Adam and the Arkonauts (16 page)

‘You! Conspiracy chico! Stop!'

The police were on their way up the last flight of stairs.

Adam leapt on to the bookcase and climbed rapidly after her. Above him, Anna pushed open the skylight and heaved herself out on to the flat roof.

‘Come down here at once!'

Adam was horrified to see a policeman running towards him. He had no intention of obeying, of course. He scrabbled up on to the top of the bookcase and reached for the skylight.

The bookcase shuddered as the policeman leapt on to it, tipping Adam off balance. He wobbled dangerously for a moment, riding the top of the rocking bookcase like a surfboard. As soon as it felt steady again, he stretched for the skylight and, gripping the edge, began to pull himself up.

The policeman made a swipe for Adam's dangling legs. He missed. He took another step up the shelves. He wouldn't miss a second time. Anna grasped Adam under his arms and helped to heave the rest of his body up and through the skylight. Adam felt the policeman's fingers just clip his shoe as he scrambled safely on to the roof.

From there they could see the whole of Buenos Sueños stretched out around them. But there wasn't time to appreciate the view – the head of the policeman popped out of the skylight.

Anna and Adam sprinted across the rooftop of the town hall.

‘Stop!'

Still running, Adam chanced a glance behind. More policemen were pulling themselves up through the skylight and giving chase. He reached out and tapped Anna on the shoulder. She turned and smiled when she saw their pursuers, then pointed ahead – there was another skylight.

Adam understood. Anna had lured the police up there in order to get past them. They'd be able to slip through the second skylight, rush down the stairs and disappear into the narrow streets of Buenos Sueños before the policemen could catch up.

Anna put on a spurt of speed and reached the skylight. She tugged at it. And tugged again. Worry creased her face. It wouldn't open. Adam caught up with her and together they gave the skylight a mighty tug. It didn't move at all. This time it was locked. Anna frantically looked about for an object with which to smash the glass, but there was nothing.

Now that the policemen could see that the children were trapped, they slowed to a walk, determined to savour this capture and to make the waiting children suffer. The open skylight was the only way off the roof and they blocked access to it. Adam and Anna had nowhere to go.

But Anna wasn't beaten yet. She gestured to Adam to follow her. The policemen watched with amusement as she led the way to the edge of the roof, which had a thick terrace wall running round it, and with a defiant toss of her dark hair climbed on to it.

‘What are you doing?' shouted Adam.

Anna motioned for Adam to get up alongside her. Adam had other ideas.

‘It's too dangerous!'

Like a gymnast, Anna danced a few steps along the wall to show how dangerous she thought it was.

‘Be careful,' cautioned Adam.

Anna did a cartwheel.

This display had galvanised the policemen. They wanted their captives alive.

‘Get down!' they shouted, and they started running again.

Anna reached down and grabbed Adam. The last thing he wanted was to be hauled over the terrace.

‘All right, I'm coming,' he said. ‘Just don't pull me.'

Anna let go and Adam clambered on to the terrace and stood up. Anna pointed to the next building. It was lower than the town hall and a narrow street separated them. She grabbed hold of his hand.

‘You want us to jump?' Adam cried. ‘You're crazy!'

He looked down – the ground was far below him. It began to sway. He felt sick and dizzy. Anna gripped his hand tightly. Adam shook his head. Anna nodded. Adam sighed. Together they took two steps forward. And jumped.

‘Aiieeeeeeee!' cried Anna.

It was the first sound Adam had ever heard Anna make. Would it be the last? They were falling fast. Were they falling too fast? If they didn't reach the roof of the next building, the street below was ready to rush up to them and welcome them with a mighty crunch.

‘Aiieeeeeeee!' cried Adam.

Hand in hand, the two of them flew through the air and landed on the roof of the building opposite.

‘Aieeeee . . . Eeooow . . . Ow!' cried Adam, crashing down, tumbling over and banging his knee hard.

Next to him, Anna rolled into a graceful and painfree landing. It seemed the dark-haired girl had much more experience when it came to death-defying leaps. This did not surprise Adam.

Behind them, the policemen were furious. Already they were wondering how they were going to explain to Chief Grivas that they had been outwitted by two children. None of them wanted to face his wrath.

The fear gave Officer Jordi Grivas an idea. He unholstered his pistol and pointed it at the children.

‘Yikes!' commented Adam.

‘Stay exactly where you are,' ordered the officer. ‘Or we shoot.'

Adam froze. Anna stuck out her tongue and did a backflip.

‘What are you doing?' cried Adam. ‘They're pointing a gun at you.'

Anna waved her hand contemptuously. She knew the policemen wouldn't shoot at children.

Bang!

It turned out she was wrong. Things in Buenos Sueños were getting very nasty indeed.

.

CHAPTER 23

Adam and Anna dashed for the nearest skylight in a hail of gunshot from the policemen's revolvers.

