Resistance (18 page)

A
s she watched Zoe fall
, Allie couldn’t seem to move. Her legs felt heavy. The world turned hazy. Around her, everything blurred together. Eloise turning to Zoe. Jerry fumbling with the door. Sylvain shooting past in pursuit of him.

Then she was running to Zoe’s side, her steps heavy and slow. Eloise was already there, fingers pressed against Zoe’s neck, whispering to herself as she searched for a pulse.

‘Come on, Eloise. Find it. Find it…’

Behind them, footsteps pounded the floor. Guards stormed into the room shouting orders and commands.

‘Where is he?’ one of them shouted.

A cool evening breeze blew through the open door leading out on to the grounds.

Jerry was gone and Allie couldn’t seem to care.

‘Zoe,’ she whispered, stroking her face with tentative fingers. Her skin was cool and pale as marble. Her eyelashes lay on her cheeks like dark feathers.

Unconscious, she looked like a little girl.

‘Zoe,’ she whispered again, her voice breaking. ‘You have to wake up.’

But she didn’t move.

All Allie could think was:
Dead like Jo.
She kept hearing the sound Jerry’s fist had made against Zoe’s chin. Seeing the way the blow had twisted her head to one side. And she felt herself dragged again towards the pit of despair, which it had taken her so long to escape last winter. It was some time before she understood what Eloise was saying to her.

‘She’s alive, Allie.’ The librarian gripped her by the shoulders and Allie wondered how long she’d been saying it. ‘She’s alive.’

But Zoe was so still, so pale, Allie couldn’t believe it. Jerking free of Eloise’s hands, she shook her head stubbornly, biting back a sob.

‘Her neck,’ she said. ‘It could be broken.’

Eloise’s lips were tight. ‘Stay with her. I’ll be back.’

After the librarian left, Allie became more aware of the activity around her. Guards ran in and out of the door, their booted feet like muffled thunder on the thick, Persian rugs.

She clung to the younger girl’s hand, shielding her body with her own. Numb, she watched as the nurse returned with Eloise to place a protector carefully around Zoe’s neck. Then she walked alongside as the guards lifted her on to a stretcher and wheeled her up to the infirmary.

After that, she waited for her to wake up. The other students came and went. First Nicole, and Rachel, later Sylvain and Carter. Even Katie came for a while and fussed about, pouring glasses of water Zoe wasn’t awake to drink and that Allie refused to touch.

By ten o’clock, they were all gathered in the infirmary, ignoring the nurse’s muttered complaints (‘Give the child some space …’) and talking quietly as they waited.

The room contained four old-fashioned white iron beds. Zoe lay in the one closest to the window, which had been cracked open just enough to let in a light breeze. Allie sat next to her, still holding her hand.

She was only thirteen. She looked so small beneath the white covers.

The faint smell of antiseptic in the air reminded Allie sickeningly of the two weeks she’d spent up here last Christmas after Nathaniel tried to have her kidnapped.

She wouldn’t leave Zoe alone up here. She knew what that was like.

As time ticked away and Zoe remained unconscious, the others arrayed themselves on the empty beds and talked about the evening’s events. It was then that Allie learned what happened in the minutes after Zoe was hurt.

Sylvain had run out after Jerry but lost him almost immediately. ‘It was as if he disappeared,’ he said bitterly. ‘I was right behind him. I don’t know how he did it.’

‘He had a plan.’ Nicole gave a discouraged shrug. ‘Maybe he planned this long ago.’

The guards launched a search of the grounds before abruptly calling it off. A short while after that, the students heard cars roaring down the school’s long drive.

No one had seen Isabelle, Raj or the other senior Night School instructors since then, and rumours were swirling about where they were and what had happened.

The students had been released from the common room – a sign that the threat was believed to have passed. But everyone was still baffled as to what, exactly, was going on.

Allie absorbed all of this information without releasing her hold on Zoe’s small hand.

