Fractured (20 page)

‘It’s him!’

I stand, turn for the door. A wide smile stretching across my face. Just this glimpse from a distance, and my heart is pounding, blood rushing
swoosh
through my veins. All I want to do is run to him, throw my arms around him, and—

‘Wait.’ Aiden puts a hand on my arm.

‘But I’ve got to see him.’

‘Not so fast. You were too busy looking at Ben to notice.’

‘Notice what?’

‘A black van just pulled up. Focus back on the buildings, other side of the track. What do you see?’

With a sinking feeling I hold the binoculars up again, and sweep back to the far side of the field. A few figures. Men. In black. Standing, watching the runners on the track on the return loop get closer to them. A cold shiver runs up my back and I pull away from the window without thinking. They wouldn’t be able to see us this far away, unless they have binoculars of their own. Which they very well may do, if they have a reason to look. Anything suspicious, like, say, a telephone van. On a Sunday. My mouth goes dry.

‘Why would Lorders be here?’

‘I don’t know. I’m sorry, but they are too close for you to get anywhere near Ben today. They are too close for us to even be here. I don’t like this, not at all.’

Cold dismay fills me. ‘But I can’t leave without saying something to him, seeing if he is okay. I can’t. I have to see him!’
I have to warn him about Coulson.
Sooner or later when I don’t serve up Nico and the Free UK plans to Coulson, he’ll make good on his threats.

‘I’m sorry. It’s too dangerous. We’re getting out of here, pronto.’

Aiden times it so most of the runners are on their next lap, on the other side of the field, between Lorder eyes and us. We slip out of the house and I get into the back of the van, fighting my instincts – which all say to run to the track. To see Ben. Fighting to keep my promise to Aiden.

I’m on my own in the back this time, Aiden in front with the driver, wanting to see with his own eyes what is going on.

I count the turns as we go around the field, realise we’ve had to drive right past the Lorders. My stomach feels nauseous and I crouch down, away from the back window. But nothing happens. We carry on.

Once I’m sure we’ve cleared the field, I push through a jungle of equipment and wires hanging from the van roof, and peek out the back window. There is a collection of what looks like school buildings on the other side: the boarding school that Aiden said Ben is going to? And past it, a canal. We go over a bridge, and a trail hugs the banks, as far as I can see.

Ben would run there. Early in the mornings. I know he would.

Disappointment is creeping up my body, making me shake. I collapse back down on the floor, pull my knees up. We were so close! Tears are threatening to come up, and I fight them, hard. But I give up a battle I can’t win.

The van slows, comes to a stop.

Moments later Aiden pulls open the door. I wipe my face on my sleeve.

‘I dropped my co-worker off at that last junction. Pulled in here for a break, all right? Come out,’ he says, and holds out his hand. I take it, duck forward and out, legs stiff, and find the van is pulled into a passing place on a single-lane road, trees making a green tunnel overhead.

‘Stretch our legs?’ he says. We cross the road to a footpath, and walk in silence a few minutes to a creek, then along it until it reaches a clearing. There is a rough bench on one side.

‘Let’s talk,’ he says, and sits on the bench. I join him. ‘So. That really was Ben? You’re sure?’

‘Yes.’

‘Hold onto that. There was every reason to think he…’ And he hesitates.

‘That he was dead.’

‘Yes. Yet there he is. We need to play a waiting game now, and see what else we can find out about Ben and this boarding school he is going to, what the story is. Work out a safe place for you to meet him. As soon as I know anything, I’ll tell you. All right?’

‘When will that be?’

‘I don’t know for sure; I’ll do what I can. Tell you what: I’ll be at Mac’s again next Friday. Come up straight after school and if there is any news, I’ll tell you then.’

‘I have to see him, speak to him. I have to,’ I say, and I can hear my voice is desperate and pleading, but can’t stop it. It is past just needing to warn Ben; seeing him today made every bit of me scream to be close to him. My hand grips tight to Aiden’s arm.

He unhooks my fingers, holds my hand between his.

‘I know,’ he says, voice gentle. ‘And you know what else I know?’

‘What?’

‘Ben is a lucky guy.’

Aiden’s eyes hold mine. They are vivid blue, the colour of sky. Warm, and serious, and looking at mine like Ben used to. I pull my hand and my eyes away.