Let this one be unlocked
, Adam prayed.

Dust flew up in front of him as a bullet ricocheted off the roof and shattered the glass of the skylight.

‘Get down,' urged Adam.

Nothing seemed to flurry Anna. She lowered herself easily through the frame of the skylight and dropped to the floor. Needless to say, Adam was not so graceful in his hurry to escape the cracks and bangs of the gunfire around him.

‘Ow!' He had hurt his other knee. He tried to ignore the throbbing pain and looked about him. They had fallen on to a landing. It was empty apart from a huge old wardrobe. Anna waved her hands to indicate he should hurry up.

Adam had just got to his feet when he heard a clunk from inside the wardrobe. The old Adam might have pretended not to hear it. But the new, bolder Adam strode over to the wooden doors and flung them open.

Grandma Marquez was standing inside. She was still knitting a scarf. She blinked angrily at Adam.

‘How did you find me?' she demanded.

‘You clunked.'

‘You try knitting in the dark,' the old lady said defensively.

‘I was just explaining,' said Adam.

‘Are you the police?' she asked suspiciously. ‘Because I warn you, if you are, I have a knitting needle and I'm prepared to use it!'

‘No,' Adam replied. ‘Actually, we're on the run from the police.'

Anna clenched her fists in frustration. Adam's honesty would surely get them caught.

‘I'm on the run from the police too,' confided Grandma Marquez.

‘Really?' asked Adam, in surprise. ‘Why?'

‘I don't remember exactly. It was sixty years ago or so,' said Grandma Marquez, ‘but I committed a crime – something to do with peas.'

‘Peas? You're sure you can commit a crime with peas?'

The old woman nodded.

‘I thought I'd got away with it,' she said. ‘But just the other day the police found me and I've been forced to hide in my sister Jordina's wardrobe ever since. It is a terrible way for an old woman to spend her declining years. Have you ever tried to have a conversation with a coat hanger?'

Adam shook his head. Next to him, Anna suddenly came to life. Her hands flew backwards and forwards.

‘What is the matter with your friend?' asked the old lady, looking alarmed.

‘She doesn't talk,' explained Adam, without taking his eyes off Anna. He had to concentrate hard to understand her gestures.

‘Anna wants to know if anything unusual happened just before the police came into your house?'

Grandma Marquez thought for a moment and then nodded.

‘Two children I'd never seen before rode through the dining room on a bicycle.'

‘That was us,' said Adam.

‘I hope for your sake you don't run into my daughter-in-law,' said the old lady. ‘You got oil on her favourite rug.'

‘You don't understand,' Adam began.

‘What's there to understand?' said Grandma Marquez. ‘There is oil on a rug. She will kill you.'

‘No,' said Adam. ‘Not the rug. The police. They were after us. They didn't know anything about you and the peas.' The old lady looked confused. ‘It means that you don't need to worry about staying in this wardrobe for the rest of your life.'

Her face broke into a wide wrinkly smile as she realised this was true. She stepped out on to the landing.

‘I am free,' she said. ‘Thank you, chicos. You must let me do something for you in return.'

From three floors below there was a tremendous banging on the door.

‘I wonder who that could be,' she said.

‘I think I can guess,' said Adam.

‘Oh good,' said the old lady. ‘I like guessing games too. Is it the butcher?'

‘No, it's –'

‘Don't tell me. The baker?'

‘No, it's the police,' said Adam. ‘They're after us and we need to get away.'

The sound of more thunderous knocks reached them.

‘You're not very good at giving clues,' said the old lady frostily.

‘I'm not playing a game,' said Adam.

‘I'm an old-age pensioner who has spent the last few days with only coat hangers for company. You'd think that a little guessing game wouldn't be too much to ask. But the youth of today only think of themselves . . .' she muttered.

‘I'm not only thinking of myself,' said Adam. ‘I'm thinking of my dog and of my dad and of my mum and of my grandfather. They are all locked up and I'm the only person who can help them escape . . .'

Anna was reading Adam's lips and she stamped her foot. Adam looked at her, surprised. Anna pointed firmly to herself.

‘I mean, Anna and I are the only people who can help them to escape,' he added.

‘Well,' said the old lady grudgingly, ‘I suppose you can't be blamed for your bad manners. It's obvious you come from a family of criminals.'

‘But I don't,' said Adam. ‘Well, not the whole family. I mean, my grandfather is a criminal, and I haven't seen my mum since I was two.'

‘I see,' said Grandma Marquez. ‘You come from a broken home as well. What can one expect?'

‘I don't come from a broken home. My mum was kidnapped by an evil scientist.'

‘Is that what your parents told you?'

‘Yes,' said Adam.

‘Well, it makes a change from “We married too young and your mother's gone to find herself.”'

There was more thunderous knocking downstairs.

