CHAPTER 6

"So?" Mary asked, concerned, as Cleo returned to the day-care to pick up Pippa. She opened her mouth to speak, and then shut it again. So what? What had she actually got from speaking to Caine? He'd persuaded her that it was all alright, but was it? A baby had been MURDERED and she'd just nodded and accepted him telling her that was fine! Now as she returned to the scene of the crime, where little baby Noah was now outside the back door, blanket still covering him as Edilio had been too busy to pick him up yet, Cleo felt completely awful for not getting Caine to put a stop to Drake's brutal ways.

"Umm, yeah he's going to speak to Drake…misunderstanding…" She muttered and then hurriedly left with her sister, feeling awful. When she had been with Caine everything had made sense, she had been in the wrong, he had been Perfect Leader, but now, coming away, it just didn't feel right…she wondered if he had the power of conviction, or whether she was just a mushy teenage girl who fell for his good looks and charm. She sighed as she unlocked the front door of her family home and turned on the lights, Oskar and Pippa both relaxing as they entered their familiar sanctuary, but Cleo didn't feel so secure. There was something that wasn't right about the Coates kids…

An hour or so later Cleo collapsed exhausted onto the sofa in the living room Oskar lying beside her after reading Pippa far too many stories for her tired eyes and eventually sending her off to sleep. It was only 8:30 but all Cleo wanted to do was get to bed after her tiring day and so when the doorbell rang she felt like crying. Nevertheless she went and answered it and standing on her doorstep was none other than Caine Soren himself.

"Oh, hullo…" Cleo said, flustered as she moved out of the way so that Caine could come in. He walked straight into the living room and sat down on a large armchair, looking like he owned the place even though it was Cleo's house. She noticed that wherever he was he looked like he belonged. She sat down on the sofa next to him. "Um, would you like a drink or something to eat?" She asked, feeling as if the Prime Minister was in her house instead of some 14 year old guy. Caine shook his head, declining her offer.

"No I just wanted to talk to you about a few things, a few things that I forgot to mention earlier." Cleo nodded, nervous, feeling the same way she did when she sat down in front of her teachers at Parents Evening back at school. "First off, your job at the day-care…I've been thinking…it's a big responsibility, isn't it?" Cleo nodded.

"But I really enjoy it as well…" He ignored her.

"I think maybe it was too much for me to ask of you, I mean, you've got enough on your plate already, haven't you?" Cleo opened her mouth to object but Caine didn't give her a chance. "So I think you'd be better off working for me instead. Mother Mary will run the day-care by herself from now on-"

"She won't be able to handle it all on her own! I mean…" Cleo interrupted, but trailed off at a look from Caine.

"She'll have her brother, and I'll send her a few more volunteers. She'll be fine." Caine reassured her. Cleo ran her hand through Oskar's soft fur as she bit her lip, wondering where he was going with this.

"But I need a reliable person to assist me with a few things, and I feel like I can really trust you Cleo…" He looked at her, giving her that same look that had made her feel so special earlier. It had the same effect now. "Would you be able to help me?" And as he looked at her she was reminded of Oskar when he was begging for food. Like with Oskar, Cleo found herself giving in.

"I-I suppose…" She said and Caine beamed.

"Thank you so much Cleo! I knew I could count on you! Now, the reason I came round here now, is there's a favour I need you to do for me. There's something I need you to get for me."

"What is it?" Cleo asked, knowing that it wouldn't matter what it was, she'd end up getting it for Caine whatever.

"It's something I really need. A laptop." Cleo frowned.

"Umm…there aren't any adults here anymore? And you're mayor? Surely it isn't too hard to just walk into the Apple shop and take your pick?" Caine shook his head.

"No, you see…it's not that simple. I don't need just any laptop, I need a specific laptop. And also a box. Both things contain very valuable information. I don't suppose you know Sam Temple?" Cleo frowned.

"Um yeah, he went to school with me…w-why?" She asked, suddenly apprehensive.

"Do you know where he lives?" Cleo slowly nodded. She walked past it on her way to school back in the days before the FAYZ and had often seen him leaving.

"Well that's where the laptop and box are, I need you to get them and bring them to me and, err, it would probably be best if Sam didn't see you collecting them. Or anyone else for that matter."

"Um…I don't know…it's not right, stealing other people's stuff…" Caine sighed and gave her the same look he'd given her earlier; the tired look as if he was trying to find a way for even her stupid mind to understand.

"Oh Cleo…it's not really stealing! We're just borrowing them; we'll make sure we return them afterwards. And the things I need you to get…they're essential for some, err, research we're doing."

"What kind of research…?"

"About the FAYZ, you see, with the box and the laptop, we'll be able to uncover this whole mystery and maybe find a way out of this dome, and that will benefit everyone including Sam."

"Well then, why don't you just ask him for the stuff? And anyway, how do you know about it?"

"Because Sam…you see Cleo, there are two types of people in the world: good people and bad people. Let's just say Sam doesn't fit into the first category…all he cares about is power and status. If he knew that I was planning on finding a way out of the FAYZ, and I needed some of his things in order to do that, he wouldn't be keen to hand them over. He would want to be the big hero who saved everyone; he'd try and do it himself. But he doesn't know what I do…he wouldn't be able to do it. Just take my word for it, Cleo, I mean, look at me! I'm not a bad person, am I? I'm just trying to help. And that's what I need in order to carry out my mission." Cleo looked at Caine's kind face and couldn't not trust him. She found herself nodding.

"OK. I'll do it." Caine grinned.

"Great! First thing tomorrow, while Sam's still out of town. Thanks a bunch Cleo!" And he went over and hugged her, her heart beating double time as he wrapped his arms around her. She felt disappointed when he finally let go. But then he was heading for the front door. "Bye Cleo, remember, tomorrow morning. And bring them straight to me." Then he winked and the door was closing and he was gone.