‘Kyla, listen. You see how important MIA is now, don’t you? What we do. Find people or what happened to them, good or bad. For people like you, who can’t go on with their lives until they know.’

I nod. ‘I get it.’

‘I’m not going to put pressure on you today, but think some more about it, all right? Think about reporting yourself found. To help somebody like we are helping you.’

There is a wave of panic inside just to hear him say it. I could do it: report Lucy Connor found. But what would it mean? She doesn’t exist any more, apart from a few shaky fragments of dreams.

‘Come on,’ Aiden says. ‘Best get you home.’

We walk back along the footpath, and Aiden opens the side door of the van. ‘Sorry, but it is safer if you travel in the back.’

‘It’s fine,’ I say. Climb in, settle myself, then shift closer to the window once the door is shut.

I want to know the way.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

A surprise waits when I open the front door. Dad, on the sofa, feet up; Amy next to him chattering about her week. Mum reading a book on a chair. Three sets of eyes swivel and stare.

Mum shuts her book. Frowns. ‘That was a long walk.’

‘Sorry, I—’

‘Give her a chance to come in and say hello,’ Dad says. ‘I haven’t seen her for a week.’ He holds out his hand and I walk over; he takes mine and pulls me closer, kisses my cheek.

‘Sit down, join us,’ he says, and I perch on the other end of the sofa next to Amy.

‘Where did you go?’ Mum asks.

Dad shakes his head. ‘Can’t the poor girl go for an afternoon walk without getting the third degree?’

Mum frowns, and there is
atmosphere
: waves of disturbed emotion in the air so real I can almost reach out and touch them.

‘You haven’t been on footpaths on your own, have you?’ she says.

‘No,’ I answer, truthfully. Not today. The only footpath I ventured down was with Aiden.

‘It’s not safe. They haven’t caught whoever attacked that Wayne Best yet,’ she continues. ‘You need to be careful, and—’

‘Now, Sandra,’ Dad says. ‘She says she wasn’t on footpaths.’

Amy and I both look at him, eyes wide in surprise. Mum visibly bristles, as if she is a hedgehog and her spines are sticking out everywhere. Dad, on
my
side? And Mum, her face a picture of suspicion. She doesn’t trust me.

I venture in. ‘Honestly, no. I just went along to the Hall and back. On the road.’ I’d calculated in my mind how far that was and the time I was gone, and it was about right.

‘I thought you said you had homework, and just needed a short walk to clear your head?’

‘I wasn’t going to go that far. But it is such a nice day…’ And my voice trails away. Even to me that doesn’t sound convincing.

‘Don’t neglect your homework,’ Dad says. Something else lurks behind his eyes.

‘I should go up now,’ I say, and start getting to my feet.

The set of Mum’s face says this isn’t over.

‘Wait a moment,’ Dad says. ‘Now we’re all here we can have a family meeting about AMD.’ I look at him blankly. ‘Armstrong Memorial Day,’ he says.

‘It’s up to both of you,’ Mum says. ‘If you want to come.’

Dad snorts. ‘Of course they’re coming.’ He turns to Amy and me. ‘It’s a huge celebration this year: twenty-five years since the assassinations, and thirty years of the Central Coalition in power. It’s at Chequers. The Prime Minister’s country house,’ he adds, looking at me.

‘What is happening?’ I ask.

Mum answers. ‘First up, the usual ceremony inside Chequers, live on telly like every year. That is family only, so just all of us and a film crew. Sympathy of the nation, speech from grieving daughter, blah blah blah.’

Dad raises an eyebrow at her tone.

She continues. ‘And then, as a special celebration this year, the Prime Minister will be there for a second televised ceremony in the grounds of Chequers, to be held at the exact time the treaty was signed to form the Central Coalition thirty years ago. Government officials and the rich and famous will all be there to celebrate. After that there will be a long and boring dinner.’

Government officials…Lorders.

‘You need to come for the ceremonies, really,’ Mum says, regret in her voice.

‘It’s an honour!’ Dad adds.

‘But you can skip the dinner if you want to,’ Mum says. A look on her face suggests that would be wise. She still holds me in her gaze, some uncertainty hiding behind her bland look.

‘Can I be excused? Homework,’ I say.

‘Go on, then,’ Dad says.

I start up the stairs. What is up with these two? Mum is full of suspicion, Dad is chilled. Have they had a body swap?

