‘Alert? What?’ The guard screwed up his face anxiously.
‘You’ve not heard? Rescue attempt. Seems Walcott’s associates have been listening in on your piece-of-junk channel and are on their way to free him. That’s why we got dispatched in a hurry. I’ll be sorry to miss it. They’ve got some bloke posing as Heir Jardine himself. Except I guess they never checked the photos, ’cause they’re trying to pass off some red-haired dude. Everyone knows the Jardines are blond.’
‘They are?’ The man’s face was ashen. He revolved the cuff on his wrist and swiped the display. ‘No notification. Why are we always the last to know? How am I supposed to stop them?’
‘Better share it with your colleague at the entrance,’ said the Doc. ‘If I were you guys, I’d let them through, then keep them locked in. You’ll have caught them all by yourself, and they’ll be where they’re going to end up anyway, in the max wing. Job done.’
The relief on the man’s face was palpable. ‘Yeah. Yeah, neat. Thanks.’
And on they went, leaving the guard calling up his colleague on his helmet’s mic. Up ahead came the bang and echo of the concrete floor. It was hard to tell how many pairs of feet were headed towards them. Three?
‘We’re into the general remand space,’ Jackson said, low and fast. ‘So our prisoner could be anyone. Gavar Jardine will almost certainly be with the Overseer’s personal Security, so they won’t know Oz on sight either. Not that his own mother would know him, given the mess he’s in. Keep walking.’
They were one turn away from the entrance when the others came round the corner. And the hairs on Luke’s arm lifted the minute he saw him.
Gavar Jardine was a monster of a man. Well over six feet tall, with a black leather overcoat falling from his wide shoulders to the top of his leather biker boots. Black gloves.
But the psycho outfit was the least scary thing about him. The Jardine heir could have been wearing Happy Panda pyjamas, and he still would’ve been the most terrifying person Luke had ever seen. Abi had shown them all pictures, but no photo could prepare you for the reality of an Equal in the flesh. And there was a whole family of them. Abi worked in their office. Mum nursed one of them. Hopefully Daisy was at least keeping clear.
‘We’ll get in front. Eyes down,’ hissed Jackson.
And just like that, the groups were passing: Luke and Jackson together, Oz half shielded behind them; Gavar Jardine striding ahead. The two Security men were so intent on keeping up that they didn’t spare them a second glance.
Luke’s bones felt as if they’d been replaced by unsteady stacks of ball bearings. Any minute now, he’d fall apart.
But not yet. Not until he’d got Oz to safety.
The guy at the entrance was wide-eyed, ready with two scanners.
‘You saw ’em?’ he whispered, and the Doc nodded. ‘You guys were just in time. They’ve got some nerve, though – gotta hand it to them. Backup’s on the way once they’ve been contained. You get the prisoner delivered.’
Jackson nodded – and just like that, they were out into the freezing night.
As they crossed the road, a small shadow detached itself and followed them. They walked two streets, then Jackson propped Oz up against a wall. He took the big guy’s face between his hands, ever so gently thumbed up his eyelids.
‘Nearly there, big fella. You’re safe now.’
Jackson’s very presence restored life to Oz. The puffy eyelids forced themselves open. A tongue licked at swollen, split lips. Renie put a water bottle to Oz’s mouth and he gulped eagerly. His hand came up to feel his face.
‘Not like I was ever pretty,’ Oz croaked, and Luke thought he’d never in his life been happier to hear a rubbish joke.
Then from the direction of the detention centre, the muffled sound of an explosion was magnified by the hollow night.
‘Take him, Luke,’ Jackson said. ‘You too, Renie. Get him to the pickup point as fast as you can. There’s not a minute to lose.’
‘Why?’ Renie was all eyes. ‘What was that?’
‘That was Gavar Jardine.’
Jackson turned and ran back the way they’d come. There was shouting behind them now. Confused noise. The wet, sleety air crackled.
‘This way,’ Renie said. ‘Angel’s ready with the van.’
Luke had half hustled, half dragged Oz the length of one more street when he heard the sound of gunshots. Once. Twice. The second time there was an awful cry.
Luke couldn’t be sure, but it sounded a lot like Jackson.
‘Wasn’t ’im,’ Renie said fiercely, pulling at Luke’s sleeve. ‘Wasn’t.’
In the fourth street sat the van. As they hurried towards it, a figure came running. Jessica.