Every Second Counts Read Free

that’s our only real weapon.’
    ‘Right.’ I nodded. It sounded worse and worse. A known ally of Riley’s infiltrating the resistance and no proper way of fighting back.
    ‘Well your set-up seems really amateurish to me,’ Charlie said with a sniff.
    I threw her another warning glance. Why did she have to be so antagonistic? She was right, though. Quite apart from the lack of weapons, it was obvious from the way Julius was talking that
neither he nor Lennox had any combat experience, whereas Charlie and I had been trained by one of Riley’s best operatives, Taylor, to fight hard, move stealthily – and even handle
guns.
    ‘Who’s your leader?’ I asked.
    ‘We don’t have one,’ Julius admitted. He looked embarrassed. ‘We’re more a co-operative, sharing information, letting everyone else know we’re okay or if
there’s danger somewhere.’
    Charlie snorted. Exasperated, I turned on her. ‘Let’s just find out a bit more before we start judging them, okay?’
    Charlie shot me a furious look which faded as I glared at her. After a moment she gave an awkward shrug. ‘Sorry, I’m just upset that there isn’t more of a proper organisation
working against Riley.’
    ‘I know.’ I turned back to Julius. ‘How come you’re both in the resistance?’
    ‘I was a solicitor, in my first job,’ Julius explained. ‘Eight months ago I was helping in a case to take Riley to court. My boss died in what was supposedly an accident, then
someone planted evidence that made it look like I’d stolen money from my law firm to give to a woman I’d met precisely once. They made it look like I was bribing her. I said it was all
a set-up, but the company fired me anyway, so I lost my flat and my girlfriend.’ He sighed. ‘Riley’s taken my whole life away.’
    I turned to Lennox. ‘What about you?’
    ‘I worked for a car manufacturer, got involved in the trade union there. A mate of mine found out what the English Freedom Army was really up to. He told the police. They weren’t
interested. So he told me and I tried to take it to my union. Next thing I know, my mate’s dead and I’m being threatened to keep quiet. So I carry on trying to expose the EFA and all of
a sudden there’s a warrant out for my arrest for being dangerous, a potential terrorist just like you two.’
    I nodded, taking this in. ‘Okay,’ I said slowly. ‘Everything you’re trying to do is good, but we need to do more and do it faster. We
have
to bring down Riley
before the election. That way we all can get our lives back.’
    ‘But the election is next week,’ Julius spluttered.
    ‘Basically we need to expose him as a murderer,’ Charlie went on. ‘We need to prove that he set up me and Nat and get evidence on what he’s planning next.
    Julius and Lennox stared at us, open-mouthed.
    ‘Getting proof against him is the only way he’ll be forced to resign from power,’ I added. ‘We still live in a democracy. If we can convince the public how corrupt he is,
they won’t vote for him or his party at the election next week.’
    ‘That’s some timeframe,’ Lennox said with a sneer.
    ‘I know,’ I said. ‘But we have to try. The next few days are crucial. I’ve been looking at the polls. Riley’s Future Party are set to do really well in the election
– maybe even well enough to form a government. Riley could control the country by the end of next week.
    ‘I just don’t see what we can do. Riley’s set everyone against us,’ Julius said. ‘He discredits all his enemies so that people think
we’re
the bad
guys. Look at that film you and Charlie posted on YouTube and how he twisted everything you said.’
    This was true. Riley had responded to our attempt to clear our names by saying we were lying and desperate.
    ‘We have to find another way,’ I insisted. ‘Talking about him isn’t enough, we need to get actual proof and use it.’
    ‘We could assassinate him,’ Lennox suggested. ‘Get close with a