Page 3 (1/2)

AS Astrong spotlight was trained on theto dazzle us, we all turned to one side and let the blind fall back into place Retreating, Vancha cursed at his loudest and vilest, while the rest of us glanced uneasily at one another, waiting for someone to propose a plan

"How did they sneak up without - us hearing?" Harkat asked

"We weren’t paying attention to as happening outside," I said

"Even so," Harkat insisted, "we should have - picked up on the sirens"

"They didn’t use sirens," Steve laughed "They arned to tread quietly And, before you waste ti and roof covered as well as the front" As we stared at hily, he said, "I wasn’t distractedI heard the"

Vancha bellowed madly at Steve, then made a dive for him Mr Crepsley stepped into his path to reason with hied towards Steve, aphone, stopped him

"You in there!" it bellowed "Killers!"

Vancha hesitated, fingers balled into fists, then pointed at Steve and snarled, "Later!" Spinning, he hurried to theand nudged the blind aside a fraction Light fro the blind fall back into place, Vancha roared, "Turn off the light!"

"No chance!" the person with the hed in reply

Vancha stood there a , then nodded at Mr Crepsley and Harkat "Check the corridors above and below Find out if they’re inside the building Don’t clash with the, they’ll cut us to ribbons"

Mr Crepsley and Harkat obeyed without question

"Bring that sorry excuse for a dog over here," Vancha said to ed Steve to theVancha wrapped a hand around Steve’s throat and growled in his ear, "Why are they here?"

"They think you’re the killers," Steve chuckled "The ones who killed all those hurel!" Vancha snarled

"Please," Steve replied set personal"

Mr Crepsley and Harkat returned

"They’re packed tight two floors - above," Harkat reported

"The sariht quickly "We’ll break through the floorboards," he decided "The huo straight down through the apartreed "They’ve been warned to fill every roo"

Vancha stared at Steve, looking for the slightest hint of a bluff When he found none, his features softened and the ghostly traces of defeat welled in his eyes Then he shook his head and put self-pity behind him

"We have to talk to them," he said "Find out where we stand and h Anyone want to volunteer?" When nobody replied, he grunted "Guess that otiator Just don’t bla the blind over the , he slass, then leant close and shouted at the humans below "Who’s down there and what the hell do you want?"

There was a pause, then the saaphone "Who a to?" the person asked Now that I concentrated on the voice, I realized it was a woman’s

"None of your business!" Vancha roared

Another pause Then, "We know your names Larten Crepsley, Vancha March, Darren Shan and Harkat Mulds I just want to knohich one of you I’m in contact with"

Vancha’s jaw dropped

Steve doubled over with laughter

"Tell them who you are," Harkat whispered "They know too "

Vancha nodded, then shouted through the covered hole in the , "Vancha March"

As he did that, I peeked through a gap at the side of the blind, looking for weak points in the defences below I didn’t find any, but I did get a fix on the wo to us - tall and broad, with short white hair

"Listen, March," the woman called as I stepped away froess I’h none of us cootiate a deal, you’ll be negotiating with ames I’ve more than two hundredto put a round of bullets through your black excuse for a heart At the first sign that you’re ive the order and they’ll open fire Understand?"

Vancha bared his teeth and snarled, "I understand" Then he repeated it, louder, so she could hear "I understand!"

"Good," Chief Inspector Burgess responded "First of all - are your hostages alive and unhares’?" Vancha replied

"Steve Leonard and Mark Ryter We know you have them, so don’t act the innocent"

"Mark Ryter must have been the vampet," I rehed, then pushed Vancha aside and put his face up close to the"This is Steve Leonard!" he yelled,terror "They haven’t killed me yet, but they killed Mark They tortured hih we’d cut hient bow

"Sons of ?" the officer cursed over the aphone, then collected her wits and addressed us calmly and dryly "OK - this is hoorks Release your ree When he’s safely in our custody, con of a weapon, or any unexpected moves, and you’re history"

"Let’s talk about this," Vancha shouted