Sitting Target

by John Townsend

  Titles in Teen Reads:

  FAIR GAME

  ALAN DURANT

  HOME

  TOMMY DONBAVAND

  KIDNAP

  TOMMY DONBAVAND

  MAMA BARKFINGERS

  CAVAN SCOTT

  SITTING TARGET

  JOHN TOWNSEND

  THE HUNTED

  CAVAN SCOTT

  THE CORRIDOR

  MARK WRIGHT

  WORLD WITHOUT WORDS

  JONNY ZUCKER

  Badger Publishing Limited, Oldmedow Road,

  Hardwick Industrial Estate, King’s Lynn PE30 4JJ

  Telephone: 01438 791037

  www.badgerlearning.co.uk

  Sitting Target ISBN 978-1-78147-565-2

  ISBN: 9781781476642 (Epub)

  ISBN: 9781781476659 (Mobi)

  Text © John Townsend 2014

  Complete work © Badger Publishing Limited 2014

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any form or by any means mechanical, electronic, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.

  The right of John Townsend to be identified as author of this Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  Publisher: Susan Ross

  Senior Editor: Danny Pearson

  Copyeditor: Cheryl Lanyon

  Designer: Bigtop Design Ltd

  2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1 Home Alone

  Chapter 2 The Deal

  Chapter 3 The Mission

  Chapter 4 The Clinic

  Chapter 5 The Top Floor

  Chapter 6 The Last Word

  Lee lives with his mum in a quiet street.

  Too quiet. When a stranger breaks in, Lee is suddenly thrown into the secret and disturbing world of international espionage. Now he has a scary job to do in a frantic race against time. He might only be fourteen and in a wheelchair, but he’s sure of one thing – he must never become a sitting target. Not now they are after him…

  CHAPTER 1

  HOME ALONE

  Lee first saw the face through the front door. A nose pressed against the frosted glass.

  A steamy smear spread from the lips. Dark eyes peered in. Blinking. Staring. Scary.

  Lee threw himself on the floor and lay still. His heart was thumping like mad. No one ever called at their house. Mum always told him not to answer the door to strangers. He’d never felt so scared. Not in his own home. He just hoped the eyes hadn’t seen him.

  Being alone had never been a problem before. Lee was used to it. Until now. He’d always liked being in the house on his own. It was the only time he could do what he liked. No one to nag or fuss. But all of a sudden it felt different. Who could he call for help? No one was next door – they were away. It was already getting dark.

  The phone was just out of reach. Lee grabbed a leg of the wobbly hall table. It shook and crashed down on him. The phone, note pad, pens and a pot plant fell on top of him. As he lay at the foot of the stairs, he wished he hadn’t snapped at his mum at breakfast.

  “Of course I’ll be all right here by myself. I’m fourteen. I like being on my own. Why do you treat me like a helpless zombie?”

  But now he couldn’t manage – and he knew it.

  There was nothing Lee could do. The dark shape through the glass was pushing a key in the lock. It jangled and clicked as Lee pulled himself across the floor towards the door. He’d try to fix the chain before the door could open. He might even reach the catch on the lock. That would stop the man getting in. That’s if Lee’s legs didn’t give way. But he didn’t have time to find out. Just as he crawled to the door, it opened and pushed towards him with a thud.

  Lee fell back and stared up at a man standing over him. The door slammed shut, followed by a scary silence. They were alone in the house. Both sweating and breathless, they stared into each other’s eyes.

  It was Lee who spoke first. He was surprised at how calm he managed to sound.

  “Before you kill me, there’s something you should know.” He held up his phone.

  “I’ve filmed you breaking in. I’ve just sent it to my mum’s phone. The police will know who you are from your eyes. They can read them like fingerprints. So now you know.”

  The man stood very still for a few seconds. He seemed lost for words. Slowly he pulled the hood from his head and took off his gloves. He knelt down beside Lee and held out his hand. “I’m really sorry,” he said softly. “I’m sorry you fell. I’m sorry I broke in. I’m sorry I scared you. But it was the only way. You are a brave boy.”

  Lee’s heart was still thumping. He tried to make sense of this man with jet-black hair and staring brown eyes. Quite young – with a soft voice – foreign.

