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
There were a few cheers as the TV news cut to live scenes, with a sunset sky over Piccadilly Circus. Most protestors had gone home, but a few hundred troublemakers had stuck around to battle the cops.
As the correspondent crouched beside a burnt-out Lexus, police with riot shields faced masked protestors and a barrage of souvenir plates looted from Pride of London gift shop.
‘Gerard, you’re missing all the fun,’ Zac joked.
All joy got sucked out of the restaurant when a woman with a stiff face and grey lampshade hair came on screen for an interview. Her caption read: Yvonne McMahon, Minster for Communities and Local Government.
‘This government is committed to providing excellent local services. We respect the passion of people who came out to protest, particularly the hard-working council staff, teachers and care workers. And I can assure them—’
‘Minister, your government was elected with manifesto promises to increase local government spending,’ the newsreader interrupted. ‘After last week’s violence and today’s huge protests, will there be a spending review?’
The minister shook her head. ‘There will be no spending review. In real terms, this government will be spending eight-point-four per cent more on local government services than the previous …’
The rest of the minister’s response got drowned in a restaurant full of jeers.
‘This is why we need real action,’ Gerard roared, pounding a fist into his palm. ‘Left wing, right wing, they’re all bandits! We need bombs!’
This triggered outrage and debate. A few radicals agreed with Gerard, but the majority were in the violence-is-always-wrong camp. Georgia was amused by the way nobody seemed to be listening to anyone but themselves, then Zac shot to his feet with the loudest voice in the room.
‘There hasn’t been a revolution in this country for hundreds of years,’ Zac said passionately. ‘The political class is way too comfortable. You just saw the minister brush off today’s protest. Bombs might not be the way forward, but we need something more than peaceful protests.’
A few tables over, Gerard stood up and glowered at Zac.
‘Something like what?’ he asked.
THIRTY-EIGHT
The area in front of the house was full of limousines and cop cars, so the riot truck could barely get in the gate. As Julius and Gabe weaved between cars towards their home, police officers went the other way, carrying boxes out to dark blue vans.
Teddy, the soft-spoken political technologist, held the front door. Gabe shot under his arm and found his mother by the bottom of the main staircase.
She squeezed Gabe and kissed his sweaty forehead as Julius looked around. More cops were carrying boxes down the stairs. In the large living area to the right of the front door, a dozen men and one woman were deep in conversation. At the poolside, bodyguards and drivers in suits and dark glasses sat on loungers, awaiting orders.