20 Years Later (25 page)

Titus examined the earnest expression on his face. He wanted to shout, “It's your fault this happened at all!” but he held it in. He forced that blame and suppressed rage into a tight ball that burned in his chest whilst he acknowledged Jay's offer with a curt nod. He left the room quickly, with Zane following silently.

“I wonder if Erin and Luthor will be back tomorrow,” Zane mused out loud once they had left Jay's territory. “They've never been away for more than a day before … do you think something is going on?”

There was a brief pause before Titus answered, his mind on other things. “Probably,” he replied.

“Can we try to speak to her again tonight? She has to sleep sometime.” Titus nodded. Zane looked at him. “It's good that Jay offered to help … don't you think?”

Titus didn't respond. Zane sighed and left his friend to his thoughts. They parted with quiet goodbyes and went to their respective homes, Zane being greeted by his mother with an embrace and questions about the Bloomsbury Boys, Titus by silence and candles waiting to be lit.

“I wish Erin was here!” Titus said loudly, and Zane silently wished the same just as strongly.

And sure enough, Erin appeared at the centre of the dream room, looking asleep in the first moment, but then opening her eyes to look around herself in surprise.

“Oh!” she gasped, realising where she was.

“We've tried to get you here three times!” Zane said, smiling affectionately at her. “And last night too, are you –”

His voice trailed off when he noticed what she was wearing. Titus stared at her open-mouthed and she looked down
at herself. She was dressed in red leather trousers and a linen shirt, the uniform of the Red Lady's Hunters. Even in the dream, her weapons were present, the bow and quiver strapped to her back, knives at her belt.

“What have you done?!” Titus exclaimed, immediately putting her on the defensive.

“What does it look like!” she retorted loudly, her fists balling.

Zane moved between them, holding his hands up. “Wait, wait.” He looked at Titus who backed off. “Erin,” he said softly, turning to face her. “We're just surprised, that's all.” Her focus slowly shifted to Zane. “I've been worried, you've been gone for ages, and when Titus couldn't bring you here last night …”

Just as she began to relax, Titus jumped back in. “Did they make you? Did she force you to join?”

Zane sighed in frustration as Erin pushed past him to face Titus. “Do you think I'm weak or something? That I would do something I didn't want to?”

“You
wanted
to join them?” Titus asked incredulously.

“So what if I did?” she shouted back.

“Stop it!” Zane yelled, putting himself between them again. “Don't be like this!” he exclaimed. “Don't fight. Please. Can't we … can't we just talk about this?”

Zane was upset, not only because of the tension. More than that, it was seeing Titus be anything but calm. He hadn't realised how much he'd become accustomed to his friend's usual coolness until now, when it had gone.

Titus and Erin glowered at each other, but that gradually faded when both of them noticed the desperation on Zane's face.

“Please,” Zane continued. “So much is going on. Stuff has happened whilst you were away, Erin, and we need to talk about it.”

“But everything we talk about will go straight to the Red Lady now!” Titus moaned, gesturing towards Erin.

“Not if it's secret!” she replied, appearing to be hurt by the assumption.

“Really?” Titus raised an eyebrow. “Would you really lie to her about talking to us?”

The muscles in Erin's jaw tensed as she considered his words. She looked from Titus to Zane then back again, standing straighter and holding her chin up stubbornly. “Yes,” she stated firmly. “Yes, I would, if I needed to.”

Titus was surprised into silence.

Erin let out a long sigh. “You're my friends and that means a lot to me. I've never had this before,” she said quietly. “It doesn't feel right to lose what we've found. I don't want to stop being close to you both, not like this.”

Zane was heartened by her words. “I don't want that either. Surely you don't, Titus?”

Titus was contemplating his shoes. He shrugged. “No,” he finally replied. “I just don't see how you can be loyal to us and to her at the same time.”

Erin looked away, jaw set.

Zane chewed his lip, trying to see a way forward. “Anyway,” he began, “most of the things we have to talk about are things the Red Lady will have to know … if she is going to help us to find Lyssa like she said.”

