The Rescue by Sophie McKenzie Read Free Book Online

someone, weren’t you?’
    Fernandez swore. He was standing sideways on to me. If he’d looked round he’d have seen me. But he didn’t look round. His full attention was on Nico. He moved closer, fury filling his face. His hands gripped Nico’s neck.
    My heart pounded. Why wasn’t Nico using telekinesis to stop him?
    A strangled squeak escaped from Nico’s throat. His eyes were bulging, his face turning purple. Fernandez was trying to kill him. I stood up. Lunged towards the desk.
    ‘Stop!’ I said.
    Fernandez spun round, letting go of Nico, who fell, gasping, against the desk.
    ‘ You? ’ He loomed over me. He grabbed my arm and swore, his breath fierce and hot against my forehead.
    Nico was still bent over the desk, clutching his throat.
    I stood, panting, terrified. Fernandez shook my arm, jerking my head up. Before I could think or move, our eyes met. With a whoosh I was inside his head.
    Fury. Blazing rage at the front of his mind. Then shock at my presence.
    I shut my eyes, breaking the connection. It had only lasted a fraction of a second.
    Surely that wasn’t enough time for Fernandez to understand what had happened?
    To know that I’d been inside his mind.
    He stood, breathing heavily, staring at me.
    I raced over to Nico, pulled him upright and dragged him back to the door.
    ‘What was that?’ Fernandez gasped.
    ‘We didn’t get through on the phone,’ I said, ignoring the question. ‘We didn’t speak to anyone.’
    ‘Of course you didn’t, the phone is locked.’ Fernandez stared at me like I was some kind of alien.
    ‘So we’ll go back to bed, then.’ I edged closer to the door.
    ‘How did you get into the building . . . the office?’
    ‘Someone left the doors unlocked,’ I lied, still heading for the door.
    ‘Stop.’ Fernandez frowned. ‘Wait.’
    I stood still, letting go of Nico’s arm. I fixed my gaze on the tiled office floor at my feet.
    ‘What did you just do . . .?’ Fernandez said. ‘Just now, when I looked at you, it felt for a second like you were . . . were inside my head . . .’
    ‘I don’t know what you mean,’ I said.
    Beside me, Nico coughed.
    Fernandez’s face hardened. ‘Look at me again.’
    No. I carried on staring at the floor.
    ‘Ed!’ Fernandez grabbed my chin and forced my head up. ‘Look at me!’
    I shut my eyes. Fernandez dug his fingers into my face till it really hurt.
    ‘Do it, or I’ll break your jaw,’ he hissed.
    Praying that, against all the odds, I’d be able to avoid mind-reading him, I turned my eyes reluctantly upwards. Don’t jump into his mind. Don’t jump —
    Whoosh. I was inside his head again. No way of stopping it. Damn. This time I sensed curiosity. And fear. For a second I managed to keep my own thoughts still,and then I remembered the envelope I’d found in the filing cabinet drawer. Before I could stop myself I was diving in, probing his thoughts.
    What happened to the girl from the first day? Where are the police van kids?
    Immediately I felt his mind throw up the information. A place name he was instinctively trying to hide – it was coming . . . coming . . .
    Ed?
    Fernandez’s thought-speech hit me like a splash of cold water. What the hell was I doing, giving myself away like this? I shut my eyes and broke the connection.
    What an idiot.
    Freed from the telepathy, Fernandez’ questions spilled out loud. ‘How did you read my thoughts? How did you ask me that question without speaking?’
    ‘It was nothing,’ I said. ‘Just a trick.’
    Fernandez frowned. He didn’t look convinced. ‘Why were you asking about those kids? I already told you. They were juvenile criminals. They’ll be inside a detention centre by now.’
    ‘I just wondered if . . . er, if they were okay,’ I said quickly. I felt for the small photo of Luz in my pocket.
    Beside me, Nico stiffened. I held my breath, praying Fernandez would believe me. He shook his head.
    ‘Two demerits each,’ he said. ‘I’ll sort out the punishments