Free Trials in Walls of Ivy (Triskelion Trilogy Book 1) by Deborah Jayne Pye Page A

bed.
    “Karissa?” I called, after her, “did you get your test sheet?”
    “In the morning, Roz,” she mumbled, stumbling on the steps. I hoped for her sake she had a handle on her task. Llamp didn’t come across as the forgiving kind.
    Fern hovered by the back of the settee.
    “Are you sure you want to stay and help?” I asked. Although we lived in the same house, this was the first time I had really gotten to speak to Fern.
    “Sure. I’m not in a group yet, I didn’t think they were being chosen this soon.” She ducked her head and blushed. “That’s if you don’t mind me being here, with your team?”
    “Of course not.” I moved one of Jay’s bags of wires from the chair for her to sit. “So, you’re in science?”
    “Yeah, biology. It’s fantastic here, isn’t it? The labs have everything. I can do so many more experiments here than at other labs.”
    “They definitely like to challenge us,” I said, without her enthusiasm.
     
    As the agreed time grew close, Bree and Ash returned to the house after gathering their supplies. They walked in like shadows. Black pants, black jackets and a black hood covering their faces. With them they brought a rope, some kind of climbing equipment and what looked like a gun.
    “What’s that for?” I shouted, when I saw the handle sticking out of Ash’s bag.
    “How else do you think we’re getting up there?” Bree said. She was looking in the mirror above the fire place, straightening the hood on her face.
    “By killing people?”
    “What?” She span on the spot to face me. “It’s a grapple gun, you idiot. We shoot it to the roof to hook on.”
    My face flushed red. What the hell was I thinking? “Well, it looks like a gun. How was I supposed to know?”
    Bree shook her head at me through the mirror, smirking at my idiocy.
    I was glad of a diversion when Owen lifted his head from his computer. “Time’s almost here. You guys ready?”
    Jay handed Bree and Ash an ear piece each. “Remember, we can’t cut their cameras until five o’clock, so stay under cover until then. And don’t shout, the mic will pick you up fine.”
    Ash nodded and pushed the ear piece into place. “We know.” He turned to me and smiled. “I’ll be waiting for you to boss me around.”
    My mouth opened to protest, but then closed with a snap, not knowing how to respond.
    “Don’t enjoy it too much,” Owen shouted, winking at Ash.
    I didn’t know whether he meant his mission or me bossing him.
    “Good luck. And, thank you so much for doing this,” I said, as Bree and Ash walked out the door into the night. I closed it behind them, my insides churning. What if they got caught? What if they fell? They could get in so much trouble and it would be all my fault.
    I sat between Owen and Jay, Fern pacing behind us. The living room was filled with screens. I had no clue as to where they got them all from. The left was where Owen was monitoring the security system and power. On the right was Jay’s surveillance. From where we placed all the cameras, we could see Ash and Bree walking stealthily toward the target.
    “You’re all clear.” I said, through the microphone.
    “Shit. God, Roz you scared me.” Bree laughed. I watched her jump on camera as her voice rang through the little speaker.
    Ash waved at the camera to signal our attention. “Okay Owen, your turn.”
    Owen’s fingers fluttered across the keyboard. A moment later his screens flickered to life, the University of Terram triskelion in the centre of each screen.
    “That’s the security. Hang on,” He said, as he continued to click keys. A moment later Jay’s screens saw all the lampposts go dark. “Right guys, that’s it. Lights and security alarms are down. You have exactly twenty eight minutes to get in and out.”
    We watched as the two shadowed figures ran across the street. They ducked behind hedges and ran low beneath windows. They looked every bit the professionals they were training to