Blood Ransom Read online

  Elijah kept odd hours, spending most of his time in the mysterious lab he’d set up in the barn. However, whenever he did appear, he expected Milo to be on hand providing him with food at a moment’s notice.

  One guard was on duty at all times. John and Paul took shifts outside the barn that contained Elijah’s lab while Elijah was inside – and through the night. I was pretty sure that, most of the time, the house where we all ate and slept was unguarded, but there was still no way for me to get outside. Though I was allowed to roam about under Milo’s supervision during the day, I was locked in my room after supper and left there till morning.

  I pumped Milo for more information while we ate the shepherd’s pie he’d made.

  ‘Once or twice a week one of the guards goes to the mainland for fresh provisions. I’ve only been off the island that one time – to fetch you.’ He blushed.

  I smiled, determined to make him think I was interested. ‘It was clever, the way you tricked me,’ I said. ‘I mean, I hate to admit it, but you really fooled me.’

  Milo blushed even more deeply. ‘I know, I’m so sorry I had to lie to you Rachel, but I promise everything else I’ve told you is the truth.’

  ‘I understand,’ I said, forcing another smile. ‘It’s hard to say “no” to Elijah.’

  Milo nodded.

  ‘There is one thing . . .’ I hesitated, trying to assume a look of slight embarrassment. ‘I hate being locked in that room overnight,’ I said softly. ‘It’s humiliating not being able to go to the bathroom. I was wondering . . . please? I mean, maybe you could leave it unlocked? It’s not as if I can get anywhere – the front door and all the windows are barred overnight.’ I gazed at Milo with what I hoped was a helpless, beseeching look on my face. ‘Please, Milo?’

  He bit his lip. ‘I can’t,’ he said, ‘but if I’m up in the night, I’ll definitely come to see if your light’s on. If it is, then I’ll let you out to go to the bathroom. Okay?’

  ‘Thank you.’ I smiled again.

  It wasn’t much, but maybe I’d be able to use it to my advantage.

  32

  Theo

  We lay rigid-still on the deck of the large boat. Lewis was right beside me, his eyes intent. A soft, hissing sound escaped from under his breath.

  The man I’d seen jumped onto the jetty. His weight sent a vibration through the boards and across to where we were lying. His footsteps sounded as he paced up the jetty.

  I held my breath.

  The footsteps stopped, then receded. Another jump, this time off the jetty. There was a dull thud as he landed on the beach.

  I risked a look. The man was disappearing into the trees on our right. The camera had almost reached the end of its journey away from us.

  ‘Give it a moment,’ Lewis whispered.

  We waited until the camera had swung back towards us, and then turned away again.

  ‘Come on.’ Lewis prodded my arm. ‘To the trees on the left.’

  We wriggled, commando-style, along the deck and up onto the jetty, then crawled across the wooden boards until we reached the shelter containing the light and the camera.

  We scrambled to our feet, well out of sight of the camera now, then jumped down and raced into the woodland to the left of the beach.

  I stood under cover of the trees. The sand was compacted – damp under my feet. I had no idea what the area further inland looked like. A few feet past the light at the jetty and the whole island faded to gloom, lit only by faint moonlight.

  A stony path led into the darkness.

  ‘Our best bet is to follow that path, keeping close to the trees,’ Lewis whispered. ‘We should see any buildings in the moonlight as we get closer.’

  I glanced up as the wind dropped. The moon was misty behind clouds. The air was crisp and clear and cold.

  We set off in the darkness, keeping the path just in view.

  It was spooky; the only sounds the rustling of the trees above our heads and the swish of the waves beyond. The woodland thinned out as we rounded a curve, making it harder for us to find cover.

  I kept my eyes open for any sign of the guard from before – or other men like him – but there was no one about.

  And then I saw it . . . a single electric light burning in the distance, outlining a small building. From here I couldn’t make out exactly how big the building was, or what it was made from, but the light – which I quickly realised was positioned above a door – suggested it was inhabited.