The doctor had told her Zoe was fine. Told her it was a concussion and trauma but that her neck and skull were fine. Her reflexes good. Pupils normal. Breathing regular. That she would wake up when she was ready. But Allie didn’t believe it.

She didn’t dare hope. All hope does is make everything hurt that much more when it all goes wrong.

Still, she was glad the others were with her. Their familiar voices wrapped around her like a warm blanket.

‘I can’t believe it’s Jerry,’ Rachel said, repeating the sentiment they’d all found themselves saying.

‘I always hoped it was Zelazny.’ Nicole sighed.

‘Well, I’m glad it wasn’t.’ Sylvain’s voice was gruff. Zelazny had been his Night School mentor, and they were close.

Allie thought of Eloise, no longer nervous, fighting Jerry like a tiger.

‘How’s Eloise?’ she asked. The others looked at her in surprise. She had barely spoken this whole time. ‘She fought Jerry hard.’

‘No one knows,’ Rachel said. ‘She’s disappeared along with Isabelle and Raj. But she seemed fine right after everything happened. Just … really pissed off.’

This wasn’t hugely surprising. Eloise and Jerry had been together for a while, only breaking up after the librarian was accused of being the spy, and he didn’t defend her. She had a lot to be angry about.

‘Do you think she knew before?’ Nicole mused.

‘You mean that he was working for Nathaniel?’ Carter seemed surprised by the question. But Nicole nodded.

‘Especially after what happened when she was accused,’ she said. ‘He let everyone think it was her. She must have had some idea that he wasn’t what he said he was.’

‘Maybe she just thought he was a bastard,’ Sylvain suggested.

They all considered this. It seemed feasible, if unlikely. When you really care about someone, it’s hard to believe they’re capable of something truly bad.

Zoe gave a soft groan and Allie spun back round. She had more colour in her cheeks and, after a second, stirred beneath the white blanket.

‘Is she waking up?’ Rachel asked. The others drew closer to see.

‘What hit me?’ Zoe murmured, one hand flying up to touch her jaw.

‘Jerry.’ Allie pulled the covers up to her shoulders before glancing at the others. ‘Someone go tell the nurse she’s waking up.’

Sylvain ran to the door.

Zoe’s eyes fluttered open, taking in the room and the faces around her.

‘Oh bollocks. It wasn’t a dream.’

Her voice was thick. Someone handed her a glass of water and Allie put an arm around her narrow back so she could sit up to take a sip.

Her shoulders felt as fragile as bird wings beneath her arm.

Zoe blinked up at her. ‘Did he get away?’

A sudden urge to cry made it impossible for Allie to speak. All she could do was nod.

‘’Fraid so, Shortie.’ Carter reached out to pat her wrist.

A touch of colour came back to Zoe’s cheeks.

‘Bugger. I can’t believe I forgot to guard my left flank. That’s
basic
.’ Laying back down on the bed she let go of Allie’s hand. ‘Bloody hell, my head hurts. What did he do to me?’

Rachel grinned at her. ‘You’ve got a pretty bad concussion. It makes you sweary. Who’s the prime minister?’

‘That stupid guy.’ Zoe groaned. ‘With the face.’

‘That’s the one.’ Rachel nodded, satisfied. ‘I don’t think you damaged your brain more than it was damaged already.’

‘It feels like my head is exploding,’ Zoe said, clutching her hair.

The nurse bustled in. ‘I can help with that.’ After taking her pulse and listening to her heart, she handed her two white tablets. ‘Take these.’ As Zoe obediently took the painkillers from her hand, the woman glowered at the others. ‘Now, I’d thank you all to give her some space now, please. She needs quiet.’

But as they filed out of the room, obedient at last, Allie lingered, drinking in one last view of Zoe, alive and complaining.

Zoe cocked her head to one side, astute eyes assessing her expression.

‘Did I scare you?’

Allie exhaled audibly, and smiled.

‘You scared the crap out of me.’

Zoe looked wanly pleased. ‘Awesome.’

W
hen the students
reached the foot of the stairs, a trio of guards stood waiting.

