The kids formed two lines on either side of the gate, watching in silence as the car drove in. The tattooed boy showed them where to stop, in a car park at the front of the school. There were a few cars parked there and Ed spotted others that had been moved to the fence and turned on their sides to reinforce the barricades.

He wondered why these few had been left. Maybe they had petrol in them.

Tattoo boy walked over to them as Ed and Kyle got out. He sized Kyle up. Swinging his shotgun around like it was nothing. Not bothered about any threat. Several of the larger boys had formed up in a wide circle, two of them carrying crossbows.

‘So you’re the head teacher, are you?’ asked Kyle, glancing over at the school building.

‘Deputy head,’ the boy replied with a grin. ‘Girl called Josa runs the joint, but she’s out hunting right now. When she gets back, we’ll have a talk, yeah?’

‘You can’t talk now?’ Kyle asked.

‘Can’t do nothing without Josa’s say-so.’

‘We’ll come inside then.’

‘Nah,’ said the boy. ‘Best you stay out here till we know what Josa wants to do.’

‘How long’s that gonna be?’

‘As long as it takes.’

‘You got a name?’ Kyle asked.

‘Kenton.’

‘So you want us to hang here for a bit, do you, Kenton?’

‘Something like that, yeah.’

Kenton checked out the car. Brooke was sitting staring out of the window. Behind her Ebenezer was tapping out a rhythm on the back of the seat, ignoring them. Lewis looked like he was nodding off. His eyes were half shut and he was zoned out, miles away. They hardly looked like the most dangerous gang in town. Kenton obviously wasn’t taking any chances, though. He was going to keep them isolated.

‘We’ll see you later then.’ Ed walked back to the car and got in. No point in arguing. Kyle followed and Kenton went back to his mates, had a conversation with them, turning now and then to check out the car and its passengers.

‘They don’t seem quite so friendly now they’ve got us in here,’ Ed explained. ‘Looks like we’re sitting it out until the girl in charge gets back.’

‘And then what?’ Brooke asked.

‘And then we don’t know what. I’m hoping they’re going to have some useful info for us, though.’

‘Ella and her friends are either here or they’re not,’ said Ebenezer. ‘We are wasting time. Can’t one of these boys tell us what is what? Why do we need to wait?’

‘Because it’s what they want.’

‘What else do they want?’

‘We’ll find out sooner or later.’ Ed slid down in his seat and closed his eyes. Thought he might try to sleep, like Lewis.