Thieves Like Us 01 - Thieves Like Us Read Free Page A

smile. ‘It is called
mesmerism
, yes? Now,
move
.’
    She shoved Jonah forward, urging him to run through the harsh contours of the block. But his mind was racing way ahead. Drugged food? Stun bombs? Just what the hell was he getting himself into? These people had the cash and the know-how to pull off a spectacular jailbreak, and yet they were pretty much kids like he was. Con had mastered some freaky hypnosis thing, Patch could open a door faster than Jonah could open an envelope. But was Motti their boss or just another specialist – good with electrics, perhaps?
    Whatever, they were going to big trouble to break Jonah out. It didn’t take a genius to know they must need him for
his
little speciality – Jonah Wish, the cipherpunk.
    But what if he didn’t want to play ball? What would happen to him then?
    ‘We made it!’ Patch kicked open the door that ledout to the reception area. Jonah ran through, saw two officers slumped on the desk, snoring softly. One of them was Wilson. Clearly he’d done just as he was told.
    The main doors stood unbolted.
    ‘Worked like a charm. No one lifted a finger to stop us!’ Con smiled. ‘Lock that door behind us, Patch.’ While her accomplice got busy, she held out a hand to Jonah. ‘OK, let me have that cap I gave you.’
    Jonah looked between her and the main doors. Then he smiled, reached out his hand …
    Shut his eyes and threw the cap down at her feet.
    The glass burst with a blinding light and a thick fog of smoke. He heard Patch swear. Con shouted as she jumped back and crashed into the reception desk. But Jonah was already running for the doors.
    ‘Sorry,’ he called over his shoulder, ‘but you did say life was about opportunities.’
    Heart in his mouth, Jonah slung open one of the doors. He felt the night air cold on his face, and a moment’s euphoria. They’d wanted him to go with them, and he had – as far as the exit. Now it was time to make and take his
own
chances.
    The yard outside was dark and silent. A white van was parked close by – had to be Con and Patch’s friend, OK’d by Wilson and let through at the main gate. Jonah swiftly changed direction, backing off round the side of the reception building. He’d never make it past the guards on foot, but there had to be some other way of getting out of this –
    He gasped as something fell on him from above, knocking him to the ground – or rather, some
body
.Before he could catch his breath, he was dragged to his feet and shoved up against the wall by a tall, rangy guy with black hair pulled back in a ponytail and a razor-cut goatee.
    The guy’s hand closed threateningly on his throat. ‘Going somewhere, Jonah?’
    ‘S’pose not,’ gasped Jonah, and the pressure on his throat relaxed a little. The guy was maybe twenty, sounded American. His fierce scowl would have been more intimidating if his round-rimmed glasses hadn’t come loose in the tumble – the left lens was now perched on his nose. ‘You must be Motti. The boss man.’
    ‘Boss man?
Him?
’ Jonah turned to find Patch and Con slipping through the shadows towards them, Patch laughing like a drain. ‘Wait till Coldhardt hears!’
    Jonah frowned. ‘Coldhardt?’
    ‘Shut your dumb mouth, Patch,’ Motti hissed, quickly straightening his glasses. ‘What gives with the geek getaway, Con? Losing your touch?’
    ‘He’s got more nerve than we thought.’ Con shrugged. ‘I didn’t want to put him under. I thought it best he could watch out for himself if we found trouble.’
    ‘Looks to me like he
is
trouble,’ said Motti. ‘Maybe we should just off him now. Say
sayonara
.’
    Con arched an eyebrow. ‘You want to explain that to Coldhardt?’
    He shrugged. ‘Shit happens.’
    ‘Smells to me like it already did.’ Jonah forced himself to face Motti’s stare; he’d learned a thing or twoabout standing up to creeps these last two months inside. ‘What happened, get scared up on the dark spooky roof all by yourself?’
    Patch