Blood Ransom Read Free Page B

and supplies for Elijah’s research. I’m supposed to be hanging out here while the guard goes to the store, but I’m going to
take a bus . . . get away . . .’ Milo tailed off.
    ‘Get away to where?’ I said, my head reeling. I could still barely take in what Milo was saying. Elijah had Daniel – the sweet little boy that I’d thought about so often
since our escape. And Daniel’s life was now in terrible danger.
    The urgency of the situation suddenly hit me. Never mind Milo’s plans. We had to get help.
    ‘Dunno where I’ll go.’ Milo shrugged. ‘Edinburgh or Glasgow first, I guess . . . It’s easier to get lost in the big cities . . . then a flight back to the States .
. .’
    ‘But what about Daniel?’ I said. ‘When’s Elijah planning to do this transplant?’
    ‘Tomorrow morning, first thing.’
    ‘ What? ’ I leaped up. ‘We have to call the police. Get him stopped.’
    ‘ No. ’ Milo shook his head in another gesture that reminded me of Theo. ‘Elijah’s back working for the government. They know exactly what he’s up to, though
it’s all under cover, of course. They’re letting him use Daniel because Elijah’s work is so valuable – they don’t want to lose him.’
    My mouth fell open. ‘That’s terrible. ’
    Milo grimaced. ‘Yes, but there’s nothing we can do.’
    I stood silently for a second. Shoppers were still bustling around us, but I felt completely detached from my surroundings.
    It was obscene that Elijah could consider taking Daniel’s heart to replace his own. But somehow it was even worse that the governments which were supposed to be protecting me and Theo were
turning a blind eye.
    ‘We can’t let this happen,’ I said slowly.
    Milo looked sadly up at me. ‘How can we stop Elijah?’ he said. ‘He’s too powerful.’
    ‘I don’t know exactly,’ I said. ‘But we have to try.’
     
    6
Theo
    The clock on the diner wall ticked slowly to midday and big, sad Jack was still hunched over the computer.
    At one minute past noon, I went up to Cheri. ‘I have to use the computer,’ I said.
    Cheri glanced over at Jack. ‘I’m sure he won’t be too much longer.’
    At that moment Jack sighed. He shifted on his bar stool so that it creaked under his weight. Slowly he rolled the mouse over the shut-down button.
    I was hovering beside him before he’d even clicked it, though it was another full minute before Jack managed to ease himself off the stool and shuffle to the door.
    I glanced at the clock as I sat down. Three and a half minutes past twelve. Never mind. I was sure Rachel would wait. We’d both been a few minutes late before. Eager with anticipation, I
logged on to the chat room we were using this month – we changed venues regularly – and searched for her user name.
    She wasn’t there. Oh well, maybe she was late too. I kept the screen up while I went to check my emails. A few minutes later I was back. Still no Rachel.
    I started to feel a little irritated. All the effort I’d made to be here on time and she wasn’t ready? It was probably her mum’s fault. Rachel’s mum was, basically, your
worst nightmare. A hideous combo of martyr and snob. Rachel spent a lot of our time together online complaining about her. Recently Mrs Smith had been trying to force Rachel to play golf.
Unbelievable.
    I finished my shake and checked the chat room again. Rachel still wasn’t there. It was now almost 12.15. I started to wonder if I’d got the place or the time wrong. But I knew
I hadn’t.
    Cheri wandered over and I ordered another shake.
    It arrived.
    I drank it.
    I checked the chat room again.
    It was now 12.23 and Rachel wasn’t there.
    This was by far the latest either of us had ever been.
    For the first time in nine months, I started to wonder if maybe she wasn’t coming online at all.
     
    7
Rachel
    ‘You don’t know what you’re saying,’ Milo said. ‘Elijah’s island is heavily guarded. Even if we could somehow reach Daniel, there’s