Free Dangerous Reality by Malorie Blackman

Mum—’
    ‘Your granddad or I will be here. We’ll make sure that your mum is never alone,’ Jack insisted. ‘I’ll pick you up after school tomorrow and bring you here so you can stay a bit longer.’
    I gave up at that. Jack had that ‘I’ve-made-up-my-mind!’ look on his face.
    ‘Do you really think VIMS will be scrapped?’ I couldn’t help asking.
    Jack considered, then nodded slowly. ‘What happened on Saturday was bad enough, but after what happened to your mum this morning …’
    ‘I see.’ And I did see. As Pops and I each settled into the chairs on either side of Mum’s bed, my mind was working furiously. They couldn’t junk Mum’s project. They just couldn’t. I wouldn’t let that happen. But what could I do? I had to think of something – and fast. Or the past few years of Mum’s life would all have been for nothing.

Chapter Twelve
    A Trip to the Seaside
    ALL THE WAY home, I tried to think of a way to stop Desica ditching Mum’s project, but it seemed like the harder I tried to come up with an idea, the bigger the headache I was getting – and that’s all.
    ‘Your mum will be fine, Dominic,’ Jack said gently. ‘I know she will.’
    I nodded, but said nothing.
    When we got home, Jack insisted that I should have a proper dinner and so we went to the kitchen and started making baked, un-battered fish and fat-free chips. Then Jack set about making a salad. If I hadn’t had other things on my mind, I might’ve complained about all the tastiest bits being left out of the meal! But as it was, VIMS took up every corner, nook and cranny of each thought that wasn’t wrapped around Mum. If only she wasn’t unconscious. Even from a hospital bed, I was sure that Mum could’ve persuaded Julie and everyone else to leave VIMS alone – at least until she was back on her feet again. But Mum couldn’t argue her case. So I had to buy her some time until she could. But how?
How?
    I picked at my meal whilst Jack sat with a piece of fish poised on his fork for over five minutes as he stared into space.
    ‘Jack, are you all right?’
    He didn’t answer. I don’t think he even heard me.
    ‘Jack …?’
    ‘Sorry. Yes? What?’
    ‘Are you OK?’
    ‘Yes. Yes.’ Jack waved a dismissive hand in my general direction.
    ‘What d’you think about VIMS being dismantled?’ I asked.
    ‘Your mum won’t like it. But maybe it’s the best thing.’ To say that Jack’s answer surprised me would be an understatement.
    ‘What d’you mean?’
    ‘I don’t want your mum to be hurt any more.’
    ‘Can’t you fix it?’
    ‘Some things can’t be fixed.’
    ‘But have you tried?’
    Jack sighed and dropped his fork back onto his plate. ‘Dominic, can we just leave it for tonight? I’m not in a very talkative mood.’
    ‘I’m sorry.’ I bowed my head. ‘I think … I’ll go to bed now.’
    ‘OK. Leave your plate. I’ll tidy everything away.’
    After a final goodnight, I left Jack to it. In all the years I’d known him, I can’t remember ever seeing him look so miserable.
    Half an hour later, I’d cleaned my teeth and changed into my pyjamas. The house was deathly quiet. I wondered what Jack was doing. I couldn’t hear a sound from downstairs. I lay in bed, determined not to fall asleep until I had thought of a way to stop Julie and Desica from dismantling Mum’s project. If only my eyelids didn’t feel quite so heavy …
    The morning sun streamed through my window and onto my face. It woke me up. And it was as if it was trying to drum an idea into my head. I know that sounds fanciful, but the moment I opened my eyes, I knew what I had to do. Just like that. I had a quick shower and went in search of Jack. Surprise, surprise! He’d already beetled off to the hospital. He’d left a note on the front door.
    Hi Dominic
,
    I’m sorry to disappear so early but I wanted to be with your mum. You can get yourself some cereal. The milk is in the fridge and the cereal is in the cereal cupboard! (I