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
- Discover more books and sign up to the Robert Muchamore mailing list at muchamore.com
- Have you read KILLER T?
- 1 SLASHED RUBBER
- 2 NOT HARRY POTTER
‘You even wink at Julius and we’ll light the matches next time,’ Kehinde added, letting the last stinging drips of petrol run into Duke’s eyes, then flinging the empty can to the back of the shed.
TWENTY-TWO
It was still light as Kamila pulled down the metal shutters on the Red Parrot bookshop. The air was warm enough to make Georgia wonder if she could have left her coat at home.
‘I told some people at school,’ Georgia told Kamila warily. ‘A few might turn up.’
‘Young people don’t care …’ Kamila’s boyfriend, Gerard, opined. ‘Too busy with Pornhub, Netflix and the rest of that cock and bull.’
Gerard was a pudgy-featured giant in a waxed jacket with the sleeves too short. He had a mad professor vibe, and crumbs showered the pavement as he tore a bite from one of the Red Parrot’s leftover baguettes.
‘Play nice, Gerard,’ Kamila warned.
She snapped the padlock on the last shutter, then gave Georgia eyes that seemed to say Don’t worry, he’s not as bad as he seems.
‘I need a drink – the bread’s dry,’ Gerard complained.
‘I’m not going back in. We’re already holding up the others,’ Kamila said.
Nine other members of SAG stood at the corner by the boarded bagel joint. The women mostly wore dark clothes with pierced everything, and apart from one black dude, the men looked like they should catch some sun. Sam was the youngest, maybe thirteen, and wearing skinny jeans with big rips and the most trashed pair of All Stars Georgia had ever seen.
‘Your first demo?’ Sam said, incredulously. ‘I must have been to a million. Have you heard that saying about war? Ninety-nine per cent boredom, one per cent mayhem. Demos are about the same.’
Sam had a tiny smiley mouth with a missing tooth and Georgia decided she liked him as Gerard galloped ahead of the group chanting, ‘Tally-ho! Smash the state!’ Then Gerard spotted a newsagent. ‘I’m purchasing a can of Irn-Bru.’
‘Gerard’s pretty wacked,’ Georgia noted.
Sam laughed. ‘Mental as … But, actually, super brainy. He got his maths degree when he was nineteen. Then he got interested in genetics and wrote a theoretical paper on Junk DNA that won a major prize. Zac always says Gerard will either win a Nobel or blow up the planet.’
Georgia smiled. ‘You know Zac?’
‘Zac’s a total ledge.’ Sam nodded. ‘I’ve been on so many things, like demos, with him. He lends me interesting books and stuff. I’ve even got the idea of being a paramedic from him. I thought about becoming a doctor like your sister, but I’m a B student on my good days.’
Sam’s expression dropped, like he’d stepped in dog crap.
Georgia smiled. ‘It’s fine – you can talk about Sophie.’
‘Awesome sauce!’ Sam said. ‘I only met Sophie once. She seemed great though.’