Numbers 3: Infinity Read Online Free PDF Page B

aren’t there. The sleeping bags and the rifles have gone.
    Sarah fires questions at him. She’s like a Rottweiler, more like she used to be when we first got together. It’s pretty impressive. But I can tell Saul’s impatient.
    He don’t want to answer her, don’t want to tell us exactly where we’d be going. All we get is ‘south’, and then, eventually, ‘The Cotswolds’. I don’t even know what The Cotswolds is, or are.
    ‘That must be fifty miles from here,’ Sarah says. She obviously knows more than me. ‘How would we get there?’
    ‘Got some big bikes here. Take an hour or so, that’s all.’
    ‘There are five of us and three of you. Anyway, Mia can’t go on a bike and I don’t think the boys should either, and I can’t—’
    She stops mid-sentence and I realise she doesn’t want Saul to know about the baby. But she’s pulling her coat further round her and instead of hiding her stomach, it just draws attention to it.
    Saul looks her up and down, and I know the penny’s dropped.
    ‘You’re right, Sarah,’ he says. ‘Eight into three doesn’t go. So it’s one rider, one pillion per bike. Up to three passengers – Adam, you, and Mia, if you like.’
    Just for a moment her jaw drops. ‘No,’ she says. ‘Never. We won’t leave my brothers. Adam, tell him. Tell him!’
    ‘This isn’t a time for selfishness – it’s a time to think about what we can do for others,’ Saul says smoothly.
    ‘Are you saying I’m selfish to care about my family?’ She’s really riled now.
    ‘No, but there’s a bigger picture here. I know Adam is important to you but he’s also important to all of us.’
    They both turn to look at me.
    I’m thinking warm beds. I’m thinking hot food. I’m thinking helping people, using the numbers like I did before. But I know Sarah’s right. I have to be with her now and she ain’t going nowhere without the boys.
    ‘Not now, Saul,’ I say. ‘We’ll stay here for the winter.’
    I put my hands on Sarah’s shoulders, and I feel the tension go out of them.
    ‘Is that it?’ he says. ‘Your final word?’ There’s a warning note in his voice, but it don’t matter what he says now. I’ve made my mind up and I know it’s the right thing to do.
    ‘Yeah,’ I say, firmly. ‘That’s it.’
    He clenches his jaw and there’s a flash of temper in his eyes. He looks around quickly, like he’s scoping out who’s where. Then he turns back to me.
    ‘In that case you don’t give me any option.’ He lunges towards me, grabs my wrist, shoves me round and twists my arm up behind my back. ‘I’m arresting you, Adam Dawson. You’ve got a murder charge to answer, or had you forgotten?’
    Sarah’s barged out of the way and she staggers sideways. It’s all so quick, I don’t have time to react. He’s yanking my arm up so hard it feels like it’s going to come out of its socket.
    ‘Bastard!’ I gasp. He pulls harder.
    ‘Let him go.’
    I look up and I’m staring at the barrel of a gun, but it’s not aimed at me.
    Daniel’s got Saul in his sights.
    ‘Let him go,’ he says again. He’s calm, his eyes fixed on Saul.
    ‘I’m acting for the government,’ Saul spits. ‘You can’t pull a gun on me.’
    ‘I don’t give a stuff about your government. This is my camp. You’re not welcome here any more. Let Adam go and get out.’
    For a few seconds there’s silence. Daniel and Saul stare each other out. I can’t tell who’s going to crack. All I can hear is the blood pounding in my ears as Saul tightens his grip on my wrist. Then he drops it. My arm flops to my side. I stumble a couple of paces away from Saul then turn and face him. I want to slam my fist in his face.
    ‘That’s it, Adam. Step away from him.’ Daniel’s in control. For such a chilled guy, he does a good job as a Wild West sheriff. ‘Right. Now, you, Saul, get out of here, and don’t come back. If I see your face in our camp again, it’ll get blown off.’
    Saul backs away