By now, a few other recruits had arrived. They had pressed their thumbs to the fingerprint sensor and were standing around, trying to keep warm and looking anxiously at the blond boy, who was lying shivering in the snow. Hector and Woody strode through them and took one look at the casualty. They nodded at each other, then picked him up with one arm round each shoulder. ‘Get in the helicopter, everybody!’ Hector shouted as they carried the blond boy to the chopper.

The recruits looked at each other. Then they ran through the swirling cloud of snow, which harshly bit the skin on their faces, to the aircraft.

Over the thunder of the rotor blades, Max could just hear Hector’s voice shouting, almost screaming: ‘Whoever activated their beacons, you’re going home. Tonight!’

7

R.E.J.

In the chopper, all was confusion. Hector bellowed at the recruits to sit down and shut up while he and Woody tended to the casualty. The recruits looked on, silent and anxious. Max couldn’t see what the Watchers were doing to the blond boy because Woody, hunched down over him, was in the way. All he knew was that it was serious, urgent and best left to them. As the chopper was buffeted on its way back down the mountain, he found he could concentrate on only one thing: Hector’s words ringing in his head. You’re going home.

The chopper touched back down on the valley floor. Hector and Woody carried the casualty off the aircraft. Martha, the matron, was waiting for them. She had her arms folded and a pitiless look on her face. She pointed at the house and the two Watchers carried their casualty towards it. The others disembarked. Max, Sami, Lukas and Abby were in stunned silence. Lukas stormed away as soon as they were on the ground. It almost felt as if his anger would melt the snow.

It was only when Woody returned and was approached by Abby and Sami that the Watchers learned the truth about what had happened. Max watched them and felt Hector’s hot glare across the parade ground. He saw Woody turn to the older man and talk fast. Hector threw his hands up in the air and strode back into the house. Woody approached Max. ‘Sounds like you have a knack for mountain rescue,’ he said.

‘It was Sami, really,’ Max said.

‘Well, ignore what Hector said. He spoke too soon, and in the heat of the moment. You’re both through. Lukas and Abby too.’ Woody looked across the parade ground to where seven recruits had lined up, caps in hand. ‘Another high dropout rate today,’ he observed.