Hikers - The Collection (Complete Box Set of 5 Books)

by Lauren Algeo

  Even if his schemes weren’t as extreme as that, the potential for evil was there. He could breed and spawn generations of hikers, like the Grand and Master had done before him.

  Ellen shuddered at the thought of the Master. She could vividly remember the agonising feel of him inside her mind. How he’d tortured her with images of Lucy. She kept those memories buried at the bottom and tried not to think about him at all. Especially on cold, dark nights when the howl of the wind felt threatening and the shadows of branches on the wall could be mistaken for long fingers reaching towards her. She didn’t allow those nightmares to surface.

  Ellen pushed the vision of the Master’s weathered face and hard, black eyes from her mind. She concentrated on buttering bread and stirring her soup on the hob instead. There was no need to panic – she had faith in her husband. He would kill the boy.

  Chapter 15

  Brewer spent most of Friday in a daze. He’d barely slept the night before and couldn’t manage much food. He tried to distract himself with work and talking to the rest of the team but his eyes kept snaking to the watch on his wrist. The one that Ellen had bought him for a birthday that felt like years ago. As much as he willed them not to, the hands on the shining clock face kept creeping round, ticking on to the evening.

  By 4pm, Brewer felt jittery and on edge. They’d had a tedious afternoon of waiting around while Connors attended several meetings. The other guys seemed content with sitting down and idly passing the time with newspapers and chat but Brewer couldn’t stay still. He fidgeted constantly and paced the corridors, to the annoyance of Richards.

  ‘Seriously, you’re making me tired just watching you,’ Richards scolded as Brewer accidently knocked into his chair on one of his endless loops of the room. ‘Didn’t you realise this job would involve a lot of waiting around? Why don’t you relax?’

  Brewer stopped pacing abruptly. He knew he was doing a terrible job of trying to fit into the team and his restless behaviour was making them suspicious.

  ‘Sorry,’ he mumbled.

  He took a seat at the dining table, opposite the observing Seok. They’d been back at Downing Street for the last half an hour and would remain there until the Connors family were ready to leave for the dinner at 5.30pm.

  ‘I know what’s up with you,’ Adders smirked. He was rocking back on his chair and flicking through a newspaper.

  ‘What?’ Brewer’s mouth felt dry. Surely they could have no idea what was wrong with him.

  ‘This is your first big event,’ Adders said. ‘You want to impress the boss man and do a good job.’

  ‘You’ve got me.’ Brewer masked his relief as well as he could. ‘I want this night to go smoothly. Especially with Connors’ family there.’

  Richards snorted loudly. ‘It’s a boring charity do. There’ll be nothing to do apart from escort them to the entrance then it’s just more waiting. Nothing ever happens at these things. Sorry hero, you’ll have to show off to Connors some other time.’

  Brewer hoped more than anything that he was right. That Daniel wouldn’t use this opportunity to do anything publicly. There would be press photographers and TV reporters there at the start to give an audience to his sadism.

  Brewer concentrated on sitting quietly for the next hour and psyching himself up for the event. He managed to choke down some of the shepherd’s pie that was brought in to them; unfortunately there was no Jack Daniels to hand. He was aware that he’d been drinking a lot over the last couple of weeks but he needed it to numb his emotions. He could cut back on it once all this was over.

  Eventually, yet all too soon, it was time to drive across town to the dinner. Brewer stood up from the chair on shaky legs and followed the rest of the team to the front door. He could see Connors standing there, chatting animatedly to his wife. He was dressed in a smart black suit, white shirt and black bow tie. He was smiling and looked relaxed.

  His wife, Marie, was wearing an emerald green dress that flowed to the floor in several layers and complemented her slender figure. Her blond hair was secured into a loose bun and her make up was immaculate. She was gazing adoringly at her husband with shining eyes. Brewer felt an ache in his chest when he saw how happy they looked. Would he and Ellen ever get to be that happy again or would the weight of Daniel and threat of other hikers hang over them forever?

