Sitting Target (2 page)

“In a way,” Alex said. “After all, I've been spying on you, haven't I? And now I want you to be a sort of spy, too.”

“Really? Where?”

“The clinic. The Health Centre where you go. It has a few beds for special patients. One of them is my brother. He's very sick and he's got a police guard. That's why I can't get in to see him. We're not meant to be in this country, you see. I'll be arrested. So I need someone to go in for me. Someone that no one will suspect. Someone who won't get caught getting the secrets. Before it's too late.”

Lee looked puzzled. “What sort of secrets?”

“A list of names. Names of men from my country who try to kill us. You see, my brother and I escaped here. We told the truth about our leaders back home. Now they want us killed. My brother was poisoned before he could give me the names of the killers. We need to warn the world about what's going on back home.”

Lee was quiet for a while. “Even if I get what you want, how will it do any good?”

“You'll save lives. We must post the truth online.
And, like I said, I'll pay you.” He pointed at the £20 notes he'd put by the cooker. “There's £500 there. That's the first half. You get the rest when you succeed.”

Lee's eyes widened. “Wow! A grand! Cool. That seems like easy money to me.”

“Maybe,” Alex said seriously. “But there could be a risk.”

“What sort of a risk?”

Alex put down his mug and looked Lee straight in the eyes. “There's a man known as Zeta. He will stop at nothing to kill us. I've never seen him but I'll know him when I do. Part of his ear is missing. It was shot off. Now he'll shoot anyone who gets in his way.”

“So, if I help you,” Lee said, putting down his mug, “will this Zeta be after me, too?”

“He won't find out. We'll keep it secret.” Alex rinsed his mug under the tap. “Let's face it, if he ever did find out about you…” he dried the mug and looked up. “He'd shoot you dead.”

The letterbox rattled. Lee looked up from his breakfast with a start. For the last two days he'd been on edge every time a sound came from the front door. His mum picked up the letters from the doormat.

“I keep finding mud on this carpet,” she called to him. “Did you knock my pot plant off the hall table?”

“I fell over, that's all.”

He looked back at the TV screen. Just more boring news stories. His mind began to wander.
He wondered when Alex would get in touch with him again. There had been no word from him after he'd left with a, “You'll be hearing from me soon.”

Lee had put some of the money away in a tin under his bed. He was due at the clinic in a few hours but he didn't know exactly what Alex wanted him to do.

It was as if Lee's thoughts flashed on the TV screen. There, right in front of him, was Alex's face. Those same eyes were staring at him from the screen. It didn't seem real. Nor did the news reader's voice:

Police say the body found shot dead on a train last night was this man. Details of the murder are still not clear. It seems he was Alexander Kinkova, thought to be on the run….

“Not more shooting. I can't stand all this bad news.” Lee's mum switched off the TV and sat beside him. “What are you looking so glum about, love?” She touched his arm.

Lee stared at the blank screen. He didn't move. His mum kept talking. “Cheer up. I'm the one who needs to look gloomy. I've just got this. Another bill. They told me it wouldn't cost much to fix the car. Look at it – £432. There's no way I can afford that. Never.”

She put her face in her hands. Lee saw her tears drip onto the table. He hated it when she cried. He wanted to say something but the words wouldn't come. He was still stunned from the news on the TV. It felt as if he was dreaming.

“I've got some money you can have,” he said. He was dying to switch the TV back on.

“Not this sort of money, you haven't,” she sobbed. “I just don't know what I can do.” She pushed two other letters across the table. “I daren't open these. If they're bills as well…”

“Don't worry, Mum.” Lee took a quick look to see if they looked like bills. One did. It was in red. A final demand. But the other
letter was thicker. Lee looked more closely and was surprised to see his name on it. Without thinking, he slid it off the table into his lap. He somehow knew this was best kept secret.

“I'll get you a cup of coffee, Mum,” he said, tucking the letter in his shirt.

“No, love. You finish your breakfast.”

Lee wanted to scream. She'd never let him try to help. She always thought he'd fall or make a mess. “I just want to make a difference,” he snapped. He, too, felt like crying.

He wheeled himself into the hall to the foot of the stairs and clambered up to his room. As he lay on his bed, he took out the letter and opened the envelope. It was stuffed with £20 notes. Pinned to one of them was a note.

Hi Lee,

I've had to act fast. I'm being followed. Zeta is on to me. If he gets me you must act alone. PLEASE. You will make a real difference. People in my country must be warned about the men on the list. Men with important jobs who cannot be trusted. Most of them are killers.

My brother's name is Georgi. The code is PRO PATRIA. Tell him that and he'll give you the names and an email address to send them to. Then destroy all information. Burn this note. Don't let Zeta get hold of it. Never.

Don't tell the police. Not until the job is done. They will only hold things up. It is urgent. Thank you, Lee. You're a great kid. Sorry I scared you. I would give you more money if I had it. You deserve it. Good luck.

Alex

Lee sat on his bed and counted the money. Over £500. He put it in the tin with the rest and slid it under his bed. There was more than enough to pay all the bills. He looked at his watch. In a few hours he had to be at the clinic. He needed time to think. There were things to do. He read Alex's letter many times.

