Circle of Fire Read Free Page A

little way ahead. It was the Mercedes she’d spotted earlier. Pam started to stride towards it, eager to tell the driver just what she thought of him, but she didn’t get the chance. Tyres skidding, the car roared off up the lane.
    While Pam threw a few curses after it, Maya heard the sound of another car engine behind them. A big black vehicle came cruising up the lane towards them. It stopped when it was just a few metres away – a jeep with tinted windows, more army vehicle than car, it took up most of the road and sat with its engine purring.
    Maya only had time to exchange an inquiring glance with her mum before the car doors swung open. Her eyes goggled as hooded men sprang out and stormed towards them waving guns.
    â€˜Get down! Down!’ they screamed.
    Before Maya could react, two black hoods flew towards her. One of them grabbed her head, forcing it backwards, fingers snaked round her neck, an arm circled her shoulders, her wrists were wrenched painfully up her back. She twisted and kicked, frothing with pain.
    â€˜Mum!’ she yelled, but immediately a hand clamped her mouth.
    She tried to bite the fleshy palm, squirmed sideways, stabbing out with her elbows, kicking at the men’s legs, but it was no use, there were two of them holding her.
    This was it. This was what she’d dreaded. They’d come to kidnap her. Where were the security agents? Her body went limp as she watched three hooded men surrounding Pam, targeting guns at her head and body. Pam had her hands partly raised and was talking fast, saying something in sharp, urgent tones. Maya couldn’t hear what it was but one of the men nodded, then raised his hand and made a forward motion. Two of the men seized Pam’s arms and started dragging her towards the jeep.
    Don’t take her, don’t take her! Maya wanted to shout, but her captor’s hand was jammed so hard over her mouth and nose that she could hardly breathe. Her legs were shaking violently, her bones rattling with shock, then her body jerked as a crack of gunfire shattered the air. One of the men holding Pam wheeled backwards and fell.
    Maya gave a strangled scream, fighting to free herself, but the men holding her were too strong;even when they began shooting towards the hedge their grip on her didn’t relax. She was terrified that she would be hit as bullets whistled back and forth.
    The Security Agents hiding behind the hedge yelled to her, ‘Keep down! Down! ’ But Maya couldn’t dodge down, she was a prisoner, directly in the firing line. Bullets zinged past her, hitting the jeep; one of her captors yelled and let go, falling to the ground. She tried to shake herself free as a flash of fire screamed over her head towards the hedge.
    â€˜Let’s go! Let’s go!’ one of the assailants shouted.
    Then all hell was let loose. Gunfire blazed back and forth. Maya was shoved to the ground, falling onto the gritty road. Gravel burned her hands and cheek, she tasted dirt.
    Above the sound of gunshots she heard her mum screaming for her to run. But she couldn’t run, she couldn’t move or make a sound, she was frozen with fear. There was another thunderclap of fire towards the hedge, then shiny black boots crunched past her head, running towards the jeep. Doors banged shut, an engine revved and the vehicle skidded and slewed off up the road, disappearing from sight.
    Silence gathered round her. Tears burned in her eyes, a blackbird sang in a nearby bush, soft windrustled the leaves. Slowly, uncertainly, Maya pulled herself up and lurched to her feet.
    â€˜Are you all right?’ A man she recognised as one of the security team came limping towards her, his sleeve covered in blood, a radio dangling from his hand.
    â€˜Yes,’ Maya said. ‘I’m OK.’
    â€˜They got Danny,’ he told her, pointing to the hedge.
    Maya looked and saw a pair of trainers sticking out of the long grass. She gasped. ‘We