‘Still, there’s been some progress on that front from elsewhere,’ Lucinda continued. ‘One of my contacts at MI5 from my old government days has been in touch. She’s no fan of Nathaniel. She’s looking into the situation for us now. I’ll get back to you as soon as I know more.’
‘Thank you, Lucinda.’ Isabelle closed her notebook.
‘I presume the guards have checked the grounds thoroughly?’ Lucinda asked. ‘I don’t think Christopher would be foolish enough to come back, but still. I’m not sure I want Allie alone in her room tonight.’
‘We’ve stationed a guard on the roof above her window. Another will be outside her door,’ Isabelle said.
‘Excellent. Then I’ll leave this in your capable hands. Let’s speak again tomorrow.’ Lucinda ended the call without another word.
Allie stared at the silent phone. A guard on the roof and one at the door.
I’m a prisoner now.
24
Twenty-four
The next morning seemed to crawl by. When she was meant to be studying, Allie instead made notes about the things Christopher had said to her. She kept going over it in her mind.
She’d told the others about it at breakfast. The whole time she spoke, Sylvain kept his gaze fixed in the distance. The only sign that he was anything other than calm was a muscle flickering in his jaw.
When she finished, Carter looked furious. ‘So all their security and he just waltzes into your room? What the hell is going on around here?’
‘They can’t secure this place,’ Nicole said. ‘We all know it. It’s too big. Too rambling. If someone tries hard enough …’
‘They’ll get in.’ Rachel finished the sentence. She looked pale. ‘I was in the next room; I didn’t hear a thing. Oh, Allie, I’m so sorry.’
Allie shook her head. ‘It’s not your fault, Rach. I didn’t scream for help. Anyway, there was a guard in the hallway the whole time.’
They all started speaking at once then.
‘They should …’
‘Isabelle …’
‘We should try …’
Sylvain’s voice cut through the chaos. ‘This is too dangerous.’ He turned to Allie. In the light streaming through the huge windows, his eyes were lavender. ‘Isabelle must do something.’
‘There’s a guard on the roof above my room now,’ she said. ‘And outside my door. No one’s getting in. Or out.’ She gave a harsh laugh. ‘I’m being held prisoner for my own safety.’
‘What a mess,’ Rachel murmured.
After breakfast, Sylvain caught up with Allie as she walked up the stairs to chemistry.
His eyes searched her face. ‘Are you really OK?’
‘I’m really fine,’ she said. ‘He didn’t hurt me.’
Sylvain took her hand, and laced his fingers through hers.
‘He could have. You were alone with him.’
His hand was warm against hers. Solid. She squeezed his fingers.
‘I know. But he’s my brother and I guess …’ She sighed. ‘I just don’t think he’d hurt me.’
They’d reached the classroom now and they stood outside the door as the other students hurried to their lessons. A guard stood nearby, his dark uniform crisp and clean. He kept his attention focussed elsewhere, pretending he couldn’t hear what they were saying.
Guards had followed her down to breakfast this morning, too.
Glancing at him, Sylvain pulled her closer and whispered, ‘If anything happened to you ... I don’t know what I would do.’
He looked beautiful in the soft morning light, all tawny skin and aquamarine eyes.
‘Nothing will happen to me,’ she said. ‘I promise.’ Around them, classroom doors had begun to close. The guard moved closer.
Feeling his eyes on her, Allie pulled back. ‘We should go in.’
Sylvain didn’t argue.
After taking their usual seats, they talked in whispers about the guards until Jerry Cole walked in, calling for silence in his usual mild fashion.
The science teacher seemed even more disorganised than usual. His papers were crumpled and out of order, his wiry hair needed combing and his glasses were crooked, as if he’d rushed to the room.
‘Today we’re talking about …’ He rifled through his papers as if he had no idea what he wanted to talk about today. Eventually he found the one he wanted and held it up triumphantly. ‘Gauss’s Law of Gravity and …’ Stopping again he searched for another page. ‘Oh dear, where has everything gone?’
The students tittered at his confusion. He smiled at them over the tops of his glasses. ‘I didn’t sleep last night, gang,’ he said. ‘So this may be one of those classes where you explain string theory to me and I grade the inventiveness of your descriptions.’
Allie cast a surreptitious glance at Sylvain from beneath her lashes. His lips were curved into an unselfconscious smile as he watched Jerry try and get it together.
He looked even better when he smiled. She had to love him back.
That evening, the group gathered on the lawn to compare notes. It was July now, and it stayed light until late in the evening.
Two guards stood about ten feet away, keeping watch.
By now, Allie hardly noticed them. They’d followed her all day.
Night School: Resistance (Night School 4)
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