Fear pushes his walk to a jog, to a run.

He can’t wait until he’s back home again with his parents and Kieron.

Until they’re all safe.

Chapter Seventy-One

Ryan

Ryan hears the drift of a voice.

He holds his breath as he waits to hear it again, not sure if he’d imagined it.

Through the blackness, the dull thump of footsteps.

He begins to rock his body from side to side; if he can cause himself to fall, make a loud noise, he might be heard.

Saved.

His muscles shake with exertion but still he is held firm.

Sightless.

Voiceless.

Trapped.

Chapter Seventy-Two

Lucy

Hurry.

Walking, running, things I’ve always done without conscious thought, but not now. My legs don’t feel like my own, cumbersome and difficult to control. My heart and my head fighting against each other, my body not knowing quite what to do. My hands and feet leaden.

I need to go inside.

I have to.

But I have never felt more terror-stricken than I do right now.

Hurry.

I’m light-headed as I creep forward. I have to keep reminding myself to breathe.

Hurry.

Faster, faster, until I’m standing outside a door. Softly, I push it open, my eyes darting around.

Inside the room, he’s there.

‘Ryan!’

On the bed. Tied up. Motionless.

Fearing the worst, I run towards him. My heart is hard and weighted in my chest, sinking into the pit of my stomach.

With unsteady fingers, I search for his pulse.

Chapter Seventy-Three

Aidan

Aidan is here.

He reaches the building with the razor-wire fence and the ‘Danger. Do not enter’ sign and fear bellows in his ears.

He has to be wrong.

Has to be.

But even as he thinks that, he knows that he doesn’t believe it. He wouldn’t have come otherwise.

The gates aren’t padlocked and he pushes against one and slips through the gap. Scouts around the outskirts of the building. At the back is the car park. Ashes of a bonfire, scrunched-up cans of fruit cider, empty Big Mac boxes. Kids must have started hanging out here at night, undisturbed, away from the prying eyes of adults.

Parked close to the door is one solitary car.

It doesn’t cross his mind to call the police, God knows how long he’s got.

He still hopes that he is wrong.

Tyler.

Ryan.

Connor.

Aidan can’t afford to hang around speculating. His theories can’t be any worse than the truth? Can they?

He tries the door, half expecting it to be locked.

It isn’t.

Taking one last breath of fresh air, he steps inside and breathes in decay and neglect.

He breathes in fear.

His.

Theirs.

Chapter Seventy-Four

Lucy

Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.