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CHAPTER TEN

A conference of war was going on at the Refuge. Stephen and Cara stood at the head of the table, with Andrew sat nearby. Making up the numbers were John, Russell, Astrid, Irene, Mike and Sophie. "So, you've met Andrew here,"Stephen began. "He's got a problem and we're going to fix it. We're going to make sure the police catch Dunning."

"So what's the plan?"Russell asked. "Get him to rob a bank and have the police waiting for him?"

Cara shook her head. "We've already foiled a bank robbery this month. Let's go for something new."

John looked across the table at Andrew. "What else is Dunning into?"

"Drugs?"Irene suggested. "We could make sure the police catch him with a bunch of drug making stuff."

Andrew shook his head. "He's not into drugs."

"Oh." Irene looked slightly crestfallen. "Could we teach him?"

"I've seen plenty of this type at school,"Astrid noted. "They're really into adrenaline rush. Dangerous stunts."

"Dunning and his friends are always hanging out with their cars,"Andrew agreed. "Well…not their cars usually. They kind of…borrow them for the night. Race each other."

Stephen considered this. "There may be something there we can use."

"What?"Mike asked. "You're going to sit around waiting for them to race each other and then call the cops?"

"I think we can be smarter than that. Russell, I'm going to need you to buy a car. Something fast and flashy, that'll appeal to this lot."

Russell grinned. "Brother, I think this might be the best idea you've ever had."

"Irene, can you come up with some sort of fuel or booster, that'd give us an edge in a race?"

Irene nodded. "Give me a problem and I'll give you a solution."

"Cara, I need you and Sophie to spring a trap, make sure they don't get away."

Cara glanced over at Sophie. "What do you think, sis? You up to it?"

Sophie smiled and shrugged. "Well, it'll get me out of this place for a bit."

"What do I do?"John asked.

Stephen glanced at their new recruit. "Train Andrew. He's already started learning one of the Ts, so teach him telepathy and teleportation. Because he's going to need to let us know where we have to go."

Jedikiah was still sitting in place in the laboratory when Morgan entered. "Jed? I've been looking for you. What's going on?"

Jedikiah held up a sheet of paper. "The test results, Morgan. Our child is a Tomorrow Person." He said it with the same tone of voice with which a doctor might announce a terminal illness.

Morgan came over and took his hands. "It's okay, Jed. I know you'll love this child. Like you do me."

Jedikiah stroked her face and gave a sad smile. "I do, Morgan. I do love our child. But I've seen the evil your kind can do. I can't be responsible for bringing more into the world. I suppose I could try the conditioning on you. But I love you too much to turn you into a slave."

Suddenly, his hands clamped around her throat. Morgan struggled, clawing at his hands, as she attempted to pull air through her blocked throat. "Don't fight it,"he said gently. "I've made it so you can't teleport out of here. It'll be easier for you if you just accept it."

Finally, she went limp. Jedikiah lowered her body to the floor, a single tear rolling down his cheek.

Andrew stood on the outer fringes of the crowd, looking worriedly about him. He'd heard their voices in his head, those of his new friends, promising they'd be on the way, but he still wasn't sure if he trusted them. Around him, youths were swigging beer and laughing. Then, he saw Dunning coming towards him and his heart sank.

"That was a neat trick you pulled before,"Dunning remarked. "Who were those two?"

Andrew shrugged. "Dunno. They just dumped me a few blocks away. Maybe they're mutants or something."

"Like you?" Dunning grinned wickedly. "Having our own pet mutant could be fun."

Then a red sports car came speeding up. Andrew inwardly breathed a sigh of relief as he recognised Stephen in the driver's seat, Russell next to him. Stephen leaned out the window. "Nice wheels. How fast do they go?"

"Fast enough,"Dunning retorted.

Russell leaned across. "You feel like proving that, my man, or are you just a lot of talk?"

Dunning bristled. "Rack 'em up,"he snapped.

Two cars lined up alongside Stephen and Russell's, Dunning driving one of them. Someone counted down from three and then they were off. Everyone else present ran after them, cheering. Only Andrew hang back.

Russell looked around nervously as Stephen put his foot hard down on the accelerator, keeping pace with the other two cars. "So, when are you going to use Irene's tricks?"

"In a minute,"Stephen answered. "There's something else needs to happen first."