  Connors shifted to the side to reveal the third person in their small group. Brewer’s heart jolted painfully as he caught sight of Daniel for the first time. The boy was side on to him but Brewer could see that he was dressed in a matching black suit to his father. His blond hair was neatly combed and he was standing completely still. He came up to Connors’ chest in height.

  Connors caught sight of the team walking towards them and gave a wide smile. ‘Here they are!’

  Daniel’s head began to turn and Brewer looked away quickly. There was a chorus of hellos from everyone. Marie greeted the team warmly then her eyes paused on him. She waited politely for Connors to introduce them. Brewer stayed fixed on her, not wanting to look down at the boy standing beside her.

  ‘This is the newest addition to the team.’ Connors clapped him on the shoulder. ‘Marie, this is Scott Brewer. Scott, this is my lovely wife.’

  ‘It’s nice to meet you.’ Brewer stuck out his hand on autopilot. He twisted his lips into what he hoped was a smile although it felt more like a grimace on his face.

  ‘Lovely to meet you too.’ Marie shook his hand gently then stepped back.

  This was it. He had to face Daniel. Time slowed as he tilted his head to look down at the boy. He could feel each pulse of his heart and he’d temporarily stopped breathing.

  ‘And this is my son, Daniel.’ Connors’ voice sounded far away.

  Brewer kept the stretched smile on his face as his eyes finally met Daniel’s. The boy was looking up at him with his own small smile but it didn’t reach his eyes – he’d clearly trained himself to show fake emotions.

  ‘Nice to meet you, sir.’ Daniel spoke in a low, polite tone and extended his hand.

  Oh god, he had to touch him as well. Brewer reached for his hand and prayed that the boy wouldn’t notice how much his was trembling. His fingers encountered the cold skin and he shook the small hand briefly.

  ‘Good to meet you too.’ Brewer’s numb tongue struggled to form the words and they came out a little slurred.

  Daniel’s eyes narrowed slightly and Brewer felt a light scratch at the back of his head. He’d been expecting the sensation yet his body still twitched with shock. The boy was skimming over his mind.

  As Brewer retracted his hand, he repeated the thoughts he’d rehearsed in his mind. He was nervous about the event ahead. Would he be able to do a good enough job? How much of a crowd was Connors going to have to pass through at the entrance? Would photographers surround the car? Which formation should they walk in?

  Daniel blinked and looked towards his father. The moment he did, the intrusive sensation was gone from Brewer’s head. Daniel hadn’t seen any reason to dig further into his thoughts. He could feel itchy sweat trickling down his back and his body was quivering with adrenaline. The relief almost overwhelmed him and he battled to keep his legs from buckling.

  ‘Let’s hope there isn’t too much traffic.’ Connors was leading the way through the first security door with Richards by his side.

  Daniel followed behind Marie without another glance in his direction. No one was aware of the tense situation that Brewer had just overcome.

  ‘You look pale,’ Adders pointed out as they trailed the others out of the door. ‘Don’t worry, Richards told you it would be a quiet event.’

  Brewer nodded dumbly, expending most of his energy on staying upright. He walked to the car on stiff legs and discreetly wiped the sweat from his brow. Being so close to Daniel was terrifying, the boy could re-enter his mind at any moment and discover his secrets. He hadn’t seen anything in the brief seconds he was inside, Brewer was sure of it… almost sure. He couldn’t shake off the m
emory of Celiah, the Grand’s most gifted child.

  She could read people’s thoughts without them ever knowing she was there – her touch was too light. What if Daniel was still in his mind; rooting through all of his darkest memories without him sensing it?

  Brewer glanced quickly at Daniel. The boy was climbing into the back seat of Connors’ car and talking to his mother. Surely the chances of Daniel having a gift like that were impossible?

  Brewer climbed inside one of the Range Rovers that would be accompanying the PM’s Jaguar. Even a separate car didn’t seem far enough away from him. His skin was still crawling with the sensation of Daniel being inside his head.

  Adders got into the driver’s seat of the car and gave him a sideways glance. ‘You didn’t want to travel in the front of the Jag?’ he asked.

