In the middle was the trio Ewan almost didn’t notice: Silent Simon being straight-faced and apprehensive – a world apart from the smiling humorous boy he had been at Oakenfold. Lazy Gracie, who did and said as little as possible, allowing herself to be led by people she considered superior to herself. And Jack, who was stimming his fingers and most likely daydreaming again. Or planning for all possible outcomes. Sometimes the line between the two was blurry for him.

‘Ewan,’ came a whisper from Raj, audible from a distance in the silent countryside.

Ewan turned around to find Raj holding up his mobile phone and battery. He nodded, and Raj prepared to phone comms.

‘Mark,’ he said, ‘time Raj. Three minutes.’

It got rid of the icy giant breathing down his neck. Mark huffed, but did as he was told. Once the phone was switched on, Grant’s technology would take a minimum of three minutes to detect its location. Calls to the comms unit were never long.

With Mark at the back of the group timing her boyfriend, Kate ran up to Ewan.

‘How are you doing?’ Ewan asked.

‘Me? I’m an expert at conquering my demons. I’m fine. I was wondering how you were.’

There was a clear waviness in her voice. Kate was nervous, but rushing in headlong. Life experience had taught her that the only way of destroying her fears was to do the things she was scared of, so the mission was right up her street. She’d be fine.

‘Ewan?’ she said. ‘How are you feeling?’

‘Kind of conflicted, to be honest,’ he answered. ‘Back at home, it was obvious why Grant took Oakenfold. He wanted to make us feel pressured into taking the school back, but also scared of doing it. Logically we just need to tell ourselves to not be sentimental, and use our knowledge of the school to our advantage. But… it’s different now we’re this close.’

‘Oakenfold meant something to us,’ said Kate. ‘There’s no shame in feeling emotional about going back.’

‘Yes there is. Emotional distractions could mean death.’

Ewan looked behind him. Raj was deep in conversation with either Alex or Shannon, and Mark held up two fingers to represent two minutes left.

‘I’ll be fine once we’ve stopped hiding,’ he said. ‘It’s just this particular hiding place. It—’

‘Was this where you hid the day you escaped school?’

‘…Yeah. And wow, that backfired. Still can’t shake Mum’s reaction from my head. When we got home…’

He shook his head, unwilling to continue. Kate seemed surprised.

‘You lived with your mum?’

‘Um, yeah. Don’t most people?’

‘I just assumed it was you and your dad. I mean, you talk about your dad all the time, but… I’ve never heard you mention her.’