‘This is boring,’ said Brooke. She was sitting with her feet up on the back of the seat in front of her. ‘They really gonna keep us here all day? Why won’t they at least let us into the building?’

‘We’re all right out here,’ said Kyle. ‘We got a good line of sight. Anything dodgy we just …’

‘Just what?’ Brooke interrupted.

‘Smash our way out through the gate like in films.’

‘You reckon we can?’

‘Dunno.’

‘I was asking Lewis, not you, Kyle.’

‘Dunno,’ said Lewis. Not asleep after all, taking it all in. ‘Wouldn’t want to risk it, though. We damage the car, we’re stuck.’

‘Does anyone have an exit plan?’ Brooke looked around the car.

Only Ed replied.

‘We wait,’ he said.

‘That doesn’t answer my question.’

‘I’m thinking about it.’

‘Well, while you’re thinking, I’d like to talk.’

‘Surprise, surprise,’ said Kyle. ‘Typical girl. What you want to talk about? Fashion and that? Shoes? Boy bands? Make-up tips. You got any make-up tips, Ebenezer?’

‘Shut up, Kyle,’ Ebenezer snapped. ‘I am a man.’

‘I don’t doubt it,’ said Kyle. ‘I know, let’s talk about feelings. How are we all feeling? How are you feeling, Ebenezer?’

‘Oh, I am so laughing out loud,’ said Brooke. ‘Actually I want to talk about what the old folks told you. What Amelia knows. About the disease. What did you find out?’

‘Dunno,’ said Kyle. ‘Wasn’t really listening.’

‘Wasn’t asking you,’ said Brooke. ‘I was asking Ed.’

‘You want the short version?’ said Lewis.

‘I want any version.’

‘It’s bugs. Parasites. They’ve got in the adults and they’re controlling them. Plus, they can communicate with each other. It’s a hive mind deal. They’re all on the same network. The word has gone out on Facebook, and they’re all meeting up for one monster party.’

‘I’d rather talk about shoes and boy bands, to tell you the truth,’ said Kyle, and Ebenezer laughed.

‘I don’t get it,’ said Brooke, ignoring them. ‘How do they do that? How do they communicate? Telepathy?’

‘Amelia reckons it’s probably, like, an ultrasound thing,’ said Lewis. ‘Insect noises we can’t hear. That’s what the sentinels are for, to amplify the signal and pass it along. Come join the fun.’

‘But what are they massing for?’ Brooke asked.

‘They getting together for the big pop,’ said Lewis. ‘The next infestation. Happens every fifteen years when their spores are ripe. They planning to get inside anyone who wasn’t around the first time. Namely us.’

‘Nice,’ said Brooke. ‘They’re gonna shoot their germs into the air and try to infect us all?’

‘Something like that.’