Plan B

Chapter Fifty-six

Whoever it was made no attempt to call out to them, and Bruno didn't attempt to make conversation either until they were right up by the gate.

"Who is that?" the man asked, squinting at the three of them. He seemed to recognise Fran. "Oh, you've got her. Thank God. I can take her from here."

Bruno's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"

"I'm a police officer," the man replied, holding up an ID wallet. Fran raised her head. The voice sounded familiar, even if he wasn't wearing uniform.

"Malcolm!" she said happily.

"Frances," he said in reply.

Bruno smiled, holding up his right hand, in which he clutched a biro.

"You're Fran's former bodyguard, Malcolm?" he asked pleasantly.

"Yes," said Malcolm. "You two have done enough. I can take her from here."

Bruno's smile became angelic. He pointed the biro at Malcolm. "F*ck off, you b*stard."

He double-clicked the end of the pen and something thunked into Malcolm's neck. The man clawed at it, gurgling, and then slid down the gate and slumped limply to the ground.

"Bruno!" Fran exclaimed, appalled.

"What?" demanded Bruno as he opened the gate. "He was the mole."

"No, Aidan is the mole."

"Aidan is unconscious in the school infirmary," Bruno said, "and we didn't inform the police about any of this. Why would Malcolm be here if he wasn't in league with the enemy?"

"But Malcolm was trying to help!"

"Malcolm was pretending to help because he's a senior member of an absolutely batsh*t crazy cult that wants to kill you because they're under the deluded impression that it will bring their mother goddess to life in human form. He kidnapped you because Conrad provided a diversion and hacked through their defences and figured out what he was. He realised and decided he had to make a move before somebody did something to stop him, even if it was too early to sacrifice you. I don't think that classifies as having your best interests at heart."

"But you killed him!"

"I wanted to kill him. Unfortunately, I only tranquilised him."

"I hate you," Fran mumbled, dropping her head back to Rico's shoulder. Her words lacked any form of conviction. Her heart was still racing.

"I'm not totally sure she's coherent," she heard Rico murmuring to Bruno.

Bruno snorted. "Of course not. She's scared and in shock, and God knows what else has happened to her. Here, put her in the car."

Rico put Fran down so that he could open the car door, and he and Bruno steadied her as she tottered.

"I can get in by myself," she insisted as they both made to pick her up. Bruno shrugged, but Rico hesitated before pulling back. Stumbling slightly, Fran somehow managed to get herself inside, and she curled up on the car seat.

"I should go back," Bruno murmured. "I need to tell them we've got her."

"Should you?"

"Somebody has to."

There was a pause.

"I think you should stay with her," Rico said. "I don't trust her sitting like that and it wouldn't be good if you did something to your back. We can't leave her alone, in any case. Give me your pen."

Fran could hear Bruno chuckling as she nodded to herself. Bruno sitting with her sounded like a good idea....