  “We haven’t got anything,” Lee told him. “There’s no money in the house. Mum doesn’t get paid much and I haven’t got a dad living here. I’ve only got a few quid in a tin upstairs. You can have it. But if you must rob us, don’t smash things up. Please. Mum gets upset and stressed. She hasn’t been well, you see, and…”

  The man put a finger to his lips. “Shhh. I am not here to hurt you. I am not a robber. I’m a friend. I want you to be my friend.”

  Lee tried to pull away and shuffle into the kitchen. This man’s a nut case, he thought. He’s broken into our house just to ask me to be his friend. How weird is that?

  The man read his mind. “Don’t worry, I’m not mad. And I’m not a killer. If you can help me, I will pay you.” He took a wad of £20 notes from his pocket. “Have this to begin with.”

  “Mum’s told me never to take money from strangers. Even scary ones who break in.”

  For the first time the man smiled. “You’re a bright kid. I knew you were. I’ve been watching you for a few days. I could tell you have a lot of spark.”

  “Watching me?” Lee moved his hand to the phone under his leg. He’d try to call the police. “Where have you been watching me?” His finger pressed 9 on the keypad.

  “At the clinic.”

  “I go there a lot.” Lee tried to keep the man talking while his finger pressed two more 9s. “I’m still having physio. I was born with something called CP. As I grow, I have to have my legs twisted. I had a big operation this year. They broke the bones and re-set them. I want to be walking on my sticks by next year. Till then I have to use the wheelchair. I like being at home as I can crawl around as much as I like. At least, I used to like being at home…”

  “I’m sorry. I did knock on your back door. I knew you were in. I must talk to you. Alone.” The man put his hand on Lee’s arm. “I know what you are doing. I can’t blame you. Go ahead and call the police. I won’t stop you. It’s just that I thought you might be able to help. Maybe I was wrong. But you’re the only one who can save us. I’m desperate. I’ll pay you all I’ve got. I’ll do anything.”

  Lee lifted the phone. He paused as the voice on the other end asked for his details.

  “Are you still there?” it asked.

  “Yes,” he said softly. He looked up at the man’s face. A worried face, with pleading brown eyes. Eyes with tears in them. Lee stared at them as he calmly whispered into the phone. “It’s OK, thanks. I think I’m all right now.”

  He slowly put down the phone.

  CHAPTER 2

  THE DEAL

  The kettle boiled as Lee poured milk into two mugs.

  “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” he said. “Mum will go mad if she ever finds out. A minute ago you were breaking into our house and scaring me to death. And now I’m making you a cup of tea. This is crazy. Biscuit?”

  “Thanks. Can I help?” The stranger stood by the sink, watching.

  Lee turned
on his kitchen stool and gave him a stare. “Don’t go there. It might not be the best cup of tea you’ve ever had, but I can do it by myself. I didn’t tell the police to come just now because I felt sorry for you. It was a great change from the other way round. All my life people have looked at me with pity. But you didn’t treat me like I was a helpless kid who couldn’t walk. You were different. You’re the first person who’s ever asked me to help them. It felt good. That’s what I’ve been waiting for. The chance to show I can cope.”

  The man smiled. “You can cope all right. You’ve got guts. I like you, Lee.”

  “You know my name?”

  “Sure. I’ve checked you out. Call me Alex. I won’t tell you my full name. It’s too long.” He looked up at the clock on the kitchen wall.

  “Don’t worry,” Lee said. “Mum won’t be back yet. She’s doing extra hours on the check-out at Tesco’s. Anything to pay the gas bill. She’s upset about money at the moment. She takes pills for stress.” He bit into a Jaffa cake. “Why am I telling you all this? It’s none of your business! You’re a total stranger. I always talk too much when I’m scared.”

  “Your secrets are safe with me,” Alex said. “I know far too many secrets already.” He put his hand on Lee’s shoulder. “And there’s no need for you to be scared. I’d never harm anyone. Anyway, you’ve sent your mum my picture, remember?”

  Lee paused. “That was a lie. A bluff. It was all I could think to say in the panic. I didn’t have time to send it. But I can tell you’re not going to kill me now. You don’t look like a killer any more.” Lee sipped his tea thoughtfully. “I think you’re some sort of a spy. I like spy books.”

  “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.”

  CHAPTER 3

  THE MISSION

  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 d
one 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.

  CHAPTER 4

  THE CLINIC

  “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?”