Faster Than Lightning (5 page)

‘Can you come over?’ Hannah said when Angus had finished telling her the whole story on the phone. ‘Gabby and Ling have invited themselves around.’

‘You might as well ring E.D. too,’ Angus suggested.

‘You can do that.’

He wrapped his hand up in a bit of bandage, brushed King down and resaddled him, and rode to Hannah’s. His father wasn’t home and Angus felt too nervous to leave King alone. In a way, he was glad his dad hadn’t been there when he’d returned: it had given him a chance to settle both himself and his horse down. And he was worried that Tom Bentley might have called about the broken window.

The others were already at Hannah’s when he got there. Sean pounced on King, leading him around the back to graze on the lawn. King didn’t seem to mind the small boy handling him. Sean was in seventh heaven.

Ling took one look at Angus’s hand and asked Hannah for a first-aid kit.

‘So I guess I’d be an idiot for suggesting that maybe now it’s time you went to the police,’ Gabby said, watching Ling expertly bandage the wound.

‘What do I say?’ Angus began, looking up from the white gauze wrapped around his palm. ‘They’ve got a lab, they locked me up for breaking in, I thought they were going to hurt King and they chased me on a motorbike…to return my helmet.’

Gabby shrugged.

‘They’re up to something, though. They must be.’

‘They can’t lock you up like that. I say we go up there and stir ’em up a bit.’ E.D. moved to the window and glared out. Seeing the deep cut on Angus’s hand had made him angry.

Angus could see that E.D. wished he’d been there to help him out. He stood up, gently
fingering his bandaged hand. Ling shut the first-aid box with a snap.

‘Give it to us again, Angus,’ E.D. said, turning around. ‘From the beginning.’

‘Right. Well, it all goes back to that suspicious bit of behaviour going on at the track yesterday when we found the phone. I’ve been thinking about it. I reckon they—’

‘Who?’ Ling interjected.

‘Um, the new people up at McCann’s.’

‘You reckon they were the ones at the track?’ Hannah frowned.

‘Yes. And there’s definitely something going on. There are scientist-type people and a laboratory. Hannah, it was your mum’s friend Natasha Miller that got me thinking. All that talk about making dead things come alive. That’s what I reckon they’re up to.’

‘What do you mean?’ Hannah asked.

‘Well, I reckon they’re doing something to the horses—like Lightning Strikes. It’s a really professional set-up.’

‘But Lightning Strikes wasn’t any good,’ Gabby said. ‘He didn’t win the race yesterday.’

‘I reckon Lightning Strikes is
very
good. I reckon the jockey was holding him back. I was watching him through Hannah’s glasses.’

‘Are you sure?’ E.D. interrupted.

‘It was expertly done. But I just happened to be watching him closely right at that moment round the back bend.’

‘Have we got proof?’ Ling asked.

‘Only what I’ve seen,’ said Angus, frowning. He suddenly struck his forehead with his hand, making Ling jump. ‘I am such an idiot! Lightning Strikes was that horse I had trouble with on the track. There were ten riders surrounding him, making my horse nervous. I’m sure I saw that he had two white socks. Then he turns up on race day and I see him getting his legs painted black. Then he’s held back.
And
with white socks, Lightning Strikes is the same horse that we saw on the internet site!’

‘But that horse was called Gale Force,’ Ling said.

‘That’s my point. Lightning Strikes
is
Gale Force! He’s the same! There’s no history of his parentage—his pedigree is probably faked.’

‘Are you saying,’ said Hannah slowly, ‘that Lightning Strikes is a clone?’

There was a silence as Angus stared at her. Then he nodded. ‘When I’m down at the track tomorrow with Dad, I’m going to see if he’s there again.’

‘You aren’t going alone this time.’ E.D. thumped the wall. ‘I’m going with you.’

‘Me too,’ Hannah said.

‘Sorry, guys, I can’t come. I’ve got training.’ Gabby flicked her hair over her shoulders.
‘Swimming
training,’ she added, noticing the looks.

‘Can I come?’ Ling asked.

‘Sure. Great idea.’ Angus smiled at her shyly. ‘Thanks for fixing my hand.’

Gabby looked across at Angus, then back to Ling.

‘Well, actually, I sometimes don’t swim on a Monday. One day off is okay.’ Gabby clapped her hands. ‘So what time do we go trackside?’

‘Five-thirty,’ Angus said, moving to the door. It was time he was back home and helping Dad with the jobs.

‘What?’ gasped Gabby. ‘That’s even earlier than I swim!’

‘You heard him,’ E.D. said, following Angus to the door.

