Ten miles away, Mr Barlow and the boys had stopped for a rest.
They were high in the hills now, and though the weather was foul, they were warm and happy. Perhaps it was their high spirits that led to a grave tactical error, for it was at this point that Rikki turned Dr Warren’s phone on.
According to Nailhead McGinty: ‘The real enemy to survival is over-confidence. Never let your guard down . . .’
The phone rang immediately. ‘Hello?’
‘Rikki,’ said Dr Warren. ‘Where are you?’
Rikki thought fast. ‘We’re at the motorway service station. Where are you?’
‘We both know that’s not true. We’ve got to stop playing games.’
Richard grinned and took the phone from Rikki.
‘You’re breaking up,’ he said. ‘Reception’s bad.’
‘Where are you?’ hissed Dr Warren. ‘We’ve been up all night! – everyone is looking for you! Your parents are . . . beside themselves, and the police—’
‘We’re in your lovely car, on the M1 northbound.’
‘That’s a lie, Rikki!’ He paused, and brought his voice under control. ‘My car’s been found, and it’s a write-off. So is my house.’
‘Oh dear.’
‘You cannot get away.’
‘We saw the lab, Doctor Warren. We’re going to put you in jail.’
‘I’ve done nothing illegal, but you boys . . . don’t you realize how dangerous this has become? Answer me this: are you still in London?’
‘Yes.’
‘You’re going to be prosecuted for theft, vandalism, arson – attempted murder. As your doctor, I can protect you, but I need to see you and talk – one to one. Is Mr Barlow with you?’
‘No, sir. He went home.’
‘So he was the one driving. Rikki – listen. That is Rikki, isn’t it?’
‘Yes,’ said Richard.
‘Let me speak to Richard, please.’
‘Why?’
‘Because . . . I think he’s less prone to extreme behaviour. I need to talk sensibly, because there’s a very great deal at stake now and I want to help you.’
‘OK,’ said Richard. ‘I’ll hand you right over.’
‘Hi,’ said Rikki softly. ‘This is Richard. I’m so sorry about the house – that was Rikki. He’s a bad boy, Doctor Warren!’
‘Richard, I’m glad to hear your voice.’
‘I’m glad to hear yours.’
‘Rikki’s putting you in grave danger – I think you realize that. Have you got my portable hard drive? It was in the car—’
‘I’ve got it here. Rikki took it.’
‘Keep it safe, I beg you. Right now you have to free yourself from his influence and give yourself up.’
‘I know, Doctor Warren. He’s just . . . taken over completely – like you said.’ He slapped his knee, and Richard squealed in a theatrical way, stifling his laughter. ‘Ow! He just . . . hit me again. He’s desperate!’
‘Listen to me and stay calm,’ said Dr Warren earnestly. ‘You can dominate him, but you have to take control of the situation. Give me your location.’
Rikki put his hand over his own mouth and made the sounds of strangulation. ‘Please help me!’ he cried.
‘Where are you, Richard?’
‘That was Rikki, trying to silence me . . .’ He faked breathing problems. ‘I don’t know how long I’ve got! We’re trying to restrain him, Doctor Warren!’
‘Where are you Richard?’
‘We got the tube! We’re at, er . . . King’s Cross Station.’
‘Why there?’
‘We’re hiding out, but . . . oh, Doctor Warren, you’re the best doctor in the world. I know you can help me.’
‘Give me your location!’
‘Will you be there for me?’ said Rikki.
‘I will always be there for you,’ said Dr Warren. ‘We’ve both learned a lot.’
‘I just need understanding—’
‘And a little help from my friends.’
‘I am your friend.’
Richard choked back the laughter. ‘I want to come home, sir!’ he cried. ‘We’re by a kind of . . . brick wall, beside platforms nine and ten – we found a kind of gap—’
‘Is Eric with you?’
‘You’re breaking up, Doctor Warren! Help me – there’s a steam train coming in, and a kid with little round specs—’
‘Stay on the platform!’
‘It’s getting smoky!’
‘Don’t move from that platform.’
‘Hurry!’ wailed Rikki and Richard together.
They switched the phone off, and collapsed back on the soaking grass, howling with laughter.
‘He’s going there!’ snorted Rikki. ‘I don’t believe it, but he’s going there!’
Mr Barlow said: ‘That wasn’t wise, boys. I’ve got to say it.’
They looked at him, and sat up. ‘Why not?’
‘I know it was . . . perhaps what he deserved. But I’m fairly sure that if the police are on our tails, they can find out what transmission mast was used to service that call. They’re going to know exactly where we are.’
‘Is that true?’ said Eric.’
‘Damn,’ said Richard. He sat up. ‘I didn’t think.’
‘Blast it,’ said Rikki.
‘We’re an idiot,’ said Richard. ‘That was really dumb.’
‘No point crying about it,’ said Mr Barlow. ‘We’d better make a decision. Do we give ourselves up now – or press on? We can always strike a bargain, you know, or—’
‘Talk to the police?’ said Eric.
‘Yes.’
‘No way,’ said Richard.
‘We’ve just started, sir!’ said Eric. ‘This is the beginning.’
‘We’re not going home, Mr Barlow,’ said Rikki. ‘If you want to go back to your lonely old life, that’s your affair. Die if you want to, but we’re serious.’
