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find out where I am so you can tell your dad so he’ll tell
Riley.’
    ‘
No
,’ Aaron insisted. ‘My dad is only—’
    I ended the call, then immediately scrolled to Jas’s number and tried her. The phone went straight to voicemail.
    I hesitated. If Jas had been kidnapped then Riley would have her phone. Still, if I didn’t leave a message, he wouldn’t know this call was from me.
    I pressed ‘end’ and raced out of the ticket office towards my bus. Never mind not having a ticket. I’d pay the driver directly. He was on board now, shucking off his jacket,
getting ready to drive.
    My phone rang again. Aaron.
    ‘Nat, don’t hang up.’
    I hesitated, my eyes on the bus. The driver was settling into his seat.
    ‘Nat, I swear on my life and my parents’ lives and your sister’s life that I am telling you the truth.’ Aaron’s voice shook with conviction. ‘Riley has taken
Jas. We have to rescue her.’
    In front of me, the headlights flashed on as the bus engine growled into action. I stopped moving towards it.
    ‘Think about it,’ Aaron said. ‘I’ve called you on your mobile so I obviously have your number. If me or my dad were going to sell you out to Riley, don’t you think
I’d have passed your number on already and he’d already have caught you?’
    This was a fair point. I hesitated. I still wasn’t going to trust Aaron himself, but suppose Jas had been taken, just as he described? I had to find out.
    ‘Do you have any idea where Riley’s taken Jas?’ I asked.
    ‘Yes, I have my dad’s tracking equipment on my phone. It’s the same as the stuff he’s given to the resistance. I got an area trace – for Yorkshire. I reckon it must
be that place you rescued me from.’
    He meant the EFA operations base.
    ‘Right,’ I said. Up ahead the London bus was turning out of its parking space and heading for the bus station exit.
    ‘That’s why I need you to help me rescue her,’ Aaron said. ‘You know the place, where it is, how to get inside. You got
me
out of there so—’
    I switched off the call, then my entire phone. There was certainly no way was I going to break into the ops base with Aaron. He had no training for this kind of thing. I hesitated a second, then
removed the SIM card from my phone. I’d put it back in if I urgently needed to make a call. I couldn’t be one hundred percent sure Aaron wouldn’t pass my number on to his dad or
even to Riley’s men, despite what he’d just said.
    The London bus disappeared from view. Part of me still wanted to be on it. Charlie was in London looking for Riley. I missed her more than I wanted to admit to myself. And I was scared for her
too. Still, Charlie had chosen the path she’d taken. Jas was an innocent – and her life was in immediate danger.
    I picked up my luggage and headed back into the ticket office to find out the fastest way to the training base.

Charlie
    Roman Riley stood in the middle of the room, his bright, dark eyes fixed on mine. I glared back as the soldier who’d been holding me let go of my arm.
    ‘She’s not armed, sir,’ he said. ‘No phone, either.’
    ‘Good work, soldier,’ Riley said, without taking his eyes off me. ‘Please ask Martina to bring Charlie a blanket, she looks cold. Oh, and some food and water too.’ He
raised his eyebrows. ‘Or would you prefer a cup of tea, Charlie?’
    I said nothing. Why was Riley being so nice? Was this some sort of trick?
    Riley nodded as if I’d replied. ‘Okay, soldier, please see what Martina can rustle up for our guest.’
    ‘Yes, sir.’ The man left.
    He shut the door behind him. Riley and I were alone. Riley was still staring at me, searching my face. I looked away, unsure what he was playing at.
    Now I was actually here, I was starting to realise what a huge challenge I faced. This man was responsible for the bomb blast that killed Mum. There was no one in the world I hated more. And yet
if I wanted to work undercover, trying to find evidence