max might hook up, actually.’
Why are you talking to her about Jake, you moron?
‘Oh,’ Rachel said.
She half turned and looked out of the window. She was standing so close to me now we were almost touching.
Say something. Say something.
And then she glanced sideways up at me. Gave me this totally beautiful, sexy look.
And I realised I didn’t need to say anything at all.
84
Rachel
The door shut behind Lewis. I took a deep breath.
‘I have to go too,’ I said.
Theo turned round from where he was standing at the window. His eyes were so sad and serious. ‘Tonight?’
‘You saved my life yesterday.’ I could feel my cheeks reddening. What was I trying to say: thank you?
‘You saved mine by coming to the compound.’ He made this little face. ‘You and Lewis.’
I didn’t want to think about Lewis going away. It just reminded me that in a minute I would have to say goodbye to Theo. My insides crumpled up.
‘I’m going to miss him so much.’
Theo looked at the floor.
I stared at him, wondering what he was thinking.
I walked over to stand beside him at the window.
‘I love how much he loved Mel. Did she ever mention him?’
‘Er . . . no. Not that I remember.’ Theo was looking awkward. I suddenly felt embarrassed, but I made myself look right up into his eyes.
‘I don’t want to go tonight,’ I said.
I want to be here with you.
&nb
sp; Now Theo looked panic-stricken. ‘I just spoke to Jake,’ he said quickly.
‘Yeah?’
Why are you changing the subject?
‘He asked how you were. I think he and Max might hook up, actually.’
Why are you talking to me about Jake?
‘Oh,’ I said. I turned away.
Maybe he isn’t interested. Maybe I’m being too obvious.
I looked out of the window. The stars were out high in a clear sky and the city was a million lights. It was beautiful. And it suddenly struck me. Even if Theo didn’t feel like I did, the important thing was that I loved him. And loving him was the most amazing feeling I’d ever had in my whole life.
We might never see each other again. But nobody could ever take that feeling away from me.
I glanced sideways up at him.
God, your face is beautiful.
He stared at me for a second. Then this slow grin spread across his face and he bent his head and kissed me.
85
Theo
It felt like we’d only been kissing for a few minutes. But it was almost midnight when Rachel’s parents came looking for her.
Her dad gave me a massively dirty look. Like he knew exactly what we’d been doing. Rachel didn’t help the situation by blushing the deepest shade of red I’d ever seen in my life.
She walked over to her mum and dad at the door.
This was it. I couldn’t believe it. She was going away to a new life and I was never going to see her again.
She looked back at me. Then she turned away. She put her hand on the door handle.
I was never going to see her face again.
‘Can’t we even email each other?’ I said.
Her dad folded his arms. ‘It’s not advisable,’ he said. ‘The less contact between you, the less opportunity for RAGE to track either of you down.’
He turned and put his hand over Rachel’s, pressing down on the handle. The door opened.
‘Just two more minutes,’ I said. ‘There’s something I forgot to tell Rachel.’
She looked up at her dad. He glanced at her mum, who pursed her lips.
‘Well,’ she said. ‘I guess two minutes won’t make any difference.’
‘Please, Dad?’ Rachel pleaded.
Her dad sighed. ‘All right, but the car’s waiting.’
I waited until they’d shut the door behind them.
‘Listen,’ I said. Then I put my arms around her and I told her.
86
Rachel
It was the end of my first day at my new school. A week since I’d seen Theo.
I went everywhere in a daze. I had barely registered our new town, our new house, our new car. I lived in my memories, dreaming of seeing him again. Going over what he’d told me.
Today was when he’d said I should do it.
Five p.m. GMT. That’s when he’d said.
I walked down the corridor to the main school exit. It was a more modern school than my old one. Smaller but less crowded and cramped. The teachers seemed nice and some of the other kids had been friendly. At least there were boys here. Not that I was interested in any of them.
Out onto the tarmac. A light drizzle had just started falling. It was the very last week of term. I was only in for an orientation day. I’d start properly in January.
I lifted my face to the rain. It was getting stronger, the raindrops like tiny needles in my face.
‘Hey, rain-girl.’ The sneering voice stopped me in my tracks. I looked round. A girl – bigger than me – was standing right next to me with her hands on her hips. She had long, dark hair and a hard, thin face. Two mousier-looking girls stood on either side of her.
I stared at her face. She didn’t look much like Jemima from my old school. But she had the same sneering, triumphant look in her eye.
‘Where are you from, then?’ she said.
‘Out of town,’ I said. I’d been primed with various ways of heading off intrusive questions about my past. My heart thumped. This girl didn’t look like she was going to let me head her off all that easily.
‘Oh yeah?’ The girl glanced at her friends. ‘That a nice place, Outuvtahn?’
She was taking the piss out of my accent. My face burned.
‘It was okay,’ I said levelly. ‘Maybe not quite so rainy.’
‘Oo-ooh,’ the girl said sarcastically. ‘So you’re too good for round here then?’
