The Killables (27 page)

She looked away, her eyes travelling over to Linus, to where the glint of a gun could be seen on the holster around his waist.

Linus reached the gate first. He stood for a few moments as though unwilling to go any closer.

‘What are you waiting for?’ Raffy asked impatiently. ‘Let’s go in.’

‘I’m waiting to hear that the damaged ones are inside the City walls,’ Linus said, raising his eyebrows. ‘And I’m waiting because sometimes it’s important to wait, to consider, to reflect. A moment of calm before the storm. Ever heard that saying?’

Raffy shook his head.

‘Okay,’ Linus said smiling slightly. ‘Well, I’m also waiting because we don’t have a key to this gate, remember. I’m waiting for Lucas to let us in.’

Raffy pulled a face and thrust his hands further into his pockets. Evie walked over to Linus.

‘How will he know we’re here?’ she asked. ‘Don’t you need to knock or something?’

‘Knock?’ Linus laughed. ‘These gates are ten inches thick. You think he’d hear me knocking? Just be patient.’

Now it was Evie’s turn to redden. ‘I’m just asking,’ she said, sticking out her bottom lip. ‘You know, Raffy and I want to change things just as much as you do. We’re just trying to help. There’s no need to laugh at us.’ Linus stepped towards her.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said gently, putting his arms around her, just as she’d hoped he would. ‘That was unfair of me. Lucas will know we’re here because he will hear the damaged ones.’

Evie reached her arms around Linus, resting her head on his chest. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said as she slipped her hand into his pocket. ‘I’m just . . .’

‘No need to explain,’ Linus whispered. ‘We’re all just . . . But we’re going to do this. You have to believe that.’

‘I do,’ Evie whispered back.

She glanced over at Raffy, who was looking at her with disdain. Then they heard the wailing, the terrifying moans as the damaged ones rampaged through the streets, the smashing of windows, the screams of terrified people.

‘And now,’ Linus said, as Evie stepped back, braced herself, ‘now the gate should open.’

Lucas stared down at the chains around his ankles and around his wrists. Chains so tight there was no way of releasing them, chains that chafed his skin, causing it to bleed.

He could hear the damaged ones outside, could hear the havoc they were creating, the fear as City dwellers ran for their lives. Linus would be at the gate now, waiting for him, waiting for it to open. Raffy, Evie too, depending on him.

He let his head fall back and closed his eyes.

Linus was pacing up and down; everyone was exchanging worried glances, not daring to say anything, not daring to ask why the gate wasn’t opening. It had been five minutes since they’d heard the damaged ones within the City walls. The police guard would be called out; the disruption would not last for long. They should be in by now, making their way to the government building. Lucas should be opening the gate.

Little knots of fear were working their way up Evie’s back as she stood, shivering, stiff and cold; waiting, watching, hardly daring to breathe, certainly not daring to think the unthinkable, that something had happened, that everything Linus had promised them was in jeopardy. She closed her eyes, reached into her pocket and felt the cold steel pressing against her leg. Stolen, hidden, her little secret.

They had to open the gate. They had to. Suddenly, without warning, she ran at it, pounding on it with her fists. ‘Let us in. Lucas, let us in,’ she shouted. ‘You have to let us in now. Otherwise it will be too late. You have to let us in . . .’ She was sobbing, the tears cascading down her cheeks, and Raffy ran to her, tried to pull her away, but she wouldn’t let him. Instead she took his hands and slammed them against the gate over and over until he, too, was pounding it, kicking it, shouting out, calling for Lucas. Even though they knew he wasn’t there, couldn’t be there – even though Linus was looking at them with pain in his eyes because he knew too, because he had to know . . .

Then, suddenly, without warning, they heard a creak and Evie and Raffy fell forward as the gate slowly opened. As they tumbled through, a face appeared, a face that Evie recognised but not one she expected to see.

‘Mr Bridges,’ she said, her voice strangled. ‘What are you . . . ?’

‘Lucas sent me,’ he answered, his voice anxious and low. ‘I’m sorry I’m late. There’s a bit of commotion. The police guard . . .’ He looked around, his eyes large and fearful. ‘I’ve got a message for someone called Linus.’

‘That’s me,’ said Linus, stepping forward and clasping Mr Bridges’ hand. ‘You must be William.’

‘William. Yes, sir. William Bridges at your service.’

