CHAPTER 1

Cleo Dean was just going into the kitchen to make Pippa a bottle, when she noticed the activity in the Plaza. It looked as if the whole town had turned up to see something, but she couldn't make out what, as the crowd blocked her view.

"Pips? Come on honey we're gonna go for a walk!" Cleo called to her little sister. Pippa was 4 years old and had become Cleo's responsibility since the beginning of the FAYZ. With no adults to be seen, Cleo was the only family Pippa had left, and she just couldn't bring herself to drop her off at the day-care, Pippa was already scared enough. Anyway, it gave Cleo something to do, and she didn't mind, she'd always looked after her sister anyway, so it gave her some familiarity. Oskar, the Dean family's duck-tolling retriever, barked and jumped up at the word 'walk'. Cleo laughed. "OK boy, you can come too." She said, scratching him behind his ear. She went into the living room, dragged the 4 year old away from the TV, and they headed out into the Plaza to see what all the commotion was about.

Eventually the 2 girls and their dog managed to push their way to the front of the crowd, and saw the source of the commotion. Three black convertibles were parked outside the town hall, a bunch of Coates kids sitting inside them. Coates was the boarding school just out of town where rich parents sent their 'troubled' children. There was an age-old rivalry between the kids of Perdido Beach and the Coates kids, and it must have taken some nerve for them to come down here. Cleo respected that. Standing on the trunk of the front car, was a boy about Cleo's age. A good-looking boy. A SERIOUSLY HOT boy to be precise.

"…so don't worry, it's all going to be alright. I don't know exactly when your mommies will be back, but I'm here to help keep the town in check until they do…"

Wow, coming into Perdido Beach took some nerve. But declaring yourself as Leader or whatever was something else. But he did seem reliable, he'd done a very good job of calming everyone down…and he was fit…

"…So, I've brought some of my best people with me now: Drake, Diana…" He gestured to others in the front car. "But I'll need some of your people to help as well, any ideas?" There were shouts from the crowd.

"Sam Temple!"

"Yeah, Sam's great!"

"Sam put the fire out!"

"My boy Orc!"

Caine nodded and smiled warmly.

"Well anyone who wants to help me run this town, meet me in the church. I'll assign roles."

Cleo felt someone tap her on her shoulder and turned around to see her friend Jess smiling at her.

"Cleo you should go!" She gushed, nodding enthusiastically, Cleo shrugged. "You've done a great job of looking after Pippa and you're so clever and everyone likes you…and that Caine's pretty dishy, he could be the new Alfie!"

Cleo squirmed at the mention of her ex. They had been together for 2 years and Cleo was absolutely smitten. He was perfect: absolutely gorgeous, clever and romantic. He was tall, tanned, with sandy blonde hair and big warm brown eyes. He had a great fashion sense and he was always giving her presents and sending her flowers. Then she'd found out he'd been doing exactly the same thing to another girl, Olive, in the year above. Cleo felt the familiar feeling of her blood turning to ice water as she thought of him and quickly returned to reality.

"I dunno Jess, I don't really think I'm what they're looking for…I mean, I can't exactly compete with Sam or Astrid or the others people were putting forwards…" But Jess shook her head, dismissing her, and began pushing her over to the church.

"Go on, at least go and see what's going on, I'm not saying you have to try out for mayor, not that you'd ever get it, I'm sorry but Caine just has the fit factor doesn't he…?" Cleo rolled her eyes but found herself agreeing.