A muscular woman in black gear with long blonde hair pulled back in a braid scanned the group as if looking for someone.

‘Allie Sheridan?’

Allie, who was last to come down, pushed her way through. ‘Here.’

‘Isabelle would like to see you.’

The woman looked familiar – Allie had vague memories of seeing her around the grounds. But she still studied her uncertainly. Isabelle had never sent guards for her before.

‘What’s going on?’ Sylvain joined Allie. His tone was even but his mistrustful eyes watched the guards closely.

The guards turned their attention to him.

‘I couldn’t say.’ The female guard’s tone was cool. ‘But it is important.’

‘Where’s Isabelle now?’ Rachel appeared at Allie’s other elbow. Her tone was conversational but her gaze suspicious. ‘We haven’t seen her all night.’

The woman looked nonplussed. Clearly she hadn’t expected this. ‘In her office. But she’s busy.’

‘Well, that’s too bad,’ Carter said, as he and Nicole joined the others to encircle Allie. ‘Because we need to talk to her.’

‘We don’t have time for this,’ one of the male guards said, impatiently. But the woman held up her hand.

‘Give us a second.’

The three guards retreated to confer.

After a short while, the female guard returned. Her expression was hard to read.

‘One of you can come with her,’ she said, ‘But that’s all. The rest stay here.’

Her tone brooked no opposition.

‘You go with her,’ Carter said to Sylvain. ‘I’ll stay with Rachel and Nicole.’

Sylvain nodded his assent.

Allie ran a tired hand through her hair. ‘Do you really think it’s a trap? This is all so weird.’

‘Yes, it is.’ Carter’s tone was dark.

He and Sylvain exchanged a worried glance. Rachel and Nicole were huddled close together.

‘Stay nearby,’ Sylvain whispered to Carter. ‘I don’t trust anyone right now.’

‘I hear you,’ Carter said.

The others dropped back as Sylvain and Allie followed the guards down the dark hallway. It was late now – Allie had no idea how late, she’d stopped caring hours ago. But the building had a hushed, late-night feel, thick with danger.

She was still shoeless and her feet were cold. She wondered if her shoes still lay out on the grass where she’d left them. She was tired but wide awake at the same time, adrenalin coursed through her veins like a drug.

When they reached Isabelle’s office, one of the guards rapped twice on the heavily carved door. It swung open immediately. Raj Patel stood in the open doorway, backlit by a warm glow of light from within.

His eyes took in Allie first, then her companion.

‘Sylvain – what are you doing here?’ he asked brusquely.

Allie stepped forward. ‘I want him here.’

Raj looked over her shoulder at the blonde guard. She held up her hands. ‘She wouldn’t come alone. I knew you needed her here fast. I didn’t have much choice.’

Raj rubbed his hand across his cheeks, fingers rasping against stubble. For the first time Allie noticed how worn out he looked. His eyes were bloodshot.

‘Fine. Inside. Quickly.’

Dom was already inside, sitting in one of the chairs in front of Isabelle’s desk, her laptop open in front of her. Her gaze was fixed on the screen, intent.

What is she doing here?
Allie thought. Her stomach had begun to churn.

Isabelle was at her desk talking quietly into her mobile. She gave them a harried glance. ‘Sit down everyone. Quickly.’

Stiffly, Allie lowered herself into the chair next to Dom, who didn’t look up from the screen.

Sylvain perched on a low cabinet at the back of the room. Raj stayed by the door. Otherwise, the room was empty.

Isabelle pushed a button on her phone and set it on her desk. ‘Everyone is present, Lucinda. Allie is here with Sylvain Cassel.’

‘Good.’ Allie’s grandmother’s voice rose from the device, resonant and authoritative even through the medium of the small speaker. ‘Thank you all for coming. Allie?’

‘Uh … yes?’ Allie sat up straighter in her chair.

‘I understand you and another student were very brave this evening in your attempt to stop Jerry Cole, and your friend was injured.’

In her head, Allie heard again the cracking sound Jerry’s fist made against Zoe’s face. Unconsciously, she flinched.

