Hit Squad (13 page)

Then I examined the door. It wasn’t made of proper wood and it didn’t look particularly strong or well-made. Not like the internal doors in the older part of the castle. My
dad’s a builder and he’s taught me a thing or two about construction. And this door was far from solidly put together. Confidence rising, I took a step back and aimed a kick at the
weakest part of the door – just to the side of the keyhole.

With a splintering crack, the door flew open. Buoyed up by my success I rushed into the lab. Everything was just as it had been earlier. Moonlight from outside created long shadows across the
oil barrels and the bottles of Medusix on the shelf. The night air was still filled with shouts and yells from outside. I raced over to the window. I could just make out Nico and Bradley, still on
the shore of the lake. The bars were immovable, but at least I could push open the glass. As I did so, a cacophony of roars and yells floated up at me.

Nico was holding off the others, continuing to use his telekinesis to create chaos outside. I ran over to the shelf and switched on the light. It took a second to find all the Medusix bottles.
There.
I took the first two and raced to the sink in the corner of the room. Whatever else happened, I had to make sure all these stocks were destroyed. I flung both bottles into the sink.
As their contents drained away, I raced back for two more. And another. There were five bottles in total and in less than ten seconds the contents of all of them were down the sink.

I scanned the empty shelf, then the surrounding area. No more Medusix. Just bottles of chemicals, each carefully labelled. There were acids and hormone extracts and all manner of liquids
I’d never heard of. A small pot at the end of another shelf caught my eye: StopMed. I grabbed it. Was this more of the Medusix drug in a different container? I lifted the lid and peered in. A
small sachet of pale pink powder met my eyes. It didn’t look anything like Medusix but it carried a label of dosage instructions. For a second, I was tempted to chuck it down the sink as
well. But the sachet was tiny. And I was curious. What else was Foster developing here? I took the sachet out of the pot and shoved it in my pocket.

The yells outside in the lake were loud and angry. Nico was still, clearly, holding off all the guards. All I had to do now was set light to the oil in the barrels and hope the fire took hold as
fast as possible. I grabbed the nearest barrel and braced myself, ready to tip it over. To my horror, it lifted in my hands – as light as a shoebox. I tore off the lid.
No.
The oil
barrel was empty. I raced to the next and the next. Also empty.

I looked round desperately. What could I use to start a fire now? There was nothing. I could attempt to light one of the cloths on the counter or the white coat hanging on the back of the door,
but a single glance at the ceiling confirmed a sprinkler system was in place. Without something to create a proper blaze, a fire would be extinguished before it had a chance to take hold.

I stopped for a second. I had to think bigger. There were other rooms. Other sources of fuel. I dashed back into the corridor, then out, into the properly furnished part of the castle. I could
hear some of the guards yelling downstairs. I strained my ears, but I couldn’t make out any sounds from the lake.

Was Nico still out there? Was he okay? And where were Dylan and Cal? Hours had passed since they’d escaped. Had they managed to reach the police? Was help on its way?

If only I had my Medusa ability back I’d be able to check in with all of them. But there was no time to think about the others. I
had
to find a way of destroying the lab. One of the
guards pounded up the stairs. I ducked back, behind a wall, holding my breath as he raced past. He skidded to a halt just metres away from me. He pulled a key from his key chain and slid it into a
door. I watched intently as he dashed into the room. Seconds later he was out again, a rifle clutched in his hand, running full pelt back down the corridor. He hadn’t noticed me at all.

As the guard disappeared down the stairs, I crept over to the room he’d gone into. He’d left it unlocked, the door ajar. I pushed it open.
Wow.
It was some sort of arsenal. I
looked around, stunned. There was a rack of guns, still chained into position, and a cupboard containing knives and chains. Without stopping to think, I ran to the cupboard and smashed the glass. I
yanked open the door and peered inside. What could I use? My eyes lit on a hand grenade on the bottom shelf. It was small and oval, with a pin sticking out of the top. I’d never used a hand
grenade before but I’d seen them in action movies a million times and I knew how they worked. You pulled out the pin and threw the grenade. Seconds later it exploded – a tiny bomb. It
was perfect for destroying the lab.

I ran to the door, clutching the hand grenade. The castle was eerily still. No sounds came from outside. Did that mean Nico had taken his chance to escape? Or that he’d been
recaptured?

As I turned, ready to head for the lab, Knife Man appeared, blocking my way. I darted back, my breath catching in my throat. Had he seen me?

I peered around the wall. No, he hadn’t noticed me, but he was now stationed outside the lab. It was going to be impossible for me to get past him and carry out my original plan. I
hesitated. What on earth could I do now?

I thought fast. Maybe if I could run outside and hurl the grenade up at the lab window . . . The light was on in the room, so it should be easy to identify, and even I should be able to hit such
a big target.

It wasn’t a perfect plan, but it was the best I had.

I raced along the corridor and back down the stairs to the ground floor of the castle. I darted out through the front door. There was no sign of anyone.

I took a backwards step, looking up to the first floor. The lab was easy to spot. It was the only room in the row with the light on and the window open. I steadied my hand, ready to hurl the
grenade. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Broken Nose rushing towards me round the side of the castle. A yell from behind. I spun round. Another guard. Almost on top of me. I had no time. I
pulled the pin out of the grenade. Drew back my arm. But before I could release the grenade the guard behind me reached me. Grabbed me round the waist. Twisted me round.

Completely disoriented, I flung the grenade away from me. It soared through the air as I was hurled to the ground. I looked up, dust flying into my eyes. The grenade seemed to be moving in slow
motion, heading towards the far corner of the building. Miles away from the lab.

