Free A. N. T. I. D. O. T. E. by Malorie Blackman Page A

anything on a PC without taking a back-up afterwards. I knew he had to have a back-up disk somewhere and I remembered him saying he kept one in his desk as well as another one at home. I turned off the PC and followed Nosh and Ian to the other end of the open plan.
    ‘What were you doing over there?’ Ian’s eyes narrowed as he watched me.
    ‘Turning off the PC,’ I answered. I turned away, hoping I didn’t look too guilty.
    Rohan was pointing a remote control up at the TV mounted against one wall. The TV volume began to increase. I recognized the face of the man on the telly instantly. It was Marcus Pardela.
    ‘ … Just the sort of underhand tactic that a group like ANTIDOTE would use ,’ Marcus said to the interviewer who stood before him. ‘ One of their operatives, a man called Robert Gaines, is already in police custody for trying to break into our main industrial plant, and I understand it’s only a matter of time before his accomplice, his sister-in-law Lisa Gaines, is picked up by the police as well. And now on top of all that, we have a few more misguided ANTIDOTE individuals actually trying to set fire to our plant today after their so-called protest march. They profess to be animal lovers and to care for the environment and yet they think nothing of putting innocent human lives at risk and … ’
    ‘Switch it off,’ Ian ordered.
    Rohan frowned at him.
    ‘SWITCH IT OFF!’ Ian said furiously.
    Rohan used the remote control to comply.
    ‘What the hell was that all about?’ Ian demanded. ‘What fire is he talking about?’
    ‘Apparently, someone tried to set fire to the Shelby plant. The fire brigade had to be called out. It was a very small fire and it’s under control now but you know how the press loves to distort these things,’ Rohan explained.
    ‘How did they get hold of Marcus Pardela so quickly?’ Ian asked.
    ‘He was already in the Shelby building apparently,’ said Rohan.
    ‘It wouldn’t surprise me if that …’ Ian glanced at me and Nosh, and obviously changed what he’d been about to say. ‘If that man had started the fire himself, just to discredit us,’ Ian stormed.
    ‘He’d never do his own dirty work,’ Rohan sniffed. ‘Someone in the crowd on our march obviously did his dirty work for him.’
    I was very aware of Nosh by now as we made a concerted effort not to look at each other. That scenario was exactly what was going on in the ANTIDOTE office too. And maybe one of the two men before us already knew that. I placed my hands on my burning cheeks, trying – and failing – not to feel embarrassed because my mum’s name had been mentioned on the telly. Feeling guilty, I stuffed my hands deep into my pockets. I tried to decide what my next move should be. I’d met the leaders of ANTIDOTE, I’d seen the evidence against Mum. Now what? Ian and Rohan continued to rant about Marcus Pardela.
    ‘Nosh, maybe we should leave …’ I began.
    But then I felt something in my left pocket – something that hadn’t been there before. Clasping it in my hand I took it out and stared at it. The moment I realized what it was, my fingers folded over it and I held it tight.
    ‘What’s the matter?’ Nosh asked me.
    Ian and Rohan stopped their discussion to look at me curiously.
    ‘Er … I’ve just remembered, we’re meant to be somewhere else. Come on, Nosh.’ I grabbed Nosh by the arm and pulled him out of the office. It was only when we got to the bottom of the stairs that I took the item out of my pocket. It lay on my palm, glistening in the half light of the stairwell.
    ‘What is it?’ Nosh whispered.
    ‘It’s my mum’s wedding ring,’ I replied.
    ‘What’re you doing with that?’ asked Nosh. ‘You didn’t tell me you had that.’
    ‘I didn’t have it – at least, I didn’t have it this morning,’ I said. ‘Someone’s left me a present.’
    ‘I don’t understand.’
    ‘This ring wasn’t in my pocket this morning,’ I persisted.
    ‘Then where did