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Because otherwise, I can’t –’
    ‘Here y’are,’ Dair is saying, motioning me to approach him. ‘No, come on, I won’t bite – grrrrrrr – no, really, I’m joking you.’ Something in his manner is persuasive. I’m about to burst into tears. I want to respond. Tentatively, I move towards him. He puts his hands lightly on my shoulders and swivels me gently, easing me down into the chair.
    ‘Rest your heed,’ he says, crouching close by and staring at me with a worried expression. ‘I didna mean all those things I said. Except about the chair, OK?’ I make a motion to rise but Dair shakes his head. ‘I’m making an exception,’ he explains, ‘this once, mind.’
    ‘It’s a nice chair,’ I say, all fight spent.
    ‘It is, that’s a fact,’ Dair agrees, stroking the velvet arm. ‘Can ye keep a secret?’ he whispers, gazing into my eyes.
    ‘Um, yeah,’ I shrug.
    He motions for me to lean closer. ‘I’m a wanted man.’
    ‘Why?’ I ask.
    ‘Bonny Calypso, mate, it’s not that hard. Look at me. What do you see?’ Dair stands up in front of me and struts about.
    I’m searching for words that won’t offend him.
    ‘Yes, I can see what your wee brain is thinking. I’m dangerous, me. I’m an anarchist, at war with the System. I’m gonna bring it down and set the people free!’ Dair punches the air with his fist.
    ‘That’s your secret?’ I’m not totally impressed.
    ‘Noooo. I’m really the president of Asia. Of course it’s my secret. And now it’s yours too.’ He is pointing a dirty finger at me. ‘Do ye want to be a freedom fighter wi’ me?’
    I shrug again.
    ‘Well, you cannot. Not without training. And there’s no time for that.’ Dair begins to walk towards the open doorway.
    ‘Where are you going?’ I ask.
    ‘On a mission. Wait.’ He hurries back and presses a small metal object into my hand. ‘Look after this. Guard it.’
    ‘It’s a bottle top,’ I say.
    ‘Shh. What are ye thinking, even saying its name?’ Dair has a finger to his lips. ‘This is the key to everything.’
    ‘I don’t understand,’ I tell him.
    ‘It opens the security door to the Hive, the government computer centre. It’s where all the information on every citizen is stored, where all the CCTV cameras are linked up to, where all the young offenders’ microchips are programmed.’ Dair is rubbing his left temple thoughtfully.
    ‘Why do you want me to look after it?’ I ask him.
    ‘Ye are a blitherer, do you know that?’ he sighs. ‘I can’t take it on ma mission, can I?’
    ‘Why not?’
    ‘Because if they find it they will know, and the whole operation will be blown.’ He raises his eyes to the ceiling.
    ‘Who are
they
?’
    ‘The FISTS,’ replies Dair. ‘I’ve been fighting them since I was fifteen. Since they took ma –’ He strides away quickly, leaving the word unsaid. ‘So, what’s it to be, Chop Suey?’ he calls from the landing.
    ‘Yes,’ I reply.
    ‘Whaddya mean?’
    ‘Yes, I’ll keep your secret.’
    ‘That wasne what I was asking ye,’ says Dair, exasperated. ‘Will ye be wanting fish, or a pie, with chips? Does no one in this place know their own mind?’
    ‘I’m not hungry,’ I tell him. The pain in my thigh is suddenly throbbing like a hammer on a molten horseshoe.
    ‘Suit yerself. I won’t be long. There’ll be three knocks when I’m back so you know it’s me and you can open the door.’ And with that he is gone. I can hear the thud of feet descending the stairs and a deep clunk as the heavy door closes behind him.
    My heart is still racing. Now I am alone again, none of the events of the past few minutes seem real. Is Dair a figment of my imagination? Have I conjured him up because I’m so tired my brain is out of control? The bottle top in my hand answers both questions.
    The things Dair said don’t add up. This metal disc is clearly not a key. But the stuff about the Hive – I’ve heard that name before, from Crease. And it makes a