‘I thought,’ Lucinda continued, ‘under the circumstances, you’d like to be here when we caught him.’

Allie blinked. ‘Caught who?’

‘Jerry Cole,’ her grandmother said.

C
onfused
, Allie looked around the room, waiting for someone to explain what was happening. She couldn’t understand what her grandmother was talking about. Nobody here seemed to be catching anyone.

‘I don’t understand …’

Dom looked up at her. ‘I’m watching him,’ she said. ‘Right now.’

Her narrow spectacles glittered in the light.

Everyone else in the room had gone very quiet.

‘How?’ Allie asked.

‘Tracking device. In the ankle of his trousers.’ Dom turned back to her computer. ‘Very tiny. Impossible to detect.’

She spoke with the careful precision of a well-educated American – like the scientists Allie had seen on the news. She found this comforting, somehow. The tech sounded capable. Knowledgeable. Like she could put an astronaut in space. Fix broken things.

‘Where is he?’ Allie’s voice was cold as ice.

‘Here.’ Dom pointed at a red dot on her screen, moving slowly and steadily. ‘He is on a train to London.’ She turned her wrist; a heavy silver watch gleamed. ‘He arrives at Waterloo Station in seven minutes.’

‘My guys are there, Allie. Waiting for him.’ Raj spoke with the curious calmness he always displayed when an operation was under way.

Allie turned in her chair so she could see his face. ‘Jo liked Jerry, Raj. She
trusted
him. Don’t let him get away.’

Holding her gaze, the security chief inclined his head once. She knew he understood. He’d cared about Jo, too. They all had.

‘Jerry,’ Dom said, typing, ‘is not going anywhere. Look.’ She pointed to the screen. Five green dots had appeared around the red dot. ‘See the green dots? Those are our guys.’

It took Allie a second to realise what she was saying. ‘They’re on the train with him?’

Dom nodded.

As she stared at the screen, Allie’s heart beat out a rhythm so fast and uneven it hurt.

Pressing a fist against her chest, she pushed back at her heart’s painful pounding as she watched the screen.

’Isabelle,’ Sylvain’s voice was preternaturally calm. ‘What the hell happened? How did you know it was him?’

The headmistress cleared her throat.

‘Lucinda’s MI5 connection was very helpful,’ she said. ‘With access to extensive information, she checked all of the suspected teachers’ backgrounds more thoroughly than any of us ever could. Zelazny and Eloise both checked out – everything was just as it should be. With Jerry, though, there were … issues.’

‘What kind of issues?’ Sylvain asked.

‘His banking and financial records are perfect, up to a point,’ the headmistress explained. ‘In fact, everything’s fine up until seven years ago.’

Sylvain frowned. ‘What happened seven years ago?’

‘Before that point there are no records,’ Isabelle said. ‘No birth certificates. No taxes. No bank accounts. Seven years ago, as far as we have been able to determine, there was no Jerry Cole.’

A stunned silence followed her words.

Allie felt a chill, as if a breeze had blown through the windowless office.

‘How is that possible?’ Sylvain’s tone was sharp. ‘How did this go unnoticed until now? What about
our
security checks?’

It was Lucinda who replied. ‘It would appear our Jerry Cole is an invention. His work history, his references, everything he brought when he applied at Cimmeria Academy – cleverly falsified. A brilliant job, really. Nathaniel used the best for this. And, to answer your question, Sylvain, we do very good background checks but nothing as thorough as MI5. We did not, for example, check his DNA.’

As they talked, Allie kept her eyes on Dom’s laptop. More green dots had appeared on the screen. Catching her eye, Dom tapped them. Allie nodded to show she understood. Those were Raj’s men in the station. Waiting.

‘And so … all this time ….?’ Sylvain couldn’t seem to get his head around it and Allie couldn’t blame him. Betrayal was awful. She knew that better than anyone.

‘All this time he waited,’ Isabelle said, ‘pretending he was one of us. Reporting back to Nathaniel. Watching us. Using us.’