‘Let’s go. See ya later.’ Angus lifted his injured hand to the girls; Ling was the only one to wave back.

‘How you going to explain that?’ E.D. asked when they were outside, nodding at Angus’s hand.

‘Caught it on some wire. It’s nothing.’ Angus smiled as Sean led King away. ‘Thanks, Sean. You’re the best.’

‘No worries, Angus. You want me to ride him home for you? What with your sore hand and stuff?’

‘Good idea, mate. That’d be great.’

Angus and E.D. hoisted Sean up into the saddle, then Angus got on behind him. King walked calmly home, paying little attention to Sean’s wayward kicks, urges and shaking of the reins.

Angus’s dad was heading out for some stores when they arrived.

‘What’s happened to you?’ Mr MacDonald paused to look at Angus’s hand.

‘Fence.’ Angus nodded vaguely towards the paddocks.

His father nodded. ‘Run you home, Sean?’

‘Thanks, Mr Mac’. Sean reluctantly slid off King. ‘And thanks, Angus.’

‘No worries.’

‘Won’t be long,’ Mr Mac called, leaning out his side window and reversing down the driveway. Angus watched the car pull away.

Long enough to get a story from Sean, Angus thought. It was lucky Hannah’s brother didn’t
know much more than Angus had already told his dad.

It was cool at five-thirty in the morning. Angus and his father had only one horse at the racecourse and Angus had already ridden him. Mr Mac was on the other side of the track, inspecting a friend’s new horse. Angus rested against the truck until Hannah appeared.

‘Are the others coming?’ he asked.

‘I doubt it, though Ling sounded keen.’ Hannah shivered. ‘What about E.D.?’

Angus shrugged. ‘He said he was turning up. Let’s go take a look at Lightning Strikes.’

‘Hey, guys! Wait up,’ someone called from between two horse floats, waving an arm.

‘Déjà vu,’ Hannah muttered, as Gabby appeared. ‘Where’s Ling?’

‘Still sleeping. I couldn’t bear waking her. Guess she’s not used to the early mornings like us.’

‘We’re just going to have a quick look at Lightning Strikes. Keep your mouth closed and your head down,’ Hannah said, certain that having Gabby along meant trouble. Gabby went to speak but Hannah rested a hand on her wrist.

There was plenty happening at the stables. Horses, trainers and strappers were everywhere. No one paid any attention to the three as they walked along behind the stalls.

Gabby’s nose wrinkled at the smell. She noticed that the others didn’t seem concerned about the huge hunks of manure all over the ground and the stench in the air. They stopped at one of the stables.

‘Disgusting,’ she hissed, looking at the ground.

‘It’s Lightning Strikes,’ Angus whispered, ignoring Gabby. ‘C’mon.’ They crept into the wooden stall, its floor covered in soft, thick, brown sawdust.

The horse was massive, bigger than King. Gabby gasped at the bulging veins and solid muscles. ‘My God,’ she whispered.

‘He’s exactly like Gale Force,’ Angus muttered.

Hannah swallowed. She’d thought King was big—until now. Angus calmly walked over to the horse, talking quietly. The horse nodded once or twice as he put his hand out to stroke it.

‘What now?’ Hannah whispered. ‘We should’ve brought a camera.’

‘We can use my mobile,’ Gabby said loudly, pulling it out of her shirt pocket. Angus and
Hannah glared at her. ‘You want me to take some snaps of the horse?’ she added, more quietly.

‘That’d be great.’ Angus nodded. ‘Try and get a shot of—’

They all turned at the noise from the stable door.

‘Here, what are you kids doing?’

Gabby shoved the phone into her pocket. A short guy with a mean-looking face and tattoos on his bare arms strode over and grabbed her arm. Angus swore under his breath. It was stupid to have snuck into the stable like this.

‘Jim!’ the man shouted. ‘Get in here.’

Angus charged at him, hoping that he’d break the guy’s hold on Gabby, but he bounced off and fell back onto the soft floor. He scrambled up quickly.

‘Angus! Quick!’ yelled Hannah from the gate. The man turned to make a lunge at Hannah and Gabby felt the grip on her arm slacken slightly. She kicked out with all her might, landing a sharp blow on the man’s shins. At the same time she flung her arms out. The man let go with a gasp of pain. Angus shot past him.

Gabby burst out of the stable a moment after the others, but immediately crashed into another
man with a stomach bulging out of a dark blue singlet like a mountain of flesh.

She’d hit a vertical trampoline. Gabby rebounded three metres straight back into the stable, collapsing in a heap on the sawdust. The enormous horse bent down to sniff her gently.

