o.’
When Katie didn’t move, Allie shoved her hard.
‘Now!’
She almost shouted the word and the girl turned and ran without looking back at her.
Adrenaline poured into Allie’s veins, setting her pulse racing as she turned to Rachel. ‘Are you ready?’
Looking scared, Rachel took off her glasses and tucked them into her skirt pocket.
‘What about our things…?’ She gestured at the table in front of them, piled with books and papers and pens, all the normal accoutrements of student life.
‘Leave them.’ Allie’s tone was gentle. She needed Rachel not to panic. ‘They’ll be here when we come back.’
If we come back, she thought.
Rachel nodded as if this all made perfect sense.
The library was almost empty now.
‘Come on, Rach.’ Allie took a step towards the door. ‘We’ve got to bail.’
Still not moving, Rachel looked around the room. ‘Lucas.’
Allie took her arm. ‘He knows where to go. You told him. He’ll be there now. You have to trust him. OK?’
Taking an unsteady breath, Rachel nodded and straightened her spine. ‘Let’s go.’
Then they ran out of the room into the suddenly empty grand hallway and up the grand staircase, to where groups of confused students had clustered.
Through the windows on the landing they got a glimpse of the row of gleaming limousines, Rolls Royces and Bentleys outside, stretching as far as they could see.
Rachel blanched. ‘There are so many.’
‘There should be ninety.’ Allie’s tone was tense as her gaze swept down the row of dark cars. ‘Come on.’
Quickening their pace they ran down the hallway. A winding stone staircase led them down to the ancient cellar. As they hurtled into the coolness of the dim, stone room they found most of the others had already arrived. Zoe, Nicole and Sylvain were clustered in a tight knot, talking in urgent whispers.
‘There you are.’ Nicole looked relieved.
‘Where’s Carter?’ Allie asked.
Silence fell. Allie had the sickening sense that something was wrong.
It was Sylvain who broke the news.
‘He’s searching for Jules.’ Sylvain held her gaze steadily. ‘Her parents were among the first to arrive.’
The floor seemed to sway under Allie’s feet; she stared at him in horrified disbelief. ‘Jules…? No, that can’t be right.’
But even as she said it she knew it was true – he’d never get that wrong.
Raking her fingers through her hair, she tried to think this through. Carter had never once mentioned which side Jules’ parents were on. He’d never said a word about it. Allie had just assumed they supported Isabelle – the alternative was unthinkable.
Poor Carter.
With that, the awful reality of it all set in. Anyone’s parents could be out there. Panic made it hard for her to think.
‘Did Jules get away?’ Allie asked, trying to steady herself. ‘Did everyone get away? Do we know?’
‘We came down here right away so we don’t know what’s happening upstairs,’ Zoe said.
Next to her, Nicole looked worried. ‘Their arrival happened so quickly.’
The students who didn’t want to go should now be scattered in hiding places all over the campus. Isabelle, who was fully involved in the plan and had arranged its finer details, was probably telling some parents right now that she had no idea where their children were.
‘Someone should go up to keep an eye on things,’ Allie said. ‘Rachel and I are safe, we could both go.’
Rachel gave a tense nod, her dark hair bouncing against her shoulders.
‘You shouldn’t go alone,’ Sylvain said. ‘I’m safe. I can go as well.’
Looking down at her nails, Nicole hesitated just a little too long.
‘I will stay down here,’ she said at last. When they all turned to stare at her she gave a delicate shrug that pretended nonchalance she clearly didn’t feel. Her dark eyes betrayed her nervousness. ‘Just in case. I think my parents are… undecided.’
Zoe tugged on Allie’s sleeve insistently. ‘I want to come with you.’
Apprehension made it hard for Allie to breathe. It was too much – Zoe was so small. She was only thirteen.
If anything happened to her…
‘Come on, Zoe.’ Allie’s tone was gentle; convincing. ‘It’s not fair to leave Nicole alone down here.’ When Zoe lifted her chin stubbornly, she tried a different tack. ‘Look, it won’t be for long. I’ll come back in a few minutes and we can switch. OK? We need to stick together.’
For a moment it looked as if Zoe might refuse, but then she relented, her shoulders drooping.