First Strike Read Free Page A

rogue,” Ardman said thoughtfully. “But you know I do actually quite like the man.”
    â€œMe too,” Rich agreed. “Even if he did plant a bomb on me.”
    â€œHe helped us in Krejikistan,” said Jade. “And he was being threatened by the Mafia last time we met, so he didn’t have much choice.”
    They sat in silence for a while. Then Ardman said: “Oh, they found the car, by the way. Abandoned and torched. Not much hope we’ll learn anything there.” He stood up. “I’d better be getting back to the office. The doctors here know to call me immediately if there’s any change and I’ll let you know at once. But I expect you’ll be in Washington before anything happens.”
    â€œIt’ll give us something to tell the President,” Rich joked.
    Rich, Jade and their father had been invited to a special reception at the White House. It was a way for the President to thank them for saving his life after some trouble in the Middle East a few weeks previously. Rich had hoped for a medal, but since the whole incident was being kept secret, a White House reception was the next best thing.
    â€œWe should be getting back too,” said Chance to the twins.
    â€œThere’s a little shop here,” said Jade. “I think I’ll take Ralph some flowers before we go.”
    â€œHe won’t see them,” Rich told her.
    â€œHe will when he wakes up. And he might smell them.”
    â€œI’ll walk you back to your car,” Chance told Ardman. “Meet me at the main entrance,” he said to Rich and Jade.
    â€œI’ll come with you,” Rich told his dad.
    â€œYou’ll go with Jade.”
    â€œOh right—you’re doing secret talk. No kids allowed, I get it.”
    Chance smiled. “Don’t let your sister spend too much on the flowers.”
    It seemed miles back to Ralph’s private room. Jade and Rich had been allowed only a minute in there before. Just long enough to see that Ralph appeared to be sleeping peacefully. But the constant bleep of a heart monitor and the drips and wires attached to Ralph suggested otherwise.
    The plain-clothes police officer sitting outside the door had smiled sympathetically at them when they left. But now his chair was empty.
    â€œI thought he was supposed to be on guard all the time?” said Rich.
    Jade had opted for an arrangement that came in its own vase, and had to peer round the enormous bouquet to see what he meant.
    â€œMaybe he’s checking on Ralph.”
    There was a small, round window set high in the door. Rich looked through, and saw that there was someone in the room. A female doctor or nurse in her white coat was checking the monitoring equipment.
    â€œHe’s not in there.”
    The flowers brushed against Rich’s cheek as Jade joined him at the window.
    â€œHe’s just nipped off to the loo or to get a coffee or something while the doctor’s here.”
    Jade didn’t bother to knock. She just opened the door and walked in.
    Rich was right behind her. Jade looked round for somewhere to put down the vase of flowers, but Rich was facing the doctor as she turned. He had barely registered her black hair before, but as she turned he saw the slight bulge under the back of her coat where the long plait hung down. And he saw the mismatched eyes that stared at him in anger—one green and one blue.
    Without thinking, Rich grabbed the vase from Jade, and hurled it across the room.
    The vase struck the woman on the chest. She staggered back, knocking into the heart monitor. The vase shattered on the floor and the flowers were strewn across the bed.
    Colonel Shu advanced towards them, holding a scalpel. Jade and Rich backed away. Rich’s foot caught on something lying behind him. He looked down quickly to see what it was and saw the plain-clothes police guard—unconscious.
    Colonel Shu turned away, just long enough to slice