Free Hit Squad by Sophie McKenzie Page A

thundering in my ears. I scrambled to my feet. Looked up. The mountain was just metres away.
    I looked down. Desperate. Where were the brakes? The display of knobs and electrical controls in front of me was bewildering. I had no idea what to touch . . . what to do . . . I glanced
sideways. A huge lever stuck out from the panel to my left. I grabbed it. Yanked it back. The train let out a screech. No. It was going faster.
    I pushed it in the opposite direction, bracing myself against the side of the cab.
    With a groan, the train slowed. Yes. I looked up again. The mountain was almost here. I clung to the lever, forcing it down as far as it would go. The train was still slowing. But not
fast enough.
    ‘STOP!’ I pushed at the lever again.
    The train grew slower. Slower. The mountain right in front. Just metres away. It was terrible. Heart-stopping.
    ‘AAAGH!’ The lever was flat down, the train’s gears grinding.
    The mountain was so close I could see the ridges on the rock face.
    I pressed down on the lever, closed my eyes and waited for the crash.

12: Escape
    With a final groan, the train stopped. I opened my eyes. The mountain was centimetres in front of the driver’s cab – less than half a metre from where I stood. I
stared at the rock as the realisation of just how close the train – and I – had come to crashing into it sank in.
    My legs trembled and I sank to the floor of the cab. I felt utterly exhausted. My body was drenched in sweat and my heart was still pounding. Behind me, I could hear the doors of the train
carriages open. People were spilling out onto the field, shouting and yelling in a language I didn’t understand. The relief in their voices, however, was unmistakable.
    I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. I’d made it.
    But there was no time to rest. Jack, Ripley and Knife Man were close by. I had to get away from here now . . . find my way back to civilisation and alert the authorities.
    At least I had my telepathic ability back. I sat up, trying to ease the trembling in my limbs. It was hard to focus on mind-reading. My brain was skipping about, refusing to relax enough to make
remote contact.
    I got to my feet, taking deep, calming breaths. I reached out for Nico. But his mind was still unavailable to me. I tried to make contact with Ketty. Nothing. I tried Cal, then Dylan. Still
nothing. Had their escape attempt been foiled? Or were they free, just under the control of the Medutox for another few minutes?
    It was possible that all four of them were still captives. Or worse.
    I swallowed hard. Well, that meant getting help was down to me. I couldn’t let them down. As I staggered to the door of the train driver’s cab, I remembered Amy – my sister
back in Sydney. As soon as I thought of her, I made contact.
    Amy? I could feel her mind, slow and sluggish, coming to an awareness I was there. Amy? It’s Ed!
    Ed? Amy’s thought-speech sounded bewildered. Are you all right?
    Yes, Amy, listen. We’re in a place just outside Lovistov in Kima. I’ve got away but the others are . . . at least they might be . . . prisoners.
    Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Amy’s thought-speech had suddenly gone from nought to sixty miles an hour. Are you all right?
    I’m fine. Did you hear what I said? Jack Linden is here too, but he’s working for someone. They’re developing the drug. The Medusix. It’s definite. We—
    Slow down, Ed , Amy’s thought-speech interrupted. Where are you again?
    Lovistov. There’s a castle not far outside the town. We’re near that right now. There was a train. I hesitated, trying to collect my thoughts. The others are trying to
escape. But Nico is with Jack.
    The others are on a train? Amy sounded confused.
    No. I peered outside the driver’s cab. People were milling about . . . hundreds of them, mostly still shrieking their heads off. I jumped down and joined them. Everyone was talking,
some on their mobile phones. No one took any notice of me.
    My legs were