Then he felt a hand on his arm and turned. Nate had stopped at the foot of the plank, looking scared but determined, as though he’d just come to a difficult decision.
“I can’t go,” he told Joe. “Not without Aunt Sedna. She came all the way to London to get me. The least I can do is wait for her.”
“The Five are on their way,” Joe protested. “You’ll be captured.”
“I’ve been captured before,” Nate said. “And hey, maybe it’ll be good to have someone here on the inside. Keeping an eye on them.”
“But we’ve come so far together,” Joe argued. “You and me and Kara. We need y—”
“Don’t say it,” Nate told him. “You don’t need me, and Kara certainly doesn’t. I’ll see you both again, I promise. And I’ll think about you every day. I’m a different person because of you two.”
Joe smiled. “I think that’s true. The old Nate would’ve been first up this gangplank.”
The Mariner boy laughed. “Look after Kara. I know she doesn’t need it, but do it anyway. Tell her … well, tell her I love her, I guess.”
Joe felt the gangplank rising beneath him and scrambled upward. “I will!” he shouted, darting through the hatch just as it slammed shut.
Kara pushed through the teeming hangar, leading Dash by the arm. The floor began to rumble as the engines powered up. The Ark was on the move.
She spotted Redeye by the elevator and crossed to join him. Joe slipped inside just as the lift doors slid shut. “Where’s Nate?” Kara asked him. “Still in the hold?”
Joe shook his head. “He stayed behind. He gave me a message, but I’ll tell you later.” Then his face turned serious. “Listen, Cane didn’t … she didn’t make it. There was an explosion. She died.”
Kara gasped and Redeye stared at Joe in sightless disbelief. “That’s impossible.”
“I was there,” Joe said. “I saw it.”
“But I had…” Kara screwed up her eyes, trying not to let her emotions overwhelm her. “I had so many things I wanted to say to her.”
“She stood up to her father,” Joe told them. “She yelled right in his face, told him he was wrong. It was amazing. But then … then she… I thought, if you’re going to speak to him, you should know.”
Redeye slumped against the wall of the elevator. Kara wiped her eyes roughly with her sleeve, gritting her teeth so hard it hurt. “It’s awful, but it doesn’t change what we came here to do,” she said. “There are still plenty of other people who need our help.”
They emerged on to the upper deck, turning towards the bridge. From inside, Kara could hear Cortez barking orders and she felt her chest tighten. How had it come to this? Still, for now all that mattered was bringing an end to the destruction.
Ahead of the Ark she could see a red bridge spanning the horizon, towers reaching to the sky. Beneath it a line of Mariner ships trailed into the open ocean. But as she watched, the copters swooped down and one of the boats vanished in fire and steam.
“They’re coming around,” an officer was saying as Kara stepped on to the bridge. “I think they’ve spotted us.”
“Ready weapons,” Cortez ordered. “Tell them to bring those machines down before they—”
“We’ve got a better idea,” Redeye said, and Cortez turned.
“By jaws,” he said. “My old friend. We’d given you up for dead.”
“Have the reunion later,” Kara said. “We’ve got bigger issues.”
“Kara,” Cortez hissed. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Saving your life,” she said. “I’m just sorry I was too late to save Cane.”
Cortez’s mouth tightened. “Don’t you speak my daughter’s name.” Then his gaze fell on Dash and he stepped forward, eyes flaring. “You dare to bring one of those … creatures on to my ship?”
Kara stood protectively in front of the clone. “He’s my prisoner. And now I need a transmitter, tuned to… What was it again? 732 point something.”
“Five,” Joe put in.
“Right,” Kara said. “Tune it to that.”
Cortez looked from Kara to Dash and for a moment all was still, just the rattle of rotors as the copters closed in. Then he nodded to the radio operator. “Do as she says.”
The young woman twisted a dial and speakers crackled. She handed Kara a handset.
“Calling The Five,” Kara said. “Come in if you can hear me. I have something of yours.”
The speakers hissed with static, then a strained voice came on the line. “Kara.” She couldn’t tell which of them it was, but she assumed Grey. “What have you done with our brother?”
“I’m safe,” Dash said, leaning forward.
“And he’ll stay that way as long as you do as we tell you,” Kara said.
There was a growl of fury and a second voice broke in. “You treacherous—”
“Call off the copters,” Kara snapped. “Let the Mariner ships leave.”