‘I’ll lock her up in the float and then I’ll get the other kids,’ Jim snarled.

He slapped a hand over Gabby’s mouth, then bent close to her ear.

‘One stupid move from you and you’ll still be lying in a hospital bed at Christmas—you got me?’

Gabby nodded, wide-eyed, too afraid to speak.

Hannah had followed Angus into a stable three down. He led a horse into the corner and pulled Hannah in so they were hiding behind it. A moment later, the smaller man glanced in, then ran on.

‘What about Gabby?’ Hannah asked urgently. ‘That other guy caught her.’

Angus looked at a small window above him. ‘Here, give me a bunk up,’ he said quietly. Hannah joined her hands and Angus hoisted himself towards the window. He peered out the opening. Jim was walking back towards the
stables, alone. ‘Push me higher,’ Angus urged Hannah. He levered himself up to the level of the opening. ‘Wait here. If Florentine moves, you won’t have any cover. Then you’d better run for it.’

‘Who’s Flor—?’

‘The
horse
!’

Hannah crouched back against the wall as Angus squeezed himself through the opening. He jumped down lightly, quickly looked around, and ran off along the back of the stables. A large horse truck was parked there and he dived under it, crawling beneath the cabin.

The rumble of its engine made him jump, hitting his head on the chassis. Lying on the ground, he made himself as flat as possible so he wasn’t touching any part of the vehicle. The wheels began to move. Angus froze. The truck moved faster. He lay still and breathed out, trying to make himself as thin as he could. Then the truck started to turn.

Two massive wheels were heading for his feet. He flung himself to his left and the tyres turned just centimetres from his body. But now he was in the line of the back wheels. He recoiled to the right, but not before the back right tyres had caught his shirt. Panic rippled through him and
he pulled uselessly. He closed his eyes, waiting for the crunch of his shoulder being crushed. But as quickly as it had started, the truck suddenly jerked to a stop. Angus breathed out and opened his eyes. He was stuck under 5 tonnes of horse truck, but at least he wasn’t squashed.

‘’Ere, Griff, you seen a couple of kids running about?’

Angus recognised Jim’s rough voice.

‘Nah, mate. What’s up?’

‘Never mind.’

Jim walked away from the truck. Angus could just see his boots. They were joined by a smaller pair. ‘Where is she?’

Angus strained around and glimpsed the short guy from the stable.

‘I’ve locked her in Lightning’s float. Have you got the others?’ Jim asked.

‘No sign of ’em. C’mon.’

The engine revved and the truck rumbled forward again, releasing Angus’s shirt. Quick as a flash, he rolled out, jumped to his feet and began jogging beside the vehicle. He was shielded from the men’s view, but the truck was gaining speed. He went with it for 50 metres, then suddenly he was running along a dirt road alone. Dust stung his eyes and burned his throat.

He darted over to the other side and hurled himself into the bushes, waiting for Jim’s shout. Surely he would have been seen crossing the road. But the shout never came. Instead, he heard a girl’s long, ear-piercing scream.

Florentine stayed still for about five seconds after Angus had jumped out, then started to stalk Hannah suspiciously. There were no soothing words and strokes from Angus.

‘Okay, nice horse,’ Hannah said, trying to sound calm and in control.

She edged around the left side and, when her path suddenly became clear, sprinted the last few metres over thick bedding to reach the door. She looked briefly to the left and then ran the other way.

Darting behind a trainer’s cottage, Hannah shoved a hand deep into her coat pocket to pull out her mobile phone. She went to messages, punched in four letters—
H-E-L-P
—called up a number, and hit send.

E.D. flicked open one eye, swore and dragged himself into a semi-upright position. He reached out for the phone that had just beeped twice on his bedside table. Or had he been dreaming?

He hit the message button and swore again.

‘Idiot!’ he said, swiping the alarm clock that he’d forgotten to set off his bedside table.

Suddenly wide awake, E.D. jumped out of bed, threw on some clothes and tore out of the house, yelling ‘Heading off!’ to his mother who was holding a glass of orange juice for him.

A moment later the door banged open again and E.D. sped back inside.

‘Ripper, Mum,’ he said, taking the glass from her and sculling it in one gulp. ‘See ya!’

He clicked on his helmet as he got onto his motocross bike. It kicked into life straight away. He gunned the motor, and sped off.

‘Three minutes, guys, tops,’ he shouted, sending a spray of dirt and gravel into the air.