There was no doubt in Lee's mind. He was going to do this job. This was his chance to prove he could be useful. He wanted to do something for Alex, too. It was strange. Just a few days ago he'd never known about Alex. Now he felt really sad that Alex had been killed. One of the last things he'd done was write to Lee. That made him feel important. For the first time in his life. But he also felt scared. There could be danger in all this.

Lee thought he might need to take a few things on his visit to the clinic. Just in case. He began to get ready for his secret mission. A mission called PRO PATRIA. Whatever that might mean. He feared it meant something in particular. Danger.

“There's no parking space. We're late!” Lee's mum gripped the steering wheel and swore.

“It's OK, Mum. Just let me out and I'll go in by myself. It's no big deal. You can go shopping. Come back for me in an hour.” Lee smiled at her and hoped she'd agree.

“Don't be silly, Lee. I can't leave you on your own. You'll never cope.”

He snapped at her with real anger. “Mum, I
want
to go in on my own. It's about time I did things
by myself. I'll never learn to cope if you don't give me a chance. Go on, you go.”

He took a £5 note from his pocket. “There you are, go and have a nice cup of coffee and a cake. Chill out. See you in an hour.” He opened the car door and swung his legs outside. “Just put the chair here for me and I'll do the rest.”

They argued until Lee had to use the words he only kept for an emergency. He hated saying it but out they came… “Dad would let me go in on my own. He wants me to grow up and cope for myself.”

His Mum looked cross. “Right. Go on, then. Don't blame me if you fall over or get hurt. Don't expect me to come running to pick you up. And take off that silly red baseball cap.”

“Anything you say, Mum!” He took off his cap and grinned. It felt good to get his own way for a change. In minutes he was wheeling himself through the clinic doors. He turned to wave at
his mum as she drove past… before he pulled the cap back on his head and sped down an alley into the next street. Within minutes he was back and racing through the clinic doors.

“Hi, Lee,” the nurse behind the desk called. “No Mum today?”

“No,” he grinned. “Left to cope on my own without anyone to hold my hand!”

“You poor little soul! Just park over there for ten minutes and you can go through. The physio's running a bit late.”

The nurse smiled and returned to sort out the queue waiting at her desk. Lee thought he'd use the ten minutes to find Georgi's room. He already had a plan for getting past the police guard.

“Are you Lee?” A man in uniform appeared beside him.

“Yes,” he said, looking up with surprise. “Is it time to go through already?”

“I've been sent to collect you. The doctor over at our other clinic wants to see you first. It won't take long. I'll pop you over in the ambulance.” He winked. “I might try the siren and flashing light if you like! Come on, then.” He pushed Lee's chair to the door.

Lee slammed on the brake. “Hold on,” he said. “We need to tell the nurse.” He waved at her but she was so busy at the desk she didn't see him. The man suddenly let off the brake and shoved him out through the door. They sped down the ramp towards the waiting ambulance as Lee shouted and waved his arms.

“Shut up and do as you're told,” the man yelled as he pushed the chair up a ramp into the back of the ambulance. Lee was flung inside and the doors slammed behind him.

“Now, just listen to me. This is soundproof so you can scream and shout as much as you like. No one will hear you. But I want to hear you. You're going to tell me all you know. And just in case you don't do as you're told.” …

The man took out a syringe, “this needle has enough poison in it to get rid of you for good. In seconds. I hate kids so I'll be pleased to use it. Now tell me what you know about Georgi.”

“I've never met anyone called Georgi. And I don't know who you are, either.” Lee's hand slipped down the side of his chair. He'd hidden a few things under a cushion. Just in case. It was time to use one of them.

“Never mind who I am. What did Georgi tell you? He's only got ten minutes to live. By two o'clock he'll be dead. Tell me what his brother told you. We know he came to see you. Tell me or you'll feel pain.”

The man gripped Lee's neck and leaned forwards so they almost touched noses. Lee could hardly
breathe as he looked up at the man's ears. He wasn't the dreaded Zeta, but scary enough. It was time to strike before it was too late.

Lee had come prepared – with a weapon. It was the only thing he could think of – a water pistol filled with vinegar. He'd once seen it in a spy comic. But now it was time to put it to the test. As the hand gripped his neck tighter, Lee's fingers found the trigger. He whipped out the pistol and squirted it straight in the man's eyes.

As the scream burst in his ears, Lee could breathe again – but he had to act fast. Weak though his legs were, he kicked with all his strength. The man fell backwards, still rubbing his eyes and swearing. He cracked his head on a bracket holding a stretcher. He crumpled, groaned and rolled across the ambulance.

Lee dived from his chair and crawled towards the syringe. He didn't want that deadly needle left lying around. He'd get rid of it. But just as he reached it, the man lashed out. Lee fell back
against the wheelchair, dropping the syringe onto the seat. That's when the man dived at him. Lee slid behind the wheelchair and pulled himself up. As the man staggered towards him, Lee pushed the chair at him. It crunched into the man's legs and he fell into the chair. Lee scooped him up and slammed the chair at the doors. They burst open and the chair flew out down the ramp.

As the wheelchair hit the ground, it skidded and tipped over. The man shot out, headfirst. He slumped on the path with a thud. But there, sticking out of the man's behind, was the needle. He tried to get up, but began mumbling as if he was drunk. He crawled along the path, pulling the needle out with a growl. Suddenly, he tumbled into a flower bed. In seconds he lay still, his head down in the mud. His groans had stopped.