Free Rat-Catcher by Chris Ryan Page A

behind him. He was vaguely aware of the big white van driving up the street towards them and he cursed. He did not want his cover to be blown. He wanted to stay and make sure Eliza was safe. Quickly, he took a few more steps, pushing Eliza behind him until they were blocking the road. The white van came to a stop behind them. The headlights came on full and the horn sounded, loud and sudden in the quiet street. Leo hesitated, then slipped the knife behind his back as he shielded his eyes with his other hand.
    'The van wants to get past,' said Paulo. 'You need to move on.'
    Still Leo didn't move. Then the door of the restaurant opened and Oscar stepped out with his meaty arms folded over his belly.
    'Are you going to stab me in front of witnesses?' asked Paulo.
    The van horn sounded again. Leo scowled and made the knife disappear into his sleeve. 'Later,' he promised, then he ran off up the street.
    Paulo sagged with relief, then pulled Eliza to the side of the road and waved the big van on. John Middleton frowned through the windscreen at him until Paulo gave him a thumbs-up, then he idled away up the street and turned the corner.
    Paulo opened Eliza's drawstring purse and pushed the money inside. Then he picked up the two bowls and took them over to Oscar. The big man nodded approvingly. 'You can come to my door anytime,' he said, looking from Paulo to Eliza. 'Anytime.'
    'You shouldn't have done that,' said Eliza, later that night.
    Paulo jerked awake. 'What?' he muttered.
    'You shouldn't have challenged Leo. He won't forget.'
    'Why do you give him all your money?' asked Paulo.
    'Protection,' said Eliza briefly. 'At least, that's what he calls it. See, he knows something about me . . .'
    Eliza hesitated, then rested her chin on her knees and stared out at the rain, trying to decide whether to say any more. Paulo looked out at the rain too, and waited patiently for her to make up her mind. They were settled for the night in one of Eliza's favourite sleeping places, a covered walkway running along the back of one of Quito's many churches. There were at least twenty other street kids lined up on the concrete walkway, wrapped in an assortment of blankets, plastic sacks and pieces of cardboard. More than half of them had plastic bags and bottles of glue or solvent by their sides. Paulo supposed sniffing glue helped to dull the cold and hunger. He was heartily glad to see that Eliza did not seem to use it. He suspected that those nightly bowls of dried-up chicken were more precious than Oscar could ever know - they were probably the only thing stopping Eliza from sniffing glue.
    'What does Leo know about you?' asked Paulo softly.
    Eliza looked along the line, making sure everyone else was asleep. 'I've seen the face of the Rat-catcher,' she whispered.
    'The Rat-catcher?' said Paulo. 'What's that?'
    'He is a man. He hunts street kids.'
    'What for?'
    'To kill us.'
    'What!'
    'He thinks we are like vermin. Like rats. He thinks he is cleaning up the streets of Quito.' Eliza gave a shuddering sigh. 'If the other street kids knew I had seen the face of the Rat-catcher, they wouldn't want to be near me. I wouldn't be able to sleep here or work at the traffic lights. They'd make me go away on my own.' Eliza's lower lip trembled as she looked down at her hands.
    'Why?' asked Paulo.
    'Because they think if you've seen the Rat-catcher, you're as good as dead, and they wouldn't want to be around someone like that. Leo says he'll tell the others if I don't pay him protection money.'
    Paulo put an arm around her thin shoulders and she snuggled in against his chest. 'How does Leo know?' he asked.
    Eliza looked up at Paulo and he smiled down at her. He looked so much like her big brother Marco when he smiled that she decided to tell him everything.
    In the white van, parked at the front of the church, John Middleton was asleep at the wheel, with his mouth open and his head lolling over the back of the seat. Alex, Li and Hex were all sprawled on the