Free The Ability (Ability, The) by M.M. Vaughan Page B

moving—there’s a lot we have to discuss,” said Miss Sonata, giving him a gentle nudge out the main door.
    Chris stepped onto the playground and followed Sir Bentley and Miss Sonata over to the gates, behind which were parked two identical dark-blue cars. Standing in front of the leading car were two men in black suits, their arms folded. Chris’s eyes went immediately to the one on the left, easily the biggest man that Chris had ever set eyes on. His muscles bulged with the effort of folding his arms, and his suit jacket, which appeared to be two sizes too small, strained at the buttons. If he had been painted green, Chris thought, he would have looked uncannily like an action figure he had once owned. Chris turned his attention to the significantly smaller of the pair, a skinny man with a slicked-down side part, and then looked away uncomfortably when he realized that the man appeared to be staring directly at him, although it was impossible for Chris to be certain, due to the fact that the man was wearing sunglasses, which seemed a little unnecessary given that it was the middle of winter.
    “Are those your bodyguards?” asked Chris.
    “Yes, security is rather tight these days,” explained Sir Bentley.
    Chris nodded, impressed. He was about to ask if they were carrying guns, but Miss Sonata interrupted him.
    “Sir Bentley and I are going to go to the school now. Would you like to come with us and we can talk a little bit more about the place we’d like to offer to you? We’ll get a car to take you home when we’re done.”
    “Yes,” said Chris, still stunned by the events of the last few minutes.
    “Great. I’m going in the other car. I’ll meet you there,” said Miss Sonata, who then walked quickly away toward the car at the back. Chris nodded, following Sir Bentley over to the two waiting guards.
    “Christopher, this is John,” said Sir Bentley. Chris looked up at the enormous man, who smiled down at him.
    “Good afternoon,” said John as he opened up the car door.
    “And this is Ron,” said Sir Bentley.
    The smaller man gave a barely visible nod and then jerked his head round, as if expecting somebody to jump out at them at any moment.
    “Right, let’s get going. Next stop, Myers Holt,” said Sir Bentley, getting into the car.
    Chris squeezed into the seat behind John, who, despite having pulled the driver’s seat all the way back, still looked uncomfortably squashed behind the steering wheel, which appeared toy-sized in his giant hands. Ron, who was waiting impatiently for Chris to get himself seated, took one last look around him before closing the door behind Chris and running round the back of the car to the passenger side.
    “Gamma One en route,” said Ron to nobody in particular.
    John started the engine and drove off in the direction of Central London.
    “Well, Chris,” said Sir Bentley, turning to face him, “I imagine this day is turning out to be quite an unusual one for you.”
    Chris nodded. “That’s an understatement,” he said, and Sir Bentley chuckled.
    “We’ll discuss everything in more detail when we get to Myers Holt. Miss Sonata has already spoken to your mother to explain that you’ll be with us this afternoon—she stopped by your house this morning to give your mother the good news.”
    Chris looked surprised.
    “What did she say?”
    Sir Bentley put his hand on Chris’s shoulder kindly.
    “She said that you were capable of making your own decisions, and I have no doubt that she’s quite right. She says that she will agree to whatever you want to do.”
    “My mum is not very well . . . ,” Chris began to explain.
    “Since your father died,” said Sir Bentley, “I know. Miss Sonata told me about your situation, and I must say, I’m impressed with how well you have coped. You should be proud of yourself.”
    Chris shifted uncomfortably, unaccustomed to compliments.
    “Well, perhaps this will be the day that your life takes a new turn. Now, make