Chapters (88)
- Cover
- Title Page
- Dear Reader …
- Also by Robert Muchamore
- PART ONE
- Walter J Freeman Adolescent Mental Health Unit – East Grinstead, UK
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- PART TWO
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- PART THREE
- Walter J. Freeman Adolescent Mental Health Unit – East Grinstead, UK
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- PART FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- EPILOGUE
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- Have you read KILLER T?
- 1 SLASHED RUBBER
- 2 NOT HARRY POTTER
As Georgia made it back to the lobby, she saw a group of year-twelve boys with a big cloth banner made with two broomsticks and a white bedsheet.
No Budget, No Cuts was scrawled across in black shoe polish.
THIRTY-ONE
Julius was dressed for school. He sat on the floor propped against his bed, speaking quietly to Duke on the secret phone he’d bought off a kid in his Nigerian Lit class.
‘What time did you get out of the hospital?’ Julius asked quietly.
‘Early morning,’ Duke said. ‘I was supposed to leave last night, but we had to wait for my prescription from the hospital pharmacy. Remi couldn’t get a taxi. The Transport Union and area boys are causing such grief that taxi drivers are staying home.’
‘Are you comfortable?’
‘Pain meds make me queasy all the time. Breathing is OK, but if I cough, or sneeze, it feels like I’m gonna pass out.’
‘I didn’t get caught sneaking out of school yesterday,’ Julius told Duke. ‘It’s too risky sneaking off two days running, but I have the key. I might try tomorrow, or Friday.’
‘Remi has business in Lagos this weekend. My mother is coming to look after me,’ Duke said.
‘Is your mum cool?’ Julius asked.
‘For sure,’ Duke said. ‘But it’s a small apartment. Once she’s around we won’t have privacy.’
‘I’ll try tomorrow, but I’m riding my luck,’ Julius said.
‘I’m worth the risk though?’ Duke asked.
‘Always,’ Julius laughed. ‘I’d better go, before Orisa comes chasing.’
‘OK. It has been …’ Duke paused.
Julius heard a deep thud through the phone, before a duller version of the same flexed the glass in his bedroom window.
‘What was that?’ Julius asked.
‘This whole building shook!’ Duke said, alarmed. ‘Something just went bang in a big way …’
Julius crawled across to his window and peeked out front. Jimoh – the bodyguard who was about to drive him to school – and the two soldiers on the front gate were having an animated conversation about what they’d heard.
‘I heard it here, eight kilometres from you,’ Julius told Duke.
‘Can’t be a good thing …’ Duke said.
‘Julius,’ Orisa shouted from the bottom of the stairs. ‘Everyone is ready to leave.’
‘Got my marching orders,’ Julius told Duke as he grabbed his backpack and school blazer. ‘Speak later.’
‘Give the fine folks of St Gilda’s my love,’ Duke joked.
As he ran downstairs, Julius wondered if he’d dare sneak out of school today. It would be tricky, because third period science had most of the kids who’d been around for his escape from maths the day before. But the look on Duke’s face would be amazing …
Julius was startled to see his mother at the bottom of the stairs, not just awake, but dressed, made up and on the telephone.