All throughout Sector Hub H, people were scattering in an orderly manner – which was to say, hurrying indoors while trying not to look too suspicious about it.
Coming down the road, flashing in the sunshine, was a metallic mass of vehicles, kicking up clouds of dust behind.
‘This way,’ Minh called to Kelly and Stanley, heading up a hill behind the house, towards a field of wheat. ‘Beyond this field is a forest with a river running through it. I can put you in a boat and maybe you can get away.’
He held aside a row of stalks and Kelly ducked inside. She turned around to stare back out – she had never seen so many KG in one place before. It looked like a small army.
‘They could not have organised so many on short notice,’ said Stanley. ‘They must have been tracking us somehow.’ He turned to Minh. ‘My boy, we do need to flee, but you must come along with us.’
‘What?’ said Minh. ‘I can’t just leave my parents behind.’
‘Remaining here puts them in even greater danger,’ said Stanley. ‘The KG are after you. They will follow you wherever you go.’
‘Besides,’ said Kelly, ‘I thought you were excited to put your skills to better use than farm work? Otherwise, what was all that whooping in the house about?’
She and Minh considered each other. It was odd to know their fates were so closely linked, and yet they did not know each other. She was intensely curious about him, and could sense a similar feeling emanating from him. It was a strange sensation for her telepathic output and input to be the same, like she was standing in a cloud of curiosity.
‘Time is not on our side here,’ said Stanley. ‘We need to move.’
Minh tore his gaze away, back to the house. ‘I can’t go anywhere until I know my family is safe.’
KG vehicles reached the Hub and ground to a halt in a line along the road. Guards on foot spread out between the houses, their hands ready on their weapons. Kelly heard a familiar voice, and her eyes narrowed.
‘Citizens of Hub H,’ Aiken bellowed. ‘There are fugitives among you. Cooperate, and you can go back to your work unharmed. Defy us, and you defy the Collector himself.’ Her gaze swept the street. ‘Guards! Search every house. Every shed, every cellar!’
As Hornets headed towards number twelve, Minh stomped his foot so hard that stalks of wheat around them wavered.
‘Minh,’ said Kelly, and placed a hand on his arm. She opened her perceptions to him, hoping to calm him as she had with Stanley. Things were more chaotic this time, however. The surface of Minh’s mind bubbled and boiled. Reaching underneath seemed akin to sticking her hand into a lake of lava, and she was wary to try.
Minh never took his gaze from the house. Through a window they watched as Margaret answered the door. Two guards pushed in past her, and Minh tensed further. John appeared from another room, play-acting surprise at the intrusion.
As the Hornets spoke to them, they shrugged and shook their heads. The guards then moved off through the house. They disappeared and reappeared as they stalked past windows, stinger pistols held ready.
‘There are little kids in there,’ growled Minh.
‘Just wait and see what happens,’ said Kelly, not even sure if it was the right advice. What if it were her family in there? Would she be able to remain in hiding?
The soldiers swept the upstairs level, then came downstairs again. Seemingly satisfied, they made their way back to the front door, said something else to John and Margaret, and left.
‘See?’ said Kelly. ‘Your parents aren’t suspected. They’re too good at their routine.’
‘If the Hornets don’t find us,’ said Minh, ‘they’ll keep searching the village. They won’t stop until they’ve torn everything apart.’
Down the hill, a group of three Hornets was questioning Neville. One stepped forward and slapped the old man across the face.
As Neville fell to the ground, Minh gave a snort of anger. Suddenly he lurched forward, out of the wheat.
‘Minh, wait!’
He didn’t answer, but stomped down towards the road.
‘Is he …’ said Stanley. ‘Is he growing?’
It seemed Stanley was right. Every time Minh’s foot came down, he shot up in the air a little taller, and his shoulders expanded a little wider. Stomp, and his clenched fists grew bigger and bigger. Stomp, and his black spiky hair grew spikier in all directions, and tufted lines of the stuff sprang up along his arms. Another stomp, and twin horns curved out of his skull to either side!
Despite suspecting their presence earlier, Kelly was amazed to see the horns. It comforted her, in a weird way, to know there was someone else in the world like her.
If he survived what was about to happen, that was. If any of them did.
Minh tossed his head back and roared, the last revealing a barrel chest. His eyes blazed with the light of ancient fire, and then he was pounding the ground towards the road.
‘I think our cover may be blown,’ said Stanley.