‘Tell me your message then get yourself home,’ Linus said gently. ‘And know that I am more grateful than I can say.’

Mr Bridges nodded anxiously. ‘He said the labels . . . Lucas said you were going to stop the labels. He said . . .’

‘We’re here to stop more than labels,’ Linus told him grimly. ‘There’s no need to live in fear any more. No need, do you understand?’

Mr Bridges nodded but he looked unconvinced. ‘It’s my family,’ he said. ‘I don’t mind them coming after me, but my wife, my children . . . They’re good people. I don’t want to bring more shame on them. I don’t want—’

‘You’re doing a good thing, William,’ Linus said seriously. ‘You’re protecting your family’s future. Remember that.’

William looked down. Then he whispered his message in Linus’s ear, shot him one last look of hope mingled with desperation, and then he was off, a dark shape blending into the shadows of the night as he ran back through the streets. Evie watched him go, her mouth open.

‘Where’s Lucas?’ she asked Linus. ‘Did you know he wouldn’t be here?’

‘Yeah, where’s Lucas?’ Raffy asked bitterly. ‘Evie’s really desperate to see him.’

Evie felt her cheeks burning but she forced herself to stay silent.

‘Lucas is a bit tied up,’ Linus said, looking at the shadows that Mr Bridges had disappeared into. ‘He said that he was getting William here to let us in. And William has just told me all I need to know about what to do next. But now isn’t the time for talking. Now we have work to do.’

They ran through the shadows. Evie had never seen the City like this; police guards were on every corner. All around was panic; people running, guards chasing them. And then, as Evie and her group turned a corner, they saw them: the damaged ones. They were advancing towards her, towards Linus and Raffy, running like beasts, their teeth bared, snarling as terrified City dwellers scattered. Guards arrived, batons in hand, to beat them down, and Evie ran towards them screaming, ‘No,’ but Linus pulled her back.

‘Angel will look after them,’ he said, his voice low. ‘Have faith.’

And Evie tried to have faith, but the guards had nearly reached them, their batons outstretched, and people were screaming at them to kill the Evils, to rid the City of their corrupt and wicked influence.

Suddenly, a light shone out, so bright that Evie’s eyes closed against it and everyone stopped running for a moment. By the time it went off and Evie could see again, the damaged ones had disappeared and only their moans could be heard as they ran through another street, the police guards chasing after them again.

Evie watched open-mouthed as she realised what was happening. Because they weren’t moaning. They weren’t wailing. They were laughing. They thought it was a game. They were okay.

Linus saw the look on her face and winked. ‘A few more minutes of that and they’ll be out of the City,’ he said to Evie. ‘I told you they wouldn’t get hurt. Come on. This way.’

He walked purposefully and Evie and Raffy jogged after him with Martha behind them. If anyone noticed them in the darkness it wasn’t apparent; people were scurrying to their women, to safety, heads down, expressions grim, their entire focus escaping from the Evils. Evie tripped after Linus; it took them just a few minutes to get to the government building where she had spent so much of her time.

‘Hasn’t changed,’ Linus said grimly, then walked right past it.

‘Where are we . . . ?’ Evie called after him, but stopped before finishing the sentence because she saw where they were going. Into the Hospital. Linus stopped outside, motioning for them to follow him.

‘Lucas is in here,’ he announced. ‘We get him out first.’

He started to march again and Evie and Raffy raced behind him, Martha once more bringing up the rear. The building was deserted; the lights were off and an eerie silence filled the air. ‘This way,’ Linus muttered. ‘If I know the Brother, he’ll have Lucas where he had everyone else. Where Fisher did his butchery. Where . . .’

He stopped outside a door and took a deep breath. It was the first time Evie had ever seen him pause, the only time she’d ever seen him look . . . vulnerable. Then he turned the handle. The door was locked. ‘What did I say?’ he cried, a half smile returning to his face. ‘I knew it.’ He took a few steps back, ran towards it and kicked; nothing happened.

‘What about using these?’ Raffy held out a bunch of keys.

Linus stared at it.

‘They were behind the reception desk. I figured someone left them in a hurry before going to the Meeting House.’