“We refuse to retreat,” Scar said. “We’ve come too far. The city is ours.”
“We know,” Kara told him. “Please, just stop the bombing.”
“Right now,” Joe urged as the flying machines clattered closer, almost overhead. He clung to Kara, ducking his head as they passed within metres of the Ark. But the missiles didn’t detach, and through the speakers Kara heard Knuckles barking orders as the copters peeled away.
“You’ve wounded us, Kara,” Grey said.
“We trusted you and you tore us apart,” Boxer spat.
“But I warn you,” Scar finished, “if anyone so much as lays a hand on our brother, we’ll—”
Cortez reached out, cutting the transmission. Then he turned on Dash, fixing him with a hard stare. “I’ll do as Kara promised, provided your brothers keep their word. But I warn you, set one foot out of line…”
Kara shoved past him, taking Dash’s arm. “He’s my hostage, not yours. So leave him be.”
She led the clone away, joining the crowd of homeless Mariners huddled on the windblown deck. They stood at the railing, looking back towards the city. Black smoke hung over Frisco Bay.
“You’ll see them again, I promise,” Kara told him. “And I really am sorry about kidnapping you. It was the sort of thing Cortez would have done. Or your brother, Scar.”
Dash smiled, touching his eyebrow. “That’s what you call him? It’s funny, I always looked up to him. He was so certain about everything. So tough, like nothing could get through.”
Kara frowned. “Sometimes I worry that’s what I’m like, too.”
Dash snorted. “That’s ridiculous. My brother always had a mean streak. I’d say you’re more like me.”
Kara looked down into the glittering water. “Maybe I’m a bit of both.”
They passed under the bolted span of the Golden Gate Bridge, moving out into the open ocean. There weren’t as many Mariner vessels as she’d hoped and most of them were barely more than fishing boats, swinging in to join the Neptune and the Poseidon, taking advantage of the big ships’ protection. Others were still leaving port, trailing behind them in a ragtag line.
“We’re heading north-west,” Lynx said, joining them at the railing.
“I wonder where we’ll end up,” Dash said.
“It’s up to Cortez,” Kara frowned. “I still can’t believe he’s back in charge after everything.”
“Wherever we’re going,” Joe put in, “someone’ll probably blow it up just after we get there.” He looked up at her, his face streaked with soot and tears. “I’m sorry. I know I’d usually say something hopeful right now, but I don’t have anything. I just wish Cane was here. And Nate too.”
Kara put her arm around his shoulders, bending to kiss his scruffy scalp. “I’m here,” she reminded him. “We’re alive, and we’re back together. Is that hopeful enough for you?”
Joe sighed, forcing a smile. “It’s a start.”
Epilogue
Nate clutched tight to his aunt’s arm as they were shoved along
a bombed-out street between rows of high-sided trucks. The Five’s train car stood at the far end, the door open, light streaming from within. Their army had crossed the Bay just hours before, half of them coming around by the Golden Gate Bridge while the rest were ferried over on stolen ships. Resistance in the city had been half-hearted and short-lived. The clones now controlled Frisco.
One of them looked up as Nate and Sedna were shown inside; the one with the grey flecks in his hair. He looked weary and disturbed, his face drawn and pale. “Councillor Weaver,” he said. “It’s good to finally meet you. We are The Five.”
Sedna stuck out her chin. “I only count four.”
Another clone got to his feet, his face bandaged, the scar shining above his eye. “You’re not the first to make that observation. You don’t want to know what happened to the others.”
“Our brother has been taken,” a third growled. “If anything happens to him, this city will pay for it.”
“Brothers, please,” Grey said. “Let’s not start this again. The councillor is the highest-ranking member of the Mariner government still in Frisco. We’re going to need her help maintaining order.”
“Stuff your help,” Sedna spat. “You’ve killed or exiled half my friends. I won’t help you oppress the other half.”
The fourth clone cracked his knuckles. “We’re not planning to oppress them. We just don’t want anyone else getting hurt.”
“Is that a threat?” Sedna demanded. “Is that why you brought my nephew along, so you could use him to threaten me?”
“Actually, no,” Grey said. “We wanted to speak to Nate as well. You’ll be glad to hear that your friends are safe. The Neptune crossed the thirty-fifth parallel less than an hour ago.”