Allie kept her eyes on the dots. All that mattered now was catching him.

‘How did he know to run?’ Sylvain asked. ‘Did you confront him?’

‘No,’ Lucinda answered. ‘By the time we went to look for him, he was trying to find a way out. Somehow he must have realised we knew.’

The red dot was very close to the other green dots now. Allie found its progress hypnotic. She could imagine the train with its passengers, mostly normal people going about their everyday lives. Jerry would be pretending to be one of them, maybe holding a book open on his lap.

But knowing Lucinda’s guards were after him. Knowing she’d send everything she had.

She hoped he was afraid.

She knew Waterloo Station as a grey, teeming place. Noisy and cavernous. Patrolled, as all big London train stations are, by armed police. Most of the police were now on Nathaniel’s side.

Raj’s guards would have to grab Jerry quickly and hustle him away before they could notice.

Lucinda was still talking. ‘The guards were sent to—’

‘He’s arriving at the station.’ Dom’s voice cut her off. ‘Now.’

Lucinda fell silent.

Raj spoke into his phone. A voice crackled on the other end. He looked up at them. ‘Everyone’s in place.’

Allie stared at the dots. The red dot was still moving slowly, inexorably. The green dots had gathered behind him.

She thought of the way trains pulled slowly into stations. The long pause before the doors opened. Then the rush to exit.

Suddenly the red dot moved in a different direction, quicker than before.

‘He’s running,’ Dom said.

But it was futile. Allie watched the red dot stop. The green dots surrounded him.

Dom turned to her, her expression unreadable. ‘They’ve got him.’

Raj’s phone crackled again.

‘Copy.’ His tone was coolly vindictive. ‘Well done, all of you. Bring him in.’

Allie still stared at Dom’s screen. The green dots were all around the red dot, and they were moving briskly. Escorting him from the station.

She felt numb.

They’d finally found the person who betrayed them. But it all felt too late.

L
ate that night
, the students gathered with Isabelle and Raj on the front steps. Eloise and Zelazny joined them.

The sky was clear; a crescent moon shone above them amid a circus of stars.

It had already been a long night. After leaving Isabelle’s office, they’d gathered the others to tell them what had happened. Allie let Sylvain do the talking.

Now they stood together, waiting. Carter and Sylvain stood at the edge of the group with Raj, who seemed to be explaining something to them. Rachel and Nicole held hands, as if to give each other strength.

Allie stood alone, shoulders high, hands clenched at her sides.

Then she heard Zoe’s piping voice.

‘Is he here yet? Did I miss it?’

She whirled in surprise.

The younger girl dashed out of the doors, skidding to a stop when she saw the crowd.

‘Oh good. I’m not too late.’

She looked pale and a purpling bruise had spread across one cheek. Her hair stood up at the back as if she’d just jumped out of bed.

‘Zoe?’ Allie said. ‘How did you get out of the infirmary?’

Zoe made a face. ‘That stupid nurse would not let me go. So I waited until she left then I escaped. I’m so glad I didn’t miss it.’

‘Are you OK, though?’ Rachel said doubtfully. ‘She probably wanted you to stay in bed because you, like, need to be in bed.’

But Zoe brushed that off. ‘I’m fine. The pills she gave me were
amazing
.’

The rumble of engines cut through the night and they all fell silent. A few minutes later, headlights appeared and were fractured by trees into chaotic rays that seemed to spin and soar.

Six dark vehicles rolled up the curving drive, their tyres crunching on the gravel. The engines fell silent.

As the guards climbed out of the Land Rovers, Raj walked among them, shaking every hand.

‘Good job,’ he kept saying. ‘Well done.’

In the crowd of black-clad men and women it was hard to find Jerry – he wasn’t very tall and there were so many of them. Only when they marched him to the building did Allie see him.

He looked exactly the same. Glasses crooked. Wiry, uncontrollable hair.

He still looked like their friend. Their mentor.

But he was neither of those things.

The group parted silently so Jerry could pass. As he went by, his eyes scanned the crowd as if he was searching for someone. Allie assumed he was looking for Eloise.

