Fightback (14 page)

There were still a few days before the start of term and Kier spent them quietly walking in the park, giving his smart clothes to a charity shop (‘Are you sure about this, dear?') and buying some new school uniform.

Before catching the train back to school, he made a quick stop at Pizza Hut.

‘Do you deliver?' he asked.

‘Sure,' said the man. ‘Where did you have in mind?'

It cost him the best part of fifty quid but it was worth it.

Kier imagined the delivery van pulling up by the bridge and the guy getting out with a big stack of pizza boxes. He imagined him walking past the river towards the soup kitchen, peering into the shadows and calling, ‘Nuggy? Nuggy? Did anyone here order pizzas with extra anchovies?'

He guessed Nuggy would appreciate that.

On his way to the station, he came across a newsagent's beneath the stone arch of a railway bridge. There were papers on display outside and he picked up one with the headline:

He was about to walk in and pay for it when he glanced through the window and saw two men standing at the counter. They were wearing thick coats and Kier noticed they had their hoods up, even though it was a hot day. The shopkeeper was shaking his head and waving his hands around, and as Kier looked at the men again he saw that one of them was holding a knife.

‘Oh no,' he said, returning the paper to the display stand. ‘No way.'

He took a step back and began walking towards the station.

It was nothing to do with him any more.

He was going back to school and that was an end to it.

No more nonsense.

He made it as far as the corner of the street before turning round again.

When he reached the shop, he peered through the glass and saw that one of the men had the shopkeeper by the throat, while the other one emptied the till.

Kier hesitated for a moment and looked at his watch.

Then he took a deep breath, sighed and pushed the door open.

‘Hello,' he said. ‘Is there a problem?'

READ MORE THRILLING
BOOKS BY STEVE VOAKE

OUT NOW …

Don't turn around …

The Mexican jungle: a team of British scientists explore the world's deepest lake. What they discover could wipe out mankind.

England: Joe McDonald's father is arrested for the murder of a fellow scientist and Joe is determined to prove his innocence.

But across town more people are being attacked – in their homes, in the woods, by the canal.

Was something smuggled back from Mexico? One thing is certain: there are predators out there.

Hungry. Intelligent. Unstoppable.

Alone and on the run from Social Services, fourteen-year-old Berry has nowhere to go. Until she meets an old man who entrusts her with a mysterious item that he claims has unbelievable powers. Her life is about to change forever.

A terrorist group and the FBI want the item and will stop at nothing to get it. And soon, Berry and fellow outcast, Elliot, find themselves in a desperate race across the Atlantic to America. From dodging bullets and escaping capture to being hunted through cities and over deserts, Berry must stay alive long enough to find the item's rightful owner – whoever, or whatever, they may be.

Sam Palmer hates living in the country – he doesn't have any friends and life is dull. Until a bizarre bicycle crash leaves his body in a coma. Now he has far bigger problems.

Sam wakes in Aurobon, a world similar to his own, and discovers that his accident was part of an elaborate abduction. Dark forces led by the brutal Odoursin need him for a deadly agenda, one that threatens to reach beyond Aurobon and into his own world. Aided by the fearless Skipper – an adrenalin-loving girl pilot – and on the run from insects the size of fighter jets, Sam must join the fight against Odoursin and find a way to return home. That's if the terrifying marsh dogs don't kill him first.

Sam and Skipper are back. But the Aurobon they return to is vastly different from the one they left. Odoursin now rules Auboron, Vahlzi is in ruins, and all that remains of Firebrand's forces are a few resistance fighters.

Sam and Skipper's only hope of fighting Odoursin lies in tracking down a powerful weapon – a search that will take them beyond Aurobon and into a living nightmare. But their mission becomes urgent when they discover that Odoursin is again plotting to destroy humankind – this time by using the President of the United States.

Praise for
Blood Hunters
:

‘It's terrific stuff … classily put together and lipsmackingly gory.'
Financial Times

‘Bound to be popular with boys … this is a skilful, intelligent thriller.'
The Times

Praise for
The Dreamwalker's Child
:

‘Steve Voake's debut,
The Dreamwalker's Child
, is an ingenious and fast-paced thriller … his book buzzes and hums with ideas.'
The Times

Praise for
The Web of Fire
:

‘A compelling sequel.'
The Times

Praise for
The Starlight Conspiracy
:

‘It's been a while since anything as much fun as Steve Voake's
The Starlight Conspiracy
came along … The quality of the writing, and the heartwarming sympathy it evokes makes this a really good, thought-provoking and exciting choice.'
The Times

Steve Voake grew up in Midsomer Norton, near Bath. Before becoming a full-time writer, Steve was headteacher of a village school in Somerset. He is the critically acclaimed author of
The Dreamwalker's Child, The Web of Fire, The Starlight Conspiracy
and
Blood Hunters
. He lives with his family in Somerset.

The Dreamwalker's Child

The Web of Fire

The Starlight Conspiracy

Blood Hunters