Night School: Resistance (Night School 4)

‘She’s right,’ Allie said, even though she, herself, had been doodling pictures of armed rabbits for half an hour. ‘There might be an apocalypse but we still have to take A-levels. And that’s what really matters.’


Rachel greeted this ironic statement with an eye roll. ‘I’m starting to understand why you guys like fighting. It would be so good to kick something right now.’

Nicole brightened. ‘That would be easy to arrange …’

With perfect timing, the library door opened, hitting the wall with a thud. Zoe swooped in and stood in front of them, disbelief in her eyes. The bruise on her face was going green around the edges. Every morning she gave them a detailed update on the colour changes and what it meant about the movement of blood beneath her skin. This had ruined everyone’s appetite at two breakfasts so far.

‘Why are you studying?’ Her tone said studying was the most idiotic activity she could imagine. ‘There’s a meeting.’ When they just stared at her, she gestured impatiently for them to follow. ‘Come now.’

She led the way down the grand, empty hallway to the basement stairs, and then along the narrow, dusty subterranean corridor. As they neared Training Room One, Allie’s stomach began to twist. An unannounced Night School meeting was never good.

When they arrived, the featureless room was as full as it got these days. All the members of Night School were there, along with Zelazny, Eloise and a handful of guards. Someone had taken up the exercise padding that usually covered the floor and leaned it against the walls, revealing the cold concrete below.

The girls found Carter and Sylvain standing on one side of the dimly lit room with Lucas and they hurried across to them.

‘What’s going on?’ Allie asked, searching their faces for clues. But they both shook their heads.

‘No idea,’ Carter muttered. His hands were shoved deep into his pockets and he scanned the room with suspicious eyes.

‘Looks serious,’ Lucas said.

Tension thickened as they waited with no word. By the time Isabelle and Raj walked in with Dom ten minutes later, nerves crawled under Allie’s skin like insects.

Her eyes were drawn to the American. As always, she wore trousers and a masculine shirt. Her glasses sparkled in the harsh fluorescent light. She looked so enigmatic. So confident.

With the teachers and guards arrayed around her, the headmistress surveyed the room, her head held high.

‘You all know what’s been happening in the last few days.’ Her rich voice filled the space with easy authority. ‘Jerry Cole has admitted he’s been working for Nathaniel, pretending to be one of us but reporting to the man who would like to destroy this school and your future. He has been removed from the school and is being held in a safe place until we can return him to his owner.’

Quiet murmurs swept the room as the students processed this. Allie hoped Isabelle was telling the truth – she didn’t want Jerry anywhere in the building.

‘Now there will be a parley with Nathaniel,’ Isabelle continued. ‘A date and location have been set and the final conditions are being negotiated as we speak.’

A prickle ran down Allie’s spine.

It’s really happening. We’re really going to do this.

Isabelle waited for the room to settle before continuing. ‘You will all have important roles to play. The situation is very dangerous. As always, there’s no way to know what he’s really planning. So while we are away, the school will need to be protected. Raj?’

She stepped back, and Raj took over.

His face was hard as his gaze swept the room. ‘The meeting with Nathaniel will take place in London. Half my guards will accompany me to the parley. Half will stay here with you. Between now and the day of the meeting you will be involved in intensive preparation. I think we all know now that Nathaniel is capable of anything.’

He stepped among them, eyes moving from one face to another. ‘Whether you come to London or stay here, I need you to give me everything you’ve got. Your role will be critical in saving lives. Keeping each other safe.’

As he passed them, the students stood straighter, shoulders pulled back, heads high. Even after everything that had happened in the last year, Raj’s approval still mattered.

Isabelle handed Raj a piece of paper and he held it up so they could see it.

‘If I call your name,’ he said, ‘you will be working with Mr Zelazny and my guards to protect the school.’

He called off a list of names. One by one, the students walked over to stand with Zelazny.

When he called Lucas’s name the boy looked up in surprise. Clearly he’d thought he was going to the parley with the core group. But he didn’t argue. Shoving a lock of sandy brown hair back out of his eyes, he walked over to Zelazny. Carter patted him on the shoulder as he passed.

The last name Raj called was Rachel’s. Noticing how she hesitated before crossing the room to join the group, Allie hid her relief. She knew how much Rachel would hate not staying with the parley group. But she couldn’t be with them. She was in no way ready to take on Nathaniel and Gabe again.