Free Nyteria Rising (The Thirteenth Series Book 3) by G L Twynham Page B

this was clearly somewhere people visited, which raised another problem - random tourists. Luckily, to one side of the car park was something she knew could help, a phone box. She ran into it, pulling up the receiver and praying it wasn’t just there for decoration. There was a dial-tone! She thought hard. Her parents wouldn’t be home, so she needed to contact someone else who would help her: Shane. “Come on,” She tapped her fingers on her head, concentrating hard. “The code is 01675 then his number was something to do with the devil... Yes 666! But what came first? Come on Val.” She banged the phone with her hand. Remember the card... 849666! That was it ‘The House of Art’. Val dialled the numbers, then realised she had no money. The phone took cards, but she had no pockets in her stupid special suit. If she’d had her jeans on this wouldn’t have been a problem.
    She searched the box for an answer to her dilemma, and found what she needed right in front of her eyes. Reverse charges call. She dialled the number given onthe sign. “Please enter the number you wish to contact.” She tapped away. “Say your name after the tone.” The machine droned “Val Saunders.” The Hunter looked at her with a quizzical expression. She pointed at the phone and smiled. “Please wait while we try to connect you.” Val could feel her chest constricting with the stress of waiting. “The person you are calling will now be connected, thank you for using 0800 Reverse.”
    There was a silence. “Shane?” Val wanted nothing more than to hear his voice.
    “Is that you mate?” It was Jason. Tears welled in her eyes. “Val, are you there?”
    “Thank God. Where is everyone? Are my parents ok? How can I get to Zac? I’m in some woods and I can’t find him. Please tell me what to do.”
    “Ok you just popped up on my screen, and in the same place as Zac. You’re in Willingham Woods in Lincolnshire. Can’t tell you how great it is to see you flashing at me again,” he responded brightly. “Everyone’s ok. We’re all at Sam’s. Never knew call divert would come in this handy.”
    She rested her head on the glass. These people were her family and she was home. “Fine, so now we both officially love BT. Tell me where he is?”
    “Looks like he’s about four hundred metres away. Can you see an opening and a small bridge?”
    She rubbed one of the grubby panes. “Yes, I can.”
    “Ok, if you follow that path you’ll find him on the left. Val, things haven’t gone to plan. I’m so glad you’ve come home, the other Guard is just weird.”
    “Well, maybe you’ll treat me a little better now then, like less training. Bye for now, see you soon.” She hung up. “Come on Hunter, we have a job to do.”
    She started to run in Zac’s direction. If nothing else, she was getting fitter. Luckily for her, the ground was soft and her approach was practically silent. She focused and her helmet came up over her head. She surveyed the area, looking for any signs of life. Over by a tree she spotted three heat sources. They looked very much like the outlines of dogs. She slowed down, holding her hand up for the Hunter to follow suit. Glancing over in the other direction she saw there were bushes, trees and two bodies, one flat on the floor the other one leaning over it. Someone was down. She raced towards them, bursting through the ferns. To her guilty relief she found that it was Zac leaning over the Guard.
    His eye’s lifted, distress and relief showing on his face at the same time. “Welcome. Please be careful, there are three Novelia here. I can’t help you as I have to stay with my Guard, but your arrival is excellent timing.”
    Val realised he hadn’t recognised her. “Helmet off.” It shot back. “So you’ve got a new Guard. Let’s see if we can keep him alive.”
    Zac looked genuinely shocked to see her. He stood up, looking her uniform up and down. “You’re a Magrafe! Of all the people in the