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Chapters (75)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. About the Author
  4. Title Page
  5. Intoroduction
  6. ONE
  7. TWO
  8. THREE
  9. FOUR
  10. FIVE
  11. SIX
  12. SEVEN
  13. EITHT
  14. NINE
  15. TEN
  16. ELEVEN
  17. TWELVE
  18. THIRTEEN
  19. FOURTEEN
  20. FIFTEEN
  21. SIXTEEN
  22. SEVENTEEN
  23. EIGHTEEN
  24. NINETEEN
  25. TWENTY
  26. TWENTY-ONE
  27. TWENTY-TWO
  28. TWENTY-THREE
  29. TWENTY-FOUR
  30. TWENTY-FIVE
  31. TWENTY-SIX
  32. TWENTY-SEVEN
  33. TWENTY-EIGHT
  34. TWENTY-NINE
  35. THIRTY
  36. THIRTY-ONE
  37. THIRTY-TWO
  38. THIRTY-THREE
  39. THIRTY-FOUR
  40. THIRTY-FIVE
  41. THIRTY-SIX
  42. THIRTY-SEVEN
  43. THIRTY-EIGHT
  44. THIRTY-NINE
  45. FORTY
  46. FORTY-ONE
  47. FORTY-TWO
  48. FORTY-THREE
  49. FORTY-FOUR
  50. FORTY-FIVE
  51. FORTY-SIX
  52. FORTY-SEVEN
  53. FORTY-EIGHT
  54. FORTY-NINE
  55. FIFTY
  56. FIFTY-ONE
  57. FIFTY-TWO
  58. FIFTY-THREE
  59. FIFTY-FOUR
  60. FIFTY-FIVE
  61. FIFTY-SIX
  62. FIFTY-SEVEN
  63. FIFTY-EIGHT
  64. FIFTY-NINE
  65. SIXTY
  66. SIXTY-ONE
  67. SIXTY-TWO
  68. SIXTY-THREE
  69. SIXTY-FOUR
  70. SIXTY-FIVE
  71. SIXTY-SIX
  72. SIXTY-SEVEN
  73. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  74. CLIMATE EMERGENCY
  75. Copyright

Alan and Vince pick up their pace as they walk past the back of the home-team’s goalposts. Jamie is moving fast on his crutches, with Ahmed keeping pace. I have to jog to catch up with them, down the narrow alleyway between the houses at the edge of the recreation ground.

We’re about halfway along it when a car screeches to a halt at the far end, riding up onto the kerb and blocking us in. It’s Carl’s. The tinted windows remain up, the engine gunning.

We turn, the way we came blocked by Vince and Alan, who start to walk purposefully down the alleyway.

I swallow, my heart in my throat.

I see Jamie plant himself on his good leg and one crutch, raising his other arm ready to swing.

But Alan raises his hands. ‘Easy. We come in peace. Just want a word with one of you.’

Vince’s eyes narrow on Ahmed. Mine dart between them. Ahmed is visibly sweating in his many layers.

But, at the last moment, Vince switches his stare to me, and with one of their hands on each shoulder, I’m manhandled quickly to the end of the alleyway, and almost thrown through the open back door of the car, followed by Vince. Alan turns to Jamie and Ahmed, raising his right arm in a salute, and gets in the front.

The car accelerates so quickly I’m pinned into the footwell, unable to get up. When I try, there’s the heavy weight of a boot on my shoulder.

‘Stay down, Poster-boy,’ Vince growls.

FORTY-SEVEN

FORTY SEVEN

Apparently, there have been emails.

I explain about the incident with the police, and my need to get rid of my laptop. To stop them finding out about the plan, I say.

Carl is not convinced, and as we speed through the suburban streets on the way out of town, each of his gear changes seem like an alternative to twisting my skull from my body.

Carl is beginning to doubt me. No, he says, he has gone past beginning, and since I am not responding to any of the usual channels, it has come to this. After everything they are doing for me, Carl says. After everything they’re doing to help me, Carl needs proof of my loyalty. So does Martin. Proof that I am a soldier and that I am willing to do the necessary. Willing to join the fight.

‘Words,’ he says, ‘are not enough. Not anymore.’

After twenty minutes or so we are entering another town. The only way I can tell this is that the streetlights overhead get closer together, the stops and starts of traffic and traffic lights more frequent. Although, still in the footwell, I can’t tell where we are at all.