But then his gaze locked on hers and she froze.

She couldn’t read his expression in the dark, but she felt like his eyes were judging her, condemning her. She wanted to get away but couldn’t seem to move; to free herself from that awful glare – until Carter stepped in front of her, arms crossed, blocking his view.

Allie’s lungs felt compressed. She shivered as Jerry was hustled into the school building, disappearing in the shadows.

Carter spun round, searching her face. ‘You OK?’ he asked. ‘What the hell was that about?’

She shook her head.

Sylvain joined them, his face tight. He met Carter’s gaze. ‘I didn’t like that look.’

‘Me neither,’ Carter said.

‘Was that the real Jerry?’ Zoe asked. ‘And the one we knew before was the pretend?’

But no one knew the answer to that question.

A
fter the guards
and teachers disappeared, the students stood in a tight cluster on the front steps, unsure of what to do. The night seemed darker now, more oppressive.

‘
I
’m not tired
,’ Zoe announced.

‘No,’ Nicole said, looking around the group. ‘None of us are.’

‘Common room,’ Carter said. ‘It’s after curfew but no one’s going to care.’

They trooped down the empty hallway to the big student living room, with its deep leather chairs and sofas, and bookcases piled high with board games. The baby grand piano stood quietly in one corner like a reminder that this was supposed to be a place where people had fun.

They settled near the back and talked in quiet tones.

‘He didn’t look roughed up,’ Carter said, glancing at Sylvain. ‘I was surprised by that.’

Sylvain gave a shrug that said he didn’t care whether Jerry was roughed up or not. ‘Raj said he didn’t fight.’

‘Why didn’t he fight?’ Zoe asked. Everyone looked at her. ‘I mean, he didn’t want to get caught, did he? So why not at least try to get away? There would have been other people there. He could have … done things.’

There was some truth to this and the students looked at each other with growing unease.

‘You don’t think … did he
want
to be caught?’ Rachel looked queasy.

‘And be brought back here.’ Nicole finished the thought, her eyes dark with worry.

‘But why?’ Allie asked. ‘They’ll have searched him, so he can’t have brought anything. He’ll be kept under guard, so he can’t escape. So … why come back?’

No one had an answer to that.

‘Either way,’ Nicole said, ‘poor Eloise.’

‘I know …’ Allie thought of the teacher’s grim determination as she fought the man she’d loved. ‘He broke her heart.’

‘He broke everyone’s heart,’ Rachel said softly.

Isabelle had told them what would happen next – Jerry would be questioned, then she and Lucinda would try to trade him back to Nathaniel.

‘In exchange for what?’ Allie had asked, wondering what on earth they would want from him.

Isabelle’s reply had been simple. ‘Peace.’

She and Lucinda were going to try to use Jerry to buy an end to this battle. Or at least to buy time to negotiate. They believed there must be a connection between the two men. Something powerful enough that Jerry would be willing to give up his very identity for more than half a decade to hide at Cimmeria under an assumed name.

The students talked for hours in the near dark. Their conversation was largely circular, returning repeatedly to Jerry and betrayal. Zoe finally fell asleep with her head on Allie’s knees and her feet on Rachel’s lap.

As she watched her sleep, her chest rising and falling with each slow, regular breath, Allie felt a wave of protectiveness for her so profound it shook her. She had to find a way to keep her safe. To keep them all safe.

Dawn had just begun to break when they heard footsteps in the hallway. Isabelle rushed in, looking around until her eyes lighted on them. In the darkness it was difficult to make out her features.

‘There you are.’ Her tone was curt, as if she’d found them playing truant. ‘Allie, come with me please. I need you.’

Allie didn’t ask any questions.

With slow, careful movements, she extricated herself from beneath Zoe, who didn’t wake, but turned over on to her side and curled up into a ball.

As she brushed past Carter he caught her hand in his. His grip was warm and reassuring.

‘Be careful,’ he said.

His touch made her feel braver. She raised her chin.

‘Always.’