‘Is there any other way out of here?' Adam pleaded.

‘There might be,' Grandma Marquez replied cryptically.

‘Will you show it to us?' he begged.

‘All in good time,' said the old lady. ‘First I'd better answer the door.'

‘But it's the police at the door!' said Adam desperately. ‘You can't let them in.'

‘Who said anything about letting them in?' said the old lady with a smile as she set off down the stairs.

.

CHAPTER 24

Grandma Marquez opened the door a fraction.

‘Ciao,' she said.

‘Why have you taken so long to answer?' the policeman demanded.

Behind the door, Adam and Anna shrank back. If Grandma Marquez decided to betray them, they would be caught for sure.

‘I have bad knees,' said Grandma Marquez. ‘And bad ankles. And my elbows are nothing to write home about.'

‘Shut up about your elbows,' said the policeman rudely. ‘I am Officer Grivas of the Buenos Sueños Police Force. Two wanted criminals were seen entering your premises. I demand you allow the officers of the law to come in and search for them.'

‘All right, officer,' said Grandma Marquez.

Adam and Anna couldn't believe it. She was going to let them in. The old lady reached up to undo the chain that was all that was keeping them from the clutches of the police. Adam and Anna held their breath.

Suddenly Grandma Marquez stopped.

‘Wait a minute,' she said. ‘I haven't got my tights on.'

‘That is not important.'

‘I don't know what you're talking about, officer,' said Grandma Marquez. ‘Let a young man into my house when I'm alone and I haven't got my tights on? Think what people will say. I'll be back in a minute.'

‘No,' shouted Officer Grivas. ‘Don't shut this door. Don't –'

Grandma Marquez shut the door.

The thunderous knocking resumed.

‘It's good being old,' said Grandma Marquez with a cackle. ‘Everybody thinks you're crazy. You can get away with anything. Follow me, chicos.'

She led them through the dark house, which was filled with antique furniture, and into the kitchen. There was another old lady peeling potatoes.

‘This is my sister, Jordina,' said Grandma Marquez. ‘This is Adam and Anna, Jordina. They are on the run from the police too.'

‘Have they done something with peas as well?' asked Jordina, who seemed utterly unconcerned about having more fugitives from justice under her roof.

‘No,' said Grandma Marquez, shaking her head. ‘But he's from a broken home and she waves her arms about. Anyway, the police are searching the streets for them so I am going to show them the secret way out.'

Jordina nodded.

‘Would they like a packed lunch?'

Anna shook her head.

‘No, thank you,' said Adam. ‘It's very kind of you but we've got to get on with rescuing my family.'

‘That sounds very hard work to me,' said Jordina. ‘You'll need food to keep your strength up.'

‘Really,' said Adam, ‘we're not hungry. If we could just –'

‘It won't take a moment,' said Jordina. ‘Sister, you do the bread and I'll do the fillings.'

Neither of the old ladies seemed in the least bothered by the thunderous pounding at the door. They worked together like a well-oiled machine. Minutes later there was a bag full of sandwiches in front of them.

‘That's very kind of you,' said Adam.

‘Do you like ginger beer?' asked Grandma Marquez.

Anna was standing behind the sisters and she put her finger down her throat and mimed being sick.

‘It's Anna's favourite,' Adam replied immediately.

‘I'll give her an extra bottle, then.'

Anna shot Adam a hard look. He smiled back. He was getting the hang of this lying business.

‘Right,' said Grandma Marquez. ‘Follow me!'

She led them out into an enclosed courtyard, where plants and herbs grew in large pots.

‘Here it is,' she said, indicating a manhole cover. ‘The secret way. Pull it up.'

Adam reached down and pulled. The smell as the cover came up was unbelievably disgusting.

‘Ugh!' he said, taking a step backwards. ‘That's the sewers! We're not going in there.'

‘It's the only way out of here that the police won't be watching,' said Grandma Marquez, adding consolingly, ‘and you get used to it after a day or two.'

‘A day or two?' said Adam, horrified. ‘I don't –'

‘Good luck to you both,' said the old lady. ‘Do come back and visit one day, but make sure you have a shower first.'

‘But which way do we go?'

‘Follow the rope,' she replied. ‘You'll find it when you jump down. It will lead you to safety. But coil it up as you go so that there is no way the police can follow you.'

‘But then we won't be able to get back,' said Adam.

‘You won't need to. Just, whatever you do, don't let go of it. The sewers are a maze and without it you will never find your way out.'

And she headed back towards the kitchen.

Adam and Anna sampled the awful odour rising from the manhole. Anna wrinkled her nose in disgust. Adam wrinkled his nose back. Anna opened her hands in a gesture of resignation. They had no other option, so they might as well get on with it. Adam nodded. They smiled at each other. And then they jumped . . .

Into the sewers of Buenos Sueños.