Free Olivia and the Great Escape by Lyn Gardner Page B

shivering from the cold. There was a glittering, feverish look in his eyes. As he jumped down, a photographer ran forward and poked his camera directly into Jack’s face and took a picture.
    Pablo looked annoyed but he didn’t say anything: he knew that the stunt needed as much publicity as it could get because that’s what the sponsors demanded. They were delighted by the ongoing rivalry between Jack and Viktor, as it ensured continuing and maximum media interest.
    Pablo looked after the man who was now walking briskly away. It was odd, he didn’t recognise him. He certainly wasn’t one of the accredited photographers, as he knew all of them by sight. He tutted and made a mental note to increase the immediate security around the end of the wire. They had somebody keeping watch both day and night to make sure nobody attempted to get up on the wire, but it couldn’t hurt to be more vigilant. Only yesterday they had had to deal with a group of drunken louts who had stood on Tower Bridge at midnight taunting Jack and throwing apples at him as ifJack was a living coconut shy there exclusively for their enjoyment. Fortunately there had been no direct hits.
    Pablo looked at his stopwatch. There were only eight minutes before Jack had to be back on the wire or he would have broken the rules and Viktor would be the winner.
    Olivia hugged Jack under the shelter of the little tent while the rest of the team made ready all the provisions and equipment that he would need for his return trip along the wire.
    “Are you all right, Dad?” she asked anxiously.
    “Fine, chick, just a little tired,” he said with a smile, before he broke into a hacking cough. “My chest hurts a bit. I’ve got a bad cold. It’s tough out there. But I comfort myself with the thought that if I’m finding it tough, then Viktor must be really struggling.”
    “Yes, but Viktor doesn’t have a chest infection,” said Olivia.
    “No,” said Pablo with a grin. “He’s got something far worse: bad balance.” The others looked at him expectantly. Pablo seemed remarkably happy given that Jack clearly wasn’t in the best of shape.
    “I’ve just heard from a friend of mine who has been down at Waterloo Bridge. Viktor has fallen off the wire twice during the last four hours, and only just managed to get back on. It’s a sign that he’s in a really weakened state. You’re going to beat him, Jack.”
    But Jack said nothing because he was caught by another spasm of coughing. Pablo looked worried. “I think we’d better get a doctor down here during your next break to have a listen to your chest.” He turned to Olivia and Tom. “Probably best not to go round broadcasting to everyone that Jack’s sick. We don’t want it to get out in the media. Wouldn’t be good for morale. Viktor’s team might find a way to capitalise on it.”
    “Dad,” said Olivia slowly, “if you
are
sick, there would be no shame in giving up.”
    Jack looked at her aghast as he walked back towards the wire. “Give up?” he said. “Never!” He suddenly brightened. “I’ll only be coming off the wire after thirty days.” He saluted as he stepped out on to the wire and the wind howled as if in welcome.
    “He’s impossible,” said Olivia, sighing.
    “But if it was you out there, you’d nevergive up either, would you, Liv?” said Tom, seriously.
    “Probably not,” conceded Olivia.
    Tom laughed. “Like father, like daughter,” he said.
    Olivia turned to Pablo. “So your friend, the one who knows about Viktor falling off the wire, is he a kind of spy?”
    “Not really, he’s just doing me a favour and reporting back on how Viktor is faring, seeing if he can pick up any gossip from the journalists or the team.” He saw Olivia’s face. “No dirty tricks, I promise. You know that’s not our style. But knowing what is going on in the other camp can give you a psychological advantage in an endurance stunt like this. Success or failure is so much in the