“Th-thank you,” Nate said, unsure how else to respond.
“However,” Grey went on, leaning closer. “We know the Mariners will be back. John Cortez is not the sort of man to run from a fight, and there’s nothing to stop him rallying the rest of the fleet and returning to retake the city. We understand you were with him shortly before he left. We’d like to know what he said to you, anything that could help us predict what he might do next.”
“How would my nephew know what goes on in that man’s mind?” Sedna demanded. “John Cortez is a disgrace to the Mariner nation – that’s why we locked him up.”
Nate thought back to that desperate flight through the crowd. He remembered Cane lying twisted on the platform, Cortez swearing bitter revenge. Then Rex had unexpectedly agreed with Joe. He’d told Cortez that—
“Plan B,” he remembered aloud. “That’s what Rex said, Cortez’s brother. After Cane died, everything went crazy. Cortez was screaming, saying he’d kill you. But then his brother calmed him down. He said there was another way to get revenge. Plan B.”
Scar rolled his eyes. “Well that’s specific.”
“Did they say anything else?” Grey asked. “Anything that could give some hint as to what this Plan B entailed?”
“Yes,” Nate said. “Rex’s exact words were, Remember Plan B. Remember the transition zone.”
Sedna’s hand tightened on his arm. “Neptune’s beard,” she said softly. “They’re insane.”
Grey looked at her quizzically. “What does it mean? What is this zone? How will Cortez use it against us?”
Sedna shook her head. “He won’t. I mean, not in the way you think. He’s not just going to take revenge on you. He’s going to take it on everyone. Everyone who isn’t a Mariner. He’s going to wash this world clean and start from scratch. He’s going to destroy everything.”
On the DustRoad
Kara, Joe and Nate’s journey across the Southern states was inspired by a series of unforgettable road trips, and many of the places they visit are based on real locations.
The Five have their headquarters at the Rothko Chapel in Houston, while the space shuttle Joe sees on the shoreline can be found at the Johnson Space Centre.
The Very Large Array in New Mexico is one of the most breathtaking places on earth, as is Coronado Butte on the rim of the Grand Canyon.
Lenny’s pictures are a tribute to the work of Leonard Knight at Salvation Mountain, while the junk maze was loosely inspired by the beaches of the Salton Sea.
The city in the sand is obviously Las Vegas, with Camp Badwater on the western (aka the wrong) side of Death Valley.
I’ve taken similar liberties with Alcatraz Island and other locations in and around San Francisco because this is the future and a lot has changed.
Thanks and praise to Tom Hughes for thousands of miles of heroic driving, and I’m still sorry about the hot syrup incident. Thanks also to Miles Johnson, Monika Blackburn and many others for hosting and hangs.
Acknowledgements
Kirsty Stansfield steered me round the plot-hole potholes. Ella Diamond Kahn kept the whole show on the road. Jensine Eckwall made another gorgeous map, Manuel Sumberac crafted an even more eye-scorching cover and Elisabetta Barbazza wrestled it all together. The team at Nosy Crow could not have been more supportive, but extra thanks go to Rebecca Mason who has talked me down from a panic more times than is reasonable.
Katia Wengraf was the best indie tour guide ever. So Mayer gave the most sensitive of sensitivity reads. And belated thanks to Drew Worthley for a smashing author pic. My family’s enthusiasm and encouragement never wavers – love to Daisy, Alfie, Sarah, Dad, Sadé and Margie, who enables me to visit the real FloodWorld.
Everyone I thanked last time deserves it again (especially if you took the time to shout about FloodWorld online). The reaction was better than I could’ve hoped, but most rewarding of all was meeting young readers and hearing from parents, librarians and teachers who were sharing the book with their classes. Thanks for getting in touch, it means the world.
Also by
Tom Huddleston
Copyright
First published in the UK in 2020 by Nosy Crow Ltd
The Crow’s Nest, 14 Baden Place
Crosby Row, London, SE1 1YW
Nosy Crow and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Nosy Crow Ltd
Text copyright © Tom Huddleston, 2020
Cover copyright © Manuel Šumberac, 2020
Map copyright © Jensine Eckwall, 2020
The right of Tom Huddleston to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted.
All rights reserved
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This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of Nosy Crow Ltd.
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ISBN: 978 1 78800 648 4
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DustRoad Page 20