My mind raced. What was the right reply? And then I realised. There wasn’t one. I didn’t even have to be having this conversation.
‘I didn’t say that,’ I said sharply. I stared at the girl. On the surface she was all bluster and threat. But underneath, behind her eyes, I could see she wasn’t as sure of herself as she was making out.
I kept my gaze rock-steady on her eyes. ‘Actually I like it here.’ I smiled. A quick, easy smile. ‘See you later.’
I walked away.
Nothing followed me. No objects. No people. No swearwords.
Nothing.
The new house was only a few minutes away. Dad was still at work – he’d got a new job at some film processing shop. Mum was unloading her latest shopping – a new tennis outfit. She wanted to buy one for me, get me started at the local club, but I told her I wanted to learn karate instead. They teach it at the new school.
I pretended to be interested in Mum’s new clothes, then I rushed out, saying I had to get something from the high street. The rain had stopped and the sun had come out. Everywhere smelled fresh. I went straight to the internet café I’d spotted earlier in the week and went online. I found the chat room easily enough. Theo had been very clear about the address.
I registered and logged on. My mouth was dry. Was he going to be here? Would he have remembered?
I scanned the screen for Theo’s username.
There.
Message posted by ItsObvious at 5:01:
Funny what u miss when u move. Sights, sounds.
People.
I smiled. Then put my hands over the keyboard. I’d picked my own username earlier in the week. Theo had told me to make it something he would be sure to identify as me.
I typed quickly.
Message posted by ClØn* H*@rt at 5:03:
Yeah, missing people is definitely the worst. Still. So long as u have a way of keeping in touch, I guess u can survive.
Message posted by ItsObvious at 5:04:
Survive. As in better than nothing. Just. Anyway, it’s been raining for days here. Is it raining where u r?
Message posted by ClØn* H*@rt at 5:05:
No. Was b4 but sun shining now. It sucks not knowing anyone.
– I know. My school’s rubbish
– Mine’s okay, I think. At least this one has boys.
– Boys?
– You know. Boys. Not fit ones though.
– Good. Because I don’t suppose ur boyfriend would want u hanging out with fit boys.
– I guess not. I hope I c him again soon.
– Me 2. I hope that a whole lot.
– Yeah. Soon. One day, soon.
Read on for an extract from Split Second, coming soon in hardback and eBook
Hardback – 978-1-47111-597-4
eBook – 978-1-47111-600-1
London, the near future
Nat
I glanced at my phone. It was almost three p.m.
Three p.m. was when the bomb would go off.
I raced along the street, my heart banging against my ribs. I had to find Lucas. Canal Street market. That’s what the text had said. That was where Lucas would be. My lungs burned as I gasped at the cold air. I ran faster, pushing through the crowds.
The covered market was packed with shoppers, most of whom were heading for the food stall run by the Future Party. Since the cutbacks had really set in last year, unemployment had risen fast. Now people who would once never have dreamed of taking a handout queued for free food from the only political party in the country that seemed to care
. I hurtled past the queue. Most people were staring at the ground as they shuffled along, avoiding eye contact.
There was no sign of Lucas.
I kept running. The bomb wouldn’t be here, anyway. Why would anyone want to bomb people so poor they had to queue for food? The next few stalls all sold ethnic clothes – a mix of bold African prints and soft Thai silks. I turned the corner, past the section of the market specialising in baby stuff. No. No way. Neither Lucas nor the bomb would be here. Not where there were babies, for goodness sake. I ran on, panting, past the market clock. It was just four minutes to three. There was hardly any time left. I looked up. The market had a first floor full of cheap toiletries and household goods. Should I go up there or check more of the ground floor?
A security guard strode past. I stared at the radio that hung from his belt. I’d been so focused on finding Lucas I hadn’t thought about everyone else in the market. There were lots of people milling about. Lots of children with their mums and dads.
I chased after the security guard. Grabbed his arm. ‘Listen,’ I said. ‘You need to clear the market. Get everyone out.’
The man turned. His face filled with suspicion. ‘What did you say?’
‘There’s a bomb,’ I said. ‘I don’t know exactly where, but it’s in the market and it’s going to go off in a few minutes.’
The security guard frowned, a look of disbelief on his face. ‘What makes you think that, lad?’ he said.
‘I just do. You have to believe me. Please.’ Heart pounding, I caught sight of my reflection in the shiny Future Party sign that pointed the way to their free food stall. My hair was messed up, my eyes wild and staring. No wonder the security guard was looking at me like I was crazy. ‘You have to clear the whole place.’
‘Wait here,’ the guard said with a sigh. ‘I’ll go and get the site manager.’
‘No, there’s no time.’
But the security guard was already striding away, heading towards the stalls I had just passed. As I turned to the next aisle, intending to run on, I caught a glimpse of a black leather jacket on the stairs up to the first floor. Was that Lucas? I strained my eyes, but the jacket had disappeared, lost in the crowds.