Now Linus’s smile was filling his face, creating even more lines if that were possible. He took the keys, clapped Raffy on the back and opened the door. Everyone followed him through, a sharp intake of breath audible from each of them as they did so. They were in a large room containing four beds. The room smelt of disinfectant, but there were red patches on the floor that looked like . . . Evie shivered and looked away. She was desperate to ask where Lucas was but something stopped her – the memory of that kiss, the confusion buried deep inside her. Instead she stood silently, watching as Martha walked up and down, touching the beds, pressing her hands to them one after another.

‘This is where they had him,’ she whispered. ‘This bed. I remember.’

‘Had who?’ Evie wanted to ask, but somehow couldn’t. She watched as Linus moved over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. ‘A lot of terrible things were done here. Are you okay?’ he asked gently.

Martha nodded. She wiped at her eyes, then turned towards him, a look of determination on her face. ‘I’m fine,’ she said. ‘Let’s do what we came here to do. Let’s change things once and for all.’

‘Good girl.’ Linus squeezed her shoulder. Then he walked towards another door. ‘Let’s see if one of these keys opens this door, shall we?’ He looked through the bunch Raffy had given him. ‘This looks like the ticket.’

He tried one key, then another. The second one worked; the door swung open, revealing a small, windowless room.

‘Used to be a store cupboard,’ Linus said cheerfully. ‘So you’re Lucas?’

Evie followed him in to see Lucas, on the floor, tied up and gagged. His face was black with dust, but when he saw her, his eyes lit up, eyes so different from the eyes she’d known for so long. And as Evie held his gaze, she found herself staring at the face she had seen for the first time in her bedroom all those days ago, a face that knew pain, despair, hope and everything in between, and she felt something shift inside her – something that unsettled her, scared her. But before she could make sense of it, Raffy appeared at her side; instinctively she looked away, her cheeks reddening.

‘Let’s untie you, shall we?’ Linus suggested, bending down. Martha joined him; only Raffy and Evie hung back. Minutes later, Lucas was free. He stretched, rubbed at his raw wrists and ankles, then embraced Linus.

‘You came,’ he said, his voice hoarse. ‘I knew you’d come.’

‘Of course we came.’ Linus grinned. ‘But now we’ve got work to do. As have you. You’re ready for what needs to happen?’

Lucas nodded. ‘Everything’s set up.’

‘Then wash your face, have a drink, and let’s go.’ Linus walked out of the airless room and back through the dormitory. Lucas half limped after him; every so often he turned, trying to catch his brother’s eye, but Raffy would look only at his feet. Evie caught his gaze once or twice but each time forced herself to look away, even though as soon as he’d turned once more, she would track him again – watching him, his back, the way he moved . . .

‘Bathroom’s that way,’ Linus said, pointing Lucas down the corridor. Lucas nodded gratefully and limped towards it. A minute or so later he re-emerged, his face clean, his hair its usual luminous hue.

‘Okay,’ he said, his tone businesslike once more, his eyes full of determination. ‘I’ll leave you here. See you in . . .’ He pulled back his sleeve, looked at his gold watch. Evie saw Raffy’s eyes narrow. ‘Forty-five minutes. Good?’

‘Good,’ Linus agreed. Lucas walked quickly out of the building; moments later, Linus, Martha, Raffy and Evie followed, turning right then right again, into the government building that was next door. Linus pushed at the door; it was unlocked. ‘Inside. Quick,’ he said, opening it so that everyone could get in before closing it and locking it behind them.

‘Right. Raffy and I’ll be on the second floor. Evie, you know where you’re going?’

Evie nodded silently.

‘Come and find us when you’re done.’

Evie took Martha up the stairs to Floor 4, to the place she’d worked in, the place she had spent so many hours changing reports, changing people’s lives, enforcing the System’s draconian labels, and she shuddered. Then she steeled herself and turned on her computer and Christine’s, showing Martha how to input a change. There were no reports to guide her, no ‘reason codes’, but she knew them off by heart anyway.

‘So we’re changing them all to A?’

Evie nodded. If what Linus and Raffy were doing worked, there would be no labels any more. But just in case, they were making everyone the same. Because the Brother might try to make the System work again. But he couldn’t, not if all records of former labels had been destroyed, not unless he said that the System had got it wrong, that the System had been corrupted. And if it had been corrupted, then no one would believe it any more. Then no one would believe anything any more.

‘Except for the Brother,’ Martha said wryly. ‘We’ll make him a D, shall we?’