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boy.
    Jackson arrived an hour later. Even though the day was already sticky hot, he was wearing a hoodie with the hood up. His face was surly.
    ‘Have you had some breakfast?’ asked Nan.
    Jackson gave a grunt that could have been a yes.
    Nan ignored the rudeness and continued in her usual friendly way. ‘Well, just in case you get hungry, here’s a bacon-and-egg pie to go with you.’ She held out a large plastic box. Jackson could hardly do anything but take it.
    ‘I’ve got a bag we can put it in,’ said Matt. ‘I’ll go and get it.’
    When he got back, Jackson hadn’t moved. With a sigh, Matt took the box and put it in the bag with the rest of the gear. ‘Do you want to take that, while I take the detector?’
    Jackson shrugged, but took the bag from Matt and draped it over his shoulder. Matt picked up the detector, and headed out the door, leaving Jackson to stay standing or follow. After a brief delay, the boy followed.
    ‘Where’s the best place to start?’ asked Matt, more cheerfully than he felt.
    ‘Dunno.’
    ‘Hone suggested going into the forest, as mountain-bikers and runners might drop stuff.’
    Jackson gave no response.
    ‘What’s the best way?’
    Jackson raised his arm a little, indicating a path leading to the thermal area.
    Soon they were walking across the crater flat where Jackson had been bullied. The boy kept his eyes fixed firmly to the front.
    From there, the track led through scrub until it reached some trees, where it opened onto a large lawn fronting several buildings.
    ‘What’s this?’ asked Matt.
    ‘Sumtin about the forest,’ replied Jackson. ‘Come this way.’ He led them around an empty building on to a track that skirted around a high netting fence. Inside, Matt could see rows and rows of small pine trees. A sign on the fence warning people to keep out had been tagged with Juzza and WXK.
    Matt pointed to the tag. ‘That yours?’
    Jackson’s chin came out, and he tilted his head. ‘Yeah,’ he said, proudly.
    ‘What’s WXK?’
    ‘That’s Skulla’s gang. Named it after the gang’s first house on the corner of Waitea and Kaimanawa streets. Dubexkay we call it. That’s the one I’m gunna join.’
    Matt thought back to the gang member with the skull tattoo. ‘Was Skulla one of those guys I saw you with yesterday morning?’
    Jackson’s eyes jerked around to stare at Matt. They showed both aggression and uncertainty. ‘Yeah. What of it?’
    Matt shrugged. ‘They just seemed a lot older than you, that’s all.’
    ‘I’m not joining any kids’ gang. Dubexkay are the meanest.’
    Yes, thought Matt, I bet they are. Out loud, he asked: ‘Why do you want to join a gang?’
    ‘Gangs rule, man. In the gang, you always got mates. You always got money. You always got women. In the gang, you’re somebody. Out of the gang, you’re nuttin.’
    What could Matt say to that? It was probably true. He certainly agreed with the mates bit. He’d only been away from his friends for three days and he already missed them.
    ‘What about the violence?’
    A flash of fear crossed Jackson’s face. ‘That doesn’t happen all the time.’
    ‘It happened yesterday.’
    ‘That was Diz. He’s always like that. That’s nuttin.’ His chin jutted out. ‘I can take it.’
    That wasn’t quite what Matt had witnessed. Still, if that’s what Jackson wanted to believe, then let him.
    Jackson turned away from the fence. ‘C’mon,’ he said, ‘and I’ll show you sumtin.’ He pushed his way into themanuka, and after scrambling through the brush for a couple of minutes they came to a grassy clearing. In the middle was a big explosion crater. There was a strong smell of sulphur, with a hint of steam rising from the pit. When Matt looked over the edge, he saw that it was a mud pool. Every so often there would be a plopping sound as a gas bubble burst to the surface.
    ‘Hone says this is the home of Kataore. He’s a taniwha,’ said Jackson.
    Matt laughed. ‘He was telling