‘I can see what courage you’ve got, but—’
‘We’re hiding out,’ said Richard. ‘We’ve got everything we need, and we’re disappearing. And you should stay with us, sir – you know you should. What have you got to go back for? Let’s have an adventure.’
‘Boys – they will comb this area,’ said Mr Barlow. ‘Children aren’t allowed to disappear.’
‘They won’t take me alive,’ said Eric.
‘Nor me,’ said Richard and Rikki together.
‘We’ve got the handbook too,’ said Richard. ‘Eric knows what he’s doing.’
Rikki smiled. ‘They can hunt as long as they want,’ he said. We’ll give them a run for their money, and we’ll do whatever we have to do.’
‘Very well.’ Mr Barlow thought hard. ‘The first thing, then, is to hide those bikes. Then we get off the path, and do some cross-country work. Let’s make it difficult for them.’
The boys stood up and touched fists again. ‘Operation Survival,’ said Rikki.
‘Bring it on,’ said Eric.
They moved the bicycles into the trees, and buried them in the foliage. Then they hauled on their rucksacks and checked the map. A narrow track went north-north-west, towards a mountain that appeared and disappeared in swirls of mist. Eric took a bearing, and they all drank water.
‘To higher ground?’ said Eric.
‘Of course,’ said Rikki.
They adjusted their hoods, for the rain was harder, and put their heads down for a long trek through the deluge.
Forty minutes later Chief Inspector Mantz updated his Child Protection Unit. A team of officers was crammed into the station’s main briefing room, and the mood was serious.
‘Axton Hill transmitter, ladies and gentlemen. South Wales. Which is all very interesting . . .’ He clicked a switch and the screen behind him was filled by an enormous map. As he pointed, the image resolved itself into a larger scale. Soon, those watching could see contours and footpaths. ‘That’s where they are,’ he said. ‘They followed their pals.’
‘The residential was important to them,’ said Dr Warren. ‘It’s a form of egomania – they just want to fit in.’
‘They’ve not been seen, have they?’ said the inspector. ‘I would imagine they took fright at the last minute.’ He clicked, and a photograph of Mr Barlow came onto the screen. ‘This, we believe, is their leader.’
The officers stared. The doctors said nothing.
‘He’s a clever one. He’s not touched his credit cards, and he’s not hired a vehicle. We don’t know the details, but it’s my hunch that he’s kidnapped them. Bit of a desperado, is our Mr Barlow – estranged from his own kids, apparently. Doctor Warren here did a consultation, and he says Barlow sees these youngsters as surrogates. We’re pretty sure he won’t harm them, but I’m taking no chances. We’ve got mountain rescue waiting for us, and the good news is there’s a unit of commandos down there too, on a training exercise. There’s red tape to cut, but everyone pulls together when it’s kids. I think they’re going to help us, and if so, we could have those boys safe before nightfall. I want that teacher in custody.’
He clicked, and his audience saw icons of forked lightning over heavy clouds.
‘The downside is the weather. It’s set to get worse, ladies and gentlemen, and the terrain is ultra-hostile. These kids don’t have equipment, and they’ve got no training whatsoever. We’ve got to expect dehydration and hypothermia. Demoralization’s going to kick in as soon as they get wet, and we have to remember something else. According to their doctors, these youngsters are without their medication, and without it . . . they won’t last. We can expect seizures and spasms and . . . what was it?’
‘Heart failure,’ said Dr Summersby.
‘Heart failure,’ said Mantz. ‘We need to keep our medics close.’ He stared around the room. ‘I predict panic. The children will give up as soon as it’s dark. They won’t be able to light a fire. They’ll get hungry – and they will cease to work as a unit. That’s when catastrophes happen . . .’
Every officer nodded.
‘Let’s get them back to the clinic. Where they belong. That’s where they can be properly looked after, and . . . excuse me one moment.’ He opened his mobile phone. ‘Mantz.’
Those watching saw the inspector’s eyes narrow. They saw the tip of his tongue lick a heavy upper lip and the mouth set into a hard, firm line. He clicked the phone shut, and looked up.
‘Just received reports that two bikes have gone missing. Village, right by that transmitter mast – first crime in forty years. It’s a lead and I’m following it.’
‘Helicopter’s ready,’ said a man at the door.
‘Do you want dogs, sir?’ said someone else.
‘Yes.’
Chief Inspector Mantz was loading papers into his briefcase. ‘We’re going down now and I want everything. I want frogmen. I want satellite surveillance, and I’ll want a second chopper ready over that mountain. They’re close to the sea, so I want the coastguard informed. And I want to speak to Lieutenant Kirby again about the commando unit. I’ve got a bad feeling about this, so let’s get moving.’ He looked at Dr Warren and Dr Summersby. ‘I want you right beside me,’ he said. ‘You say they trust you?’
‘I believe they do, Inspector,’ said Dr Warren.
‘They’ll need you now, my friend. What about the parents?’
Dr Summersby shook her head. ‘I’d keep them back, Inspector. They might make things worse, and it’s important we have time alone with the boys. We’re going to need to do fast, emergency checks—’
‘We don’t want hysteria, that’s for sure.’
‘Then leave it to us, sir.’
‘We have what we need,’ said Dr Summersby.
‘Good. I’ll let you make the first contact, and advise us. Stay close.’