Hit Squad
Authors: Sophie McKenzie
Award-winning books from Sophie McKenzie
GIRL, MISSING
Winner Richard and Judy Best Kids’ Books 2007 12+
Winner of the Red House Children’s Book Award 2007 12+
Winner of the Manchester Children’s Book Award 2008
Winner of the Bolton Children’s Book Award 2007
Winner of the Grampian Children’s Book Award 2008
Winner of the John Lewis Solihull Book Award 2008
Winner of the Lewisham Children’s Book Award 2009
Winner of the 2008 Sakura Medal
SIX STEPS TO A GIRL
Winner of the Manchester Children’s Book Award 2009
BLOOD TIES
Overall winner of the Red House Children’s Book Award 2009
Winner of the North East Teenage Book Award 2010
Winner of the Leeds Book Award 2009 age 11-14 category
Winner of the Spellbinding Award 2009
Winner of the Lancashire Children’s Book Award 2009
Winner of the Portsmouth Book Award 2009 (Longer Novel section)
Winner of the Staffordshire Children’s Book Award 2009
Winner of the Southern Schools Book Award 2010
Winner of the RED Book Award 2010
Winner of the Warwickshire Secondary Book Award 2010
Winner of the Grampian Children’s Book Award 2010
Winner of the North East Teenage Book Award 2010
THE MEDUSA PROJECT: THE SET-UP
Winner of the North-East Book Award 2010
Winner of the Portsmouth Book Award 2010
Winner of the Yorkshire Coast Book Award 2010
First published in Great Britain in 2012 by Simon and Schuster UK Ltd
A CBS COMPANY
Copyright © 2012 Sophie McKenzie
This book is copyright under the Berne Convention.
No reproduction without permission.
All rights reserved.
The right of Sophie McKenzie to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Design and Patents
Act, 1988.
Simon & Schuster UK Ltd
1st Floor, 222 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8HB
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to
actual people living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
A CIP catalogue record for this book
is available from the British Library.
PB ISBN: 978-0-85707-071-5
E-BOOK ISBN: 978-0-85707-072-2
Printed and bound by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY
www.simonandschuster.co.uk
www.sophiemckenziebooks.com
For Lou Kuenzler
Fourteen years ago, scientist William Fox implanted four babies with the Medusa gene – a gene for psychic abilities. Fox’s experiment left a
legacy: four teenagers – Nico, Ketty, Ed and Fox’s own daughter, Dylan – who have each developed their own distinct and special skill.
Initially, the four worked together as the Medusa Project – a secret, government-funded, crime-fighting force. However, after learning that their
mentor had betrayed them, the Medusa teens fled the country. On the run, they discovered the existence of two other young people with the Medusa gene: Cal – Nico’s half-brother –
who can fly, and Amy – Ed’s sister – a shapeshifter.
Temporarily based in Australia, various factions are now battling for control of the teenagers’ lives. Their parents, who want to separate them
and hide them away with new lives and identities, face opposition from the government, which is keen to make fresh use of their psychic skills.
However, Nico, Ketty, Ed and Dylan are determined to investigate claims that a drug conveying the same abilities as the Medusa gene has been developed
– and are making plans of their own . . .
KETTY
The night sky over the ranch was full of stars, but I wasn’t looking up. I was leading the way to our meeting place with the others. I stopped at the end of the porch and
took a couple of steadying breaths. I was desperate to see into the next few minutes. That’s my particular Medusa ability . . . visions of the future.
But, as so often when I’m feeling stressed, I couldn’t see anything.
‘What is it, Ketty?’ Ed whispered behind me.
I shook my head, glad that he wasn’t attempting to read my mind. ‘Nothing.’
I hoped it didn’t matter that I couldn’t see if there were any obstacles to our escape. We were on the trail of a drug – Medusix – that mimicked our genetically-given
psychic skills and it was important we got away from here tonight. In the morning our parents, in an effort to prevent the UK government from taking charge of us again, were planning to separate us
from each other and send us on different flights all over the world.
‘Er . . . come on, Ketty, the others will be waiting,’ Ed whispered. He ran his hand anxiously through his sandy, tufty hair. ‘Ketty?’