Titus nodded slowly. “I suppose.”

“And even though it might be harder for us three to talk in the really real world, we still have this room here, don't we?” Zane continued.

Both Titus and Erin nodded and Zane sighed with relief, going over to flop into the captain's chair. Erin went over to the window and leant on the sill. Titus watched her carefully, sensing that she was holding something back.

“What is it, Erin?” he asked quietly.

Erin turned and stared out of the window into the void. He could see her trying so hard to keep it all in, gripping the sill tightly.

“I'm sorry I was angry. I promise we won't think you're a bad person, or strange either,” Titus prodded gently. “You can tell us.”

Erin lowered her head. “I've had a really bad couple of days. You were right Titus–they did make me join them. Sort of. They all got together in a big room and waited for me, and then she offered me a place in her gang when they were all watching.”

“So you felt you couldn't say no,” Zane said sadly.

Erin nodded. “I wasn't sure I wanted to join … I sort of did, but I was worried about us three. But then I looked at my father and …” Her voice trailed off.

Zane got up and went to her, taking her hand gently and squeezing it. “I think I would have joined too, if I'd been you.” He let her hand go, wanting to embrace her, but sensitive to her dislike of it. “But it's not all bad,” he said, trying to sound cheery. “The Hunters will teach you lots of things, and you'll always be safe, and you'll see the Red Lady lots too.”

Erin looked into his eyes and nodded uncertainly. She forced a smile. “So what's been going on whilst I was away? I promise I won't tell anyone about it unless you want me to.”

Between them, Titus and Zane told her about the events regarding the Bloomsbury Boys, the black substance, and the markings on their backs, all the while stressing that the Red Lady was not to know about them. They told her what they had pieced together about the Unders and Zane even told her that his father was involved somehow. She listened carefully, saying nothing until they'd finished.

“What do we do now?” she asked.

“We wait until we have a sighting of the Giant again,” Titus replied. “Jay has people out looking for him. When we
have that, we may be able to follow him back to the Unders' territory.”

Erin nodded. “That's when you'll have to tell Dad if you want the Red Lady's help.”

Titus agreed, albeit reluctantly. “As soon as we have a chance of finding Lyssa, we'll need everyone we can get to help us.” He was distracted briefly and then looked back to Erin and Zane. “I think someone's knocking on my door. I have to wake up,” he said. “We'll talk more later.”

Lunchtime the next day, Titus waited at a corner of Miri's square, deep in thought. Zane was drifting over towards him, munching a raw carrot, as Jay approached from his square too. Titus looked in the direction of the Red Lady's territory and took a deep breath to steel himself as he saw Erin, Luthor, and David striding towards him. Titus had deliberately positioned himself there; it wasn't possible for Jay to see the Hunters on their way.

Zane and Jay arrived first, Zane radiating curiosity and Jay doing all he could to look tough and in control.

“Watchya.” He nodded to both of the boys.

“Thanks for coming,” Titus said, taking care not to glance towards where the Hunters would soon come into view.

“S'alright,” Jay said, leaning against the low wall next to Titus. “I told you everythin' the Runner said this mornin' though.”

It was then that Luthor rounded the corner, David and Erin behind him. Titus was surprised to see David with them; of all the Hunters to send, why would the Red Lady pick the one with whom Luthor had the greatest rivalry?

“What the hell is this?!” Jay exclaimed, moving away from the wall, hands flying to his knives.

Luthor stayed icy. “Calm down, boy, and run home. We are here to speak with Titus, not you.”

Before Jay could respond Titus stepped forward. “Actually, I invited all of you here to speak together.”

David made a loud false cough and stood next to Luthor, looking amused more than anything else. Erin was obviously uncomfortable, electing to stand to the left of her father so she could be next to Zane.

Jay turned on Titus, furious. “You never said any of that bitch's mooks would be here!”

Luthor moved towards Jay, hand on the hilt of his sword. “Call her that again, and I will kill you,” he growled.