  ‘Look.’ I pointed the light out to Lewis. ‘Let’s go.’

  ‘We’ll approach from the rear of the building,’ Lewis said, grabbing my arm to stop me rushing ahead. ‘There may be more cameras. And guards.’

  I nodded and we set off across the grass.

  33

  Rachel

  The lights outside flashed on, brightness seeping under my door, waking me.

  Was that Milo? I switched on the overhead light by the door – so that he could see I was up if he passed.

  Two minutes went by. I heard nothing . . . then the sound of wheels trundling along the corridor.

  ‘Milo?’ I hissed, rattling at the door knob. ‘Milo, open the door.’

  The wheelchair stopped outside. I could hear a metal clink as Milo fiddled with the key.

  The door opened. Milo wheeled backwards to let me out.

  ‘Elijah and Paul are in the radio room,’ he whispered. ‘They think they saw something moving along the jetty. It’s probably just a seal or something, but they’ve sent John to the lab to check everything’s okay. You can go to the bathroom if you want, but be quick.’

  ‘Thanks.’ I headed away from him, down to the bathroom. The stone floor was cold on my bare feet.

  As I reached the door, Elijah called out for Milo. I turned. Milo was beckoning me to come back, but I shook my head. Two minutes, I mouthed, then disappeared into the bathroom.

  A few seconds later I heard Elijah shout out for Milo again, then the wheelchair moving away down the corridor.

  I waited a moment then followed after Milo, back past my room and round the corner, towards the radio room.

  Elijah was barking out orders.

  ‘That’s definitely an intruder,’ he was saying. ‘Get going, Paul. Milo, get my gun. Now.’

  I flattened myself against the wall beside the radio room as Paul dashed out. He didn’t notice me. Neither did Milo, who followed right after him, zooming down the corridor at high speed.

  I crept to the doorway and peered inside, my pulse drumming against my throat. Elijah was leaning over the desk, fists clenched, all his focus on the monitor in front of him. It showed the entrance to the barn where the lab was situated. John was standing outside its door, looking round, a gun in his hand.

  And then the light above the door went out.

  Elijah let out a stream of swear words. He leaned into the radio mic on the desk. ‘What’s going on, John . . . report . . .’

  I stared at the screen. John’s silhouette was still visible in the moonlight. He was backed against the barn door.

  ‘Someone threw a stone, sir.’ John’s voice crackled through the radio. ‘Knocked out the light. I can’t see—’

  ‘Stand firm.’ Elijah spoke into the radio mic on the desk. ‘Paul’s on his way.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’ John nodded, his face lit now by the moon.

  Elijah covered the mic and swore again. He still hadn’t noticed me standing behind him. I looked around. If only I had some weapon, something I could use to attack him, I could get to the radio right now – both the guards were gone and Milo was still away, fetching Elijah’s gun.

  I was on the verge of going back to my room to find something when new movement on the screen caught my eye.

  Elijah thumped the desk. I froze, trying to make out what was happening. A man . . . no, two men . . . were now silhouetted beside John. One punched, the other chopped his hand against John’s neck.

  John fell. One of the attackers turned towards the came
ra.

  My hand flew to my mouth, my eyes piercing the screen. I stared – the moment lasting an eternity – as Theo’s unmistakable face flashed for a second in the moonlight, then vanished, as he disappeared into the barn.

  34

  Theo

  The guard fell against Lewis, who eased him to the ground.

  I turned to the door. Rachel was inside. She had to be.

  The door seemed to take an ordinary key. No sign of anything flashier. I pushed on the handle.

  It was locked.

  ‘Find the key,’ I urged.

  Lewis was already fumbling in the guard’s pockets. ‘There’s nothing on him,’ he said, glancing at the door. ‘That lock doesn’t look very sophisticated, though. If I had a pin I could pick it.’

  A pin . . . My eyes widened. ‘You mean, like a hairpin?’

  I fished Rachel’s diamante arrow-shaped hairgrip out of my pocket and handed it to Lewis.

  He stood up and fitted it to the lock. ‘Where the hell did you get this?’

