‘So anyway …’ he said, looking out across the rows of kids, some looking at him, some chatting with their friends, some bored, some staring at the ceiling. ‘That’s it really. I’m going off to find Ella – you know, tell her that Sam’s alive, and hopefully bring her back. And if anyone wants to come along and help me then, er, I guess, see me afterwards …’

See me afterwards …? Had he really said see me afterwards? That’s what teachers used to say. ‘If you want to come on the school trip to the theatre see me afterwards …’

‘What if she don’t wanna come back?’ said a hefty black girl, who Ed thought was one of the kids who had recently arrived from Holloway with Ella.

‘She’ll want to see Sam,’ Ed replied. ‘I mean, wasn’t that the main reason she left? Because there was nothing here for her except bad memories?’

‘Whitney’s right,’ said another of the Holloway crew. ‘What if Ella got a better thing going on out there?’

Ed noticed a commotion near the front and then saw Sam jumping up out of his chair.

He didn’t need this now.

‘What do you mean, “bring her back” here to me?’ Sam shouted. ‘I’m going with you.’

‘I’ll talk to you afterwards, Sam. Not now, OK?’

‘There’s nothing to talk about. I’m going with you.’

‘No you’re not.’ Ed tried to sound firm, like there was no argument. ‘Too dangerous,’ he added. ‘What if we got attacked on the way and you got killed? What then? This whole thing would have been a big waste of time.’

‘You’re totally selling this, Two-Face,’ said Achilleus. ‘Sounds like a real picnic. I’ll bring the cupcakes.’

‘Yeah, and maybe some macaroons,’ said the small boy next to him, who had a strong Irish accent.

‘I never said it was going to be easy,’ Ed protested, holding Achilleus’s stare. ‘That’s why I need fighters, and only fighters. If we’re a small but solid team we’ll be fine. I mean, I’m told you’re the best fighter here.’

‘Yeah,’ Achilleus nodded. ‘You heard right. No one can touch me.’

‘You’d be really useful, mate.’

‘I ain’t your mate.’

‘No.’

‘I saved this place,’ said Achilleus. ‘I saved everyone’s arses. Is what I do. Only I don’t never seem to get no reward for it. So I’m sitting tight, thanks all the same.’

‘We been out there once already,’ said the little Irish kid.

‘Yeah,’ said Achilleus. ‘And I ain’t going again, “mate”. Not on a suicide mission. I mean, you don’t even know where she’s gone, do you?’

‘I’ll find her.’

‘You’ll probably find her body, yeah. It’s sicko central out there. They probably already eating her.’