Free Hit Squad by Sophie McKenzie Page B

still shaky and my throat unbearably dry. The sun was high in a clear blue sky. It beat down, its heat fierce on my face. I peered into the distance. I could just make out the line
of trees where we’d all been standing when Nico teleported me onto the train. The chances were high that Jack, Ripley and Knife Man had got back in their cars and were already on their way. I
had to get out of here.
    Ed? Amy’s voice sounded in my head again. What’s going on?
    Jack Linden and another man I don’t know captured us , I thought-spoke. I’ve got away but I don’t know about the others. Tell Dad. And Fergus Fox. I’m going to
go now . . . it’s a castle near Lovistov. Tell them, Amy.
    Okay, but Ed, oh my gosh, will you contact me again soon?
    Sure. I broke the connection with my sister and looked around again. Two young men were deep in conversation beside me. One of them had dropped his backpack. It was open at his feet, a
bottle of water peeking out of the top. Beside the water I could just make out the edge of a black leather wallet.
    I swallowed. I was desperately thirsty and I couldn’t see how I was going to get away from here without money. And yet it was impossible to steal the wallet. It was terrifying to imagine
doing it, not to mention completely immoral.
    I looked across the crowd. No one had noticed me so far. Maybe there was another way. And then I gazed into the distance again and my heart skipped a beat. Two large cars were hurtling down the
hill towards the train.
    That had to be Jack and the others.
    If they found me here, I’d be recaptured.
    That settled it. Without thinking about it any further, I bent down. I grabbed the water bottle in one hand and the wallet in the other. I stood up, turned swiftly and walked away from the two
young men, still deep in conversation. My shirt clung to my back, damp with sweat, as I forced myself to keep going. I mustn’t look back.
    I reached the gap between the train carriages that I’d leaped over earlier. I glanced across the fields again. The two cars were just a few hundred metres away. They’d be here within
minutes.
    Time to go. I scrambled across the coupling that linked the two carriages. Loads of people were milling about on this side of the train too, but I couldn’t see the two cars any more. That
was good. That meant they couldn’t see me either. I took a gulp of water from the bottle and slid the man’s wallet into my pocket. I’d check it out later. Right now I needed to
get away from the train. A small wooded area marked the edge of the field we were in. Breaking into a run, I headed for it as fast as my still shaky legs could carry me. I didn’t look over my
shoulder until I reached the first tree. As I ducked behind it, I glanced round. No one was watching me, except for one little girl clutching a teddy bear. I leaned against the trunk, catching my
breath. Then I set off again, darting through the trees to where the land opened out on the other side.
    I was on the edge of another field. Beyond it was a road. There. I would head for the road. With any luck I’d be able to pick up a lift to a nearby town. I pulled the wallet
I’d stolen out of my pocket. It contained a student ID card, and a few notes – I didn’t understand the currency any more than I did the language, so I had no idea how much the
money was worth.
    I felt a stab of guilt. The owner was a student, which meant that he probably wasn’t well off. Why couldn’t I have robbed someone rich? Something bulky was tucked into the side of
the wallet. I drew it out. A slim silver lighter. I slid the lighter and the wallet back into my pocket. As I did so, I promised myself I would get both of them back to their owner when this was
over.
    I took a final glance around. I was absolutely alone. I took a step out into the field, away from the trees. A twig snapped to my right. I darted back, behind the cover of the tree I’d
just walked away from.
    Another twig snapped.