Night School: Resistance (Night School 4)

She nodded her answer.

The guard rapped once on the door and it opened. He stepped out. It closed behind him.

Now she was alone with the man who’d betrayed them all.

At the thought, Allie started to feel panicked. A bit dizzy. Her lungs threatened to stop working.

I can’t do this. I can’t do this.

Then, in her head, she heard Carter’s voice. ‘Just breathe.’

She breathed.

When she spoke her voice rang out, clear and strong. ‘You asked to see me. I’m here. Let’s talk.’

‘Allie Sheridan.’ Slowly he raised his head.

His wire-framed glasses were gone – they must have taken them away. Maybe they were just a prop anyway. He had a bruise on one cheek but looked otherwise unscathed. His normally clean-shaven face had a day’s growth of whiskers, which gave him a vaguely disreputable look.

‘Why did you want to see me?’ she asked, trying to sound tough.

He laughed then and the sound made her skin crawl. It was a bitter, angry laugh.

‘You have caused a lot of problems, young lady.’

Anger unfurled in Allie’s chest. She fought to keep her voice even.

‘How have I caused problems?’

‘Everything could have been so different,’ he said, shaking his head, ‘if you’d just done what you were supposed to do.’

‘And what was that?’ She was surprised by how unafraid she sounded.

‘Walk away from here,’ he said. ‘Join your brother. Join Nathaniel.’

‘You’re right. I didn’t do that,’ she said. ‘So you killed people. You killed Ruth and Jo …’ Her voice hitched and she steadied herself before continuing. ‘And attacked Rachel and me.’

He made a dismissive gesture and the chains rattled. ‘Gabe did those things, not me.’

Allie shot him a contemptuous look. ‘You helped.’

‘It’s a war, Allie.’ His tone said he thought she was being obtuse. ‘People die in wars.’

‘It’s not a war.’ Her voice rose. ‘It’s a family disagreement. Nobody should have died. Nobody should ever die for money.’

He laughed again.

‘You’re so na?ve. Money is all anybody dies for these days.’ He settled back in the chair and scrutinised her. ‘But you’re young. You’ll learn.’

‘Thanks for the lesson.’ She spat the word out, as if it tasted bad. ‘Is that all, Jerry? Because I think this is a waste of time.’

When she took a step towards the door, though, he jerked in the chair as if startled.

‘No, wait.’ His voice was urgent. She turned back. ‘The reason I had to see you … I have to warn you.’

The temperature in the room seemed to drop.

‘Warn me about what?’

‘The parley,’ he said. ‘Nathaniel has a plan.’

Now, Allie thought, we’re getting somewhere.

‘What is the plan?’

He grimaced. ‘I can’t tell you that.’

‘You have to,’ she said. ‘Or you’ll never get out of here.’

‘I can’t,’ he said deliberately, ‘help you.’

Furious, Allie took two steps towards him. ‘Then why am I here? Is this some sort of a game, Jerry? You want to warn me? Then warn me. Because we’re busy …’

‘Oh yes,’ he growled. ‘I know how busy you all are. I know everything about you, Allie. And so does Nathaniel. We know your weaknesses and your strengths. What you’re willing to part with and what would destroy you.’ He smiled, his lips stretched tight across his teeth. ‘We know it all.’

Allie felt sick. This man looked and sounded nothing like the science teacher she’d known and trusted. That man was kind and thoughtful. This man was filled with violence and hate.

It was impossible to reconcile the two. She knew she should walk out of the room now. There was nothing to learn here. But she didn’t.

‘Why Jerry?’ she asked, unable to stop herself. ‘Why did you do it?’

For a long second he studied her. When he spoke, his tone was bitter. ‘Your grandmother will tell you why, when she figures out who I am. She made me everything I am today.’

Allie’s heart stuttered. What did Lucinda have to do with him?

She tried to keep her confusion out of her expression.

‘You must really hate her,’ she said, ‘to be willing to kill children as some sort of twisted revenge.’

‘I didn’t kill anyone.’ He shouted the words, leaning towards her, stretching the chains as far as they’d go. She could see through his shirt the way his shoulder muscles bulged.

She forced herself not to flinch. He couldn’t reach her. But her eyes strayed to the hook in the wall. It was holding firm.

‘Don’t worry,’ he said, following her gaze. ‘I’m well secured.’ Calmer now, he settled back in his chair. ‘I am not a killer, Allie. My part in all of this was purely information. I was here to help Nathaniel understand his enemy.’

‘Maybe if Jo hadn’t died that would have worked as an excuse,’ Allie said with cold deliberation. ‘But she did die. And you knew exactly what you were doing. The risks you were taking.’