Back at the racetrack entrance, Angus heard E.D.’s trailbike a moment before he saw the cloud of dust appear in the distance. E.D. screamed to a halt, ditched his bike and ran across to him.

‘Where have you been?’ asked Angus.

‘Sorry,’ said E.D., ‘thought I’d switched the alarm on. Maybe I switched it off instead!’

‘Follow me,’ Angus said, turning and running into the racecourse. E.D. struggled to keep up.

‘Where are we going?’ he panted.

‘They’ve locked Gabby in a horse float and I’ve lost Hannah.’

‘Who’s locked up Gabby?’ E.D. asked, looking slightly confused.

‘Beats me.’ They got to the float. Angus thumped his fist on the side.

‘Gabby, can you hear me?’ he called.

‘Yes! Get me out of here,’ she yelled, relieved.

E.D. noticed a group of men half walking, half jogging in their direction. ‘Angus, should we be worried about any of those people?’ he asked, pointing at them.

‘Oh no,’ Angus groaned. ‘Those two at the front are after us—let’s get out of here.’

‘What about me?’ Gabby shouted.

E.D. sprinted around to the four-wheel drive attached to the float and opened the front door on the driver’s side.

Angus frowned. ‘E.D., what are you doing? We can’t take the car.’

‘Have you got a better idea?’

Angus looked at the fast-approaching group of people. He didn’t like their stern faces and doubted they were in the mood for chatting. Especially the thin guy at the front who was now running.

‘Get in, Angus,’ E.D. yelled, then slammed his door shut.

‘What’s going on?’ Gabby shrieked.

‘Hang on, Gabby,’ Angus called before jumping into the car.

‘I don’t like the look of those people and we’ve got no time to get Gabby out.’ E.D. looked around the cabin. ‘Nice,’ he sighed, reaching down beneath the wheel. ‘But I don’t know why they make these—’

‘Hurry!’ Angus poked E.D. in the ribs. The wiry guy was sprinting, now that he’d seen what the two kids had just done. A moment later, the engine sparked into life. E.D. revved the accelerator and, for the second time in five minutes, sent a cloud of dust spewing into the air.

Luckily there were no horses ahead of them as they sped off.

‘Where to, Angus?’

‘We gotta rescue Hannah.’

‘No worries. I’ll do a U-turn, and head down the middle of the track. No horses out there, are there?’

Angus suddenly felt sick. ‘There shouldn’t be,’ he said. ‘The horses should have left the track by now.’

‘Good,’ E.D. said, a huge grin on his face.

Just before the end of the dirt road, he slammed his foot on the brakes and swerved inside and onto the racetrack itself.

Angus went pale. ‘You know, maybe we—’

‘Hey, that’s her, isn’t it?’ About 3 furlongs away, Hannah was sprinting across the track. E.D. glanced in the rear vision mirror. A group of men were running after them. ‘Angus! We’ve got a tail!’ For the first time, E.D. started to look worried. He pressed his right foot down hard, and the four-wheel drive kicked on in a burst of speed. Moments later, they screamed to a stop beside Hannah. Angus closed his eyes, trying not to think about the damage to the track.

‘Hannah, jump in!’

‘Oh it’s you!’ Hannah said, relieved. ‘I thought you were race officials. Where’s Gabby?’

‘In the float,’ E.D. said.

‘What’s she doing in there?’

‘They locked her in,’ Angus said, not turning around.

Movement in the side mirror caught Angus’s eye. ‘Time to go,’ he said. The back wheels spat
more grass and mud as the four-wheel drive sped off again. Hannah hadn’t managed to close the door and was thrown off balance.

‘Shut the door!’ E.D. called.

‘What do you think I’m trying to do?’ Hannah lashed out, slamming the door closed. ‘Wind my window down, Angus.’

He pressed a button near the handbrake.

‘Gabby! Can you hear me?’ Hannah screamed, her head out the window.

‘Hannah?’ Gabby’s voice was thin over the roar of the car. ‘Is that you? It’s about time. Get me out of here!’

‘We’re working on it, don’t worry.’ Hannah turned back to the boys in the front. ‘So, what’s the plan?’

‘Just got to get some space, buy us some time,’ E.D. said, glancing again into the rear view mirror.

‘And then?’

‘Wait on.’ E.D. grimaced, pressing his foot on the accelerator. The car lurched forward. There was a muffled cry of pain from inside the float. ‘We’ll just get round this curve here.’ E.D. gripped the wheel hard. They went past the finishing post, and headed away from the grandstands. Angus slunk down low in the seat,
imagining how shocked any members would be at the sight of a four-wheel drive towing a float down the main straight of Teasdale Racecourse.

