‘He was a monster,’ she said. ‘I never heard him talk, because he only shouted. He smashed up my room whenever he got drunk. He only fed me when I obeyed him. He once had a barbecue with all my childhood toys, and performed a ritual to our overlord Satan while rocking out to death metal and stealing candy from puppies. Is that what you want to hear?’

Alex was ashamed to admit that for the first few sentences, he had actually believed her.

‘I didn’t see that much of him,’ Shannon said, ‘that’s the truth. Around the time I left primary school he got into Marshall–Pearce, and spent his days building up his takeover project.’

‘So he didn’t… abuse you or—’

‘Bloody hell Alex, you’re crap with social boundaries.’

Alex looked away, pretending to have heard something. Shannon didn’t fall for it.

‘It was neglect, I guess. Which is a type of abuse. There was a big empty hole where my father should have been. And everything he did after Takeover Day, all the luxuries he showered me with to get me back… it made no difference. Gifts mean nothing if they come from an invisible man.’

She rested back in her chair, and let out an enormous huff.

‘If it makes you feel better,’ said Alex, ‘my dad was an arse. He was more my taekwondo coach than my dad. I think I’d rather have had a guy who wasn’t there, instead of a guy who thought comfort zones were something I wasn’t allowed to have.’

Shannon didn’t answer.

‘Then again, I’m kind of glad he pushed me. Without the drive he gave me, I wouldn’t have lasted long in this war. He’s probably the reason I prefer doing things alone, but maybe he’s also the reason I’m still alive.’

‘Maybe my dad’s the reason…’

She trailed off, and Alex decided not to chase the other half of the sentence. He had poked around enough for one night.

The phone rang, and Shannon’s hand shot to it first. Perhaps she wanted to leave the conversation more urgently than Alex did. Ewan’s face appeared on the smartphone screen, but he spoke so quietly that Alex couldn’t decipher his words.

‘Yeah,’ replied Shannon. ‘OK, good luck.’

They’re going in. Must be three o’clock already.

Ewan said something else.

‘Fine, Ewan, I know it’s never luck. Just keep yourselves safe.’

Chapter 6

Kate had gone silent, but her brain was loud with anxiety. Ewan’s orders were received by her ears but the meaning of his words washed over her.

‘Kate,’ he said, ‘you and Mark go for the staff areas. Simon and I will go from classroom to classroom.’