I peered round the corner of the porch. It was nearly 3 a.m. and the ranch house was dark and silent. The night air was still and cool. Apart from the moon and stars above, the only light came
from the lanterns that illuminated the exit – across the field to our right. We were heading in the opposite direction.
‘Okay, let’s go.’ With a final glance back at the ranch I raced across the field on our left, Ed by my side. We were due to meet the others at 3 a.m. in the paddock. As we
neared the paddock fence I could just make out Dylan’s profile. She was leaning against the gate stroking one of the horses in the field. Nico stood beside her. He caught sight of me and
beckoned us over. I could see the tension on his face as we ran up. He turned to Ed.
‘Where’s your sister?’ he demanded. ‘Where’s Amy?’
‘Er . . .’ Ed stammered.
‘We didn’t bring her,’ I said quickly. Confessing that Amy wasn’t with us was what I’d been nervous about, much more than running away from the ranch. Ed and I had
decided to leave her behind . . . that she’d be safer staying with the adults.
‘
What?
’ Nico’s mouth fell open. ‘But we agreed.’
‘No we didn’t.’ I stood my ground. ‘
You
were the only person who wanted Amy along. You ordered Ed to tell her where to meet but Ed never actually said he would do
it.’
When the four of us had discussed ways of leaving the house, neither Cal nor Amy had been present. Nico had talked to Cal later about his role in our escape but he’d told Ed to tell Amy
about our plans.
Neither Ed nor I had spoken up against this at the time, though it was obvious from the look on Ed’s face that he disliked Nico’s order as much as I did.
‘Amy’s too young,’ Ed protested, finding his voice at last. ‘She’s three years younger than we are.’
Nico turned his gaze to me. ‘Ketts? What’s going on?’
I looked away. Things had been awkward between Nico and me for a couple of weeks now and Amy – or rather her ability to change her appearance at will – was at the heart of the
problem. Basically, a few weeks ago, she’d been forced to look like me to manipulate Nico. After the danger we’d been facing had passed, Amy hadn’t changed back to herself
straight away. She’d waited a few minutes . . . letting Nico kiss her while he still thought she was me. I didn’t really blame Amy for that. She was young and my boyfriend is gorgeous
– all dark eyes, silky hair and charming smile.
No, I blamed Nico for encouraging her to have a huge crush on him. He’d flirted with her like mad for ages. Not because he particularly liked her – but just because he could. It was
typical Nico behaviour . . . egotistical and thoughtless . . . and I was fed up with it.
‘Excuse me,’ drawled Dylan. She moved away from the horse she was stroking and stood between us. The moonlight picked out the tiny white-gold stud in her nose. She’d only had
the piercing done last week and it kind of suited her hard-faced prettiness. ‘This is no time for a tiff. If you wanna know what
I
think, we’re totally better off without
Princess Ten-Faces, but the important thing is that we get out of here.’ She peered towards the ranch. ‘Where
is
Cal anyway? He should be here by now.’
Nico’s jaw tightened. ‘I’m going back for Amy,’ he said. ‘It’s not fair to leave her out – and we need her Medusa skill. It’s just as valuable as
any of ours.’ He paused. ‘And more reliable than some.’
I winced. This was, I was sure, a dig at my own flaky ability to see into the future. Beside me, Ed’s face reddened. He hates it when we all argue.
Dylan grabbed Nico’s arm. ‘You can’t go back. Cal will be here any second. And if we’re caught trying to leave they’ll watch over us till morning and then
we’ll
never
get away.’
‘Remember what we need to do,’ I insisted. ‘We have to find out if Medusix really exists . . . if anyone’s used it yet. It’s going to be a really dangerous
mission.’
‘Ketty’s right,’ Ed added. ‘It’s too risky for Amy.’
I could see Nico wavering. Like the rest of us he had been shocked at our recent discovery that Geri Paterson – the government agent who brought us together as the Medusa Project –
was a murderer who had tried to kill us. Two weeks ago, in a terrible showdown at the ranch, Geri had herself been killed in front of us. The images were still seared onto my mind and I knew
they’d affected Nico deeply as well. The situation we were heading into could easily be just as dangerous.