Mum and Dad had the guard carry me into another room, where a nurse strapped me to a bed. The friendly ‘call-me-Sue’, I assumed. She didn’t seem that friendly to me. Another man came into the room, the one I’d sideswiped in my race around the building. He didn’t appear that friendly either. It occurred to me that at the first sign of a hypodermic needle, I’d have to speak up. It wouldn’t be the best outcome to save Aiden’s life while losing my own. I love my brother, but …

That wasn’t necessary. Mum dried my face with a towel, pushed my wet hair back from my forehead. And then her eyes widened and I knew she knew.

Almost immediately, she took out her tablet and punched in instructions. You didn’t have to be a genius to work out that she was recalling the car. I thought I’d bought Aiden enough time, but I couldn’t be sure. If he hadn’t pressed the emergency stop, he’d presumably do so when the car turned around. Then again, knowing Mum’s expertise, she was probably able to disarm that function remotely.

‘What are you doing, Chrissie?’ asked Dad.

Mum didn’t answer. Instead she stood over me.

‘Where’s he gone, Ashleigh?’

‘Somewhere you’ll never find him,’ I replied. I could see Dad’s face over Mum’s shoulder. Judging by his expression, the penny had dropped with him as well.

‘I wouldn’t be too sure of that,’ Mum replied. She said that with such confidence that instantly I became scared again. I’d been feeling happy, so happy at the thought he’d escaped. Yes, I was waiting to see an empty car return before I really started celebrating, but now I wondered if Mum could track him down. I hadn’t thought that through but it occurred to me that she might well have put a transmitter somewhere into his body. They used to do that to track animals. Mum would always want to know where her creation was. I felt like crying.

‘Unstrap her,’ said Mum to the nurse.

Call-me-Sue also found some dry clothes, so I was able to watch the car drive up to the door. It was empty. Then I did allow myself to celebrate a little. Even if Mum was able to track him, it didn’t mean she could necessarily bring him in. It’s a lawless world out there and Aiden is smart and Aiden is tough.

We went home and Mum said nothing on the drive back. It was obvious she was thinking and that worried me. My mother is the smartest person I have ever known and she wasn’t panicking. She was working through a problem, step by step. It’s what she had done her entire life and she was very good at it. The lifestyle we enjoyed was evidence of that.