  ‘No, I umm, thought I could observe better from here,’ Brewer stuttered. ‘You know, umm, to check the surrounding traffic.’

  ‘Fair enough,’ Adders shrugged and turned on the engine.

  They drove slowly along the road, behind the Connors family. Brewer cracked open the window and let the cool early evening air blast his face. It was nearly October and there was rain forecast for that night.

  The feel of the wind on his face was soothing and Brewer’s tight muscles began to release. His back and shoulders were aching with the tension and he rubbed at his neck. Adders was prattling on about all the celebrities who would be attending the event and Brewer tried to keep up.

  ‘That hot TV presenter will probably be there too. You know, Jenny something.’ Adders gave him a smile. ‘I’ve got a thing for leggy brunettes.’

  ‘As long as you don’t forget why we’re here,’ Brewer said pointedly.

  ‘Ahh, lighten up.’ Adders gave him a playful nudge in the ribs. ‘Once Connors and his family are inside, we’ll have nothing to do but admire the women who turn up.’

  ‘Are we staying outside then?’ Brewer tried not to sound too hopeful.

  ‘Well they aren’t going to give us an expensive table at the dinner are they?’ Adders laughed. ‘Richards said they have a smaller room near the hall where we can wait. No Champagne for us.’

  At least they wouldn’t be in the same room as Daniel. Unfortunately it was still likely to be in his range but there would be plenty of minds at the dinner to distract him. There was safety in numbers for Brewer – the same way he felt safer at Downing Street with hundreds of other people and two floors between himself and Daniel. The boy needed to amuse himself with other people’s secrets, not Brewer’s.

  He tried to focus on the night ahead and keep his mind clear. If the boy did seek out his thoughts, he didn’t want him to see anything other than work tasks at first glance.

  ‘When we arrive, we should get Connors inside the building as quickly as possible,’ he told Adders. ‘The press will want photos and Connors likes to keep the media onside so we might be able to allow a brief family photo but no more than a minute. People are still angry about the Lawsons debacle and a public event like this would be a prime place to take their protests further. Even though it isn’t really the government’s fault, they’re looking to blame anyone right now.’

  ‘I love it when you get all serious,’ Adders smirked. ‘This isn’t my first rodeo. Connors can do a quick wave to the crowd, pose for a photo, and be safely inside in the blink of an eye. Simple.’

  ‘We’ll keep a tight formation,’ Brewer nodded and stared ahead through the dashboard.

  Adders seemed to forget that he was there because the team had been making mistakes. They’d let Davenport get doused in water at the last event and that had been a ‘simple’ walk to the car. There was tension in the air in the country; he could feel it. Something sinister was lurking just below the surface and any situation could escalate. Burning effigies and violent protests were only the beginning. Nobody wanted a mob baying for blood… anyone in power’s blood.

  They hit some traffic on the way across town and had to divert their route but eventually they pulled up alongside the square in front of Guildhall. They’d been allowed to park close due to the PM’s presence. Brewer saw a thick red carpet laid out by the entrance and there was a crowd of excited people to one side. The other side of the carpet was roped off for photographers and reporters.

  Brewer took a deep breath and got out of the car. He would have to get close to Daniel again on the walk inside; there was no way around it. He walked briskly to the PM’s car with Adders in tow. Richards was already out of the Jag and Seok appeared instantly from the other Range Rover. Connors had refused the need for the extra motorbikes for one charity event. They stood by the car door while Connors and his family climbed out of the back seat of the Jag. Marie straightened her dress and smoothed her husband’s jacket.

  ‘All set?’ Brewer asked.

  They’d been intending to walk in with two men in front of Connors and two men behind the family but he waved them away with a smile.

  ‘You guys can hang back a little,’ he said. ‘I’m sure the rigid bodyguard thing makes people nervous.’

  ‘But sir…’ Brewer started.

  ‘We’ll be fine with you guys behind us,’ Connors cut him off firmly. ‘Shall we?’