  I didn’t want to tell him where I’d taken it from . . . or why.

  ‘Thought it might suit me,’ I muttered.

  Lewis grunted as he fiddled with the pin. ‘Keep a lookout, Theo.’

  It was impossible to see more than a few metres in the darkness but I strained my ears. Was that faint sound just the wind in the trees? Or distant footsteps?

  Behind me, Lewis eased open the door. Inside it was pitch black. Disorientated, I felt on the wall for a light switch. There. I turned it on. We were in a small stone hallway. No furniture. No floorboards, even. The overhead light cast a dim glow across the empty room.

  I frowned. ‘There’s nothing here,’ I said.

  ‘What about through there?’ Lewis pointed to a door I hadn’t noticed on the other side of the dingy hallway. It was made from metal – completely different from the rest of the building. Beside the door a small screen was set into the wall. A faint red light glowed from inside it.

  ‘That’s a retinal scanner.’ I raced over. Elijah had used these back in his Washington compound. ‘Who’d put a door that secure into an old barn unless they wanted to hide what was on the other side?’

  ‘How do we get through it?’ Lewis held up the hairgrip. ‘I don’t see this working.’

  I pocketed the hairgrip. ‘If it’s Elijah’s door, then we’re okay.’ I strode over to the screen and positioned myself so that the red light could ‘read’ the imprint of my eye. As a clone of Elijah, I was a genetic match for his retina.

  The metal door gave a soft click as the lock sprang back.

  ‘Typical Elijah.’ I could hear the bitter satisfaction in Lewis’s whisper. ‘Let’s hope there isn’t anyone waiting for us on the other side.’

  I took a deep breath and pushed the door open. The room beyond was dimly lit, bathed in a warm pinky glow. I crept inside. I could just make out the rounded shapes of a short row of plastic cases. A low, mechanical humming noise was coming from somewhere, but there was no other sound. No people.

  I took a closer look at the cases.

  My mouth fell open.

  ‘Oh my God.’ Lewis stood beside me. ‘What the hell is this place?’

  35

  Rachel

  He was here. He was here.

  A tornado of feelings swept through me, paralysing me for a second. Elijah appeared similarly shocked. He stood, rigid, in front of the screen for a moment, then picked up the radio mic again.

  He was so intent on the image before him, he still hadn’t realised I was standing by the door.

  ‘Breach!’ Elijah shouted into the mic. ‘There’s been a breach at the lab. John is down. Paul . . . Paul, do you read me?’

  ‘Yes, sir!’ Paul sounded breathless.

  His distant footsteps pounded along the path. He was going to reach the barn in less than a minute.

  I stared at the screen. John was still in a heap on the ground. I wondered for a second who the person with Theo was, then focused all my thoughts into a single aim . . . I had to warn Theo that Paul was coming. Even if I couldn’t reach him before Paul did, surely he’d hear me yell if I could just get outside the house?

  I turned and tore off down the corridor.

  36

  Theo

  I shook my head, trying to make sense of what I was seeing: row after row of clear oval pods. Each one contained some sort of tiny, semi-transparent blob, suspended in liquid and attached to long tubes that led out of the pods to a large central tank. A low hum emanated from the tank. I stared at the blob inside the nearest pod.

  Man, was it moving?

  The skin on the back of my neck prickled.

  What on earth was Elijah up to?

  Outside the room a radio crackled. The muffled voice giving orders was just audible. ‘Do not shoot inside the laboratory. Repeat. Do not shoot.’ It was Elijah.

  His voice sent a bolt of fear shooting through me.

  ‘Hide,’ Lewis hissed, ducking behind the large tank.

  I darted behind the row of pods just as a man charged into the room.

  37

  Rachel

  I reached the front door of the farmhouse, running hard, just as Milo wheeled himself round the corner. He was coming in my direction – fast. The small black gun Elijah had sent him to fetch rested on his lap.

  ‘Rachel, stop!’