On a ridge nearby were three police cars. The sergeant watched the three speeding vehicles drive past. "Looks like that tip-off was right. Let's go." The three cars sped down the dirt track after the vehicles, sirens blaring.

Stephen looked at Russell. "Now." He pressed the button and the special fuel kicked in, giving them a burst that took them way ahead of the other two cars.

Cara and Sophie watched the approaching vehicles from the bushes. "You ready for this?"Cara asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be,"Sophie confirmed.

"You take the tyres. I'll handle the cars."

The two sisters raised their hands. Sophie let out a telekinetic blast that burst all four front wheels on the two rear cars. At the same time, Cara took control of the vehicles, sending them into a controlled skid before bringing them to a stop. She smiled at Sophie before they both teleported.

The police officers surrounded the cars and dragged out their occupants. "We clocked you going at over a hundred,"the sergeant snapped. "Plus failing to stop when instructed by police." Dunning threw a punch at him, which he caught on his shoulder before grabbing him in an armlock. "And assaulting a police officer."

One of his officers glanced at the license plates. "These cars are on the list as stolen."

The sergeant grinned. "Breathalyse them. We might as well get the full lot."

Stephen and Russell glanced in the rear view mirror. One police car was still pursuing them. Stephen stopped the car and glanced at Russell. "Time to go." They teleported.

Two officers ran up to the empty car and tried to work out where its occupants had gone.

Andrew was alone at the site of the abandoned party. John emerged from the bushes. Andrew smiled with relief. "How'd it go?"

"We got your message about where the party was loud and clear. Guess you've mastered the telepathy thing." John reached into his back pocket and, unseen, drew out a hyperdermic. It would be so easy to take this one to Jedikiah. No-one would miss him.

Astrid appeared and John carefully put the hyperdermic away. "Stephen says Dunning and his friends are being loaded into a police van as we speak. Should we get back to the others?"

John nodded. He took her arm and turned to Andrew. "You want to try teleporting too?"

Andrew smiled and they all vanished.

Russell raised a glass. "To the new Tomorrow Person!"he toasted, patting Andrew on the shoulder; they, and the rest of the TPs had gathered in a room in the Refuge for an impromptu party. Russell turned to Stephen. "Seriously though, why couldn't we keep the car?"

"What do you need a car for?"Irene asked. "You can teleport anywhere."

"For the ladies! Rocking up in one of those things gets the right sort of attention. Appearing in a shower of lights, not so much."

Cara saw the debate was going to go on a while. She took Stephen's hand and led him out of the room. "Shouldn't we stay for the celebration?"he asked.

"Russell's got it in hand,"she answered. "There's something I want to show you." They teleported.

Stephen looked around the flat they'd found themselves in, slightly bemused. "Whose is this?"

Cara took a deep breath. "It's mine. I've been thinking about what you said, about us needing to be a part of the world, not detached from it in the Refuge. Guess I thought I should lead by example."

Stephen took another look around, pleased. Then a thought occurred to him. "How did you afford it?"

"Enough money left in the Ultra account for the bond. As for rent…" Cara sighed and looked pained. "I'm going to have to get a job, aren't I?"

Stephen grinned. "Wow, look at you all grown up."

"From rebel leader to flipping burgers. I'm not qualified for anything else. Unless you can think of transferable skills. What can a teleporting telepath do?"

"You could hire yourself out for industrial espionage?"

"Might just do that." Cara walked closer to him and gave him a long lingering kiss. "You know another good thing about this place? Privacy."

Stephen smiled. "How about you show me the bedroom?"

They kissed again as they headed in that direction.

John thought he'd managed to slip away successfully but then he heard the running footsteps and Astrid's call of "John!" He stopped and let her catch him up. "Aren't you going to stay at the party?"

"Just got something I need to do." He gave her a warm smile. "I'll be with you soon, okay? Go back to the others."

She smiled and gave him a long kiss before heading back the way she'd come. As soon as she was gone, John's manner became serious again. He went to his room and opened up the laptop.

Jedikiah's face stared out at him. There was something different about him. Something harder. "John."

"That new Tomorrow Person's here now. I thought of bringing him to you instead…"

"Flea bitings. Why have one when you can have them all?"

John cocked his head, intrigued. "Now?"

Jedikiah nodded. "Cause as much chaos as you can, then bring their leaders to me. With the information you've provided and my knowledge of the building, we can carry out a full-scale assault while they're in disarray. It's time for the Tomorrow People to be either controlled or destroyed."