“Oh yeah?” Jay spat back, drawing the knives, prompting Luthor to reveal half of the blade of his sword before Zane jumped in.

“Hey!” he yelled. “This is my mum's square! No fighting here!”

That made them pause, but it didn't stop them staring at each other balefully. Titus took the opportunity to speak.

“I want to talk to you about saving my sister. This has nothing to do with gangs. You've both said you'll help and that's why I asked you to come. We've found out where the Giant tends to move and we need to plan what to do next.”

“The Red Lady said nothing about involving … them,” Luthor muttered.

“This 'ent none of her business,” Jay sneered. “We don't need any of you 'ere, we can 'andle this ourselves.”

“I don't think we can,” Titus said loudly.

This angered Jay further, but he wouldn't take his eyes off Luthor, who chuckled menacingly.

“Titus is smart,” Luthor said, smirking at Jay. “How could runts with toy daggers help here? Go home and play, and leave this to people who know what they are doing.”

Jay pulled himself up but still fell short of Luthor's height. “I respect Miri's territory,” he hissed through gritted teeth. “Unlike you, so I won't gut ya here and now.”

David laughed. “You couldn't gut a dead fish.”

Titus ran his hands through his hair, increasingly frustrated by the acrimonious distraction from his agenda. “Look,
both of
you are needed because of where the Giant was sighted,” he said rapidly, before any more insults could be exchanged.

“No,” Jay replied, “Me and my Boys are needed cos the Giant walks the edge of my patch–don't mean
they
need to be 'ere.”

Titus struggled to keep his temper in check. “Jay, they have bows. They can kill at a distance so we wouldn't have to go near–can't you see that?!”

“I 'ent doing anythin' with these pieces of filth,” Jay growled. “I 'ent takin' on a Giant with people just as ready to put an arrow in my back. That b–” He smirked. “Cow marked one of mine,” Jay continued as Luthor drew his sword. He began to back away, lowering his blades but not his guard. “Miri don't want any blood spilt 'ere, remember? So I'm goin'. When you've got rid of them, come talk to me, Titus–else forget it.”

“This is bigger than gangs!” Titus blurted, incensed by their blinkered vision. “Can't you see that?”

Jay merely shook his head in disagreement until a safe distance from Luthor and then strode off back to his square.

Luthor watched Jay leave, marking his movements like an eagle watching a mouse. Some moments after he'd gone out of sight, he dropped his sword into its sheath and looked at Titus. “I do not appreciate being tricked,” he said quietly. “If it were up to me, this would end here and now.”

“It isn't up to you,” Titus replied coolly, not at all intimidated by the huge man. “The Red Lady said she'd help, so you'd make her a liar if you don't.”

Luthor stiffened. Erin put a hand on her father's arm. “Titus wouldn't have asked Jay unless he had to,” she said.

“We can't do anything about Lyssa unless we have access to Jay's territory,” Titus explained. “Otherwise we'd have to risk
going into Gardner territory or through the no man's land in the north and that's too dangerous. We have to work together.”

“If the Red Lady wants it to happen, I will work with the runt,” Luthor capitulated.

Titus nodded, considering this carefully. “I'll take it to her then.”

Late that evening, the three children were huddled conspiratorially behind the statue of the old Queen at the northern end of the garden. Erin was constantly alert for any sound of her father. “I don't have long,” she said.

Titus nodded. “She took some persuading, but the Red Lady said to me that if we need to work with the Bloomsbury Boys, she'll allow it, and they won't be harmed.”

“Jay won't budge,” Zane said, giving Titus an apologetic look. “I tried every argument I could think of, and all the ones you told me too, Titus. He just doesn't trust the Red Lady.”

Erin frowned. “That's stupid. If she says she won't hurt someone, she means it–she can't break her word. If a gang leader did that, no-one would ever respect them.” She scratched her head, adjusting the braid at the nape of her neck and rubbing the skin there as if it were irritated. “She must really want to help you. I asked the other Hunters if they'd ever worked with another gang, and they haven't. Not even David can remember that, and he's been there for years and years.”