  He took Marie’s arm and she in turn held Daniel’s hand. Daniel glanced up at Brewer as he passed and for one brief moment, he thought he saw the hint of a smirk on the boy’s lips. Had he done that on purpose? He’d seen in Brewer’s mind that this was an important night for him and he wanted the security to be perfect. Was it possible that he’d influenced Connors to get the team to back off?

  The idea was worrying. Brewer hadn’t heard any whispering from Daniel to his father but he could have done it while they were travelling in separate cars and he hadn’t heard over the constant chatter of Adders and the radio.

  Brewer tried to push the muddled thoughts from his mind and fell in-step behind the family. He had to concentrate on getting them inside safely before he could process the idea of Daniel mocking him.

  ‘Jack!’

  ‘Connors, over here.’

  The reporters pounced as soon as they hit the end of the carpet and dozens of camera flashes went off. Brewer squinted at the brightness, trying to see if anyone looked out of place. The members of public on the other side were calling too and Connors smiled and waved at people. They stopped in the middle for a family portrait.

  Connors put his arm around Marie, and Daniel stood in front of them. His wife beamed alongside him but Daniel was more reserved. He gave a tight-lipped smile that barely moved his face and his eyes narrowed at the harsh flashes.

  Brewer attempted to keep a constant eye on him while scanning the rest of the scene. The family only posed briefly but every second felt like a minute to him. He just wanted this to be over. Connors exchanged a few words with some of the crowd. His body language was relaxed and inviting – the perfect, engaging politician. Brewer couldn’t take it any more.

  He stepped close to Connors and gently manoeuvred his arm. ‘We should really get you inside, sir.’

  ‘Ok,’ Connors nodded. ‘We’ll go in.’

  He waved to a few more people then walked inside the building with Marie and Daniel. Brewer sighed inwardly as the doormen closed the thick glass doors behind them. Someone else was arriving and the crowd outside turned their attention to them.

  ‘I know that was uncomfortable for you,’ Connors said as they walked along the marble corridor. ‘But I have to please the public. It’s my job to be seen.’

  ‘I understand, sir,’ Brewer said quietly. ‘But it’s my job to make sure the situation stays safe.’

  Connors clapped him on the shoulder for the second time that night. ‘It’s fine. You guys can relax now, we’ll see you at the end.’

  A smartly dressed man led the family down some ornate steps while the team stayed at the top to wait for someone to escort them to their room.

  ‘See, what did I tell you?’ Richards said. ‘These events are no brainers.
We’ll be stuck in a room for the rest of it so make the most of being out here while you can.’

  ‘I think we should hang around here until all the celebrities are inside,’ Adders winked. ‘I can’t wait to see what Leggy Jenny is wearing.’

  Chapter 16

  Brewer sipped his coffee and tried to keep still in the chair. He’d had two cups of strong coffee in the hour and a half they’d been at the event and the caffeine was coursing through his body.

  The team had been given a small office to sit in and they were crammed around a desk on hard, plastic chairs. A young waitress had brought them tea and coffee twice but there was no fancy meal for them. The office was along the corridor from the main hall and Brewer had to strain his ears to try and pick up any hint of Daniel whispering. So far it had been quiet, although the tangle of nerves in his stomach didn’t believe it would stay that way. Surely the temptation of a grand event was too much for Daniel?

  The door squeaked open and Seok entered the room. They’d been taking it in turns to go for a walk every fifteen minutes or so to check on Connors.

  ‘It’s all quiet out there,’ Seok said softly. He took a seat at the desk again, opposite Brewer. ‘The main course is just coming out.’

  It was the most Brewer had heard him say in one go, he usually only responded in curt sentences.

  ‘I bet they’re having something really fancy,’ Adders grumbled. ‘We haven’t even got any biscuits.’

  He and Richards had been playing a football game on their phones for the last half an hour. They had a league going with some of the other staff at Downing Street and they’d tried to persuade Brewer to join in but he’d declined. He had no idea how to play games like that and worrying about changing his team every week seemed trivial compared to what else was going on in his life. He was surprised to learn that Seok was currently winning the league; apparently the secretive man was very good at tactics.