‘Scavenging. We’d been out all day and on the way back we got caught up with that lot.’ She waved her arm vaguely in the direction of the factory buildings. ‘God knows where they all came from or where they’re going. We’ve been trying to get round them for hours. It’s going to be a long march home from here.’

‘Where’s home?’

‘Ascot. You?’

‘London.’

‘London? You’re a bit far off your turf, aren’t you?’

‘Yeah, we’re looking for someone.’

‘Well, good luck with that,’ she said with a touch of sarcasm.

Ed was going to question her further when Brooke called to him. He went over and dropped down next to her. She put an arm round him and held him tight. She was shaking.

‘You all right?’ he asked unnecessarily.

‘I never want to do that again.’

‘Hopefully you won’t have to.’

‘They’re all going towards London, Ed.’

‘Maybe.’

‘You know it. You’ve seen it before, you told me. All the sickos you saw going past St Paul’s. They’re massing in London. So I will have to do that again. We have to get back there, Ed. They’re an army.’

‘We will get home.’ Ed folded both arms round her. ‘Just not tonight.’

He was covering her in blood from his sodden clothing. At least it wasn’t his own. He was numb and confused. Couldn’t work out a plan. Couldn’t think more than ten seconds ahead.

In the end a plan was made for him.

‘OK,’ shouted the girl in charge. ‘It’s all clear ahead and it’s safe to go. We have to keep moving. We’ve a lot of ground to cover.’

Chapter 53

53

It had taken a long time for Lewis to realize that he knew the girl in the leather jacket. Trying to put the pieces together. Watching her with Ed. And then it had come to him.

They were covering the ground at a fast walk, sticking to roads so the going was easy. Lewis had settled into a loping rhythm, his long legs eating up the miles. He felt like he could keep this up all night if needed. He worked his way up through the ranks of kids. Nobody was talking much, saving their energy. All you could hear was the slap-scrape-thud of their boots.

He got to the front of the column. Fell in beside the girl. He could hear her leather jacket creaking as she walked. It was the jacket that had done it.

‘Hello, Sophie,’ he said and she turned to look at him, surprised and more than a little curious.

She frowned, trying to place him.

‘Do I know you?’

‘I’m hurt you don’t remember me, girl.’

‘Remind me.’

‘Camden Road, Regent’s Park, Buckingham Palace …’

‘Oh my God, you’re one of the Holloway kids.’