‘Bloody long curve, E.D.,’ Hannah called.

‘Nearly there.’ The vehicle raced up the back straight.

‘Let’s get out
there,’
Angus cried, pointing to a gap in the railings further up the track. E.D. braked hard and manoeuvred the four-wheel drive and float through the small opening. They came to a stop alongside a row of peppercorn trees, shielding them from the track.

The three jumped out of the car, racing around to the back of the float.

‘We gotta smash the lock,’ E.D. said, desperately searching for something to use on it.

‘And quick,’ said Angus, looking between the trees at a group of people running across the inside section of the racecourse towards them.

‘I can pick it,’ Hannah said, pulling something out of her pocket. ‘You okay, Gabby?’ There was no reply. ‘Gabby? Oh my God, she might be unconscious. It was your stupid driving, E.D.’

E.D. raced off, opening up the hatch of the four-wheel drive.

‘C’mon, Hannah. Hurry!’ Angus urged.

‘Shut up. I’m going as fast as I can.’

Bending her head close to the lock, she wriggled the nail file, listening for a click. From the other side of the float there came an almighty crashing sound.

‘Guys!’ E.D. called out. He’d broken a small window using a shovel he’d found in the boot, and was pushing the remaining fragments of Perspex out of the way.

‘Nice going, E.D.,’ Angus said, surveying the hole.

‘Gabby?’ E.D. yelled, standing on the trailer frame and looking into the window opening.

‘Thank goodness,’ Gabby called, reaching up and nimbly climbing through the opening. In a moment she had joined the others. ‘You look disgusting!’ said Hannah.

Gabby’s face fell. She glanced down at her jumper covered in green and brown muck.

‘Are you all right?’ she added. ‘That must have been scary.’

‘Yeah, I’m okay. Just get me to a shower.’

Hannah nodded sympathetically then turned back to the boys.

‘Now what?’ E.D. asked.

An idea had suddenly occurred to Angus.

‘Climb!’ he shouted, pointing at the peppercorn trees. A gathering of people were at
the top of the first turn and moving quickly. He pulled off his left boot and hurled it in the other direction towards the entrance of a large pipe. ‘Go!’

Gabby raced up the nearest tree. Her balance and speed for a moment had Angus just staring after her in admiration.

‘Give me a hand,’ Hannah said, reaching up for a branch herself. Angus climbed past her, then leant down to haul her up. They were soon shielded by the leafy green branches from the ground below.

E.D. had chosen a tree further down, and had already found a comfortable fork which he was leaning against; sniffing at a leaf he’d torn off a branch.

A few minutes later, a group of men arrived. Angus held his breath, wriggling slightly higher. There were mutterings and many heads being shaken. Someone called out and Angus caught a glimpse of his shoe being thrown into the pipe.

The four-wheel drive’s engine roared into life, doors slammed and soon there was nothing to be heard but the occasional twittering of some birds further down the copse of trees.

‘Have you got to go back to the track to help your dad?’ Hannah whispered.

Angus shook his head. ‘I told him I’d make my own way home.’

‘I’m going to get my bike,’ E.D. called, scrambling down. ‘What’s the plan?’

‘Well I’m going to have a shower somewhere,’ Gabby said, looking down at her torn and stained clothes.

‘No problems. Let’s go back to my house,’ Hannah said.

‘Good, meet you there.’ Not waiting for an answer, E.D. headed off, keeping the trees between him and the buildings on the other side of the track.

‘I am
revolting!’
said Gabby, looking down at her filthy jumper. ‘What’s this?’ She brushed at a dark smear among the horse hair and straw clinging to her.

Hannah took a good look. And a sniff. ‘Horse poo.’

‘Ahhh! I need a shower, Han.
Now.’
Gabby took herself off to the bathroom, carrying some of Hannah’s old clothes.

‘And I’ve got some explaining to do,’ Angus said, wondering whether his father or anyone else had recognised him in the four-wheel drive.

Gabby came out of the shower a few minutes later. She flung her dirty clothes down on Hannah’s bed. ‘Where’s Angus?’

‘He’s gone home.’

‘Oh. Well, I’ll see you later.’

‘Are you going to take your clothes?’ Hannah stared at the dirty jumper lying on her pillow, but when she turned back, Gabby had gone. She pulled the jumper off her bed in disgust. Black horse hairs covered her hand.

A smile spread slowly across her face. This would be the perfect opportunity to get the black horse hair tested to see if it was the same as Gale Force’s.

And Tash was the ideal person for the job.