Max narrowed his eyes. ‘It’s not for nothing, Ash,’ he said. He looked at the other recruits. Lukas looked unconcerned but Max reckoned it was a mask. Beneath it, surely Lukas was nervous as hell, just like Max. Abby bit her lower lip, though her eyes were fierce. Sami, normally so open and friendly, had an unfamiliar hardness about him. Max felt he understood for the first time what the Watchers saw in him that made him so suited for this work. Jack looked eager. Cocky, almost. He hadn’t endeared himself to Max so far, and he wasn’t making things any better.

But none of them, he realised, shared Ash’s opinion. They were quietly impressive as they sat in the belly of Green Thunder, clad in their camouflage gear.

They were also, Max realised, looking expectantly at him, waiting for his answer.

Max bowed his head. He realised he was scared. His limbs felt weak, his stomach twisted. He found himself thinking not of the school siege, nor of Valley House, nor even of the brutal selection process he had endured over the past three days. Instead, he thought of his room at the care home – the only place he really thought of as home. From here it felt safe. Warm. A million miles from talk of terrorists, sieges and automatic weapons.

It was also boring. Lonely. A dead end.

Max raised his head. He looked directly at Hector. Hector looked straight back.

‘I’m in,’ Max said.

He might have been imagining it, but as he spoke he saw something in Hector’s expression. It was almost like desperation. But in an instant Hector had mastered it. He spoke into the comms again. ‘We land in approximately ninety minutes,’ he said. ‘Ash will be escorted away from the team. The rest of you will receive further briefings on the ground. Prepare to move fast. The sooner you’re on site, the sooner we can bring this thing to an end.’

12

Covert Comms

Green Thunder was losing height. Everyone in the chopper was on edge. Including the Watchers.

There was a judder as the Chinook’s landing gear hit something solid. Max checked his watch: it was 11:15. The tailgate opened, letting in the bright morning light. For a moment, Max was confused. He could see rooftops and a vast cityscape. It was almost as though they were still flying. When Hector shouted at them to disembark, however, he realised they must have landed on the top of a tall building. Somehow that made him feel even more anxious.

Woody and Angel were already on their feet, carrying their flight case down the tailgate. Max and the others unclipped themselves. He, Jack, Abby, Lukas and Sami moved towards the tailgate. Ash hung back awkwardly. Max tried to move with purpose, hoping that it would give him more confidence. He was the first out of the chopper.