Max crouched over the bowl and carefully measured the white powder before dropping it in. Unlike yesterday, Kensy was completely focused this morning, reading the instructions several times.
‘Here we go,’ Max said, and clicked the lighter. ‘The moment of truth.’
Being entirely encased in bricks, at least Esme Brightside’s dank cellar wouldn’t easily catch fire. He reached out and ignited the mixture, which began to burn far more fiercely than it should have. Still, it wasn’t the explosive reaction that had occurred at school. He was just about to douse the flames when Kensy intervened.
‘No, not yet. I tried to put it out with water, remember, and that’s when it exploded.’ She unscrewed the lid of the flask and poured a few drops on the burning mass. A bright flash illuminated the room and a jet of flame soared towards the ceiling. Max smothered it with the fire blanket and within a few seconds all that remained was a smoky residue. ‘I think that settles it,’ Kensy said, dusting her hands. ‘The white powder is definitely not baking soda.’
Max nodded. ‘Judging by the way it reacted with the water, my guess is it’s magnesium. We’ll have to talk to Mrs Vanden Boom first thing Monday morning.’
‘Do you believe me now?’ Kensy asked. ‘It’s obvious someone is trying to kill us – or at least me – and I think it’s about time we find out who it is before they succeed.’
Max began to pack everything away while his sister stood by and watched. ‘Could you give me a hand?’
‘What?’ Kensy replied, apparently lost in her thoughts.
‘Never mind.’ Max shoved the rest of the gear into his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. ‘Let’s get out of here. This place gives me the creeps.’
The twins ran up the rickety cellar stairs, back down the hallway with its ghastly floral carpet and peeling wallpaper. Kensy opened the front door and peered out. The rain had stopped for now and the street appeared empty save for a noisy car sputtering past. She looked again and was pretty sure it was Derek’s old green banger with the whale tail and giant silver rims.
‘Come on,’ she said, dashing into the street. ‘I think that was Derek in the car, so maybe we should take the key back later.’
‘What if we –’
KABOOM!
Directly across the road, 13 Ponsonby Terrace exploded into a fireball. The twins were blown backwards against Mrs Brightside’s door while a huge lump of concrete smashed through the windscreen of a car parked at the kerb. Debris rained down on the street. Max felt something hit him on the forehead. He sat against the door, dazed and confused. Kensy staggered to her feet. For at least thirty seconds she couldn’t speak. Then the realisation hit her like a bolt of lightning.
‘Song!’ she screamed. ‘Song and the dogs are in there!’ Remembering her brother, she turned and gasped at the sight of him. Max was covered in dirt and blood, like something out of a horror movie.
He tried to stand, but each time his legs gave way beneath him and he slumped back against the door. As the plume of dust began to clear and people came running out of their houses, there was a cacophony of shouts and screams. Children were crying and adults were calling to one another. Someone yelled that they had phoned the brigade while another fellow shouted for people to get away from the building in case it collapsed.
‘Max?’ Kensy grabbed hold of her brother’s shoulders and shook him. He looked at her, his blue eyes vacant. Her face crumpled and tears tracked two shaky lines down her dust-covered cheeks. Kensy glanced back towards the house. The entire front facade had been reduced to piles of rubble on the street.
A woman she vaguely recognised put her hand on Kensy’s shoulder. ‘Are you all right, dear?’ she asked.
‘Song’s inside. Please look after my brother.’ Kensy pressed the heel of her hand against her pounding head, then ran towards the house. Heavy raindrops spattered against her face. The front steps were gone and she could see snatches of flames in what was left of the living room. Kensy looked at a way to get across the missing landing and was just about to jump when she was pulled backwards. She turned and couldn’t believe her eyes. ‘Song!’ Kensy sobbed. ‘I thought you were … I thought you were …’
‘I know,’ Song said, enveloping the girl in his arms. She was trembling uncontrollably and struggling to breathe. ‘Miss Kensington, please, we must go,’ he said as two firetrucks roared into the street.
In a blur, Song guided her down the road and into a black taxi. Max was already in the back, as were Wellie and Mac. They scuttled towards her, whimpering, and she scooped them up in her arms, thinking she would never let them go. Kensy blinked and blinked again, trying to stop the world from spinning. She stared out the window and watched as the firemen connected their hoses and began dousing the flames. It looked like a war zone.
Song hopped in and gave the cabbie a nod.
‘Don’t worry, sir, I’ll have you there in a jiffy,’ the driver said, pulling away from the kerb.
Kensy reached over and clasped Max’s hand, giving it a squeeze.
The black cab wound its way through the backstreets of London at frightening speed, then swung into a modest-looking mechanics workshop before a second garage door opened and the car stopped on a metal platform. Moments later, the vehicle descended into a parking garage. When they reached the bottom, a woman in a white jacket rushed out through a set of double doors. She was followed by two men pushing a hospital gurney. Kensy recognised her from their Christmas celebrations at Alexandria. All of the staff and families of Pharos employees had been present at the party and it was only then that the twins had realised just how many people worked for the organisation.
‘Doctor Foster,’ Song said, hopping out of the car.
‘Hello Song,’ the doctor said with a grim smile. ‘Let’s see what we’re dealing with.’
The two men had Max on the gurney before Kensy unbuckled her seatbelt. She took a deep breath and swallowed her fear. It wouldn’t do her brother an ounce of good if she betrayed her true feelings. Her mind was racing. The science experiment gone wrong was one thing, but this was a whole other level of treachery.