Boom!
Seconds later the grenade hit the castle wall about six metres up. The explosion boomed through the air. Brick and stone flew everywhere, fire rocketing out of the wall. At the same
time, appearing from nowhere around the side of the castle, Dylan ran into view.

I opened my mouth to yell, but the world was exploding in front of my eyes, drowning me out – and burying Dylan under tons of stone.

I ran along the castle wall, hidden from view. I had to get to Ed. I checked my force field was fully engaged.

Boom!
As I raced round the corner, a huge explosion threw me off my feet. Rubble fell on my head. Down and down. I crouched low, hands instinctively over my head, praying that my force
field would protect me.

It did. I had no idea what had happened, but it felt like the castle wall I was running past had fallen on top of me. It was still coming down. I could hear the final few thuds of stone on
stone, but I couldn’t see a thing.

I was buried alive.

The energy flowing from deep inside me, covering my whole body, was all that was keeping me from being totally crushed. As I thought this, I nearly panicked and lost my focus. Dust and powder
from the stones seeped through my force field. I could feel the fine silt settling on my hair . . . my skin. I took a few slow breaths, trying to calm down. Okay, so inside the mound of earth and
stone it was pitch black and there was a ton of rubble above me but I was still alive.

Stay calm and think
, I told myself. I steadied my energies and tried to work out what to do. Maybe Ed would attempt to make contact with me. Except . . . if he’d been overpowered by
the guards he would probably have been sprayed with Medutox
.

As my fears whirled round my head I could feel my force field weakening. More rubble dust settled on me, on my face, in my throat, choking me.
Stop it
, I ordered myself.
There has to
be a way out of this. Think.

It had been Nico’s telekinetic ‘lake storm’ that had attracted my attention, but it was Ed – and the guard attacking him – who I’d been running towards.

Had any of them actually seen me coming round the corner before the building above my head exploded? Did they even know I was buried under here?

Cal certainly didn’t. He’d flown off with Tania earlier, to take her to the local police so she could get back to her family. I’d waited across the lake all day, expecting him
to return – hopefully with police support – but he hadn’t shown up.

Panic rose inside me again. The air around me was thick and hot. My force field protects me from the larger stuff, but it doesn’t work on a molecular level. That’s why Medutox
affects me – I can’t help but breathe it in. Basically, even with my force field I still need oxygen. And there wasn’t any in here.

I pushed cautiously at the stones above my hand. There was no way I could move them. They were just too heavy. A terrible sense of claustrophobia swamped me, tightening my chest and throat.
It’s okay
, I tried to reassure myself. Maybe I couldn’t claw my way out of this. But I had my force field. That was a start.

‘Dylan! Dylan!’ Ed’s yell was muffled. ‘Are you okay?’

‘Yeah, I’m great, Chino Boy,’ I shouted, relief flooding through me. ‘Is Nico with you?’ I was trying to sound calmer than I actually felt. I wondered if Ed could
tell. He’s kinda perceptive, I’ve realised recently.

‘No,’ Ed yelled back. ‘But don’t worry.’

My heart sank. Ed might be perceptive, but he’s not exactly the physical type. If it was down to him to dig me out of here it might take hours.

‘Are you alone?’ I asked.

‘Er . . . no,’ Ed said. ‘The guards and Jack are here.’

From bad to worse. My one hope was that Ed might have overpowered his guard and that he and Nico were free. Now I was going to be just as much a prisoner as they were.

A tiny chink of light appeared overhead as a large stone shifted. I could hear footsteps. And then the dark sky opened up above my head. A bright light shone down.

‘Dylan?’ It was Jack Linden himself: Harry’s dad and a total pig of a man, as far as I was concerned.

‘Get that flashlight out of my eyes!’ I snapped.

‘I take it you’re all right?’ Jack said drily.

‘Peachy, thanks,’ I said, trying to sound braver than I felt.

A huge piece of masonry right in front of me was dragged away from the pile. I heard it thud onto the ground as rubble fell around me, filling the gap the stone left.

‘Be careful,’ I yelled.

‘Aren’t you using your force field?’ Jack asked.

I grimaced. Jack had always known and understood far too much about our Medusa abilities. I’d liked him so much when I’d first met him – he was interesting and exciting and was
offering me a totally new life. Plus he was my godfather – once a good friend of my parents. To be honest, though I’d never admitted it to anyone, I was hurt that he’d betrayed
us. Upset that he had put his own self-interest before his loyalty to my mom and dad.

‘Is she okay?’ That was Ed. It sounded like he was just a few metres away from the rubble.

‘I’m great,’ I shouted. ‘Though I think I may have broken a nail or two.’

Above my head, Jack laughed. Another huge shift in the masonry around me. Now I could see the sky above clearly: half a moon and some stars across a ragged circle of navy. Ten seconds later and
there was a big enough gap to pull me through. Hands reached in and clutched at my arm. I released the force field around my wrist and let myself be hauled up and out of the rubble. I scrambled the
last bit, onto the pile of stones, then half climbed, half slid back down to the ground. I was free.

The men who had dug me out were staring open-mouthed. I could see why as I looked back at the heap that had smothered me. Surrounded by other debris, it was at least two metres high. I shivered,
realising that without my Medusa ability I would undoubtedly have been killed under all those stones.

Jack was standing a few metres away, silhouetted against the light from the castle.

‘Welcome back, Dylan,’ he said with that smooth smile I knew so well.

I ignored him, turning instead to Ed who stood nearby, his arm held by Broken Nose.

‘Where’s Nico?’ I said.

‘Inside, I think,’ Ed said. ‘We both got sprayed again,’ he added.

I gave him a curt nod. My mind had gone back to the last communication we’d had – about Ketty. I didn’t want to think about her . . . about Cal’s face as he’d come
out of the lake that last time.