And further joy: Lorder ceremonies, ones I have to go to.

Lorder ceremonies. Ones very hard to get into, unless you are in the family. This family. I stop at the top of the stairs, frozen in place by the
clink
of puzzle pieces clicking together in my brain.

Nico said I must stay in my life for a while longer; that I have a vital role to play. Is this it? Something to do with Armstrong Memorial Day?

Concerted attacks, Nico said. What better day to choose? The Lorders will be on high alert, but I can get in. I’ll be there!

I force my feet to take the last few steps, go into my room. Pull the door shut.

Before any of this goes down, I have to warn Ben. Get him away safe so Coulson can’t take any anger at me out on him. I hold Ben’s face, inside, as I saw him today. He
is
alive. My tears earlier were misplaced. Okay, so I didn’t get to talk to him, touch him, feel he still breathes, that blood pumps from his heart through his body. But I saw him. He lives. For now, that is enough.

I am grateful to Aiden for finding him, but he couldn’t be more wrong than to think I will get involved with MIA. He thinks I’m torn between reporting myself found on MIA, and doing nothing. If he only knew I am in a much more dangerous place: caught between Lorders and Free UK.

What next?

It is a waiting game, Aiden said. Wait until he finds out more about Ben and his situation, how to get me to him safely.

But I can’t wait long. Coulson hinted Ben is alive, so that much of what he said is true. He also hinted he won’t stay that way unless I do as he wants. But he doesn’t know I know where he is.

In the meantime…Nico must think I’m on his side. Coulson must think I’m on his. Neither can find out what I do for the other.

It is like two high-speed trains, hurtling towards each other, getting closer and closer to disaster.

Late that night, Nico’s com buzzes from its hiding place under my Levo. Awake in an instant, I fumble for the button in the dark.

‘Yes?’ I whisper.

‘Okay to talk?’

‘Quietly.’

‘The RTC attack will be tomorrow. But there is one condition if you go.’

‘What is that?’

‘Rain, you must do exactly what Katran says. Do you promise?’

He’ll love that. But what choice do I have? I promise, then listen to Nico’s precise instructions.

Train number one leaves the station.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Holly leans a bicycle against the tree. Walks towards the door.

‘Not sure this is a good idea.’ I breathe the words near Katran’s ear. He grunts, says nothing. His face says he doesn’t like it, either. The plan is Nico’s, and it was easy to see when Katran told us the details earlier that Nico’s interference in his group rankled. Much like my presence.

This Lorder building is out of the way as you’d expect for what happens inside it; no neighbours, yet just a few miles off a main road – good transport links. There is one black van parked out front now. Surveillance had said Monday’s a good day for this. Other days there are more ‘deliveries’: Slateds to be terminated.

Before Holly reaches the door a Lorder guard steps out.

‘Hi!’ she says. Smiles too wide. She shouldn’t look that happy to see a Lorder.

‘What are you doing here?’

‘Sorry, I’m lost. Could you tell me how to get to the farmer’s market?’

Stupid story. You’d have to be a total idiot to have turned down this unmarked road and past all the ‘do not enter’ signs, and not the next one with all the signs to the market.

He says nothing, walks closer, face impassive. One eye on her and one scanning the woods around. Instinctively, I pull myself lower in the scrub though I know we are deep in shadows, well hidden from view. His hand reaches for a com at his belt.

Holly does a sudden spin kick, knocks his hand away from the com. I tense to spring forward to help her but Katran grabs my wrist. ‘Wait,’ he hisses. ‘Until the others come out.’

There are spy cameras all over the front. By now, inside, they’d see the guard tussling with one slight girl. He soon has Holly immobilised, a grip tight around her neck.

The door opens. Another Lorder comes out.

‘Report.’

‘She says she’s lost, then kicks me.’

‘I don’t like it. Check the area.’

‘My hands are full.’

He shrugs. ‘So empty them.’

He moves one hand to Holly’s chin, another on her shoulder.
No!
I tense to spring forward, but Katran holds me in an iron grip.

A sudden violent twist.

The Lorder lets her go; she falls to the ground.

Her body twitches, then lies still: neck broken. Black horror inside quickly turns to rage. I glare at Katran, ready to lash out, but his face is filled with pain. When he sees me looking it hardens to a mask. The look is gone.