  No. I raced out of the front door. Down the path. The stones were hard and cold on my feet and the air freezing against my skin, but I barely noticed.

  I had to warn Theo.

  38

  Theo

  I crouched behind the row of pods. The man by the door was tall and bulky – another of Elijah’s security guards, I guessed. The low lighting in the room glinted off his blond hair as he looked around, his gun at the ready in front of him.

  The guard’s eyes widened as he took in the sinister-looking pods. Had he not seen them before?

  I crouched lower, but it was impossible to hide.

  ‘Stand up,’ the guard ordered. ‘Hands in the air.’

  I stood, my stomach constricting into a tight knot. The guard turned towards me. I kept my gaze averted from the large tank behind him, not wanting to give away Lewis’s hiding place.

  The man’s dark blue eyes widened, his mouth falling open in shock.

  ‘Milo?’ he said. He stared at my legs, lowering his gun.

  Who the hell was Milo?

  ‘No, you’re not him.’ The guard raised his gun again.

  Lewis flew out from behind the tank. His hand chopped at the guard’s neck and he fell to the ground. Lewis stood over him, panting.

  I watched him, breathless. I would never get used to how fast Lewis could move.

  Lewis grabbed the man’s gun and glanced up at me, his eyes fierce.

  ‘Go!’ he yelled.

  We pelted out of the door, past the unconscious guard outside and down the path.

  ‘Into the trees,’ Lewis ordered. ‘We’ll follow the path up the island – but keep under cover. There must be another building further on.’

  ‘Right.’ It wasn’t good news. For all we knew there could be loads of buildings – with Rachel hidden in any one of them.

  We reached the trees. I darted into the pitch black and turned to look back the way we’d come. A distant shout echoed towards us.

  Lewis put his finger to his lips. I listened hard.

  ‘THEO!’ The yell came closer. ‘THEO!’

  It was her . . . I was sure it was her. I stared into the darkness.

  And then she ran into view, past the hill in the moonlight, flying over the rough stones.

  Rachel.

  39

  Rachel

  ‘Theo!’ I yelled again.

  He walked out from the trees beyond the lab. It was too dark to see him properly, but I knew it was him. Then he stepped into the moonlight. My breath burned in my throat as I made out his face . . . the slope of his nose . . . the silky brown of his hair . . .
/>   I raced on. A second later I was there, right in front of him. I stood, panting, my eyes soaking up Theo’s face. Even in the moonlight I could see how different he was from Milo. Something stronger and sweeter in his eyes. So beautiful. And taller than I remembered too.

  ‘Rachel.’A second figure emerged from the trees.

  ‘Lewis,’ I breathed.

  He grabbed my arm, unsmiling. ‘Come on. Our boat’s by the jetty.’

  He was different somehow, but my head was too full of Theo to think about the how or why of anything to do with Lewis. I could feel his eyes on me as we stumbled in the darkness. Distracted, I tripped over the thick root of a tree, landing heavily on the ground.

  ‘Quiet!’ Lewis hissed.

  We were nearly at the jetty. Elijah’s roar rang out.

  ‘Theo! You won’t get away with this!’

  Lewis froze. Then he turned to me. ‘How many guards are there?’

  ‘Just two,’ I said. ‘Two men and Elijah. That’s all.’

  ‘What about the guy in the wheelchair?’ Theo said.

  ‘Yes, but he’s not like the others.’ I hesitated. ‘I don’t even think he has a gun of his own.’

  ‘Both the guards are unconscious,’ Lewis said. There was a hard look in his eyes I didn’t remember seeing before. A terrible bitterness. He stood a step away from us. ‘I’m going after Elijah,’ he said. ‘This ends tonight.’

  ‘What?’ I said.

  Theo stared at him. ‘That wasn’t the plan . . . you said “get in, get Rachel, get out”, not—’

  ‘I know what I said, but I have to do this. It’s the only way we’ll all be safe.’ Lewis took another step away. ‘Get back to the beach. Wait in the trees near the boat until you hear me. I’ll be there in ten minutes . . . max.’