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IVAN WAS replaced by a burly police officer called Dave shortly after Mr Blaws had departed Dave acted friendly - the first thing he did when he ca to eat or drink - but I wasn’t fooled I’d watched enough TV shows to know all about the good cop/bad cop routine

"We’re here to help you, Darren," Dave assuredit into a plastic cup filled with steaar spilt over the side, on to the table I was ninety per cent certain the spill was deliberate - Dave wantedoff these handcuffs and settingDave cautiously as he tore open another sachet of sugar Morgan worried ot rough, but I believed Morgan was capable of worse - but I’d have to be extra careful with Dave, or he’d wor tiht-headed Prone to slips

"Take off your handcuffs and set you free," Dave s atto happen, but there are things Ican do Get you a lawyer for one A bath A change of clothes A nice bunk for the night You’re going to be with us a long time, I fear, but it doesn’t have to be an unpleasant stay"

"What do I have to do to ed and sipped the coffee "Ouch! Too hot!" Fanning his lips with a hand to cool them down, he smiled "Not much," he said in answer to my question "Tell us your real na here That kind of stuff"

I shook my head wryly - new face, sa to answer, so he changed tack "That routine’s stale, right? Let’s try so else Your friend, Harkat Mulds, says he needs his mask to survive, that he’ll die if exposed to air for more than ten or twelve hours Is that true?"

I nodded cautiously "Yes"

Dave looked glum "This is bad," he muttered "Very, very bad"

"What do you mean?" I asked

"This is a prison, Darren You and your friends are s weobjects like belts, ties andmasks from possible killers when they’re admitted is one of the rules"

I stiffened in my chair "You’ve taken away Harkat’s mask?" I snapped

"We had to," Dave said

"But he’ll die without it!"

Dave rolled his shoulders carelessly "We’ve only your word for that It’s not enough But if you tell us what he is and why normal air is deadly for him - and if you tell us about your other friends, Crepsley and March - lared hatefully at the policeman "So it’s rat on my friends or you’ll let Harkat die?" I sneered

"That’s a horrible way to put it," Dave protested warmly "We don’t intend to let any of you die If your short, unusual friend takes a turn for the worse, we’ll hurry hi and patch hie But?"

"Steve’s here?" I interrupted "You’ve got Steve Leopard in the ?"

"SteveLeonard ," he corrected ht hiuard hiht we’d lost Steve If we could get to hi and take hi to save Debbie’s life

I stretched my chained hands above my head and yawned "What’s the time?" I asked casually

"Sorry," Dave smiled "That’s classified information"

I loweredI wanted?"

"Uh-huh," Dave replied, eyes narrowing hopefully

"Would it be OKif I walked around for a fewup"

Dave looked disappointed - he’d been anticipating a more involved request "You can’t leave this roo to A couple offrom one side to the other will be fine"

Dave checked with Con and Morgan to see what they thought

"Let hi as he stays on his own side of the table"

Morgan didn’t say anything, just nodded once to shoas OK

Pushing led the chain linkingit, then walked fro the tension out ofan escape plan

After a while I stopped at one of the walls and restedthe lower part of the ith my left foot, as if I was nervous and claustrophobic In reality I was testing it I wanted to kno thick the as and if I could break through

The results of the test were unpro By the feel of the wall, and the dull echoes from my kicks, it was made of solid concrete, two or three blocks thick I could bust through eventually, but it would take a lot of work and - uard by the door would have a ain, eyes flicking from the door to the wall at the front of the cell The door looked pretty solid - steel - but maybe the wall it was set in wasn’t as thick as the others Perhaps I could break through it quicker than through the sides or back Wait until it was definitely night, hope the police left h and ?

No Even if the police left me, the video cameras set in the corners above the door wouldn’t So all the time The alarm would sound as soon as I attacked the wall, and the corridor outside would fill with police within seconds

It had to be the ceiling From where I stood, I’d no idea whether it was reinforced or norh or not But it was the only logical escape route If I was left alone, I could knock out the cameras, take to the rafters, and hopefully losethe way I wouldn’t have time to search for Harkat and Mr Crepsley, so I’d just have to hope they made it out by themselves

It wasn’t oing to get the policemen to leave; I didn’t think they’d withdraw for the night to let inning of one The rest would fall into place along the way

I hoped!

I walked for a few ain, and ere back to the questions This tiot the sense that their patience was nearing its end Violence couldn’t be far off

The police were increasing the pressure The offers of food and drinks were no longer being made, and Dave’s se officer had loosened his collar button and eating freely as he poundedabout round Noanted to kno many people I’d killed, where the bodies were, and if I was just an acco

In reply to his questions I kept saying, "I didn’t kill anyone I’ person"

Con wasn’t as polite as Dave He’d started slaly every time he addressedabout ainst the blohich seeed He sat quiet and still, staring relentlessly, blinking once every four seconds

"Are there others?" Dave growled "Is it just the four of you, or are therethat we don’t know about?"